Posts Tagged ‘ann bone’
January 23, 2012
My heart goes out to the good folks in the mortgage business these days. Business is TOUGH!
A significant percentage of buyers come equipped with enough bad credit baggage to fill a truck, what with having done a recent short sale or having a recent foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure (same as a regular foreclosure, but it sounds nicer) or strategic foreclosure (a purposeful decision to walk away from a debt they CAN pay but don’t WANT to pay – don’t get me started on these).
Combine that with the over-reaction of underwriters making it nearly impossible to qualify for a loan if the buyer has to put gas in the SUV on the way to the closing (“Oops, sorry, that gas charge 15 minutes ago just bumped your debt ratio out of whack”) or if part of the buyer’s down payment is the gift money received from Grandma for graduation and Grandma made the money having a garage sale or the buyer’s publicly traded employer has recently filed a negative outlook report with Wall Street or any number of other scenarios.
Add in the burden of complex Good Faith Estimates which have to be redone every time anyone sneezes and you have a frustrating mix. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Consumer Protection Financial Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Frank-Dodd Act, georgia, good faith estimate, loan officer, marketing, Metro Home Mortgage, mortgages, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, success, Tips
Posted in Agents | 3 Comments »
December 27, 2011
When I became licensed as a real estate agent years ago, I am embarrassed to admit that I actually worried that I would need an elegant wardrobe and expensive shoes to fit the image of the “ladies who play tennis in the morning and play real estate in the afternoon”. I didn’t and still don’t play tennis. I entered the real estate business as a full-time professional. BUT… after having a Ferragamo sucked off in the mud at a new construction site, getting countless stiletto heels caught and skinned on hundreds of wooden decks, and watching my leather shoes crack from repeatedly getting wet, I learned that practical footwear rules!
The ideal female real estate shoe wardrobe, all of which should be kept in the trunk of an agent’s car at all times for instant access and use would include: (more…)
Tags:ann bone, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, shoes for real estate agents, success, Tips
Posted in Agents | 24 Comments »
November 18, 2011
BHGRE Metro Brokers and CBC Metro Brokers enjoy a wonderful relationship with the Georgia Real Estate Commission (GREC), primarily due to our excellent training, readily available Broker Support and the integrity of our agents. That’s not to say we’re perfect, by any means! What are the most frequent complaints filed with the GREC by the public and other licensees which result in citations, sanctions, suspensions and revocations? The top ten complaints follow with some suggestions as to how to avoid mistakes which may lead to complaints. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, georgia, grec, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, success
Posted in Agents | 1 Comment »
November 7, 2011
Have you heard the news that, beginning January 1, 2012, real estate licensees who are not Realtors® (not members of a Board or Association of Realtors®) will no longer have free access to GAR Forms? All agents affiliated with BHGRE Metro Brokers and CBC Metro Brokers are required to be Realtors and will have access to GAR Forms, but this will be a big change for some other companies that don’t require membership.
Once 2012 begins, non-Realtors® will have to pay a $199 annual licensing fee for access to GAR Forms. The GAR Forms will recognize the NRDS numbers of Realtors®. When non-Realtors® try to access the GAR Forms and cannot provide a NRDS number, they will be offered the opportunity to pay the annual licensing fee online. No fee payment, no GAR Forms access. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, contracts, copyrights, GAR, gar forms, georgia, Georgia Association of Realtors, Metro Brokers, non-realtors, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, success
Posted in Agents | 33 Comments »
October 31, 2011
With apologies to the Addams family,
They’re creaky and they’re spooky,
Overgrown and sooty,
They’re altogether pukey,
My REO lis-tings.
They smell and reek of urine,
Seem moldy and all furry,
They really are unnerving,
My REO lis-tings.
So get your rubber gloves on,
Your tetanus injection,
We’re going to go and check on
My REO lis-tings!
Okay, so REO listings aren’t the only scary listings, are they? I used to carry a bath towel draped over my shoulders when showing one listing in Dunwoody. The owner’s cat liked to lurk in the drop ceiling of the basement and every time I went down the basement stairs when showing the place, the cat would leap out of the ceiling and claw my shoulder. A couple of bloody
blouses later and I learned – be the first one down the stairs to spare any prospective buyers from attack and protect myself with the “towel shawl”. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, georgia, halloween, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, scary, seller
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 2 Comments »
October 24, 2011
There’s a great old comic strip about real estate closings. It shows a long narrow boat, like the crew boats you see pictures of rowing up and down the Charles River in front of Harvard and MIT in Boston. In the comic strip, there are at least 8 rowers (sometimes 10 or 12), but they’re dressed in business suits and “business casual” attire. In addition to their oars, they have briefcases and computers with them, along with 6’ levels and several file folders. The “coxswain” (the guy facing backward at the front of the boat with the megaphone) announces, “PREPARE TO CLOSE!” The rowers count off with military precision, (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, closing table, coxswain, georgia, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, rower, seller, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 7 Comments »
October 10, 2011
There are so many things that Realtors and their customers need to be aware of when dealing with HUD properties. And if your buyer is purchasing a HUD property and utilizing FHA financing, there’s even more to consider. The following tips will help you get to a successful closing.
Be sure to check out the HUD class we’re offering that discusses all of the changes that went into effect in October. The class is tomorrow (Oct. 11) at 10am inAtlantaor you can take it on Friday (Oct. 12) inWoodstockat 10am. Use the promo code “HUD“ to take the class for free. See details below. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, fha financing, georgia, housing and urban development, HUD, hud homes, Metro Brokers, mortgages, Real Estate, real estate agent, seller, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
September 26, 2011
I love real estate. It’s “matchmaking” between buyers and properties. A happy match can be very rewarding financially and emotionally. Looking through literally tens of thousands of listings, trying to “read between the lines” and “see between the pictures” to find the perfect match for a buyer can be daunting. Thank heavens so many real estate agents use humor in their listings!
Humor? Yes, whether they realize it or not, agents repeatedly use certain words or phrases to present their listings in the best possible light. We call that “puffing”. Puffing is legal and useful. Have you learned the true meaning of “puff” words? Below are some of my favorites, along with my interpretation of what those terms really mean. Add your favorites to the list! (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, georgia, listing, listing comments, marketing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor, seller, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 13 Comments »
August 15, 2011
“We start out wanting to do good and wind up wanting to do well” – Michael Josephson.
Real estate is a complex business at its best. Meeting and cultivating prospective clients takes time, creativity, patience and stamina. Showing properties to prospective buyers or attracting prospective buyers to listed properties takes research, persistence and a LOT of energy. Overcoming objections to making an offer or negotiating an offer could try the patience of any of us. All this for a commission, IF the deal gets to the closing table.
The temptation to “help” this process along by either embellishing information (“This property will appreciate greatly within the next couple of years; there’s a big box store going in on the next corner.”) or withholding information (“No, the roof doesn’t leak; that’s just where someone spilled a lot of water.”) can be great. So great, in fact, that both the Georgia Real Estate Commission and the National Association of Realtors® Code of Ethics are founded upon “protecting the public”. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, ethics, georgia, listing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, real estate ethics, Realtor, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 2 Comments »
June 27, 2011
Who has $200 to $1,000 to spare these days? The Georgia Real Estate Commission is cracking down on a variety of “falsifications”, and you could receive a fine of thousands of dollars for committing only ONE of the following:
- Fill in your company and the amount of earnest money in Par. 4, but don’t actually collect the personal check, money order or certified funds from the buyer yet. Did the buyer fax you a copy of the check he intends to mail to you? Sorry, but that won’t be accepted for deposit by the bank. Oh, and be ready to pony up the amount of the earnest money, too, just in case the buyer doesn’t provide it to you later.
- Check “IS representing the Buyer” in Par. 13.A.3 but don’t get the Buyer to actually sign an Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Agreement first. Hey, they’re your friend and been riding in your car; that’s enough to establish an agency relationship, isn’t it? (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, falsifications, fines, georgia, grec, listing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, success, Tips
Posted in Agents | 4 Comments »
June 13, 2011
Realtors® are expected to demonstrate competence in working with or representing buyers, tenants and owners. Ninety-nine percent sincerely try to fulfill this requirement. To do so, Realtors® must know the “rules of the game”. Imagine playing Monopoly or some other fairly involved game with someone who has never played that game before. They don’t know the rules. They have no clue that Boardwalk is a better property to build houses and hotels on than Baltic Avenue. They don’t understand the value of accumulating all the properties of one color or accumulating all the utilities or railroads. Who do you think will win the game every time? Right, the person who knows and understands the rules of the game.
In order not to be caught in the embarrassing position of “not knowing the rules” and possibly looking less than “competent” in the eyes of your buyers and sellers, check out the following MYTHS which trip up many, many agents. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, due diligence, georgia, listing, listing agent, Metro Brokers, monopoly, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate myths, real estate offer, Realtor, sales contract, short sale, success, Tips
Posted in Agents | 9 Comments »
May 23, 2011
I just found the perfect gift for everyone on my holiday gift list! Yes, I know it’s only May but when an epiphany like this strikes, I pay attention.
The perfect gift is a special fabric pouch which blocks all incoming calls to a cell phone. The nami fabric made bags can block cell phones from receiving calls. Your numbers appear as “unavailable” or “busy network” to the person calling you. The bag also can be used as a pocket for money or cards. It works with all networks and is easy to use, just put your phone into the bag and all calls will not get through. I’ve even seen a version to be used on a date or social occasion embroidered with, “I’ve blocked my phone for you.” How romantic.
How practical in business situations, too. Have you seen the commercials on TV when an interviewee’s phone goes off at the wrong time and the (foolish) interviewee ANSWERS it? And holds her finger up to the prospective employer in a gesture telling him to “hold on”?
Here are several other cell phone turn-offs I’ve encountered: (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, business, cell phone, cell phone jammer, cell phone manners, courtesy, Metro Brokers, nami fabric, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 10 Comments »
April 11, 2011
So much of our daily communication is by email. We email friends and coworkers, customers and clients as a regular part of our day. Sometimes we can forget that our written words can be easily taken in unintended ways. What may be acceptably casual and friendly with friends at the tennis club may appear lazy and poorly written to a client. Quick responses may seem efficient to us, but may come across as terse. And when we get angry and commit those thoughts to email, they can come back to haunt us well after the emotion has passed.
I searched the web for some email etiquette pointers and thought I’d share some of the best ones with you.
A few well placed words like “please” and “thank you” go a long way to make your requests polite. Make sure your email includes a courteous greeting and closing. Greetings and closings help your email seem less demanding and terse. Are you stuck on how to close an email? Here are some suggestions: (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, email, email etiquette, georgia, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 6 Comments »
April 4, 2011
Continued from “D-I-V-O-R-C-E and Real Estate, Part 5”.
Divorces involving jointly owned real estate ARE real estate transactions with a Buyer and a Seller. Usually neither is represented by anyone having any knowledge of real estate matters. Typically neither performs even the most basic Due Diligence to determine what he/she OWNS, what he/she OWES and what he/she WILL BE STUCK WITH once the divorce is final.
Why don’t divorcing spouses do Due Diligence? They may think they cannot afford it. But much of the needed Due Diligence can be performed at no cost to the divorcing spouses. Even the Due Diligence activities which require the use of fee-based professionals are very modest in comparison to the risks avoided. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, divorce, due diligence, georgia, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 3 Comments »
March 21, 2011
Continued from “D-I-V-O-R-C-E and Real Estate, Part 4”.
Previous segments of this blog have discussed the necessity of divorcing spouses doing sufficient Due Diligence regarding the real value, the current condition and the known and unknown risks of jointly owned real estate.
I’ve saved the biggest bombshell for last. Real estate practitioners are too well acquainted with this “problem”, because we deal with the repercussions every day. It’s the MORTGAGE HANGOVER.
Sadly, divorcing spouses actually believe their divorce decree. (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, divorce, georgia, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 1 Comment »
My heart goes out to the good folks in the mortgage business these days. Business is TOUGH! 
What Are We REALLY Saying About Our Listings? (Puffery de-Puffed)
September 26, 2011Humor? Yes, whether they realize it or not, agents repeatedly use certain words or phrases to present their listings in the best possible light. We call that “puffing”. Puffing is legal and useful. Have you learned the true meaning of “puff” words? Below are some of my favorites, along with my interpretation of what those terms really mean. Add your favorites to the list! (more…)
Tags:ann bone, atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Buyers, georgia, listing, listing comments, marketing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, Realtor, seller, success, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 13 Comments »