Scott Gephart CRS - Oregon Real Estate

Medford Real Estate has changed considerably in the past few months. Medford homes are now selling at fantastic prices that attract investors and locals alike. New homes in Medford are also extremely affordable. Those looking to buy homes in Medford are now blessed with a lot of inventory at competitive prices. The local market is also seeing more REO homes in Medford (bank owned homes in Medford) available for sale, sometimes offering pricing so attractive that multiple offers pour in. Short Sales in Medford are also common as foreclosures continue to remain a constant. Thankfully, Chaparral Realty Group specializes in short sales and REO properties. We are the local Medford Short Sale specialists, and our sales records prove it.

In each scenario above, Medford Real Estate shoppers are looking more closely at choosing agents, and selecting criteria in what they want from an agent. Real Estate Brokerages in Medford must now adapt to this renewed interest from buyers in checking their credentials and sale records. Finding a good Real Estate agent in Medford can be a daunting experience for the general public, since there are many agents to choose from.

At Chaparral Realty Group, we understand the Medford Real Estate market - and have remained one of the most successful brokerages because of it. We are Short Sale Pros, REO Specialists and we have the past clients and closed sale stats to prove it!

If you are considering Buying Short Sales in Medford, contact us and we would be happy to offer you a no nonsense, no-obligation consultation to help you understand the Short Sale process - and to make sure you are comfortable buying Short Sales in Oregon.

In addition to this, often times Medford Real Estate Agents who are un-experienced with Short Sales in Southern Oregon are also seeking out qualified Short Sale and REO specialists to refer their buyers to. This is a smart decision, considering that Short Sales and REO sales can be tricky transactions. In order to properly handle them, one must thoroughly understand the entire process, and also one must be a great negotiator when dealing with banks. In addition to this difficulty, banks are also extremely picky about how Short Sales are handled, what is required, and which order documents must be submitted. These minor details can quickly kill a potential deal, or cause your client to lose first position due to an improperly written offer.

Agent and Brokers often refer Short Sales to us, as we specialize in handling Short Sale transactions with both sellers and buyers. Simply stated, we have the experience to handle your Southern Oregon Short Sale transactions with skill and agility. Please consider referring your Short Sales to us.

In Real Estate the concept of extra time is a bit like the concept of bigfoot, we acknowledge that it could exist but most folks never actually see it for themselves. Our profession is one heavy with commitments that eat away at our time. From the client who calls for a “quick five minute chat” that ends up begin an hour long call – to the last minute request for data from another agent who needs it “five minutes ago” – we find ourselves pulled and stretched to accomplish just to accomplish our daily goals.

On a recent stint away from home I packed with me several books and training documents I had gathered over the past few years with the idea of re-visiting the information to find new inspirations that may improve upon the success that we’ve already enjoyed in 2009.

My goal was to look for time management advice and then to see how it might apply to my office and its Brokers. I quickly discovered after re-reading the materials, that there seemed to be one common thread that connected these top producing teams who authored these training materials. This common thread was the concept of “blocked time”.

Blocked time is simply time set aside during the day when all outside interruptions would be postponed and dealt with later, for the sake of accomplishing a goal. In most teams, this time was used to try and bring in new leads. Now for some of us busier Brokers, we here about these concepts and immediately think “that would be nice, but my day is far too busy to implement something like that”. But the truth is, that these teams are incredibly successful, and it stands to reason that if more than one of these top producing teams are successfully using the same system – it could work for you and your team.

The idea is not that we ignore requested and incoming calls, but rather that we set aside an hour or two in the morning, to dedicate this time to specifically bringing in new leads. During this time if outside communications are coming in, or phone calls are coming in – the Broker would have their receptionist take messages indicating that they would be followed up soon.

Doing this, buys the Broker time to thoroughly hit their database or lead capture sources in order to make new contacts that may eventually turn into deals. Once this “blocked time” is over, the Broker simple resumes business as usual following up with clients and messages. But the idea is, we all have things we would like to implement in our own business, whether it’s a great new marketing method we’ve heard about, or a flashy new website that can bring in more referrals, but in most cases we always end up saying “once I have time I would love to try that”. Well, a good thing to remember here, is that you are never going to “have the time”. So those ideas can either sit idly by on the backburner, never seeing the light of day – or we simply “block out time” to make sure that we try them.

This concept is something we are currently implementing here at Chaparral Realty Group, and we are anxious to see how this can help us to become more in touch with our POTENTIAL CLIENTS. This also allows us to focus more clearly on how we bring in new clients. In reality, it’s all about creating structure. Once we become used to blocking out this time, we find it becomes part of our routine. This is a great thing, because we now realize that we are dedicating time to not only servicing our existing clients, but also dedicating time to creating new relationships.

For some this time might be best “blocked out” to occur in the morning, first thing. Other may find it easier to block out time after lunch.

Bottom line is, if we spend on hour a day (at minimum) to block out all distractions in order to bring in new business – we end up spending a minimum of 5 hours each week to find new clients. That translates into 20 hours per month (give or take), and 240 hours of time (again approximately) per year. Not bad for a simple change to our day, that has the potential to steadily increase our business.

I'm writing today about the importance of a team based office versus an opponent based office. In essence, the work environment you choose has a lot of impact on your enjoyment of your business as a Realtor.

One of my favorite things about Chaparral Realty Group is that we work here as a team. I started this company with that ideal in mind.

Chaparral has the kind of environment where brokers partner together to succeed in tandem. We share our strategies with one another, offer support to one another and also share what is currently working within our own business with our co-workers. Why? Because we believe that we succeed quicker in a collaborative manner. We believe that anything beyond friendly competition within an office breeds resentment, and can lead to an uncomfortable working environment.

Our team is comprised of like-minded brokers looking to succeed as a team. We each hold stake in building this business to its maximum potential, and given our team spirit - we take great enjoyment when any one of our team members succeed. We use our combined skills as something to market to our clients. By working closely together, counseling each other on contracts and addendums and sharing our ideas we grow together.

I've worked in offices that are more individualized before, and I managed to achieve some success. But the team dynamic here at Chaparral Realty Group is something that truly makes each day more enjoyable and fun. It feels like we play for team Chaparral, because that's what we are. A seasoned TEAM of dedicated professionals working together to form a stronger allegiance for our clients, and our individual business. The success I have now is far greater, and is something to truly be proud of - because I am succeeding as part of a team.

Using a professional that has experience in handling the Short Sale process is crucial for the successful completion of a short sale transaction. It is just as important for that professional to have a firm understanding of the Foreclosure process from beginning to end. Short Sale transactions can be very complicated in that the standards of practice in the real estate industry are still in the development stages.

Finding a company and or broker that has the expertise to lead you through the Short Sale transaction whether you are a buyer or seller will be the difference between having a smooth experience or a nightmare. Make sure the broker you choose can provide you with a resume of past experience having handled Short Sale and Foreclosure transactions.