Ian Butler's (ijb) Blog

Having passion for your market extends beyond real estate.  Its about having a genuine interest in where you live and conduct your business.  Knowing the history and the community, in addition to actives/pendings/closings.  Being able to talk about your market with a sense of purpose, feeling and...

How many times has a customer/client asked you a question and you were not 100% sure of the answer, yet you answered it anyway, maybe with a little fluff on it...just in case.  Because I don't know what you don't know, and vice versa.  I am comfortable in saying that we all probably have, may not...

Who else is sick and tired of seeing the same marketing/advertising by Realtors? Slap your Olan Mills picture on your card and off you go.  Look at publications in magazines, what do you see, a small picture of someones head and a big picture of someone's house, a small picture of someones head a...

Who in the world wants to get up at 4am to sling dead fish all day?  The employees at Pike Place Fish Market love it and have an audience everyday! These three books discuss the work atmosphere at The Fish Market in Seattle. If you've been there you know what I mean. It is perfect for the state o...

I have heard both sides of this scenario in my market and wondering if it differs in other markets.  I know in my market it works great for luxury homes, but what about older homes that may need some work? I get asked all the time, should I furnish the listing or not, so far I'm at 50-50.  Any op...

Has anyone found an effective way to counteract the media and their views on Realtors and Real Estate.  Along with a few collegues I have used the blog on our local newspaper which I think did some good.  However it has since fizzled and become stale.  I understand education and time spent with p...

The State of Florida recently passed legislation requiring insurance companies to offer their policy holders the opportunity to receive a "Building Code Discount". In order to receive this discount the homeowner must hire a licensed contractor/engineer to conduct an inspection of the home. Your i...

Do you plan on keeping your loan for a while? Then it may make sense to "buy" a lower interest rate by paying one or more "points." Even if you're unsure of how long you plan to keep your mortgage before you move or refinance, paying points now for a lower rate may make sense. For example, do you...