Brenda Swigert

We're all hearing what a tough market this is and believe me, I'm not arguing that one! I just am wondering if you got the call every agent is wanting... the "sell me a house today" or "come list my house". Did you maybe miss it? I'm only asking the question folks.... do you answer your phone during business hours when you are not in an appointment? If not, why? Even with the number of Realtors who left the building when things got rough, there are still many of us left and if you aren't taking care of your clients then someone else will.

Consider what clients want.... to speak to a real person when they call the first time.

Or... a return phone call within a brief amount of time.

How do you feel and what do you think when YOU as a Realtor can't get a Realtor on the phone or to return a call? I tend to think they are either lazy or have taken a second job.

While there are lots of tips for us in many blogs and ways to be productive... I have a simple one...

Answer the phone! When you do... shine through by being prepared for calls. Be pleasant and helpful.

Sure, take your lunch time... your time you need with no interruptions to get things done by all means however be someone that folks can count on, especially now.

By The Way... Its Raining Red Here In Cincinnati... Keller Williams Realty Red... Call me to find out why I have fallen in love with Keller Williams!

Short Sales Explained

A short sale can be an excellent solution for homeowners who need to sell, and who owe more on their homes than they are worth. In the past, it was rare for a bank or lender to accept a short sale. Today, however, due to overwhelming market changes, banks and lenders have become much more negotiable when it comes to these transactions. Recent changes in corporate policy and the Obama administration have also improved the chances of getting a short sale approved.

But to be technical, here's a more official definition:

• A homeowner is 'short' when the amount owed on his/her property is higher than current market value.
• A short sale occurs when a negotiation is entered into with the homeowner's mortgage company (or companies) to accept less than the full balance of the loan at closing. A buyer closes on the property, and the property is then 'sold short' of the total value of the mortgage.

For homeowners to qualify for a short sale, they must fall into any or all of the following circumstances:

• Financial Hardship - There is a situation causing you to have trouble affording your mortgage.
• Monthly Income Shortfall - In other words: "You have more month than money." A lender will want to see that you cannot afford, or soon will not be able to afford your mortgage.
• Insolvency - The lender will want to see that you do not have significant liquid assets that would allow you to pay down your mortgage.

This seems simple enough, but it is a complicated process that takes the expertise of experienced professionals. I hold the CDPE® Designation and am ready to identify all possible options and, when possible, assist in the quick execution of a short sale transaction.

If you have questions or feel you may qualify for a short sale, please contact me for a free consultation.

Understanding your options now could mean all the difference in the world.

http://hosted.cdpe.com/BrendaHelpsOhio/Short-Sales-Explained.aspx

I love watching top Realtors! Top Realtors in my opinion are the veterans... those who haven't just arrived on this scene. Top Realtors not only are those who are most successful, they are the agents that are serving their clients with state of the art technology and up to date information. Top Realtors are charting the course for all of us who are working on being Top Realtors everyday. I find myself impressed and appreciative of their hard work. They inspire me to be even more excellent each day.

In contrast it seems surprising to me that clients pay the same for such bad service that we witness on a daily basis. You know the listings that I am speaking of, the ones that have few pictures, snow still in the pictures in July and no extra verbiage, fields in the MLS that are incomplete or say N/A when most of the time information is readily available. But... I digress....

In a recent Great Post that I read by Scott Baker of Coldwell Banker West Shell in West Chester, Ohio he spoke about the importance of using absorption rates. Scott reminds us all that pricing homes to sell is a question that faces homeowners and agents alike. Simply pricing a home, well anyone can do. Pricing it to sell however is a whole different animal. Scott shows the absorption rates and the number of homes on the market. If you break the prices down into $10,000 increments it shows exactly what is selling based on price ranges and in how many months. Scott states "creating a table and chart with up-to-date information for every home he places on the market, helps his sellers use ALL the information at hand so that they can better prepare themselves for a successful sale".

Read his entire post at http://activerain.com/blogs/scottbaker

Thanks Scott for being a great example of a Top Realtor!

Dear Newbies,

I was lucky enough when I first got into this business to work for a top producer and learned a great deal. We would all love to mentor all the newbies but time just doesn't permit so this is what I wish I could sit down and share with all of the newbies that stop us and really want help... here you go... these are called the basics!

1. Get up every morning at a reasonable hour like no later than 7 am and treat this like a real job because it is. Get dressed for success, have a healthy breakfast and plan your day and don't let your day plan itself.

2. Work your plan for the day.. random thoughts of what you need from the grocery.. jot the thoughts down for later and phone calls.. ANSWER YOUR PHONE! If your phone calls are clients treat them well of course but don't let them derail your plan for the day. Give your clients reasonalble expectations of when you will get to whatever they need and remember you are in charge of your schedule not the entire world. Have a time each day when you complete items like MLS entries and price reductions. Does your client want to see homes now? I believe you should have them make an appointment even if it is later that day. If you jump everytime someone calls you will be jumping a lot. I believe that if a client really is serious about seeing a home they will be happy to make an actual appointment. Most sellers don't appreciate no notice either. So choose a time to show homes and offer two times to them. There are always exceptions but try not to let those be the rule.

3. Start each day by working what is going to make you the most money!Yes you do work for money and there is no shame in that. Many agents allow themselves to get bogged down with items and tasks that will never make them a cent. Do you have appointments with clients? Make those a priorty. Then what about prospecting? If you don't have clients then you don't have business. Prospect every day! You can call expireds, call on or stop by for sale by owners, you can call or knock on doors of the homes surrounding a new listing. Another great activity is to call everyone you know by breaking it down into bite sized pieces each day. Make 10 calls to stay connected. Call 20 expireds, call 10 for sale by owners, and send out 10 personal notes to any of the above each day including your business card (with a photo on it).

4. Plan some time each week to visit your area bookstore. Grab 5 books about selling real estate, take a pad of paper and flip through a couple of chapters that interest you and take notes. You'll learn more and more. Try to purchase 1 new real estate book a month and make it a book that you intend to put into action.

5. Watch the top producers in the office. What do they do? How do they do it? Learn from them!

6. Hold an open house, chosen carefully for good showings, great price range, condition and hold it open for 3 weeks straight. Why? You'll become very comfortable with the home and will know it very well. It will build your confidence and also you'll have a chance to build clientelle. You can tell them, come back next week if you want, I'll be here.

7. Ask to go on a listing appointment with a top producer and be there to learn. Ask if there is anything you can do to help the agent. Try preparing as if you were going on the listing alone and compare what you would do verses what the top producer does. Dress for success! Be appreciative and quiet. This is not your time to shine, it's your time to learn.

8. Offer to do paperwork for top producers in exchange for an hour of thier time to ask questions. You now will learn how to do paperwork correctly and you'll get some inside information and you may even make a friend or two.

9. If your company offers classes for newbies take them all and ask questions and take notes.

10. Start a farm where you live if possible or close by. Send them the current listings and sales at least and perhaps an article with your information. Offer a free cma. Always have your Broker approve this before sending out. A farm that is well done will be your bread and butter for years as long as you keep it up. If you don't someone else will.

11. Keep up with emails and respond to emails and phone calls in a timely fashion. All calls and emails should be answered as quickly as possible and before the end of each day.

12. Have a professional voice mail message. This isn't the place for your children to be leaving cute messages for your clients. Treat your business the way you expect an attorney to treat their business. Also the same applies to emails and email addresses... don't do a conniemomof4and3dogslovetorun@123.com

13. Wear your name tag everywhere! It will bring you business. Make sure you always have business cards too.

14. Speak well of all agents. Period.

15. Decide what time you will end your business day and give that time to your family and yourself. Be good to yourself so that you can be good to others.

Brenda Swigert CDPE,e-PRO, Realtor ReMax Unlimited www.BrendaSwigert.com 513-378-1461

Top Realtor West Chester Ohio

West Chester Ohio real estate

West Chester Ohio

West Chester Ohio Homes for Sale

West Chester Ohio Short Sales

Short Sales

www.CDPE.com

If you're like many people, coming up with a down payment and getting

a mortgage loan are keeping you from realizing the American Dream.

Good news!

mortgage loan and down payment. If you are an Ohio resident, here are three sources you'll definitely

want to check out:

1. Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), an independent state agency, is offering home buying

assistance programs plus help with down payments.

2. City of Cincinnati has the American Dream Down Payment Initiative (ADDI) that provides

down payment assistance on home purchases located within the city limits.

3. Community Development Banking Forum, a group of seven leading banks in Greater

Cincinnati, is offering attractive mortgage loans with down payment assistance.

1. OHFA Home Buyer Assistance

Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, have limited income, a college grad just starting out, or active

in the military, there's a program for you: competitive interest rates and make it affordable for qualified buyers.

Visit: www.ohiohome.org/homebuyer/first_time.aspx military service personnel and others get a .25% interest

rate reduction with the First-Time Homebuyer Program. Visit: www.ohiohome.org/homebuyer/heroes.aspx

Call me for more information!