Inner Greatness!

My holiday hello to the wonderful folks who enjoy my blog is inspired by my neighbourhood pal, Slipper, the donkey!  I was quite moved by some lines from the movie "Dreamer" also; and caused to ponder how much inner greatness there is in the world of both 2 and 4 legged creatures!

 

So, to honour you at Christmas and wish you a stunning 2013, enjoy, from "Dreamer":

 

"You are a great champion.

When you ran the ground shook, the sky opened,

and mere mortals parted.

Parted the way to victory.

Where you'll meet me in the winner's circle.

Where I'll put a blanket of flowers on your back"

Maybe ignorance IS bliss!

I was sharing stories a few days ago with a colleague who has been a Realtor just a smidge longer than I have.  We were swapping funny tales about different things we did when we were brand new Realtors -- because we didn't know any better.  And, you know what?

Many of those "ignorant things" produced results!

When you're first in the business and new to town, cold calling is a breeze.  You are fearless about getting someone you know on the other end of the line!  You chuckle when you get the mother of another Realtor or a well known businessman who has a nephew in the business.

You can do no wrong; because you don't know better.

The first "expired" listing I called netted me an appointment and I ended up selling the folks an investment property.  Thankfully I was ignorant of the fact when I made the call that based on their mls number they had expired years before I contacted them!

What would you do to generate business if you didn't know better?  Likely quite a lot!  So, my holiday advice....ponder your business with fresh eyes.  Innocent eyes.  Eyes not conditioned by the kind of knowledge that blocks creativity.

Adventure and try out those wild ideas you've had!  Don't you love it when a really outrageous commercial on t.v. catches you laughing (such as the recent Canadian Club one running)?!

In any organized endeavor we have to resist the urge to homogenize our approach.  We have to stay flexible and nimble rather than burdened by procedure and protocol.  No wonder people become bored and bitter....they stop creating!

Hats off to all you adventurers!  Go forth with glee and prosper!

Small tweaks for big results

What small tweaks can you do for big results on your home sale?  Here are a few ideas from zero to 1,000.

If you have 0 dollars to spend on improvements.  Clean, clean, clean, clean, shine, shine, shine, shine

If you have 10 dollars to spend on improvements.  Buy an outdoor seasonal decoration that is the first thing buyers see.

If you have 100 dollars to spend on improvements.  Buy a new door handle or knocker or mail box that looks different and upbeat to buyers.

If you have 1,000 dollars to spend on improvements.  Buy a new door!  Something unique and attractive with a great handle.

Notice a theme here?  You really never get a second chance to make a first impression. 

Other small ticket items for big results:

Nice scents via oil stick diffusers (avoid harsh plug in or sprays like Febreeze).
Beautiful bowl with fruit in the kitchen.
All faucets and knobs and kitchen pulls clean and shiny.
Instead of a new kitchen paint the cupboards and add fun new knobs and pulls.
Great welcome mat at front door.
Contact an artistic, decorator friend about buying some inexpensive large prints
Pillows and  throws to add colour to a dull room
Take every nick knack and gently put it in a box.
Have a place where buyers can remove coats and shoes without tripping.
Cat litter cleaned DAILY
Dogs should be seen and not smelled or heard.
Good lighting especially in winter can highlight your home
Have the wood stove or fireplace going if its cold.
Remove seasonal decorations sooner than later.

Hmmmm....I'll think of more!  But that's enough for now!  Cheers!

There is no D.I.N.K. in sales!

Well, let's revisit one of my best bugaboo topics!  I don't know who said it (enlighten me if you do) but I love this line:  "the person who is nice to you but not nice to the waiter is NOT a nice person!"

Translated is that if a Realtor is nice to their clients but a dink with other Realtors, they are not only not a nice person -- they are entirely ineffective in serving your needs.  In our multiple listing service in British Columbia the whole idea is that not only do you want me or my office mates selling your home, you want every Realtor in the North Okanagan excited about bringing buyers to your property!

So, imagine, if you've chosen the Realtor that is sarcastic, a bully, condescending toward new Realtors, a know-it-all, or just plain rude to other local Realtors.  How do you think that's going to roll out for enticing cooperation and excitement in helping to sell your home?  How do you think that will translate when they negotiate on your behalf with a fellow professional they've been a dink with?

I could add to this list, imagine if your Realtor takes attractive commission rates from other Realtors but offers the lowest possible amount to the competition.  Again, do you think this serves you in attracting the most buyers and good will to your property?  Or, do you think this serves you as a buyer working toward the most reasonable price and terms on your purchase?  Give it some serious thought.

Think on the big scale when choosing your Realtor.  Good grief, don't go with them because you're scared not to!!  If they intimidate you imagine how well respected they are in the industry!

Pick a Realtor known for their skills, courtesy in communication, diplomacy in their aggressive negotiations and thankful to their cooperating colleagues.

Thankful means delivering the keys, writing a note, perhaps a small gift...ways that leave a great sense of the transaction and the desire to deal again with such a fine professional.  AND, someone who recognizes that great colleagues are worth every cent they make!

Go for the win/win!  Not only will you have a more profitable and enjoyable experience you will be supporting the notion that selling Real Estate is a service industry.  Real Estate is a service industry that deals with the most important sale you are a part of.  You deserve nothing but the finest.

Remember....there is no "DINK" in sales!

Are you serious about selling your home?

Topping the list of head scratching wonder at what-a-seller-is-thinking is without a doubt when the potential buyers arrive to see a messy, dirty home.  Imagine the first impression of dirty dishes, gross bathrooms and unmade beds greeting someone looking for their dream home!

When I'm showing homes prospective buyers wonder aloud what the seller is thinking to show their home in such a state. "Aren't they serious about selling?"

Another show stopper is the finicky seller who turns down showing times as inconvenient again and again.

The question is once again begged:  "do they really want to sell?"

On the messy issue I can assure you that people don't "look past" the mess.  They rather assume that you've taken care of your furnace and other infrastructure with the same care, or lack thereof you display with your housekeeping.  If they move ahead with an offer; it is not a premium priced offer.

On the issue of access, buyers simply get fed up and ticked off.  So much so that if your home was the last available home on the planet they would settle for a cave instead.  The message if you never allow access is that you respect only your own time and efforts and the rest of the world simply will have to revolve around you.

Selling your home is a process that requires your robust participation to achieve maximum results.  It means you'll have to be cleaning when you'd rather be playing and making your home available for showing when its "not the best time."

Buyers will happily accommodate sleeping babies and shift workers.  Not so much though that you didn't want your Sunday disturbed.  They have devoted their Sunday to tromping around looking at homes after all!

If you really don't want to participate in prepping for sale then you must price accordingly!  You can't have your cake and eat it too -- play ball or leave money on the table!

Oh....and a final tip.  Scent sells!  Great scents (not overpowering, masking sprays) are very inviting.  Invest in some oil sticks or potpourri!

Strata living pros and cons

For a variety of reasons many people at one time or another consider moving to or investing in a strata development.  For my U.S. readers I think you use the term HOA for home owners association.  For many this option is attractive and I'll start with the pros of strata:

1.  Shared risk; in a full strata situation you share the risk of all repairs and maintenance of building envelope and common areas with your fellow owners.
2.  Outside work managed for you; most strata fees cover landscaping, road maintenance and snow removal.
3.  Safety; many people like the idea of the security of a close knit strata and some are gated; some have secured entrances.
4.  Travel ease; for snowbirds or people who travel a lot, they take comfort in living where neighbours are close and keeping an eye on their home while they're away.
5.  Buy in costs; often strata initial costs are more modest that a single family dwelling.
6.  Location; often stratas are located near recreation and public transport
7.  Rules and regulations; these are in place to make sure, for instance, dead cars are not littering the neighbourhood or people aren't opening up day cares within ear shot.

For some, strata is an exercise in frustration.  For example if you have a condo building needing repairs and require a 75% vote in favour, one person can lobby the building and come armed with enough voting power to veto any forward movement.  And, you can't legislate stupid.  If there are owners more interested in keeping monthly fees low so they can keep a larger portion rental income, for instance, they will never be in favour of building upgrades.  Other cons include:

1.  Rules and regulations; not everyone likes to be told what they can and can't do in their own home.
2.  Pet, age or rental restrictions; often strata dictates matters on these three important elements.
3.  Less resale flexibility; if a building has significant restrictions the pool of buyers is more select.
4.  Escalating building costs if maintenance has lapsed; as mentioned above, if some owners aren't coordinating a good schedule of overall repair and upgrades there can be costly building issues.
5.  Strata tyrants; stories are not uncommon of one person in any strata who is always making trouble and frustrating all other owners.
6.  Lack of choice for contractors; unlike a single family home, the strata council will arrange for all strata repairs with whomever they choose.  If you are making changes to your strata lot, often you need approval of the strata council before proceeding
7.  Lack of restrictions; if there are not rental restrictions, it might be easier to resell, but you might have a transient group of inhabitants.

The good news is that working with a great Realtor, she will provide you with 2 years of minutes, all financials and reams of other information about any strata you decide to put an offer on.  She will coach you on pros and cons as suited to your lifestyle and temperament.  Information is power and a well connected Realtor will provide what is already recorded on the building as well as any relevant potential "issues" not yet recorded.

 

Herding Cats!

Occasionally efforts in the real estate world can best be compared to herding cats!  Just when you think you're moving forward a quick change in direction occurs; or the buyer just stops looking for a spell.  Rather like when a cat is bored with the chase and chooses to nap and groom instead.  Decisions are put off, second guessed and change.  While it makes answering the phone exciting, it doesn't best serve the long term strategies of some buyers.

Over time, a good Realtor becomes more adept in not pushing the river.  Given good communication and follow though, you simply trust that when its time to resume you'll hear back.  There is always a fine line between being proactive in communication and stalking!  And, it is so true, switching animal examples:  you can lead a horse to the most amazing pool of crystal clear, cool, luscious water...but you can't make him drink! 

This autumn for some reason; the phase of the moon, the beauty of the weather, the constant uncertainty the news thrives on creating, many of my colleagues and I are wondering when the fall market will kick into gear!  We're all dressed up ready to go!

In the North Okanagan it is a great time to buy real estate!  And a fair time to sell as well.  Where's the action?

Generally people shift into gear when they see others doing so.  People buy when the prices are rising instead of times like right now where we've seen the bottom and prices and volume of sales are just starting to tick up.

I've quoted Warren Buffet before, but for those that missed it, heed this fine advice:  When people are crying you should be buying; when people are yelling you should be selling.  In other words, act when conditions are right instead of when everyone else is doing it!

Don't for a moment think anyone outgrows peer pressure.  We are all more comfortable sharing the same decisions as someone else.  But doing what everyone else does or suggests is not a formula for optimizing opportunities!  The best rewards in life are often gained when acting contrary to the masses!  Listen to that niggling voice encouraging you to move forward with your dreams and goals.

So, dear readers, in our neck of the woods, time to get off the couch and on the hunt!  Lead, don't follow!  The dozing time has passed and its time to shake a leg. 

Cooperation is critical to your home sale!

Newsflash:  the swaggering, gun-slinger image of a tough negotiator ripping the other side apart all the while growling fear mongering threats image as a good ally in your real estate sale should send you into the street screaming -- and looking for a better Realtor!  Ditto the zero service model.

Our entire system of organized real estate within "multiple listing service" is based in cooperation.  The adversarial aspect, of course, is still very much in play; but in a deft, intelligent and enticing manner. 

It is my job as a listing Realtor to entice every other Realtor, from every other company in the area to want to bring a buyer to your home!  It is of the utmost importance that over time I have established a reputation as a respected, fair and smart competitor and colleague.  We all know that people avoid dolts and self-serving wind bags.  We all know that people dislike cheapskates too.

It is my job as a listing Realtor to encourage you to offer as generous a commission as possible to the cooperating Realtors in our area.  Does this mean I'm more expensive?  Not in the long run.  It means your property is positioned in the best possible way to attract as many cooperating Realtors as possible and reward them and thank them for bringing the buyer.  You don't pay a cent until an acceptable offer comes in and the more interest generated in your property results in the highest price -- in my experience more than covering your commission costs and then some!

It's simple math.  Are you better off with just me trying to find your buyer or 300 local Realtors trying to find your buyer? 

To excel and stay educated and equipped with leading edge technology in our profession and have it as a chosen, full time career, is very expensive.  The last thing anyone wants is to lose the expertise of the most experienced and ethical Realtors.  Your best interests are served by honouring the best professionals in the business.

When considering who to hire to sell your home ask yourself this.  Who will position my home to most attract not just the Realtors from her or his office but ALL the Realtors?

Does having the biggest mouth make you the best player?

Some of the best Realtors in the business that I know are not spending a fortune on print advertising.  The why is simply because it doesn't work -- all the substantial action is now happening in the paperless on-line world.

There are some Realtors who make a great splash in the print world and as a result the perception can be that they are the best.  I guess that is rather like assuming that because McDonald's advertises the most their meals and service are better than at your preferred steak house.

In the real estate profession there are many claims made such as "Best in Production in 2012!"  These claims have to be qualified so sometime in teensy weensy print you see:  *based on real estate teams with one South African member.  Of course I'm exaggerating.  Or am I?

There is a distinction between what is marketing advertising for the purpose of selling YOUR home and what is image advertising for the purpose of the Realtor or team garnering more business for themselves so that working on a volume based model they can stay afloat.

Ask around for a great Realtor.  If you don't know anyone in an area but have a trusted connection with a Realtor anywhere in Canada ask them to refer you to a true blue, working for you kinda person!

Just because someone shouts the loudest it does not follow that they are the most gifted player in the field.  Chances are you should be looking to do business with the Realtor who spends less time showcasing themselves and more time showcasing YOUR property!

Will work for pizza and beer!

I had to laugh when mentioning to a colleague that we have an even lower rate budget real estate company moving into our area.  Yea!  Soon you'll see a notice from someone selling homes that they'll work for pizza and beer.  And, hey, if you put two toppings on the pizza they'll even post your home on mls.

Be afraid, consumer.  Be very afraid.  And do your own homework.  If you're considering a Realtor for your home, don't be distracted by how little their up front fee is (I was going to say if you pay peanuts you get monkeys, but that wouldn't be politically correct).  Speak to a minimum of three or four Realtors from different companies and commission structures.

One budget company was boasting about how much commission they would save you on a million dollar purchase.  First of all, if you have a million dollar home you're trying to budget sell you've already shot yourself in the foot -- but that's another blog.

Do your homework and investigate Realtors track record for service, but beyond that for what their average percentage of sale prices compared to the list price is.  If, on a million dollar home, my track record is 5% better than a budget company reps that translates to 50,000 more for you. 

Do I charge more once you've successfully sold your home.  Absolutely.  Am I worth it?  Absolutely.  Do you end up happier all around?  Absolutely.  Do I earn a cent until you've been successful?  Nope.  You are my absolute priority.  I'm not using your home listing to try to get others.  I'm doing everything in my considerable power to sell your home, for you.  But, enough about me!

The easiest way to be confused is to think that you've really saved money by not paying a strong commission rate.  So not true.  Imagine, for instance, that you want every Realtor in town to flock to your home to try to sell it for you.  Do you think they are excited about a paltry offering by you for their trouble?  Do you think, if someone is already working for next to nothing, they have motivation to go above and beyond on your behalf?  (What has your experience in Super Stores been?)

And, did you know that many buyers are signing contracts that guarantee their hard working Realtor a rewarding commission and that if the seller does not offer that commission the buyer has to pay?  Did you know that commission is considered part of market value of a home and that it comes out of the sellers side to allow financing?  If the seller is not offering a rewarding commission and the buyer is deciding which homes to see in consultation with their Realtor, where does that leave the budget commission properties with these qualified buyers?

And, did you know that many budget Realtors are able to maintain themselves in the business because they reap decent commissions from top drawer Realtors?  In other words, most take far more than they give.

Regardless of anything integral to the profession and the desire of top Realtors to keep the industry highly professional you don't have to concern yourself with our issues.

What you do have to concern yourself with is getting a premium price for your most treasured possession and understanding that that is done by attracting the most attention to your home.

Go for the steak and let the sizzle attract someone less informed!

No one loves a bureaucrat!

Feeling very honourable once I noticed my library book was due yesterday I added "drop book" to my list of after dinner rounds which included "take carrots for visiting with Slipper, my donkey buddy, then hike with dogs."  Not wishing to be weighted down with a purse we simply traveled light and hopped into my Jeep.

When I arrived at our library (a beautiful, new library in downtown Vernon) I was delighted to find it was still open.  I thought myself so smart that now I could also check out another book!  Arriving at the counter I asked the gal there if my return slip I'd used as a bookmark would suffice as my check out number as I was without my library card.  Alas, no.  She was genuinely sorry and perked up to say that my driver's license would do.  Ahem....I don't have that either.  She again was genuinely sorry not to allow me to take the book.  I looked honest enough in my shorts, and non matching top especially donned with animal drool in mind -- and with the surplus carrot sticking out of the pocket! I put the book away.

Never passing a biffy I didn't like I made a detour and had another thought.  I returned to the check out and asked, "how about my vehicle registration papers?"  "Yes!" she happily replied.  Out to my Jeep I went assuring my hounds that our walk would commence before they knew it.

Over a moment of shared victory with the librarian I successfully left with book under arm!

What was most delightful was that she was SO happy to find a win.  Odds were good she could have looked down her nose at me in my barn-ish attire and officiously lectured me on the library policy of lending.  But she didn't!  I should have gotten her name to include it in my story.  You, dear gal who was helping me at the library shortly before 7 pm on August 30th, thank you!!!

As professionals how refreshing it is to lend service creatively!  No one loves a bureaucrat!  While we all have rules and procedures (Lord knows we're steeped in law and contracts in Real Estate) the best person is the most creative with how to create a win within the limitations of rules!

When in doubt take it as a personal challenge to find, in the words of my buddy, Don, an "elegant solution" to any dilemma big or small!

Too busy for life?

One of my colleagues in the office commented to me last week that a relative of hers was "too busy" to let her know of some serious family news from afar.  This news would impact my friend's children and travel. 

REALLY???  You're too busy to send a 60 second e-mail?  Too busy to send a 20 second text?  Too busy to leave a voice mail?  What bunk!

We all have occasions when someone says, "oh, I was thinking of you....we should do something....but I've been SO busy!"  Busy apparently with things far more important that nurturing relationships and family.  REALLY???

I am intrigued by how the notion got lodged in North American heads that being busy was somehow equated with being worthwhile or valued.  When did "getting ahead" become a nobler goal than bonding and having valuable time to visit and play and putter together?  And once you are ahead, are you ever far enough ahead?  And if you're far enough ahead I guess you're alone.  Everyone else got tired of playing second fiddle to your always putting work ahead of them.

Why is enough never enough so the chase for more -- more money, more deals, more anything -- relentless?  From what I understand when wild animals are sated they let prey walk right by unharmed.  They are full, why would they tackle another hunt until they are in need of more sustenance?  And they say mankind is the crowning creation??

I confessed to a friend that when someone comes into work on Monday after a picture perfect Okanagan weekend bragging about how busy they were working all weekend that the thought that occurs to me is that they're not very bright.  I rather admire the one that comes in with tales of playing in the lake or hiking in the hills.  To be perfectly frank when someone says to me "I am SO BUSY," in my mind it translate to "I am SO misguided."

As an aside there is a real estate trainer who encourages Realtors to sign off "I'm never too busy for your referrals!"  Ha!  They might be too busy to have coffee with you, but never too busy for more work!  But I digress...

Of course we all have times of intensity in our work and lives; situational busyness is not what I'm speaking about.  Its the chronically busy ones that I worry about.  We all have those people who can never sit still long enough to really listen to anyone talk who isn't talking about work.  Don't you feel special when someone is reading a text while half listening to you?  Warms the heart, eh?  How about the friends that are too busy to even acknowledge the invitation to come share a meal?  REALLY???  Someone invites you to their home and you can't take a moment to even reply?

Could it be that "being busy" is an addiction?  Perhaps the litmus test would be that if the thought of open space unfilled by busy work sends a shiver of fear down your spine it might be time for an intervention.

Interventions come in the form of lunches with cell phones off and walks in the neighbourhood with time to say hello and visit.  Interventions come in the form of building sandcastles with children and riding that horse that's become a pasture ornament.  Intervention comes in the form of coffees with meaningful conversations with family and friends.  It comes in taking the time to write a note or make a call when you're thinking of someone.  It comes in the form of taking care of your health and stimulating your mind with new ideas.  Intervention comes with first questioning why being busy has been given a place of honour above living a balanced and fun filled life.

For the record, one of my favourite activities is spending time with past clients who have become friends.  I will sign off by saying, "I'm never too busy for YOU!"

 

The high cost of cheapness

Watching t.v. the other day I was listening to an ad about foam mattresses.  The discount mattress centre was bashing a name brand memory foam company about price and boasting that their 10" foam mattress was way cheaper.  "Aha!" thought I, but are we talking about the same product.  My limited knowledge of foam mattresses is that you are looking not just for thickness but density.  In other words you can say you have 10" but the support and quality of the foam is really different.

If I convey nothing else to you over the course of the blogs I post let me emphasis this:  ALWAYS look for value.  Because something costs less does not translate to better value -- and it's often just the opposite.

You can whine about paying over 100 dollars for a pair of sandals at a good shoe store when you can get a pair at Wal Mart for 10 dollars.  But ask yourself this.  Which will last 10 times longer and which will (and most importantly) give your feet the support they deserve so that your feet serve you well all of your life?

Price is the lowest common denominator of goods and services.  If you want to drain the community of knowledgeable people in every place from hardware stores to furniture, shoes and even food -- just keep buying the cheapest items at self service outlets.

The term value has many dimensions from immediate, long term value to you to the long term value in the world you help support: pride in workmanship, pride in service, pride in professionalism and pride in community.

The high cost of the cheapest route when all is said and done is far more expensive than any of us can afford.

Exercise, musing, relaxing vital to success!

Someone reading this post will remember which inventor spent an hour every day on the shore line of the beach doodling -- for all watching apparently doing nothing but drawing and making channels with a stick in the sand.  What he was doing, of course, was taking time to let his mind wander where it wanted to go.  (Whoever knows shout out!)

It is my experience and hypothesis that without enough time to let the mind relax and wander it is impossible to come up with authentic and strategic ideas.  Great ideas for marketing to socializing to who to reconnect with come unbidden during long, silent walks; time spent simply sitting and watching nature; stretching out on a hammock looking up through the trees....

So often people get caught in a near frantic cycle of "trying" to produce original, creative work.  Its easy to get so busy you are only reacting and not actually thinking!

If you don't already, take my theory for a test run!  Take time every day to simply have no agenda other than to muse and see what grand new ideas for life and work appear when you least expect them!

And, what a great way to explain an afternoon's hammock session:  "I was busy in a "creative marketing" session!

Treat the luxury of unscheduled time and space with the fine respect it so deserves and enjoy the rich benefits!

Skipping 1 fast food meal per month = dream home

Sometimes in contract negotiations the seller and buyer are relatively close to an agreement when both parties dig in their heels.

For sake of example, let's say the buyer has come up to 400,000 to purchase a home, but the seller will not budge for less than 410,000.  Doing a quick calculation, financing the different amounts over 25 years at 4%, the higher price will result in approximately $50 per month more.

I'm also estimating that a small family going to McDonald's once a month would spend about $50.00.  So, if this is in fact someones dream home, a better question than looking at 10,000 as a hardship would be to consider it as a small sacrifice over time.  Skipping 1 fast food meal with your family each month could equate to your family living and loving in your dream home.

While I would never encourage a buyer to pay too much for any property, perspective is often a helpful tool to measure the real day to day impact of paying a bit more for a home.

What happens sometimes when a buyer walks away from their dream home over a relatively small amount is that all other properties are stacked up against "the one that got away."  And on occasion when a buyer decides to go ahead and pay the 10,000 more they face possible heartache at hearing "their home" has sold to someone else.

In the long run, trust me when I tell you this.  You'll be far happier living in a home that suits you and your family exactly then "saving" 10,000 and living somewhere "close but not quite."  And, in the long run, you will not miss the fast food burgers once a month.

Mind your own p's & q's!

The great expression, mind your own p's & q's I'm told comes from the bars in the U.K.  When something was happening at the other end of the bar that another patron was tempted to get involved with, say an argument or fight, the bar keep would instruct them to mind their own p's & q's (meaning pints and quarts of beer).  In other words, stay out of it and mind your own business.

During our Realtors' office tour of new listings, some of us travelling together started chuntering about the low level of service offered by some in our profession and other annoying work models that reflect poorly on service oriented Realtors.  At one point one of our colleagues said these simple words.  "You know, I just work.  I do my thing and don't trouble myself with all the junk out there."

It is true that it can be so distracting tilting at the windmills of injustice in any work place that you stop giving enough thought to your own business! 

Never mind what anyone else is doing.  What am I doing?  What model of service do I personify?  That, at the end of the day -- and the beginning of the day for that matter -- is all that I can change.  By exemplifying top service I do hope to be a good influence.

This kind of influence is proactive rather than reactive.  And, far more satisfying.

Whatever it is in human nature that chooses to focus on the 5% that's wrong in any situation instead of the 95% that's right is pretty darn stupid.

To work on changing this habit, whenever I am tempted to comment on some dud failing to provide service in the Real Estate industry I challenge myself instead to come up with a unique and creative idea to enhance my business.

Minding my own business, really, really well is a full time job!

Soulful Success!

Here are a few shots of many of my Sutton colleagues with me!  We went bike riding near Kelowna at the Kettle Valley Railway trestles for the day on Saturday, July 21st.  This was a "reward" for a listing contest our office ran in the spring.  In our office, we don't pit one Realtor against another.  Our contest was for total office listings -- some brought several, some brought one -- but we all played together in celebration of our shared success.

Success is being redefined these days. I think the best term I've heard of late, when referring to people who "made it" by all usual measures of success, yet still feel empty, may still be suffering from "Success without Soul."  I believe the richness of our interactions together; the meaningfulness of what we do in our community, the genuineness of our interactions with clients is what enriches our work.  So it is I'm thrilled to find context in a smaller office of like-minded people!  Sutton Group rocks!

To create a workplace that fueled by more than financial reward you must play together, care about one another and see the role you play in business as service to the larger world.

And, when visiting the Okanagan be sure to check out this biking adventure!

Enjoy Soulful Success!

Time to fire your best employee?

Last evening I was conversing with a Realtor colleague who ran a sizable business for a few decades before getting into real estate.  We got talking about the damage that one person can do in the work place if they're a bully, rude and unpleasant.  (Props to the managers who once aware of this kind of behaviour are solid enough to address it.)

"It's always your best employee that you have to fire," said my friend.  Meaning, of course, one most strategically placed or hard working.  He told the story of needing to fire his mechanical manager of 14 years -- a man who knew everything and was irreplaceable in his business.  But, the high cost of keeping a manager or employee who demoralizes the work environment is beyond calculation and my friend was savvy enough to know this.

Many of us have worked in offices with bullies; often management avoids intervening because that particular employee is their work-a-holic favourite.  However the cost of replacing, retraining and  recruiting new staff is astronomical!  And, everyone knows that life is too short to put up with going to work somewhere that you dread walking in the door.  Make no mistake, a great employee in a toxic environment is already looking for another job and will leave as soon as possible to avoid dealing with dinks.

What a huge relief when a boss has the fortitude to make it very clear that no one is indispensable and that bullies in the work place are simply not tolerated.  Period.

Family stories tell me that my grandfather was a corporate "ax man" back in the day.  He travelled in the 60's to companies and would have to deliver the news that each and every employee was fired.  He followed that with the invitation to show up the next day if they wished to re-apply for their job.  Doubtless a much hated role my grandfather had; which is why companies contracted this to a professional that wasn't local.

But the sad part is in coming to that point that places the company on the brink of bankruptcy.  Chances are a big part of that was due to H.R. and management ignoring repeated complaints and revolving staff in certain departments.

Be honest.  Are you sheltering someone in your workplace that is making life miserable for many?  Do you honestly think they're worth the millions it will cost you to avoid "the talk?"  Step up and speak out; if they won't or can't change you simply must let them go.

The Long View in Real Estate

A hallmark of a great Realtor is the desire to question and investigate the long view of any piece of property.  Someone just wanting a sale will only look at the immediate need; but a Realtor with a good head for planning and desire for life long clients will be looking ahead and advising of long term possibilities and/or limitations of the property you have in your sights.

What do I mean by this?  When I look at homes with a newly wed couple, I'm already thinking of resale value for them once their family outgrows their starter home.  Is it a good location?  Is it an improving location?  Are their amenities within easy reach?

When I look at acreages with people I discuss access to the home and outbuildings, not just on the beautiful summer day we're seeing the property, but in the middle of a raging snow storm when one of them is out of town.

When I look at a property with crops or livestock we have to consider long term water availability.

Before selling a tenanted property, a great Realtor will have a discussion with the prospective buyers about their tolerance for stress!

A great Realtor is a resource with your long term interests foremost in mind -- not a one hit wonder pressing you into a quick sale!  Kind of like a great financial planner who is not merely selling you today's hot stock but taking an overall view of what will best serve your needs over time.

Look for such a Realtor (well, if you're in the North Okanagan you already found me, but in other areas...) that is, in fact, looking out for you!

Worried that you sold too fast?

Sometimes a great Realtor can be a victim of their own accuracy.  (What the hell does she mean by that, you wonder?!)  Pricing a home for sale is part science based on fact, part experience, part developed skills and part intuition.  When a home is priced right on the money, right at the beginning of being on the market, showcased professionally and marketed aggressively, odds are good that an offer will come in sooner rather than later.  Sometimes when this happens, the seller can wonder if the Realtor priced it too low.  And, further, it seemed so effortless...is the Realtor charging too much?

The best comparison I've come up with so far is to think about being in the dentist's chair.  Imagine your dentist has your mouth forced open with one of those delightful rubber dams wedged in.  At this point, would you feel you got more value if they took a long time getting the job done?  Maybe you'd really think you got your money's worth if they had to give you another injection of freezing because it was taking so long?  Of course not, the more painlessly and quickly they can remedy the situation the better you like it!  Imagine the increased delight if they even let you know what they were doing?!

With something as important as your oral health, you'd place your trust in the doctor with the best skills wouldn't you?  In matters of great health and financial importance you need the best skillset, not the most drawn out process or the cheapest practitioner.

I'm not comparing Realtors to dentists, but simply making the point that if you have a Realtor with deft enough skills to get your home sold with little fuss and quickly you have picked a great Realtor!  Don't hold it against them!  A great Realtor is always interested in long term retention of clients and would never be so foolish as to deliberately underprice your home!

There are many ingredients to successfully marketing your home!  A top professional makes it look easy.  It looks easy because that person knows what they're doing, knows people, knows local market conditions, has a sense of timing, understands encouraging cooperating Realtors, knows how to showcase your home professionally and price accurately.  The development of these skills takes time and experience.

Developing a trusted bond with a trustworthy and effective Realtor will be one of the greatest relationships you ever maintain!  Not only will your real estate transactions be as lucrative as possible, you will always have an advocate with an eye open for timely offerings that would benefit you!  And, imagine your increased delight when they even let you know what they are doing?!

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

For crying out loud....say what you mean and mean what you say!  It is so refreshingly rich to have someone promise and deliver on great service.  And, so sadly disappointing to have someone promise to follow through with some action only to find out that it never happened.

Today I'm working on a domino set of transactions involving 2 lawyers and a Notary.  A couple of days ago I contacted the person working on the first file to let them know that all expediency was very appreciated as moves were waiting for sales to register.  At 1:30 this afternoon the middle lawyer still hadn't received proceeds from the first file holder.  I called to find that the person working on the first file was at lunch....and hadn't let anyone know time was of the essence....and the funds were already there but just hadn't been sent over yet.  Guess how impressed I was?

Genetically I've been blessed to have very little gray hair.  Today a crop was added!  Why?  Because someone was casual about delivering on their promised action.  By dropping the ball, several other people were stressed and inconvenienced.

If you're not going to do something; don't say you will.  If you promise you'll do something, come hell or high water you'd best find a way to do it.  It's not only your reputation professionally and personally on the line -- it's your own self confidence and pride of workmanship.

The only way to become trusted is to have proven consistently over a period of time that you're trustworthy!  And all trust can disappear in a New York Second as soon as any of us drop the ball.  (A New York Second, by the way, is the length of time between the stop light turning green and the sound of the first blaring horn!)

Ending on a happy note, I contacted the Blackfin Restaurant in Comox last night to arrange for a gift card for a client that lives there.  I was called back within 30 minutes and the card was sent within the hour.  The service was impeccable.  And, guess what?  I'm going to tell everyone I know to dine at the Blackfin in Comox!  This based on the quality of 2 minutes on the phone, 2 e-mails and priceless follow through (and the preliminary recommendation of a local!)

Where's your pride?

Regardless of what anyone does for a living, one thing that shines through is their pride in their efforts.  Maybe that shows in the proprietor sweeping their walk or the receptionist going the extra mile to connect you with the best person for your needs.  There are no "stupid" jobs.  There are no jobs that don't deserve your best effort.  Why?  Well, how you do one thing is how you do everything.  If you have no pride in workmanship when you are doing repetative day to day things or menial tasks, you can't suddenly be proud of your work when you decide you're doing something "important." 

One of my greatest delights is in coming across anyone excelling in attitude and skill at what they do.  Please take the time to compliment these folks; the cashiers who really keep the line flowing and smile at the ready; the hardware store clerk who really knows their products and lines you up with the best value; the mechanic who gives you a fix to meet your budget; the vet who really likes your dog....I could go on and on.

Pride in workmanship is something no one can take away from you, and it always stands out and helps to make someones day to be a part of.

Whether you drive a old Chevy or a new BMW, whether you live in a mobile or a penthouse, whether you are the boss or on the assembly line, the pride you take in how you care for your world shines through.

So it is with great Realtors who treat their profession as a service industry that deals in sales.  Pride is demonstrated in follow through, communication, ingenuity, persistence, courage and kindness.  The sale of a humble home is treated with the same respect as a multi-million dollar transaction. 

Hats off to all of you out there who show day in and day out what you're made of and how you care for your world!

Does "something gotta go wrong?"

"Something's gotta go wrong, cause I'm feelin way too damn good..."  These words from a Nickelback song popped into my head today.

Why is there the lurking sense of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" when things are going well?  I witness new buyers or sellers on pins and needles often expecting their transaction to fall apart or something happening to foil their joy in their purchase.

Sometimes we humans have a hard time staying in the moment of joy and excitement and knowing that everything is working out just fine!  A friend of mine has a term for when you imagine scenarios that could arise to thwart your joy:  "Awfulizing!"

Awfulizing is a terrible condition which can render people helpless and frozen; unable to move forward for fear of the unknown.  Or once they've taken the step of having an offer accepted on a home purchase they start to imagine all the faults that will be revealed in their home inspection!

Home inspectors working on behalf of my clients have all endured "the talk" from me about how they communicate their findings.  i.e.  The inspector says, "the tub and sink in the ensuite need to have new caulking."  The client hears, "your ensuite is falling apart and needs immediate repair."  So, the inspector might need to phrase it, "you'll need to spend about ten dollars on some caulking around the sink and tub when you have a few minutes."  Then the client can relax!

Of course, we want to know about a home and how it works and what it might need.  But, bearing in mind the tendency often to expect the worst under stress, communication is everything!

Likewise with lenders, lawyers, Realtors and everyone associated with a real estate transaction -- communication is the key!  99% of clients will NOT assume that no news is good news.  They are likely to be awfulizing worst case scenarios!

When you're in the business it is easy for some to discount how urgently clients are waiting to hear news.  Consider this, how casual would you be waiting to hear news back on your blood test?  Don't leave people waiting.  Don't leave my clients waiting unless you want me breathing down your neck!

The vast majority of real estate transactions, when handled by a professional, go exceedingly well.  However, the vast amount of air travel does too -- this does not prevent nervous flyers from being nervous!

A little reassurance goes a long way.  And, timely communication is crucial to stress management!  Make sure you have a strong advocate in your corner!

"Change is good, Donkey!"

"Change is good, Donkey."  We can all hear the voice of Shrek parcelling out this wisdom.  And while change is good, it is also usually stressful!  I was thinking of a stress-busting kit for my clients in the midst of moves.  Here goes:

1.   Keep your humour intact as much as possible.
2.   Don't be shy about asking for help packing and organizing.
3.   Have a cleaning party on your move out day then take everyone out for lunch!
4.   If in doubt, clear it out!
5.   Ask your Realtor for a list of places accepting household items.
6.   Talk to an antique buyer for appraising old items.
7.   Have a garage/moving sale with your neighbours -- the bigger the sale the more buyers!
8.   Consider using a professional mover.
9.   Talk to your mover about storing items in the month leading up to the big day.
10.  Ask your most organized friend or relative to do all the utility/mail/delivery switch overs!
11.  Ask another friend to organize a sandwich tray for the new home!
12.  Keep all your bedding in a separate tub and make your beds first thing!  (Once you know you
       can always go to bed in the new place you're far less stressed!)
13.  Buy enough recyclable paper plates and cups to last for a few days.
14.  Ask your friends to bring over a couple of frozen casseroles!
15.  Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff!
16.  The day of the move, drop your pets off with a friend so they're not stressing and underfoot.
17.  If you need to move livestock, see if you can make arrangements to do it the day after your main
       house move.
20.  Make sure there is lots of water to sip on as you go!

You will see a theme about asking for help here!  The help you ask for doesn't have to be a burden, keep it light and fun!  And, know you can always count on your Realtor for suggestions, connections and moral support!

Give your head a shake; don't lose dollars catching dimes

How can I make this painfully clear?  Earlier this week a woman phoned me after a client of mine recommended me.  The client who recommended me is a professional banker and someone I've helped over the years complete 5 transactions on her own homes.  The caller was totally disheartened with her current listing company.  She had chosen a discount model to save some out of pocket money.  In the past 3 months she has not had one showing.

I explained to the woman that while she was under contract with someone else it would be unethical of me to discuss her listing.  She said she was in the process of "firing" her present firm and would be in touch.  The next question she asked was how much commission I charged.  (Which was rather funny after she'd ranted how dismally her "discounted commission" model was working for her.)  I should develop a more compelling answer...how about "I charge the right amount to get the job done and save you thousands of dollars."

It seems counter intuitive that you could charge more AND save the consumer more....but in investments the size of a home you want to invest in the best Realtor and the most enticing commission structure for the best return to you.  While some people are busy bending over to pick up dimes on the ground, the dollars are flying over their head and out the door.  Why?  Because if you don't have an extremely well educated, trained, creative thinking Realtor who is your advocate odds are good that your listing might be languishing at the wrong price, be inadequately represented on line, is missing great photos, never has an open house or Realtor tour, is not keeping someone awake at night thinking of ways to get the job done!

Not to mention the very obvious.  If your Realtor cannot negotiate their own commission (and more importantly understand that an attractive commission will entice cooperating Realtors) how effectively do you think they can negotiate selling prices on your behalf?  This is a simple yet very profound consideration!  The money sellers make and buyers save is in exact proportion to the skills, motivation and heart of their Realtor. 

Choose very, very carefully how you go about selling your home.  You owe it to yourself to include a top rate Realtor in your sights before thinking that saving a small percentage on commission will in the end serve you best.  It simply won't.  And, a little known fact, is that a great Realtor, knowing the cost of staying on the leading edge of their profession will ask for an increased commission from discounted listings.  Why?  Because we really are worth it, and to stay at the top of our game requires a great investment of time and money!  Many clients working with the best Realtors sign an Exclusive Buyer's Agency form agreeing that their Realtor will be paid a premium rate.  The buyers decide which homes to look at.  It is in your best interest for them to be motivated to see yours!  Many buyers will not look at For Sale By Owners or discounted listings.  You should know that.

Ask one simple question to any Realtor you are speaking with:  "How many of your listings do you successfully sell and for what percentage of the asking price?"  That, my friend, is where the true story is told.

The perils of "low ball" offers

Here's the thing.  There's a "modest" low offer and then there's stupid.  Nothing backfires quicker than a poorly executed "low ball" offer.  No reputation is harder to shake than being notorious for bringing stupidly low offers to the table.  If you really just want an exercise in writing offers, practice on your relatives.

Before putting pen to paper on a contract a great Realtor researches recent activity, solds, assessed price, recent price reductions and several other factors relevant to the transaction.  If a home just dropped their asking price 40,000 going in with an extremely low offer within a few days is not a recipe for happy campers.

Market value is simply this:  what a REASONABLE and willing seller and a REASONABLE and willing buyer will agree upon.  Are there any "steals" to be had?  Perhaps when circumstance forces someone into a quick liquidation or when sellers are not using the services of a great Realtor you will see a transaction well below market value.  The only other time you're likely to see an extremely low price succeeding is when a major problem has been uncovered or when a property is part of a larger trade.

By law, I have to inform my sellers of any offer.  Imagine that the seller has listened well to pricing strategy and has priced their home fairly; even slightly below market value.  Now, this quiz isn't rocket science:  what do you think happens when they hear of an offer that is 50,000 under a "more than fair" asking price?  If you guessed tell the buyers to pound sand you are correct.  With good coaching they will sometimes stop fuming long enough to counter the offer -- at or ABOVE list price.  It is just not a good way to try to save buyers money!

In auctions there is often a reserve bid so everyone knows not even to dream about bidding lower than that.  We don't have that in real estate -- we rely on professionals knowing their business. 

Better not to raise expectations and waste time promising an offer on a home only to produce an insulting offer with little chance for forward movement.  If your client insists on trying a "low ball wonder"...at the very least, a courtesy call to the listing Realtor could save everyone headache and heartache.  We can't reveal what our seller's bottom line is, but we can certainly indicate whether they would be receptive to a harshly low offer.

By using a great Realtor, the seller is never pressured into an under par offer.  Only the one hit wonder Realtors are more concerned with selling at any price.  Make sure you put your most precious possession into good care and keeping!

"If a rock fell on your head"

Many years ago there was an old-timer in Colorado who each year invited me to accompany him "over home" to the western slope of that gorgeous state. Each spring he would leave our area near Ft. Collins and return over the mountains to where he grew up and still had family.  His name was Roy Beaver and it's anyone's guess how old he was, but every day he shuffled up to the machine shop where he worked and I'd see him in passing.  Each year I would make an excuse as to why I could not go.  (Aside from the obvious that he had the most adorable wife, Della, and was 50+ years my senior!  And we all knew he might have heart failure if I ever said yes!)

One year when he stopped and asked me again to "go over home" with him.  I went on at some length about how irreplaceable I was at my job and in my community and I listed off countless things I did that people relied on.  He shook his mostly bald head which sent the scant white hair he had on his head into disarray.  He had this in answer to my soliloquy:  "Oh, hell!  If a big, old rock came and fell on your head, they'd find something to do without you!"

Wiser words were never said!  Oh my....how we love to think of ourselves as irreplaceable.  And, in a certain way, of course, we are.  But the best business people also live by the cliche that the sign of a most effective manager is to make themselves redundant! 

People rise to the challenge when given opportunity.  We don't always have the best and only way to do something.  In real estate, sometimes the best transactions are effected when the person's usual Realtor is away or unavailable.  Why?  One reason is that the stand in is usually not emotionally involved with the client.  Another reason is simply that each of us comes at any situation from a different perspective. 

Everyone needs to relax and refresh!  So, my fellow Realtors.  Don't be afraid to let go....chances are everything will be more than okay while you're gone.

It was reported years ago that Lee Iaccoca, when hired to bring Chrysler out of sure collapse, made certain that unless hell was freezing over he was not disturbed at home or while rejuvenating taking time off.  Someone challenged him on this saying, "You make so much money, how can you justify taking weekends off?"  To which, as urban legend goes, his reply was, "If I can't even manage my own weekend off, how do you think I could manage a multi-billion dollar company?"

Don't wait for a big, old rock to fall before entrusting your job to others!

Get out of your way. Please.

All Realtors have heard these two lines:

1.  Everything happens for a reason
2.  It must have been meant to be.

Let's start with zinger number 1.  "Everything happens for a reason."  YOU are part of that reason, home seller or buyer.  The reason could either be that you've been flexible and adapted to the changing market winds or that you've decided listening to reason is better left to someone else.  The reason your home has not sold might just be that you wouldn't accept the advice of your Realtor!  The reason your purchase did not go through might just be that you wouldn't accept the advice of your Realtor!  In other words....everything that's not happening as dreamed could simply be that you are standing in your own way!

You know the difference between the seller who let their home go for 10,000 less than they had in mind and the seller who held fast to their bottom line?  The one that let go has moved ahead with their dreams and plans!!  They have already purchased their new place and are getting ready to enjoy the great outdoor season of summer in the Okanagan!  The one that stubbornly held on has likely soured on Realtors, tried a budget company, is tired of having their home always ready to show and likely lost the chance to buy the home they really wanted.

Do you think that while on the boat with their cold beverage in hand, soaking in the Okanagan sun, the one who let go is sorry they didn't hold out?  Of course not!  They are smiling and happy.

Moving on to number 2.  "It must have been meant to be."  Recently I worked very hard selling a place in a difficult area to sell.  Due to some very good strategy and marketing I successfully sold this property.  The client said, "it must have been meant to be."  I wanted to say, "it was meant to be because you hired a great Realtor!"

Putting homes on mls alone doesn't sell them (contrary to the whining that gets sent to the competition bureau!).  Great Realtors sell homes!  We market and strategize and network and do open houses and realtor tours and flyers and lunches....we do price adjustments and showing follow through and communicate regularly.  In short, until you're happy, we're stressing!

I love being a Realtor!  And, now you know what I'm sometimes thinking.  "Get out of your way.  Please."  I'd really like to see you smiling on the lake!

Eeekkkk, someone wants the same house you do!

Dang. Double Dang and Darn it all!  Just when you thought you had a clear shot on your offer for the home you've been hoping to buy your Realtor phones you with that awful sentence.  "We're now in competition."  What does this mean, and what can you do?

What this means is that at least one other interested party wants the home that you want.  What you don't know is what their offer will be or what their terms are.  But, whatever your offer contains needs to be reviewed.  Ask yourself these questions:

1.  Am I willing to offer over list price?
2.  Am I willing to go in without "subject to financing?"
3.  Am I willing to fore go an inspection?
4.  Am I willing to drop any other clauses meant to protect my position?
5.  Am I willing to be flexible on dates of possession?

A great Realtor will explain the risks of removing any subjects prior to your offers acceptance.  While you do want to make your offer as big in money and small in subjects as possible, you also don't want to risk any big problems! 

In super heated markets some buyers actually take an inspector with them to look!  Taking an inspector around is not an easy thing to do....you might, however, have time to have one look at the property before the offers are considered.  Otherwise, unless it is a new home with a warranty it is risky to strike an inspection.  If you have the money in the bank and don't need a mortgage you can strike the subject to financing clause; however if you need a mortgage, even if you're pre-approved the bank needs to be satisfied with the exact property you want to spend their money on, so that too, is risky to strike.  If you can obtain the property disclosure statement and title prior to offers being considered and they are not worrisome at all you can strike those clauses.  Another common clause is to find insurance and that you can make a call about in a snap (at least during business hours).  Most home insurance is easy to come by unless the home is out of a fire protection area and/or in an interface area.

If you have flexibility in your timing, you may wish to leave the dates completely open and at the seller's choice....that can often make or break a competing offer.

In competitive offers you REALLY need the help of a great Realtor.  A great Realtor will always attempt to present your offer personally to the sellers and represent you in the best light.  And, even the best Realtor won't win every one.  Sometimes someone with unlimited reserves comes along that really, really wants the property and offers a suitcase full of cash for it.  Please, don't shoot your Realtor if they have to bring you that message....

Some people completely shy away from offers in competition; however, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Not every offer in competition is a grand one; so you can go in as normal and see what happens....you might be pleasantly surprised that they picked your offer!

There are many other strategies that a Great Realtor will have to help guide you!  Once again, proving that a Great Realtor is worth every cent they make and then some.

For crying out loud, save us from the armchair experts!

Oh, for crying out loud!  Who asked you?  Yes, you, the friend, relative, non-stake-holder who is along to view the home as a courtesy!  Do you really think we need to hear how smart you are?  Must you recite all possible flaws in the home?  Is now when you need to suggest I should throw in most my paycheque to seal the deal?  Do you figure scaring the buyers about all manner of horror you've heard or dreamt about is a timely discussion?  Really?

Because you were on a house building summer job back in the day; do you think you know all relevant construction implications?  Because you don't like yellow -- is all yellow evil?

Do you feel like sucking every last ounce of joy out of the process and idea of this new home for the buyer is rendering an indispensable service?  Are you really a mortgage expert too?  And, really, you know interest rates fate even before the Bank of Canada?

Oh, and you read on line about well problems in South Dakota and figure that might be important to this home in the North Okanagan?  And, the cousin of a friend's brother back in Albert had a septic field quit so this one might too?

And do make sure to treat the trained, educated and experienced Realtor like a scullery maid that forgot your orange juice.  We all know you are far more aware of how to shepherd this buyer into the right home than the Realtor who has helped more people securely buy and sell property in the last 6 months than you will have in your lifetime.

Buyers and sellers...if these comments sound like anyone you're tempted to bring along to any showing or negotiation just back up the bus right now!

Your ethical, caring, knowledgeable and experienced Realtor has been hired by you for good reason.  A second-guessing-doubting-Thomas-wanting to throw their weight around to "protect" you may very well be the cause of a good deal going bad.

And, you, if you hear yourself in these words and happen to be along....zip it.  Please.

Thank you. 

Has your dream become a nightmare?

To begin, let me say I'm a sucker for the sentimental value of property.  When homes have been handed down in families or developed from scratch I totally "get" the attachment that can develop.  However, as with all attachments, sometimes their burden can be overwhelming. 

This blog might have easily been entitled: Let someone else take the dream higher!  Along the way a beautiful example of this was with a home in a lovely neighbourhood in East Hill.  I represented the buyers; a young family just trying to get into a real home.  The owner had been there for ages, but recently needed to go somewhere to receive extended care.  He lovingly agreed to let the home go for what we offered because he knew his beloved home was going to be continued to be enjoyed.

Sometimes I find people holding on to larger homes and properties way past their time of being able to manage or enjoy them.  The dream acreage or 5+ bedroom home becomes a drain on time, energy and resources -- making the once enjoyable tasks a nightmare of duties.

If two people are working full time in a family managing a huge yard and gardens needs to be carefully considered!  Likewise for parents managing a huge home for the one time a year the adult children might all be there at the same time.  Or, how about the "hobby farm?"  If you like to travel and don't have help, you should really carefully consider how long after your kids have grown up you want to keep the critters.  But, the hobby farm might be the perfect fit for a young family!

Retirees sometimes fear selling the family home is the next step to the grave!  Yet, what retirees that downsize often realize instead is another time of youthful freedom!  Free from chores and maintaining a large home and yard they travel, play and generally have a great time!

Of course its not an all or nothing proposition; there are many wonderful people out there to employ to help garden and clean.  (Although it is also amazing on how relatively few people ever hire home help!)

The best example of pro-active movement I've heard is a friend, Hugh, from Ontario.  His m.o. is to stay 5 years ahead of the curve so he is never forced to sell.  He and his first wife sold their large family home and moved to a strata on one level.  Sadly, his wife fell ill and passed.  They were, however, already in a perfect living situation so avoided the added stress of selling and moving.  He's since remarried and he and his wife spend lots of time travelling.  I have no doubt as they age he'll research any new dwelling he thinks might be needed and move again before having to.

I have seen pressure in families too from grown children toward their parents to "not sell the home I grew up in."  Rubbish!  Are the kids going to help pay the bills and do the chores?  Each of us owes it to our family to want only what is best for them at this point in their lives -- what is happy, manageable and right for this stage of their lives.

Rather than cling to the past; let's create bright futures!  As we appreciate our homes and their histories we let go and let the dream continue.

# 1 mistake seller's make all the time!

There is one line often heard by Realtors from sellers:  "We can always go down in price."  Another variation is "Well, they can make an offer."  A great Realtor will jump all over this like a puppy on peanut butter.  It is a fatal flaw to come out of the gate with your listing at too high a price.

Premium selling time for a new listing is when it is new!  If you have overpriced your listing and underestimated the research buyer's Realtors have already done -- and indeed buyer's own awareness of fair market value -- you have repeated the # 1 mistake often made.

Real estate pricing is both a science and an art.  A great Realtor will help you to determine what the most attractive price is for you and the most attractive commission offered to cooperating brokerages.  This always results in a quicker sale for more money in your pocket!

It is a very old school approach to start above market value and let your property get dusty on the shelf while every watches you finally get your price down to a reasonable level then beats you up on that value because you're old news.  Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Today's consumers are in touch with fair prices and if they're working with a great Realtor they're really fine tuned.  They can smell greed.

And, market value includes pricing for top rate, professional Realtors!  It flows through the listing end to accommodate financing but sellers and buyers share this cost.

If you are the seller trying to keep the money great Realtors are worth and charge the same price as a home listed with a great Realtor....guess what?  You're going to get an offer far lower than you might otherwise because everyone knows you're just trying to keep everything to yourself.  That is not a mystery!

Further, more and more top drawer Realtors are using buying contracts where the buyers agree to pay any commission deficiency to their Realtor that the sellers aren't offering.  Buyers determine what they want to look at...do you think it could knock your home off the list if:  a.  You want too much money?  and b.  You won't pay for premium Realtor services?

Seriously.  Let's talk if you want to get serious about how to properly realize the biggest return on your real estate investments!

Curiosity didn't kill the cat!

Pondering during my gym workout, which is a great pondering time, I was thinking about how much most people like to help others.  And, how closed many people are to receiving help.  Odd.  In my real estate office we recently had a woman doing holiday coverage.  She was extremely competent, but also a wee bit nervous and not afraid to ask opinions or for help with a question.  The result was that she was adored across the board and the Realtors couldn't do enough to help her.

Why is it some of us feel we need to single-handedly have everything under control?  Is it the gold stars we got in grade school for knowing the right answer?  Are we afraid that others won't view us as competent unless we know it all in our fields?

I think education should focus on stimulating curiosity and questions!  Lots of questions!  But that's another blog!

Back to what I see as the smartest way to operate in any area one has expertise:  with great humility and the awareness that there is SO much more to learn.

One thing that always impressed me about the best horse people I've known is that the great ones are always aware of how much they DON'T know...and they're life long learners interested in what other riders and trainers are doing.  They never feel they've arrived and that all horses are the same.  They always know that each situation is different and merits respect and attention.

So too with the best Realtors.  They are never afraid to ask questions and consider options.  A home sale is never "same old, same old."  Great Realtors don't begrudge going to educational and motivational seminars; they crave them.

While experts in any field carry a wealth of knowledge and experience perhaps their greatest asset is their continued desire to learn from others.  One of the things I love about the real estate office where I work is that there are no "stupid" questions -- either from clients or from colleagues.  And often you'll hear conversation about "how to" between Realtors.  I mean, it's a no-brainer to realize that 15 brains are better than one!

Onward and outward!  Collaboration is the word of the day.

Living on purpose!



Spencer West and Beth Marks, Kalamalka Rotary 4/23/12

Spencer West of "Me to We" fame took time after speaking to a capacity crowd of 9th grade students at our Performing Arts Centre to speak at our Kalamalka Rotary lunch meeting today.  If you've never heard of Spencer, you might wish to view this video clip of him:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFYWK8iVQKs

Believe it or not, Spencer is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in 49 days as a fundraiser for drought stricken eastern Africa.  Some of the climb he'll use his chair for, some he'll walk (he walks on his hands) and some his two best friends will carry home over.  (He joked that he might have to carry them over portions!)

His parents are his heros -- they raised him as a "normal" child and he simply developed self-sufficiency.  He now drives, walks and is remarkably agile and lives in Toronto when he's not travelling all over the world delivering delightful, funny and heart-rich motivational talks.

What can you say about a man like this who spends his life in service to others?  He has no complaints, does not whine about "challenges" or shy from direct conversations about his leg-less condition.  (Although he is sorry for scaring some kids in his native Wyoming when he told them he lost his legs camping!)

Hats off to this world leader!  And, thanks to Cheryl Schmidt and company at KPMG for hosting Spencer's visit to the beautiful Okanagan.  As I write he's in the air flying to his next speaking gig in San Francisco.

At the end of the day, GTFM!

I have the great pleasure of having Frank Reale for a friend.  Frank, or "Big Frank" as he's been called, used to frequent the horse racing tracks in Colorado.  He notice a liniment which worked wonders on the horses and hired a chemist to formulate it for human use.  On short notice at the patent office he had to come up with a name and ended up calling it Rub A535!  Needless to say this was a great commercial success and he eventually sold the product rights to a large company.

If you could hear Frank's voice in your head, as I can, the story would be even richer for you.  He's been likened to the Godfather; a big, Italian, soft spoken man with an intimidating height and breadth!  As you have guessed he is a wonderful man with a soft heart.  He was and is, however, a no nonsense businessman who expects results and performance.  One of the best things he shared with me about his business endeavours was that he signed off his letters to his lawyers this way.  GTFM, Frank. 

"What?  What does that mean, Frank?"

Pardon his "French" but GTFM means "Get the f**king money!"

At the end of the chase in real estate that's what you want your Realtor to handle for you!  The best negotiators are charming negotiators!  That I happen to be fun to work with is simply a bonus to you.  As a buyer or seller I understand that it doesn't matter to you so much what I charge, how experienced or knowledgeable I am as long as the value I provide is worth it and that the net result to you exceeds what you'd otherwise realize working with a budget model!

Realtors are not created equal!  You need one that excels and is known to be a top rate, top service, top negotiating sort of a gal!  I understand your interest....GTFM!  10-4!

And, thank you, Frank!  Your story always makes me smile!

shoulda, coulda, woulda, DIDN'T!

There are many tales to tell in the circle of Realtors about offers that were rejected!  In hindsight many of those offers were the best to come along and the property ended up selling for significantly less.  So why the rejection?  Maybe it was the first offer (often the best) which got the seller to thinking that maybe they should ask more money.  Maybe the seller was emotionally involved still with the property and not ready to let go.  Maybe the seller didn't like the buyer.  Maybe the buyer watched the news and got scared silly that the sky was falling.

Over and over and over again there is one cliche in the business that proves itself about the two things that kill successful real estate transactions:  Fear and Greed.

When you are dealing with a professional Realtor, a great Realtor, they are going to advise you to act in your best interest.  At the end of the day, we have to follow all of your "lawful instructions" however you do pay us for professional advice!

While great Realtors are empathetic, they should not be riding your emotional roller coaster.  They should be the voice of reason.  You might not always like what we have to say -- but you've employed us for that very reason...to give you the best possible guidance through and often complicated process.

Of course all bets are off if any careless Realtor is only after making a deal.  Those are not the ones I'm talking about.  (And, if you suspect the one your dealing with does not have your long range best interest at heart, I encourage you to look to find a truly fine Realtor.)  You want a Realtor who will collaborate with you from a strong and honest place.

When I advise people I often lead with this statement:  "When you see me in the grocery store in 2 years I don't want to have to duck the oranges you're tempted to throw!  I want you to be happy to seem me and happy with your choices."

On the ground this means I've pointed out the drawbacks as well as the great points of your choices.  I've counseled you on re-sale options, perception of neighbourhoods, possible area impacts and any other factor which might have long term consequence.  On the ground this means that when you have a good offer on your home but start getting cold feet I will do everything in my powers of persuasion to keep you moving in the direction that will best serve you.

I don't want any of my clients to be the ones regretting missed opportunities for happiness and wealth.  So, when the time comes to talk about real estate transactions -- do speak with a trusted professional!  A living, breathing, accessible professional!

To once again steal a phrase from the movie, Jerry Maguire, "help me help you!"

Coldstream's Mayor Jim Garlick's passion for Coldstream

Mayor Jim Garlick was kind enough to take the time to speak to me for a "Sutton Scoop" -- here is the link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fghca3tv6k

As you will hear, Jim is a third generation Coldstream resident so his roots run deep and clearly he stepped into politics as a service not a career move!  He happened to be my son's favourite high school teacher (no small feat for those who know my son!).  Mayor Garlick is a very well respected teacher and continues with his work while attending to his duties as mayor.  If the piles on his desk are any indication of the ongoing workload I don't envy his evenings!

As with our mayor in Vernon I'm very aware of the fact that in Coldstream the Mayor Garlick is also there not because he's a career politician, but because he was compelled to give back to the community.

I am filled with confidence about neighbourly relations between Vernon and Coldstream and wisdom in the management of our shared resources.

You really must come and see for yourself why Coldstream is one of the most beautiful places on earth to call home!

Best economy fix? Quit hearing "the news"

It should come as no surprise that I've come to the conclusion that the best thing for our economy and real estate transactions would be if all news stations went silent for a month or so!  Good grief, its a wonder people get out of bed in the morning with all the fear mongering that goes on.  And, what of proportion?  If one real estate transaction goes awry it will make the local and national news -- with no mention of the 75,000 that went swimmingly!

Last night Global's lead story was of the impending bubble burst in real estate due to the extreme sellers market in Canada!  Only once they weighed into their "slow news night" broadcast did they say Toronto is in a sellers market.  Apparently Toronto is now all of Canada and we're about to have a burst bubble.  Ridiculous and stupid reporting.

If there is any good news to report it is then blanketed with caution, fear and doomsayers forecasting darker times ahead.  "Employment rates are up!  BUT for how long?"  After all there was a trend reversal back in 1948!

Interest rates are low...BUT remember in the 80's when they topped 20%!?  Really?  That's where you want to take it?

Who doesn't remember the news shadowing and foretelling of frightening days to come?  Its really gotten quite disgusting and will continue along the lines its going until we all tune out.

Real Estate has always proven to be a wonderful way to build wealth.  Oh, I know what you're thinking...."what about the travesty in the U.S.!?"  Right?  I know, you watch the U.S. news too because Canadian news isn't depressing enough!  We are not in the U.S.!  Canadian banks were noted to be number 1 in the world for lending practices on mortgages.  Shout that out!

Lets step out of "this tangle of fear thinking" as Rumi would say.

Do you want to sell your home?  Do you need a new home?  Guess what?  Its a great time to do that!  Simple, right?

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!  This is true personally and it is especially true of the property you'd like to sell!  People don't want to stare at another person for too long; but they'll sure stare at a property.

We all get used to our "stuff" around our homes.  But, just as an experiment, pretend you've never been to your home before and note the following.

When you pull up, is the yard in good shape?  Is there peeling paint or junk piled anywhere?  When you approach the door, is the screen in good shape?  Are there cobwebs in the carport corners?  Is the door clean?  Is the outdoor light free of bugs and goo?  Is there a great deal of visual clutter masquerading as art?

When you walk in, does it smell fresh?  Does it look clean?  Are there ten million knick knacks that could only appeal to the mother of the artist?  Are the bedspreads and linens clean?  Are the kitchen and bathrooms shiny and bright?  Are the dog toys put away?  Are the dogs put away?  Is the cat litter out of sight and fresh?  Does your bird swear?  (You think I jest...but that's another story!)  Can anyone smell cigarette smoke or curry and other cooking odors that cling?  Do you have several heads of dead creatures staring at the prospective buyer?  Do you have nude posters in the teen's room?  Do you have nude, pregnant photos all over the master bedroom?

Do you have anyone sleeping on the couch?  Is the lump on the bed a teen under cover?  Do you have the t.v. blasting out Stomping Tom music?  Can you see through your windows?  Are the blinds or curtains all in one piece and operational?  Are there flags hanging in any windows?  

How about the back yard and deck?  Are there dog deposits handy?  How about piles of recyclables and empty beer bottles?  Do you have a "garden" of wine corks?  Is the playhouse a safety nightmare?  Is the fence standing in the same direction all around? 

I could go on; but you catch my drift.  Go on a tour.  Be brutal with your self critique! 

Believe me when I tell you this could add thousands of dollars to yours sale price and you haven't even had to buy one can of paint!

Realtors and Farmers have a lot in common

For Realtors and Farmers, not every year yields a bumper crop.  And, even though you work hard, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll be paid well!  Some years the conditions for growth are harsh, some years the sun shines warm and the rain falls softly.

Through it all, you just keep planting, tending and learning.

Some farmers do everything on an industrial scale with mass production methods.  Some Realtors do that too.  Some farmers prefer a smaller operation that lets them be hands on.  Some Realtors also prefer working one on one with their clients.

Some farmers cover everything with bulls**t to make it grow faster.  Some Realtors spread it on pretty thick too!  Some farmers refuse to learn new techniques to maintain their crops.  Some Realtors resist technology or social media too.

At the end of the day, the best farmers are not in it for the money; they're in it because it is fulfilling and meaningful work watching things grow.  At the end of the day, the best Realtors aren't in it for the money; they're in it because it is fulfilling and meaningful work helping people with their homes.

The best farmers are adaptable and always learning.  Ditto the best Realtors!  The best farmers continue to forge ahead regardless of the weather -- the best Realtors continue to forge ahead in bear or bull markets.

The best farmers are deeply grateful for the bountiful years and don't whine in the lean ones.  The best Realtors likewise are deeply grateful for the bountiful years and don't whine in the lean ones.

The best farmers help their neighbours and share ideas of what has worked for them.  The best Realtors also collaborate and enhance their colleagues.

When you buy your next assortment of vegetables, think about all the work that's gone into the harvest and who tended the soil.  When you buy your next home, think about the care taken by the Realtors involved to bring you the most savoury outcome.