Kathy Jackson REALTOR Henderson Kentucky Homes for Sale

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my dogs. They are my kids. My husband and I don't have human children, so we pour all of our love into our pack of fur-babies. One of our kids is Wylie. An absolutely adorable Australian Shepherd that we rescued shortly after we moved here. His favorite things to do are chew on ropes, gather toys into a little pile or lick your feet. He would come up to us and give hugs and kisses. He was probably the sweetest, happiest dog I've ever had. He was only 2 years old. Our time with him was much to short.

When we moved to Kentucky almost 2 years ago, we had a fence installed around our backyard. This was a necessity for us to keep our kids safe. We live on a very busy highway and did not want our dogs running into the road. So we called several contractors and decided to use a company called Fence Pro's, LLC. They were a little more expensive, but seemed professional and said that if we ever had a problem with the fence we could call them and they would fix it. Unfortunately, that wasn't true. Over the last 1 ½ years we have called them numerous times regarding one of the gates that would occasionally pop open. Each time, I was assured that we would be "put on the board" and they would get it fixed. They never showed. We've called and left messages, but no one called us back.

Monday evening the gate came open and we didn't know it. Wylie was hit by a car and 2 of our other kids were missing for more than 30 minutes. Max never left the yard. I cannot describe the anguish of knowing that one of our beloved kids was gone and two were missing. My husband found Missy and Zena across the road absolutely terrified. In the picture below, Wylie is the blue-merle on the right.

I called the fencing company again on Tuesday. I spoke with Brandon and after apologizing and saying that what happened with our fence "wasn't their policy" he took my name, number and said he would call me back. I haven't heard from him. I've sent the company and email with no response. We spent over $8,000 to have the fence installed and received assurances that there was no way the dogs could get out unless they dug under the fence.

In any business, customer service and following up on what you promise always has consequences. In our case, the consequences for Fence Pro's not standing behind their workmanship were deadly.

A while back, I read a great blog by Clint Miller called The Sins of the Seller. It was a great post that really highlighted how a home is viewed from the buyer's perspective. However, I keep thinking about that blog. Was it really the seller's fault their home showed so poorly? Or could it have been the agents fault? Or was it both? So, I put together my own list of Sins: Sins of the REALTOR!

1. Not preparing a detailed CMA-also call GUESS-TIMATING MARKET VALUE! Part of our job is education of our potential clients. I believe this includes completing a detailed CMA that shows the seller what similar homes are selling for in their area. If similar homes are comping between $100,000 and $110,000, then it is a waste of the seller's time to list the home for $125,000.

2. Not advising seller's how to prepare their home for showing. As agents, we go into all kinds of homes and we see first hand what buyer's are looking for in a home. Having a clean, uncluttered home shows much better than a dirty, smelly, congested home. We need to tactfully let potential clients know what can affect the sale of their home. As an agent, if you don't have an eye for staging, suggest that your client hire a stager to make their home show ready.

3. Not advising clients to remove pets during showings. This is not only a good idea for the best showing, but for the safety of both the pet and potential buyers. How would you feel if Fluffy the cat escaped through the door during showing? Or if cute little Sparky bit a potential buyer? Not only could your client be looking at potentially expensive hospital bills, but also the loss of their beloved pet. I've also had several clients who are extremely allergic to pets and started swelling up the second we entered the home. Little Zena-Weiner on left is so cute, but not for everyone!

4. Not suggesting the client have a home inspection before listing the home. Yes, this costs money, but the long term benefits are worth it. With a pre-listing home inspection, the seller will know of any potential problem areas and can address them before it scares off a buyer.

5. Following the 3 P's. The 3 P's are Place an ad in the paper, Put a sign in the yard and Pray. Marketing a home has changed so much in the last few years, let alone the last decade. Agents must keep up-to-date on the latest means of reaching potential buyers. This has to include Social Networking sites, blogging, websites, email, texting, etc. The days of the 3 P's being the only way to market a property are gone.

6. Don't bother communicating with your sellers! Seriously, I have heard many tales from my clients how they listed their home with Suzy Realtor and once the sign was in their yard-never heard from her until the listing was going to expire!! Then Suzy showed up at their home with an extension in hand with a laundry list of ideas on how to get their home sold. I always make it a piont to keep in touch with my clients at least twice a month, sometimes much, much more!

7. Ignore the "traditional" methods of advertising. Yes, I know what I said in #5 above, but there are some markets where some of the traditional methods still work better than Web 2.0. There is one community here in my neck of the woods that I have to run an ad in the local paper and include my listings in the Catalog Book. All of the internet contact I have received for one of those properties has been from a potential buyer that is out of state! So, make sure you don't discount something that does work and add to it with other methods too.

8. Don't bother updating the CMA. In my area, it's not uncommon for a property to be on the market for 100+ days. It's important to update the CMA to make sure that the pricing is still on target for the home.

9. Video-hah! Clear pictures? Seriously one of my big pet peeves is when I see a listing with no Virtual Tour, one or two photos and they are blurry to boot. I really just want to find the nearest wall and beat my head against it!! Take the time to look at your pics & video on the mls or website. Sometimes, what looks good on the camera does not translate well to the internet!

10. Hello, you've reached Suzy Realtor and I'm just too darn busy to answer or return your call! I know we can't answer our phones every time it rings, but I have know several agents that never answer their call. As I'm dialing their number I am rehearsing the message I'm about to leave. I also know that I will probably be calling them back later in the day because they are too busy to call me. See above for instructions on beating your head on the wall!

Well folks, there's my ten Sins of the REALTOR. I hope you enjoyed it. I plan to be "sin-free" long into my career! If you are looking for a sinless REALTOR, please feel free to call me-I will answer my phone!

Kentucky is offering a tax credit specifically for New (never occupied) home purchases.

This tax credit is a state tax credit for any new home purchased between July 25, 2009 and July 26, 2010. This means buyers must close on the home before July 26, 2010. There are a few "fine print" details that buyers need to be aware of when they purchase a new home in order to get the credit.

TO CLAIM THE CREDIT:

YOU MAY NOT CLAIM THE CREDIT IF:

• Your application is not received via FAX within seven (7) calendar days from the purchase date. Any application submitted via mail will be denied.
• Your new residence has been previously occupied.
• Your application is received after the New Home Tax Credit cap has been reached.
• You are eligible for first time homebuyer credit under Section 36 of Internal Revenue Code.
• You are building or contracting construction of your own home. The new home tax credit is only for those taxpayers who purchase a new previously unoccupied single-family dwelling. "Purchase" means a point within the approved times when escrow closes between the qualified buyer and the seller of the qualified principal residence. Homeowners who build newly constructed homes on their own land do not qualify for the credit based on KRS 141.388.

For a complete explanation of the tax credit click here. If you need a copy of the application, just click on the link!

Looking to buy a home on Lake Barkley? Check out this fabulous new construction with dock! For more homes and available lots on Lake Barkley check out www.CoppersmithCove.com or www.HendersonHomesToday.com

Almost every agent you speak with will tell you why you should pick them to be YOUR agent.  Their reasons will vary: some have 5, 10 or 20 years of experience, specialize in your type of home or have lived in the area their entire life.  Are these things important?  Yes and No. 

They can be very important in some markets and are great if they are coupled with staying up-to-date on the latest technology.  Statistics show that 85% of home buyers start their search on the internet.  That leaves a measly 15% that is starting in the traditional means: newspapers, driving around, calling random real estate companies, etc.  So, if you are looking to sell your home, do you want to tap into the 85% group or the 15% group?  My bet is the 85% group.  So you need an agent that not only knows how to reach buyers in this group, but how to communicate with this group.  If your agent doesn't know what a blog is, SEO or the difference between a tweet and a twit, you probably missing out on that 85% piece of the pie!

Next time you interview an agent; ask them about their tech tools and how those tools will help sell your property.  Putting a sign in the yard, putting an ad in the paper and posting on the MLS is great, but when buyers are looking online, it's a necessity to have a tech-savvy REALTOR on your side.

A topic of big discussion in the Henderson area is the forthcoming release of the new FEMA flood zone maps. According to The Gleaner, approximately 700 parcels of land are affected by the new flood zone maps, but only 230 of those parcels have structures on them. One of the biggest areas of concern is the Fox Hollow Run subdivision. Residents in this area may be able to qualify for a Letter Of Map Amendment (LOMA) to have their property removed from the flood zone map.

Homeowners in the affected areas are affected in 2 ways: they may be required by their mortgage provider to obtain flood insurance AND property value will decrease. Even though your home has never flooded, the maps dictate insurance requirements and the information is given to potential home buyers.

If you are one of the 230 landowners that recently received a letter from the Henderson City or County officials, you can get flood insurance NOW. By getting your flood insurance BEFORE the new maps are released, you may get a discount on your rate. Contact your local insurance agent for more information.

There will be a public meeting to address citizen concerns and questions on Thursday, February 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the former Peabody Building. The meeting will be held in the conference room which can be access through the east entrance. For more information, click here.