Comstock Park, MI

It wasn't long ago in a real estate committee meeting I made the statement, "the Internet has Changed how we do Real Estate FOREVER", I should have said everything forever! I just looked up some interesting statistics that may illustrate why we need to have better communications, better websites and better technology.

Smart phones were introduced in mass to the public in 2009 with a mere 25% of the population owning one of the tiny technology marvels. The consumer electronics industry reports the number jumped to 52% in 2011. That's significant but another 52% say they will buy one in the near future. That is gigantic for real estate agents and companies that create websites and listing compatible with smart phone formats.

The cable companies are not off the hook either. The Internet is having an impact on them as well, Deloitte released the results on "State of Media Democracy" and 9% have already cut their cable company off with another 11% considering stopping service as well. Then add the data that an additional 15% will probably watch movies and news from their computers they could lose a significant income stream.

Now consider the post office and snail mail that we subsidize to the tune of millions in losses because of email. Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, banking, appointments all done via the Internet. Birthday cards are send ecards. Kodak filed bankruptcy we still take photos but not with traditional cameras. We take video but not with movie cameras. Our documents are in the clouds, our photos tagged and we have backed-up our documents in gigabytes and terabytes not even burn a gallon of gas or worn out our penny loafers.

The new laws and rules that will impact the Internet will be profound over the next few years. SOPAis currently working toward an International deal on domain names and it looks like Congress will roll over without much thought on the impact of the legislation.

For us, as real estate agents and real estate brokers, keeping ahead of the technology curve to serve clients information in a format that is available in the palm of their hands will be our task. Keeping information current and timely with RSS feeds and market condition analysis that makes our information more valuable than a national or regional news feed.

Letting aggragators of real estate listings format our listings without offering real insight into the property listing. Nothing more than a quick statistically rundown of the property and an abbreviated description ranked based on how much you pay then for your listing position.

I was right about the Internet changing real estate forever but it has also changed our lives forever! Today kids sit on the couch or car and punch away at little buttons sending off abbreviated messages. They meet online and adults do the same thing. The little buzz of a Smart-Phone interrupts meetings, conversations and driving for a quick glance at who may be offering the next showing, listing or tidbit.

How we use technology will determine our businesses and future in real estate.

We made the news again and it wasn't the heat wave or flooding. It was snow. It took three hours to snow blow my little driveway. I usually exercise in the morning before starting my day...but this day was different.

I looked outside and thought I'll get more than enough exercise just clearing the snow. I was right. I opened the garage door and over a foot had accumulated next to the door with drifts higher in the middle. Oh well it's just snow, right?

My snow blower usually works like a charm but when the snow is higher than the blower chute it has a problem...along with it's operator!

I finally get the drive done. Now I have to do the street near my mailbox or I don't get mail. My wife and I call this "Mayberry", we are sure it used to be!

I get a double width car path carved out of the snow to allow the mail truck to swing by our mailbox. I shut off the engine of the snow blower and come inside with ice on my eyebrows, mustache and snow covered clothing.

I know the streets won't be touched for a day so I am content in the fact that tomorrow we'll be cleared out and my mailbox is accessible.

Tomorrow came and the county hired sub-contractors to clear cul-de-sacs like mine. They plug my drive and piled the snow in the area I had cleared for the mail truck, then Zoomed away!

I went to the window as they were driving away and with the sea of white couldn't quit tell if they had done a good job but it didn't look like they actually cleared the road. So I put my coat on grabbed my gloves and ventured out to take a look. All my work was gone. Piled hirer than my car roof in front of my mailbox area.

This may seem like a little thing...but gee we work hard in the north not to park on the wrong side of the street, keep our walks clear and mailboxes accessible then we do it all over again when some nit-wit does a sloppy job. Where did he think that clear spot came from? The snow missed that spot?

We called the county, they only get a million calls when it snows. Lucky for us a member of the road commission lives in the neighborhood. Unlucky for him, I'll bet. Two days later they came back and looked at it. The supervisor was very nice. A little while after his visit another plow shows up and fixes the mess left behind by the contractor.

We called again...this time to say thanks for a job well done. The supervisor was speechless. He says we never get a thank you call or a nice call...you made my day. I'll tell the others your said great job.

We forget many people have thankless jobs. Real estate agents are among them by the way. We list homes, do our best to share how to stage, promote and show homes only to have a seller micro manage our efforts and get mad when we don't take their advice they have gotten from a friend, colleague at work or a family relative that has ever sold a home. When you sell you have done your job. Your thanks is the commission check and hopefully a smile on the face from the seller or buyer you have helped succeed.

Thanks for Stopping By, www.GaryLWhite.com

Call: 616-784-2360

Ever thought about the process of selling your home.

Most people look to professionals to sell their home for a variety of reasons. Others have knowledge and can sell on their own.

Although sellers that sell on their own nearly always turn to title companies, attorneys or other professionals during the final process of the sale. This demonstrates that even the veteran seller in the end needs help to finalize the sale.

Here is a link from my website that outlines a few steps that you may not have considered when choosing a professional to help you. This little video offers some key insight into the process of selling.

Click the link for this an more informative information on selling.

http://www.flexitrealtymichigan.com/HowtoSellYourHome

Hope this helps you in your quest to sell your home.

If you live in the Grand Rapids or the West Michigan area, are not under contract and would like to sell or buy a home....give me a call. It could save you thousands in your next real estate transaction. FlexIt Realty designs selling and buying programs to meet our clients needs. Your call is always confidential and you are never pressured.

"Help is only a Call or Click away!"©2006-2009

Call Toll Free: 877-667-4699 Local: 616-784-2360 Email: garywhite@FlexItRealty.com

When things go bad sometimes they get worse!

That is what one of my clients told me this morning. I asked why he would say that.

His credit card debt was rising because his hours had been cut. It seems he had planned on the overtime in his budget. Not a new story or scenario, now that his hours have been cut he has to adjust his standard of living...the problem is adjusting sooner than later.

So his option, to cure his financial problem, selling his home in a down market. Many homeowners are faced with the same decision.

Before making the final decision to list your home for sale consider some of these options. It may sound odd a Realtor telling you not to sell your home just yet. It shouldn't sound odd. Realtors many times offer clients advice to wait or not sell depending on the reason why a client is going to sell.

My job is to help clients buy and sell homes. That is only part of my job. The other part is to offer expert real estate advice.

So consider:

•· Refinancing, the rates are low. If you are planning to stay in your home at least three more years you will pay for the refinance costs in your lower house payment if you have a 1% higher interest rate than your current interest rate. Of course make sure you are not paying higher than normal closing costs.

•· Consider selling boats, cars, snowmobiles and wave runners to pay down your debt. In other words reduce your toys. You can always buy them again when your financial situation is better.

•· Clean the house, have that yard sale. Sometimes a few hundred dollars gets you stabilized and you can evaluate your options.

The point is do not rush into things. Things usually don't go from bad to worse. If you have something bad happen analyze the cause, set up new options to minimize the impact for the next time the same thing or something similar happens. It is likely to happen again.

Maintain a budget that you can keep without utilizing your overtime hours. Look at coupon options to reduce your food bill. Look at using generic brand name products. Reduce your electrical consumption and heating and air conditioning costs by changing temperatures a downward a few degrees. Look at your hot water heater reduce the temperature setting by 5 degrees. Take shorter showers.

It takes a few thoughtful steps and you can change your budget.

Hope this review helps you make adjustments that make your life easier.

Help is only a Call or Click away! copywrite2006-2009 FlexIt Realty

Call Toll Free 877-677-4699 Local 616-784-2360
Email: garywhite@flexitrealty.com

I know you been reminded!

REMEMBER for those of you in a state that "springs" forward and "falls" back that is my little way of remembering when and what.

Nothing worse than showing up for church and hour early!

Nothing worse than shaking your spouse awake with a hair raising shriek...."get up we have over slept"....and she smacks you and says we changed to "Daylight Saving Time" last night! ........mutterings under her breath....go to sleep!

Nothing worse than flying out of bed...showering getting dressed, being quite not to disturb anyone, only to hear on the radio, as you go to work an hour early. "Don't forget Daylight Saving Time, the changed last Night" set your automobile clocks if you haven't..now you why the traffic is so light!

Nothing worse than jumping out of bed stepping on the cats tail!

So....YES this is a REMINDER!

Nothing worse than showing up for a client meeting an hour early, thinking they aren't coming, unable to contact them by cell and leave!

Nothing worse than calling your office manager to remind them of something important at 6:30 am when you think you are calling at 7:30 am! My wife automatically changes our clocks the night before, but if you don't .... I warned you!

Nothing worse than showing up at the clients an hour early for a listing appointment! They are still vacuuming, showering or getting dressed!

Hope you had fun with the reminder....some of us have done all these things...how do you think I know about them! :-)