Hemet, CA

As an REO Listing REALTOR® in the Hemet - San Jacinto Valley portion of South West Riverside County in the Inland Empire Region of Southern California I come across some pretty strange things when I take possession of a property.

This weekend I approached a former homeowner who lost their home to the foreclosure process and now the bank wanted me to offer a cash-for-keys opportunity to help relocate the family from the bank owned REO home in the shortest time possible.

The basic rule is that the homeowner has to leave the home ‘broom clean' and all trash has to be removed from the house and yard. We also need to make certain that the appliances stay behind and that there is no additional damage to the property. This means I have to inspect the home, when we agree to the terms, which will establish a base line so when I return on the designated date with the check, the home is a similar - but clean condition.

INSPECTIONS CAN BE HAZARDOUS...OR HOW DO PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THAT?

OK, it is not my job to judge anyone - I'll leave that up to God according to His perfect timing. However, I am never amazed anymore.

The interior of the home was far from perfect, but all and all in tact. I made my notes on the clipboard, as I toured the home with an ah-ha and ummm at the appropriate moments. Again, when I am in this position it is all a delicate balance of empathy and establishing control.

I could not believe what I saw when I entered the 3-car garage.

First, the direct interior access garage fire door had been breached with a doggy-door for their pet German Sheppard. The whole purpose of that door is to stop a fire from spreading into the home. Not sure which is first or second but between the garage and the kitchen you have the source of at lest 90% of all home fires.

OK, it is no surprise, I'm sure that there were German Sheppard size land mines across much of the garage floor. I did comment that this would have to be cleaned out prior to their departure. "No problem", I was told.

On a workbench, located on the back wall of the garage, occupying all of the space between the interior garage door and the hot water heater in it's alcove, were numerous containers of household chemicals as well as solvents that could be used in a garage or shop environment. I did see some wood working tools as well as gardening power tools.

Unfortunately, not all of the containers were closed tight, as there were caps on the workbench. So this means these toxic and flammable chemicals were ventilating into the garage space. Under the work bench were a pair of 1-gallon gas cans. One of them had a dirty rag jammed into the spout.

I pointed this out as a safety hazard and was told that it's OK, there is plenty of ventilation. I looked surprised and did see a small vent on the side wall with daylight coming through it - but that was about it.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

There are three important lessons here - four if you talk about the dog - but that is another story we'll save for another time.

First - the direct access door from the living quarters to the garage is a fire door and by code it has to withstand a fire for at least 20 minutes. The moment you open it up with a hold for any size pet you have added fuel to the fire and allowed it an easy path to the living space of the home.

Second - all household chemicals should be stored in sealed containers. Retail packaging is fine, so long as it is kept closed when not in use. Storage of these chemicals and solvents (paint, too) should be in a cool dry place and NOT a foot or two from a hot water heater with a pilot light!!!

Third - Gasoline should never be stored in a container with a rag in it. Can you spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R...How about F-U-S-E? A couple of other words enter my mind, but I am reminded that it is Gods place to judge and not mine - please forgive me.

Just for the record, gas cans should never be stored completely full - about 95% is fine. The fumes need a place to expand. Gas cans should never be in a hot environment over 80 degrees - that means the hot metal storage container on the side of the house - not a good idea in the Hemet - San Jacinto CA Summer where we have consecutive triple digit weeks in our summer.

So please, be careful.

Until Next Time, Have a Blessed Day,

John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR®

OK, this morning I was turned on to a new tool that I find exciting and already have numerous applications for. The tool is simple to use and the best part is the tool is FREE!

OK, we can all agree we are in the age of communication. Right?

Old school communication is face to face. Although the most effective it is very time consuming and can at times be awkward or uncomfortable.

Next generation is the telephone. Much quicker, because there is no travel time to get face to face - but certainly can be time consuming if either party likes to gab.

Communication evolved in the mid 1990's to the advancement of email. No one can deny today the phenomenal affect that email has had on society in general and certainly in the real estate industry we breath email.

By the middle of the first decade of the 21^st century, email started to give way to text messaging and ‘Tweeting'. It is amazing how much info can be passed in 140 to 160 characters...or less!

Unfortunately a text doesn't always cut it and an email is not always practical. There are times when we just have to pick up the phone to relay important information. Many times when we start to dial, we are homing for the intervention of voice mail - or the ability to leave a message for the recipient. Thereby, we get to leave a personal message without having to endure a lengthy and sometimes uncomfortable dialogue.

SO WHT HAS CHANGED?

Up until today - I never knew that you could call in straight to a voice mail without the other parties cell phone ever ringing....Now, I know that numbers can be blocked, preventing others from obtaining your phone number to avoid future harassment but think about all of the reasons to call someone - leave a message without ever actually talking with them? Ohhh, just think of the possibilities...

... Not that I have a boss to call in to if I can't make it to work on time, but if I did...I could reach their cell phone voice mail as if I attempted to call, but had to leave the message...

...OK, lets say you need to contact a client and give them some unpleasant news. Oh I don't know...maybe the offer you wrote last weekend for the house your client wanted to buy - just like the 5 weeks prior was turned down by the bank. Now instead of giving the blow-by blow and hearing the frustration all over again you can get right in leave the details in a very professional message and move on to your next call. I guarantee you just saved 10 minutes...

...Here is another scenario that jumps to mind. I'm on my way to an appointment. Now I can be the professional I am and call to confirm that I am on my way and not give the other party the opportunity to cancel...

Maybe I need to call a family member with a reminder or an invitation but just don't want to or have the time to get sucked into a family gossip fest. So bam, make the call - leave the message and get on about your day. Heck, this might save an hour or more if you have family members like some of mine!

If I was single and dating there would be many uses for this, I'm sure...but I won't allow my mind to wander too far off tract - those of you who are single and anyone else please chime in with your own uses for this new tool.

SO HOW TO USE THIS GREAT NEW TOOL...

The free tool I plan on using in my real estate business and personal life is appropriately named ‘slydial'. There are two versions the free one and another for $2.95 a month or $29.95 for the year. You can also use the paid service for as needed basis at only a dime a use.

The big difference is when you use the free version you have to listen to a lengthy message about the service which I found very annoying. I suppose at some point there may be other advertising there as well. With the subscription your call goes straight through.

In quickly looking over the comprehensive list of FAQ I also realized with the subscription you can leave a voice mail as long as the receivers email will allow - with the free version you are limited to 90 seconds.

The final difference I could initially figure out between the subscription plan and the free version is that as a paid subscriber I can earn an incentive for helping others start to use the service. It is real simple if you like this and want a free month, then when you subscribe there will be a question about how you found out about the service - just select the "Friends and Family" Option and then add my email address - TheHouseSeller@GMAil.Com. The way it works is you get a free month of service and so do I. Nothing wrong with that, now is there?

So go to the website for the detailed instructions on how to either start using the service for free or step up to a subscription that works for you. I just know that after hearing the advertisement twice I was ready to pay. I do believe it is a very small sum that I will get a lot of play out of though...so enjoy and please let me know how you use the service - just leave me a voice mail...(or blog post and share with everyone else...)

This week I was Certified by the National Association of REALTORS® as an ePro. As a result of the training I received I am in the process of updating my technology plan - meaning I am looking at the tools I use for my Hemet - San Jacinto, CA real estate business. In many cases, I am ahead of the curve and my peers in my market - and in others I lack.

With that being said, I am looking hard at all of my current services to make sure I am getting the most bang for the buck. Today, I am considering changing my on line faxing solution. In doing my research, I came across what I found to be a useful website where detailed comparisons are made of some of the most widly used on-line fax programs.

So check this outfor yourself and see if you have the best tool on the market - for what you need to accomplish to keep up in this current real estate market.

I could not believe it, as I was doing my morning surf of the web looking for relevant industry news on what is going on in the housing industry across the country I come across a short blurb from the Aldine/North Houston News

Unfortunately, this is a very short article of only 116 words - but powerful words that got me to sit up straight in my chair and take notice. Powerful enough for me to put out a warning - not only to my own team and office but to everyone in the real estate industry that reads what I share.

The short version is that 3 people went to a vacant home for sale at 8 o'clock t night, 2 were let in and then ambushed once inside by a pair of armed gunmen. They were robbed at gun point. When the crooks fled, apparently they were not counting on the 3^rd person waiting outside by the car - a woman whom the thieves shot in their get-a-way. The woman was treated for a non-life threatening injury - but just the same, she got shot looking at a house she wanted to buy. The bad guys got away.

I wish there might have been another 100 words or so top answer some of the questions I have. Apparently the woman was the sister to one of the men and the other was a friend that they wanted to show the home to. The article says ‘another man' let the pair in. He later disappeared and has not been found.

So who is this ‘other guy? A bona-fide agent...or? Was he in cahoots with the bad guys? What kind of neighborhood was this...multiple-million dollar homes - working class neighborhood or inner city ghetto?

Does it matter? No, what matters is your safety - so please be careful whenever approaching a vacant home.

Real Estate Sales is just as complex as the markets we serve. As the market evolves so do the strategies of agents trying to get their next deal into escrow. This is a tale of what is going on in the Hemet - San Jacinto CA Valley and what one REO listing agent is doing to try and stop the process before it ever gets out of control.

I realize that first time buyers are frustrated by ‘the system' and that they want to take advantage of the current real estate market while they still can. Many fear that the market will quickly turn and they will be unable to afford a home ever again, once the market changes and goes back up. Many are anxious and even stressing over the thought of not being able to take advantage of the Federal Governments $8.000 tax credit for first time homebuyers.

Regardless of the circumstances, agents are enabling their clients to commit some fraud in the hope of earning a commission. Or perhaps, some of the slickest buyers are being even more despicable by bringing in multiple real estate agents into their web of deceit, in an attempt to buy a home in this current market and times of financial uncertainty.

The frustration for many wanna be home buyers escalates week after week as their agent takes them out for a tour of new homes on the market followed by an hour or more of paperwork and several days before finding out that the home they wanted to buy has been sold to another buyer.

THE MULTIPLE OFFERS BUYER

Whether it is buyers instructing their agents or agents suggesting to their buyers is unclear; but buyers are now writing offers on multiple properties at the same time. In essence, they are treating our industry like a pile of SH*T - thinking they can throw enough of it against the wall to see what sticks.

My personal frustration comes from one of my active bank owned REO listings that has had 4 offers accepted by my asset manager only to have the buyers turn not sign the counter offers and addendum's - because they bought another home.

So the thinking is if you write 10 offers and one comes through, great, you got a new home. If two offers are accepted - even better you have a choice. When three offers are countered then buyers are feeling like they are in control.

HOMEY DON'T PLAY THAT GAME

OK. I may be dating myself to the 80's variety show that launched the Wayan Brothers and Jim Carry - In Living Color. That's OK, it just lets you know I'm old enough to have gone around the block myself once or twice and I am not going to be a participant in your games.

So how do I stop you, you want to know. That's easy - If you want to play you are going to have to pay.

Here is the new rules:

One, If you are an out of town agent and you don't have access to my electronic lock boxes then you are going to have to come to my office and pick up a key - leaving a $25 key deposit.

Two, if you want to submit an offer I will only process it once I have your clients earnest money deposit and yes I will deposit it directly into the trust account on the day it is received. If you are not accepted your money will be refunded right away. If you have opened escrow on another home then we will have to figure out what steps to take to see if you are or not entitled to a refund of your deposit. I'm sure it will take at least a week or two to have my attorney review the situation and offer me the proper legal advise...something I would strongly suggest any agent who willingly plays this game to get. I can't tell you where it is - but as one professional to another, we both know this is not the way we are expected to treat one another or the public - and yes my corporate / bank seller is still the public. Lets not forget who is taking the bath here - not your client with the sense of entitlement.

So go ahead. And "Make My Day". For those who are too young to remember that was a very famous Clint Eastwood line form one of the Dirty Harry Movies.

UPDATE - The Morning After (Sunday)

OK, I am a little blown away with the responses I have received and was really blown away when I realized this blog post was Featured by ActiveRain. I know there will be a lot more than the 15 or so comments I have already, by the time this day is done. My last Featured Blog Article, The Next Wave of Bad Loans - Option Arms, currently has 115 comments - none of which I replied to. In part because I did not want to influence the conversation and in part because I was over whelmed. I did not allocate the time necessary to get back to everyone. Well, my commitment - at least for today - is to answer everyone's comment and engage in the conversation - so please leave your comments and lets discuss this through.

U P D A T E M O N D A Y M O R N I N G

Yikes, it looks like I am in for another busy day - today this blog went FEATURED (yeah :-) ) so I am expecting a wave of additional comments - which I welcome with open arms. This blog has become a true conversation with me answering each and every comment - one-on-one.

However, many of the comments allude to the same issue - that the banks are taking forever to respond to offers. Well, that is NOT the case in my office with the banks I work with. I have a set procedure that my team and I follow - I spell it out in this post: REO LISTING AGENT OFFERS INSIDE SCOOP ON "HOW TO WRITE AN OFFER FOR A HEMET - SAN JACINTO CA BANK OWNED HOME FOR SALE" My offers are presented in a timely fashion and responded to within a day or two, 95 times out of 100. One exception is a rule one of my banks imposes is to help you and that they require the listing to be on the MLS for 72 hours before they will consider any offers - so this means I can't pre-sell the deal and get it approved before it even goes on the MLS (but I do love it when that happens - and you would too!)

I would also like to point out that Broker Bryant has weighed in on this topic (#4 & #5). Like many of you I respect BB and the opinions he offers. However, in this case I want you to fully understand that when BB is discussing this issue, he is referring to a CASH OFFER and NOT an FHA FINANCE. Now my fault for not making this clear - but please understand that the scenario above is just that - an FHA offer and as we all know, FHA is low on the food chain (right or wrong) with anyone considering multiple offers.

OK, I promise I will answer every comment posted here - so if not today, please check back - and don't be bashful about jumping in on other conversations - there is a lot of good talk going on in both directions here. I am not an REO Agent that is afraid to talk about what I do - everything I do is above the table with the end result of looking out for the best interest of MY CLIENT - The Seller.

Oh, and one more thing - a couple of requests have come in to reblog this conversation and this is fine. I think I have the correct setting now - if not let me know and I'll figure it out.

Now have a blessed day - I have some offers to process!

John