Real Estate Information

I had a home inspection this morning. I represent the buyers.  We arrived at the home bright and early.  Low and behold, our seller was at home and she proceeded to tell us EVERYTHING!!!  Oy!

She was happy that we offered full priced because she isn't a negotiator!  Back when she sold real estate (great, an ex-agent) she always had her clients offer the best offer first, take it or leave it because she isn't a negotiator.  She went on to add that she didn't intend on doing repairs and she didn't negotiate on those things either.

Has her agent not discussed this process with her?  Was she unaware that many people in real estate do, indeed, negotiate, in fact, that is how we spend our days.  Did she feel the need to have to alienate and/or offend her buyers?  Probably not!!  As agents, we have a responsibility to talk with our clients and advise them honestly.  Have your sellers leave during the home inspection.  Not only because it is long and invasive but because pride of ownership makes it, often, very hurtful.  This can and is reflected in what the sellers say to the buyers and the inspector.  Then, we agents have to repair and rebuild a seller/buyer relationship which should never have been allowed in the first place. 

We need to save our sellers from themselves.  Ask them to leave during the inspection, have lunch or catch a movie.  If they insist on being home ask them to be in another part of the home from the buyers and inspector.   This makes the inspection process so much easier.

Wow, did I get an earful from a client!!

I saw her name in the paper (again, she has really dug in her heels to be an active part of our community!). Anyway, I called to brag on her and tell her thank you for being such an inspiration to relocating families everywhere.  She had been invited by our local Observer Newspaper to be a part of a newcomer's forum.  She and fifteen others got together to tell the newspaper and each other what they thought of moving to Charlotte!  I mentioned that I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall and she got kind of quiet.    She went on to tell me that real estate agents got HAMMERED!!

There was an African American woman who's agent would not show her specific neighborhoods she asked to see.  She had already signed a buyer agreement and felt her hands were tied so she bought a home with this guy she refers to very negatively.  My  client had actually been working with another agent when she called me and asked if I would show her homes in Harrisburg.  Of course, I would.  Later on I learned that the agent before me refused to show her anything in Cabarrus County saying, "You won't like that a bit!" The agent wouldn't elaborate on tax rates or schools saying it wasn't important because she wouldn't live there.   My client's comment was, "He was going to have us live in Huntersville come hell or high water!"  Nothing wrong with Huntersville.  Love the city!  It just wasn't for her family.

Thankfully, my client stood up for us saying that her REALTOR (ME!!!) was brought to her as a gift from God.  Not often I get devine praise but I'll take it.  She did say that people got their issues worked out but real estate agents fell very low in the eyes of the moved and the moving.

 Folks, what can we do???  We have to have a better screening process before handing out the licenses.  Maybe raise the fees to astronomical amounts to weed out the low producers who don't do enough business to stay in touch with the changing marketplace?  I mean steering, really!!! In this day and age of embraced diversity not to mention the "law suit happy" culture we live in today we have to believe in the equal rights policies of F.R.E.S.H. C.O.R.N.  

Part of my job that I enjoy the most is meeting people.  You meet regular folk, odd folk, celebrities, etc.  And they are all different.  All of 'em!  I love that!!!  And the consistent comment I get is, "She listened and took me right to what we were looking for."   We need to listen and care about what we hear from our clients.  When we all do that I know our reputation as REALTORS will explode.

What a wonderful morning I had this morning.  I went all over creation taking photo after photo after photo.  Am I nuts?  Do I do this all the time?  Nope, just once a week for my out of town clients who are building new construction.  This is one of my "points of difference" and my clients eat it up as well as the on-site agents.

I tell my clients at the onset of the building process that one of my perks as that I will come by the site and take pictures amuck so they can feel a part of the process.  I set up each client with their own website with the pictures in seperate files (i.e., footers poured, framing up, roof on, pre-drywall, etc).  My clients can log in anytime, anywhere and show off their home!  I also, take pictures of each wall in each room during the pre-drywall walk to illustrate for the buyers where all of the pipes and electrical wires are run.  This series of photos actually get their own disc for folks to reference later on when they want to add a door or take out a wall, etc.  

The on-site agents love this because my clients know immediately if they have a question about something and we get it addressed quickly instead of all the backpeddling.  The clients also remember to call me with questions first which helps cut down on the "he said," "she said" mess that means nothing unless it made it to paper. 

And, just last week I found a company who will bind my favorite 150 photos in a hard cover book format with and wording I want for only $35.00!!!  So I get to follow up by giving them a coffee table book of their home being built.  And my logo and info (discreetly) on the cover.  How cool is that?

I have gotten several referrals to family members who appreciated how well I took care of so-n-so and can't wait to get their own pictures.  My clients know I didn't just sign a contract and dissappear until the check is cut.

My CRS classes  stressed knowing your points of difference.  I believe this counts.  

Nicely nestled between the Appalachian Mountains and the Outer Banks.  Nicely nestled between Washington DC and Florida. Nicely nestled in the heart of the South, in the Bible belt, in NASCAR country, horse country...I could go on and on.  North Carolina is now the 10th largest state and the 7th fastest growing state because if you want it in North Carolina, you got it!!

In addition to being in a central location on the east coast we actually experience the best of all four of our glorious seasons.  You can't beat our gardens in the spring, our beaches in the summer, our mountains in the fall, or our Christmas spirit over the winter season.  

Here in the Charlotte region we are enjoying a strong real estate market.  We are projected have one of the strongest real estate markets in the country over the next year. 

This is not the Charlotte of the "old South."  We have quickly become a wonderfully diverse and forward thinking region.  While we have grown into a financial capital and urban mecca we have not lost that Southern charm we are known for.  When you come to North Carolina you can't help feeling cared for.  That is what we do, we care for our neighbors and it shows.  Our people are just as inviting as our weather. 

I was born and raised in this beautiful state.  I gave it a try in the northeast and the midwest; both areas had some fantastic qualities but North Carolina always called me back home.  Am I surprised that North Carolina is the 10th largest state and is growing so quickly? Not me.  Come for a visit.  You will want to stay!

We all know we have to know the product we sell.  We also have to love the product we sell in order to be successful.  There is a neighborhood down the road that is behind a school.  Is it my favorite neighborhood? no.  Are the values doing well? yes.  Is it a nice location? yes  On up the road from the neighborhood is a landfill.  Not right next door but on up the road three quarters of a mile or so.  The landfill has been there since 1993 and is visable from the road no matter which end of the road you come in on. My question is how far out is that a material fact?  

There are two nice neighborhoods directly across the street from the landfill.  They have not suffered in property values at all!  In fact both neighborhoods have new construction phases going on in them and they are well established neighborhoods. 

I ask this question because I had a client who got upset that she is "right next to the dump."  Long story, short.  She is finding another home but I am not sure where this falls with regards to liability.  Now I am curious.  My client had five properties (including two fully treed buffer zones) between her home and the property owned by the landfill company.  That property owned by the landfill company was attached to the property being currently used for the landfill but was newly acquired acreage.  The new acreage wasn't expected to be worked into the landfill for another five to ten years.  As well, much of the newly acquired land was intended as buffer for the active portion of the landfill.  It was unusable due to water flowing through it.  Before she signed any contracts we quizzed the on site agent at length regarding the lands around the neighborhood.  He insisted it was all privately owned. And didn't know of any plans for any of it and couldn't make any promises.  

I have since heard from another agent that she had a client get out of a new construction contract over two miles away from the landfill.  They were even made aware of the location of the landfill beforehand and later changed their minds anyway!

I don't want to misrepresent any of my clients but how far out do we go? We also have a speedway in Concord.  Lowes Motor Speedway, you may have heard of it.  Now, a motor speedway is loud!!  I live in Harrisburg around six miles away and I hear the track twice a year during the races.  I disclose the track to all clients by driving by and having discussions about race weeks, noise, and traffic.

When i checked with the NC licensing board for some more definitive answers about material facts I couldn't get much.  If something isn't an environmental hazard and it isn't adverse to the property (failing property values, etc.) then there isn't a material fact. I have always disclosed the landfill to the neighborhoods across the street from it but do I really need to go out a three mile radius?  Five mile radius?  Any ideas?