Kerrville, TX

Are you considering buying a home? That is good. Now is a great time to buy. Prices are softer and interest rates are lower than in previous years which will make your payments less for the same priced home you could have bought several years ago. Or you might choose to buy a more expensive home, maybe one that is larger than you previously could have afforded since the payments will be less.

Homes with special amenities like swimming pools, larger lots, workshops, RV barns, etc are now in the affordable range for many new homeowners with interest rates so much lower. Take advantage of the times. Buy now while you can.

While you are shopping for a new home, remember not to listen to your friends. Pick out the home that fits your needs best. Choose a home that you and your family will feel comfortable in. Do not show it to your friends until after the sale is complete. Everyone has the tendency to want to show it off to family and friends. Not a good idea. Your friends will not be living there, you will. Everytime I see this happen, one of the distant family members or friends has something negative to say about the home. They may not intend for it to be a negative but invariably it is. I have seen so many deals fall apart simply because someone who was not going to be living in the home shared their point of view. Sometimes, I wonder if they do it on purpose because they are jealous?

I recently heard of a situation where a deal fell apart because a friend told the buyer she felt the home was possessed. The home was in good condition and priced right, fit the family well, but a friend felt something weird in the house. How do you fight a ghost? Maybe a ghost of her imagination?

Make your friends wait to see your new house until you have closed. They will be happy for you then instead of trying to find fault with your choice and spoiling your happiness.

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com

953 Main

Kerville, TX 78028

(830)257-2520

Yesterday I received a contract on a home I own. It is a beautiful house with lots of amenities. I have received 3 offers in the recent past for this home. Every time before, the offers have been less than the asking price, one was even a low ball offer. And everytime, the buyers have had things to say about the house that needed updating or they intended to remodel and wanted to save money to do the updating.

This sort of negotiating does not work very well. I had emotional ties to this house just like my sellers have with their houses. It was a negative from the beginning with each of these contracts.

Yesterday, however, was completely different. The buyers actually loved my house! They wanted it very much and were dreaming of living there. The difference in their attitudes toward my house made me want to sell it to them. I came down on the price to make sure they could have it.

I have learned a negotiating tactic through my own experience. I will use this from now on. Never again will I go in to a seller or listing agent and say, "The buyers need to remodel and this is the reason for the low offer." That is starting out with a negative. Today I understand this so much better from my own experience. I never knew what a difference the buyer's attitude could make. It does!

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com

953 Main

Kerrville, TX 78028

(830)257-2520

Is it possible to go through the holidays and not accumulate extra pounds and still enjoy all the goodies?

Yes, the answer is Yes!

When December rolled around, I asked myself that question. I really did not think I could make it through but I tried one day at a time. I limited my intake of cookies, candy, cakes, pies and even all the regular food. I tasted everything I wanted. Sometimes, I even took two bites like yesterday when I had two pieces of Baklava. It's very high in calories but the bites were small and spaced hours apart.

I have been weight reducing since summer. I have dropped a lot of pounds but I still have more to go. I just didn't want to have worked so hard and let the holidays ruin all that hard work. So, I decided to let my portions be smaller and stay that way no matter what was served or what I was cooking. Portion control is a big part of losing weight and keeping it off.

I am happy to say, today, I weigh the same as I did two weeks before Christmas! To me, this is a huge accomplishment since I had several parties and lots of people to cook for. Maintaining during this time makes me have even more determination to be in good shape by summer. I plan to have my ideal weight by then. I have made a goal for myself for Spring Break and another for end of May. Making small goals and making them attainable makes it easier to lose the weight and keep it off.

Good luck to you on your weight reduction too! Let's all get in shape! Good health is our most valuable asset!

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com

953 Main

Kerrville, TX 78028

(830)257-2520

2011 is over! Let me repeat that. 2011 is over!

For most people in the real estate business, 2011 was not that good. To say, good riddance and welcome 2012 is a good thing. 2012 brings with it new hope, new ideas, new goals and a chance to start fresh.

Do you have your business plan in order? If not, take time this week and write a plan for yourself and your business. Make goals and make a plan to reach those goals. Simply working harder or longer is not the answer to increase your production. Getting results is the answer. It takes time to evaluate and re-evaluate your performance but it is worth the time. If things did not go your way this year, look at what you did and how you did it. Things must change but not just for the sake of changing. Evaluation is the key. Before you can change things and put new plans in place a thorough evaluation is needed to see what went wrong or how things may have changed.

Agents and brokers both need to stay abreast of the market and new technology. Experience, education and availability are important too. Sometimes, however, only subtle changes need to be made to turn things completely around. If you have trouble with evaluating yourself, let someone else help you. Be honest with yourself and not afraid to sincerely critique yourself. It will pay off in big dividends later.

Keeping track of the numbers; how many appointments, how many listings, how many contracts written, how many contracts closed. Results is what we want.

Happy New Year and may success come your way this year. Make your business plan results oriented.

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com

953 Main

Kerrville, TX 78028

(830)257-2520

It's cold outside! I don't want to get out of bed and go to work on a Saturday! After all, it's almost Christmas and I have a million other things to do. But that's what good REALTORS®do!

Saturday and Sunday can be your most prosperous days of the week.

Your clients work all week long and the only time they have to look at homes is on the weekend. So, you must work on the weekend if you want to sell homes to most people. Today, we have lots of agents who don't understand this concept and do not want to agree with it. I see them sitting in the empty offices during the week waiting for the folks to come in. They get disappointed. They stop prospecting. They get discouraged and say the "market is to blame". Is it really?

Or is it the agents who don't want to provide service and convenience to their clients who are to blame?

Make your clients feel Welcome.

If your production is less than you want, try working the times of day when the other agents are not working.

Get to the office Early! Stay at the office Late. And work the Weekends! This is when clients have time to work with you.

Increase your production this next year by being available at more convenient times for your clients. See if your bank account doesn't grow?

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com

953 Main

Kerrville, TX 78028

(830)257-2520