Kris Klusman

(True Story)

So there it was.. the gift box angled at the door step. Just waiting to be found on an early wednesday morning just outside a real estate office front door.

What could it be? On the box lid was written a Realtor's name and a request to open this parcel in private.

How long had it been there? Overnight... or was the secrete gifter just passed in the hallway?

Someone on AR knows, do you think that they will tell the remainig details of this story when they view this post?

Lets see............

O kay. Time to nudge the legislative bucket a little. I am sure there are politicians out there that are reading this as we speak... SO LISTEN UP!

In WA State the "sellers disclosure statement"(MLS Form 17 and 17C) should be thrown smack down in the middle of a Pacific Northwest rain puddle and stomped on by a hundred salmon enhancement group volunteers. There have been about a thousand too many bank owned home listings that have filled out on this mandatory disclosure form stating 86 repetative answers of "Don't Know"

In case some of you readers aren't aware, the disclosure form was designed to exchange pertinent material facts regarding the condition of a listed home. This form is mandatory if sold through a licensed Broker in WA and must be 100% complete in order to hold the previous owner liable for errors in the document.

I know this system sounds fair enough but wait ... There's More... There are three possible answers for each question. Yes, No, and Don't Know...

So the Question is brought up... What to enter when the statement asks a question that does not pertain to your listing? Well, of course... the seller can then write in a new answer of N/A... I mean why not this is a legal document after all... Just write it in

This sounds like another "Florida Chad" story to me... Why would any manditory disclosure statement not be filled out completely. After all, written in the first paragraph of its instructions is the threat "do not leave any spaces blank"... why wouldn't it let a seller jsut write in on the side anything they want to negate on that document.

Heaven forbid an heir or a Bank sells the property and has no idea about the home... I mean last I checked WAMU was sure to visit ever repo they had for sale.

SO.... Until our favorite people in Olympia get board of stripping out the last few dollars from Realtors pockets, we will continue to get to check through 87 monotonous answers on a form........ 1 yes (I do have the legal authority to sell the property) and 86

Well..... I..... Just....

"Don't Knows"

It has been a long awaited addition and a much neede alternative in our small town...

There have been some concerns about why now and what next, but for today the best explanation is "make the market move forward or let it convince you that you should be in a different line of work."

Many competing agents/brokers have said that they are excited to see the change and have welcomed the addition and competition. But there have been a fair number of agents and brokers that now seem rather upset... Most have voiced concerns for myself and my business partner for taking on a challenge like this at a time like now. But through the smiling teeth I sence they have question in their mind, "how can we compete?"

Its not not about the franchise now, its about the franchise NEW...

I want to encourage any other agents and brokers that have held off on expansion and change in this market to wait no longer. Loan values are there, interrest rates are there, less expensive marketing products are available and competing brokers are not willing to put their best foot forward. Go gang buster.

If you know that real estate is your career - think carefull about the next six months. The brokerage that is stepping out front now will lead the pack. Our office opened as a John L Scott affiliate on Oct. 1st, Good agents want to work together and good agents have always created their own busniess.

"Successful people surround them self with successful people"

I am probably the youngest Broker owner in the NW and I understand that to a T. But I look out and wonder how so many things could possibly have changed since I was a school yard kid.

At the local Safeway I ran into some kids that were all done up like it was Project Gothem night in downtown Belfair. Dark "Edward scissor hands" chopped hair, nearly white cover up, Fuchsia eye shadow, glossy black fingernail polish and a plastic stud nose ring.

Truly it made me want to go and find out when I could rent the new batman movie.

It just seems [that even for me] being only a few years ahead of these new upcoming graduates I should learn to understand their style and background. After all two, three maybe four years and they are my next buyers market.

I can see it now... "please come and preview this haunted house... there are no mirrors in this lovely 2011 home but that think of the good side there will be less reflection of light..."

of course i am just poking fun... not at the style as much as my comfort level of understanding these new clients and their interests.

And did I mention the shirts...

horizontal stripes..... (((picture that on a bedroom wall)))

When is it a stolen client?

With all the Agency Agreement Papers out there and buyers that bounce from office to office and website to website, when should I feel guilty for representing a client in a purchase transaction?

The times are now when agents in a market point a finger and says, "hey... they have been working with me and I have an agency agreement." I have heard this argument three times since September. For the agents I know, 3 is a lot on issues. In Mason County it seems agents don't really complain when a successful agent/team at a competing brokerage wins out over a client. But when a new agent, or an agent from the same office, ends up representing the buyer... heaven forbid.

When is the client stolen and when is it lost?