Clayton Bonjean

TIPS FOR THE NEW AGENT FROM A DESTIN - SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL REAL ESTATE BROKER

I am a real estate broker in Destin Florida. I have had many different careers and I have been fortunate enough to complete many types of professional training. Some examples include:

• Marketing Degree - University of Mississippi
• Masters of Business Administration (MBA) - University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Zig Ziglar Sales Training – Orlando
• Shephard Group Retail Sales Training
• IBM Sales Training
• CDPE "Certified Distressed Property Expert" Training
• Short Sale Superstars Training
• Real Estate Sales Person
• Real Estate Broker

There are so many sales strategies out there and every person should work to develop their own original strategy. However, there are some basic principals that will help any new agent achieve success. Below are some basic ideas that will help kick start your new career.

1. Get a web site: Most Real Estate transactions begin on the internet. If you plan on acquiring listings you will need to feature them on your site. You should also offer search options for your buyers as well as local information and info on why they should hire you as their agent.

2. Order professional business cards: Your cards should look great. Try to make it a game and see how many you can give out every day.

3. Market to your circle of influence first: Compile a list of email addresses or mailing addresses of all friends, family and friends of friends and family; send them notice that you are selling real estate.

4. Develop a Farm: "The term farm implies growing something. That's what you do when you farm a local subdivision. You plant the seeds of future business, nurture them with marketing and then hopefully reap the rewards in commissions." A farm should be small, 250 to 500 people. They key is to market to them regularly. Eventually they will recognize you as the professional in their area. Examples of farms can be a certain subdivision or a market segment like golf course homes. The key is that it is a small group and the contact is regular, at least once a quarter. A small group enables you to stay in contact regularly on a small budget.

5. Learn about short sales and foreclosures: This is the market right now, become an expert in these types of transactions. You can sign up for courses, buy books, and research these types of transactions on Active Rain and Trulia.

6. Study books and blogs on how to sell Real Estate: Congratulations!, you are already doing this one!!!

NOW THAT YOU HAVE SOME CLIENTS, BELOW ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO SELL THEM A HOUSE!

ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS. Below are some examples.

WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET? Most Important!

How many bedrooms, what is your minimum square footage?

Do you have children? If so, provide them with info on the schools in the area.

What location do you prefer?

Will you be using financing or paying cash? If financing, tell them that a pre-approval or pre-qualify letter is required to be successful in this market. Most sellers will require this.

I also like to tell them that the more information they can provide me the better. My goal is to find them the best deal on the best house in their criteria.

Do a dry run! If you are new and not completely familiar with the area, it is good practice to do a dry run prior to showing. You should be enjoying speaking with your client and getting to know them not looking for street signs, getting lost, and trying to figure out the gate code.

Pick your client up: Always try to pick your client up. Look at it this way, one agent meets the client at a home and the other agent picks the client up and spends time in the car making small talk and chatting about the area…Which agent do you think will win?

Listen, Listen and Listen: Remember to listen to your client. If you do this you will be able to find them the right house.

Close: When you find the perfect house for your client, they will tell you…Examples “This house is perfect”, “This is #1 on the list”, “We love it”. This is when you have to close. Houses are very easy to sell. Closing should come natural. When the client says “We love it” say something like, “Would you like to make an offer?” “Would you like me to call the agent to see if there have been any other offers?” This is a gateway to closing. Good Luck!!!

I hope these simple tips help new agents out there. Most importantly, make sure you have a broker that can offer you support, leads, and strategies to grow your business. I am always looking for quality agents, feel free to visit my site at www.mainsailrealtycompany.com or call me at 850-585-1284.

Clayton Bonjean, Broker, MBA, CDPE

Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, FL

Clayton Bonjean JUST SOLD this Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Short Sale.

To Search Santa Rosa Beach and Destin Short Sales, click the link below.

Santa Rosa Beach and Destin Short Sale and Foreclosure Search

Location: Topsail Village, Santa Rosa Beach

Price: $101,500 Furnished

Contract Date: 06/17/2009

Close Date: 09/10/2009

Lender: Amsouth Bank

I love short sales! When purchasing short sales, make sure you hire an agent that understands the short sale process. This will definitely increase your chances of a successfull short sale transaction. If the seller has a true hardship, the bank will probably be open to a short sale. The reason why most short sales do not close is because the buyer walks. This transaction closed in less than 90 days and this is considered a "quick" short sale closing. The buyer is very happy with her new condo.

www.mainsailrealtycompany.com

850-585-1284

Clayton Bonjean, Broker, MBA, CDPE, Short Sale Super Stars

Search Destin Florida Foreclosures at www.mainsailrealtycompany.com

I LOVE OVER PRICED SHORT SALES - Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

Isn't it funny how one $10,000 price adjustment on a $200,000 short sale listing can create a frenzy and multiple offers? I have found that over priced short sales are a great opportunity for the buyer's agent that understands the short sale process. If a short sale is listed for $200,000 and the comps are $160,000, one can offer $160,000 and educate the listing agent and seller with the comps. I have had great success with this and wanted to share this with the rest of you. These short sales stay under the radar and can present fantastic buying opportunities. Let me know if anyone else has had success with this strategy. To sum it up, a high listing price will create less competition and the ability to secure a good deal. The future BPO is the basis of our offer, not the list price or amount owed. I understand that a high list price may show the listing agent's lack of short sale experience or many times it can be due to a stubborn seller. I have actually had situations where I sent the comps to the listing agent and they placed them in the short sale package. This works!!

Clayton Bonjean, Broker, MBA, Short Sale Super Star, CDPE

850-585-1284

clayton@mainsailrealtycompany.com

www.mainsailrealtycompany.com

Search Foreclosures at www.mainsailrealtycompany.com

DESTIN, FL FORECLOSURES

WHY DO YOU NEED A REALTOR WHEN BUYING AND SELLING FORECLOSURES AND SHORT SALES?

Buying and selling short sales and bank owned properties can be a very rewarding process. Our current shift to a distressed market makes real estate agents even more valuable to buyers and sellers of distressed properties. These types of transactions are not typical and require a high level of expertise. One should hire a real estate agent that has the experience and training needed to successfully close one of these transactions. I am a certified distressed property expert (CDPE) www.cdpenow.com and I have also completed "Short Sale Superstars" training www.shortsalesuperstars.com. I personally endorse both of these systems and feel any Realtor would benefit from taking these courses. I have successfully closed both short sales and bank owned (REO) properties and I have to tell you they are not your standard real estate transactions. Below are some common issues when dealing with distressed properties.

Short Sales and Bank Owned Foreclosures (REO) - Why do you need a Real Estate Agent?

• What is the correct way to complete a short sale package for a short sale listing?
• What is the correct pricing strategy and price reduction strategy for short sale listings and REOs?
• When buying short sales and foreclosures, listing prices can vary. The important factor is "value". A realtor can provide you with a CMA Report "Comparative Market Analysis". This report will show you the current value and help you make the correct offer. There are many overpriced short sales and foreclosures. Understanding the true value is critical and Realtors have access to superior CMA reporting through their local MLS. This will save you money and prevent you from overpaying.
• What contract do I use? In Florida, we have the FAR, FARBAR, FAR WITH AS IS ADDENDUM, FAR BAR AS IS, and the SHORT SALE ADDENDUM. Different contracts should be used in different situations. For example, I feel the FAR/BAR AS IS contract works best when representing buyers of distressed properties because of the inspection period language.
• Who is the best property inspector for REO's and Short Sales? Foreclosures and Short Sales are typically sold AS/IS. Do not let the name deceive you. An AS/IS sale is not a bad thing. It is critical that you have a good inspector to point out any issues with the property and have the correct inspection period language in your contract. Also, understand that utilities may have to be turned on for the inspection and the home may have been without power for months or years.
• How do I negotiate with the Bank? There are many factors to consider when negotiating with the bank. How long has the property been on the market? Is it a local bank or larger Bank? Is it a short sale or a foreclosure? What is the condition of the property? The list goes on and on. A realtor can advise you on all of these situations.

A Realtor with distressed property experience has now become a necessity. I encourage all realtors to embrace this new market and I encourage all buyers and sellers of Real Estate to hire a Realtor with distressed property training and experience before entering into one of these complex transactions.

Clayton Bonjean, Broker, MBA, CDPE, Short Sale Superstar

850-585-1284

Clayton@mainsailrealtycompany.com

www.mainsailrealtycompany.com

*Servicing Destin, Sandestin, Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach, WaterColor, Rosemary Beach and surrounding areas.

Foreclosures in Destin, FL

Search foreclosures and short sales in Destin, Florida and surrounding areas by clicking the link below.

Destin, Sandestin and Santa Rosa Beach Foreclosure Search

Destin, Florida Foreclosure Help: There are many options available other than foreclosure. I am a "certified distressed property expert" and have the experience necessary to help you avoid foreclosure. Please call me at 850-585-1284 or email me at clayton@mainsailrealtycompany.com for foreclosure help.

Foreclosure Buying Blog - Destin and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

I have been working with many buyers making offers on bank-owned-foreclosures (REOs) in Destin, Sandestin and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida and have some information to share.

There is no set rule for what to offer on a Destin, Fl foreclosure. I have seen banks come down 20% and I have seen clients pay over the asking price. I have seen bank listings way over-priced and I have seen under-priced bank listings. When making an offer on a bank owned property, giving the bank access to a CMA "comparative market analysis" can help. When representing the buyer, it is not a bad idea to include comps and the MLS generated CMA report with your offer. When you are dealing with banks, understand that they are reviewing multiple offers on multiple properties in a committee-style meeting. Sometimes you need to educate them on what their property is worth. I recently had a situation where we placed a market value cash offer on a property and the bank would not accept it. We then submitted the same offer with comps and a CMA and the offer was accepted. We also included the wording "Final Offer". I feel it was accepted because the information was at their finger tips and they were able to make a decision based on accurate information. The offer and CMA information were emailed and all in the same PDF file. I did it this way because the comps and CMA were printed with the offer. This assured me that the CMA would be reviewed in their meeting. It is very frustrating when you make a cash offer at market value and it is declined.

Some banks may not ready to let their properties go at the current value because they may not be ready to take the loss on their books. Do not assume that just because the property is bank owned, the bank will sell at our new value. At some point these properties will become available at market value, but not always in the beginning.

When banks price their properties correctly, you may find yourself in a multiple offer situation. You will typically receive a form or an email stating that "there are multiple offers on the property, please submit your highest and final offer". In many of these situations, the sale price can exceed the listing price. Again, this is where having a good CMA is critical. If the property is priced below value, paying over asking is a not a bad thing.

I hope you find this information helpful. Feel free to call me at 850-585-1284 or email me at clayton@mainsailrealtycompany.com if have any questions about Destin, Sandestin, Miramar Beach, South Walton, and Santa Rosa Beach foreclosures and short sales.

Search foreclosures and short sales in Destin, Florida and surrounding areas by clicking the link below.

Destin, Sandestin and Santa Rosa Beach Foreclosure Search

Clayton Bonjean, Broker, MBA, CDPE, SHORT SALE SUPERSTAR
www.mainsailrealtycompany.com
850-585-1284

clayton@mainsailrealtycompany.com