Morris Massre, Broward County Florida Realtor

If you are seeking an affordable single family home in the South Florida area your search is over. I have just placed a 2/1 home on the market via short sale for $110,000. It is located in Miramar near Perry Airport and was built in 1960 when homes were typically much smaller. The home also features a large, fenced-in yard and attached carport. For more information or to view contact Morris Massre of Fortune International Realty at 954-214-6014 to make arrangements. Unit is owner occupied, so weekend viewings only are available.

The best part of Pembroke Falls of Pembroke Pines, Florida is the fact that it is a desireable neighborhood that is fairly easy to sell or rent. Unlike most of the other nearby neighborhood of Broward County, Pembroke Falls has held steady with its sales, although there has been a significant drop in price over the last five years.

We all know that the economy is the culprit here, but when it comes time for a comeback Pembroke Falls will probably be in a better position to rebound for those willing to wait it out.

Currently there are 21 homes for sale in the entire subdivision, and that my friends, is not a lot. The price ranges from $549,900. for a 4/3.5 to $272,250. for a 3/2. Big disparity, I know, but you have to know the different subdivisons within the community to understand. Of those 21, four are short sales and only 2 are REO's.

But here is where it get a little interesting. Of the 59 closed sales and 16 pending sales in Pembroke Falls, six are on the same street, 23rd st. The only explanation I have for the rash of sales on 23rd this year is the fact that it is the main thoroughfare into two of the first subdivisions, which means they have a lot of traffic and/or are bordered by the main highway. During the boom, these were always the last to go with the builder. Now they are the first. Prices for the four closed have a large disparity too. The top price was $400K and the lowest $285,500. Below is a sampling of the homes on 23rd that have sold. Believe it or not, you get a lot for your money in South Florida today for these kinds of prices. I should know. I am a resident of Pembroke Falls.

I am a skeptic at heart and I fully admit it. Perhaps it is because I to have been burned in the past. It is hard to trust anyone these days. The "Great Recession" has made it virtually impossible to place your trust in anyone. Americans have ceased to rely on anything their banks tell them, and that is the shame of it all. If you cannot even trust your own bank then who can you trust?

As a full-time realtor of over 15 years you would think that I would have a little clout with the buying and selling public, but that is not always the case. The boom years did us all in, unfortunately. So many customers got taken to the cleaners with these supposed deals by fly by night agents that the agents who are still standing today are cleaning up their mess.

Every time I come into contact with a customer it is the first thing I hear. "My last agent screwed me and I don't want it to happen again." How does one combat that? I understand them because I am one of them. I was a customer before I was an agent. And boy do I realize now the mistakes I made in placing my trust in a bad agent. Even today, my phone and emails are bombarded with all kinds of "freebies" just waitng for me. What amazes me is how many people actually buy into this hogwash, especially the late night commercials on television promising riches overnight. Are Americans really that gullible?

I should not have to defend myself because some half cocked agent led a buyer into a nightmare of a real estate purchase because now that buyer is a seller who is doesn't want to get stuck with another untrustworthy agent. They just want to fix their problem and move on. My job is to gain their trust on both sides, so I make it a point to think like them and put myself in their position, which by the way, is not hard to do. You have to get somewhat emotionally involved in a clients plight in order to help them. Handling a short sale, for instance, is not just another business deal. People are trusting you with what will probably be their biggest losing investment of their lives and you better not screw it up. I don't think that is too much to ask. Aferall, you took this job on for better or worse, and this time is the worse of the worse. Prove yourself as trustworthy and reliable in this market and you stand on solid ground.

My reputation is at stake every time I take on a new client. I cannot afford to lose any customer. Each one is as valuable to me as my children, and I mean that. So, I make it a point to do the following things in order to gain their trust; Disclose anything and everything no matter how much it hurts. Give them options so that every decision is theirs and not yours. Get a lawyer involved so that they know you have a watch dog looking over you. Give them a resume and list of references. If you are as good an agent as you proclaim to be this should not be difficult. Show them where their money is and explain why you have to deposit their check. Many clients are afraid to leave money with an agent because so many of them have lost deposits to agents or owners who failed to return them. I always give my clients an escrow letter signed by my manager and make it abundantly clear that their money is refundable without penalty. There is absolutely no reason for me to keep someones deposit just because a deal fell through. You may be working for free at times, but that is the chance you take.

Gaining a customers trust is not always the easiest thing to do, but if you make the effort to at least do the right thing as a professional you will come out ahead most of the time, even to the most hard nosed of skeptics. Personally, I pride myself on doing a good job and gaining my clients trust. Whether or not they accept it at face value is up to them, but at least I can always feel comfortable that I did what was in my clients best interest first. That alone allows me to sleep very comfortably at night. If any of you other agents out there are having trouble sleeping or simply don't care when you put your head down on your pillow each night, then your priorities are all in the wrong place. Remember one thing. Real Estate is a SERVICE industry. If you provide good, honest, and reliable service your clients will not have a reason to look elsewhere for an agent. Never give them that opportunity.

This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here

I put these steps together for everyone out there who is currently or thinking about becoming a landlord. It is not all butterflies and skittles, but can be very rewarding if you are knowledgeable and sincerely care for your customers or tenants. And by the way, if you can't do all of this, hire a professional like me to do it.

1. Run your business like a business. Always keep it professional and establish ground rules prior to moving in. Never take anything personal or make it personal.
2. Treat your clients equally. Always ask everyone the same questions and be mindful of the Federal fair housing laws.
3. Use the right forms and leases. Stay away from those at the office supply stores. They are not reliable. Realtor associations have the best leases and disclosures. Use them.
4. Tailer your leases to be as specific as possible. Do not leave any stones uncovered.
5. Have a default roadmap in place. Spell out all of the particulars and penalties if your tenant defaults on payment. Florida, for instance, has an 11 page landlord/tenant act that is very specific about default that is standard with all leases.
6. Never treat security deposits as a potential for profit. Do not comingle with your own money and do the right thing when the tenant moves out and return it if they keep their end of the bargain. Always ask for first, last, and security prior to move in. If the tenant doesn't have it they probably can't pay the rent anyway. Even those with great credit have the potential to screw you.
7. Never be fooled by appearances. Always run credit and background checks to be sure. Never believe a word they tell you about either. You would be surprised about how many skeletons people keep in their closet.

And guess what? It wasn't that hard! Take a look at this picture. One peek and I'm sure any one of you are running to the phone to call a plumber. I had the same inclination until I thought about saving about $100. Why not take a shot at it? If I fail, then call the plumber. I have nothing against plumbers mind you, but sometimes it's not such a bad thing to save a little money if you can figure it out on your own.

In this case to the right, just as in mine, there are so many hoses and wires running all over the place that is might seem confusing, but in reality, all you need to know about are two hoses and one wire. The top of the disposal actually simply screws on too. One hose goes to the drain pipe and the other from. The wire is simply black on black and white on white for power, and the green for ground. It took me less than 30 minutes too. I'm ready to take on the world now. Now, I am a practicing property manager too mind you, so this is just another notch in my belt for saving my customers money by doing it for them.