Relocate to Wisconsin

New Berlin Fire and Police Department in Cooperation with Children's Hospital are sponsoring Safety Saturday. Come to the new Children's Hospital at the corner of Beloit and Moorland Road and learn how you can be a safer family.

    Short Sales are just one area....albeit a popular one...that we see many "certifications"...courses, classes, webinars.  The people/agents that are most critical are often the same ones you who have taken any class...or not the same class as the agent who believes the class they took best prepared them to do a short sale.

    Opinions are like....elbows...everyone has a couple....

    We see comments on AR that say that this certification and that one "don't mean anything"if you have the money to take the class, it doesn't mean you actually know anything....and that may be true. You could choose to sleep thru it....take it on line and have someone else answer the test....Go to a sales meeting that mentions short sales and decide you can do them....read about on the internet...take the listing and give it to a third party without finding out if the party has actually closed any...

    The important thing...the very most important we feel (our elbow opinion) is that whatever training an agent has is followed by successful experience...closed sales...verifiable references, MLS statistics that list short sale...sellers who will volunteer their testimonials....Current and consistent education is very valuable...necessary....to stay on top of the changes, the lenders, the situations....the market....

SUCCESSFUL SHORT SALE EXPERIENCE NOT EXPERIMENTS....

    That is what anyone who may be  uʍop ǝpısdn MUST verify....

    We are happy to help anyone, anywhere, anytime who is in distress...not with JUST a certification but with actual proven successful experience....you should not trust anything less.

  "If my Seller Accepts Your Offer...It Will be A Short Sale...We can't Do That...." Twice in the last week, we wrote offers on properties...as buyer's agents....based on actual comps...not with offers picked from thin air. Clearly in both cases looking at the property history,  the "investor" had put in more than they could get out.  The agents in both cases...to get the listing, did the all too well known, "Buy the listing math."

ǝɔıɹd ʇsıl = "ʇıɟoɹd"+sʇsoɔ+uoıssıɯɯoɔ + ǝɔuɐlɐq ǝƃɐƃʇɹoɯ

  Sooo...Mr./Ms Lister...you would like the buyer(s) to pay more than the appraised price of the property for which they cannot get a mortgage....so now you are looking for a cash buyer that does not want an appraisal....did you ethically, morally, professionally, explain that to your seller ?

    Have you ever DONE a  Short Sale ?

                  I didn't think so....

  The other day we showed a home...it had a freshly painted interior and some attention to some updating...it had large rooms and the backyard that our buyers were hoping to find...and at a price they wanted to pay....but but but....the  penetrating, nauseating smell of doggy stuff was everywhere....gag...cough...our buyers...looked...ahhhh sniffed beyond that and wrote an offer.

  In the offer we included a thorough examination by Servicemaster or equivalent carpet cleaning company who has a detection device for pet odors.  As a cursory examination, should you be a child of the 60's or an experienced landllord, and have a black light tucked behind the curling posters in  your basement, you can also use it to "light up" the problem areas.

   Servicemaster also has a probe that detects soaked and dried areas. Just replacing the carpet without replacing the padding....and sometimes...make that often...the floor boards underneath does not get rid of the whole problem. When floorboards have been penetrated, when the furnace goes back on...the smell will return with a vengence.

   We love animals as much as the next homeowner...realtor....buyer...seller...however....as a listing agent if you have no sense ....sense of smell....you need to "come clean" so that everyone can truly live happily ever after.

     A delicious way to celebrate Mother's Day is at brunch at Matty's Bar and Grill in New Berlin,WI.

   If you haven't ever treated yourself to some of Matty's palate pleasing specials, now is the time....you may have been to a Friday fish fry...or had a pizza on Saturday night...or a soup and sandwich at noon...and maybe now is the time you make a trip to Matty's a new family tradition for a way to honor Mom on Mother's Day.

   STEP 1 - Decide what time you want to indulge  yourself in this bountiful meal from 9am to 2 pm

   STEP 2- Call and make a reservation: 414-427-3838

   STEP 3 - ENJOY !

   Menu items include....but we would never presume are limited to;

   The more life experience you have...the more you realize that people are either givers or takers and you aren't likely to change one to the other.  Takers are blind to the benefits of giving...even for themselves and often blindly plow ahead without vision of the big picture...taking what they can get and mooooving on to the next thing.

   Givers are not concerned about the return on their investment of time, money, talent....part of their energy is derived from the act of doing...not necessarily getting in return.

    Sometimes you have to step back from relationships...givers have to decide if the takers are worth the effort...the time...the energy or if in the end...it just leaves the giver feeling depleted and used.....and ultimately, distrusting of the taker who only looks out for what the return is and not what can be contributed to the relationship.

   You can apply this to blogging...the information you share...to every aspect of your life...and decide who you are...how you want to be known...not for what you say...but for what you do, contribute or extract from life experiences and relationships.

   Would people say you are a GIVER or a TAKER ?

  You don't need to have your ear to the ground to hear the sharkish cry of "The Lawsuits are Coming" echoing throughout the real estate industry....is it time ....?  It is another way that the industry has to improve their image by reducing the number of agents who are practicing outside their area of expertise ?  OR....Is it unfair discrimination against realtors who try to "do the right thing" with short sales but have not been successful ?

   The basis for the suits to come...in progress rallys around a variety of what may be called, "disclosure issues" or what others may term as "great expectations" by short sale sellers that may or may not be met in a closed transaction.  These areas as we have heard them are:

• The entire deficiency was not relieved by one or more of the lenders involved
• The lender issued  a 1099-S for the deficiency incurred by the short sale 
• The agent offered legal or tax consultation .
• The agent practiced outside their area of education and  expertise
• No other options were evaluated or proposed by the agent before doing a short sale
• No warning was given that the  short sale would impact a seller(s)' credit score
  

   Agents Beware...Sellers be warier....The Lawsuits are Coming....The Lawsuits are Coming !

    We believe one of the most important things in any business is education....know what you don't know...learn what you need to know...refer what you don't know until you know it.

   We were looking at short sales in a variety of price ranges...listed by "veteran" agents. In the interest of having buyers confidentally write an offer, we queried the agents seemingly casually...."Have you done a lot of short sales ?" 

     No agent ever says..."No, I am experimenting with this first one to see if I save them from foreclosure."

     Our MLS allows us to view the sales history of an agent...the listings, the sales and the details as to price, kind of sale, etc. While not all MLS sales histories are the same, we are fortunate to be able to research that detail.

      In all three of the agent histories we discovered that not of these agents had ever done a short sale...in one case, the only attempt had been a failed one.

    Sellers....if you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay your mortgage, PLEASE be sure that the agent you choose has documented short sale experience. Call the references, find out if there is a lawyer on the team to review the approvals, know who does the negotiation and their record for successful closings.  Maybe a short sale is not your only or best option....be sure that the agent you choose knows what kind of options you have or has sources to refer you to best qualified to determine your best course of action.

    Rely on experience...successful, specific, educated experience.  Wherever you are in the country, we are happy to refer you to someone most qualified to help you determine the best way to begin the next chapter in your life. Call us...anytime, we're here to help...and honored by your call.

Let's support this cause with Suzanne....show this family and the world what the power of the Rain can do to create a positive outcome.

Wise words from an AR neighbor to the south...know what you don't know...and if you don't know...prefer to refer and give the seller the justice and dignity they deserve.

Hansons Both

Celebrate  Earth Day...April 22nd....

It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin) in 1970 and is celebrated annually throughout the world.

       Earth Day 2010 can be a  help  to everyone on the planet to  advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs.  It is an opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day.  Here are some suggestions….Please feel free to add to the list…..and Spread the  word….do what you can…not just on Earth Day…but  every day…the environment we save IS our own !

  The "green changes" you make to your home can be popular selling points as consumers become more aware and concerned about the environment and cost savings with energy efficiencies...GO GREEN !

  Did  you ever see the ad that says…

“HURRY ! Buy Now Before We List with a Realtor !”

Sounds like a fate worse than ________.  And  but of course, if a realtor is involved, the price has to go up….the price the seller has to net will have to take into consideration what the commission will be on the sale and the net profit will have to remain the same…of course.

   After all, the seller should be able to choose the price that their own house sells for…they paid the mortgage,  made improvements, did the updates, managed the maintenance…it should be a homeowner’s  right to choose the price….shouldn’t it ?

    The short answer that is echoed by ethical realtors everywhere is ….No. The seller doesn’t choose, the realtor doesn’t choose…the market selects.  Similar homes that have sold in the area have sold for $X. The similar home prices are what an appraiser uses to determine the amount of a mortgage that a buyer for that home can expect to be lent. 

        If a seller “adds the commission, adds the tax, adds the improvements, updates, sprinkles in some sweat equity, adds some appreciation for good measure….and arrives at a Realtor List Price…the house will not appraise for that amount.  In addition, when a buyer compares the now over priced house to other houses in the market priced at an appraisable price,  it will pale by comparison.  Buyers are smart….Buyers with Buyers’ Agents know what prices were paid and how the over priced house compares to other priced to sell.

     List with an experienced Realtor….who will tell you the truth about the price of your home…market it to as many  prospective buyers as possible and bring it to a successful closing.  Now there is fate you can live with …happily ever after.

   It's easier to get married than it is divorced....(more fun too ) !  People often refer to the initial part of a relationship as the "honeymoon" period...that time when you look into each other's eyelashes....giggle now and then, holding hands....goose bumps, heart thumping...planning the wedding...the honeymoon, the home you share...the celebration of a new beginning in life. 

   New beginnings....there are many throughout our lives and careers...some expected, planned and welcomed...

              - The wedding - The new baby - The graduation - The new career -The new house

     Other changes are not as welcome...don't feel as comfortable...because for one reason or another, the decision to make the change was beyond our control....or what we chose to control....

             - The divorce - Serious Illness - Death of a loved one - Job Loss - Job Transfer

   A while ago one of our short sale sellers found herself faced with a divorce she did not want from a spouse she still loved. She said when she got over the initial shock of his leaving the house, she went to church and sat quietly and thought and thought.  Her decision she said wisely, was she was going to be Better not Bitter. Sometimes there is not a choice when it comes to the "hand you are dealt"....there is always a choice in how you react to it.

  Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. When hardship strikes an individual or a family, no one can be prepared for how they will feel...what they should do...who they should ask.....while the problems compound... as a result of under or unemployment, divorce, illness or death ....there can be a period of mental and physical paralysis. The homeowner can be afraid that when it appears that everything is going wrong...to make one more decision might also be the wrong one.

   We hear it echo ...."Why did they wait so long before they...." Part of the reason might be because of the eternal belief that tomorrow will bring the job offer, maybe the maintenance/support payments will prevent a move and make the house affordable...recovery from an illness won't take as long or the medical bills won't be as devastating.  Whatever the hardship, coming to grips with change is difficult.

   Real estate agents who choose short sales as a part of their practice have to be sensitive to those feelings....the sellers have a right to own them in our opinion. Sometimes it is all they feel they own in what appears to them at the moment to be a hopeless situation.  Part of our job has to be to listen...to understand and to help individuals and families take the next step. To provide the resources and the alternatives to staying stuck in the  dark corner of fear and knowing there is a light, that this is a temporary situation, that there is a future that will be brighter.

   A real estate associate accused us of "being too sensitive...You can't put your heart into it...."  We will every time...it's the only way we know how to do it.

While we sometimes still see "a chance of snow flurries" in the April forecast....we know it won't be long before golfers dust off their clubs and hit the links on the many beautiful courses throughout Waukesha county.  Matt Anderson proudly sponsors the 14th Annual Greater Matty's Open at the Edgewood Golf Course with proceeds going to the kidney foundation.

   Just CLICK HERE to register. Enjoy the food...have some fun....win a doorprize...get some exercise...and get that feel good all over sensation knowing that you have contributed to the success of a charitable event for those most in need of your help.

  Come on over to Matty's Bar anytime...and you'll find food, fun, sports fans....and you may catch some sunshine on the Mattio....

   One of the more expensive parts of owning a printer for your computer is not the printer or the paper or the maintenance...but the speed at which the ink cartridges empty and the cost of replacement.  A study was done recently that determined that different type faces use more ink. From the school of "All Things Common Sense" if you look at these two examples you can easily see the difference.

Century Gothic – Legible sanserif typeface – uses about 30% less ink than Ariel

Ariel – Legible…Type has more density and uses more ink

  My attempts to make this a Font-tastic blog have failed...not able to graphically capture the differences...but i know you will find them....make it a Font-tastic Day !

       Be kind...to the environment...your wallet....change your style...and save !

  Short sales are a wonderful thing...we believe it ...we do it...we learn from every listing...every twist and turn in the process. While we believe that a short sale is very often a great remedy for a distressed homeowner...there are circumstances that don't make it the best remedy.  In some cases, it is necessary for us to step back....for us to refer the seller to a qualified real estate lawyer for evaluation of the entire situation....and monitoring that situation as things change in the life of the seller(s).

    We had a listing that had an offer....and a few days before...the seller lost his job and decided to relocate to another part of the country to be closer to family members. While the timing was not great from a sales perspective...given the entire financial picture of the seller, bankruptcy was what his lawyer advised and in this case, this "highest and best source information" we believe, was good advice.

   Distressed homeowners sometimes believe that a short sale will relieve them of all their debt ...the medical bills, credit cards, tax liens, car payments....just add them as liens on the house and the bank will "forgive" it all. While the banks have undoubtedly had some "overly generous" practices in the past...no money down....no doc...no no no....adding liens to the house does not obligate the lender to pay them.

     Making the "highest and best" decision can be difficult at a time when a homeowner has less than optimum personal strength due to their hardship circumstances.  There are lawyers who will advise bankruptcy when there are other options and there are realtors who will suggest a short sale when bankruptcy may be a better option. The whole picture has to be considered...not the easiest....not the quickest....but the way that will make the future a brighter place and in the end, give the greatest benefit to the homeowner.

Some people describe Greendale as a Norman Rockwell snapshot from days gone by...the picturesque village was designed to look like an English Garden Community. Designed by the federal government during the Depression, the garden theme included a town center with easy walking to affordable housing and gardens...a theme you still see as you stroll the streets of this village of just over 14,000 people.

       The downtown Village area has over 25 shops including gift shops, specialty shop, restaurants and beauty salons...something for everything an easy walk from anywhere in the Village while you take in the garden scenery of blooms and vegetation. There are more than 40,000 flowers planted  along the downtown streets, in hanging baskets, in sidewalk beds and storefront window boxes....eye candy everywhere !

  A tour of downtown may also include some demonstrations and taste treats with everything from making Wisconsin custard to the learning the benefits of aromatherapy and the sumptious melt in your mouth chocolate delights offered by local shops.

  If you prefer, guided tours, they are also available for your enjoyment. You can spend  the day in Greendale, with lunch and visits throughout  Historic Greendale, Reiman Visitor Center, the world-renowned Boerner Botanical Gardens, Historic Trimborn Farm and the Jeremiah Curtin house

   If Greendale sounds like someplace you might look to call home, we would be happy to be your tour guides and show you what this suburban Milwaukee community has to offer.

  OR have us give you listings that are customized to your taste and needs and click here and click the "Search Available Homes and find the ones that match your dream of living in Greendale, Wisconsin

  Delightful Delafield, Wisconsin is nestled in the hills of the Kettle Moraine just a 30 minute drive west of Milwaukee.  A peak at "yesteryear"  there are two shopping districts that offer antiques, specialty shoppes, a good selection of restaurants....a tourist's treasure and the pride of local residents.

   Delafield finds lots of reasons to celebrate thoughout the year...from the annual block part to the art fair,   Halloween Celebration and in keeping with the Christmas holiday, breakfast with the reindeer.

   A wealth of recreational and sporting activities and facilities enable visitors and residents to enjoy everything from golk and water sports to year round ice skating at the Naga-Waukee Ice Arena.  To learn more about this community of just  6,929 residents...

CLICK HERE                                                                      

2009-2010 Delafield Community Guide

  If Delafield sounds like the kind of community you may want to call home, we would be happy to be your tour guides and show you one of the shining stars of Waukesha county. Here are just some of the homes currently available in Delafield, you can find them clicking here.

  OR have us give you listings that are customized to your taste and needs and click here and click the "Search Available Homes and find the ones that match your dream of living in Delafield, Wisconsin

   We were asked to call a friend’s divorce lawyer regarding the sale of his home. His soon to be ex-wife was living in the house, not paying  the mortgage, not allowing showings and they had been given a notice of default months ago.  The husband wanted to do a short sale…he understands what the ravages of foreclosure will do to him for years to come.  I explained to the husband, if his ex did not allow showings,  changing listing agents would in all likelihood not change that situation .

   He called his lawyer and told him we would be calling.  I called the lawyer and identified myself as a realtor and acquaintance of his client who had asked me to call on his behalf.

  “Why Should I Talk to YOU ?”  he snarled.

  “I am calling at the request of your client who does  not want to go into foreclosure and wants to list his home with an experienced short sale agent.” I explained.

  “I am not discussing this with you…you aren’t gaining access…I will talk to the other lawyer..they have been in foreclosure before … and we’ll  make that decision!”   CLICK !

  Gee…Attorney “Jones”….we are all on the same page…or should be…(how many times do you think they go into foreclosure with the same house…) we work with lots of lawyers…you are the first to be this rude without listening to the facts as we know them to be…including that the house is not listed or marketed as a short sale…has one  exterior picture out of season and has very limited showing hours. Explain your position to your client when the sheriff pays a visit for the sale…and your client has  his wages garnisheed and credit ruined….hang your reputation on that…and hang up the phone before knowing as Mr. Harvey used to say, “the rest of the story.”