This month's challenge hosted by Andrea and Carol asks us to identify one thing we'd like to scare away for the coming new year. My choice is how to handle a kindness-impaired person. Some agents call me during the year to bounce ideas and ask for advice when dealing with a challenging transaction. And many times, the problem is dealing with a complex personality.  While lending my ear to a very hurt and unhappy agent about a situation regarding a "toxic" colleague, it reminded me of a problem a long time ago. That's when a person challenged my integrity, and I was visibly upset. A fellow agent figured something significant happened within my family. When I explained the incident, he knew the reputation of this "kindness impaired'' agent.  He said words that I would never forget.''You C... 12/25/2021

I often hear agents complain about all the calls they have to field. They treat the phone as the enemy, annoying, and another interruption in their day. My goodness isn't this the why we are in Real Estate to help buyers and sellers. Isn't it to make that phone ring, our text message to light up, or hear the sound that lets us know, "you've got mail!" Yes, the robocalls get through, the spammers get through, the wrong numbers get through, and unsolicited sales calls get through. Deal with it—block numbers of those known offenders. Turn your phone off when needed.But rejoice when the caller asks a real estate question or wants to see a  house or even list theirs for sale. So many times, the public is impressed that we even bother to answer. I'm sure you have also heard this.  Weekly, if ... 12/24/2021

It's a standard greeting most people use, but you might not have time for the answer. How Are You? When you ask someone how they are, be prepared to listen or don't ask.When you are out and about and run into an acquaintance, a friend, a neighbor, or even a client, How Are You?' May Not Be The Best Greeting.If you have a schedule to meet, you might not get away so soon. We need to acknowledge our friends, co-workers, and colleagues. A better greeting when time is of the essence (I had to get a bit of real estate in) is "Nice To See You." This tip works incredibly well for anyone who is a receptionist.  'Nice to see you' works better than ' how are you?' Thinking of  buying or selling a homeCall Margaret Rome   12/21/2021

When writing my posts, sometimes, I allow them to do double-duty. Below you see one of my articles, in a different form and used in my print advertising. It's an advantage to get different audiences to view the information. Are you using your blog posts to do double duty? For any information on buying or selling a homeCall Margaret Rome   12/20/2021

Please Leave A Message! Whether phone, email text, or smoke signal, leaving messages is necessary for running any business. Think it through. Make sure you cover the essentials. Recently had a very long phone message with only a first name.  "Please call me a soon a possible."  I have no clue who that was and no way to respond.   There are messages with just bits and pieces or insufficient numbers. By now, we all know that cell phones can hit dead spots. If you suspect that your message didn't get through, call back and repeat your name and number. When you leave a phone message, keep it clear and straightforward. State your name, phone number, and what you want, especially to see, a specific property. Believe it or not, many of us have more than one property listed. One of the most fru... 12/19/2021

Call an AR member that we have not yet spoken with. That's Option #3 of the December challenge. Those who have been around for a while know I'm a caller. Yes, every day, I speak to at least one AR member. My challenge was to find someone I want to talk with that I haven't talked to previously. Oh, sure, I could go through the roster and choose a newbie but I didn't have to. This past week Thom Abbott presented at the Tuesday Zoom. His topic was Condo Nightmares, and he packed a tremendous amount of information into this one hour. Throughout his presentation, the chat box was busy. Those digital hands were waiting to ask questions and comment on the subject. It was a busy Tuesday for me with afternoon showings, and I needed to leave the zoom a bit earlier. But I still had some comments a... 12/18/2021

 I recently wrote a post about DOM  (short for days on the market) and received this comment from Brian England: "The smaller the audience is for a certain property, the more likely it is to spend more time on the market." And this is certainly true of the unique and unusual properties. There is a smaller buyer pool for these homes, and we have to dig deeper to match up the right buyer. These listings take a lot more time to find the right buyer from that limited buyer pool. I have always enjoyed the challenge and when describing these houses, I hide nothing. Always explaining the unique feature, whether built in the 1700s, has cantilevered decks, is attached to a cemetery, adjacent to the beltway, is upside down (not financially). But the bedrooms are on the lower level. Maybe the hous... 12/15/2021

  Days On Market can be much longer for unusual, unique, and one-of-a-kind homes.Marketing and patience are needed to find the buyer who will love your home.  Can you handle hearing comments like "what's wrong with the house" or  "do you think it will appraise?"Owning and loving these homes takes emotional and financial patience when it is time to sell. Do you have the patience and time to find the right buyer?Owners of these properties put their homes up before they plan to move. They know it can take longer to find that one right buyer. Not only does the owner need this kind of patience, but so does the Realtor®.If you own a unique property, choose your agent wisely.  Be careful about an agent whose only solution is to "drop the price" until sold.I have been the 2nd or 3rd agent and h... 12/13/2021

 My specialty is unusual homes, funky homes, maybe hard-to-sell homes, different homes, even ones that your mother may not love.But if you need Mom to approve your new home, you may not be cut out for one of these properties.The most desired home purchase in Maryland is a two-story, brick colonial, with a side loading garage,  level lot, and has a top-rated school system.  And this may describe that home if  it was  your mom making the decision: Unique homes appeal to different groups of buyers.  Are you looking for something special, something that is not a cookie-cutter or cloneonial? For me, the more unique the property, the more exciting.Buyers may not describe the home they are looking for, but they know when they find it. Unique homes tend to be on the market longer. They are wait... 12/11/2021

 Tips For Winter Showings It's already the second week of December. And you know what that means; a chance of wintry weather. Serious buyers may have a limited time and want to see properties no matter the weather.        If access to your home is NOT safe, then do not allow showings.  Make sure your insurance is up to date. If there is snow, keep up with clearing the path from the car to the home's entrance. Keep salt or sand nearby. Have shoe coverings available for visitors. Make sure buyers don't go in unaccompanied.          Curb appeal is essential. Make sure the house numbers are visible and prominent,  the mailbox is new or freshly painted, and the entry doors are immaculate. If not, replace all three.  Since many sellers do not use their main entrance, get them to look at their... 12/10/2021

I received a call today asking about the walk-through, questioning if this happens after the signing. Simple one-word answer, No! When is the walk-through when purchasing a home?Make sure you set up a walk-thru inspection before you go settlement.But... There might be more than one answer. Our Maryland contract states that the buyer reserves the right to inspect the property within five days before settlement.  But what if the sellers have not moved or vacated?You might want to do another walk-thru when the house is vacant. Maybe the hour before closing, if necessary.  This way, you can see the final condition, make sure there are no signs of moving damages. It is also a chance to make sure the house is vacant, free of trash, debris, and broom clean. The walk-through also checks that ut... 12/09/2021

If you are in Real Estate, you do not (or should not) rant or share your business hiccups with family or friends because they might be your next buyer or seller.  Yes, these folks buy and sell houses.Many years ago, a dear friend told me she was selling her house using another agent and not me. Her reason-she did not want to bother me. Knowing about my husband's illness and my schedule, she thought she was "doing me a favor." She worried about me and my situation and thought there was too much on my plate.It is not the client's job to worry about the Real Estate agent.It is the agent's job and responsibility to make each buyer or seller feel they are the only one that matters. Moving is challenging, emotional, and stressful, and the seller should not have to worry about what is going on... 12/08/2021

She would be 80 on her next birthday, and she called me to help sell her condo. She told me what she owed, plus there was a considerable assessment she was responsible for and had borrowed a "few dollars" from her brother. He was considering it a gift and not expecting anything. So as always, when listing a client, I knew her bottom line. She only hoped to break even-no more. How did she find me?  It turned out that I had sold a unique home for her brother-in-law after a family member had the property for a year with no success. She also asked a neighbor about me and got his response, "You can't do any better than her." So we met, and  I listed her condo. Even though it needed work, we were getting contracts.  Each offer would have cleared her debt, but that was not enough for me. With ... 12/05/2021

If you've been a blogging member for a while, you can read and "hear" the voices come through. You can recognize the writing pretty much as you can identify a person when you hear them speak. We each have a style, and there are just as many styles as writers.  Some open up their personalities and allow you to get to know them personally and professionally. Others keep it hardcore business only. If not about RE, it's not relevant. Others share and combine their blogging with many topics, including family milestones, accomplishments, travel, and success with listings, buyers, and interesting settlements. There is no set rule as to when, how often, or what you choose to post. It's yours and yours alone.   My topics range from how I can expose my unique listings to the broadest audience to ... 12/02/2021

A CEO had a unique style of hiring his top employee.  He would do his final interview at an upscale restaurant. And one, he was very well known. Before the entree, he excused himself to make or take a phone call. When the waiter served drinks, he "accidentally" spills a drink directly on the job applicant.  Oh no, the suit was now wet and stained, and he is reacting to this OOPS. The CEO was watching how they responded to this situation.Was this person, being interviewed, gracious enough to the server who apologized profusely, offered to pay for cleaning, etc.? Or did they lose it and berate the waiter because this was such an important meeting? This reaction played a big part in whether he secured the new position or not. Using this technique, the CEO could tell if he wanted this perso... 12/01/2021

One of my questions when hiring someone, whether for business or personal: Do you like what you do? And then listen to the answer. 'I love what I do,' said with enthusiasm, is what I want to hear.I have tried this when working with a flipper, contractor, agent, attorney, etc.  And there are specific questions. If someone does rehabs on properties, I ask them if they would allow their family members to live in the house. Listen to the answer. In my decades of RE, I have only met one rehabber who said he would never sell a home that was not good or safe enough for him and his family.If a professional says they used to love the business, but there are too many problems now, listen. Is their passion gone, or maybe they never had that 'fire in the belly.' As a brand new REALTOR®,  a 'seasone... 11/30/2021

We love our brick and stone rancher, one level, no steps, and a beautiful inground pool, but we needed one more room for visitors, out-of-town company, and family members.  We found it in the garage!We created our fifth bedroom by taking the existing 19' x 17' garage using the three brick walls and two doors, one to the driveway and one to the patio and pool. And also on this end of the home is the gourmet kitchen, powder room and laundry-perfect for guests, and an in-law suite when needed.  We created our fifth bedroom by taking the existing 19' x 17' garage using the three brick walls and two doors (one to the driveway and one to the patio and pool). And also on this end of the home is the gourmet kitchen, powder room, pantry, and laundry-perfect for a guest or in-law suite. Click To ... 11/29/2021

 When buying a home, there are many questions. Ask away but be ready to make a decision.When you are looking to purchase, make sure you want the house. Contracts are legally binding, and this is not the time to be wishy-washy. When accepting your offer, the seller takes it off the market, starts packing, hires a moving company, and all the myriad things that go into preparing the family. Have you talked to anyone who has had a house under contract, and there is buyer remorse? It can be devastating. They have trusted you, your agent, and your legally binding offer. For sure, check it out. Buying and selling a home is not to be taken lightly. Do your research, ask tons of questions about the neighborhood, the schools, the commute, HVAC age, roof, condition, previous updates, and maintenan... 11/27/2021

 There is so much to say about appreciation and how it makes my world go around.How much can one be thankful for? The answer is unlimited. Every day is a time to feel gratitude; look around to see who gets me through the days, weeks, months, and years, so I don't do it alone. Too many to count, but here is a partial list: my photographer, webmaster, computer tech,  marketing, bookkeeper, attorney, accountant, mechanic, hairstylist, and radio producer.  And others, like appraisers, contractors, inspectors, medical professionals, and other personal services, keep my business running and my life better.There are so many contacts throughout the year.  Many of the people  I never meet, see or touch, including the readers and commenters on my blog, along with the internet callers, emailers, t... 11/24/2021

 I know it’s November, not February, but let’s talk about love letters. No longer are we allowed to have buyers’ letters sent along with contract offers. But having the seller write, from the heart, a letter to their house can be powerful. I am so thankful when my owners do this.Here is the latest love letter from my seller. It is emotional marketing when a buyer is getting close to making a decision, and it’s no longer about the dollars and cents. Getting the owner’s perspective on what the house has meant,  special memories,  why they initially bought, special features they love, and what they will miss most. This exercise is not for everyone. For some, a house is just sticks, bricks, and shelter.  But for others, the home is so much more, filled with a lifetime of memories, milestone... 11/18/2021