Bret Nida

GPS, and where in the world is Bret Nida?

As a Realtor who show's and sells houses from the city of Kenova, WV all the way to Ansted, WV it is imperative that I know where I am going at all times when setting up appointments. If I do not, I will sure act as if I do! Once I have been somewhere once, I will always remember how to get back there (98.9 percent of the time that is). However, there have been a few times where I have not the foggiest idea as to where I was going. Enter Mapquest.com. Granted, this site can be very useful but as we all have probably experienced, it is sometimes not accurate. After several outings of driving around like a chicken with my head cut off, I figured the most logical thing for me to do was to give up the old Mapquest.com and upgrade to the Garmin GPS.

The first few times I used my new magnificent contraptions I had no problems and knew exactly where I was. The lady in that little device told me where to turn and I kindly obliged. However, I started to notice that the further outside of town I went, the more I was being told to turn where there was not a place to turn. "Turn left in 500ft" the little lady in the device said. Looking left, I noticed there was no road at all but just a mere cow trail that led into the woods. I knew my clients might be looking for privacy but a cow path as a driveway and a house in some thickets most likely was not their "home sweet home"

I figured there would be a few glitches in the matrix so I overlooked this one. However, last week was the icing on the cake. I was showing a friend of mine a house with some acreage in Liberty, WV. I was doing business in Huntington that day so I plotted my route from there through Winfield, WV. I thought my route was good to go and I would be smooth sailing (or driving). All was good until the little lady in the contraption said, " turn right in 500 ft." Noticing the road was really narrow and most likely a wrong turn, the knot in my head decided that I should follow my blissful path over the hills and past grandma's house anyways. After crossing five creeks and being on a gravel road for several miles, I passed a nice fellow in a Jeep who flagged me down to ask if the road I was on led to a main road. I told him "This little lady in my Garmin says it does, so good luck brother." I then gave up on the contraption, started using the sky as my guide, and knew if I headed west I would eventually end up on a main road. After passing through a few sounds of dueling banjos, I did come back to a main road. Swallowing my pride, I eventually asked for directions and made it to my final destination unscathed and with a funny story to tell.

I guess instead of using the Garmin for my sense of direction it would have been best to "Use the Force" as Yoda had instructed me to before I left. From now on I think if I'm venturing outside of the city to show acreage for sale, I may use a combination of MapQuest, Garmin, and most importantly....THE DIRECTIONS THE LISTING REALTOR GAVE ME ON THE MLS PRINTOUT..

**PLEASE NOTE I DO USE THOSE DIRECTIONS BUT I WAS COMING FROM AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THAT'S MY EXCUSE AND I'M STICKING TO IT**

Top 5 Myths When Selling Your Home.

When selling your home in the Huntington or Charleston Real Estate Market, it is always best to consult a wise and energetic Realtor (ME! ME! ME!) who is able to educate you as to what to expect when your house goes on the market. ***Enters Real Estate Extraordinaire, Bret Nida*** However my friends, I am going to go a different route and address the myths about selling your home and what you should not expect when your home hits the market.

Number Eins. "The listing Realtor will show your home the most and more than likely will be the one who sells it"

As I tell my clients, we help sell your property but very seldom do we sell it. As the listing agent, we are responsible for all the legwork in getting your house out there to potential buyers. Being that every Bob, Tom, and Tammy knows a Realtor, they see the home in an ad or online and call that Realtor up, who then calls to schedule a showing. From there, we handle the negotiation and help get your home sold at its utmost price.

Number Zwei. " My home will be in every magazine"

Before I became a Realtor, I too thought a lot of these myths when my house was on the market and actually asked my agent( who is now my broker , Jeff Maddox), why my house was not in the magazine one particular week. A good Real Estate company should have a large stock of listings so therefore your home will be rotated in and out of the magazines to make room for others. At least with Great American Realty we print our own monthly books so your home will always be in that. In addition, your home is always going to be on the internet.

Number Drei. "She cancelled the contract because of the inspection so I will get her earnest money"

As long as the buyer has written notice from the inspection as to why they are cancelling the contract and has provided it to the listing Realtor in a timely manner, and in accordance to the date in the contract, then they can cancel and have their earnest money returned to them. Everything needs to be within reason!

Number Vier. "It would be best if I stay for the showing in case they have any questions"

Never. Nope. Forget it! It is always a bad thing when the seller tries to show a house. Although you may be trying to help, this can cause pressure on the buyer and make them feel rushed. Let the professionals do the work.

Number Funf. "My house has been on the market for over 90 days and I'm not getting any offers. It must be the Realtor"

Yes, this could be the case for there are bad apples in any business. However, should your home not be getting any looks it could be time to rethink the strategy. The three biggest things that determine the sale of your home are location, condition, and price. Review your home and see what you can change to spark some interest.