Karla Casey

It is said that it takes just a quick glance - - possibly the first 2 to 3 seconds that someone meets you for the first time for them to form an opinion about you. We have all heard that many, many times. This also applies to homes.

SELLERS AND LISTING AGENTS, it does matter, in any type of real estate market, whether its a seller's market or a buyer's market, that the property is at its best at all showings and open houses. A good first impression is crucial if you want the property sold quickly and at its value.

I have had sellers who wanted us to list their homes and show them at a Broker's Open before the home has been de-cluttered and cleaned. They think that Agents are able to look pass the clutter, the dirty windows, and in our case here in the islands - the gecko poo on the walls. We are all human. Even if we as agents can look past all of that, we remember the clutter and the dirt and are not sure that our buyers can.

As I tell my sellers, we want the agents and prospective buyers to remember your home for its special qualities and features.

Recently I had the pleasure of representing a very nice couple in the sale of their home and then represent them in the purchase of their replacement property. A nice simultaneous closing. As is normal with the sale of a home, I would contact the seller to inform him of the inspection date and appraisal date, etc. Every time I would call him to let him know when we would need access to his home he would respond that he would need to check his work schedule to make sure he could have that time off. Each time I would tell him that was my job to be there and he could stay at work.

On the purchase of his new home, he was shocked that I was there with him during the inspection and I was there when the appraiser was done. During the process, I called his lender to make sure things were on track and as always, kept in touch with the escrow officer. I would remind the home seller/buyer of upcoming events. I was also there with my seller/buyer during the signing of both his mortgage docs and escrow docs.

After we closed, he wrote a very kind letter stating that in all of his former purchases and sales, agents would write the contract up and he had to arrange for all the inspections, be there for the appraisals and had contact directly with the escrow officer. The agents really didn't contact him any more.

I was shocked and saddened that there are agents out there that believe that their job is over once the client signs the contract. I always tell my associates and my clients, "that is when our real work begins." I know there have been a few times that I have had to really "ride" the cooperating agent in a transaction to get them to do their jobs. I believe this attitude by some agents or belief that getting the deal signed and then they have no other obligation to the client gives us all a bad name. Truly, if I was a buyer or seller and my agent just left me to do the rest of the work myself, I would wonder why I was paying a commission!!

As a Principal Broker, if I knew any of my associates were not doing their job, they would either need to step up to the plate or find somewhere else to hang their license. No just order takers here . . .