About Olmsted County, MN

New Years reSolutions are, at best, a yearly exercise in futility and frustration. Requiring discipline, willpower and determination, these reSolutions are implications that you need to improve, fix or repair something that's broke or not complete. These requirements are not exactly energizing words and enthusiasm soon goes away to continue these reSolutions.

You need to set New Years ReVolutions...actions that lead to results. Goal setting as you've never done it before. Just like your business, you need goals and you need a plan to get these. You need to take ownership of these ReVolutions. They will be personal and more focused. They will inspire you to continue them instead of dragging you down and making you feel like you need to consistently be disciplined to get them done. ReVolutions vs. reSolutions...you chose!

To see more in-depth information concerning these ReVolutions, please click on the link below...

http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-12-28/transform-your-business-with-2009-new-years-revolutions/

"You can't sell the house if you don't have the listing," says one of my co-workers. True. But how far do we go? There's 2 different ways to "buy" a listing--a seller's price and our price. Either way, neither really works in the end.

When we buy a listing based upon the sellers price and beat them up down the road, we take a chance of losing the listing anyway because it's overpriced. In this market--not a good idea. In any market, it streams dollars away from your pocket because the longer you advertise, the more you lose.

When we buy a listing based on our price, our motivation with the listing is in question. Not only that, but we also short-change the other sellers who are paying "full-price" just because they have the money to do so. In the interest of full disclosure, I have negotiated my commission farther than I wanted and every time (even when the house sells) it leaves a bad taste. I understand that sticking to your guns doesn't necessarily feed the family, but by short-changing yourself you may be doing even more damage to your self-confidence and future sales in the long run.

I just came out of a listing appointment where the seller wanted to sell at $15,000 above market value, and cut my commission by a percent. Given the fact it was also in a relatively unfavorable location, it wasn't as hard to walk away, but it still stings. Yet walking away is not the worst thing. Chances are, another Realtor may take a crack at it, lose, and they'll remember you when you call them after it's expired anyway.

So here's to holding the line--you have value! Make sure others know it as well!

Fall's upon us, and maybe you're in that place a lot of sellers are. The For Sale sign is still out in the yard, the sign-in sheet doesn't have many signatures, and you're tired of picking up for an open house so the only person who can enjoy it is the Realtor waiting for someone, anyone to come through. Is it time to pull the sign and wait 'till spring? Nope.

Here's why:

• That's exactly what the competition's doing! Do you stay in the same line and wait forever or take advantage of the fact that some houses are finally selling, freeing up buyers to finally take action on your house? Your call.
• Going back to "Day 1" doesn't really reset the clock. Your neighbors know your house has been for sale. People watching online know your house has been for sale. Knowledgable Realtors doing their research will know exactly what your home was priced at last year, how many days on market, and that there were no offers. There is no magic formula for newness, so why not keep plugging away?
• If you do get the offer sooner rather than later (even in the cold & snow in some areas like mine in Rochester, Stewartville, etc.) the small inconvenience of moving then will be made up for in the joy that comes in heading to that new location.
• Freeing yourself up by adjusting price now will allow you to be more liquid in favorable buying conditions--creating more equity for you in 5, 10, 30 years down the road.

Don't sign that cancellation agreement just yet! In fact, this is the time to gear up and make a go of it. Yes, there's hesitation right now locally, nationally, and globally. But guess what? People are still moving. The question is, what are you doing to place yourself in that select group?

Listing homes is an art when it's done well. It can also be disastrous when key components are ignored. Some of the masters of the business recommend a certain amount of research and interaction before taking on any listing. What are the things we need to consider before forging ahead and getting signatures?

• Always, always, always--price, condition, & location are key elements!
• If the sellers were to rate their motivation to move on a scale of 1 to 10, where are they?
• If previously listed, what's the feedback been like?
• How does the home stack up to comparables?
• How soon do the owners need the home sold? Tomorrow? Well then, pricing is key (along w/ condition)!
• Do I want another overpriced listing? When will price reductions take place?
• How much do they owe against the house?
• Short-sale, foreclosure, sherriff's sale?
• Are all parties on title willing sellers?
• Are the sellers willing to make improvements necessary to place the home in a saleable condition?
• Are showing times flexible enough to allow buyers in at reasonable times?
• How familiar are the sellers w/ your marketing plan? Have them state it back to make sure you're on the same page & get off on the right path.
• Do I have key information to reach all parties when an offer arrives?
• Have the sellers seen an estimate of proceeds sheet?

I know, tip of the iceberg, maybe even basic. However, none of it really can be overlooked for a successful sale. Some of this can be done in a pre-list packet, some in a one-step meeting. Yet don't rush to take photos & do date entry until you have something worth selling. Remember, your name is attached to it!

For 4 years now our family has hosted players for the Minnesota Ice Hawks, a Tier 3 Junior A hockey team affiliated with the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. We've loved every minute of it as we've had some great guys live with us that have become a part of the family. Some of them have gone onto great success in other Division 1 programs. Coach Nick Fatis has done an excellent job getting the boys ready to play, and Michael Fatis (General Manager) always seems to find the right talent that gels together.

Doing real estate is sometimes like hockey. Yes, people sometimes feel like they've been checked into the boards in a changing market. Occasionally a goal is scored. And a much of the time it takes a solid team effort to be successful. I've realized over the years that personalities may change, but the end goal remains--a winning product with continued development. That's what I strive to do each day as I help people meet their needs for various stages of life.

It's hard to believe hockey season is here with such a gorgeous day, but it does allow me to think about the things I need to do to improve myself in life. Here's to your aspirations for a winning year whatever your goals may be!