Having worked at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel for over 7 years, I can still repeat the credo if asked. When you talk about servicing your internal (your co-workers) and external (the people who support your business) customers, their motto has always been “we’re ladies and gentleman serving ladies and gentleman.”
Learn to give “white glove” service
November 16, 2009 by Michael McFaddenIt’s Official – Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended (and expanded)!
November 9, 2009 by Judy Jones
It’s going to be a very happy holiday season now that the bill that includes the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit extension and the new Current Homebuyer Tax credit was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Friday, November 6! Best of all, it’s effective immediately!
The bill extends the existing $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers, plus adds a new credit for current homeowners of up to $6,500.
Short Sales Rules Change
November 2, 2009 by Ann Bone
Recently we’ve seen news items about Wells Fargo and Wachovia “suspending” foreclosures and Freddie Mac hiring people to literally knock on the doors of delinquent borrowers they cannot otherwise get in touch with. What’s going on?
This is a small part of the Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable program, launched October 1, 2009. MHA will target support to working homeowners who have made every possible effort to stay current on their mortgage payments by providing new access to refinancing and offering reduced monthly payments. Full information for homeowners and agents can be found at www.makinghomeaffordable.gov.
Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended?
October 30, 2009 by Judy Jones
Extended or Not Extended? This is the question on most people’s mind as it relates to the Homebuyer Tax Credit.
The media has been buzzing with the news that the Homebuyer Tax Credit has been extended, and a new tax credit of up to $6,500 for repeat homebuyers who have owned their current home for 5 years or longer is available.
This news broke after a congressional aide leaked positive news about the extension of the tax credit. Unfortunately the news stories did not lead with the fact that this congressional aide spoke to the media under the condition of anonymity, because “he WAS NOT authorized to publicly discuss the deal that Senators have been considering.”
Chinese Drywall – A Homeowner’s Nightmare
October 26, 2009 by Dana Eskridge
As Shakespeare might say, “Something smells rotten in the state Of Georgia (and other states too).” I’m talking about Chinese drywall, the newest construction environmental issue.
Chinese drywall hit our shores in 2000 due to a shortage of American made drywall. We were going through a huge building boom and a few years later the shortage grew worse when Louisiana had the Katrina disaster.
How to Purchase a Foreclosure on the Courthouse Steps
October 19, 2009 by Ann Bone
Ever wonder what the foreclosure process is really like on the courthouse steps? Check it out some time.
Properties are auctioned at the courthouse steps of the county where they are located on the first Tuesday of every month. These properties must be advertised in the legal newspaper of that county once a week for the four consecutive weeks prior to the auction. This gives you a little time to try to find out more about the property.
Listening: 5 Tips To Help You Produce Better Results
October 14, 2009 by Tisha Gay
I don’t know about you, but people who talk too much can sometimes be annoying. They’re so caught up in what they’re saying and selling themselves as an expert that they forget about the most important person in the conversation – the customer.
If you’re talking more than 50 percent of the time during a conversation, you could be alienating others. Ask yourself these questions and start learning tips to improve your service with buyers and sellers:
Foreclosures, REOs, Short Sales and Auctions – What’s the difference?
October 12, 2009 by Ann Bone
Today’s hottest properties are perceived to be “Foreclosures”. Everyone wants to look at “foreclosures” and buy for pennies on the dollar. The terms “foreclosure” and “pre-foreclosure” seem to be applied to many different types of properties, but what exactly does “foreclosure”, “REO”, “short sale” and “auction” mean? Which are the best bargains? How do potential buyers locate and bid on these properties? What restrictions should a buyer anticipate?
Reluctance to Relocating on the Rise
October 8, 2009 by Dana Eskridge
Yes, there is a definite new trend out there in the relocation world. Reluctance to transfer is up 79% according to an article in Mobility magazine’s September issue. The main reason cited is that most transferees are having a hard time selling their current homes.
No surprise there. Most sellers cannot believe that they may have a “loss-on-sale”. They want to know what their options are first. We now know that these and other issues facing transferees are causing a shift in the strategies employers are using to evaluate the employees chances of having a successful move and giving the transferees more options for a new assignment.
GREC: Protecting the Public
October 5, 2009 by Ann Bone
Many Atlanta real estate buyers or sellers may not realize the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC) is there to help them if a situation arises.
In addition to setting the pre-licensing education requirements, testing standards, licensing requirements and continuing education requirements for real estate licensees in Georgia, the GREC is also a resource for the public to use if/when members of the public feel that they have not been dealt with fairly by licensees. The GREC takes complaints from the public very seriously and investigates every situation for which they receive a written request. Frustrated or unhappy buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords sometimes threaten real estate licensees with, “I’m going to report you to the Real Estate Commission.” Smart licensees know this is a serious matter.
How exactly is the public protected by the GREC?
The Relocation Agents of the Future
October 1, 2009 by Dana Eskridge
All aspects of our industry are changing rapidly. Sometimes adversity allows us to look at the way we live and work in a different way. The relocation industry is undergoing some major changes now and will endure even more in the future. Therefore the future relocation agent will work differently as well.
Let me suggest what the future Atlanta relocation agent might need to be prepared for:
The Really Good Moments…
September 28, 2009 by Ann Bone
Real estate has been a very rough business lately. Sometimes I have to remind myself that working in residential real estate satisfies a basic human need for shelter. And don’t we live for the moments when we know we’ve contributed to make a family happy and safe?
One of my favorite memories concerns a family moving to Atlanta from Salt Lake City, Utah. The family had moved to Salt Lake as a job transfer and had expected good things. Unfortunately, they were dismayed to find that their children had difficulty making friends, weren’t invited to functions and weren’t included in play activities because of their religion. The husband eventually took a lower paying job in Atlanta to allow his family to be near other Catholic families.
Flooding in Georgia Brings Insurance to Forefront
September 22, 2009 by Glen Curry
Flooding in Atlanta affected Metro Brokers office in Woodstock
The recent torrential rains, resulting in widespread flooding, have caused many Georgia homeowners to re-think the insurance coverage they currently have in place. Areas that have either never flooded (at least no record of flooding) are under water from swollen streams and creeks. We’ve all seen the news reports showing homes with water up to the roof tops in the most severe areas. In other areas, the water flooded basements and crawl spaces, then subsided to leave a huge mess behind.
At Metro Brokers Insurance, we’ve literally been “flooded” with calls from clients filing claims for damages. We’ve also seen a marked increase in the number of calls from people wanting to purchase Flood Insurance.
Flood Insurance, why do I need Flood Insurance? Doesn’t my Homeowners Insurance policy cover flooding? The answer is “No”.
Mastering Your Craft
September 21, 2009 by Michael McFadden
Once you find yourself doing what it is you enjoy, always practice, practice, practice on getting better. Remember the Allen Iverson controversy (2006) “practice, we talking’ about practice”. We’ve heard that statement many times before with how important practice is, but so many times we get very complacent with our performance.
We do just enough to get by! Just enough so that everyone thinks we’re working hard. Do you know what separates the best from average? Practice! I’ve said it a thousand times before, what does Tiger Woods do when he’s not playing golf? Practicing. What do athletes do after a big game? They go back and watch tape and you guessed it…Practice.
Should First Time Buyers Avoid Short Sales? Right Now…Yes!
September 14, 2009 by Ann Bone
It’s already September and the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Income Tax Credit (ITC) ends on November 30, 2009. That means that buyers hoping to take advantage of the ITC need to close on or before November 30.
Assuming that the “average” conventional loan is taking 30 days to close, 45 days for the “average” FHA, 60 days for the “average” VA loan, these buyers need to be UNDER CONTRACT on a property within the next 30 days! It’s time for the last-minute lookers to get in gear and begin their searches.
