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.

I know my brokerage's stance on the subject.  They are in the ARG camp.  

I know my own stats and what has been produced from being on Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com.  My experience has been that they have led to leads only if the person trusts me enough to contact me.  The Central Ohio Multiple Listing System (MLS) system has been the best resource to sell any of my listings or for me to find homes for my buyers.  However, I'm more willing to find a tool to resolve these issues instead of taking my ball and mitt and going home.  

Side Note: The Central Ohio MLS system does NOT syndicate to Trulia or Zillow.  Realtors need to push their own data to these sites.

Jim Abbot has good points about how there are inconsistencies in the data that the syndicated sites release.  Really, is inaccuracy in data the transparency that Fred Glick calls for in his video?

However, Fred Glick hit the nail on the head with his statements that the Real Estate profession are not trusted.  Heck, the HarrisInteractive found Real Estate Agents the least prestigious occupations as of August 4, 2009. 

Real Estate really has a hole to climb out of and this latest bickering is NOT going to help the industry.  Yes, there are issues with data accuracy on Listing Syndication sites.  Yes, there are shady things happening on Craig's List due to listings being publicized on the Listing Syndication sites. (I should know with my own first hand experience.  See Craig's List Rental Scare for more information.)  Yes, we need to provide avenues for the public to trust the Real Estate industry.

I could sit here and pick apart every little thing that Jim Abbot and Fred Glick expressed in their videos.  However, that will not resolve the problem.  Let's address the issues that are poisoning the Real Estate Industry.  Let's turn this into a win/win situation for the public so they have a better system to trust and utilize to their benefit.

Hosting #RealEstateTech on Twitter every 4th Tuesday at 3PM ET.  Let's talk Real Estate Tech!

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

I would say for any Realtor out there that networking is the most valuable piece of the business puzzle.  Lead generating systems are nice, safe and easy; but, anyone who has been a Real Estate agent for the last couple of years knows that they are not always the most valuable leads out there.  My experience has been that those who have been converted to clients as "cold calls" have been the really rare gems.

Networking can be done in many ways.  You can network via:

1. Facebook
2. Linked In
3. Twitter
4. Local Chamber
5. Book Group
6. Choir
7. PTA

And the list could keep going...

It is a matter of getting and staying involved.  You do not have be obvious about being a Realtor - talking about properties all the time.  I always wear my Realtor pin to events to show people that I am apart of an elite group.  But, be open to answer questions when asked....  The magical phrase of "I do not know; let me look it up for you." also seem to earn praise.

Networking should be a positive 10 letter word in your book.  

Most days I sit at my desk and I count my blessings from a career in Real Estate that I so adore and love.  It is not the career that I thought of or imagined myself having when I "grow up".  If you would have asked the 18 year old Katie if she would imagine herself in this type of job one day, she probably would have told you no in a very colorful way.  This is far and away NOT the life I imagined for myself.  But, I grew and got real.

There is something very satisfying in the simplicity of a Real Estate deal.  There are in essence, very few complications to a Real Estate deal.  However when you add the human element then the whole wad can become complex and difficult in a hurry.  In my opinion, Real Estate is neither for the faint of heart nor for those who want to make a quick buck.  

It takes time, patience, perseverance, luck, and most of all, people skills to accomplish what most people have come to think as a simple Real Estate deal.

Foreclosures are still climbing in Ohio, and even with all of the four-letter government solutions (HAMP, HAFA, HARP) it’s simply not enough. People have been drowning, being forced to walk away from their homes and take huge hits on their credit scores. A short sale offers homeowners who are facing foreclosure a way to minimize damage to their credit so that they can purchase another home sooner, but the paperwork required for a short sale can be daunting. Without the proper guidance, there are a number of risks. That’s why Northwest Title has partnered with Madison & Rosan LLP and Superior Real Estate Advisers create The Short Sale Solution.

Madison & Rosan LLP specializes in real estate law and Kristan E. Rosan, Esq., has extensive experience handling short sales. She formerly served as Chief Legal Counsel with the Ohio Division of Real Estate. Superior Real Estate Advisers is a national short sales facilitator that has handled hundreds of successful short sales transactions with the largest mortgage companies in the country. Northwest Title is Ohio’s premier title company, and I am a certified continuing education instructor, teaching courses on minimizing risk in short sales to Ohio real estate professionals.

The Short Sale Solution came about from our collective experience of seeing clients, colleagues, and homeowners frustrated by a process that was intended to ease the pain of the feeble housing market. Our primary goal is to help homeowners avoid foreclosure and get out from under the weight of their mortgages. We provide expedited, professional expertise to realtors and home sellers throughout the entire short sales process. Simplifying the short sales process and helping more people resolve their housing issues while minimizing risk is our number-one priority.

By providing realtors and homeowners the comprehensive professional and legal advice that can be so critical, The Short Sale Solution is making a difference. The paperwork involved in a short sale can be time-consuming and complicated, but our team of professionals are experts who know all of the ins and outs of the short sales process and can get transactions closed. Most important, the service is available for a flat fee, which makes it an affordable, effective solution for realtors and homeowners.

The Short Sale Solution is offering a much needed service to Ohio homeowners. The attorneys, facilitators, and title company work together to protect the seller, navigate the short sale process, and create a successful closing. Realtors interested in using The Short Sale Solution should contact Northwest Title at 614-451-6313.

Have you ever wondered how people get to (fill in the blank)?  

I am right there with you.  I sometimes wonder just how...  Then a glass of wine at a happy hour, a chat about this and that, a time out from the normal nightly routine, reminds me that it is not about wondering how...  It is creating the how.

People thrive on relationships.  Business thrives on relationships.  If you ever wonder how something is done, marvel at it's most complex simplicity first - the relationship.  The core fact on how anything is ever accomplished is the relationship that a person develops with another person.  

How hard is it to develop a relationship?

Immensly hard.  Most difficult task ever taken on by one human being.  Why?  Let's go outside ourselves.  Outside our inner, safe sanctum and put ourselves out on the line and work with another human being to trust, like, and respect us.  Phew, that is no easy feat.  

How often do you sit there and say to yourself:  "Yep, feel comfortable doing business with that person."  

The Epiphany

It takes getting to know people, perseverance, and a fair bit of hard work to build relationships.

CAUTION:  

Be sure you know who you are dealing with on Craig's List.  Recently, I have been receiving a rash of phone calls about one of my listings listed as a rental on Craig's List.  It is not a rental by the way.  It is strictly for sale.

Someone took the information I recently posted on the MLS, Realtor.com, etc. and regurgitated the information to create this too-good-to-be-true rental opportunity.  They were requesting $600 deposit with $700 a month rent but the catch was you could not see the home because the home owner was in Africa and could not show it.  

Here is the scary bit; someone was posing as my client.  They used my client's name in these email correspondences with these would be renters but no one was able to get a hold of this person via phone, so they called me.  The smart ones called me.  Who knows how many people these scammers have gotten...  

Good News:  From what I can tell, the advert is down.  I cannot find a trace of it anywhere.  

Bad News:  There will be another listing they will target.

Just be cautious out there folks.

With financial options being more and more limited, Ohio Housing Finance Agency offers some unique programs to offer assistance.  From new graduates to Ohio heroes, there are possible avenues to explore for first time home buyers.  These avenues are not automatically awarded to you.  You will need to qualify; but, here are options for down payments or possible home repair loans.  It is something to know about and consider.

Real Estate Sales Basics have not changed over the years.  Yes, there have been some amazing advances in technology.  These tools may increase your chances for sales.  However, the goals are the same.  You are looking to establish:

1.  Trust
2.  Professional Experience
3.  Influence

I have seen how personal connections can bring about amazing outcomes.  Your Sphere of Influence can always be added to and broadened. Every day is a new day to connect with someone.  How are you going to network and make personal connections today?