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Paradise, CA

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Quick "Agent Office" question

01-06-09
Cindy Haskett
Cindy Haskett: Real Estate Agent in Paradise, CA
  • view my blog
  • Office: (530) 872-5419
  • Mobile: (530) 570-3381

Hello All,

I have a Treo 680 and Agent Office works fine with it. I am considering an iphone or a Blackberry Bold. Does anyone know if Agent Office will work with either of those.

Thanks for your help.

Cindy Haskett

Coldwell Banker Ponderosa

PS. For those who dont know, Agent Office is a contact management system. I like much better than Top Producer.

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How to price against REOs and Short Sales

01-02-09
Tammy Vertrees
Tammy Vertrees: Real Estate Agent in Paradise, CA
  • view my blog
  • Office: (530) 413-8383
  • Secondary: (530) 877-6244
How to price against REOs and Short Sales

How to step it up and compete against short sale and foreclosure properties

If you are selling a house in a market saturated by REO (bank owned) and short sales, it’s time

The choice you are making is how serious you are about selling your house. Do you need to sell your house today or are you listing it ”just to see what you can get?” If it’s the latter, you might want to reconsider your choice to list your house.

If it’s the former, roll up your sleeves–I have some action items for you.

Selling a house isn’t easy, but it can be easier depending on your level of commitment and cooperation. In a market where your main competition is REO and short sale properties, you need to:

 Price your house to sell. Make sure it’s competitive against the foreclosures and short sales. Like it or not, this is the reality of your situation today. If you don’t like the reality, it may be time to reassess your goals and motives.

 Entertain lowball offers. Have you ever heard the saying that your first offer is usually your best offer? At least 8 out of 10 real estate agents have confirmed this for me, making it more fact than opinion in my mind. Unless the buyer is really off his rocker, counter back–it can’t hurt anything and an offer means you’ve got a live prospect on the other end of that document who has shown interest in your house. Go on and counter.

 De-clutter and clean your house. Get it in showroom-ready condition. A visually pleasing presentation–i.e., your house flexing itself in all its bodybuilder-stunning glory–will make better eye candy than a run-down, lonely, unkempt-looking stray. This action item is actually one advantage you have over the REO properties in your area. You have complete control over how your house looks when potential buyers come and see it.

Now it’s time for a self-evaluation check. Do you still want to sell your house? Do the above action items seem reasonable to you? If you’ve answered yes, then one last question: Are you expecting top dollar? If you answered no, go ahead and move on to the next section of this post. If you answered yes, it may be time for some more self-evaluation before moving ahead.

Denial is a hard habit to break.

If you’re still here, that’s great. You have taken a big step and made a decision to be a realistic real estate seller. Having sold a house before, I know it’s not always an easy move to make. Now that we have that difficult part out of the way, let’s move on.

Not all real estate sellers are on an equal playing field. Some who are transferring jobs or who are near foreclosure don’t have the luxury of time. In addition to following the above tips, make sure you choose a real estate agent who has sold properties like yours and who communicates frequently and effectively. Email, phone and text messaging should all be skills your agent possesses.

Don’t base your real estate agent selection solely on price. Real estate agents who buckle on their price opinion and agree to list at the price you want, simply to “get the listing,” might be doing you a disservice in the long run.

The longer your house sits on the real estate market at an inflated price, the harder it will be to get it sold.

All of these action items are critical to getting your house sold. Ask yourself this question: Is my house listed right now with a dead-set intention to sell it? If your answer is yes, then make a firm commitment to step it up. You’ll need to if your real estate market is saturated with REO and short sale properties.

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5 Must Do’s Every For Sale By Owner Must Know

01-02-09
Tammy Vertrees
Tammy Vertrees: Real Estate Agent in Paradise, CA
  • view my blog
  • Office: (530) 413-8383
  • Secondary: (530) 877-6244
5 Must Do’s Every For Sale By Owner Must Know

1) Remember to put away valuables and lock up expensive personal belongings. Although most people looking at your home will be legitimate home buyers, some people may be on the prowl to see what you have. Make sure you don’t provide any type of opportunity for the wrong person to see items of interest.

2) Have the proper forms ready to go. You are selling your home on your own and it is important to remember that some buyers are ready to buy on the spot and if you wait too long the interest could cool down and buyer’s remorse could set in. If you are planning on being a for sale by owner, you need to be ready for the proper forms to be completed and signed so that your potential buyer can be locked in place before they find another property. Make sure your attorney prepared the sellers disclosure, contract for sale, lead based paint addendum, if your home was built prior to 1978, along with all of the other state and local disclosure and form requirements.

3) Don’t lock yourself into contingency issues the buyer might have. Most contracts normally have contingency clauses and paragraphs for the buyer. For example, how long do they have to apply for a loan? How long do they have to get loan approval? Is the contract contingent upon the sale of another sale, and if so, how long and is their home under contract? These are all areas you should research and investigate prior to signing any legal document prior to locking yourself into a lengthy contract and possibly losing another qualified good purchaser.

4) Complete a seller’s disclosure in advance. Although this may not be a requirement in every state or local municipality it is a good idea to provide the potential buyer with a detailed seller’s disclosure about your home. Make sure that you have the proper forms prepared by your attorney and completed in an honest and detailed manor so that there is no chance the buyers could come back at a later date requesting you to correct or repair.

5) Have a detailed marketing flyer placed in a flyer box outside your property. Sometimes good prospects will drive by your home with interest or want to call you for information. It only makes since that most real estate agents will be promoting or pushing properties they have listed since that is their fiduciary obligation and will avoid for sale by owners since there is a fear that they may not be paid a fee if that is the home the buyer chooses. By having a flyer out front you can encourage potential prospects to stop and pick up a marketing brochure that might entice them further to call you to look at your home.



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For Sale by Owner

01-02-09
Tammy Vertrees
Tammy Vertrees: Real Estate Agent in Paradise, CA
  • view my blog
  • Office: (530) 413-8383
  • Secondary: (530) 877-6244
For Sale by Owner

Congratulations on your decision to sell!

Many homeowners decide to market their own homes in order to save money by not paying the real estate agent's professional fee for services. Frequently, the job is extremely difficult because of emotional involvement. Retaining objectivity throughout negotiations with a buyer is not always easy.

Even if successful, will you ever know with certainty that you received the highest possible price? I can assist in this process by getting price data on sold comparable properties and helping you to develop a marketing plan for your home. First, identify its selling features; then decide who the potential buyers are and how they can be reached.

Should you advertise, and if so, in which publications? Should you conduct a mass mailing, if so, to whom? Will you hold open houses? Open houses will allow you to meet all your neighbors, as well as all those who just like to "kick the tires" off of the local real estate market.

After you have worked out the details of your plan, you may be successful even without professional assistance. However, if you decide that you want assistance, don't hesitate to give me a call.

Be reminded that there is no obligation or expense until I have successfully brought a ready, willing and able buyer to you.



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Free - No Obligation CMA For Your Home

01-02-09
Tammy Vertrees
Tammy Vertrees: Real Estate Agent in Paradise, CA
  • view my blog
  • Office: (530) 413-8383
  • Secondary: (530) 877-6244
 
Free - No Obligation CMA For Your Home

Have you been thinking about selling your home but wanted to know how much it is worth before making your final decision? If so, consider requesting a free CMA.

What is a CMA?
It is a comparison of sales prices of similar properties in a given area for the purpose of determining the fair market value of a property. It's the method real estate professionals use to determine the value of a home for both sellers and buyers. The report will include the following information.

1. What buyers have recently paid for homes similar to yours in your local area.
2. What sellers are currently asking for homes similar to yours in your local area.

With this information you will know what you can expect to receive when selling your home in today's market.
To receive your free CMA, simply visit this web site and provide me with a brief description of your home. When I receive your information I will prepare the report and email it back to you within 48 business hours.

Click Here

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