As the theme song from one of my favorite TV shows of all time says - "Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Finding a break from all your worries sure would help a lot." Those words couldn't be more true than they are right now. Recession, unemployment, housing market woes, the stock market roller coaster, war, etc., etc. How do you make it through the day?
Well first, I think you gotta believe in something. Whether it's the Law of Attraction, God, Allah, Buddha, or Steve the crazy homeless guy on corner of fifth and main, some sort of faith must anchor you. No faith, no chance.
Next, I recently had the privilege of hearing the great Terry Watson speak and this one is his, but I thought it was brilliant. Boycott the news! Now, not entirely because you should know what's going on in the world, but don't listen, watch, or read in the morning or at night before bed. I get my news at 5 or 6 pm. I have been doing this for a little over three weeks now and I am amazed with how much energy I can approach the day. I am making things happen because I am not depressed. See the news shows do not exist to inform us, they exist to shock and sometimes entertain us, but mostly shock/bum us out. Have you ever heard the phrase, "If it bleeds, it leads."? When Cat did their first set of layoffs, all of the big news outlets came to town. They wanted to do a story about how Peoria was devastated by this.....well there was no devastation, some disappointment yes, some worry yes, devastation no. Guess what? They packed up their news vans hauled their butts right out of town because I assume the story wasn't depressing enough. Boycott them in the am and pm.
Finally, be there for each other. These are not just random people who are losing there jobs, homes, and pensions. These are our friends, relatives, and neighbors. Extend a hand when you can. We are all in this together whether you believe it or not. We have been through darker times than this and we always make through to the other side when we work together.
Allow though it is definitely the job of your Realtor to keep track of your deadlines on the contracts, you should be keeping track of those dates as well. If for no other reason than to protect yourself. What if your Realtor is injured, incapacitated, or even, lets face it just plain lazy or incompetent? Sure, you probably have grounds for a lawsuit against them at a later date but in most cases you will not have any immediate relief for the missed deadline. So be sure to read your contract and know when your inspections are due by and when repair amendments must be submitted by in case someone is asleep at the wheel.
You are out looking for that home of your dreams and never quite find it. This one has bad lighting and that one has a bad kitchen layout. Then the clouds part, the sun begins to shine and you find the "one". But you can't put in an offer because you haven't taken the very crucial step of getting pre-approved for a loan or you put an offer without a pre-approval and the seller tells you to take a hike because your offer is useless without it. Now you have to scramble and get that pre-approval so you can secure your dream home, meanwhile someone else waltzes right in with a pre-approval and makes an offer and buys your dream home. Save yourself this heartache and get yourself pre-approved at the start of your home search. Keep in mind two key items 1. you are not the only person looking for a home in your price range 2. a seller will not take your word for it that you can afford their home. A pre-approval will help you avoid either item costing you a home.
As we make our way from the snowy season to the beloved rainy season, I am reminded that rain means mud. So when you are out and about touring your dream home, be courteous. Take off your shoes and leave them at the door. Remember you are but a guest in the home until you actually purchase it, so keep the mess to a minimum. Since you are going to be taking your shoes off on a regular basis throughout the day, no holes in the socks and make sure they're clean, again out of courtesy and to save yourself some embarrassment.
Please always remember dear buyer when you are touring a new construction home that is under construction that it is just that. Construction can be dirty, dust everywhere, they did recently dig a hole in the ground so there may be a bit of extra dirt here and there and if it has rained recently, that dirt has most assuredly turned to my friend mud. That being said, wearing your Sunday best may not be your best decision. If ever an occasion called for dressing casual this is it. Happy hunting!
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I'm a full service e-Pro REALTOR serving the Pekin / Peoria Area. Whether you're buying or selling a home in Pekin, Dunlap, East Peoria, Metamora & Germantown Hills, Morton, Peoria, or Washington.
There are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent real estate professional - integrity, in-depth community and market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work.
That said, in my experience as a Pekin real estate professional, I've also found that providing the very best service is essentially about putting my clients first. This means keeping myself accessible, being a good listener as well as a good communicator, and responding quickly to your needs.
This "client first" philosophy has always been my approach and it requires me to continually improve my skills and ways of doing business. In addition, I've found that the latest technologies are enabling me to do everything I've always done, only much more quickly and efficiently. They've also helped me to extend the range of services I provide to my clients.
So when you decide that you'd like to buy or sell a home in the Peoria & Surrounding areas, please contact me.
I specialize in first time buyers and relocation.
Jana and I recently accomplished a corporate relocation from Denver, CO to the Peoria, IL area. We conducted online research as to homes and realtors that represented the Peoria and surrounding communities. Jim's web site, coupled with the Maloof Realtor site provides the best home information data backed by visual media that made the home search easy by focusing on a few key potential properties that met our expectations.
Jim coordinated our visit to Peoria to ensure that the limited visitation time was utilized by setting home viewing appointments, meetings with financial and mortgage representatives, and completing required paperwork while we were in Peoria. Jim's punctuality and preparedness eliminated any lost time providing further evidence that our selection of Jim and the Maloof Realtor firm was a correct one. Further evidence of Jim's professional service commitment was during the first day of home visits; Peoria was hit by a snow storm of nearly 6 inches, yet Jim conducted us to all the home visits without occurrence while ensuring our ability to return to selected homes for follow up and walk through.
Meanwhile, upon our return to Denver, CO, Jim conducted much of the leg work and follow up on the home status and closing process ensuring a smooth transaction. Upon, closing day, the procedure was seamless and simple with my wife and I taking possession of our new home. Jim's professionalism and committed to clients did not end there; he has followed up with additional information concerning the local area such as shopping, restaurants, Doctors, Vet's, etc. We can say that through our years of numerous corporate relocations, this experience with Jim has been the best we have had. Jim sure makes life easier.
Darrell and Jana C. - Dunlap
I was satisfied with the service provided. Jim was patient enough to help me find the right house, even
though it sometimes meant traveling long distances, going to areas he hadn't been to before, and resulted in several months of looking at houses. While looking at houses, Jim would point out flaws in the house we might have otherwise overlooked. Despite several opportunities to make a quick buck, Jim instead offered his opinion on houses he felt uncomfortable with while I was considering these houses, typically due to the potential of the house being a money pit. If I choose to sell and/or buy a house later, I will again use Jim, and suggest him to friends and family that later decide to sell and/or buy a house.
David C. - Peoria
We recently relocated to the Washington, IL area and were very unfamiliar with the towns, schools and businesses. I contacted two realtors on line-one of them being Jim Sikes, and immediately knew I wanted to work with him.
Jim always responded to my many questions when searching for a home and was the one that first suggested we look at some homes in Washington. He was so patient and professional with our home search and provided very useful information about the cities and schools, which was a concern for us.
I know we will someday need another realtor and Jim will be the one we use for our home.
Kerry and Barry O. - Washington
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