Relocate to Wisconsin

     We  got a call the other day from a realtor who has been licensed for a couple years  and has not  had a great deal of experience.  Suzy asked for some direction when she was first licensed....but was convinced early on that one more piece of software,  a different calendar, floor time at a different time...would somehow magically draw business,  Every effort to explain the wisdom of "the basics"...setting up a data base, contacting people to let them know she was in the  business...meeting her neighbors...just DOING it was always foiled by...I should have a better than company website, take a course...etc., etc.

        When she got a buyer...all caution was always tossed to the wind...never mind  going to a lender, forget the interview to learn what is really important in a new home...get in the car and drive all over three counties....quite aimlessly...she was satisfying her need to "look busy" but  not really doing her buyers any favors in providing any guidance.

         Occasionally ...Suzy had a listing.  This was the reason for her call...the listing had been dragging on and on....few showings..it was a condo...others had sold in the complex...And the sellers "just weren't listening to her."  Maybe Suzy, because months ago you wrote a home sale contingent  offer than of course would never be with the over priced contingent  condo you have listed. "If they would just paint...just stage. I looked at the pictures...professionally taken...neutral paint...professionally decorated...

    Suzy did what the buyers wanted...or she thought she did...she provided no guidance and never diid the "Lender First"  step...She wasn't  Credible.

    Suzy didn't do her homework...she didn't go see the competition...she didn't do any  marketing...beyond putting it in MLS  and an occasional open house...she didn't know what and when the competition was doing..how it looked, why it was priced as it was....She was not credible to her  sellers.

         As a Consumer...be sure you are using a realtor, lender, inspector, surveyor, contractor that is Credible ...if you don't,  you may get results that are IN credible....incredibly bad or not up to the standards you expect from the professionals you hire.  As professionals in whatever field...work with people who are credible..refer them...encourage them...it gives YOU credability as well.

  Jelly Bellys are sooo much fun...they really taste like the names of the flavors...and you can actually make "recipes" for whole new taste treats right in your mouth...sounds weird....tastes great.  While I don't think that chocoate is at all over rated....mmmm...Why not spice it up...mix it up....Use this sweet way to remember someone special on Valentine's Day...just a click of the mouse and you can send a memorable basket of tasty treats,,

Valentine's Day is Sunday, February 14th, and in addition to the tastiest, most unique Valentine selection around, we’ve got something that’ll make your special someone weak in the knees!

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  Tour the Jelly Belly Factory...Mix it Up...In your Mouth...In a bag...In a basket....ENJOY !

    If your significant other...mother...brother....friend....is a sports fan...a food fan...deserves a
"Time Out"....in a good way...Book your reservation now at Matty's Bar and Grill for a flavorful Valentine's meal...choose from Brunch or Dinner...mmmm,...a meal to remember....a great place to celebrate...easy to find..Come on over...make a memory...!

  We had an agent call to show one of  our short sale listings and her interview for us went waaaay beyond 20 questions...more like 120...and after all...both she and her buyer had been reading about short sales and they knew all the questions to ask....OR they thought they did.

How the seller became

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Not your busiines Ms Selling agent...and not relavant to the transaction...

    What You should be concerned with is What is the experience of the listing agent ?  Do NOT list a short sale with an agent who has not not had successful short sale experience.

   We see it in MLS...we see it on Active Rain...we read it on Trulia...agents who take Short Sale listings and complain that months later...they can't contact the bank...that "every short sale listing they had went into foreclosure"....oh golly gee whiz...now there's something to brag/blog about to the immediate world !

If as a homeowner, you are uʍop ǝpısdn on your mortgage

If as a buyer, you are buying a short sale

If as an agent, you are representing a buyer in a short sale

         Ask the agent what kind of training and Beyond that..documented recent.successful experience she/he has had with short sales. How many...what percentage closed...those that may not have closed...why not ?

   If you get stuttering...stammering...no MLS printout sent to your e-mail...no offer for references...RUN...RUN to the nearest most qualified realtor for short sales...if You need help finding one anywhere in the country..we are part of multiple networks and are happy to direct you to a realtor who can help you.

     Know the truth....know who can help you by what they have done successfully...it's the most important part of proving their expertise !

  Everyone should have a Fairy Blogmother.....or maybe more than one... and why would you want/need one you say ?  Fairy BlogMorthers help you in lots of ways...sometimes they identify themselves....and send you e-mails Or they may even call you on the phone.  Or maybe she has some other mysterious mor mystical kind of communication....and is just there when you least expect her. How can a Fairy Blogmother help you/your Blog/your Business....what do you desire ? What do you need ? What is the goal of your blog ?  You may be reading this and you are a realtor, lender, attorney, home inspector,  title company representative...or maybe you are in a completely different profession...it doesn't matter, the role of Fairy Blogmother can apply to any profession. 

   What kind of things can a Fairy Blog Mother do ?

       * Give you a gentle reminder that you should use spell check and put      your best professional looking blog forward.

        * Give you timely suggestions for blogging about topics that will get you better readership.

 * Encourage and provide graphic guidance to change your blog from  boring to           and share the website.

                                           * Nominates your blog as a feature and makes you the star of the site !

                                            * Helps tune up your SEO to maximize the impact of your blog

   There are lots of ways a Fairy Blog Mother can help....you can search for her....or if you are really, really lucky.....you can close your eyes and imagine all the ways you want her magical knowledge to enhance your blog....and Poof if you believe hard enough...wish long enough....She may come to visit your blog too.

  We had a would be seller who was referred to us call and tell us quite proudly, that he not only would not need our services...due to his own networking in real estate, he had sold the house himself. Not only was he saving the commission...he thinks the offer will be tens of thousands more than we suggested.  "WOW...quite a success story!" I congratulated him...that is something we certainly could not have done..."Please tell me the rest of the story."

        The seller "got the house back" after it had been awarded to his wife in their divorce. She was unable to keep up the mortage payments, owed taxes and decided to escape to the sunny south and give him back the house. It is unclear if the "give back" is is legal, written or recorded.

       The house had been neglected so Mr. I- Don't -Wanna Be -Upside- Down, spent a week, cleaning and painting...and then when he had mentioned at his favorite coffee shop that he was fixing up the house he got back the coffee shop owner approached him as a buyer.  "I could believe how lucky I was..I threw him a price..tens of thousands more than you said....and he is calling me Monday to tell me if he is going to buy it. I told him...he has until noon or the price goes up $25,000....I will have to go back to painting and my time is worth more than that."

   We have been in the house....I hope the paint covered the brown bathroom fixtures...the 60's kitchen....the light fixtures that could only be called retro...replaced the shag carpeting....and the above and beyone wear and tear had magically disappeared.

     It is never about what you want....what you need Mr. Upside Down Seller...what about the liability ....what about the physical condition of the house that the paint is not likely to remedy ?  It is....as we told him before the paintbrush hit the can....about what the market is willing to pay...what the appraiser says it is worth...what the bank is willing to loan...and paint and no commission has never turned tens of thousands from

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  to

Profitably Right Side Up !

       A couple of times in the last couple weeks....once from a buyer  who has an offer on one of our listings and one from a couple who are "shopping" with us under contract as we are the Buyer's Agents.

       Scenario No. 1 - Buyers have offer on a house in their neighborhood...we are a week from closing, the house is in the same neighborhood in which  they now reside.  Sooo...they aren't sure they remember every detail of the house...they just need the lock box combination (house is vacant)  so that they can check things out "when they have a free moment" and....by the way, their insurance company also needs to take pictures of the interior ....she knows that is a requirement...   HUH ?

   Pictures required by an insurance company ?  The information you suggest they need...electrical service, etc. is  either on the listing or we have it on file. Please tell your insurance agent to call us anytime from 8am to 9pm and we'll be happy to help. We have yet to ever have pictures be a a requirement for insurance.

 Scenario No. 2 - Buyers wish to see a vacant property with short notice...they are driving around and happened to be in the neighborhood of a listing we sent them...so they just thought they would "pop in" since they wouldn't be disturbing anyone.

Sorry Mr. & Mrs. Buyer...the listing agent has the responsibility of securing and protecting the property....and for that reason only licensed agents an appraisers can gain entry. We are happy to arrange a showing, after we speak with the listing agent.

Worse yet....is the reply...."Yes but, the agent we used to work with let us do that ALL the time....!"

Great advice and insight from the sunny south and Lorena in Texas...personality analysis applies to EVERYONE in real estate...buyers and sellers AND other agents, vendors, etc....a valuable tool....can't have tooooo much information for effective communication.

        Hansons Both

f you have ever had your password stolen, identity taken, been compromised in any way had information you consider private, personal and confidential  taken from you....you know it feels like someone has been rifling through your underwear drawer...gives you the goosebumps...eebe jeebies....cold sweats....and nothing you ever want to experience again.

      Here are some of the passwords...most often used...guessed by hackers...besides the common sense of not using your name, phone, address....nickname...

  Sequential numbers - 12345, 123456, 12345678   Easy for You...Easy for Mr/Ms Hacker

  Password -'Ya think ?  

  iloveu - they will...all the way thru your once "protected" information !

  Princess - Great for a license plate...not sooo much for security !

RockYou - Your world will be rocked all right...good one to stay clear of !

  ABC123 - Best left as a Michael Jackson song memory...not on your computer

  Your First Name - Or Popular First Name..Jessica Michael Ashley...Larry, Curley. Moe...Don't Go there !

  BabyGirl - Cute but no cigar....likely a hack instead

 Chocolate  - Mmmmm....melts in your mouth...not on your hard drive !

Angel - This would not be of the Guardian variety....guard your security carefully !!!!!

  Choose carefully.....be safe....protect yourself, your information, your identity.  If it's Toooo easy...it's easy for anyone to steal.

With almost every showing of our short sale listings....the selling agent wants to know who the lender is....and sometimes each listing does not have that engraved in my brain.....and the truth is, it doesn't matter WHO the LISTER is...the bigger concern to any selling agent should be WHO the LISTER is ...

    Does the listing agent have significant, successful short sale (not necessarily at the seashore Suzy :) ) experience ?

              THAT is what determines the closing...are there some lenders more cooperative, faster, more efficient than others ?...Absolutely. 

      Does the selling agent have experience with one lender vs another or is the grapevine/water cooler that helps them decide if the lender is Bank X...better not show that short sale !

         We practice the "We Know/Don't Tell" and our team approach has an outstanding closing record....

          Who is the Lender ?  Not soooo much...It's Who is the Lister !

    We have taken the time to learn short sales and are CDPE (Certified Distressed Property Experts) and we have studied other methods...continually take webinars and other information to be at the top of our game...to help the best way we can and know the very latest news/laws/practices  that may affect our short sale listings.

      Southeastern Wisconsin is not Florida or Arizona...we don't have as many short sales. We are from the "know what you don't know" school and let the ones who do...do it ! Our MLS listings of course, let the agent and the buyer know...this is a short sale.  We have information at the listing that educates the buyers and the agents as to what a short sale is and what they might expect as a buyer/agent in a short sale transaction.

     We have assembled a team that works together...to close the transaction...to remove as many stumbling blocks as lenders can sometimes throw in the path of successfully closing the sale.

       Several phone calls yesterday from agents requesting to show our short sale listings made us both wonder how these agents survive...what kind of service are they really giving their buyers....and who allows them to park their license at a brokerage and be clueless as to what the market is really doing ....what a short sale is...

       Ring.... Ring....."Hello....this is Agent Suzy from MyOwnBroker Real Estate...I have a buyer who is interested in your short sale on Elm Street....do you have a rent to own contract we can use for this transaction ?"

            I am speechless.

  Everyone needs rewards...pamper power...incentives....we set goals and when we accompish this or do that...the reward is ____.  One of my personal very favorites is a trip to Chico's...in southeastern Wisconsin, that can mean to Harvard Square shopping center at 180th & Bluemound Road in Brookfield, Mayfair Mall or a short jaunt to Pleasant Prairie outlet mall.  Their jewelry is sooo much fun...bangles and dangles from ears, arms, neck...

    You can shop on line if you wish at www.Chicos.com and choose to peruse by size, color..or their collections. My marital vows included "no ironing" ....and the Travelers Collection is just that...perfect...no iron, easy care...lots of opportunity to mix and match tops, slacks, skirts and jackets in a variety of colors and patterns.  Easy care...Chic...how cool is that...

  One of the best parts of Chico's is their unique sizing....even when I was a hundred pounds heavier...I was still a size three....Chico's knows how to get to your ego...flatter your waistline...hide your hips...boost your best...Find them at a store near you...on line...think SPRING...and spring into a store with more of what you need for every occasion from glitz to business to casual...it's all there...Treat yourself to Chico's...Spring into a fashionable experience you'll enjoy !

  The good news and bad news for buyers and sellers...other realtors and allied professionals is the Internet..you have to wonder how any of us functioned without e-mail, assorted berry flavors, websites, blogs, sites to see and places to bookmark....it is all so second nature  to us now.

       The good news is that the information highway is wide open to research any topic...any neighborhood...statistics past and present...and help us make good decisions...attract buyers and sellers and learn more about our chosen areas of specialization...and the benefits of Active Rain to the members...to consumers...to the industry...applause.

         Sooo...what's the bad news ?  The bad news is that the internet can ....for a while ...allow you to pretend that you are someone you are not...to have sales you boast...that never happened...to have experience you claim that is not possible...to have abilities to service specific areas of the profession successfully.  You can blog a million points....face a zillion friends, link till you stretch out your imagined reputation into the far corners of the blogosphere...get endorsements from people who blindly believe the tales spun on a blog...applaud and comment as though you are an active, vital part of the industry.

          You can fool some of the people some of the time...Buyers Beware...Sellers be Cautious...Realtors, Lenders, allied professionals....know that there is more to anyone's reputation, ability, success than what may be the delusional, imaginary success they profess to have....exercise caution. You are known by the company you keep...the agent you endorse...the friends....links...don't blindy exchange pats on the back...

       Consumers - ask for verifiable references - printouts of sold properties that list the agent as the listing or selling agent....the e-mail addresses and/or phone numbers of past clients and customers

            Agents and allied Professionals- what you see...or you think you see in points, blogs, sites...may not be at all what happens in real life...you don't want to trust your referral, your reputation to someone's imagination...your reputation is valuable...guard it...choose your friends..endorsements...associates wisely.

  Sorry Missy...this one's not for you....(Missy Caulk...AR Famous...Keller Williams Realtor -Ann Arbor, Michigan)...Not your blog...but we know that saving energy and the latest technology is not just for Missy Caulk...but part of the national program..Cash For Caulking...guaranteed to get you MORE GREEN while you are saving some green as well....how coool is that ?

    Check out how YOU can save money....making your home more energy efficient....no matter what side of the aisle you are on...saving money is a good thing !  Here are some of the ways you can participate:

Cash for Caulking will provide rebates and incentives for a wide range of projects including:

• Duct sealing
• Basement insulation
• Installation of programmable thermostats
• Attic insulation
• Upgraded heating equipment
• Sealing air leaks
• Window upgrades
• Purchasing energy efficient appliances

     Homeowners can be eligible for up to $!2,000 in reimbursements...all kinds of projects....all kinds of savings...

 Check it out at Homestar's website... Learn how the energy you save...will be your own....and the cash is ohhhh soooo 

  This may spark some lightning on Active Rain and other site where this blog appears....and if it gets the gray matter swirling....that is what it is designed to do.  Realtors are all familiar with the term Fizzbo...For Sale by Owner...and there are a variety of ways that licensed realtors seek to convert these entrepreneurial sellers to sellers of their own...with success stories...offering them flags, websites, signs, ads...other inducements to show them eventually what all realtors hold as "truth to be self evident" ....that listing, showing, marketing, securing a buyer and successfully closing a real estate transaction is more complicated than it appears to be. If it were as easy as throwing a sign on the lawn and a listing in _____________(name that source)....why bother getting licensed, paying commission....having an MLS....it's easy, fun and you can do it at home....in your spare time.

       There are lots of liabilities...many of which can get the entrepreneurial seller in deep legal and financial trouble for years to come. From the Know what you don't know....If the government says...you need a license to - sell real estate, teach children, inspect homes....there is a reason.  The consequences to doing what you have not taken the time to learn, the experience you don't have, the liabilities you don't know, can be hazardous not just to your emotional and financial well being but to those you involve in the transaction as well.

  You wouldn't get married without one..living together may be an alternative but not with the same legal protections....You wouldn't drive a car without one...and you hope the person in the next lane isn't driving without one either....You wouldn't see a doctor...lawyer...a beautician....veterinarian...nail technician, home inspector...think about all the people in your life that have taken the time, spent the money, learned the trade, profession, etc. to do the job that the government says requires a license.

        Our motto - If you need a license....don't experiment with other people's lives...don't sell, teach, fix, inspect...practice what the government preaches...leave it to a licensed professional...it will save more than the money you believed you saved by not hiring the person best qualified for the position.