Daytona Beach Real Estate Blog: September 2008

Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Events blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

I recently wrote a blog post about...

• A house I just sold that was in horrible disrepair
• The worst listing agent I've ever encountered.

These were both part of the same post and transaction.

This story is real, but extremely unusual. I'm writing it for educational purposes, for both real estate professionals and for consumer knowledge.

(This paragraph has been added, since apparently some commenters thought I wasn't clear enough in my first draft.) My reason for leaving this post open for the public to read is NOT to draw attention to bad agents, but to show that it is very rare to find an agent this bad (which should be pretty obvious since this is my first time encountering an ordeal like this one), and to disclose some details on what they already know, but this time they're getting the added benefit of what the rules are in these circumstances. And I want the public to learn how to communicate exactly what they expect from their agent, and possibly even get it in writing. This will avoid a lot of future problems.

I mentioned that I would soon be writing a post with details about the listing agent (sans his real name). But I don't know if I'll ever get to that point, since new problems just keep arising. I just discovered he had the nerve to short my commission check. I was pretty sick with some sort of virus for over a week, so today I finally went to pickup the HUD-1 (closing statement) and check. Surprise, surprise. My commission check is short.

Thankfully, the way the transaction transpired, right from the start I suspected things would get worse, so I took extensive notes, kept every e-mail, and most importantly, I printed the MLS listing sheet which has the commission amount on it. (Another addition: our Board of REALTORS® can see every time the commission is changed in the MLS, plus if the Association requests a copy of the listing agreement, the listing broker is required to supply it to them. So having a copy of the MLS printout was important for my own records, and my brokers, but not necessary for me to get the correct amount of my commission.)

Now, to go over some overall pertinent facts, and some details about the transaction.

We're supposed to work for the client. So we should show them every property that meets their criteria. Unfortunately, many agents are not diligent in putting the clients' needs before their own, and instead, decide to show only the properties THEY want to show... the ones that meet THEIR needs.

The purpose of this post is also to educate people both in and outside of the real estate industry of...

1. The unethical behavior of some real estate agents
   
2. The likelihood that there are many *things you may not know about your agent when you hire them, regardless of their time in the industry, or experience level, and this even includes top producers. But if you're in the business long enough, or if you buy and sell enough real estate, you'll eventually run across a real estate agent that completely violates the law, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, and even what's best for their clients.
3. The way our Code of Ethics and (Multiple Listing Service) MLS rules call for some situations to be handled.

So, to start from the very beginning, I had a buyer who found my web site 3 years ago, but had several properties to sell before moving to Florida... Fast forward to now, when her last house finally sold, and we're standing in the house (in the Daytona Beach area) she is most interested in buying.

While we were in the house, my buyer started asking a lot of questions which only the listing agent could answer, so I gave him a call. (Now bear in mind. This is a top producing agent... I'm afraid this post is going to make you think twice before you ever again assume that "top producer" is synonymous with "best service" or even "most knowledgeable", *although any level of agent can be this negligent.) It turned out that this agent had never even been inside the house, although it was on the market for 2 years. (That could be a whole other blog post.) So when my buyers asked why the house had not sold, we discussed the most obvious reason, which was the horrible condition of the house, and the listing agent and I discussed several things, although I wasn't really getting any answers. Now, it is completely against the law to "price fix", which is why all commissions are negotiable. So, although there are many brokerages and REALTORS® who will not list properties below a certain percentage, the sellers still have the right to attempt a negotiation of the commission. And real estate agents, their clients and potential clients are free to negotiate commissions amongst themselves. However, since there are laws against price fixing, REALTORS® from differing real estate brokerages should avoid discussing anything even remotely along the lines of what their "usual commission" might be.

One exception I've seen is when when a REALTOR® from another brokerage attaches an addendum to a contract, requesting a higher commission for themselves, than what is being offered in the MLS. I've never known this scenario to be taken up on a legal level, so if you're a REALTOR® who has knowledge of any legal proceedings under these circumstances, I'm curious to know of any court or panel rulings. As far as I know, it seems to be a grey area.

Edit:

1. In the comments, several agents from different states have indicated that using the commission request forms is common practice in their areas. I personally have only gotten a few over the years.
   
2. Another comment addressed the fact that the MLS data sheet has the clause that the information on it is "not warranted" and that only the contract is legally binding. That is true for the contractual agreement between the buyer and seller. But the commission is not part of that contract. In my edit at the bottom of this page, I mentioned that our commissions are not on our contracts. In our area, it's considered unprofessional to involve the buyer and seller in any problems between the agents. AND, in the classes that are offered at our REALTOR® Association, we're specifically instructed to NOT have any reference to the commission on our contracts. The contracts are an agreement between the buyer and the seller. The only reference to the real estate brokerages is to state which brokerages are involved.
   
3. Our MLS rules state that the commission that is placed in the MLS is the amount that must be paid. And I've already spoken with our REALTOR® Association about this particular transaction. They know what days this agent made MLS changes to the commission. I already know that I'll receive my full commission. Now back to the original post.)
   

My buyers knew that this house had been on the market for 2 years, and even to the naked eye, it obviously needed a LOT of help. And they wanted some more specific answers. So I asked the listing agent for his opinion on why the house had not sold yet, and several other questions my buyers were asking. (They were standing right in front of me, continuing to ask more questions.) It didn't take long to realize this agent had never been in the house. At some point in the conversation, as the listing agent's answers grew shorter and shorter, in his attempt to get me off the phone, I mentioned to this listing agent, the conversation that I had previously had with my buyers about all the possible reasons why a house may not sell. But during this part of the conversation the listing agent suddenly asked what commission was on the MLS printout. When I told him the amount, he told me that was wrong, and then told me the correct commission amount, which was a full percentage point higher. He also said he would have it corrected in the MLS, immediately, which he did.

I'm now going to jump forward, past all the extraneous drama that accompanied every single day of this transaction; since I'm still mentally exhausted from dealing with this agent; and relay what happened this morning, when I discovered that my commission check was short. Knowing how condescending and difficult this agent was, I was not looking forward to calling him, but hey, his brokerage owed me money. So I made the call and told him my check was short. He then said it was not short, because when I showed the house, the commission was lower. So I reminded him that he told me that was a mistake and that I had the corrected version of the MLS printout! His next excuse was to demand why I was calling a full week after closing about this. I then had to inform him that I had been sick and had not left the house in 9 days. His next response was that it was on the HUD-1 and I signed off on it. So I now informed him that I had not signed anything since the entire closing for both the seller and buyer had been a mail-away. The title company goes over the numbers with the buyers and sellers. I only get involved at this point if there's a problem with my client's numbers. This is the first time in 8 years that I've ever had a commission problem.  He then repeated everything again. At some point I told him that everything he had to say was irrelevant because the MLS rules are very specific. Whatever the MLS states is the commission to the selling brokerage, is the amount they're required to pay. His final statement was that he was going to contact the title company and let them sort it out. My final statement was to not bother calling them. I'd be going through the proper channels by contacting the Board of REALTORS®. I then called my manager, made photocopies of everything for her, and now she or our broker will be handling it with his broker. It may end up in mediation or arbitration through the Daytona Beach REALTOR® Association. But I know without a doubt that I'll receive the remainder of the commission that he tried to take from me. All of his reasons and excuses are completely irrelevant because the rules are crystal clear. Whatever commission is stated in the MLS is the amount that has to be paid. Oh, and when I checked again I discovered the commission had been changed a 3rd time, to a 3rd amount.

You can read more about the house itself in my post titled "Would You Buy This House?" and a follow-up post titled "Real Estate Takes A Moment of Mourning".

Edit: Find out the result of my commission check shortage!

Learn more about REALTORS®, real estate and the Code of Ethics

View Daytona Beach area listing MLS videos

Additions after some of the comments.... ( There are other edits within the actual post as well.)

• This entire closing was a mail-away. Neither the buyer nor the seller actually attended a closing. I've left out big chunks of this experience. But I need to address the MLS printout. Having the copy was good for my records. But the Board of REALTORS® can always go in the back door and see every change that was made, and on what date. So I'm completely covered on the commission issue.  And along those lines, disagreements over commission are not done in conjunction with a contract. That would be highly unprofessional! If I knew the commission was wrong before closing. I still would have closed on time, then addressed this issue after the fact, without involving my buyer. It would be handled by the brokers or through arbitration.
  

• As for anti-trust issues... Be sure to read the entire post as a whole. Don't take one line out of context. I worked very hard at conveying what I've observed, while at the same time letting it be known that I DO NOT condone or participate in the many indiscretions I've observed over the years. I obviously was selling this house, regardless of the commission that was originally posted in the MLS. It just happened to be a mistake, according to the listing agent; and it was then raised. And the irony is, if he had ever just admitted to any of his mistakes, or apologized for his condescending attitude, and asked me to reduce my commission, I probably would have done so! But he remained a bully to the very end.
  

• Also, I repeatedly stated that all commissions are negotiable and that price fixing is illegal. While I do have copies of the MLS printouts forall the commission changes,it's unnecessary because the Board has back-door access to all changes that have been made. And they can call the listing office and get a copy of the listing agreement as well.

• And I've intentionally left this post open for the public to read. Nobody is naive enough to think that a single profession on earth is without problems behind the scenes. My intention is to make people aware that things are not always what they seem. And to encourage them to do their research.

• I should also add that in the last 8 years that I've been strictly selling real estate full-time, this is the first time I've ever had an experience this bad. It's very rare that I encounter a truly incompetent or dishonest agent. But this time I got both. And I think the public should be aware that although this is extremely rare, everything that happened in this transaction, is a possibility, and steps can be taken to be informed and prepared.

• Lastly, all it takes is for someone to flip through a few pages of my blog to know that this type of post is extremely rare for me to write! This was NOT an ordinary transaction. But that is what makes it both interesting as well as hard to believe. Even in the midst of all this, it all had a surreal feeling to it.
  

Truth is still stranger than fiction.  =)

 

 

Due to so many differing responses from different states where things are handled differently, this post was edited twice on 9-28-08. I hope I have everything clarified better now. To be honest, I had a lot of difficulty writing this post because I wanted to keep the facts straight, but at the same time not violate our Code of Ethics, or licensing laws. That is why some things were repeated so many times, and why I cannot, under any circumstances give out a name. However, one amusing thing that happened during this transaction was when I was at the REALTOR® Association one day and mentioned this agents' name, and the ladies at the Association informed me that they had their own name for him! I can't even repeat it, but it rhymed with his real name and was pretty hilarious. But how bad is your reputation, when the people who work at the Board of REALTORS® have received so many complaints about you that they have given you a very nasty nickname!?!

Regardless, I guess the original post may have had a more harsh tone to it. I guess I was still working through my thoughts, and the fact that I was treated so harshly. But my objective is really just  to find a way to tell the events in a way that provided information to both real estate professionals, and the public, in an educational manner.

Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Events blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

I recently posted a blog about a house I sold last week, that was in the worst condition I had ever seen. I also mentioned in that post that the listing agent for that house pretty much acted like he didn't want to sell the house. It was the worst transaction I've ever had.

Well, a little while ago I was just reading a couple of recent real estate blog posts by Broker Bryant titled "Does that 50 Cents Have to Be on the HUD?" and "Increase Property Showings by Treatng Your Peers with Respect". In writing this post, I was only going to reference these three posts, but then I also read one by Elizabeth Nieves titled F.S.B.O. does not stand for "material Facts Should Be Optional".

So what do all these seemingly typical real estate blog posts have in common? I mean, every one of these posts was just another story about REALTOR® experiences. But I happened to notice one common element in all these posts. Well, actually it was a missing common element. This missing element was sometimes missing from an listing agent, as in my post. In Elizabeth's post, the missing element was missing from certain real estate sellers. And in Broker Bryant's posts, it was missing from a selling agent. So what was this missing element? Very simply put, it was COMMON SENSE!  What the heck has happened to everyone's common sense? In order to understand my perspective, you'll need to read the referenced posts. But in the harsh light that exposes the loss of much-needed common sense, I thought we should take a moment to mourn it's loss.

So shall we right now take a moment of silence, to mourn the loss of our old friend "Common Sense". If anyone has knowledge of any living relatives of Common Sense, would you mind contacting them? We could really use their assistance.

If you're a real estate buyer or seller in the Daytona Beach area, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

View Daytona Beach area real estate MLS listings here.

View Daytona Beach area real estate MLS listing videos here.

 

 

Ponce Inlet Real Estate & Community Events blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

Believe it or not, the photos in this post are of a house I recently sold. We just closed last week. You should know that these sellers are experienced at buying and repairing houses that need a lot of work. But this house brings new meaning to needing a lot of work! It needs a LOT of work! And just before closing we had one more problem that caused the entire ceiling in the garage to collapse. Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of that disaster.

However, I do need to mention that during the course of this transaction, I had the extreme displeasure of working with the most incompetent listing agent I've ever met! I'll probably elaborate on that in a future post; with no names mentioned of course. Sometimes our Code of Ethics, that prevents us from bad-mouthing other agents, is what allows those agents to continue to do a huge disservice to their clients. (And it's unfortunate that we can't file a grievance against another agent, just for being an unprofessional jerk.) We can only hope that eventually, their actions will catch up to them. Because it's awfully hard, when in the future, you have a buyer who wants to look at real estate listings that match what these unprofessional agents have listed, to bring yourself to show them. It's very difficult to add those listings to what you have scheduled for your buyers to see, when you know that should your buyer decide they want to buy one of those listings, that listing agent will not only NOT do their job, but will for some unfathomable reason, apparently do everything they can to prevent the sale from happening!?!

For now, I'll let you enjoy the pictures of this listing that sat vacant on the market for about 2 years, in which the listing agent had never even entered!

 

 

In closing, what you see in every one of these pictures, is only the tip of the iceberg. The damage to this house was so extensive that if it these buyers hadn't come along, this house would have been condemned within the next year. So good luck *Amy. You've got your work cut out for you. But I know that you genuinely enjoy this type of work. I can't wait to see the end result of all your hard work.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com

 

 

(*Name was changed.)

Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Events blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

I was recently reading some interesting information about the last seller's market we experienced. The article mentioned a few things I had not previously given much thought. But the one thing that really jumped out at me was the fact that during the fastest and most-drastically peaking seller's market on record, many real estate buyers, upon finding the house they wanted; in their attempt to procure an advantage over other real estate buyers, chose to forego their inspections. They used this as a negotiating point.

Now for those of us who have been in the real estate business a while, we experienced some really crazy negotiations and transactions during the seller's market. I personally had many listings that sold within days, or even sold immediately, along with several other offers at the same time. And of course, many homes sold for well above the asking price. I also worked with buyers who knew they had to make their highest and best offer. So they made offers over the asking price, with a closing date that was as fast as the mortgage (or mortgages - we won't go there) could be completed. Yet sometimes this was still not the most appealing offer to the seller, so another offer would win and procure the sale. Things certainly have changed, haven't they? But I digress.

Going back to my initial thoughts; by choosing to have no inspections, in many ways, real estate reverted back to an industry that was detrimental to buyers. We had gone back to Caveat Emptor or "buyers beware". It was becoming an industry that our government long ago passed laws to change, with the intention of preventing it from happening again. This is why we now have property disclosures, mold disclosures, insurance disclosures, HOA and Condo disclosures, and contracts that are drafted by attorneys, with constant updates. In addition to these addendums and updates, our contracts are filled with clauses that explain every possible scenario and remedy, to help both buyers and sellers of real estate. These scenarios are mostly based on past problems that have been encountered. The knowledge of these problems is what causes our contracts and our industry to constantly evolve. And this constant evolution is why all real estate licensees are required to take continuing education classes and renew their real estate licenses every two years by either taking a test, or producing documentation of the required amount of continuing education credits to renew their real estate licenses.

So what we saw happening in the extreme seller's market, was a trend beginning to develop in which buyers decided to forego the inspections to which they are legally entitled; and where sellers began to assume that they did not have to disclose the known problems about the real estate they were selling; or those same sellers chose to reject any offers that were properly presented (and that might uncover something they had hidden) because they knew that eventually a less knowledgeable buyer or real estate agent would stumble across the real estate they were offering. The entire real estate industry and every party involved, would suffer if we did not have the legal requirements today, that we lacked in the past... back when Caveat Emptor ruled all real estate transactions.

So these changes we've been experiencing in the last few years, may not be all bad. No, I can't deny the negative impact that many people have experienced. Losing a home is one of the worst things I can think of. But from a strictly clinical standpoint, this time of real estate correction, may be more beneficial than we realize.

• In some markets, real estate had become drastically overvalued. A correction was needed.
  
• In the mortgage industry, many standards had become too lax. A correction was needed.
  
• And in the real estate buying process, MANY things needed to change! For starters, too many people thought they could get a real estate license and "get rich quick". In doing so, these agents were not in it for the long haul, therefore they did not treat their clients in the manner which they deserved. As the market cooled, many unethical agents left the business. That is something for which we can all be thankful! (Unfortunately, many excellent, long-term agents have also suffered, so please don't think I'm making light of this real estate market.)
• As my initial topic indicates, one of the benefits of this ongoing real estate market correction is the passing of the slippery slope of Caveat Emptor! Since buyers now have plenty of choices for their real estate investments, and are once again able to take their time in making their decision on how they want to invest, sellers must do whatever it takes to make their property stand out amongst all the competition. One example of pushing your real estate for sale, ahead of the competition is to have a home inspection aheada of time, and make all repairs BEFORE the house is placed on the market. And disclose, disclose, disclose!
  
• Today's real estate buyer is savvy. And with the many choices that are available to them, they have no reason to tolerate anything less than perfection. Todays buyer wants a house that's in move-in condition. And if they see a house that's sub-par compared to the competition, then they expect to pay a lot less, if they're expected to even lift a finger.
  

It's ironic how everything goes in cycles. And what goes around, comes around. Today's real estate market is the exact opposite of the markets of just a couple of years ago.

So if you're a real estate buyer, be sure to have the inspections to which you're entitled. And if you're a real estate seller, be sure to fully disclose all known problems, both past and present, with any residential real estate you're selling. And for both real estate buyers and sellers, be aware that real estate agents are not allowed to give legal advice, or to act in any manner that is outside the scope of their real estate licensing. So if you ever have any questions about your home inspection, you'll need to ask your home inspector those questions. If you have questions about your termite inspection, you'll need to ask your termite inspector those questions. And if you have any legal questions, you'll need to consult with a real estate attorney.

Here in the Daytona Beach area, even though we always recommend our clients have legal representation, it's actually rare for real estate buyers and sellers to be represented by a real estate attorney, other than to hire one to handle their titlework instead of using a title company; or, if there are extenuating circumstances such as divorce, estate settlements, etc. But in some states, the law actually requires that all real estate buyers and sellers be represented by an attorney. Regardless of your personal opinions on the matter, if you have legal questions, you will need to consult with a real estate attorney. Your real estate agent can lose their license for "attempting to practice law".

Also be VERY aware that you cannot under any circumstances, violate the Fair Housing Laws which indicate that you cannot discriminate against anyone who is in a protected class. In real estate, the classes for which you cannot discriminate are race, color, nationality, sex, religion, familial status or handicap. Never, is any real estate buyer, seller or licensed real estate agent allowed to discriminate. And any conversation that ventures into the area of discrimination is banned as well! So DO NOT discuss anything that even remotely touches on any area of discrimination. And definitely do not discriminate!

In closing, Welcome back to a more balanced real estate market. One that is not an antiquated business of Caveat Emptor! So real estate sellers, make sure you're prepared, in THIS market! (Click the preceding link for information on how to prepare your house to sell.)

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com

To buy or sell real estate in the Daytona Beach area, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

 

Ormond Beach Real Estate & Community Events blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

If you're looking for a place to move, or invest in real estate in Central Florida, or if you've been specifically considering the Daytona Beach area, you might want to consider buying real estate in the city of Ormond Beach. Ormond Beach is a beautiful community, just north of Daytona Beach.

I've written several blog posts about Ormond Beach, which cover everything from real estate market statistics with graphs and charts, to posts with fun things to do in the area. In this post I'm going to provide links to my previous Ormond Beach posts, so if you're a real estate buyer or seller, you can learn more about Ormond Beach. First of all, below you'll find a chart of the Ormond Beach real estate statistics for 2000-2007. This chart is also in one of my previous posts, so you'll be able to read the accompanying information about Ormond Beach real estate if you follow the link just before this.

Now for links to my previous posts about Ormond Beach...

Real Estate Market Report for October 2007

Chelsea Place-Ormond Beach Community Goes Green

Former Home of John D. Rockefeller in Ormond Beach FL

Ormond Beach: Discover our History

Ormond Beach FL: Florida Parks and Childhood Memories

Reaon to Buy Real Estate in Ormond Beach

Ormond Memorial Art Museum

Time for Fun in Ormond Beach FL

If you're interested in buying or selling real estate in Ormond Beach FL, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS.

 

 

THE Port Orange Real Estate & Community Events Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

If you live in Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach or any other city in the vicinity, you'll appreciate this information. As a local real estate agent, I understand the importance of networking. In today's society, most networking is done online. But it's still important to develop local relationships on both a personal and a professional level. So this post includes a list of local networking functions, with a little something for everyone.  Let's get started...

• Ormond Beach Women's Club meets on the 1st and 2nd Friday of every month at the Anderson-Price Memorial Building at 42 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach, FL. The club's objectives are, advancing charities, and promoting philanthropic, cultural and social interest among women of the community. Annual dues are $25.00. For more information, call 386-671-7547.

• Ormond Beach Kiwanis Club is welcoming new members. These meetings are held at the Anderson-Price Memorial Building, 42 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach, FL. Meetings are each Thursday at noon.

• Daytona Beach Red Hatters. Women aged 50 and over, get out your red had and enjoy luncheons every 3rd Saturday. Membership is free. For more information, call 386-254-0947 or 386-405-3267.

• Business and Professional Women of Halifax. Meet the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Sunset Harbor Marina and Yacht Club in Daytona Beach. Both guests and new members are welcome. Dinner meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m.

• PIB (Professional Independent Business) is a networking group of professionals who meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month at the Red Lobster on International Speedway Blvd. in Daytona Beach. For more information call 386-788-5268 or 386-615-6282.

• NEWB (Networking Entrepreneurial Women in Business) If you're a business woman who is interested in growing your business and helping other business women as well, then you're invited to join NEWB. Bring your lunch and meet in the conference room at the City Island Library, 105 E. Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach, FL from 12:00-1:00 p.m. For more information call 386-763-3836 or 386-843-2701.

• Toastmasters. Communication and leadership organization. Club chapters meet at various times and places in Volusia and Flagler counties. Guests are always welcome. For more information call 386-677-7727.

To buy or sell real estate in Ormond Beach or Daytona Beach FL, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron REALTORS, full all your real estate needs.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateVideos.com

 

 

Port Orange Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

 

A few days ago, I wrote a post called "How Would You Sell This House?".  If you haven't already, please read that post before this one. In that post, I outlined the problems that a Port Orange real estate seller was experiencing in selling his house. He was interviewing real estate agents when I met with him. But his house is already listed with another agent at this time. If you're a real estate agent, you know that we frequently get calls from real estate sellers who currently have their houses listed with another agent, whom they are considering replacing when the term of their listing expires. This was the case with "Ed". But Ed wanted more than to know what I would do differently than his current agent. He wanted specifics on how I would find a real estate buyer for his unique home.

One thing Ed was up-front about was that he was not looking to just get rid of his current real estate agent. She hasn't done anything wrong, and he has no problems with her. He just wants to sell his house. He said this several times. I should also mention that I know Ed's current REALTOR® and she is a good agent. Let's face it. In the real estate industry, REALTORS® know which real estate agents are easy to work with, and which ones are... let's just say "difficult", and leave it at that. Well, Ed's agent is a good one, and I told him that. And the fact that Ed was NOT bad-mouthing her, made me respect him. I wish there were more people like that in the world. Ed's house has been on the market for almost a year, and his REALTOR® has been telling him that if he needs to sell quickly, he'll have to reduce his price. She has been honest with him. He's in a very slow moving price range. And she's been keeping him updated on the climate of the real estate market in our area. So although Ed was interviewing other agents in anticipation of the upcoming expiration date of his listing, he made it clear that his only motivation was to sell his house. If he could find another agent who could give him a plan of action that his current agent had not provided, he would list his house with that agent when his current listing expired. But he was not going to list with another agent, strictly because his house had not sold yet. And he was not blaming his current REALTOR® for the lack of a sale. But he was doing some investigation by talking to other agents. (BTW, Ed's house is in the jumbo loan range.)

On the day I met with Ed, we talked for over 3 hours. Obviously, we discussed many things during that time. And one of the things I recommended to Ed was that although his house is truly worth his asking price, if he really wanted to sell quickly, he should consider pricing his home the same as his closest competition in his neighborhood. When we looked at his competition, we knew that Ed's house is by far, much better than this other house, but by pricing his house the same as the other one, whenever a buyer saw the other house, they'd see his too. It's not hard to see the logic in this. When viewing the 2 houses at the same price, Ed's house will blow the other one away! Any buyer would be crazy not to buy Ed's house, when comparing the two.

Well, today I got another call from Ed. He and his wife had read the blog I posted on how to sell their house, and they really liked it. But Ed was calling to let me know that he had reduced his price, exactly as I, AND his current agent had both suggested. So Ed is going to leave his listing with his current agent, and extend the listing for a few more months. According to Ed, he didn't feel right reducing his price, as his current agent had also recommended, and just giving the listing to another real estate agent. His current REALTOR has been trying to sell his house for almost a year, and has met Ed's expectations in regards to professionalism, keeping him updated, and doing all she could. The fact that his house had not sold yet was not her fault. So Ed feels he owes it to his current real estate agent, to at least give her the opportunity to procure a buyer at the newly reduced priced, instead of reducing it and giving the listing to another agent.

WOW! If you're a real estate agent, I'd like to know how many times you've heard a real estate seller say something like this. Because I usually see the opposite. And I've been on both sides of the proverbial coin on this one. Many sellers, at the end of one listing agreement, will move the listing to another brokerage, while at the same time pricing it the way their previous REALTOR had advised. (This makes no sense, whatsoever.) For REALTORS, this is beyond frustrating. Over time, when it happens to us, we just accept it because we're so used to real estate sellers ignoring our professional advice, until they list with another brokerage. How many of you would like to see more real estate sellers like Ed? I know I would.

So this blog post is a tribute to "Ed". Ed has given me hope (I'm not sure if that's a good thing.) that there are real estate buyers and sellers out there who are loyal, and really do trust our professional opinions about real estate. It seems to me that Ed knows there are those of us who spend a 40+ hours a week, (probably a lot more than 40) in the field, keeping our fingers on the pulse of OUR local real estate market, in addition to the national real estate industry, therefore we must know what we're doing. Unfortunately, there will always be a few agents in the real estate industry who seem to enjoy making us all look bad. But overall, the percentage of truly professional, knowlegeable, hard-working REALTORS far outweighs the ones who are not. (I'll have a post about one of the "nots" in a couple of weeks. Ugh!) And I felt obligated to write this post about the greatest real estate seller I've ever met. Because knowing there are people like Ed out there means more to me than having his listing next month. Of course, if it still hasn't sold by the next expiration date, I'll be gunning for Ed's listing. After all, the house is great too!

 

 

THE Daytona Beach Real Estate & Community Events blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

A few days ago I wrote a blog post to explain the basics of technology and search engine placement, and how we help each other when we post blogs with links to each other in them. I also addressed the importance of photos, and gave a very basic explanation of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The general idea is that we all need to help each other.

This post is to address the one thing I left out of the last post. It was in the title, but I didn't really address it in the post. The part I left out is the importance of commenting on other blog posts, and how it can help YOU!

In a nutshell, each time you comment on a blog post, it leaves a little link back to your blog. If you read my previous blog on this subject, and understood the basics of SEO, you'll realize how this can help you. It's similar to having another blogger insert links to your blog, or blog posts, into their own blog post. It helps your SEO.

Lastly, in order to get the most out of all this blogging and commenting, when you comment on someone else's blog, try to use key words from their post, within your own comment. If you're not sure about their keywords, use the cities mentioned, topic being discussed, and/or what's in the title, opening sentence, and closing paragraph, assuming that blogger knows about SEO. If they don't, hopefully this is one more post that will help  =)  Regardless, commenting using the system I just described help that blogger's SEO. And we're now back to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or "Pay it forward".

The more bloggers who know about this, the better we all can help each other and keep Active Rain blogs in the good graces of the Google juice, which brings us full circle in helping ourselves by helping each other. 

Happy Blogging and Commenting!

 

THE Port Orange Real Estate & Community Event Blog. By Lisa C. Hill, "THE SMART CHOICE!"

  Isn't it amazing that as a REALTOR®, no matter how long you've been in the business, you're constantly encountering new situations in real estate? But there's a good chance that another real estate agent has already experienced a situation that you have not, and vice versa. So this blog post is to ask for advice from other real estate agents who may have already experienced what I did today. Or even if you have not experienced this exact situation, you might have some fabulous ideas and advice. So here's my story and some questions...

Yesterday I got a phone call from a very pleasant man with a unique house to sell, and met with him today. His house is currently listed with another agent so I'm not going to "advertise" the house while it's still listed with the other agent. (And these photos are not of his house) But I am going to describe it since he asked me to help find a buyer, even while it's listed elsewhere. I have no problem with that. I'd love to sell his house!

This is just added! I didn't mention that "Ed" is planning to list his house with another brokerage when it expires. But only if he has good reason to do so. Right now, he's upset because his house has not sold in a year. So when his listing expires, if I can provide him with advice on how I can sell his house, without reducing the price, he will then list the house with me. But he also interviewed other agents. That's why I'm staying on top of this.

When this gentleman, we'll call him Ed, called me, he told me a little bit about his house, including the fact that it had been on the market for a year, and told me the price, and wanted to know what I would do to sell his house. I have to admit that when he told me his neighborhood and price, I immediately thought it was overpriced, (which is what his agent is telling him) and told him I needed to look at the applicable comps, as well as the active listings to determine price. He then told me that he was tired of hearing that because that's what every agent had been saying. His house had a lot more to offer than the other houses!

Right now, I can read your thoughts through your computer and mine! How many times have you heard that one before? But I proceeded to schedule an appointment anyway, then went home to start doing my research.

Today, I had my appointment with "Ed". I have to say, when I saw Ed's house, I totally changed my opinion on his price. Ed's house is worth every penny of what he's asking! I told Ed that one year on the market was the norm in our area, even though business was definitely improving. But when I pulled the recent sales for his neighborhooed, I found that only the houses that had recently sold were the ones in the section with the smaller, cheaper homes. And since his asking price is over $500,000, he's not only in the slower to non-existent sales range, he's also going to have the jumbo loan issue. But I still haven't addressed the real problem. The real problem is Ed's "in-law" apartment. The in-law area of Ed's house is absolutely incredible! It's the part of the house that actually makes Ed's house worth his asking price. But when Ed had his in-law apartment added to his house (at the time the entire house was being built), he "bent" the rules of what is allowed in Port Orange, and in his community. Now, as a result, Ed won't allow the in-law area to be advertised to the fullest extent, which is what is needed to produce the buyer for his house!

I spent 3 hours with Ed! We got along great and I gave him many ideas of things I would do differently that his current agent, had not done at all. Ed told me all the agents he had intereviewed. And I told him that he had honestly managed to find some very good agents. But I also, bluntly told Ed that he was tying our hands behind our backs by not letting us fully advertise the in-law suite. I suggested a few workarounds, but even with the workarounds, the limitations he was putting on us, would make it next to impossible to produce a buyer for his house. I'd like to tell you the suggestions I offered to Ed, but I know that Ed found me here on Active Rain, and I know he found another agent here also *cough: Midori* LOL. I ain't stupid girl. I'm not giving away all my secrets =P

So what I want to know is, if you had the opportunity to list a beautiful house in one of your favorite communities, that was actually worth the price that the seller was asking, but you couldn't advertise the part of the house that made it worth the asking price, what would you do?

• You're limitations are, you CAN advertise the in-law suite, but you can't include a photo of the kitchen or say that it has a full kitchen, which for the record is fantastic!
  
• You can include pictures of the bedroom, bathroom and living room in the in-law apartment, but you can't mention the separate entrance, or the fact that in the 3 car garage, there is a full dividing wall (without permits pulled) that separates the 2 car side from the 3rd car portion.
• You also can't mention the fact there is a private entrance from the 3rd car portion of the garage, directly into the in-law apartment.
  

Bear in mind, this can only function as an in-law suite, or possibly an area for your teen or young adult children. It definitely cannot be an apartment that you can rent out! So even if we could photograph and advertise all the features of the in-law suite, it must be clear that it cannot be rented out, due to city codes and the neighborhood HOA. But most people looking in this neighborhood will already know that, so don't get hung up there.

After all that, we still have to get past the jumbo loan price range, as well as the fact that there are very few houses in this price range that have sold this year at all. But it's my belief that those are hurdles that can be overcome, once we find a way draw in the buyers that are actually looking for a home with an "in-law apartment/long-term, comfortable, private area for other family members", given the constraints upon which "Ed" has insisted.

So what are your thoughts? Any ideas? Help me out here. I promised Ed (and his lovely wife: I met her just before I left) that I would be brainstorming for him. And I'll probably e-mail a link to this post to him. So what would you like to tell Ed?

And if you're a potential buyer for a house of this nature, please contact me today. I promised Ed that although I can't advertise his property while it's listed with another agent, I would still try to find a buyer. After all, that's the reason we have an MLS, and commissions that are shared. We all work together for the benefit of the client. And if you're interested in any type of real estate in Port Orange FL, or any of the nearby cities, make a Smart Choice and contact Lisa C. Hill with Adams Cameron & Co., REALTORS®.

View Port Orange and Daytona Beach area real estate MLS listings here

View Port Orange and Daytona Beach area real estate MLS listing videos here

 

 

Yesterday, I wrote a post that featured bloggers from around the country, who had written extraordinary blog posts for the Things to Do/Places to Visit Group, here on Active Rain. (Thanks for the gold star) Today I wanted to take the opportunity to point out something that most of you probably didn't realize when you read and commented on that blog post, and explain how and why I did it.

With each person that was featured in that post, I inserted their name, their profession, their place of business, and the area they served. I then highlighted all that information and inserted a link to their Active Rain info page, which contains that identical information. Then, within that link, I included a brief description of that same information on the description line. Now in case you're not aware of this, when internet search engines "look" at each new blog that's posted on Active Rain, they weigh the information in each blog post against other web sites, blogs, social networks etc., to determine how high it will rank when consumers enter search criteria that matches that data. So when you create or edit your own Active Rain home page, you should think carefully about what search words your desired consumer might be using, and setup your page accordingly. This will help the search engines categorize your blog in a manner that is most beneficial to your search engine placement (aka Search Engine Optimization or SEO). So be honest, be accurate, use spell check and write a professional description of yourself, your business and the areas you serve. And don't forget to think like the consumer and use good "keywords".

My next step in the process of featuring each blogger was to insert a link to the specific post they had written. In yesterday's post, and in any post I write, I choose the link title (the wording displayed on top of the link) carefully. The words on the link need to match the major key words of the subject matter, but they also need to be words that a consumer will be using for their web search. Once again, the goal is to obtain better SEO. There are billions of other blogs and web sites out there, competing for the same consumers.

Now here comes the most important part of this whole post. When I featured each of those bloggers, using the methods I just described, I gave them internet gold. One of the most desired and necessary aspects of good SEO is when another site or blog, links to your site or blog. Anytime someone else links to you, it drastically improves your SEO. And the higher the SEO of the site from where that link is coming, the more beneficial it will be to you. So hopefully, the folks I featured will all receive better search engine placement from the additional link they got from my blog post. And better yet, I have a couple of other outside blogs. If I place that post on those blogs, the recipients of those additional links will get an even greater boost.

I'll start my wrap-up by saying that I am far from being an expert on SEO! But I've learned a lot from the experts who are willing to share their knowledge, right here on Active Rain. But it can be very confusing, which is why I tried to start with the basics, by segueing from yesterday's post. I hope I've explained this simply enough for the newbies to understand. And I hope to see more bloggers who are willing to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", or "pay it forward" if you will. We can all help each other, and now that Active Rain has given us outside blogs in addition to the originals, and whatever other blogs we may have, we have the power in our own hands to reach the top of the search engines, without having to pay for placement! Now wouldn't it be a waste to not use this powerful knowledge and platform!?

The 2 things I didn't cover in this post are the importance of headers and footers. But instead of trying to explain, I'll just refer you to one of my more traditional real estate blog posts that has my standard header and pretty typical footer comments and links.

Oh! And one last thing. Don't forget your photos! A page full of text is just plain boring. *yawn* Start driving around your areas, taking good photos of whatever looks like possible blog fodder. And if you need some Copyright-Free, aka Creative Commons, aka Public Domain photos, I've got you covered there as well. Here's a post with a list of Creative Commons photos. Just make sure you provide a link back to the site where you found the photos, if the site rules tell you to do so. And I'll probably be posting another blog with more Creative Commons photos soon, since I've found more sites since I posted that blog.

Happy Blogging! And don't forget to pay it ~SEO~ forward!