Like a Kid in a Candy Store. Have you ever wanted to just go to bed so that tomorrow will come faster?  I know we all have wanted to do that at some point in our lives.  Well today is one of those days for me.  That isn't a bad thing either, it isn't that I have had a terrible day which makes me want to just end it that much faster.  It is the fact that new "toys" are "in transit" to my office and I cant WAIT for them to get there. I have teamed up with a couple GREAT agents in our local market to increase the quality of all of our work by combining our talents and passions together to make a very well rounded team.  One partner is great with clients, one is great with photography and video, and the other is great with technology and web presence.  (I bet you can't guess which one I am)... 01/17/2011

  Just Never Know What a Day Will Bring: Hunter Ice Festival Niles MI You just have no idea what a day will bring you.  That makes it worth getting up every morning because the day has so many possibilities and it is such an adventure finding out. “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” – Charles Swindoll.  I agree with this statement completely.  Today started with my partner and I being able to purchase a tool needed to get our new video product on track.  The new item should be here on Monday which means I CAN’T WAIT TILL MONDAY!  Not only did that happen today, but also I received an email from someone I have been working with to write an offer on a piece of property and a house.  Then after I finished writing that up for them, then a buyer... 01/14/2011

Staying on top of my game is no easy task! New product is in route. Today was an interesting day for me. I have been working on some new tools I want to use to increase my business and separate myself from the competition in the Niles MI real estate market. Only one other agent in the Niles MI real estate market is using HD video for her listings but that is all she is doing for her clients, and she spends a ton of money to have it done, and the quality it is not that great. HD video is the “wave of the future”, and I don’t want to get left behind. I am working on developing my own system of video recording, and editing to make a nice polished product that will be very cost effective as I will be doing the work myself. By doing the work myself I will endure many sleepless nights, and fr... 01/11/2011

Why do I need proof of funds when writing an offer on a REO property? It seems like every day in real estate is an adventure. In Bob Stewarts blog he challenged us to never answer the same question twice by blogging about questions we get from clients. I have accepted this challenge and here is my final installment to his challenge. Question #5: why do I need proof of funds when buying a REO property? Can’t I place my bid to see if the bank will accept it before I have to worry about gathering the funds around? The short answer is of course you can make an offer but, your offer will go nowhere. Banks are not dummies. They have been through this time and time again and they know if you will not take the time to prove you have the funds to back your offer then you are probably not a serio... 01/07/2011

Hunter Ice Festival Niles, MI: Attracts the Ice Brigade, and the Food Network The Hunter Ice Festival is one of Niles, MI biggest festivals of the year. It continues to grow and draws big crowds to see raw ice blocks turned into masterful pieces of art. Last year nearly 15,000 people came to downtown Niles, MI to see the sculptures and take in the attractions of local businesses and visit the ice cream bar. Undoubtedly this year will be the biggest year for the festival as the Food Network is coming to town. A crew of ice sculptures called the Ice Brigade is coming to the Hunter Ice Festival to carve the main attraction this year. The Ice Brigade is known for not only making amazing sculptures but also incorporating motors and mechanics to bring their ice sculptures to life. The Ice Bri... 01/07/2011

  I Have a Realtor, But Can You Show Me Houses?   Jimmy, Saw you online and was wondering if you could show us houses this week. We are currently working with a Realtor, but they are on vacation for two weeks and we would like to see these houses REALLY bad!   Buyer, The answer is yes, of course I can show you houses, but I won’t. You have a relationship with that buyer’s agent, and that is who you should work with. I am sorry they are on vacation, but they should have someone who is covering their business for them, so you can contact that agent’s broker and they should be able to help you find out who that is. Another thing you can do is contact the listing agent to show you the home. That agent has a relationship with the seller so they will show you the home in hopes to sell it for ... 01/06/2011

Who Pays a Buyer’s Agent? This is a question I hear all the time when working with buyers. I have a lot of online advertising so I get quite a few first time home buyers. One thing about first time home buyers is you have to explain almost everything to them! This is not a bad thing at all it just means I get a chance to spend more time with them.    In short a buyer is to pay a buyer’s agent. Hopefully you are working with a Realtor who is part of a MLS which then the selling agent offers to pay a buyer’s agent. Selling agents are usually happy to provide a buyer’s agent compensation for his service to bring a buyer to their listing.     If you are interested in buying a FSBO (for sale by owner) then you will be on the hook to pay a buyer’s agent. In that case what you should do is neg... 01/04/2011

Is Their Power in Real Estate Teams? To team up or not to team up, that is the question! I am in my first year of real estate and I am doing quite well measured by other agents with equal time in the business and some seasoned agents.  I know this has gotten the attention of other agents in my area as some are congratulating me and some others are attacking me as they feel threatened; all part of the business I guess.   Though I got into real estate, one because I liked it and I feel I have a passion for it, and two I know a great couple who are top producers in the area recommended me into the company, three I want to be successful and become profitable, after all this is a business.  This being a business I think we all need to be open to new ways of doing things   as real estate and ... 01/04/2011

As the end of the year draws closer it makes me reflect back on the year in review.  This year has brought about a career change for the better.  I have spent the last 5 years in IT as a network administrator and web developer.  I have enjoyed my career as a IT professional but it was time for change.  The company I was working for was slowly dying as it grew closer to becoming the dreaded out sourced! Real Estate is one of those things that can never be out sourced!  Homes will always be in America and represent the American dream.  Of course a few here and there will come and go but this country is still the greatest nation in the world and people want to be here! So here is a toast to all of the real estate agents, brokers, and all the other of millions of people who make home owners... 12/31/2010

As a Real Estate agent you are always getting bombarded with questions from clients, and people you run into.  It seems like that Real Estate is a hot topic for most people.  We as ActiveRain members have been challenged to write down some questions we get and to fill out the answer and share them with the community so here is one of the questions I often hear as I deal a lot with foreclosures. Recently I was out on a showing with a client and we were looking at foreclosures in Niles, MI.  One thing I love to do is at the end of the showing is play HGTV and ask them what they liked and what they didn’t like about the home.  With foreclosures that conversation is a lot more in depth than it would be for a regular home but I play it anyways.  I think it is a nice way to lighten the mood. ... 12/29/2010

If you have been in real estate for more than a few months than chances are you have heard the term short sale.  Short sales are the process of selling a home for less than what is owed to the bank.  When I got to listing appointments I always carry a short sale package with me because you just never know when you will have to have it.  During the interviewing process when talking to a listing client I always ask when they bought the home, and I know if it is within the last few years I know that there is a 90% chance this is going to be a short sale if there is also financial hardship. Catching a short sale as quickly as possible gives you the best possible chance to get the sale done.  What I want to talk about in this post as most people understand those basic principles, but what ha... 11/09/2010

  The great thing about being part of Active Rain is that you get great advice for free, on your own time.   What I want to talk about is Short Sales.  I just pulled a market share report in my area of South West Michigan and found that we only had 5 short sale transactions close this month.  This is tragic.  I know for a fact there are a ton more people who could have been helped by putting their home up for sale as a short sale.   Short Sale Failures One problem people are dealing with is that agent after agent doesn’t know what they are doing with a short sale causing them not to close.  It is really easy to blame it on the bank, and often it is, but there is an astounding number of short sales that fail due to the agent or seller negligence.   One other problem with short sales is t... 11/08/2010