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Real Estate Agent
Leanne Smith
The Grit and Gratitude Agent Who Goes the Extra Miles as Life Begins Where the Pavement Ends
Cell: 219.508.2859
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Real Estate Broker/Owner
Corrine "KoKo" Taylor
3615 Neptune Way Golden Valley, AZ 86413
Cell: 928-530-4353
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Golden Valley, AZ Real Estate News

By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Sometimes just one word, such as little, has so much impact on our lives. I was reminded this by this Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. quote:"It is by little things that we know ourselves."The word little is in many words of wisdom from those who have gone before."True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us." Socrates"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." Sir Winston Churchill"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking." Marcus Aurelius"You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it." Robin Williams"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." Sir Edmund Burke"The best portion of a man’...
Comments 6
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Being in sales for many decades, I was taught by my father who was a professional salesman to not expend much time looking back to yesterday, but rather to invest time thinking forward to tomorrow.  Ruminating or pondering on what might have been is a waste of time as one cannot change the past.  However, thinking about what happened today and what I may change tomorrow is far more productive and important.Today, I focus on going forward, thinking about tomorrow and not to yesterday.A Little HistoryWhen I first considered entering the real estate industry, I expressed to my future broker, Judith Ritter,  I wanted to be part-time.  Well, most of us know real estate is not part time. Lesson learned within my first 30 days.Given my sales background, I believed I would be a better buyer’s a...
Comments 9
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Being on vacation for me as a professional real estate agent means I must: Have my laptop Have access current pending transactions Check emails for new sales leads to closing transactions Have Internet access is obviously necessary to attend to those emails demanding responses Have a charged mobile phone and laptop Notebook to keep track of all calls and requests Now in full disclosure I planned this vacation with the knowledge that current pending transactions should close before I left.  Also, I informed all my active clients as well as the title companies I was going on vacation.Of course, as it has been said the "best laid plans of mice and men often awry."  And this vacation has reaffirmed those words of Robert Burns. Now let me count the ways:The 72 hours before I left I had devot...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Many sellers and buyers believe that they can sell or buy real estate properties without the benefit of professional real estate agents. By taking the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) path, these adventurous individuals look to save money to make more money. After all, some sellers and buyers believe professional real estate agents are just door openers and do very little to earn their compensation fee.This past week I received a call from a past potential buyer. I had physically toured several vacant land properties with these buyers though none exactly met their criteria. During this recent conversation, I learned these buyers had purchased a FSBO land and now wanted to sell it.I said I would undertake research of competitive properties in Golden Valley. AZ and send that Competitive Market An...
Comments 3
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Sometimes, professional real estate agents work with court approved sales. Often these are neglected properties with debris, non-working vehicles and in general a real mess.Usually there is a fiduciary firm appointed as the representative, guardian, conservator or trustee.  These court approved sales are very time consuming for all parties involved including the fiduciary firm, legal firm, title, the seller's court appointed attorney, the buyer’s agent and the real estate listing agent.The past two years as a vacant land listing agent who loves to sell dirt, I have had numerous court approved vacant land sales. Yesterday after 94 days, my most recent vacant land listing property received court approval. Yee Haw!Close of escrow will happen within 5-7 days after that hearing. I am sure al...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
The Oxford Online Dictionary defines grit as the "courage and resolve; strength of character.”  In real estate, grit is required and let me explain.Many of my real estate listings are from referrals whether current or past clients as well as community members I have met here in Golden Valley and Kingman, AZ. One of my  community member's listing referrals was the opportunity to list rustic cowboy bunkhouse. The seller had lived there for 2.5 years and I had septic and power permits.This horse friendly, rustic bunkhouse property received two offers. The first accepted offer (from buyer number one) was canceled. After receiving the home inspection report, potential buyer believed there was too much work to be done as the bunkhouse and property was quite rustic. Offer number two from buyer...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Often, I have read of real estate agents in other forums responding to this question from first time home buyers about the down payment amount with a response of “No Money Down.” Unfortunately, this response can be very misleading.Even if the loan does not require any down payment such as for qualified US veterans or a very small down payment such as 3% for FHA loans, there are other fees and out of pocket expenses involved in buying homes. Some of these fees can be included in the loan and others must be paid via certified check or wire transfer at close of escrow. Now each state is different as real estate is local; however, here are a few though not all Escrow Fees  Recording Fee Septic Transfer Fee Inspections Fees such as Home Inspection, Termite Inspection, Mold Inspection, Radon ...
Comments 7
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Whether you are a real estate agent, REALTOR®, seller or buyer results matter. A recent survey from the National Association of REALTORS®, suggested in 2024 that 71% of agents did not engage in a successful real estate transaction.The answers to this possible failure rate are many. However from my experience as someone with over five (5) decades of sales experience including 20+ years in corporate sales, 20+ years as an executive leadership strategist and sales coach and now eight (8) years in real estate, my answers to this question are three.#1 – False Expectations – Many who entire the real estate industry have been filled with false expectations such as easy money, big money, easy hours, and easy work.  Those who are authentic professional real estate agents know that the money is n...
Comments 8
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Way is such a simple word with basically two meanings (Oxford Language): A method, style, or manner of doing something A road, track, path or street traveling along These two meanings came back to me as I read this unfamiliar quote by Miyamoto Mushashi (Japanese swordsman, strategist, artist and writer of The Book of Five Rings).“If you know the Way broadly, you will see it in everything.”My somewhat philosophical mind started traveling down many paths almost simultaneously. Was Mushashi thinking a method or a path?For me I have a certain manner of handling or process for potential real estate transactions be those transactions from sellers or buyers. Over time this way has evolved and continues to evolve which for me reaffirms knowing the “WAY broadly, you will see it in everything.”Ad...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Professional real estate agents are legally obligated to be diligent when acting as a listing agent or buyer’s agent. This due diligence surfaced when I started thinking about the publication of seller’s residential floor plans on MLS public viewing websites.Beyond that issue, there are many other areas for due diligence.Here in Golden Valley, AZ where we have four different water companies. There is considerable due diligence knowledge required such as: Water Allocation – paid or unpaid Water Assessment – paid or unpaid or not an issue Water Meters – paid or unpaid Water Meters location – Over time and poor paperwork, water meters can be buried and no one knows that a water meter exists for a particular vacant land parcel Water Haul – Distance and servicing water company Electric avail...
Comments 9
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Often home owners take extended vacations and return home to find a water leak or worse more than one. Sometimes these water leaks are from hoses to the washing machine that have experienced constant pressure or a sudden increase in water pressure.When we lived in NW IN, my husband decided to eliminate this potential water leak by installing a valve that allowed the hot and cold-water hoses to the washing machine to be turned off. The hoses to the washing machine no longer would experience changes in water pressure.Moving to here to Golden Valley in NW AZ, once again the husband installed the same type of valve. Of course, one must remember to turn on the valve when washing clothes and to turn off the valve when that task is finished.As to the price of this water valve, eight years ago ...
Comments 7
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
The month of April for many means spring cleaning their homes. This is the time all furniture is moved, cleaned and possibly re-positioned in the home.What I have learned is to take spring cleaning to a new level.  That new level is de-cluttering and determining what is truly essential.  Of course, some items will always stay such as family heirlooms.Since we have moved to NW AZ, we both have changed our wardrobes. Jeans have replaced dress pants.  Boots now are the favorite foot wear. Most open toe shoes have been donated. Wool blazers are now long sweaters to help ward off the continued strong breezes to unexpected winds here in Golden Valley, AZ.No longer needed items are donated to local not for profits.  Having a yard sale that is so far off the main road does not make sense.Spring...
Comments 7
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Golden Valley, AZ is a valley of over 300 square miles with 360 mountains. This rural areas is nestled between Kingman, AZ and Bullhead City,AZ/Laughlin, NV.Most of the vacant land lots as well as residential homes are on 2.00 acres or larger. There are two subdivision with smaller lots one near the center of the valley (Shipp Estates) and other in the foothills of the Cerbat Mountains (So-Hi).With only one Home Owner's Association located in the Legend Ranches, this valley is free of many of the restrictions offered by other areas. There are Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CCRs) in many of the subdivisions. Each subdivision should be researched and professional real estate agents can locate that information for you.Being rural, zoning for the majority of land excluding those su...
Comments 6
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
When we moved to Golden Valley, AZ in 2017, I learned the history of the valley's name was due to all the blooming of the golden poppies scattered throughout the valley. Yes, seeing these golden poppies blooming in the spring is indeed impressive and reaffirms the name of Golden Valley.Yet, I believe the true blooming gold in this valley of 300 plus square miles is the people. We have met so many people who are truly golden in their friendships.  Even some who are just acquaintances demonstrate golden behavior.We have a housekeeping service every two weeks as our home is 3,000 square feet and I truly don’t have time to clean the house. Our housekeeper cleans our kitchen, our bedroom (400 plus square feet) and our 2.5 bathrooms.  She performs her task with the highest efficiency and effe...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
After reading Richard Alan Naggar posting “The Challenge (listen more talk less) Test," I was reminded of this quote by William Shakespeare in his play “Hamlet:”“Brevity is the soul of wit.”How often in our goal to make a friend, earn a seller’s listing, secure a buyer’s sales lead, do we talk way too much about what we do, what we know, who we know, you get the idea?In sales, this is called a “sales pitch,” and has morphed into “values proposition statement.” Sometimes the other person turns a deaf hear or he or she may just hear “blah, blah, blah.”Thomas Carlyle is quoted as saying:“Speech is great, but silence is greater.”Brevity includes silence by allowing the other person time to respond. Now with technology, our responses are often delayed and we must have patience when communica...
Comments 5
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
My recent closing of a property I listed at 4982 N Parker Rd Golden Valley AZ provided me with this thank you, a smile from each of the sellers and even hugs.  As my sellers drove away in their truck with their travel trailer, both again smiled and waved as I made sure the now vacant property was secured.The inside of this thank you note had this handwritten message:“Thank you for all of your extra effort and hard work in the sale of our home. You are the best.”These handwritten words reaffirmed why old school sales behaviors continue to be the best way to be.When professional real estate agents receive such notes of gratitude, we know why we do what we do. Why we make those extra efforts other agents may not undertake. Why we go the extra mile even though sometimes those steps are not ...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Robert Morse is quoted as saying:“One never knows how loyalty is born.”For me, loyalty has always been present.  Possibly its origins started in my DNA through my heritage on both sides of my parents.What I do know is I have always been loyal to my family, to my friends, to my employers, to my faith and to my country.“Loyalty is my constant companion.”If one believes in astronomy, one of the first traits for a woman born under the sign of Taurus, the Bull, is being loyal. And those who know me will agree along with the other traits including being quite stubborn or "bull headed."  😉Loyalty captures so much of whom we are as human beings. For me, loyalty also encompasses being caring, consistent, dependable, direct, faithful, reliable, straight forward  trustworthy, trusting, truthful an...
Comments 5
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
For many of us who maybe older, one of the childhood toys we might have had was 2 empty tin cans connected with a string. This toy was a very primitive telephone and yet provided lots of fun.Fast forward to today, a world of evolving technology. Now instead of 2 tin cans, we have mobile devices that allow us to type our messages, (text). For busy real estate agents as well as other salespeople, texting now appears to be a more frequent type of communication rather than picking up the phone and physically talking to another agent.TEXTING IS NOT TALKING!Texting, words on a screen even with emojis, is still quite impersonal. What is missing is the tone, syntax and personal touch.  No authentic emotional connection is truly being made unless a lot of negative emojis are used.  Then add in w...
Comments 12
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
After being listed with me and with no reasonable offers, the sellers decided to take if off the market and then relist several months later at a lower price. Due to personal family and healthy challenges, selling their property became even more critical.The horse friendly property did go under contract and not without considerable angst to stress to the sellers as well as to me as the listing agent. However, I held their hands, figuratively and stayed in communication with the lender to ensure close of escrow would happen at the agreed to date.This real estate transaction after being accepted was quite time consuming. My best committed time estimate between phone, text and emails calls to the lender, to the buyer's agent, to title and to the sellers exceeded 20 hours. Add in the time t...
Comments 7
By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
As I love selling dirt also known as vacant land, I am very happy when an offer for one of my dirt listings goes under contract in 10 days. This 2.35 acre property on North Parker Rd in Golden Valley had good views with a fairly level desert topography. The better news is road access was street vehicle friendly and there was power across the road. FInally, this property is close to Highway 93 going into Las Vegas. Within the next few years Hwy 93 here in Northwest AZ will become part Interstate 5 going from Phoenix, AZ to Las Vegas, NV.Of course as in the super majority of properties here in Golden Valley, AZ, the zoning is Agricultural/Residential meaning "Horse friendly." Even though I had scheduled drone photography for this parcel, due to ongoing high winds there was a delay. Fortun...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Since I love selling vacant land, selling off grid parcels sometimes takes a while. The reason is an off grid parcel requires understanding of the demands associated with off grid living. This 2.35 acre parcel with cut in driveway and level building pad was on the Golden Valley real estate market for less than 60 days.  Additionally, what helps to sell any property here in Golden Valley, AZ is great views as shown by the photos and lots of elbow room which this property had in abundance.#arizonaacreage #horsepropertiesarizona #goldenvalleyazhomesandland Leanne M Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent Who Goes the Extra Mile Because Life Begins Where the Pavement Ends.Feature Photo Courtesy of Leanne M SmithAny reproduction of Leanne M Smith’s blog for use by any AI or GAI, distribution or ...
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