Jennifer Marks

Everything I learned in the 5th grade still works! How to be professional?

Remember back in the day when your mom said "is your homework done?" or gave you the evil eye when you forgot to say, Please, Thank you or Yes Sir.

Whether it was your mom, dad or grandma they were setting you up to be professional. Why does it seem that so many agents have forgotten the basics or was it they never learned them.

Remember the 5th grade when you had to hand in your homework and the teacher commented on your neat handwriting. Or were you the one who lost points for careless mistakes? Did you teacher describe you a nice polite child or did you require more attention to stay in line?

When you're working with another agent or business in person or on the phone are you prepared? Do you have a pen? Is your breath ok? Is it 11pm on a Sunday? The basics should be obvious; Try not to eat, chew gum AND talk into the phone! Say Please and Thank You EVEN IF you do not like what they are saying, it goes along way.

This is true in the business world as well. Agents; hand written or typed are your offers clear, neat and complete? Did you include all the addendums or additional paperwork? Did you give your contact info or the best time to call? How about a write cover letter or include a prequel letter?

I am sure listing agents love to get surprise offers, but, not with incomplete paperwork. Think about it - What does it say about you and your buyer if something is missing. Is it the buyer or the agent that didn't pass 5^th grade?

Recently my sellers had to decide between 2 similar offers. They picked the agent/buyer that had complete homework-oops complete offer. Why? They felt that agent had already begun to do what was necessary to help that buyer make it to closing. My sellers were more comfortable because - "the ducks are already in a row"

Now is not the time to hand in half the homework and still expect to PASS.

What kind of agent do you have? If you need honest, dilligent help feel free to give me a call Jennifer Marks 919-210-6295 or Email Jennifer.Marks@RealLiving.com OR Follow me @RelocateWithJen

Update from the Agent that attempted Career Suicide for a First Time Buyer

Thank you again for the tremendous response to my Agent Attempt Career Suicide for 1st Time Home Buyer-- ( aka My husband) I know is has been a long time the closing happened back in July! Moving and Getting settled took longer than expected. I will post some pictures once the house is more presentable to the web-world.

Buying a first home as a newlywed -- is not as easy as you would think. There have been many ups &downs and I continue to learn every stepof the way. Most importantly, I realize why ever buyer gets a little buyer's remorse-- It is just impossible to notice everything at a showing. There are hidden living expense that you try to plan for but still more turn up. ( eating out while moving, TP, Turning on/off stuff, paint etc) My mom has always considered a home a never ending masterpiece and I am beginning to understand why?!- The more I am in my new home I learn or notice something new.

Can You Really Notice Everything?

22 Things I Learned About Our House & Neighborhood AFTER MOVING IN!!!

1. All the ceiling fans are dirty. ( its kinda gross when you realize its not MY dirt)
2. The closets & rooms are bigger than I remember.
3. Oh Yeah there is attic storage too
4. Thank GOODNESS I painted before moving in!
5. I have rabbits in my backyard-maybe deer? critters? & Definitely Mosquitoes that bite
6. The grass grows really fast. I hope that is a good sign for my veggie garden
7. Cats do not like moving - but are slowly adjusting
8. The neighbor around the corner has major fencing w/ moving gates.
9. Coffee tastes better when its made with well water in MY HOME.
10. Bright & Sunny is great except when you are sleeping
11. The hot water & water pressure in the master shower is great
12. The master bath drain makes a loud gurgle noise.
13. The A/C is much more quiet & colder than the apartment.
14. It gets much darker in Willow Springs than North Raleigh ( street lights seem optional)
15. There are 6 neighbors with Horses or Cows on my drive to work
16. My drive took only 10 minutes (not 25) Yippee
17. There are NO fast food chains close by. I want a chicken biscuit!!!
18. The family next door has a Chow Mix - I don't know if it friendly yet.
19. There is a Corn Maze & vegetable stand close by. I need a BBQ Grill.
20. Gas is more expense out in the country.
21. My street has pot holes or maybe they should be called CRATERS.
22. Who is the garbage man and when does he come?

Relaxing between visitors at yesterdays open house I read  July/August 2009 Issue of Realtor Magazine (specifically page 15 or if you missed it )

I have read other articles on active rain and other blog sites with agents defending the "administrative fee" or similar.  I have also seen Broker/Owner & Firms require there agents charge an administrative fee or transaction fee.  I do not charge a marketing, admin or mystery fee and my BIC does not recommend one

A U.S District Court (North District of Alabama) ruled on a class action suit againsta brokerage that charged a flat $149.00 fee in addition to commission.  The official case name is Busby v. JRHBW Realty Inc (doing business as RealtySouth)

The court ruled against the brokerage - according to Real Estate Settlement Act the fee must be a charged for "services actually performed".  The fee was referred to as "unearned" since it was not for a specific service.  Sounds like the Badgers "dust & rust fee" to me.

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For those who need to dust off their real estate text books,

The Real Estate Settlement Act passed in 1974 by Congress. It was created because various companies associated with the buying and selling of real estate, such as lenders, Realtors, construction companies and title insurance companies were often engaging in providing undisclosed Kickbacks to each other, inflating the costs of real estate transactions and obscuring price competition by facilitating bait-and-switch tactics. The Act prohibits kickbacks between lenders and third-party settlement service agents in the real estate settlement process (Section 8 of RESPA). Even reciprocal referrals among these types of professions could be construed in court as a violation of the law of RESPA. It requires lenders to provide a good faith estimate for all the approximate costs of a particular loan and finally a HUD-1 (for purchase real estate loans) or a HUD-1A (for refinances of real estate loans) at the closing of the real estate loan. The final HUD-1 or HUD-1A allows the borrower to know specifically the costs of the loan and to whom the fees are being allotted.

(Wikipedia.com)

The Firm in questions claimed, the money does have a purpose it helps reduce overhead and is not split with the agent.  I am sorry business doesn't work that way.   If this were a restaurant, would you pay a fee to reduce the owners overhead on top of the price for your bacon mushroom cheese burger? Or do you expect to pay the price on the menu.  Give me a break!!!  You would eat somewhere else.  Educated clients would go somewhere else too.  I wonder how, when or if they were explained the purpose of fee

NAR has asked that HUD further investigate this subject - The court ruled against the fee because it is believed to be a RESPA violation of Section 8(b). Although many believe the law is being interpreted incorrectly.

In today's economy everyone can use some help with personal or professional overhead. We all could just pass the buck on our bills- I would like to have someone pay my car payment please.It makes me crazy to think that agents have not learned yet that we are in an honesty business.  We ask our clients to be honest with us-we should be honest with them. 

As business owners, self employed professionals and Realtors, take personal responsibility for your own check book, determine your expenses as a business and charge accordingly.  If your bills are still too high to find a better office, cut costs, do more YOURSELF and hire less people.  Read the Shift Book.

Shady actions have gotten us into the market we are in - why continue the bad behavior?