Relocate to Wisconsin

   Every realtor who makes short sales a part of their real estate business concentration and is successful...has to be compassionate in our opinion.  There is sleep lost, tears shed, hugs given....meals shared....it is difficult to imagine the range of emotions a seller goes through when they finally face losing their home and all other options have been explored.  It is imperative that the seller be "on board" with the entire process...here is an example of how not to be a short sale seller:

   We recently were referred  to a  Short Sale seller who had a whole list of things we were to do, not do, when and how….whoops !

     First of all...she refused to clean up the house so that we could have pictures taken.  She had promised us a number of times…and each time we got close to the date…there was an excuse for why it couldn’t be done….the rain prevented a rummage sale…she had to work late…(for  6 weeks ?) she had to “go away” on weekends….and so it went.

      Next….we were not to tell anyone that the mortgage had gone unpaid.  Pardon ?  We gave you the materials, we explained the process, we told you it had to be listed as a short sale in MLS. We won’t put a short sale sign in the yard, that’s not our style…from the outside it will look just like every other traditional listing.  The showing agent has to know…the buyers have to know…you have known that from the beginning.

     No one can show the house unless she is home…oh not.  No buyer, no agent “doesn’t mind” if you are there for a showing….everyone minds whether they say so or not.

   If you are...or could be a short sale seller...know that the agent is putting time, money and effort toward saving you from foreclosure and it will be months before they are paid for their efforts. Agents do it of course to make money...but they do it because they have a real concern and understanding  of the housing market, a love of the community and a caring spirit.

    If you have a short sale listing…make sure your seller(s) understand the process….and if they aren’t willing to cooperate…they will come up short and your best course of action is not to list a property without a seller who is willing to be a part of your short sale team to win a victory over foreclosure.

  For years, we tried logic....we tried national statistics...and alas...(who says that...guess it's the same antiquated anti-IDX line folks) .  We could never convince the major players in the greater Milwaukee area  MLS ....the brokers, the board members that having an IDX line was a good thing.  The excuses were many...the reality, we believe, is it would make it difficult...maybe impossible....for the major brokers to sell leads from the same MLS we all pay to belong to....from the same brokerage we gave (past tense should be noted) a healthy share of commission to...to sell the leads back to agents. They couldn't call or e-mail you with a "hot lead" and take yet another 25% of your commission....aw shucks !

    NOW....Ta Dah....Keller Williams believe that your business should be agent driven....and you should prosper...not your broker first...and by the way...you are an agent...it is the ONLY broker that has a model that cares about you and your business first.

   If you can't spell IDX...don't know what it is or what you are missing...you will...when your sales reflect the numbers that you are likely to have without it.  You probably don't read or write blogs either...pity...you don't know what you're missing.

  Come on southeastern Wisconsin...give us a call...find out what you're missing...it might just be income !

   We call the 4th of July our own personal Independence Day...it is the day we officially mailed our license transfer to the state and became Keller Williams agents.  While Keller Williams is well known in many parts of the country...southeastern Wisconsin is just waking up to 'Keller Who ?' We are sure glad WE did !

     I could probably do a dozen blogs about what "agent driven" has meant to our real estate practice and how I wish there were 48 hours in a day so I could do as much as there is to take in with more education, technology...and oh yes...that whole thing about more business....it's TRUE !!!!

     Just take one tiny example that in the last 24 hours...closings to come...has meant seven figures in gross sales. In our market, as I am sure others as well, if you drive thru neighborhoods and look at real estate signs...you can get confused....there is the Pin Number, the property ID, the office phone,the toll free phone, the brokers' name, the "market area" phone..and oh by the way...maybe your eye will drift to the bottom of the sign to see the rider that has the listing agent's name.

                                                             Imagine that THIS is your real estate sign:

        You choose what goes on it...what number...how large your name is....the calls go only to you...not the floor desk, not whoever inquires on the  internet and the lead is sold to another agent...in your own company...it goes to you ...your listing...your business....your income...your career...do you want to be in charge of your what happens or let your broker steer your course ?

    If you have questions...we have answers...if we don't (we're new) we will get you to the people best qualified to answer them...people genuinely interested in your success FIRST...

   Give us a call...we'd love to chat....and you will too....Enjoy...we do !

  We got a call from a seller who had not made a mortgage payment in 2 years...not a typo...years not months...I thought she may been mistaken but after talking with her attorney...that indeed was the case.The foreclosure bus was about to pull up to her home momentarily and the home was to go to a Sheriff's sale. The seller said she was unaware of Short Sales and didn't realize there was any alternative to foreclosure.  Now...most likely there is not.

   As soon as you find yourself in a position of not being able to pay your mortgage....CALL  US wherever you are in the country and we will find you a knowledgable expert.  We have referred people from California to New York as well as other parts of the midwest.

• If you lose your job, don't wait until you are at the end of your unemployment benefits
• If you realize that your divorce will leave you with less income, let us or a qualified expert in your area evaluate your options.
• If their has been a death or disabling medical condition affecting the family income, let's explore the alternatives for your mortgage
• If you have become "under employed" , no overtime, fewer hours and your income is reduced, let us discuss your options or refer you to someone in your neighborhood.
• If you have inherited a home with a mortgage and it is no longer worth the remaining  mortgage balance, call us and we will get you qualified assistance

   Fear can be a paralyzing factor...regardless of your circumstances, we will help you make decisions from a position of strength...for your credit, your future, your life.

   Whether a seller is downsizing, moving across the country to a  "no basement" area and having to decide what stays and what goes from the rec room....it's important that the list of what stays and what goes or the "Inclusions and Exclusions" list be carefully examined by both the listing agent and the sellers before it is published in MLS.

   Every experienced agent has had the very unpleasant experience of buying the ________because they forgot, the seller forgot...neither remembered...You may want to add to this list for things unique to your part of the country...here's a start for both sellers and agents...make that list and check it twice...or the agent may have to buy it, and that won't be nice !

         Most Common things we find:

• Kitchen appliances/Wet Bar  - stove, refrigerator, microwave, garbage disposal, trash compactor, wine refrigerator, ice maker
• Mounting Accessories for Plasma TV's
• Fountains, Outdoor lighting, Lawn Ornaments (pink flamingos included ?) 
• Bookcases, desks, shelving. china cabinets that may appear to be built in and may be removed
• Water Softener, Water Filter, Iron Filter - rented or owned
• Garage Door Openers - Number of remotes
• Alarm Systems
• Lawn/Snow Equipment/Tools
• Work Benches - garage and lower level
• Chandeliers
• Fireplace Screens and Tools
• Window Treatments - differentiate between custom blinds that will be left and the valances that      match the bedspread
• Satellite Dishes
• Speakers and sound systems
• Mirrors and medicine cabinets/shelves
• Shower heads (really !)
• Outdoor/Patio Furniture
• Pool Accessories/Movable Shed or storage container
• Washer/Dryer
• Window air conditioners/Portable heaters
• Pets - (A lady did write in the cat...and got it !)
• Dog houses and invisible fencing
• Piers and Waterfront Accessories
• Gazebos/Screen Houses
• Outdoor Grill
• Garage Contents/Hoses and Sprinklers
• Patio accessories and Garden Containers/Planters
• Fencing
• Birdbaths/Houses

  In Wisconsin...watching the Packers is sort of "religious experience"....it seems to be a requirement for being a Badger state resident...during the most competitive games with the fiercest of competitors...you can hear a pin drop on any busy street....and the roar of the crowd when you get within a block of Matty's Bar at game time.

   If you want to have more fun....enjoy the company...the food...the stimulating "feels like you're at the game" kind of atmosphere...drive on over to Matty's Bar in New Berlin, WI

     Local lenders seem to have a much more difficult time understanding  the “short” in short sales than the larger national lenders.    You can take a walk thru the Rain or any real estate website where short sales are a topic…and the echoes of complaints are heard about the same lenders over and over…no response…refused to negotiate…charge a deficiency…second lien holders who believe they are in control and want “everything.”

   Local lenders some in particular we understand…go through all the exercise…they  order a BPO, hire a licensed  appraiser…have bank “officials” walk the property …drive past…tour them inside and out. Often the conclusions, to some degree are the same…yes…the values have declined.  The BPO sent in  with the short sale IS correct….AND that meets or beats the price written by the buyer(s) eager  to purchase the property.

  Sooo….we all agree…but  wait…the BPO, appraisal and tour “inspection” agree that the value of the property is now “$X”….and that is the amount the lender will accept….sounds like a transaction completed…not sooo fast.  The lender now says, yes …this is the correct amount, they helpwill approve the sale…IF that is the net they receive after taxes, expenses, interest, fees,  etc. 

    Soooo sorry Mr. Local Lender…appraisals don’t mean you get to deduct all those figures..AND the longer you delay with attorneys and bank officers bouncing these numbers back and forth, the higher your expenses.  To demand that this figure be your net proceeds means you are looking for a cash buyer that doesn’t want  an appraisal to protect their investment….and where would you find such a person  ? Would you lend money to a  buyer for a property that did not appraise  ?  Of course not…so don’t think about putting the property in your ever expanding,  over priced, non-appraisable inventory…do the right thing…the ONLY thing that will help the neighborhood,  the economy….and the red ink on your books…do a short sale.

    Suzy “knows” short sales…she has never listed one…but she knows….and what’s more…now her low ball buyers also know more….and they know that there is “Public information we are hiding.”  Hmmm…maybe I misunderstood your shrieking Suzy…if it’s public and you and your buyers are sooo  well versed in short sales…it should be easy to find.

   Your Buyers want to know what was in the short sale package….did we know that there should be a hardship letter…?  Golly Suzy….you mean you have to have a hardship ?  Gee…I wish we had called your buyers before we closed the last four short sales last month…I bet they could have given us lots of pointers.   Can you see the letter…well no….What you can do per the bank is either increase your offer to the level we told you before you wrote it the first time…Or return the signed Cancellation and Mutual Release….we have another buyer who understands what the property is worth and isn’t playing “let’s make a deal” when we told you there would be no deal at that price.

    Suzy doesn’t sell short sales at the seashore….she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know…If you don’t know short sales…you have removed all doubt by trying to tell people who do know…what you don’t know.  Bye Suzy…no Buy…just Bye.

   Late yesterday we got a call from our credit card company about "suspicious activity" on our account...hmmm had not been on any wild shopping sprees...no monster purchases....we asked why we were getting the call.

   There had been $300+ charged through a clothing company that processed payments in Ireland...had we done that ?  I am a self-confessed Chico-holic (but that's another blog) and had not been there in the last week. I have to beg my husband to buy clothes....and Cosmo and Magic (our cats) seem content with the style and colors of their fur coats.

     Our credit company has a fraud alert...and while they sometimes "alert" us to things we know we purchased...and we find this a little irritating...this certainly was not. The customer service person told us that there are internet sites that do not require names or security codes...just account numbers and sometimes expiration dates.  As a result, people can and apparently do...just randomly choose numbers until they find one that works.

          Safeguard your credit... if your credit card company does not have a fraud alert feature...make it a practice to carefully analyze all the purchases charged to your card on line on a weekly basis.  The credit you protect is likely to be your own !

  This was the cry...make that scream of a short sale seller on e-mail last night.  He was frustrated with having to prepare for showings...golly gee whiz. That meant the less than well trained dog had to be crated....or taken for a   walk...and maybe an hour out of his day. The market has picked up...the price makes it the best around...the condo is relatively with great features...and we would expect an offer shortly basd upon the interest we are seeing.

   No way you could talk sense to this angry seller...Golly gee whiz...no one was writing...some (make that most) agents after several requests were not giving us showing reports.  Sometimes he lurked around the corner to decide the buyers had not spent enough time touring the unit...and twice, though we were not given cancellation by the agents...the buyers had cancelled the appointments with their agents.  Hmmm...what's an agent to do.

    This is the first and only time...short sale or traditional sale that anyone has complained about too many showings.  You can't help people who do not want help:and this is no exception.

   "I'm calling my attorney on Monday !" he threatened. Be sure and tell him that you cancelled a contract on your short sale condo because it was too much trouble to take the dog out...crate it for less than an hour...keep your house in showable...the attorney will be interested to hear that....as will your lender.

   Cooperation is key to the succcess of any transaction...with short sales it is also the door to the future without the evil shadows of foreclosure.

    A few weeks ago we were referred a short sale and went to the home to find it in a "pre-rummage" state...piles here and there to be re-cycled, sold, moved.....not quite ready for pictures...no room could be photographed....some were difficult to walk through...showing may be a hazard to the health and welfare of buyers..yicks !

     We explained to the prospective sellers that to put the home in the best possible light in MLS...and to the public, we needed to have the house "camera ready" and appear inviting to the new buyers.  Heads nodded in agreement and there was a date set for the rummage sale...trips to Good Will...Sister Suzy's...and a week passed...and then two.  Well...the weather wasn't "quite right" for a rummage sale...Life got in the way...because, because.....

       The Forecloure clock continues to tick whether it rains or  the sun shines,   We have compassion for every short sale seller....there are tears cried, sleep lost....many extra hours, mega files kept....it is what every short sale listing specialist does in that part of their practice.

     To have a short sale be a CLOSED SALE  which is the object of course...the sellers must be on board in every sense of  the word, just as with a traditional sale.  Know that there is compassion for your situation Short Sale Sellers...that depression can be immobilizing...it is hard to choose what to keep and what to discard, sell, or donate...we appreciate that these are difficult decisions.

   Know that it is in your very best interest to have your home "camera ready" and buyers eager to buy, your short sale done as quickly and efficiently as possible.  If you are having trouble making those moves...getting things in order...ask a friend, a relative...they will understand as we do, that moving on with your life is the very best thing you can do.

  What an eloquent sharing of a memory of a lifetime that Mary Travers long time trio member, Noel," Paul" Stookey shared with all of us....He was honored...as were we to have the Music of Peter, Paul and Mary be a part of our musical memory bank....sharing the caring and the passion that they had for music and causes....the times we treasure that they capture forever in music that refuses to leave our minds...Blowing in the Wind....You really did have the answer Mary Travers...and we have been gifted by the spirit and thankful for your spirit of your passion for the talent you shared with the world. May God walk with you always, and the world be comforted knowing that you have left it a richer place.

This is a popular question and concern for Short Sale Sellers everywhere....the   Post below courtesey of Wendy Rulnick in Florida explains credit scores and short sales and how the two are affected.

   As a Buyer's agent...the purpose of working "for the buyer" should not be to pound the seller into the ground...offer a low price, add inclusions that were not included..like the contents of the garage....Decide when the seller MUST respond without finding out if that is even plausible..sellers on airplanes, in different countries, time zones...with ridiculous deadlines...threats...threats...and more threats....lies, lies and more lies...the buyers are not qualified....(banks ays they are ore than qualified for far, far beyond the offered price).

   If you are REALLY a buyer's agent....REALLY an agent who has any integrity...how about representing your buyers honestly.....how about not throwing in nine more things in an ammendment because the seller didn't give into your price....how about just being honest and working toward getting the transaction completed with some give and take on BOTH sides...if you play the "My Way or the Highway" game...your buyers are the ones who suffer...who didn't get the niceties and inclusion that may have come their way.  Now the sellers don't like your buyers...don't want to be in the room...the same building...they'll pre-sign if this comes together.  Try honesty...lose the attitude...don't approach your position like a knight going into battle...try being civil...understanding there is room for compromise on BOTH sides....Your buyers will suffer because your"Don't Know How to Negotiate Fairly" attitude.

   Buyers...know this...some day you will be the sellers...your agent wants the best for you...if you see that his/her approach is argumentative...no one really wins with that attitude.  Interview your buyer's agent before you sign that agreement....talk to their references....know that you want a professional attitude on your side of the  table...one that both you and the other side of the table can respect.

    We recently got an offer from a selling agent on of our short sales....considerably less than the very reasonably priced listing.  The house is less than 3 years old...has lots of features...land...and is priced far, far less than anyone could build it for...Everyone wants to tweak a house and make it their own...we have made a list of "popular tweaks" and samples of different things as well as the pricing to let people know what these additions may cost should they choose to do them.  In our experience...short sale Or traditional sale...every buyer always imagines than every stroke of the paint brush, fiber of carpet, piece of hardwood, chunk of granite...will be a million dollars and that is either a reason to walk away OR offer a very low price.

   The offer was not going to be accepted by the lender...we knew that...we told the agent...if her buyers really have a serious interest in the house...she should prepare them to be countered to about $X.....

   "The Bank HAS to take our offer..it's all the buyers are willing to spend.." she __________ed....loudly.

       Golly gee whiz....since when is the bank bound by your buyers' wallet...their ability to buy....reluctance to spend...If that is what you are telling your buyers...who will be disappointed in your performance...but we are sure you will blame it on us...the listing agents who just don't know how to negotiate with the bank...

    Know this..If you are writing on a short sale...whether you are the buyer or an agent for the buyer...learn what experience the listing agent has with short sales. Have they been successful...can they give you MLS numbers of listings that have closed ? How many are there ? Can they give you references from sellers who have been saved from foreclosure ?

   If the listing agent has a successful and signiicant Short Sale track record...Listen to what he/she/they say about the price...it is in their interest, the sellers interest, your interest and your buyers' interest to get it right...write it right and get it closed.  Any agent devoting a portion of their practice to short sales and who has been schooled in how to do them correctly is not going to artificially inflate the price....closing is important...the goal for everyone, always.

   This has been a year or many tremendous changes in every aspect of our lives...we see them as positive and continually review the directions of our personal and professional lives and tune up the parts that need it...health improvements...losing 100 pounds And Diabetes and the insulin shots...Becoming part of an agent driven brokerage at Keller Williams.

   We made a conscious choice to devote a part of our real estate practice to Short Sales.  We took a course in Illinois that just began to fuel the appetite to learn more so we flew to Florida....(Floridians thought the 50 degree winter temperatures were cold...we were happy for the heat wave above zero) we earned our CDPE...we formed relationships with people across the country. They can call or e-mail us...we can do the same when we have a challenging situation with a seller or lender.

   All the pieces for that portion of our practice were fitting together...we had a domain name...we liked it...We Sell Upside Down Homes...it is easy to remember and descriptive. In the interest of being "new and improved" we decided to improve our on line presence and go beyond tweaking....we had our site re-created....After serious consultation, deliberation, discussion, design, organization, we are pleased to present our new, improved site that we feel will better help to serve...to educate and assist people who may need assistance.

    Marketing is in my blood, education, experience....graphic and web design is not.  From the "Know what You Don't Know" school....we went to our favorite source..,..he listened, he designed...he created....we love it,...and him...ta dah....sound the trumpets...Dave Daniels...at www.FlyersToYou.com  is not and has not ever been just about flyers....did you know he was a realtor and a lender.....?  Did you know flyers are a part...websites, e-mail, brochures...your image...your career life....can be a better more professional looking, feeling, responding kind of place...we actually Like going to our own site!

   Come on over....we hope you like it....learn from it....and if you are a realtor....your on line...your brochure..your business card...your flyer can only become more professional with Dave Daniel's able graphic assistance combined with his treasured experience in real estate and lending.

   If you are a short sale seller....please read...please know...that we want to, are able to and would be honored to be of assistance to you personally or refer you to one of our colleages throughout the country.

  Matty's Bar is the place to be to watch the Packers punt, pass and kick their way to victory.Matty's has been voted the number 1 Sports Bar in the greater Milwaukee area for the last two years and if you go to:

www.wisn.com/alist  and vote again...Matty's will be number 1 again !

Off

   MMmmmmMatty's has everything a sportsman or Woman size appetite could possibly desire...start by munching some appetizers.....the Starting Line Up includes Mozzarella Logs, wings, Quesadillas, very tasty hot spinach and artichoke dip (gotta have your veggies you know) or try some nachos.... crunchy spicy delight to tittilate the taste buds.   The entrees always include a daily special and suuuuuuppper soups.....burgers, pizza...sandwiches that include reubens, mouth  watering shaved prime rib, hot italian chicken....and sooo much more...try every one and top each entree with one of Matty's super sized crunchy cookies....you can see the whole menu, If you are like me...you start with one thing and get distracted by what got served to the last table and you 'll want to try it all !

Go on over to Matty's it's just west of Sunnyslope on College Avenue in New Berlin, WI.

    Kick off the season...make it a Sunday ritual (or Monday night) munch an appetizer, grab a sandwich...find out the bonuses you'll enjoy as a Packer Backer member. Toast a victory at Matty's ...great food, super atmosphere...lots of fun !  Enjoy !

  Sometimes, when the market moves...you see a lot of both buyers and sellers who are not REAL....and you have to wonder...why do we call REAL estate...as opposed to Make Believe...Fantasy.....Pretend....sometimes you want to say "Get Real" Estate....

   You know that it is not REAL estate when....

  - The First  Time Buyer "knows" there is _________fill in the blank....Mold, termites, etc....without an       inspection....without any real signs....he just "knows'

   - The Seller refuses to Clean, de-clutter, remove the moose head from the mantle...he "knows" buyers understand the decor and can imagine (oh yeah...that will happen) how things will look

  - The inspector "believes that there could be the possibility of maybe ________and the first time buyers run far, far away

   - The selling agent "knows" if the Lister doesn't take this offer....the next one will be much lower:

   - The short sale buyer "Knows" the bank will take whatever they offer

   The list goes on.....reality is what anyone perceives it to be....How do you put the REAL in REAL ESTATE ?

September 11th is a day that changed history forever...the lives of many of our fellow Americans, the history books for generations to come.  The tears still fall easily rememembering those who in the name of their career in public service, gave their lives. The unknowing passengers believing they were on a flight returning to their loved ones, leaving cell phone messages with what would be their last breaths.

      Gather strength from experience, gather courage by example, take time to remember all who showed us that and more....on this the 8th anniversary of the now infamous, 911.

   Take the time...close your eyes....let tears fall...remember those individuals the ones who gave their lives...the family, friends and coworkers lives who experienced the loss of loved ones, co-workers, neighbors...and all of us...a loss we will never forget and a sacrifice we should always remember.  Do something special today, make it count, do it memory...do it because you can.  What will you do today to honor those who honored us with the ultimate sacrifice...make it count.