Tim Rogers

....And why should you care? Well, you shouldn't really care if you are not selling your house but you should pay attention to the index if you are selling or buying a home in the local market.

Every week on Top Gun Tim's Real Estate show on 970 AM WBLF I discuss this phenomenon (not unique to Centre County) and update the index.

What is the Disgruntled Sellers Disconnect you ask? This is the disparity in list price between those homes that have sold in the past month as compared to those that have decided to beat their dog and Realtor because their home has not sold in the past 50 years (well maybe not 50 years but at least six months) and have fired their Realtor, canceled the listing and changed companies, or simply had it expire after 755 DOM. For the most recent week the disparity in our market was $30,000 and represented a 20% price differential between closed sales and canceled angry expired home sellers.

The interesting thing about the disconnect is how the Realtor always gets the brunt of it, along with the sellers spouse, dog, hamster and goldfish. The funny thing is that after the seller blames the Realtor they immediately change companies and then adjust the price and terms to EXACTLY what you told them they should do for months while they were administering your daily beatings. You gotta be kidding me! I waste my time jumping through hoops with an unrealistic sales price and then they change Realtors and follow my advice.

I tell them what to expect and receive an on-going dose of "SELLERS EXPERTISE." You know how that sounds, I paid X for the property and I'm not selling it for Y. I put two years of my life into the house and $50,000 so I'm not selling it for Y. My neighbors house sold for X so I should get 400% more money because my house is 800% better and even you, Mr. Realtor should know that.

My response is always that the seller can NOT defeat the market and as always I'm correct about it. But the sellers continue to administer the beating until the DISGRUNTLED SELLERS DISCONNECT reaches such a fever pitch that they change Realtors and immediately change the price and terms to what you told them the whole time.

In my experience I would have to say good riddance and pity the next Realtor even though they got the disgruntled seller to list for the real price.

I'm getting good at spotting the disgruntled sellers and have actually refused three listings this year. Oh, yea, I've heard the stories from the unlucky Realtors that have signed the Disgruntled sellers to listing contract and I sit back with a big smile and a lot less stress.

Next up will be a discussion on why buyers should pay attention to the Disgruntled Home Sellers Disconnect.

You can call the Coaches Corner Hot Line at 814-272-9700 to discuss any real estate issue of choice.

I receive numerous questions about the USDA Rural Home Loan program so I would like to answer the most common questions relating to the USDA Rural Home program. I will answer a question every day until all

Question - There are several programs for buyers can you please explain the difference?

Answer - The two programs include the direct home loan program and the guaranteed loan program. The direct loan program is administered by the local USDA office and will lend money directly to the home buyer. The guaranteed loan program is a program that is administered by a local bank in conjunction with USDA. The bank makes the loan to the home buyer and USDA guarantees the loan in the event of default.

To secure a direct loan you need to call the local USDA office at 570-726-3196. Numerous local banks can underwrite the guaranteed loan and you can give me a call for those local banks that participate in the program.

For more information about first time home buyer programs or affordable housing alternatives in Centre County or the State College, Bellefonte, Penns Valley, Bald Eagle or the Philipsburg school districts give me a call or tune into Top Gun Tim's Real Estate Radio show every saturday morning on 970 A.M. WBLF radio. Call the show from 8:00 to 9:00 am on the Coaches Corner hotline at 814-272-9700.

Just East of Penn State University is a large 4/5 bedroom 1 bath home with more than 2,600 sq. ft. of living space and a detached 3 car garage. Situated in Spring Mills, this large home has been completely renovated on the exterior including roof, siding, and new windows. Bring your personal touches to finish the interior and enjoy the over size country kitchen, the large yard, and the short walk to trout fishing along Penns Creek.

This would make a good home for first-time home buyers and will qualify for USDA, PHFA, FHA, and Centre County Grant money for first-time home buyers.

Priced at $122,500, this home will go fast to a buyer that needs the space and the location. MLS #28464.

What a great day it was as a family tradition was continued on a fine April morning along the stream banks of one of the finest limestone trout streams in the Eastern United States. The ritual has continued for generations in many Pennsylvania families including the Rogers' family.

Coursing through a tranquil Amish valley just east of Penn State University is the famous Penns Creek. Known for its green drake hatch next month, many eager trout anglers line the banks of Penns Creek for the opening day of trout season in Central Pennsylvania as a serious ritual similar to an annual birthday event. I'm not sure about the number of fisherman that crawl out of bed in the middle of the night to stake out their treasured piece of real estate along a PA trout stream but I would guess that there are more folks along trout streams in the state on opening day than there are folks in baseball stadiums for the traditional opening day of the baseball season.

With the complicated life that I live, I had to change our plans this year because of Top Gun Tim's Coaches Corner radio show. Always eager to exploit a good thing, I decided that since one of my property listings is a house and 3.5 acres with 210 feet of stream bank frontage along Penns Creek, I would combine the radio show with opening day of trout season and throw in an Open House for the prime piece of Central PA real estate.

Never to be outdone, my 12 year old son decided it would provide him with the perfect opportunity to raise a little money to pay for his upcoming summer Boy Scout Camp in the Finger Lakes of New York. How could I say no to an enterprising 12 year old? I didn't say no and in fact encouraged him to have fun and make a few bucks.

So the alarm clock chased us out of bed at 5:00 a.m. this morning and off we went to the property along Penns Creek. First things first so we staked out a prime fishing hole by placing a couple of fishing rods and chairs in strategic locations. On a normal opening morning we would head off to the Spring Mills Fish & Game for an early morning fisherman's breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes and hot coffee. Since this was a non-traditional opening morning, I placed the open house signs in key locations in the area and my son set up his food booth. On the Boy Scout fundraising menu this morning was hot coffee, doughnuts, candy bars, and later hot dogs, sauerkraut, and a variety of sodas for all the hungry fisherman.

As he diligently set up the money making operation, I set up to do the Coaches Corner radio show remote "live" from the banks of Penns Creek.

What a morning it was. I had a great live remote broadcast amid the crowds of anglers. I got to interview several anglers right along the stream bank. The Boy Scout fundraiser was a success and I had a tremendous flow of visitors through the open house throughout the morning.

I don't know what next week will hold for Top Gun Tim of Coaches Corner radio and Keller Williams Realty but I'm sure that this morning's twist on a family tradition will be hard to top.

And the best part about the morning, the young Boy Scout caught and released a wily native brown trout that was hatched and raised right in the stream. He learned just how much more fun it is to catch a native brown trout compared to the hatchery raised stocked trout courtesy of the PA Fish Commission. The photo doesn't represent the brilliant colors of the native brownie but trust us when we tell you that it was one of the most beautiful fish we have ever caught and released. There is nothing like a native brown in its natural habitat.

Tomorrow morning we will sneak out early to try our luck again but without the distraction of the radio show, open house, or the money making Boy Scout operation.

How grateful I am to live in such an outdoor Mecca that provides me with the opportunity to spend memorable time with by beloved 12 year old son. By the way, I think next Saturday morning will find us in camo behind the youngsters 20 ga. shotgun with turkey shot as we chase the elusive eastern wild turkey during Spring gobbler season.

As a practicing real estate professional that works closely with sellers to assist them in finding a buyer for their home, I've been surprised recently when I have been asked the following question at least three times in the past month : If I sign this listing contract does the law require me to sell my house? My reaction (muttered under my breath to myself) to this question is usually a thought about my valued time being wasted by another "tire-kicker" home seller. I usually get over this pretty quickly but I do wonder why this question comes up when it is time to sign the listing contract. If you really don't want to sell your house why am I here?

Though I'm not an attorney I do think it is important to explain the difference between the listing contract and the sales contract to the confused home seller. In reality the difference is really pretty simple. The Listing Contract in Pennsylvania is little more than an employment contract. When a seller signs a listing contract they are hiring a Realtor to sell a house. The terms of the listing contract deal with issues such as marketing of the home, fiduciary relationships between Realtor and seller, and terms of payment or what the home seller will pay the Realtor for his or her services.

There is nothing in the listing contract that requires the seller to sell their home. NOTHING! There may be language detailing reimbursements to the Realtor if the Realtor brings a qualified buyer and the seller refuses to sell their home. This sitaution rarely happens but there are times or circumstances that lead to sellers not selling their homes.

It is clear that there is no Specific Performance as it relates to the Listing Contract.

There are Specific Performance issues as it relates to the Sales Contract between buyers and sellers and I will deal with that in another post. Until then consult an attorney or listen to Top Gun Tim every Saturday morning from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.