Outside the box

Today is my last real estate settlement of 2018.  It will be a happy day as my young clients get the keys to their brand new home; a home they didn't have to rebuild from the inside out like their last home.  I anticipate lots of smiles and excitement at the settlement table.

These clients were "walk-ins".  That means they just showed up at the office without an appointment and asked to speak to an agent, who happened to be me that day.  That almost never happens.  With the plethora of real estate information (and misinformation) on the internet, most people begin their real estate search online and have a good idea what they can expect to get and pay.  But I sat down with these clients and talked about what they wanted, where they wanted to be, and discussed details of their situation.

But in my 8 years of being a full-time agent, this has only happened to me 3 times.  That's right; 3 times in 8 years.  Obviously you can't build a business on 3 walk-ins in 8 years.  Fortunately my real estate team has done a lot to get leads by having a robust online presence, using our own team website and having profiles on public real estate websites.  We also advertise in local publications too.

But this year I was also struck by how much more business happens outside the office, which is making me think outside the box on how I can capture more of it.

As an example, I sold a home to a couple in 2012.  The wife referred a colleague to me in 2014 and that couple also bought a home from.  That couple referred a colleague to me this year and that couple bought a home from me too.  This reminded me how important word-of-mouth referrals are.  I need to think of some new ways to encourage my past clients to refer their friends and neighbors to me.  After all, I've already proven my value and trustworthiness to them so they can vouch for me when they refer others.

Another example:  2 independent clients to whom I've sold homes struck up conversations with strangers at happy hours (that's common around here).  Both clients referred those strangers to me and both have since purchased homes.  This reminded me that 'not all business happens in the board room', sometimes it happens at happy hour.  I need to consider the potential of capturing new business at happy hours.  

When the market is good and business is easy to get we can get a bit lazy with prospecting.  But as the market slows down and interest rates go up I don't want my business/income to go down too.  I need to think outside the box for ways to capture business.

I tried going to a couple of local business networking mixers but didn't find them to be helpful.  It was mostly people like me who were trying to expand their reach to new customers.  And although those people had the potential to refer their clients to me, these events were heavy with realtors so I never saw any benefit from them.  I think they're more effective in larger metropolitan areas.

Do any of you guys have any ideas to share?

Shopping

Yesterday I joined several of my fellow realtors and some mortgage company employees to shop for needy children in our area. 

Our county is rather diverse in that there are large multi-million dollar beachfront homes only occupied a few weeks each summer, as well as tiny old trailer homes occupied year round by entire families.  There's both wealth and poverty here.

That's why our realtor association has a foundation that raises money in the fall so that these needy children can have clothing and toys for Christmas.  Yesterday's shopping trip was how those items are obtained.

We were given an information sheet with the childrens' names, ages, sizes, and preferred colors.  Additionally the sheet indicates whether or not the child needs a winter coat.  I shopped for 6 children yesterday and all of them needed coats and shoes.

Bargain shopping has been my hobby for years, having furnished apartments and homes on a budget many times, as well as finding mid-century modern furniture and decor as low as possible.  So stretching the budget for these children is right in my wheelhouse, and I really enjoy getting the closest match to what they want/need and spending the least possible.

While the childrens' stories are sad (some living with elderly grandparents because their parents are in prison) the shopping project is actually happy and fun because we're accomplishing our goal of helping these needy kids who aren't responsible for their situations.

Scared

Recently I was showing a vacant, distressed home.  As I approached the home from the parking area I noticed a window with no screen was wide open.  I thought this was odd since I knew the home was vacant.

As I pushed open the door I startled a bird that must have flown in the open window.  The scared bird flew toward me and crapped on my pants!  I LITERALLY scared the shit out of that bird!

My new client arrived a minute later so I had to explain the stain on my pants and we both had a good-natured chuckle over it.

When I returned to my office I tried a tiny dab of liquid soap and a damp paper towel to clean the spot on my pants.  It worked really well, and once the area dried the shit stain was barely visible. Of course the pants will go to the dry cleaners for full removal but at least I didn't have to walk around all day with shit stained pants.

So, how was YOUR day?

Area

Even before I was a realtor I watched all the HGTV and DIY network shows involving buying, selling, flipping, renovating, restoring, or otherwise improving real estate.  I just love them!  Spouse has gotten tired of them so now I DVR the new episodes and watch them when he's not around.

Something that I hear both home buyers and realtors saying incorrectly is the word area.  Not incorrectly pronouncing it, but incorrectly using it at the end of every phrase or sentence.

"And over here you have the formal dining room area."

An area is a section within a larger space.  If you have an open concept space with an area for dining, you can call it the dining area.  But if you have a formal dining ROOM, that's a room not an area.

"Wow, this patio area will be great for entertaining!"

Again, a patio is a defined space and should not have the word area after it.  Now, if someone said "this yard's patio area is great for entertaining" that would be correct.  The yard is the larger space and the patio is the area.  But a patio is not an area unless its being described within a larger space.

I don't know why this irks me so much but it does.  Kind of like when people say "navy blue" or "kelly green".  Blue is the only color with a shade called navy, and green is the only color with a shade called kelly, so its redundant to say "navy blue" or "kelly green".  Its just navy or kelly.

What are you language indiosyncrasies?

What I do

Birthday

Today is my birthday.  I'm not going to say which birthday, so if you really, REALLY want to know, you'll have to email me.

I'm in NYC today.  My local Realtor's association charters a bus to NYC every year on the 1st Wed in Dec.  The bus leaves at 6:30am and returns at 10pm, so you've got an entire day to do whatever you want in the Big Apple.  I've haven't done this trip before but decided to go ahead and do it since it was my birthday.  

Some of my Realtor and mortgage friends and I have tickets to the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.  If you've never seen this show, you should add it to your bucket list.  I saw it 20+ years ago and was amazed by the sheer mechanics of all the set changes, stage changes, costume changes, animals, etc.  "Spectacular" is definitely not an over-statement.

I'm not sure what else I'll do but in NYC there's definitely no shortage of interesting things to see and places to go.  Even regular buildings and stores will be dressed for Christmas and will be even more beautiful than usual.  Maybe I'll wander through Central Park, see the Christmas tree and ice skaters at Rockafeller Center, and for sure I'll have some good food.  

More details to follow.

Showings and offers and contracts - oh my!

Wow, work has been so busy for me!  Being a real estate agent in a beach resort area you'd think I'd be crazy busy all summer long and then things would cool off when the weather cooled off.

Not so!  In the last 2 weeks I showed dozens of properties, and just this week I've written 5 offers!  I don't think I've ever written that many offers in a single week before.

And while I'm certainly not complaining about being busy (remember I don't get paid unless I go to closing), I just kind of wished this wasn't going on at the same time as Frank's passing.  On Sun when we were in VA I excused myself a couple of times to take work phone calls and close some deals.  I felt bad that I couldn't just spend the day with the family.

Looking at this from a different perspective, the timing of all these deals closing in late Nov and early Dec will mean that we will have the ability to be a little more generous when Christmas shopping, and will still be able to put away money for my quarterly tax payment.

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.

It doesn't work like that

As I've shared before, I'm a realtor and I really enjoy my job.

Even before I became a realtor I enjoyed watching HGTV's "House Hunters" and its variations "House Hunters International", "House Hunters Renovations", etc.  And I still do.  

But I have to laugh when I hear the comments of some of the home buyers like "Oh, I really don't like these white appliances.  These will have to be changed out with stainless steel immediately."  The realtors' attempts to mitigate a home's deficiencies can be nearly as comical, like "This home offers a great opportunity to build equity by updating a few things."

But likely the most unrealistic part of these shows is their insinuation that a realtor shows a buyer 3 homes and then they pick 1 to buy.  

It doesn't work like that.

Even if buyers fall in love with the very 1st house, they always want to see a few other homes to reinforce their decision.  But most of the time it takes at least 6 home showings before buyers are ready to make a purchase, and often it takes even more than 6.

I recently heard from clients to whom I showed homes over 4 years ago.  At that time they were expecting their house in another state to sell, so I kept in touch with them for a couple years.  Finally, after 4 years their house sold and they called me to say they were coming to look at homes again.

Sometimes that's how it works.

Appreciation

We're fortunate to live in an area that is rather progressive, open, and accepting.  For many years our little beach area has been the place where GLBT folks have spent their beach vacations and invested in 2nd homes.  While there are still conservative, narrow-minded people in the state, DE was ahead of the curve in implementing domestic partnerships which mirrored the benefits and rights of marriage (not every state's DP laws are that thorough), and in granting full marriage equality.  This is not something to take for granted, given the recent hateful legislation passed in NC under the guise of "religious freedom".

In addition to my appreciation for living in a state that treats me and Spouse as equal citizens, I also have appreciation for working for a company that treats me the same way.  Many of my colleagues within the company and a few on my team are GLBT.  Our franchise has made the decision to show all kinds of people in their national ads.

In "The Call" a gay male couple is among those who receive the happy news that their home has sold:

In "Moving" a lesbian couple shares a bite of their wedding cake:

While not the focus of the ads, I think its important to acknowledge the intentional presence of GLBT folks in advertising.  I really think it helps 'normalize' us to the general public, showing the milestones in life shared by everyone.  

I don't take for granted that my community and employer contribute to the sense of safety and peace of mind I experience.

Anne Marie & More

Its Fri and I've got another big weekend ahead.

As I type this I know that Anne Marie and her husband Todd have arrived in town for a weekend getaway.  Spouse & I will be meeting them and Steven & Thad and Joe P and Derwin & Carolyn for dinner at Dos Locos.  We are sure to have a fun time!

Afterward most of them will mosey on over to the Blue Moon to catch me in an extended LEGENDS show.  Although the summer LEGENDS series has ended, it is Jazz Fest this weekend so the Blue Moon decided to do a special "More Than Just Jazz" program for the weekend.  I'm doing a show at 7pm as Elton John and then another show as Neil Sedaka at 10pm.  Fortunately there will be time for me to visit a little more with Anne Marie & Todd between the shows.

Tomorrow I work at my day job as a realtor, then go back to the Blue Moon to do it all again; another 7pm show as Neil Sedaka and a 10pm show as Elton John.  I imagine I'll be exhausted by Sun.  Fortunately I'm off Sun so I can rest up.

Weekend recap

Since I'm a Realtor, I normally work on Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays too.  Since I'm a member of a team and we rotate our office coverage, it is possible for me to have a full weekend off now and then.  Most of these off weekends are scheduled for specific events though, such as weekend visits with family and friends.  So, it was a pretty rare occasion for me to be scheduled off both days, have no client appointments, and have no family or friends visits this past weekend.

Spouse & I decided we would tackle a couple of home projects as well as have some fun this weekend.  Sat morning we met up with Steven & Thad for breakfast, then came home a pulled the power washer out.  Our front porch, sidewalk, and lamp post were in real need of cleaning, as they tend to get grey mildew on the undersides where the sun doesn't reach.

Power washing really gets that grey mildew off!

We also power washed the 4 white rocking chairs and 2 small tables that occupy the front porch.  The results were amazing!

Then we moved around to the side of the house where the other driveway and side entrance to the house is located.  We power washed the side entryway, back exterior wall of the garage, and the sidewalk to remove some green algae.  It took about 3 hours from start to finish.

After showering and relaxing for a little while, we met up with Steven & Thad, Joe P, and Betsy & Bob for dinner at Dos Locos, and then I walked over to the Blue Moon to get ready for my performance as Elton John in the Legends show.

The audience was really 'into' the show and many were singing along with me, which was really fun!  Immediately after the show the Legends mix and mingle with the audience for a little while, and I was asked to pose for photos with several customers.  It was great!

Sun morning Spouse & I picked up Steven & Thad in Big Ella and drove to a small car show in Ocean City, MD.  We had breakfast, looked at the cars, and then headed back home.  It was a nice weather for the drive.  Then Spouse & I moved the dining table and chairs out of the dining room so we could shampoo the dining room rug.  That went pretty quickly, and while the rug dried Spouse took a nap and I watched TV with Marvin & Walter at my side.

That evening we decided to have a picnic dinner at the beach.  We met Steven & Thad at 6:00 and shared cheesesteaks, potato chips, fries, and drinks.  (Yes, I went off my eating plan but it was worth it.)  It was a gorgeous evening and we stayed until 8:30.

I really enjoy it when we have a fun and productive weekend.

Wrapping for charity

Last week I wrote about our realtor association's shopping for a needy family for Christmas.  Yesterday I met up with a bunch of realtors to wrap all the gifts and clothes purchased on that shopping day. 

A local restaurant that is closed for the season donated the space so we could work on the dining tables, and even played Christmas music for us while we wrapped. 

I worked with my friend Joey again, and we wrapped gifts for 3 hours.  It was a lot of fun and it really makes me feel that I'm doing something good for those less fortunate.

You can check with your local social services to adopt a needy family in your area if you want to experience the same joy!

Holiday fun

This morning I was showered, dressed, and in the Kmart at 7am.  That sounds like the opposite of 'Holiday fun', right?  Especially since I am not a morning person.

But the reason for this oddity is because I was shopping for a needy family for Christmas.  Kmart opens the store to us an hour earlier than usual (hence 7am) and generously takes 10% off the totals.  I arrived on time, armed with a thermos of coffee to help me wake up.

About a month ago my local realtor association had a big Mardi Gras-themed fundraiser to raise money for this specific shopping event.  As in years past, I paired up with my friend Joey and we accepted the need/wish list for a family with 7 kids, ages 1, 2, 4, two aged 5, 6, and 7.  The family's profile indicated the family was homeless; all 7 kids staying with their grandfather (whose probably younger than me considering the children's ages), and there was no mention of the parents.  While their situation is sad, we did feel joy in shopping for them and getting as much as possible from their list. 

The 5, 6, and 7 year olds needed coats, so we got those.  All 7 kids needed shoes or boots so we got those too.  Each child got a complete outfit (pants and shirt or sweater), and all the kids got toys except the 1 year old.  Since the kids likely don't have their own beds, we also picked out fleece throws with matching stuffed animals for them to curl up with at night like this one, possibly on a sofa or recliner.  (The arms and legs open to release the fleece throw.)  Next week I will participate in wrapping these and other gifts for the needy families.

After shopping I headed to work, but left early in order to get ready for dinner and the Rehoboth Beach Christmas parade.  Spouse & I met Steven & Thad and Joe P and his 2 friends from PA for dinner first, then I slipped away to adorn Big Ella with lighted wreaths and bows. 

It rained all day long and we anxiously awaited the official word from the parade sponsor to see if they were going to cancel the parade.  Fortunately they decided to keep the parade on schedule since the radar showed the rain moving away from the area.  However, it didn't really stop raining until minutes before the parade, which caused some participants to cancel and resulted in a much lower than usual attendance.  But we had a great dinner together and still had fun at the parade.  At least it wasn't bitter cold like last year.

Appreciation

Last night I went to a realtor appreciation party hosted by a local real estate attorney that I sometimes refer my clients to.  She used to have this realtor appreciation party in Dec but found that it was harder and harder to schedule without overlapping some other party/event, so she decided to move it to late Oct and make it a costume party.  (Spouses were invited but mine declined.)

The party was a lot of fun!  Nearly everyone was dressed in costumes.  I resurrected an old favorite of mine: Boy George.  Here is a photo of me from 2006 in the same costume.

Richard Simmons, Boy George, Bride of Frankenstein

There was live music, costume prizes, door prizes, food and drinks - what more could you ask of a week night Halloween party?

Spouse & I are going to a friend's Halloween party on Fri night and I'll probably be wearing this costume again.

Taken for a ride

A regional builder invited me and lots of other realtors to their annual Realtor Appreciation Event.  It was open to all realtors, but was mostly attended by realtors like me who had sold homes in one of their communities.  At 1st I wasn't going to go since it was 2 hours away, but after talking with a realtor friend of mine who had gone before, I decided to go.

Since the event was being held in the DC area, the builder hired a limo bus to drive us from the local community here in DE to the event.  It was exactly what you would expect: LED lighting in the ceiling, a stripper pole in the middle, satellite radio, 2 bars stocked with beer, wine, champagne, soda, water, and snacks.  

There were about 15 of us on the limo bus, including 3 folks from the builder's local community.

One of the sales reps from the builder's local community (we'll call him Josh) began drinking beer before the limo bus pulled away from the curb.  It didn't take long before he was drunk and slurring his words, but at least he was a happy/nice drunk.

One of the realtors named Sue is about 60 years old and as she was walking from her seat to the bar, the driver had to break rather sharply and Sue lost her balance, plopping down on my knee.  I looked at her with surprise and said "Oh!  Well, hello..." and we all laughed.  I decided to pop open the bottle of champagne and pour myself a glass.

You know what happens when someone drinks a lot?  They have to go to the bathroom.  Despite the limo bus having already stopped once for a bathroom break, poor Josh was in bad need of relief.  We tried to help him by assuring him we were only 15 minutes from our destination, but his cell phone GPS told him we were lying.  When he could hold it no longer, he took an empty water bottle to the front of the limo bus, stepped down into the stairwell, and nearly filled the water bottle with pee!

Once at our destination we exited the bus, checked in at the registration desk, and found our tables. Josh headed straight for the bar.  The dinner was really good, which kind of surprised me since it was a buffet.  Josh declined to eat dinner, as he explained that eating food after drinking would just make him sick. 

During dinner there were 2 different door prize winners announced.  As I turned to face the woman calling the numbers, I noticed an African American woman with blonde hair who looked like Nene Leakes sitting at the table behind me. 

After dinner was over they asked for everyone's attention for the big drawing:  a 2-year lease on a brand new Mercedes Benz.  Unfortunately I did not win it, but then again, I really wasn't expecting to win it either.  I went to get a 2nd cocktail and ran into Josh at the bar.

When it was time to go I rounded Josh up and explained to him very clearly that we were leaving momentarily and that he needed to go to the bathroom before we got on the bus.  He relunctantly agreed.  

The ride home was hilarious.  Everyone was either relaxed or tired, and most of us had been drinking, so everything just seemed funny.  We started posing and taking pictures of each others.  Here's my "pimp" look:

Each joke, each story, each burp made us laugh longer and harder.  Then we suddenly remembered there was a stripper pole in the limo bus and I egged several of the others into 'demonstrating' its use.  Josh continued drinking, of course, and was completely hammered to the point that he was giving lap dances to some of the other realtors, including me.  

Later he was standing up in the limo bus when he lost his balance and fell onto the floor!  It was completely out of control!!

I must admit that I had a MUCH better time that I expected, and am actually looking forward to next year's event, where I will again be in the drawing to win the 2014 Mercedes lease.

Mogul mobile

As a realtor I often drive clients in my car.  

"My car" is actually a little Mercedes Benz SLK 230, a 2-seater convertible which is not at all conducive to real estate.  So on days that I have appointments with clients I switch with Spouse and drive "his car", a 4-door Chrysler PT Cruiser.  For the most part this arrangement has worked out satisfactorily, although there have been a few glitches.  

But the PT Cruiser doesn't quite convey the successful realtor image I wish to portray so I'd been considering a luxury vehicle that quietly indicates my success without banging them over the head with it like a cast iron skillet.

I'd communicated my preferences to my friend Bryan who is the owner of a used car dealership nearby and he's been keeping an eye out for me.  He called me to tell me about "the perfect mogul mobile" he'd just scored at the auction. I'm far from being a real estate mogul but the compliment was nice anyway.  

What can I say other than 'its perfect'.

Its a silver 2006 BMW X5 with all-wheel drive, panoramic moon roof, leather interior, and a kickin' sound system.  I love it, love it, love it!

I really like the engineering and thought processes behind BMW.  

When the intermittent windshield wipers are on and you come to a stop, the wipers stop.  This prevents that dry rub sound while you're stopped at a traffic light.  The wipers resume when you resume driving.  

The front seat cushions AND seat backs are heated.  My old BMW and my current Mercedes don't have heated seat backs, although both were older models.

Once you lock or unlock the vehicle with the remote the vehicle makes no more sounds or light flashes if you hit the same button again.  

When you remove the key from the ignition the steering wheel automatically raises up for ease of exiting the vehicle.  

When you put the transmission in reverse, the passenger door mirror tilts down so you can see the pavement behind you, preventing you from backing over objects or people.

The ride is a perfect balance of luxury and feeling the road, and the acceleration is definitely there when you want it.

No more swapping cars with Spouse.  I've got my real estate mogul mobile.

Cocktail hours

Tonight was 1 of those perfect nights... a cocktail party followed by drinks and dinner with a friend!

This evening my real estate team hosted a cocktail party at a restaurant/lounge 5-7pm for the other Realtors who had sold our listings in 2011.  Its a way of saying 'Thank you' to those agents with whom we worked.  

 

There was plenty of cocktail food and an open bar.  I enjoyed 2 tasty Cosmos, my cocktail of choice.  Several friends of mine who are Realtors were there, as were my colleagues, and we had fun talking about clients, properties, and challenges of our industry.  There was also a drawing for a weekend get-away which my good friend Deb won!

Promptly at 7pm I drove home, changed into more casual attire, picked up Spouse and we headed to Saketumi at 7:30.  Our great friend Joe P returned to town after being away for 3 months so we commemorated his return with cocktails and dinner at his favorite place, Saketumi. We enjoyed Cosmos, sushi, and shared a desert.

It was a perfect night!

Listen to your realtor

If you listen to the "news" channels and national reports you'd think the real estate market is still in the toilet. But as a realtor I routinely remind people that national real estate conditions do not necessarily reflect local conditions. Real estate markets are very regional.

National real estate statistics will lump the entire nation's data. Perhaps that's interesting to some people, but its not really relevant to what's going on in your community. If you are buying or selling in San Francisco, do you really care what the market is like in Detroit?

Some cities/markets have a high rate of foreclosures causing the prices to decrease. Other cities/markets have a shortage of inventory. The law of supply and demand says that when supply is low, prices are higher.

To make sound real estate decisions you need to be aware of what's going on in the market where you are buying or selling, not necessarily what's going on nation-wide. A licensed real estate agent can provide you with data regarding how many homes have sold in your area, how many days on the market, and for how much of the asking price. Isn't that what you really need to know?

A few months ago I worked with a client who was very specific about the style and location of the home he wanted. To back up my first hand knowledge I also researched the multiple listing service (MLS) and advised him that the supply of that style home in that particular location was very low. After a few homes that were 'close, but no cigar' a new home popped up on my hot sheet that was practically perfect. I notified him and he made arrangements to return to the area to see the home. As I expected, he loved it. We spent an hour and 45 minutes touring the bungalow and yard, talking about furniture placement and possible future updates to the home. I provided him with the sellers disclosure and comparable home sales in the community. He wanted to sleep on it, and I advised him not to wait too long. This was the only home that met all his criteria and there was no guarantee another would turn up. A week or so later I notified him that the house was under contract. He seemed genuinely disappointed and it took all I had not to shout "I told you so!" He should have listened to his realtor.

Recently I worked with a couple relocating here from another state. They were not very familiar with the area so I spent some extra time orienting them and sharing the pros and cons of the communities in which we toured homes. They expected this to be the 1st of 2 or 3 visits to the area before finding a home they liked enough to buy, but after touring 10 homes in 2 days, they were interested enough to make an offer on 1. I learned that another buyer was also submitting an offer so I advised my clients not to start out with a low price with the idea that they'd negotiate up to an acceptable price. When multiple buyers are submitting offers, the best strategy is to go in with your best sale price and contract terms. My clients could not seem to get out of the mindset of a price that was lower than what they were willing to pay, despite my warning that they may not get an opportunity to negotiate the price if the seller accepted the other offer. They didn't listen to their realtor and offered less than they were actually willing to pay for the home. The seller accepted the other offer.

Human nature often causes people to feel responsible for getting the best deal they can, when in reality they should look to their realtor for advice on submitting the best offer they can. Realtors are not there just to unlock doors! We're there to share community and market info and strategies that will help buyers make informed real estate decisions.

A strong offer is not just about the highest price. Contract terms and financing can be important factors too. Being flexible with the settlement and possession date can be important to families who are trying to move before or after the school year starts or ends. A buyer putting down at least 20% is often more attractive than a buyer putting down less than 20% because there is less chance that the loan won't be approved when the buyer is borrowing less money. Price is just 1 component of a strong offer.

Obviously not every realtor is a good one, just like not every doctor or lawyer is a good one. But realtors are licensed and are ethically bound to represent their clients' best interests, so do yourself a favor and listen to your realtor.

Maine

Today I showed property to a woman who is planning to move here from Maine.

After retiring from her job she has decided that she can bear to move away from her home and friends in order to escape the long, hard winters there.

She was very nice and very realistic about what to expect in her price range. So often we get people who hear that DE is great for retirees (which it is) and automatically expect to get an updated home with granite and stainless steel within walking distance to the beach for $100K. If that were true then DE would be full!

But alas... she must sell her home in Maine before moving here, and has not even listed it yet. This visit was to acquaint her with what she could get for her money. (Sigh) Such is the life of a realtor.

Hopefully the time and energy invested will pay off when she's sold her other home.

Prizes

I've mentioned before that realtors/agents sometimes offer other agents incentives for touring their agent open houses (AOH). Personally I need no incentive. If I have the time and have never been inside the house or neighborhood, I'm glad to go and educate myself.

Other realtors who've been at this for years probably feel like they've 'seen it all' and find less value in attending the OAH. Thus the incentives.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I won $50. cash in an AOH drawing. Sweet!!!

Well, this week I won a free car wash from a local builder for coming and touring their model home.
You may not have thought about it much but realtors need car washes all the time since we frequently drive clients around in our cars, so I was thrilled to get the car wash gift certificate. Since I'm showing property tomorrow, I'm using my gift certificate and getting the car washed this evening.