Posts Tagged ‘real estate career’
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 14, 2011
Sometimes we all trip up and pull a Rick Perry. Regardless of the fact that it was just a slip up, we should never forget that perception is everything. That is true especially in our business where our primary contact is with the public. There are many ways that our customers and clients can become offended by what we say, wear, write, and display. Here are some examples of behaviors that you should avoid if you want your customers and clients to take you seriously.
I am going to start with something I did to offend. Several years ago I had a bumper sticker that said “God BlessAmerica”. Innocuous right? Wrong, I actually had another driver pull up beside me and Say “What do you mean? Why don’t you have a sticker that says God BlessFrance?” I swear that is exactly what he said and he shouted it at me. I no longer have any bumper stickers on my car AND neither should you. It’s not professional.
(more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, business, business voicemail, dana eskridge, Facebook, georgia, Metro Brokers, professional, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, success, Tips
Posted in Agents | 6 Comments »
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 »
September 12, 2011
Real estate is not a dangerous profession, but when you’re constantly asked to come in contact with perfect strangers or enter locations without any prior knowledge of the area, you have to keep your guard up…especially when working with foreclosed or vacant homes.
September is Realtor® Safety Month, and I thought I’d gather some safety tips that I’ve found on sites such as Realtor.org, Inman News, and Rismedia. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, Brenda Waters, foreclosure, georgia, listing, Metro Brokers, NAR, open house, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, Realtor Safety Month, safety tips, success, Tips, vacant
Posted in Agents | 4 Comments »
August 22, 2011
Most agents and homebuyers are not aware that the IRS is often one of the major delays to be able to meet the closing date on time. You may be asking, “How does the IRS delay the mortgage process?” Well, every mortgage lender in the U.S. today must obtain the IRS transcripts for the homebuyer’s last 2 years of filed federal tax returns.
These transcripts are provided by the IRS once the mortgage lender sends in the signed 4506-T form that allows the release of the homebuyer/borrower’s filed tax records.
The Mortgage Lenders must obtain a “Clear 4506-T Result” from the IRS before they can move the loan file forward and on to closing. There are many reasons for a FAIL result on a 4506-T request, but in 80% of the cases it is because of an “Invalid Address”. (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, closing success, failed closing, georgia, irs, irs 4506-t, Judy Jones, Metro Brokers, mortgages, Real Estate, real estate career, Realtor, success, tax records, Tips
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers | 3 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 »
August 1, 2011
I’ve attended quite a few conferences and trade shows in my time, and I think it’s important for agents to regularly attend these local events. There are several benefits of attending – first and foremost being the opportunity to get a leg up on your competition by keeping up with the latest trends in the business. It’s also a great time to network with other agents to find out what’s working (and not working) for them.
Trade shows are a particularly effective way to meet vendors whose products/services may benefit you. And let’s not forget all of the freebies and prize drawings! At the very least you’ll probably walk out with a reusable bag full of desktop trinkets, and you may even be the lucky winner of a gift card or electronic device! (more…)
Tags:Agent Reboot, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, georgia, Inman News, marketing, Metro Brokers, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, REtechsouth, showcase 2011, Social Networking, success, Tips, Tisha Gay, trade shows
Posted in Agents | 2 Comments »
July 5, 2011
Realtors and smartphones go together like peas and carrots. It’s an absolutely crucial tool for agents, since it allows them to get their email, search the web, and keep in regular communication with their clients. Nowadays, the most popular smartphones are Android devices.
There are more than 50 Android phones currently on sale in the U.S. alone. In fact, Google’s Andy Rubin – Senior VP of Engineering who oversees Android – recently said that there are more than 500,000 Android device activations daily. (more…)
Tags:android, android for real estate, apps, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, camcard, dropbox, evernote, georgia, marketing, Metro Brokers, qik, qr droid, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, smartphone, success, supra ekey, Tips, Tisha Gay, weather channel, zillow
Posted in Agents, Buyers, Sellers, Uncategorized | 5 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 20, 2011
We all know that over the past few years, sellers have had a very hard time coming to grips with the fact that their home has probably lost considerable value. But what are buyer’s expectations like in our current market? Do they really think that they will find a luxury estate in a posh neighborhood for $50K? The answer is YES.
However, while they’re going to get a better deal than 3-5 years ago, there are limits as to what your dollar will buy you. The old adage “you get what you pay for” still applies.
What can agents do to better prepare and educate their buyers about the housing market in metro Atlanta? (more…)
Tags:atlanta, atlanta real estate, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, home price, Metro Brokers, pricing, Real Estate, real estate agent, real estate career, Realtor, sales price, success, Tips
Posted in Agents | 5 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 »
My heart goes out to the good folks in the mortgage business these days. Business is TOUGH! 
