Communication is so vital to anything being accomplished in a Real Estate transaction.  The best transactions are when communication is done in a professional manner and on time.  This avoids what I like to term Communication Fallout where the communications become a frustrated mess and people are pointing fingers in every direction.

Here are 3 tips to prevent Communication Fallout:

One of Cam Taylor Co. Ltd., Realtors® advantages is a connection with a global network of various independent Real Estate Companies.  This organization is called Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.  If you know of someone who needs a good quality Realtor® in any part of the world, in a different part of the United States, or more locally, in another area in Ohio, our Global Relocation Director, Judy Gray, will take the time to work with other relocation directors to match the person in need of relocation with a Realtor® in the area.

This is one of many great services that Cam Taylor Co. Ltd, Realtors® provides.  Let us know if we can help others in need of finding a great quality Realtor® to assist them!

There is something fundamentally different between an investment house and a home.  Do not get me wrong:  Homes have financial value and you need to choose wisely and do your research; but, there is something intangible about a home that makes it a home.  Something that defies the laws of logic and reason.

You should do updates and projects to the home because you are living in your dwelling and you want enjoyment from the home.  Those who get overly concerned about whether a project will make monetary sense or if it will gain them profit when sold need to take a step back.  This is where over thinking can get you into a real trouble.

Either way stick to a plan and a budget.  Be aware that styles do constantly change.  What is hip now is not necessarily going to be hip in the future - remember blue shag carpeting and avocado green refrigerators?  Or is that back in fashion again???  I cannot keep up.

Remember less is more in more cases than not.  But above all, be true to yourself and your definition of a home.

You know I really do not blame the agents back in the day who decided to jump on the bandwagon of Realtor.com, Zillow.com, or Trulia.com.  How can I blame them?  Most of them did not have technology backgrounds.  They did not know what ramifications were going to occur when data was distributed outside their control.  It was a good solution.  Syndicators like Realtor.com, Zillow.com, and Trulia.com wooed them with systems in place made it that look like the needs of developing internet public would be serviced, eliminating the need to understand this new marketing technology on their own.

Now years later there is some regret.  Data accuracy is horrible and unfortunately the public's perception (unless they get into a good relationship with a respected REALTOR®) is that these sites are a good resource for the public who is previewing homes.  I know I liked to look at these famous sites before I was a REALTOR®.  I know now they are less of a resource than the Multiple Listing Service provided by the local REALTOR® associations by a million miles.

I am speaking out about this not because I want people running to me for access to our Multiple Listing Service site.  [Aside:  I will not lie that would be sweet.  Laughing Out Loud.]  However, it is more out of concern that these sites are being used as valuable and trustworthy resources by the public.  It scares me because I look at them now as traps.  Traps that REALTORS® willing walked into and promoted.  To undo this is going to take a lot of education, better Multiple Listing Service client facing sites, and REALTORS® admitting to a mistake.

Remember: Real Estate is local.  These national sites are great to play around with and dream.  But, contact your local REALTOR® when you want to look seriously. 

What I feel the plagues our Real Estate Industry is the lack of trust that the public has of REALTORS®.  I believe that Seth Godin's Blog entitled Why lie? describes why there is no trust between the public and REALTORS®.  As salespeople, REALTORS® question the judgment of the prospect.

I know I am guilty.  In weak moments, I questioned the judgement of prospects.  You know what happened when I committed this human mistake?  Every single time I have lost them as clients.  

Each person, couple, situation, and transaction is different.  You can draw on experiences from previous situations and transactions to help you adapt; but, sometimes you need to lose a client to understand how to make yourself better as a REALTOR®.  It is sometimes not your experience that the public is after.  It is the fact that the prospect sees you as a trustworthy source.

You cannot control the prospects perceptions, analysis, or logic.  You can respect and believe that the prospect is making a decision that make sense to them.  

Yes, it hurts that people do not see you as a trustworthy resource.  But if you have a supportive system to help you get through it, you will realize that this was a business decision and then you can find the respect needed to acknowledge this decision.

The unseasonably warm spring weather in Central Ohio has brought out the buyers.  The market has picked up and we are heading straight into the peak season with lots of sales happening.  Low inventory in the Multiple Listing Service has created an environment of people gobbling up the latest and newest homes on the market.  The hotest markets are seeing a real rebound and are still fairly priced for the areas.  With interest rates continuing to be really low and the fact that we don't know when they will climb higher, this is a real opportunity for those who are in a great position to buy or sell.

Remember:

1. Have great credit and job history if you are going for a mortgage.
2. Be able to sell at the current market price.
3. Be sure the home looks like a model.

These early signs of renewal are great to see in the Columbus area.  I hope this continues into the summer and fall months.

One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn as a Real Estate Consultant is Patience.  

As a REALTOR® I have to cultivate patience to benefit my clients.  The real estate market is not predictable.  Oh, we have our statistics and our charts and our data to help guide us; but, the actual predictability of when the right, qualified buyer comes along is like finding a needle in a haystack.  All you can control is how your property looks when presented at a showing or online and the price.

Otherwise, it is a waiting game.  If you look at February 2012 sales from the Columbus Board of REALTORS®, you will see that the inventory is down significantly from February 2011.  There are only 6 months of houses on the market and that pushes us into a neutral market in Central Ohio.  If we sold everything in inventory on the Multiple Listing Service, we would be out of homes in 6 months.

It is tougher on both sides of the transaction now. 

Technology is a Tool – Not a Solution

Published in In Contract Magazine March 2012.

When FHA spot approval discontinued back in February 2010, I thought "Well, OK.  There are still FHA approved condo projects."  FHA approved condo projects are becoming more and more like an endangered animal.  The numbers are dwindling right before our eyes.  This is because of the cost to become an FHA approved condo according to David Dikeman from Insight Bank.  Condo Associations are finding that, in order to survive this economy, they need to cut the cost of obtaining FHA approved status from the expenses.  This leads to only two types of possible sales now - Conventional Loans or Cash.  FHA has essentially cut the first time home buyer market right out of the equation.  Well, of course unless they can do a Conventional Loan or Cash.  

This is not at all helpful to a struggling Real Estate market.  It is essentially hand cuffing and blind folding REALTORS® from selling condos. Condos are great option for people.  Just wish FHA felt the same.

A prospective client had to let me go once.  Lots of external reasons existed. I will not bore you with the details but none of it was because they were dissatisfied with my service.  Quite the contrary.  They tried their hardest to continue my representation of them.  What a compliment to have someone who wanted to continue a relationship with me, despite external pressures, as long as they feasibly could!  I have never been so flattered.  

Ladies and gentleman, this is why I am in Real Estate.  I am here to serve my clients needs as well as I can within the realm of possibilities, market and the inventory.  When I am able to communicate a level of trust and ellicit such a strong loyalty without showing one home, I have done my job properly.

Remember, it is not always about winning or losing; but, how you play the game.