Dennis Herman

1, Find someone with 2 billion dollars and ask them for half.

2. Get a paper route and deliver 4 billion papers at a quarter a piece.

3. Get a job paying $20 an hour and work 50 million hours or 24,038 years.

4. Become a Real Estate Agent and sell $41,666,666,000 worth of Real Estate.

5. Win 10 lotteries worth 10 million dollars or 20 lotteries after taxes.

6. Have 5787 babies and collect $800 a month disability from each kid for 18 years.

7. Retire and collect $1200 a month social security for 83,333 years.

8. Recycle 2.5 billion pounds of aluminum cans at 40 cents a pound.

9. Get elected president of the United States for 625 terms. That is 2500 years at $400,000 per year.

The easiest way to become a billionaire.

10. Become the CEO of one of the eight financial institutions asking for government money. This requires no skill and the least amount of effort. Not including number 1 above. If this pay is restricted see number 9 above.

How to choose a great Real Estate Agent. I always say, "we could have the easiest job in the world if everyone would do their job." That goes beyond Real Estate Agents. To bring a transaction to a successful closing it takes a team effort. There are normally two Real Estate Agents, one for the seller and one for the Buyer. There is also a lender for the buyer. Additionally there are title companies, an appraiser, in most cases an inspector, and of course there is the seller and the buyer. Each has at least one job to do. You are asking about information on the Real Estate agent that will represent you, the seller, so I will concentrate on that area.

Think about this statement; the Real Estate agent will represent you. Which means they will be the first contact in every step of the transaction. That should give you a clue as to what to look for in choosing a personality that will best reflect your goals. If you want to sell quick at any price you may want an aggressive Agent. If you want an agent that will negotiate for top dollar you may want an agent with a more persuasive personality. One that will be more low key, that always has a plan B and C in place ahead of time, a personality that attracts people.

Choose a personality that you will get along with.

Choose an Agent that will present your property and interests in a professional manner.

What are their marketing skills? What imaginative marketing have they used for problem listings in the past?

Do not be hasty to sign with the Agent promising the highest list price. You set the price, they sell the property. Three major conditions will determine how quickly your house will sell. They are location, condition and price.

Look for an Agent that is open and honest with you. Unless your house is mutinously maintained, has all the major updates and is spotless inside and out, a good agent should provide ideas for improvements to prepare your property for showings. Pay attention to how they handle this situation. Chances are if they are rough and vague in their communication they will also extend this type of personality to other agents and buyers. Listen and pay attention to how they explain the defects they find in your property. Attention to detail is an important trait in a good Agent.

After taking the Agent through your home ask them how they would show your home. Chances are they will not be viewing other homes for buyers before they take them on a showing. For most agents the first time they see a home is when they walk through the door with the buyer. Agents have to train themselves to think quick and point out the best aspects of the property. After looking at your home they should have a mental picture of how to present your home to buyers. Ask them to take you on a tour of your house and pretend you are a buyer. This will show you how quickly they are able to think on their feet.

The best agents will ask you to go out and see other houses in the neighborhood. This will give you a chance to size up the competition. Think about it, this is the only way to set a logical market price on your property. You cannot judge the condition of the competition based on paperwork. I have never sold a single property based on looking at the computer screen or a printed copy of the spec sheet. Every property I have sold has been viewed by the buyer. They have to walk through a property to determine the value. Every buyer I have worked with has viewed a number of properties before they felt comfortable with a price. Why would you set a price on your property without having personally viewed other properties on the area? This is what every buyer is going to do before making an offer.

Experience may not be a determining factor when choosing an Agent. The Internet has been the preferred method for home shopping for years. Make sure you choose an Agent that is familiar with the use of the Internet and has control of their own web site. Ask where they will be advertising your listing. Many of the younger agents may be better at using the Internet because that is all they have known. They do not have old habits to break. Look for an Agent that has a knowledge of this new technology. You may want to ask them how this has changed their business plan and what changes they see for the future.

Take notes. It is easy to confuse agents and issues after listening to them talk for some time. This is part of what they do for a living.

Question the commission. A smaller company may be able to give you the same or better service at a lower price than a larger company. The size of the company may seem like security for some but Real Estate Agents do not pose a threat of losing your money as a company doing repairs on your home. In Wisconsin, Brokers will not generally ask for any money up front. In all the cases I have seen the commission is paid at closing. The only exception I have seen is the for sale by owner, where the Brokers require an upfront fee paid for their services.

Kitchen Saver, Inc.
6351 West North Ave.
Wauwatosa, WI 53213
Phone: 414-453-4220
Web Site: WWW.KitchenSaver.net


When you visit Kitchen Saver you know you are in the presence of extraordinary selection, value and service. With 22 years of experience, Kitchen Saver specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling. From completely new or custom cabinets to refacing in solid hardwoods or durable Formica, Kitchen Saver does it all.

Kitchen Savers is a family owned business, providing a high level of quality service the old fashion way. All of the work, from design to installation, is completed by their own in house crews. They do not subcontract any of the services they provide. This allows them to maintain a high degree of quality control, reduce time of installation, and ensure a happy and satisfied customer. Kitchen Saver can give your kitchen or bathroom a totally new updated look in as little as one to two days.

Kitchen Saver takes pride in the constantly growing selection of products they provide. New cabinets or refacing can be done in any imaginable size and color. Custom colors are also available. Increased functionality is created by installing new organizational items such as tilt-out sink panels, lazy susans or pivot and pull units, trash roll-out systems and new under mount glide drawer boxes. Counter tops are available in a variety of materials including granite, marble, cultured marble, engineered stone, Corian®, Zodiaq® and laminate, which come in thousands of colors. There is almost no limit to the choices of faucets and fixtures to complete your new kitchen or bathroom. And brands such as Kohler, Moen, Delta and Grohe to ensure quality and dependability for years to come. Flooring also comes in many choices like solid hardwoods, engineered flooring, Dura Ceramic, Wilsonart Laminates, ceramic tile, vinyl and bamboo, to name a few.

Bathroom choices consist of a fantastic array of vanities, sinks, fixtures, floors, lighting, toilets, tubs and showers to fulfill every desire and budget. Bathrooms can be easily updated with a tub insert and wall system or completely remodeled with the latest designer fixtures, colors and textures.

Kitchen Saver is a Specialty Plus designated retailer for Dupont® Corian® and Zodiac® products. This is Dupont's way of rewarding companies for extraordinary customer service and innovative design. They are also a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA), and the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI).

References are gladly provided in your neighborhood from the thousands of satisfied customers in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha Counties. From the Wauwatosa location they serve the communities of Milwaukee, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, Franklin, West Allis, Brookfield, Grafton, Slinger, Waukesha, Brown Deer, Greenfield, Glendale, Greendale, Oak Creek, Lannon, Muskego, New Berlin, Mequon and every city, town and village in between.

Stop in or call Kitchen Saver to talk with one of the in-house designers to discuss your needs. They are specialists at supplying the greatest value for every budget. Put a smile on your kitchen.

Save up to 30% on Corian counter tops and receive a free Corian sink for your bathroom with a purchase of a Corian or Zodiac counter top. This special is available from March 1 to May 31, 2009. Call for additional details or see us at the Realtors Home Show March 20th through March 29th.

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