"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.