TOP 10 things that you should be doing while you are on your floor shift.

TOP 10 things that you should be doing while you are on your floor shift.

10.  Work on your escrow/paperwork.

9.  Follow up calls: call OB agents to see about their showings on your listing.  Call existing business.

8.  Email or mail to clients current Industry articles .

7.  Set up Previewing appointments.  (you always need to be previewing!).

6.  Read articles/books/news on Real Estate.

5.  Run CMAs on past or current clients homes.  Mail them out or email.

4.  Work on your farm area or your sphere list.  Call them or do a personal hand written note.

3.  Call past clients to check in and see how they are doing.

2.  GO thru your MLS drip system/or "find it first system", (your level 2 or 3 website).  Double check and see what your clients are receiving from you.  What homes are they looking at?!?

1.  Write personal notes.

Have a great day!

NOW is the time to sell and / buy!

Reminder Regarding Our Policy

Consumers taking a "wait and see" approach to buying, selling - BUT they shouldn't.

Consumer data shows that Americans are taking a "wait and see" approach to buying and selling a home, according to Fannie Mae’s May 2012 National Housing Survey.
Take a look at these stats. Buyer sentiment is high, our Central Valley prices have already gone up 3 to 5% and interest rates remain low. It’s time for Buyer’s to buy and Sellers to sell!

• On average, Americans expect home prices to increase by 1.4% over the next 12 months, up 0.5 percentage points since March 2012 and the highest value yet recorded. (Buyers should buy!)
• Thirty-four percent of respondents say that home prices will go up in the next 12 months, the highest level recorded since March 2011. (Buyers should buy)
• Forty-one percent of respondents expect home mortgage rates to go up in the next twelve months, a slight increase from last month.
• The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to buy increased by 1 percentage point to 72 percent, while the percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to sell remained at 15 percent.
• On average, respondents expect home rental prices to increase by 4.1 percent over the next 12 months, a 0.5 percentage point increase versus last month a return to the level seen in March.
• Forty-nine percent of respondents think that home rental prices will go up, consistent with last month’s value and remaining the highest number recorded to date. (Renters should buy)
• At 32 percent, the percentage of respondents who would rent if they were going to move is unchanged, while 63 percent would buy.

Given the first four bullet points above, sellers need to understand that they have to take advantage of current buyer demand. Last month we entered the peak of our markets buying season, and inventory is at an all-time low. Sellers should sell before more foreclosures come on the market and put downward pressure on prices.

Powerful Words

Property Advertising Techniques

599 days in Foreclosure..... and counting!

Below is a good link to an article for your sellers – here’s why (foreclosure inventory is down = prices could bump up):

1.      Due in part to lawsuits tied to “robo-signings” and other related issues, banks have decreased their foreclosure filings.

2.      Trustee sales and judicial foreclosures are down 37% (only 3.7% of properties in foreclosure were liquidated in June as opposed to 5.6% in August 2010).

3.      The number of foreclosed homes held by banks is down 17% (currently 493,000 nationally) from one year ago.

4.      But, it’s not that the defaults are not there, it’s just that the banks are putting off the inevitable.  The average number of days a property is in foreclosure has gone from 478 in August of 2010 to 599 days July of 2011 – that’s an increase of 25% in just one year.

5.      This has caused a decrease in our current housing inventory (especially in the Central Valley) which should either keep prices propped up at current levels, or possibly give us a little bump. Any seller who is contemplating selling in the next 3 years should at least consider now as the perfect time.  When/if we get a wave of foreclosures in the future, we could have a flood of inventory and another drop in prices.  For sellers, sell now, lock in an historic low rate loan and buy your dream home.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903374004576578860527754444.html#printMode

It’s Avocado Season

As we bounce along this economic "recovery" I look for parallels, differences, and just ideas that we can use to help with our real estate careers. A few days ago, I saw something that hit me right between the eyes.
I’m driving southbound on Academy into Sanger for a sales meeting at the office. Just as I slow (for the 40 MPH zone), I see a billboard on my right for Subway Sandwiches that reads "It’s Avocado Season". There’s an enormous picture of a sandwich stuffed with delicious looking avocados. I immediately think avocados are good. I love avocado season, I wonder how long the season is – 2 months? And then, I think I better get while the getting’s good.
It occurs to me, that of all the chain restaurants that have offered everything from avocados to western bacon double something, I don’t recall ever seeing such a great call to action. The advertisement clearly illustrates here today gone tomorrow! In anticipation for the sales meeting, I think what else is here today and gone tomorrow? The answer, listing season!
That’s right, as we cut our way through this saw tooth-like recovery, I’m convinced that anyone who is considering selling in the next two years needs to list with you now and get their property sold. Inventory is at an all-time low and buyer demand is high. With little to no competition out there, any and every well priced home will sell. Just like the bump in price for your sandwich to add avocado, sellers are getting a bump in price too (we’re up 3-5% depending on the area). It’s listing season and your sellers have 60-120 days to take advantage of it.
Our job is to shake the trees and create the low hanging fruit! Get every expired listing back on the market, every for sale by owner listed and every seller who has been on the fence in the game to take advantage of this brief seller’s market. The most rewarding, money making activity you can do right now, is to prospect for listings. Listings are the only "now" business. If you pick up a buyer in today’s market, you may write 5, 10, even 15 offers over a several month period and still not close a deal with them. On the other hand, any listing you get will be sold immediately. Listings are "now" business.
Take advantage of the season. Good luck and go get em!
P.S. I’ve eaten an avocado every day since Thursday – don’t let this opportunity pass you by!

Sell More in-house Listings!