Susan Walters

Having just commented on a blog about political posts, noting that I would rather alienate potential clients now than after 6 expensive months into a listing or buyer agreement, I am posting this political viewpoint.

How can we NOT have a political viewpoint? This country was founded on democracy; women fought hard to have their voices legally heard and minorities too! Should it be separate from business? Yes, if you cannot be tolerant of another person's reasonable views, but I then wonder how you can be a realtor since we have so many codes of ethics that require us by our licenses to be tolerant of everyone. If you are faking your tolerance, then maybe you should find a new career. Just a thought.

I had a discussion with a realtor in my office the other day who I knew was pretty much aligned with my beliefs and while we were discussing the political climate, another realtor walked by and joined us. I suspected there would not be a similarly amenable conversation should politics continue to be the topic. To my shock and surprise, my first friend came right out and asked our other friend who she was voting for. She hesitated just a moment and stated her choice, then was asked to defend her decision. She did. We nodded, then she said, "Convince me. Why do you feel that your candidate is the right choice?"

That led to a wonderful discussion with each of us voicing our agreements and disagreements, noting that we didn't know all the details of our candidates past votes, for and against. The conversation was lively and extremely civilized. I don't think anyone changed their minds about the other candidate but we all now have a better understanding of why each of us plans to vote the way we plan to vote.

That sixteen year old in the title line? My daughter. She is studying Advanced Placement Government right now in her high school and her teacher has told them they are extremely privileged to be doing so at this point in time, when what they are learning can have such concrete examples. Tonight my daughter and I watched the VP debate and she was able to comment on points I could not have at her age. She knew enough about the topics to be able to refute some facts and question others. At one point, she said, "I read in the Washington Post today..." and I just looked at her.... I know when I was sixteen I was not reading the Washington Post - my family did subscribe to Time and US News & World Report and scores of other publications and I read them all so I wasn't ignorant, but I did not have the fervor I see in my daughter today. This is her future more than any of ours. She cares; she is just too young to vote.

This election is big. Big isn't even a big enough word. Life-changing? For her it could be. Earth-shattering? The consequences could be. Landslide? I hope so. I hope so for her.

So many topics to cover since it was deja vu all over again, receiving a call to do BPOs from a lender who had been very good to me in the past, until my contact there was promoted and a licensed realtor took his place. A very good deal became zero without notice at all. I have fond memories of those days three years ago - the bounty dropped in my lap that at minimum paid my office bill with months of credit in advance and at maximum gave me a double dip no-effort sale and a listing that spawned at least a dozen closed deals beyond the listing itself, plus more opportunity. (I believe I could turn that experience into a "Pursuit of Happiness"-like movie, but I just don't have the time...)

Today, completely out of the blue, I received a call from the same lender, new contact. The rank and file had shifted again and was I interested in being an inventory agent for them in Washtenaw County? Yes!!!!!! (I said quietly.) First, let me say that this lender is not like others looking for inventory agents. They ask for the BPO at the first sign of trouble and don't require updates until the loan is going to sheriff's sale. They'll request a second BPO, pay again, plus let me list if they haven't decided to auction or dispose of it some other way. So different than what I have heard from other BPO realtors!

Well, that FSBO notation in the title relates to this tale, so bear with me. As a newbie in real estate 4 years ago, I took anyone who gave me a second glance and showed them property. No pre-approval? No problem! You want to be an investor? I want to be your best friend!

I learned about the no pre-approval thing quickly but the investor thing took a bit longer. I had one guy who had documents stating he was capable of purchasing several properties in a year's time; I spent inordinate amounts of time showing him property. When he finally bid on one, was countered high, bid back low, and was accepted, he responded, "Oh sh*t!". We went through the inspection process, which you have to know he did not sign off on. One of my superiors said, "Cut him off; he is wasting your time." She was right; I did. I met him once more months later for a coffee to see where he was (he wouldn't sign a buyer agency agreement with just one agent...) - he hadn't bought a thing.

I bring him up in this tale because one of the properties I showed him was a foreclosure where I opened the door before he arrived and decided not to enter. It was scary and I waited. I had no idea how many properties I would enter alone that were far, far worse in the years to come; at least this one was free of eau de confined pet. It had shag carpeting on the backs of the kitchen cabinets that faced the dining area - was that ever in Architectural Digest, ever?! It also had metallic silver wallpaper on many of the walls and all the trimmings you would expect to go with that. In the midst of it all was a warm and fuzzy brick fireplace. That is where the decorating scheme should have begun and ended, but alas, no.

Anyway, my "investor" wasn't interested, despite the price per square foot value. I had no one else to present it to despite the great deal - trust me. I was driving by some time later and a man was in the yard so I decided to stop and ask if he was the homeowner, saying I had seen it at its worst. He proudly showed me the interior and the work yet to be completed and said they would be listing it for resale soon. They had made some good changes but amateur efforts were evident, with staging successes straight from HGTV. No one was going to overlook the fact that they had opted for eliminating the dishwasher in a 3 bedroom family home to give more cabinet space - no one likes to handwash dishes!!! The pebbles in the bathroom sink are not going to make up for that! I left my card.

Well, to pull this ADD post into a coherent picture, I was one of three agents who interviewed to list that property and was ultimately told they were going to FSBO. I had left my marketing plan with them as the other agents probably had too. We gave away our strategies and then were left out in the cold. Payback came full circle today when my lending connection gave me two properties to BPO and one of them was theirs - not the flip, their primary residence. I was shocked but can see how the arrogant attitude led them to this point, if in fact that is what did it. They did not want professional opinions when doing their flip (and made some poor choices), they did not want professional representation when listing their property, and where are they now? Facing a mortgage dilemma....

The DIY thing is so prevalent that many believe they can do anything themselves. Real estate is rarely a DIY thing, particularly in a buyer's market. There are legalities, knowledge of the market regarding buyers and stats, the unbiased view of the property from an outsider, not a friend, relative, or the seat of your pants. A FSBO I talked to today said he would offer realtors 2% - that is worse than what most banks will do! Plus I checked his stats when I got home and he is $25,000 over market besides! I'll still send him mailings with suggestions - that costs me little. I would like the listing in his nighborhood, but I want it on my terms - I won't work for nothing. Been there, done that. I am worth it.

Recently I blogged about a teasing letter we received at our home regarding awards night at Saline High School that suggested our son was up for an award and strongly encouraged our attendance. Friends of his had received the same letter but they were actually LIKELY to receive awards so we were just confused. My son and I attended anyway, just in case.

Kevin is a kid who has learned extraordinarily well, has avoided the typical temptations of youth, besides computer games (death to computer games!) and a senior year girlfriend (we like her - she is motivated, technical like him, success-oriented no matter what it takes, and adorable). He has endured psychological testing to determine that he is decidedly not ADD and that his only real problem is boredom and "you can't make me do it" (damn you psychologist - we already knew that!).

So there we sat at award night wondering if there would be an award. Many of Kevin's dear friends received embarassments of mention, monetary and non-monetary, individuals who were the only recipients of very specific awards, sometimes repeatedly. Congratulations dear friends! There were honor roll awards (nope), specific field of study awards (nope), nice guy/gal awards (nope - though he is), and the departmental awards. Kevin was on the edge of his seat waiting and wanting one of several English department awards - his brilliance had been noted through the years - but how can an award be given to an individual with a sub 3.0 GPA? So many more candidates who put in the time and effort to hand in the homework and get good grades could not be upstaged by someone who shunned the requirements even if they led the discussions and invigorated the classroom. They could not be honored even if they received extra assignments since they had already read all the books in the curriculum and sat in the hallway with advanced reading material, popping in on cue to comment in the classroom discussions on books. The teachers may have known who the best candidates really were but they are bound by rules. The tap on the arm and hello to our son as his AP English teacher left the stage signaled to me that she wished she could have given it to him.

The most egregious example of this sort of thing was a few year's back when our daughter's friend was denied the position of number one graduate because he did not spend enough time in the high school during high school. As I understood it, he did not have the required high school credits - he was taking college courses at the university nearby since he had exhausted the curriculum at the high school. Upon graduation he could have entered the University of Michigan as a senior, age 18. In a "post mortem" or should I say "post mortar board" decision he was awarded first place, not in time for graduation; he got second billing then.

Here's the thing though. High school and even college are not life. They seem that way at the time, but the most brilliant student may turn out to be only a brilliant student - not a good employee and there are absolutely no guarantees about entrepreneurship. Someone who follows the rules is unlikely to take risks - just my opinion - and be an entrepreneur. There is a certain "devil may care" attitude, or "la-di-da" as my husband calls it in regard to my efforts in keeping bills paid, that is REQUIRED in entrepreneurs! If fear were to rule the day, no one would invent that better mouse trap or Microsoft Vista - sorry, wrong analogy.... I truly believe my son will do great things when the constraints are lifted. Time will tell.

Regarding that award, yes he did receive one - the Michigan Promise Award for exemplary performance on standardized testing, required by the state of Michigan. It is worth $4000 and he was in good company with about a quarter of his classmates. I wouldn't sneeze at a $4000 tax-free/company-dollar-free commission these days, would any of you?

Congratulations Kevin! When you hit the really big time I will be sure to blog about you then too. For now, good luck at Michigan Tech. (He applied and was accepted within six days - his ACT score was that good.) It is the perfect school for you Kevin, despite the snowfalls that require six foot poles above the fire hydrants so the firefighters can find them in the ten months of winter.... You are going to love it there! Seriously, you are going to love it there, just as we love you. Now get out of here and raise that GPA. Dad is researching that Arctic-rated parka he had in the Air Force and intends to order it for you. Make a snowman, make a snowfort, make a snow time traveller machine. I trust you can make anything you desire, if given the means. See you at Thanksgiving. Let's stock up on the Ramen Noodle now.

In a massive procrastination move the other day, I decided to rearrange my home office furniture and all the electronic equipment. It was a very big job and only required the occasional request for help to reposition heavy furniture, so it was fairly successful. I threw a lot of useless stuff away.

My son, perhaps the strongest and most fit person in the family, was AWOL during the entire process and arrived late at night to express his opinion. After noting the improved flow, in which I had eliminated a 12 drawer dresser and downsized to a 4 drawer dresser to hold office supplies, he commented on the desk.

"That is one power desk!" he said. First, yes it is. It is massive and if I were a person comfortable working at a desk, I am sure it would be very useful. I prefer to work in the recliner in the room, with seating space available for one cat in the seat area with me, though there have been times when a spare cat has adorned the top of the chair behind my head as well. I have always carefullly positioned the printer/scanner/fax within reach of the recliner, plus all phones can be accessed as well. How thoughtful! My biggest problem is power cords. I appear to be on life support in the recliiner, and whatever cat (of 4) is visiting needs to tuck in under wires and cables and planners at times. They seem to understand; they keep coming back, over and over again, despite the aggravation. Cats love electronics, and me.

After my son's comment, I went on to explain the concept of desk placement in an office. The occupant must always be able to see the door. I believe this goes all the way back to Darwinism and survival of the fittest. If you can't see the opponent as they approach, how will you prepare your defense? Beyond that, the size and color of the desk is paramount. Mine was a massive scuffed-up mahogany desk from the 1800's, I was told when I bought it at a yard sale for $25.00. I swore I would have it refinished but never did. One day I painted it flat black and what a difference that made! Power indeed!

Here's the problem though. Apparently back in the 1800's they did not use modern office chairs. The chair opening for the desk is no more than 24" and I swear it is not more than 18". I have an old bentwood oak chair as the desk chair there. Do I need to further justify the recliner decision?

So my home office is now more functional, though still doorless. It used to be the dining room - I swear I will get those doors, ignore the view, and be extraordinarily productive. If now, if now, I could complete the taxes that prompted this office transformation, then that would be a coup indeed. Look out IRS, my return will be coming to you soon, right after.....oh, nevermind..... Where the heck is that stimulus payment? Wait, I need to file the tax return, don't I? I believe I have come full circle. Circles are good. As are multiples of three and not placing your bed opposite a mirror or under a beam. Avoid northern light. I'll get this all right one day and the living will be easy....even in real estate.

Peeved is a great word when trying to avoid cursing, isn't it?

I recently commented on a couple of blogs and returned to see what others had to say. One blogger had a lengthy negative response to my comment, but fortunately there was another commenter coming to my defense, sort of. I am also curious as to why a Florida realtor cares about a politician in Minneapolis - points? The rest of the comments struck me as ambiguous so I didn't really know what they were saying. Poop or get off the pot! (Another curse avoidance, I am afraid.) So it was bad, then good. I commented again so it is probably really bad now. It was a political blog and at this point in election time things are really critical, lines being drawn in the sand.

That old axiom about never talking about religion, sex, or politics - it is all over now. Religion is a no-go issue since tolerance is in. Sex is a non-issue since it is everywhere. Politics? Now that is where the mud-slinging is still perfectly appropriate. Apparently money earned is now also a talking point. Are we allowed no privacy at all?

The second blog I revisited was about investors and the timelines for re-selling a property. I have a lot of investors. Yes they make money when "flipping", but this is Ann Arbor, Michigan not California. What they are doing is almost community service. They are taking blighted properties, sometimes the only blighted property in a neighborhood and sometimes a bunch of properties in a neighborhood, and making ALL of the properties there more saleable by their efforts. Ask the neighbors what they think. Michigan has over 7000 HUD foreclosure homes alone, in a declared declining market and an exodus state . Someone has to do something. Three cheers for intrepid investors!

Investors are buying properties so bad that when I show them I need to cover my nose from the stench and wipe my shoes on the hopefully damp grass, if there is grass, when we leave. They are buying properties far past what the generic buyer looks at. Needs a roof, new mechanicals, new kitchen and bath, new floors, walls, landscaping - no problem. Of course, they are getting it "for a song." Most buyers cannot get past the fact that the third bedroom is painted blue, and they do not like blue. Good for investors! Why should they be limited? One of my investors is a mostly retired contractor with connections and can turn around the worst property in about a month. He freely admits he has lost lots of money on some deals. Is he in the black? Yes, but not on every deal. Risk needs reward.

Yes, I make commission on selling these properties if I list them when they have been renovated. But greed is not a part of the picture. A recent sale of mine was for $20,000. I paid my office bill for the month with that commission, nothing more. When it relists as a renovated property at $130,000 or so, I will not be cruising in the Caribbean; I will be paying orthodontia, utilities, GASOLINE, etc. I DO NOT MAKE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK I MAKE. I'll detail it all for you, compensation, less company dollar, less expenses, then net, if YOU will do the same with YOUR salary. I thought not....

Now that I have talked about politics, religion, and money, I think I will cruise my TV channels and find a movie with sex. It is the only subject that is innocuous it seems. Maybe I will get lucky. :)