MeLisa Minter, MBA, Realtor - 469-766-7379

I've always told my sellers that when someone wants to see their home during the holiday season, that more than likely that person is pretty motivated to buy rather quickly.

Today one of my sellers had a showing and they were pretty put-off by the "intrusion." While they normally leave during showings, today, they decided to stay in and watch the game. I was not too bothered by this because it is the Sunday after Christmas and people are still in a relax mode.

I informed them well before the holiday season began that they may still get showings in the next few weeks and they seemed ok with it. While it was not our intention to still have their home on the market during the holiday season, I think a showing during this time is a good sign.

Sellers if your home happens to be on the market during the Holiday Season, be prepared that showings may occur at inopportune times. I admit that there is more of a chance that these people are looky-lou's looking for something to do since they are bored out of their wits from the holiday hoopla; but in the same breathe, this could be a buyer who would like to be in their new home by January 1st - you never know!

As 2009 approaches, I'm starting to review my marketing plan for the year. Since I have been in the business for over a year and half, I have tried almost every marketing method. What I have learned that has worked for me was of course referrals, followed by advertising in a popular monthly real estate magazine, then the good old fashion door-knocking.

I was never big on advertising in print media, for some reason it never worked out for me, even when I was an event planner. But the particular magazine that I am advertising in now has great publicity and it also gives agents free websites, which I thought was great. Homes and Land advertises in several different regions and when I started receiving phone calls from people that were viewing my ads in other cities a light went off. I immediately thought I have to keep this advertising campaign going.

I would have never thought to advertise in some areas where this book is delivered to, simply because they were not areas that I served, but this definitely increases my reach to potential buyers and sellers. So the Homes and Land ad stays.

As far as referrals go, you can never get enough referrals from friends and family. A week ago, I hosted an appetizer and cocktails happy hour for our little league football moms. I have gotten several referrals from the moms and I try to stay in contact with them even during the off season. There are a wealth of contacts to be gained from these moms and I look forward to building these relationships.

Finally, the good old fashion door-knocking will be put back into my plan, especially since gas prices have dropped to a more managable level. I can easily go out and approach expired and FSBO sellers and just make a day of it. I have compiled great packages for both of these sellers and have gotten a listing from an expired and a potential listing from a FSBO, so I'll keep at this.

I know a lot of agents frown on advertising in print or on door knocking, but since I'm fairly new and have had the opportunity to see what works, I think I will stick to what has brought me results.

Tell me what works for you. I'm open to different strategies and plans.

This past week, I went FSBO prospecting. I have'nt done this in a while, since gas prices were so high for GMC Yukon. But since gas prices have finally come back to reality, I'm back out going door-to-door.

I put this FSBO on my list because it was on the way to a showing that I was doing in the area. I compiled my FSBO package and delivered it to the homeowner who happened to be at home - I'm never prepared for that - and I started with my FSBO questions.

The owner stated that he had been FSBO for a while and that it had not been working well for him, but he also stated that he had a couple of realtors and they didn't work well for him either. This was my time to SHINE. Without exerting too much pressure, I just asked him to review my package and to call me with any questions.

The next day his wife calls me and immediately asks me what I could sell their home for. I avoid the question and turn the tables to start asking her questions about her last experience with an agent, how FSBO works and what was their selling motivation.

After she figured that I was not giving her and exact price, she continues to ask me about my marketing strategy and what I would use to market her property. I then try to make an appointment with her and her husband after the holidays so that I could do a formal presentation and last week when I followed up, she stated that they would be making a decision to list the home with an agent at the top of the year.

So I will carefully continue to prospect them and hopefully I will be the agent that they will call.

I'll keep you posted.

Hope All Is Well.

MeLisa Minter

www.homesmint2be.com

Well I've just listed another Rockwall County short sale, again in a neighborhood that is less than five years old.

I know this is probably a problem that is running rampant from city to city, but as I emabark on this short sale, I am even more prepared to deal with it; especially since I've had the "honor" of doing a prior short sale with this bank.

What I've learned in doing short sales is that you have to have a heck of a plan in your approach with the banks. Make sure you have all of your documentation from the seller and the information requested of you as the agent, such as a CMA, market reports and listing agreements. What has been a tremendous help and my "ace in the whole" is my escrow officer at the title company that I work with. I was referred to this particular title company by another agent while I was doing a short sale this past summer.

This company has a great deal of experience with the bank and plays a vital role in calling and compiling redundant information if need be. They are also on the bank's preferred list of title companies. Since there is an established relationship, it makes things go a little faster, as the escrow officer and I can have a tag team effect going on.

Short Sales are becoming the norm and if you have not had the opportunity to do one, then get ready. There are so many sellers out there who are upside down in their homes. Loan Modification does not seem to be doing the trick anymore. I've never understood how a bank can allow a seller to tack on more money to their montly mortgage payment when they didn't have enough money for the monthly mortgage payment in the first place.

Anyway, I am quite lucky this time around. I got an offer on the property within 3 days after I listed it and I immediately submitted that offer to the bank with a full short sale package. Right now we are waiting from the bank to hear if the offer will be accepted.

I'll keep you posted.

Hope All Is Well

MeLisa Minter

469-766-7379

www.homesmint2be.com

I always new that pricing and condition were key and I always stress that to my clients. This time it really paid off.

Here's the story. This past Summer I was in the grocery store with my 3 sons...which is always an adventure... and lady started talking with my sons or the other way around, I really can't remember. Anyway, I was just a few weeks into Brian Buffini's 100 Days to Greatness, so I was in the mode of meeting at least 5 new people a day.

The lady and I started chatting and she gave me a religious brochure and I in turn gave her my business card and stated that if she or anyone she knew ever needed to buy or sell a home, that I would love to help them. She immediately explained that she and her husband were considering putting their home on the market, but they had some personal things to take care of before they would make a final decision - maybe sometime in early Fall they would be ready.

She then proceeded to explain the type of loan she had, which was through the USDA Home Loan Program, I was slightly familiar with it, and that if she sold her home before a certain period that she would have to pay back some type of subsidy. Anyway, I offered to check into the program and find out what I could about her type of loan.

I immediately went home and mailed her a thank you card and also included one of my brochures as well as a Dress Your House For Success brochure. Well low and behold, a couple of weeks later, she calls me and says that she and her husband would like to go ahead and put their home on the market because her husband had just been laid off. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic because all of that walking up to strangers and striking up conversations had finally paid off.

I schedule the listing appointment, did my CMA and prepared my listing presentation and off I went to get the listing. Everything went smoothly. I asked for a tour of the home, took measurements while they told me about each room and then we sat down to discuss their MO. They needed to sell pretty quickly and was open to any and all suggestions that I had. They had previously read all of the material that I sent them, so their home was "show ready." After they signed the listing agreement, the husband tells the wife - who is frantic that she's going to have to keep her house spotless for an unknown amount of time - "not to worry and that we will have the home sold in 30 days tops."

Well it happend... on day 29 I got a call from a realtor who wanted to take his buyer to see the property. I was excited because we had only had one showing up until this point. Their showing was scheduled for 9am that morning and by 11am, they were calling me wanting to fax in an OFFER!!! Yippee!!! I thought, so here we go.

We get the offer and it's a fairly good offer. My sellers had some items that they were holding for negotiations and we countered back with those items and a slightly increased number. The offer was accepted the same night and now we have a closing scheduled for Nov. 24.

This has been the smoothest transaction that I've had thus far. The inspection went well, there were minor items that my seller agreed to repair. The appraisal has been completed and hopefully the lender doesn't request any other repairs to be made. So now I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that things continue to progress as well as they have.

I'm so used to transactions being worse than getting teeth pulled, that I'm a bit cautious about getting too excited. I just came off of a very challenging Short Sale, and to have a smooth transaction without all of the chaos, is a welcome event in and of itself.

Wish me luck.

P.S. Look for my Blog about the USDA Home loan Program.

11800 CR 313 - SALE PENDING!!!

MeLisa Minter, Realtor

www.homesmint2be.com