Palmetto Bay | Redland Real Estate | Maggie Dokic

Selling homes in sunny Miami, Florida, means I get to process a lot of documents. An awful lot. This would ordinarily mean that I am using a lot of actual paper. But I try to be responsible and go digital whenever possible.

Just tonight I emailed a listing agreement to one of my sellers and sent it using Transaction Desk. It's a tool made available to us by the Florida Association of Realtors (also known as FAR to it's members). Of course, I sent myself a copy as well. As I was reading the copy I received I noticed a little Go Green, Go Paperless image and it caught my eye.

It allowed me to see what an impact we are having by using tools such as this one to go green. I thought it was neat l that it showed actual pages saved as well as CO2, water and trees saved. It made my small gesture viable. It wasn't so small any more!

The program also allows the documents to be signed digitally and be returned to me so we can keep everything totally paperless.

Nice going FAR & Instanet!

This Friday Prudential Florida Realty will be hosting it's "Sunshine After Dark" event to benefit the Sunshine Kids organization. Sunshine Kids was formed to help kids with cancer.

Our Sunshine Kids event “Sunshine After Dark” is set for Friday, November 13, 2009 at 7pm. The event will be held in Pinecrest, at our first floor office space-which will be transformed to a chic lounge for the event.

We will have wine, appetizers and a wonderful silent auction with fabulous prizes.

The tickets for "Sunshine After Dark" are $25.00 in advance and $30.00 at the door. One hundred percent of this goes to Sunshine Kids. Prudential is footing the bill for all the expenses and we've had gracious donations for the raffles. Yay Prudential and sponsors!

We are also selling tickets for a 1 in 1,800 chance for a new 2010 Mercedes Benz C Class. Tickets for the car drawing are $50.00 per ticket. Sweet!

Get excited about having a great time and supporting a wonderful cause!

Prudential Florida Realty is committed to the kids.

What: Sunshine After Dark

When: Friday 11/13/09 at 7pm

Where: Prudential Florida Realty 11525 S. Dixie Hwy., Pinecrest, FL 33156

Cost: $25 in advance, $30 at door

Please contact me at 305.975.3842 if you wish to attend.

Did you catch the similarity to Joan Jett's classic, I Love Rock 'n Roll? No? Well please humor me and say you did. =)

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts will be performing at Miami's Ribfest tomorrow. Also performing will be another classic act, Blue Oyster Cult. I happen to know that some people are spending Saturday in Homestead just to see them perform.

You can get your Rock 'n Roll fix on Saturday and come back on Sunday for a little Country. Tracy Lawrence and Chuck Wicks will be the headliners on Sunday. Now, I've fallen behind on current signing sensations, but even not knowing who he is, Chuck has a smoky look in his eyes that makes me want to head to Homestead on Sunday for some ribs!

So, head on over this weekend. There will be lots to do and plenty to eat. Visit the Miami-Dade parks site for RibFest to get more information.

What: Miami RibFest

When: Sat. & Sun. 11/8 & 9

Time: 11:00am - 10:00pm on Saturday, closes at 6:00 on Sunday

Where: Homestead Air Reserve Park (268 St. & 122 Ave)

Cost: $15, kids under 10 FREE. Ribs extra =)

After a 17 year absence, the "Wings Over Homestead Air Show" is back. The event hasn't been held since Hurricane Andrew tore through Homestead in 1992.

Headlining the event are the world-famous Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds are the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, known world wide as one of the most elite jet fighter performance teams.

In addition to the Thunderbirds, the event will include biplanes, rocket cars, supersonic jets and more. In addition to the performing aircraft, many vintage warplanes will be on display for up close and personal viewing.

The event is totally FREE and parking is free too. You've no excuse for not having something to do this weekend. =) The show is the military's way of thanking the local community for their support of our troops and veterans.

Where: Homestead Air Reserve Base (Go East on 288 St. Approx 1 mile East of Turnpike)

When: Sat. & Sun. 11/8 & 11/9

Time: Doors Open at 9am and close at 3pm. Event lasts longer than 3pm but you must arrive by 3:00

Cost: FREE

Visit the Wings Over Homestead site for additional information.

Dear Two-Timing Tina,

Thanks for being unfaithful to me. I'm not angry. Instead, I'm thrilled. Why would I be thrilled to find out that you were seeing another REALTOR® behind my back? Because it was the epiphany I needed.

You see, I've known for a very long time that I should be working only with buyers who sign an exclusive buyer brokerage agreement. But I had grown complacent and kept putting it off. Getting buyers to sign these requires that I make adjustments to my routine. It requires some effort. I have to show my prospective buyers the benefits they will gain by working with only me. In order to accomplish this, they need to come into my office for a complimentary buyer consultation.

I've been so busy that instead of scheduling the free consultation when a new buyer called me, I would just get the property details and schedule a showing. Deep down I knew this was not the way it should be. But I kept telling myself I was too busy to do it otherwise.

Then you came along. Asking to see an $80,000 foreclosed home. The fact that this is well below what I usually work did not matter. You had a need and I wanted to fill it. So I picked up HUD keys, printed detail reports, drove by neighborhoods to check them out for you and reported back to you diligently.

For one reason or another, we were not able to meet face-to-face for 10 days or so. But I continued my diligent work for you. We spoke on the phone, texted back and forth, and stayed in touch . All seemed well.

Then yesterday I confirmed our appointment, gathered the documents and set out for our first F2F meeting. I arrived at the property to see that another REALTOR® was there showing it to his client. I said hello to them and waited for your arrival. After 10 minutes I decided to call and make sure you were not lost. I put two and two together when the other agent's client reached in her pocked for her ringing phone.

She was you!

You were her!

You looked over at me and asked, "oh, is that you calling me?" Was that when it hit you that you had scheduled appointments with two agents at the same house, at the same time? I've known two-timers before, but this was my first dealing with one with a faulty scheduling system.

I don't think my surprise showed on my face. And my well chosen words were not rude, although after leaving, I thought about it and chastised myself for not giving you a good talking-to. You needed to know what you did was wrong. But that didn't matter to me at the time.

What did matter was that your actions pushed me to making a realization which will serve me well in the future. You were the straw that broke the camel's back. I am no longer working with buyers who don't come to my office for our consultation and sign the buyer brokerage agreement. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Please continue on your merry way and know that our brief encounter fared me well. And the next buyer who calls me will know all the wonderful things he'll be gaining by working with me exclusively. Because I will make sure I tell him.

Yours truly,

No longer your agent.