Jacki & Jerry Shafer, The Shafer Team Call 502-643-SOLD (7653)

It's kinda like chasing a ball down a steep hill. You're always chasing the market when you choose to "test the market". If you're selling your home, you no longer have the option of pricing your home too high thinking, "Well, I can always come down..."

Today, you need to break out of the starting gate priced right! Otherwise, your home may be ON the market, but you won't be IN the market. Knowing that the majority of homes in 2008 failed to sell, it's imperative to price your home aggressively.

So what does that look like? Does that mean that I have to "give my house away??" Absolutely not. It just means that you need to price your home in such a way that when a couple comes to see it, they'll get a knot in their stomach at the very thought that someone else grab it up before they can get to the office with their Realtor and write up an offer!

Using the analogy of going fishing: you've got to lower your bait down to where the fish can see it. Once they see how enticing and attractive it is, they'll do more than just bite - you'll start a feeding frenzy as they try to be the first one to get to it!

Remember, this is a contest. You're running a race. You've got competitors everywhere you look. Inventory is extremely high and buyers have more choices than they've had in many years. So you've got to make your home the best looking home around and you've got to price it just under your closest competitor. Do that, and you'll have the best shot of coming out the winner.

Jacki and Jerry Shafer are "mega agents" with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty East. Specializing in residential real estate sales in Louisville, Kentucky and surrounding counties of Oldham, Henry, and Shelby Counties.

It's 2010. She tried to hold back, but finally she couldn't take it anymore. She ran into the streets screaming:

WHY DIDN'T I BUY IN 2009 ????

It's not like she didn't think about buying. Everything she read told her that 2009 was her year. With interest rates at an all-time low and homes listed well below appraisal, her heart told her she should do it.

She even picked up the phone and called her Realtor. She looked at several homes, and yes, the bargains were there for the grabbing, but she just couldn't bring herself to make an offer.

And while she procrastinated and waffled, great deals were being grabbed up all around her.

Don't let this happen to you! There couldn't possibly be a better time to buy. Don't find yourself in 2010 wandering the streets mumbling incoherently about why oh why you didn't buy in 2009.

Jacki and Jerry Shafer are "mega agents" with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty Louisville East.

So I started thinking: If two heads are better than one, what would happen if 15 or 20 heads got together and shared ideas, stategies, and tools that would better equip us to win the war on a tough as nails real estate market?

Well, I did it! I sent out an eblast to agents across Louisville from asking if they would be interested in forming a thinktank group, and the response was overwhelming.

I got a phone call from Pam Vogelsang with local Louisville Re/Max office, Re/Max 100. She graciously offered to help me facilitate our meetings, and I was grateful for the help. We thought about what to call ourselves and came up with the name: REAL ESTATE WARRIORS.

What will our group look like? We have agents signed up who have been in the business for decades, as well as brand new agents. And we have representation from many different real estate firms. As we prepare for our first meeting, we made a list of do's and don'ts.

We DO want group participation.

We DO want everyone to tell us what topics interest them most.

We DO expect everyone to give as well as get. We will all equally share what has worked well for them in their careers.

We DON'T want any Eeyores. No whining allowed. Keep it positive.

Our central theme will be that we're all in this together - and that - together - we will win! I'll keep you posted on the progress of our monthly meetings.

I love to go shopping in downtown LaGrange. It gives me the opportunity to step out of my crazy real estate world for just a while and step into the "Norman Rockwell" world of downtown LaGrange. I can feel my shoulders relax, my heart rate slow down, and the corners of my mouth turn upward in a happy little smile!

My first stop is usually The 1887 Corner Store. This beautiful old building is on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The wood floors creak under your feet. I LOVE that! The Corner Store offers Amish baskets, collectible boxes, Crabtree and Evelyn products and many unusual and unique handmade gifts.

The kids love to go to The Treasured Child. Not your everyday toy store, The Treasured Child offers traditional toys as well as creative and educational toys.

A few weeks ago my daughter and son-in-law were in to visit from Nashville and we took them and the grandkids downtown to Christmas shop. One of our favorite stops: Karen's Book Barn. With Lydia on my lap reading a book, Karen Eldridge asked me if I would be interested in being involved with Discover Downtown LaGrange as a board member. I told her I was just thinking about how Oldham County is blessed with such a great piece of Americana and how I hoped we could always preserve such a rich heritage. So it didn't take more than a second to say "Yes!".

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND CLICK ON THE DISCOVER DOWNTOWN LAGRANGE website:

It is full of great information about all the Downtown LaGrange is: not just it's shopping and dining opportunities, but will tell you all about its history, special events held throughout the year, and much more.

I'm absolutely thrilled to be a small part of keeping Downtown LaGrange a piece of American culture to be preserved and cherished for many generations to appreciate and enjoy.

Jacki and Jerry Shafer are long-time residents of Oldham County, and specialize in selling homes in their own "back yard".

I don't know about you, but I'm already being bombarded by companies telling me about all the MUST HAVE's I should be buying RIGHT NOW if I'm gonna have a shot of surviving in the real estate biz in 2009? What about YOU ??

According to them I've just GOTTA HAVE IT! My real estate career will simply go down the tubes without it! And I simply must

Whoa! If this is happening to you, too (and I know it is!), take a step back and evaluate, do some research, ask lots of questions and DON'T sign up to buy anything - especially in today's market - without having some rock hard evidence that it WILL in fact build your business and put some real money in your pocket in 2009.

I'd love to have my 2008 money back on some programs I signed up for that promised that my business would soar, prospects would be calling me begging for my business, and yada, yada, yada! Some programs actually did live up to their promises, but many others simply didn't.

Never again will I fall for the line that I've got to sign up right away to get it for the low, low price of...

In 2009 we simply don't have the money to throw the dice, gambling that the next program, website or gadget will be a magic pill to cure our real estate ills.

So how do we not only survive - but thrive in 2009 without spending outside our marketing budgets (which should be trimmed along with all other budgets)? Well, long before our Louisville, Kentucky market started to slide, we went back to what we know works - regardless of what's happening in the real estate market: staying in touch with our real estate advocates - the people who love us and send referral business our way. Phone calls are free - and your past clients, friends, and family are happy to hear from you.

Jacki and Jerry Shafer are "mega agents" with The Shafer Team and Keller Williams Realty Louisville East. Jacki and Jerry have over 20 years of real estate experience, offering excellent service in Louisville as well as nearby Oldham, Trimble and Henry Counties in Kentucky.