Not all buyers who spin a great story and seem to be real are real.  What a shock!  The problem is sellers are the ones shocked.  Professional real estate agents take the time to qualify buyers.  It can be a huge waste of time and energy to have a "looker" someone who has no itention of buying.  This is completely different from the nosey neighbor that comes to your open house.  A looker is someone who can not buy but likes to look at other peoples homes to get ideas on how to decorate their home. They usually don't have an agent.  Why would they?  The "looker" doesn't intend on buying anything.  The unsuspecting agent that does not ask the right questions shows them home after home.  If the "looker" zeros in on a particular property they may want to see it a couple times to make sure t... 10/18/2010

Our mobile offices, as I call them, need to be safe and reliable. I want to keep up on current events at the same time.  My vehicles are seriously connected with "Sirius" radio.  I can catch talk shows, streaming news channels, music for any generation of listener and a but to push when you just want quiet! My mobile office is equipped with with charging outlets for my laptop and a 110 volt printed if and when I need to use it. The best thing I ever did for myself was get connected via satellite in my vehicles.  It has brought me hours of information that would have been only available if I dedicated time to catch-up. If you are active and show homes your territory can be a limited as you want or as large as your state!  Being able to relax and meet your appointment schedules is treat y... 02/14/2010

Michigan winter weather.... snow, ice, blowing, drifting... now raining, pouring, heavy rain overnight...tomorrow dropping temps and lots of snow.     We have change of seasons 24/7 with spring like driving one day and winter the next.  Ice hidden under the snow is now slippery and exposed.  Today dropping off an offer, I took a step and did the Watusi. My version of a ballet with the spinning splits on ice!  I did this at a busy intersection parking lot.  I did get a few honks and I took a bow!  They enjoyed my little unexpected dance.  It could have been very ugly just as easily with a fracture or head injury instead of some entertainment for passersby. I saw the ice and was prepared for a little slip and slide. Be safe and prepared both personally at home and in your car.  Weather ch... 01/24/2010

It may be time to look at real estate for its investment benefits.  NOW is a great time to buy! With so many properties to choose from, buyers have more strategies to choose from.  Here in Cadillac, MI there are more foreclosures availabe for sale than ever before, many single family homes, even multi-family homes & with interest rates still at an all time low housing is much more affordable.  In the last year I've been selling homes for $6,100, $12,500, $13,000, $14,500, $20,000 even $21,000 for a 3 bedroom with a pole barn & 10 acres!  Unbelievable prices!! A home can hedge against inflation & usually tends to appreciate over the years providing you paid the "right" price, not too much at the time of purchase.  Owning a house can help with wealth building, enhance your credit score & ... 12/14/2009

I thought you should think this over if you are a broker and recruiting agents. I have decided not to hire agents but select them!  This may sound like a non-issue but just like any other profession we have good and bad agents...we have good and bad brokers too! As a broker our business is only as good as our agents and the representation methods they use.  This past week I was interviewing an agent.  The nice part he was a referral from a broker leaving the business that I had know for some 10 years. The broker gave me a great recommendation and the agent seemed to have a clear background history.  I did my normal checks. I called the local MLS broad to see how long he has been a member.  I found he has been in good standing for over five years and no problems.  I did my other checks w... 01/16/2009

Healthier New Year--Alright, I've been saying the same thing every year at this time.  I'm going to lose the 20 pounds that have crept up on me, (the past 10 years!)  It's my lie I am going to stick too it!   I'm going to spend the extra time each day and exercise, I'm going to spend more time with my wife and family.   Now is the time and this is the year that I'm actually going to do it!  We can do everything for our clients, we can be the best agent and if you are gone tomorrow...will your family say....he was a "Good Agent" or a "Great Dad, Spouse and Friend?" That kind of put things in perspective for me.  I just had a friend...not all that close but known her for 20+ years...better than a hi-bye friend.  She was driving and had a stroke.  No warning...no clues...no exercise or die... 01/10/2009

Well the talk is the economy and rightfully so. The other issue is, when is the bailout going to start working?  The American tax payer is on the hook for what used to be our National debt now it is our International Debt! Did you know which banks and lending institutions received your bailout money?  Did you know who was given what amount? We also know General Motors and Chrysler received bailout money not on the list but you may be surprised with one entry that hasn't received much press time. Here is the bailout numbers according to the US Department of Treasury. Citigroup.......................$25  Billion JP Morgan.....................$25  Billion Well Fargo....................$25  Billion Bank of America............$15  BillionGoldman Sacks..............$10  BillionMorgan Stanley.... 01/03/2009

Effective advertising is always a challenge unless you know where and how to generate buyer leads.  I see many agents using newspapers with small one line recurring ads.  This may help the agent generate a specific type of prospect but it may not help his overall business as effectively as other sources of media. Sellers love to see their home in print.  Is print media the right place.  This depends on your market area.  Many areas do not have a "Real Estate" channel dedicated to residential homes.  So print may be the only choice but the type of print media may be a wide open choice.  Direct mail inserts is an option to display space advertising.  More costly but more effective.  You certainly can hand over some big dollars if you make the wrong choices or use a status quo approach. If... 08/20/2008

I sing the praises of any formats that works and creates new business.  Active Rain has created some very good leads for me from a variety of clients and other brokers as referrals. Recently I have had two leads that have materialized into very positive experiences.  One was a referral by an Active Rain member...she doesn't know it...but I am sending Kris Wales a token of my appreciation because she gave me the name of another AR member to whom I referred a client.  It worked and I received a referral fee. The other was from across the nation and I referred out the lead to one of my agents who subsequently sold a property to the referral client and we sent a referral check back in appreciation. The third was a referral from another broken directly to me to help a relocating client.  All... 07/26/2008

It doesn't really matter what type of service you need, finding a licensed competent provider is the hard part.  Today and everyday it gets easier with the Internet.Google or search under the name of the service and the area you need the service.Check under the State you live in, this case Michigan for active licensing.  Making sure your company or person of choice is licensed.Ask to see a copy of their insurance certificate....making sure you are covered by their insurance if they injure themselves while on your property.  Yes, if they get injured and you hired them and they do not have insurance you could be liable for the medical bills and other costs.  Most people do not know this problem could even happen to them.When checking the state see if they have any judgements against them,... 09/01/2007

You can check to see how long homes are taking to sell in your area by going to the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) website.  The listing numbers that are like your number we listed at the same time, higher numbers were listed after you.  If you home is not selling you will have to review how you are marketing your home.  You will also have to look at the competition in the market place to see if your sell price is still competitive.  If you are priced to high your home could be used as a property to show to sell other properties.  That means properties are selling around you and yours is being used to help sell them as a price comparison of value.To get top dollar your home must be in top condition.  If your home is not in top condition you will have to price your home according t... 06/21/2007

This can be very challenging, most sellers do not understand the effort to attract buyers to their home because they already live there!  You can make a big impact on the sale of your home.  Making sure the lawn is cut and any items that are stored outside are out of sight from the road.You home must be marketed by more than a "For Sale" sign.  You can not depend on rural roads with little traffic to generate buyers stopping by for a look see.  You have to advertise, you have to have your home listed on the MLS so real estate agents know your home is for sale.  Advertising can be on cable TV, magazines, Internet websites, mailings, downstate to buyers retiring and moving into the Cadillac area.  Waiting for a buyer is the approach of many sellers and agents, yet agents that has been in ... 06/21/2007

This is probably the number 1 question asked by every seller!  Three key things impact the time it take to sell a home.Condition, if you want top dollar, your home has to be in top condition.Location, people say "location, location, location"......properties have more or less value depending on location, create more buyer interest and sell faster or slower depending on location.Marketing.....he who markets best has more showings and sell faster!  No showing, no buyers, no sale!Price....you would not pay more than a property is worth and neither will today's buyers.  Price fairly and your home will sell.I know this is short and sweet but it is the facts on what key elements make a home sell.  The length of time it takes depends on marketing.  If your agent has a written marketing plan fo... 05/25/2007

You are not alone wondering if you should try to continue to sell your home.  Homes are selling.  Your homes marketing plan must be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure you are still priced in the market.  Some area prices have fluctuated more than others.  Rural areas have fewer buyers based on population.  So as the number of new listings hit the spring selling market you will have more competition for the same buyer.  This also means that new listings hitting the market have compared themselves to your home if you are in the same price range and offer similar features.Right now this market requires agents and sellers to keep a very close eye on competition.  This also means that you must know the competition's strength and weaknesses.  For example if the price has dropped drastic... 04/23/2007

Cadillac has been know as the "gateway" to the North.  I have watched Cadillac grow and change from year to year.  More homes are for sale at this time than in past years.  This means buyers have more choices.  Is your home ready to sell?  Who is going to buy your home?  Just as many locals as out-of-towner's purchase homes in the Cadillac market.So knowing that out-of-town buyers are going to be looking for property in Wexford county seems that you need to get your property in front of them or they will never know your home is for sale.  The trick is marketing your home to the right buyers.  Everyone is going to be competing for the same buyer if the competition is listed in your price range.I would start with getting my property ready to show.  Today with GPS you never know when a buy... 04/18/2007

I received an email today from Senator Carl Levin, the Senior Senator from Michigan.  The Senator wanted me to know what a great man former President Ford was.  How he loved Grand Rapids and Western Michigan, how he would be remembered as a football player for the University of Michigan, but mostly how much this native son loved his country, his family and God.  The Senator also wanted me to know that, because of a amendment that he had cosponsored, the Navy had decided that it would name the first of a future class of aircraft carriers the USS Gerald Ford.  A couple days ago Senator Levin, in a speech on the Senate floor said, referring to Senator John Warner, "He talked about Gerry Ford and what he did heroically in World War II and how he survived the typhoon. Gerry Ford, when he bec... 01/12/2007