Rate A Home Blog

Just when you thought you were the King of Real-Estate.

Along comes the buyers market making them the King! More so then ever, the seller has become the pawn. The large inventory of homes on the market has tuned the agent into the Knight.

In the not to long pass, agents were shakers and movers. A continuous forward moving group that could get the job done. Now, like the Knight it's two steps forward and one step to the side. Eventually, the agent makes their way across the game board, but not without added moves and some side stepping.

Without adding services for the customers an agent can find themselves placed along side the playing board watching the game go on without them. This is where the pawn and the king can place them back in the game if the agent is willing to go to battle for them with outstanding services and tools. Now the King and Pawn has become your mate in the real-estate game of life.

The Knights reward comes at the closing table when they are presented with the two words of Check Mate!

Tools to Streamline the game of Real-estate:

Rating program to help the buyers choose the right home for their needs. The first step to reaching Check Mate.

Testimonial of how the King will percieve your services.

Walk through Check List to track the features of each property, saving the Knight and King return trips.

Wish List program that works as a FREE lead generator to add to the Knights web site.

Open House Check List to streamline the process.

Monthly Budget Calculator to prepare the mates for home ownership.

Moving Check List once you hear the words Check Mate.

Agent and Builder advantage

RU a Good Knight? 

Photo courtesy of www.freefoto.com

After reading the paper today for the umpteen month in a row, still no positive news for the market.

It's tough enough to get the buying public in a positive mode let alone day after day, month after month they are infiltrated with negative news.

If I would continually tell my children that they are not up to par with the rest of the kids in this world, eventually they will be brain washed into believing me that the facts are true. BTW, the kids are excellent in my eyes (in case they stumble upon my blog.) Grin.

Going back to the buyers, IMHO they have been brained washed by the media into negative thinking. Every part of the sector is ripe for an expansion, but mean while it lies stagnant.

It's now up to the agents to create positive news. At this point the news won't surround the excellent sales or gain of equity as we all know. In turn, the positives have to start from self created outstanding service one may provide, or the help you may have provided to relocate a family in need.

I feel it would be advantageous to the A/R Family if we could post new release's that each of could forward to our local papers. Your thoughts?

Are you still leading buyers to chose the place they will call home purely on emotions?

Purchasing a home becomes (in most cases) the largest investment in life. We wouldn't approach our 401k investments solely on emotions, therefore our buyers should approach the largest investment with the same due diligence approach as we would expect from our investment adviser.

Today, the buyer's due diligence approach can be achieved by the Real-estate Professional providing an online buyers rating program. This will narrow down the decision to the best home or condo that would meet the buyer's needs.

If a couple is purchasing a home together, the choice has to be a mutual decision. Without an equal say in the decision, a couples frustration can and will grow between themselves. Buying a home that the wife likes due to a kitchen, or that a husband wants because of the great garage isn't usually the best home for both parties or the family.

Marriage is a shared life, but when it comes to real-estate the stronger (outspoken) person in the relationship usually gets their way. This leaves the weaker (quieter) person having to live in the decision.

Now both parties have an equal say with this unique service you can provide them. In the mean time the program will streamline the house hunting, saving you return refresher trips to the home you may have toured last week. Saved trips equal saved time and fuel. It's money in the bank.

How the program works:

• The couple rates each home or condo during the tour, or on the trip to the next home.
• 5-10 features are the common amount of features rated. (The demo online shows all features rated for demo purposes only)
• Individual ratings are entered into the program showing the emotional approach.
• Then the ratings of each individual in a couple are automatically combined, calculated and ranked. This becomes the due diligence approach.
• The results, the top rated combined homes or condo's are processed into a report that is automatically e-mailed by you to your client.
• You have now streamlined and removed any argument a couple may have had in making the right choice of the place they will call home.

Service=Referrals

Utilize the Rate A Home system for only $9.95 a month. This fee covers ALL your clients each month.

My personal guarantee to the Active Rain family. If for any reason you are unhappy with the program within the first 30 days of subscribing Rate A Home will reimburse you the full subscription fee.

The one who dies with the most toys wins! Or does he or she?          

As we strive to accumulate the almighty dollar hoping for fortune and fame, one tends to lose the true meaning of life.                                                                         

The one who dies with the most toys isn't really the winner. The winners in life are the ones who die with the most respect.

Respect is gained by treating other as we would want to be treated ourselves. In turn, by showing the respect to your spouse, family, loved ones, clients and the general public, respect is returned many times over.

Granted money never hurts and we all need it to survive. But in the end we can't take it with us.

I don't recall a funeral visitation where a person showing respect to the deceased said "Wow, what a great amount of money he or she made."

Reflect on your life, what legacy do you want to be remembered for? 

I'm not insinuating that the wealthy can't be both. I personally know many financially wealthy people who are respectful, caring entrepreneurs that will be remembered for the respect of others. They appear to have it all.

Building your "respect bank account" allows you to enjoy the true meaning of life, while you are still living on the face of this earth.

Make your world a better place to live in. Carpe Diem.

Photo's by http://www.freefoto.com/

There has been a crime committed. Who did it?

The crime that occurs daily is allowing the savvy buyer to sidestep the Real-estate professional services. With 80% of the buyer's doing their own homework before ever contacting an agent, it's up to the agent to police the industry.

Innocent until proven guilty. The term we hear in the legal system quite regularly. This term doesn't quite fit the industry. We may think we are innocent in allowing the percentage of buyer's doing the homework to rise each year. In truth we must be pro-active in researching, creating and utilizing any new tools and technology that provide a service the buyer's can't live without. That's where the guilt comes in.

It's easier to keep floating along as we always have in the Real-estate industry. Never change, and the boat won't float.

The answer to the "Who did it": We did, by not thinking outside the box and developing new services for the general public. The services that have been developed, we are afraid to try because it means CHANGE.

Just think if a buyer drove to your office or visited your web site, and saw that it was posted with yellow tape proclaiming "Change Scene" what they would think. 

Start today and change your ways. Changes may take some more time to provide such services, but the return will be a happy client that refers business to you, the Agent of Change.

Photo provided by www.freefoto.com

I beg of the A/R Pro's. Where do you find all the cool cartoons, photo's and blinking word inserts that you include in your blogs?

I have been utilizing photo's that I have or from a photographer friend who gave me the OK to post his work. My concern is running into copy right laws if I use a photo from the WWW.

Thank you in advance for any help or direction you can send me in.

Duane

Happy Thanks Giving Day to the Active Rain family.

My hope for you, is that you have a wonderful day with pure relaxation and family time. May your day be blessed.

I'm thankful to be part of the large circle of friends here on Active Rain.

Don't eat to much (oh never mind, go for it) LOL

Happy Thanks Giving,

Duane

Rate A Home 

Have you ever stopped to think about you home state and why someone should or would choose to move there?

I have visited all 50 states in this great land we call the USA. I could think of a positive for each state.

But have you ever really stopped to think about what your sales pitch would be if you were asked to market your state as a property for sale?

I for example live in Michigan, my pitch might be:

State of Michigan for sale.

One could enjoy the serene beauty of the many lake shores and beaches that surround this great state. Add the four seasons that allow various winter, spring, summer and fall sporting activities. Fall leaves will paint a picturesque mat each and every year. Wildlife abound to ease the daily pressures of life.

Purchase the "Mitten" state today and find yourself a property that fits like a glove.

What would your marketing be for your state?

With the holidays approaching fast, now is the time to start pre-planning for next years goals.

Start by writing down a goal for 2008, every day until the year end. As you approach the end of the year you should have a list accumulated that can be ranked by the most important goals to you.

Common goals could be:

• Sales goals
• Time management Goals
• Income Goals
• Family Goals
• Giving Goals
• Personal Goals

Don't procrastinate and wait until December 31.

Because it's not uncommon to set a New Years resolution that we forget about by January 5, put your goals in writing. Write down behind each goal how you plan to meet that goal. Set it up on a spread sheet for tracking. By putting it in writing, you will be able to review your goals on a weekly bases.

By signing your goals, you agree to buy into your personal goals.

Post your goal in your office where you will see it daily.

Make 2008 a better year!

I want to be a Billionaire!

It's every persons dream to reach such a financial status of becoming a billionaire. With such a status one could help the world in the following ways:

• Help in eliminating the homeless problem.
• Help in curing the medical dilemmas people are suffering with.
• Help to protect our valuable resources of land, sea and country.
• Donate to charities for a good cause.
• Help to put a smile on the face of a child with terminal cancer.
• Help to educate the person that is unable to afford the proper schooling to go forward in life.
• The list could go on and on.

With the US hosting the largest population of billionaires in the country (269 followed by Japan with 29) according to the "Composed Gentleman" list. I think I could fit in very well.

Now back to reality. I don't think I would want the notoriety that goes with such status. Thankfully there are billionaires all over the World who are giving their time and resources to better the world they live in. My hats off to them.

To put it into perspective in my own life, my billions come in the form of friendships and people that have touched my life throughout the year. Living the American Dream of pay check to pay check holds me back from donating these large sums, but my payback is treating others as I wish to be treated myself.

With Thanksgiving, I wish to thank each and everyone of the Active Rain subscribers who have touched my life through education and friendliness. Through your post, unknowingly you have touched others lives. My hats off to the billionaires of life!

May your 2008 be a better world to live in.

Thank you!

Duane

No your eyes aren't playing tricks on you! You are seeing double.

More so then ever agents are seeing double these days. With the lack of an organized tool to streamline the buyers tours, agents are spending more energy and fuel cost to tour homes a second and third time.

The rise in homes toured with the amount of property that is on the market is contributing to the wasted return trips. After touring 15-25-50+ homes, you can't expect a buyer to recall what the 1st home toured featured.

The mind boggling expanded tours is adding to the cost of the bottom line that an agent has to incur to locate that Dream Home the buyer is searching for. With gas creeping well past the $3.00 a gallon mark, these return trips become more expensive everyday. Not to mention, putting the seller's through another home preparation for a refresher showing.

Now you can streamline your tours with an organized "Walk through Check List" covering existing and newly built homes, condos as well as rental dwellings.

A "Walk through Check List" will help to eliminate the refresher trip saving the agent plenty of dollars and time. But to really help your buyer narrow down the Dream Home search, utilizing an on-line "Rating Program" will rank the top home, condo or rental dwelling that best meets the buyer's or renter's needs. The client can rate any amount of features on the rating menu. Normally 5-10 features are rated during the road trip to the next showing. Once entered into the program, the results are an organized report displaying the top ranked property that meets "both" buyer's (if a couple) needs and wishes. The rating program becomes a Due Diligenceapproach as anyone of us would do with an investment wer'e making. Why allow your buyer's to make the largest investment in life without the information you would expect to receive from an investment adviser. In reality, you are the investment adviser in the buyer's eyes. Do you provide the service they are looking towards you, to protect them in their decision? 

Rate A Home is the one and only Real-estate rating program available to the Real-estate Professional and general public. Your investment of $.28 cents a day (covering all your clients) will be saved in one trip back to a home by being organized.

Plus, the continued marketing by buyer bragging to their friends and relatives on the service you provided will help to create referrals down the line. The testimonial your buyer will pass along is second to none.

The few minutes it takes to enter your clients ratings will save you (in most cases) an hour of re-tour time.

Sign up today through our Pay-Pal account and start saving money while providing this ultimate client service. The "Rating System Subscription includes the Lead Generating Wish List Subscription." The old saying of "You have to spend money to make money" now can be changed to "You have to spend money to save money".

An offer to Active Rain subscribers. If for any reason you are unhappy with the Rate A Home service within the first 30 days of subscribing to the service, Rate A Home will return your entire subscription fee no questions asked.

Sincerely,

Joyce and Duane Marlink

Rate A Home, LLC

Having a buyer with a pulse is what we all hope for these days. But, the excuses fly once they have left your office or open house.                                       

"Buyers are liars"is an old saying that always stuck in my memory bank. We see the excitement in their eyes and smile when they are face to face. But then you contact them via phone and the excuses arise such as "We went to get pre-qualified, and I'm unable to obtain financing at this time."

So, you put them on the "contact them in a year list". Problem is, you contact them later only to find out that they had purchased and moved shortly after all the work you provided.

Today, I'm hearing more of these scenario then ever before. Stay with them through-out the year, following up without being over bearing will keep your name in the buyers memory bank.

 Working with a Professional Real-estate Agent can give the future home owner a birds eye view.

The market these days can leave the buyer vunerable to many factors if they choose to go it alone. Not only will an agent keep an watchful eye out for their clients, but will protect them as their own. Hiring an agent in most cases will bring a team effort to the buyer, thereby helping to streamline the hunt for the Dream Home they hope to locate.

Vulnerability can come in many forms for the buyer who goes it alone, some come in the form of the following:

• Misguided information
• Missed escape clauses on a self prepared purchase agreement
• Over paying for the property by not knowing the market
• Over looking future zoning changes in the area
• Buying on emotions and foregoing the due diligence approach
• Not knowing what repairs may cost
• Missing the Professional representation in acquiring mortgages, inspections and title work
• And the list goes on

Don't allow yourself to be timid and get caught off guard by a Vulture Seller trying to move their problems on to you.

 Hire a Professional Agent. They will do your home work for you!

Photo's curtesy of www.swobodaimages.com

We have all read the pie in the sky offers on how to create a million dollars in Real-estate. Now I have know the answer to the question and dream that most of us have.

It doesn't take hard work and huge amounts of time. There's a simple equation that you must follow. The much needed real-estate license is a good start. But to hit that million dollar mark of pure equity, netting you a million dollars when you are finished simply follow the rule at the bottom of the page.

Real-estate is a gamble, the risk taker can be rewarded in various ways. No matter if you start with a multi-million dollar home or a combination of investment properties this equation can still work for you.

Know that I'm not selling any programs (of course if you want to send me a token of your appreciation it will be accepted gratefully)

To know the secret of creating a million dollars worth of equity, scroll to the bottom of the page to find out the answer you are searching for.

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Start with Two Million.

I have a tendency to read my Horoscope in the press every time I open it. Do I believe in them, most time, not!

So why do I gravitate to the "Life" section only to be disappointed the following day as nothing I read came true.

The word is probably Hope. Hope it happens as I was told it would, hope I achieve my financial wealth as promised, hope my health is going to be primo as written, hope my love life continues to flourish as it is posted.

Hope becomes fantasy in these clippings.

My next career I'm coming back as a Real estate Horoscope writer. There must be better bucks in this business!

Think I'll give it a try to see if this may be a new career for me.

Capricorn: (Dec 22-Jan 19) Your bold in your Real estate approach, but you lack the buyer's to make an adequate income. Prayer is the best tool you have on your side for success.

Aquarius: (Jan 20-Feb 18) You have an abundance of sold signs in your future, no they will not be placed on your listing signs. Seller's look at you as a commodity in their success. You will find great joy from an outsider claiming to be a buyer. He's not.

Pisces: (Feb 19-Mar 20) Travel is in your future, this most likely will come in the form of driving buyers to more homes then ever. You will become well known, although it may be the gas attendant that will know you by name.

Aries: (Mar 21-Apr 19) You start your day with change in investment. Moving cash from your 401k to the checking account will bring you up-to date with the creditors. Your honest and sincere with the people you meet, don't be afraid to ask for a listing.

Taurus: (Apr 20-May 20) You are a goal driven person. The goal today is to get motivated to put both legs into your pants at the same time. Once achieved, your ready to hit the road to success. Beware that both legs may be in the same leg of the pants, don't trip up your goal.

Gemini: (May 21-June 21) Your task driven. Today's task consists of re-evaluating your marketing campaign. Don't be shy about adding in the words Please and Help to stand out from your competitors.

Cancer: (June 21-July 22) Creative is the word of the day for you. Creativity may come in the form of how many riders you can add to the listing sign. Your calm and cool on the surface, but inside your wondering what what am I doing in the profession.

Leo: (July 23-Aug 22) You are a lion. But your real estate prowess is more like a lamb. Today, you change your thoughts on living quarters. The  box you are unable to think outside of, may become your home in the future. 

Virgo: (Aug 23-Sept 22) You are full of energy, but unfortunately the power has been turned off. The great idea light bulb you have been following has dimmed. You must look to the sales board of fellow agents for stoking the fire you have lost. It's out there, just not in your future.

Libra: (Sept 23-Oct 23) Your a natural born leader, but lately you are heard saying "Which way did they go." The buyer that was about to sign, has found a FSBO, your devastated. Keep your chin up, it will give them something to swing at.

Scorpio: (Oct 24-Nov 21) You are a hands on person. Your hands will be attached to Active Rain blogging and commenting as you have nothing better to do. Your reward for the week will result in more points.

Sagittarius: (Nov 22-Dec 21) You are territorial. You wonder why an agent from a town 20 miles away is listing in your area. Be kind, they may sell one of your listings some day.

Think I'll stay with my current job, this can't be any better then real-estate or could it? 

         There's Light at the end of the tunnel! 

With this economy of lack luster sales and confused buyer's, we can only hope that the light will shine through soon. Real-estate Professionals are being forced to change the way they have done business over the past 100+ years.

The Internet savvy client is jetting around the World Wide Web gathering the information they require to locate the place they will call home.

The Professional who sits by the phone with the hopes that it will ring, bringing business and income is a thing of the past.

Today's Professional has to be equipped to stay ahead of the client. Without the continuation of research and use of the services, technology and tools to provide to the client, that light at the end of the tunnel could very well be the head light of a big train heading your way. 

It's up to you to think outside the tunnel and be the conductor of the train, or the other option is bringing up the rear in the caboose.

Hmmm, by the way where did the caboose go on the modern day trains? Think about it.

"Home" is where the heart is.

Is "Home" really a Home or merely a house? As a structure, the property is a house. But add the contents of lovers or husband and wife, kids, pets with the ingredients of family values, love and respect and the house is quickly turned into a "Home." Real-estate is sold as "homes" and has been for as long as I can recall. 

"Home" can be a rental unit, mobile home, 1000 square foot condominium or a 20,000 square foot home. Without the ingredients above it still remains a house.

With the current economy straining relationships nationwide, there have become more houses on the market. "Home" is no longer the safe place for many.  Money and savings depleted, expenses running rampant, couples have taken to the personal attacks of the ones they loved. "Home" has now become a house.

The cycle will continue for some time to come. "Homes" imploding from the inside out. Houses rising in their place.

Real-estate Professional will be dealing with more emotions than ever before, find the compassion for the ones moving from houses looking to create a new "Home."

"Home" is where the heart is!

Were entering the holiday season, now's the time to do a little play on words in your marketing campaign.

A great tag line for advertising your listings could be: Home for the Holidays

It's one that will peak the buyers interest, and a well known saying. Tying the slogan into your advertising becomes a play on words.

 The slogan will add some fireworks to your ads.

Of course you could always say "contact me and we'll talk turkey", JK

Photos compliments of www.swobodaimages.com                      

You might be a Real-estate agent if:

1. You wish you could sleep like a baby once again.                                                                                          

2. You are unable to ride down the road with your spouse without looking out the side of your eye at any FSBO.

3. You think that your ship might arrive in the form of one huge commission check that will set you up for life.

4. You have no idea what a sunset might look like, you are always in a listing appointment at that time.

5. Your phones on 24/7/365, you are willing to meet the 3rd shifter at 4am if need be.

6. Your savings account consists of upcoming closings.

7. You are on first name bases with the local press advertising department.

8. You introduce yourself to all you meet as I'm so and so with XYZ Realty. Do you have any thing to sell. NO. Wanna buy something? 

9. Your expenses nearly match your income.

10. You have never owned a business suit until you were licensed.

11. You would have never been caught in a 4-door vehicle.

12. When you are out for coffee, you eye the person reading the Real-estate section, with wanting eyes.

13. Your family car now has a Real-estate company logo on it.

14. Your kids are instructed to talk their friends parents about the services you can provide.

15. You have a web site, a cell phone, a lap top, a GPS, a brief case, an office and 10+ passwords for all your accounts.

16. Your car sits outside because your garage is full of Real-estate signs.

17. Blogging is part of your every day life.

18. You are at the gas station every other day, saying "yep, off to show more houses to the same buyer."

19. Someone asks how are you doing, and you turn the question into a marketing show piece.

20. You think people have become more indecisive then only a few years ago.

Looking forward to reading more "You might be a Real-estate Agent if" comments from the A/R community. Add them below.

Cheers!

So you got a call from a potential seller to list a home.

Many agents walk into the listing appointment blind and unprepared. The best tool in your approach is organization and information for landing the listing. Weave your magic before the initial meeting with a free tool to streamline and organize your presentation. You only get one chance to make a great first impression.

By utilizing a Seller's questionnaire and rating system before your first meeting, you will inquire the information to be able to prepare a CMA and listing presentation that will move you ahead of the competition.

The bonus, this program will make the seller look at their home through a buyers eyes. If the seller approachs the rating of their personal home or condo in an objective way, they will see what repairs will need to be done before they list. It gives you a chance to rate the sellers property as an outsider to narrow down the needed repairs before launching the property on the market.

Make the first impression a lasting impression.