Larry and Peggy Pitts

The news on housing has stopped being totally disastrous. This week we got that homes sales increased over last month. Home prices increased over last month. Mortgage applications have increased. Even building permits are up.

No one wants to turn flips over the news but it does seem to be better than what we have had the past 6 months or so. If we can just get two or three months of up turns in prices and sales, we could see things catch fire. It seems everyone is still in a wait and see pattern.

Lets keep spreading the good news about real estate and maybe we will see things turn around.

The key to real estate sales is having a continual flow of good listings and buyers. It is something that we all desire but in reality very few actually accomplish. Especially these days. You prospect of good listing. You get a really good group and then you sit an no action.

I have found that times like these we find out the true meaning of "buyer". You find people who want to buy but can't get financing. They are not a "buyer". You find people who can get financing but don't have the money to put down or have not access to being able to get the money. They are not a "buyer". Then you find a person who can get financing, who do have the money to put down, and then won't buy not because of lack of desire but because of being scared to buy. They are not a "buyer".

That leaves people who have the credit, have the money, and are not afraid to make a move. Now that is about as rare as the "Saber Tooth Tiger".

How to we find these people. Today it requires an extreme amount of prospecting. They are out there but hard to find. Just keep plugging away and then they will show up.

How we all go to seminars and seethe great tool and hi-tech gadgets that is going to "save us time". Every time I get something I end up spending way too much time just trying to figure how to work it, much more than it could ever save me in a life time. I hear how "just a few clicks" and you're on your way. I'm on my way to the insane asylum. I have spent a full day just trying to get one program to work. Now you think I haven't ever worked on a computer before. Not true. I'm the one everyone comes to make theirs work. We have gotten so "hi-tech" conscious that we have forgotten the number 1 rule in any sales. See the People. If we don't get face to face with a prospect, we are not working. We are just doing busy work. It seems the more technology I have the less I spend talking to real people. I am ready to call a hault to all this stuff.

Oh, you say "just hire someone to do the stuff". Tried that also. The problem is most assistance are real good at doing what you tell them or show them to do. If you can't make it work, chances are they can't either. Also, by the time you do get them up to speed you could have done it 10 times over yourself. Another catch 22.

I think we get "sold" on all this hi-tech stuff by some good salesman. They have figured out the "easiest sale is to salespeople". So they take all this stuff and convince us this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. And we believe them. Because we are always looking for something to make our lives easier.

Guess what. It doesn't. I'm dumping all this stuff and going back to "talking to the people". I'll let you know how it works.

I certainly do not have the answers to this and would like to see if anyone is having success getting buyers to buy now. There are so many reason why this is a great time to buy so why are they not flocking to the deals. Mortgage rates keep going down. We have the tax credit for first time home buyers. There are real deals in real estate now. Most people do have jobs and have good credit. So why are we not selling more homes that ever before. Are we all stuck in the mud of watching the bad news and thinking the world is coming to an end every night. What is it going to take to get buyers buying again?

Tell me your success in getting the buyers buying again.

Open houses have had a marked increase in activity the past three weeks. We have seen many buyers out looking talking about the $8000 tax credit. No one knows how to get this money or if it can be used for down payment or closing cost but it has got them looking. That is the first step. Maybe this can be a help in getting some people off the fence. If you know how to get the tax credit to help pay cost, let me know.