Beth Marks

Eeekkkk, someone wants the same house you do!

Beth Marks — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:11:00 GMT

Dang. Double Dang and Darn it all! Just when you thought you had a clear shot on your offer for the home you've been hoping to buy your Realtor phones you with that awful sentence. "We're now in competition." What does this mean, and what can you do?

What this means is that at least one other interested party wants the home that you want. What you don't know is what their offer will be or what their terms are. But, whatever your offer contains needs to be reviewed. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I willing to offer over list price?
2. Am I willing to go in without "subject to financing?"
3. Am I willing to fore go an inspection?
4. Am I willing to drop any other clauses meant to protect my position?
5. Am I willing to be flexible on dates of possession?

A great Realtor will explain the risks of removing any subjects prior to your offers acceptance. While you do want to make your offer as big in money and small in subjects as possible, you also don't want to risk any big problems!

In super heated markets some buyers actually take an inspector with them to look! Taking an inspector around is not an easy thing to do....you might, however, have time to have one look at the property before the offers are considered. Otherwise, unless it is a new home with a warranty it is risky to strike an inspection. If you have the money in the bank and don't need a mortgage you can strike the subject to financing clause; however if you need a mortgage, even if you're pre-approved the bank needs to be satisfied with the exact property you want to spend their money on, so that too, is risky to strike. If you can obtain the property disclosure statement and title prior to offers being considered and they are not worrisome at all you can strike those clauses. Another common clause is to find insurance and that you can make a call about in a snap (at least during business hours). Most home insurance is easy to come by unless the home is out of a fire protection area and/or in an interface area.

If you have flexibility in your timing, you may wish to leave the dates completely open and at the seller's choice....that can often make or break a competing offer.

In competitive offers you REALLY need the help of a great Realtor. A great Realtor will always attempt to present your offer personally to the sellers and represent you in the best light. And, even the best Realtor won't win every one. Sometimes someone with unlimited reserves comes along that really, really wants the property and offers a suitcase full of cash for it. Please, don't shoot your Realtor if they have to bring you that message....

Some people completely shy away from offers in competition; however, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Not every offer in competition is a grand one; so you can go in as normal and see what happens....you might be pleasantly surprised that they picked your offer!

There are many other strategies that a Great Realtor will have to help guide you! Once again, proving that a Great Realtor is worth every cent they make and then some.

Has your dream become a nightmare?

Beth Marks — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:36:00 GMT

To begin, let me say I'm a sucker for the sentimental value of property. When homes have been handed down in families or developed from scratch I totally "get" the attachment that can develop. However, as with all attachments, sometimes their burden can be overwhelming.

This blog might have easily been entitled: Let someone else take the dream higher! Along the way a beautiful example of this was with a home in a lovely neighbourhood in East Hill. I represented the buyers; a young family just trying to get into a real home. The owner had been there for ages, but recently needed to go somewhere to receive extended care. He lovingly agreed to let the home go for what we offered because he knew his beloved home was going to be continued to be enjoyed.

Sometimes I find people holding on to larger homes and properties way past their time of being able to manage or enjoy them. The dream acreage or 5+ bedroom home becomes a drain on time, energy and resources -- making the once enjoyable tasks a nightmare of duties.

If two people are working full time in a family managing a huge yard and gardens needs to be carefully considered! Likewise for parents managing a huge home for the one time a year the adult children might all be there at the same time. Or, how about the "hobby farm?" If you like to travel and don't have help, you should really carefully consider how long after your kids have grown up you want to keep the critters. But, the hobby farm might be the perfect fit for a young family!

Retirees sometimes fear selling the family home is the next step to the grave! Yet, what retirees that downsize often realize instead is another time of youthful freedom! Free from chores and maintaining a large home and yard they travel, play and generally have a great time!

Of course its not an all or nothing proposition; there are many wonderful people out there to employ to help garden and clean. (Although it is also amazing on how relatively few people ever hire home help!)

The best example of pro-active movement I've heard is a friend, Hugh, from Ontario. His m.o. is to stay 5 years ahead of the curve so he is never forced to sell. He and his first wife sold their large family home and moved to a strata on one level. Sadly, his wife fell ill and passed. They were, however, already in a perfect living situation so avoided the added stress of selling and moving. He's since remarried and he and his wife spend lots of time travelling. I have no doubt as they age he'll research any new dwelling he thinks might be needed and move again before having to.

I have seen pressure in families too from grown children toward their parents to "not sell the home I grew up in." Rubbish! Are the kids going to help pay the bills and do the chores? Each of us owes it to our family to want only what is best for them at this point in their lives -- what is happy, manageable and right for this stage of their lives.

Rather than cling to the past; let's create bright futures! As we appreciate our homes and their histories we let go and let the dream continue.

#1 mistake often made by sellers!

Beth Marks — Fri, 04 May 2012 22:29:00 GMT

# 1 mistake seller's make all the time!

There is one line often heard by Realtors from sellers: "We can always go down in price." Another variation is "Well, they can make an offer." A great Realtor will jump all over this like a dog on peanut butter. It is a fatal flaw to come out of the gate with your listing at too high a price.

Premium selling time for a new listing is when it is new! If you have overpriced your listing and underestimated the research buyer's Realtors have already done -- and indeed buyer's own awareness of fair market value -- you have repeated the # 1 mistake often made.

Real estate pricing is both a science and an art. A great Realtor will help you to determine what the most attractive price is for you and the most attractive commission offered to cooperating brokerages. This always results in a quicker sale for more money in your pocket!

It is a very old school approach to start above market value and let your property get dusty on the shelf while every watches you finally get your price down to a reasonable level then beats you up on that value because you're old news. Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Today's consumers are in touch with fair prices and if they're working with a great Realtor they're really fine tuned. They can smell greed.

And, market value includes pricing for top rate, professional Realtors! It flows through the listing end to accommodate financing but sellers and buyers share this cost.

If you are the seller trying to keep the money great Realtors are worth and charge the same price as a home listed with a great Realtor....guess what? You're going to get an offer far lower than you might otherwise because everyone knows you're just trying to keep everything to yourself. That is not a mystery!

Further, more and more top drawer Realtors are using buying contracts where the buyers agree to pay any commission deficiency to their Realtor that the sellers aren't offering. Buyers determine what they want to look at...do you think it could knock your home off the list if: a. You want too much money? and b. You won't pay for premium Realtor services?

Seriously. Let's talk if you want to get serious about how to properly realize the biggest return on your real estate investments!

Choosing the right Realtor is crucial!

Beth Marks — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:04:00 GMT

High Quality attracts High Quality. When choosing your Realtor consider these important values and services.

1. Is the Realtor held in high esteem among their colleagues? If yes, they will elicit buyers for your property because other Realtors know how trustworthy they are and wish to deal with their inventory.

2. Is the Realtor going to be YOUR Realtor from start to finish or will you be handed off as soon as the "front man or woman" signs the listing with you?

3. Is the Realtor willing to go the extra mile with open houses, Realtor tours, creative marketing and personal knowledge and appreciation of your property?

4. Is the Realtor realistic with you when discussing pricing? Some Realtors simply want your listing for their image promotion so will take a grossly overpriced listing, not intending to sell but intending to drum up other business.

5. Is your Realtor going to give you individual attention and prompt communication on all matters to do with a successful outcome?

6. Does the Realtor understand that offering low commissions to cooperating brokerages can result in a stalled process and marginal sale price?

7. Do you enjoy the Realtor!? Are they inviting and engaging or pompous and intimidating?

8. Do you trust, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Realtor will always put your success ahead of their paycheque?

9. Does the Realtor contribute meaningfully to the community they serve? Or do they just look out for themselves?

10. Is this Realtor a great negotiator (which is where we prove our value) or simply just wanting to slap a deal together so they'll get paid faster?

My gift to all of you listing this spring:

A staging consultant - Adrienne Harris of A Lasting Impression - to walk through your home with you creating a plan with you to present your home for a top dollar sale!

Approximate value: $250.00

For details: bethmm@shaw.ca

Are you just grumpy?

Beth Marks — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:36:00 GMT

Are you just grumpy?

I'm fairly certain that if I dropped several hundred dollar bills on the ground you would bend over to pick them up; even if you were having a bad day! But sometimes, when the windfall is more abstract, people can let deals be ruined or good prices turned down because of a very situational mood or period of stress.

On more than one occasion I've asked clients about to make an unwise real estate decision this question, "are you just grumpy?" Or, if they tell me that they just can't think right then I will nudge them further to speak to the contract time deadline. Now, I'm not a pushy salesperson but it is my job to negotiate the best prices and terms for my clients. So, if I see them acting not in their best interest I do try to save them from themselves!

Most of us would admit that when we're grumpy (with or without any particular reason) our world view is skewed to say the least! We see the sour side of any scenario. (I think that "mood rings" should come back into fashion as an early warning system!) And, many people under stress become grumpy. So, suddenly when the buyer asks for the washer and dryer the seller balks on the whole deal. Or something quite petty will turn into a BIG issue -- way out of proportion.

Buying and selling real estate can be quite stressful. Waiting is always unnerving; negotiations can get tense, inspection reports can be frightening. All the more reason to employ a mature and calm Realtor! It is good to have a cool head guiding the day.

When you've developed the kind of trust and respect that a great Realtor earns you have enough strength in your friendship to face hard questions together. And, for the record, I've only told one client that he was out of his mind not to accept a million dollar offer! Fortunately he called me back the next morning when he was in a better mood and asked me if I could send word that he would take the offer! Phew.

Ways to scare your Realtor!

Beth Marks — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:52:00 GMT

Honest to goodness I love my job! When I share some insights I don't want you to get the impression I don't love the people I work for or the privilege of selling real estate. With that rider firmly in place, let me give you some ammunition for any time you feel the need to scare your Realtor.

First of all, any phrases that begin the following way will have your Realtor's heart rate escalate in exact proportion to your enthusiasm:

1. I was talking to my neighbour about pricing.....
2. I was watching this show about renovations.....
3. I went to a great open house and they said I better do an offer then and there....
4. Just before you were going to come over another Realtor called....
5. We put in a renter, but they said they'd leave whenever we need them to....
6. We've never been bothered about using permits....
7. We're just testing the market....
8. All of our other 10 Realtors didn't understand we used thicker insulation than most...
9. Our yard shows better when its covered with snow...

Other hair raising moments for Realtors include:

1. Driving by and seeing their sign gone.
2. Having flowers delivered with a card from you saying you'd bought something on your own.
3. When your phone has been disconnected.
4. When you say things such as, "what happens if we can't close?"
5. Whey you begin any conversation with "we have a problem."
6. When you say there are 7 people on title!
7. When the estate executor has never seen the home they're selling but is sure your pricing is too low.
8. When registered mail arrives that has to be signed for with the sheriff!

It is true that you learn more from challenges than from simple transactions....so keep 'em coming buyers and sellers!

Buyer beware....especially of fsbo's

Beth Marks — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:10:00 GMT

Buyer beware...especially of fsbo's

Now before you go jumping to the concussion that I'm just trying to get you to use a Realtor, just consider on fact alone what I'm writing about.

In BC the Real Estate profession is tightly monitored and Realtors are held to a standard bordering ridiculous on matters of disclosure -- disclosure on remuneration but more importantly disclosure on any known faults in a home they're marketing.

Transactions taking place within the fold of organized real estate also have insurance protection and an organized body (Real Estate Council of BC) to handle any grievances that may arise.

In addition, Realtors have to take identification from prospective buyers or sellers and have to report any large cash transactions or anything which raises suspicion at all to do with the transaction.

Realtors are held accountable and the profession is held accountable for all transactions using a licensed Realtor to give the security that sales are above board, clear and clean. All monies are held in trust at each stage of the transaction as well.

Shockingly private sales are held to no such standards other than the court system. A private seller does not necessarily fill out a property disclosure statement (mandatory for all Realtor sales). It is strictly buyer beware.

Yes, you can and should use a lawyer for privates sales -- but has your lawyer been to the property? Have they met the buyer or seller on the other side? Do they know if an inspection took place or if strata minutes are acceptable? Not usually.

Before becoming a Realtor I have on more than one occasion bought or sold privately. I did not know then what I know now! I fully realize that many trade in good faith. Just be very, very careful.

If I wanted to sell a grow op or launder money I sure wouldn't do it through organized Real Estate! If I wanted to hide a fault in the home, I sure wouldn't want a trained Realtor taking the listing! If I built without permits or final building inspections I sure wouldn't want that highlighted on a property disclosure statement. If I was over pricing I sure wouldn't want a Realtor aiding a buyer with comparables.

In BC sellers pay the real estate commission. Why any buyer would not use the services of a professional is a complete mystery. Savvy sellers need no convincing to use a Realtor. I challenge you to find any real estate mogul, investor or financier dealing with real estate investments and sales that doesn't use licensed Realtors.

There's a reason great Realtors are worth their weight in gold. To serve and protect. To serve and prosper. To serve and promote.

Are you loyal?

Beth Marks — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:42:00 GMT

Are you loyal?

A recurring nightmare for Realtors goes something like this: for six months they've racked their brains, redone market evaluations to check pricing, advertised relentlessly on line, done open houses, taken tour though, used the local press in efforts to sell your home and still have not had an acceptable offer on your home. It happens, often without good reason. The listing expires and the owners decide to "take a little break." Meanwhile, Realtors combing "expireds" for listings initiate contact and promise the moon. "We take your listing to Alberta (so does every Realtor who uses the internet!), we advertise 24/7 until you're sold (so does every Realtor using mls), we only charge 3% (all commissions are negotiable down and UP at the time of sale -- bet they didn't tell you that), we sell more (they don't tell you they're comparing a team of 6 to one individual.) You catch my drift.

What wakes the Realtor in a screaming sweat from this nightmare is when their client falls for this drivel...not only falls for it, but signs with this competing Realtor, and not only signs with this competing Realtor, gives them the price reduction you've been asking for for the last 60 days!

What drives the final stake through the Realtor's heart is when the home sells (due to the price reduction) and the competing Realtor promptly displays a big fat sold sticker on their sign!

If you have a Realtor that's doing a great job for you, for pity sake, be loyal! They will get the job done and they deserve your loyalty. Don't let someone else prey on your insecurity or frustration. Simply let them know you have a great Realtor and you're taking a break and kindly not to call you again. But, do bring buyers!

Oh, that reminds me that's another hook, "I have a buyer who would like a home like yours." Oh, really....why didn't they bring them buy during the 1/2 year it was listed?! Ha!

Competition is always a good thing, don't get me wrong. If you've had a dud Realtor, by all means do not favour them with further business. There are many fantastic Realtors with high ethical standards you could be using.

But if you have one of those great Realtors already, one who is doing everything possible to bring you a successful outcome...don't break their hearts! Stay true and stay loyal.

We're Better Tpgether!

Beth Marks — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:56:00 GMT

We're Better Together

A year and a half ago when I joined Sutton, it was a fledgling group of half a dozen Realtors or less. It had been at one point a far larger company in the Vernon area, but had wound down over recent years so that at the point of selling the company in mid-2010, there wasn't much left. Enter Tamara Cinnamon, an earnest and ambitious gal with a new broker's license! Tamara bought the company in part after collaborating with some colleagues to see who would be drawn to work at a different sort of real estate company.

I, for one, was all in! Here is what I wrote for a newspaper announcement shortly after choosing the new Sutton as my office: "It has been a dream of mine to work with a select group of colleagues known for their creativity, hard work, ethical and fun-loving approach to the real estate business. A group is assembling at Sutton that speaks to this dream and it is with great delight that I make this move to be a part of this dynamic office." It really was a leap of faith! But we would tell each other in the early days, "we're going to be the best real estate office anywhere!"

Early on we adopted the tag line, "We're better together." It's so true. Each of us (up to 14 now!) works quite independently but thrives on the supportive nature of the group. Together we've got over 100 years of combined experience so there aren't many questions or dilemmas that we encounter that someone of us hasn't experienced. We are genuinely glad when a colleague has a success story and genuinely sorry when a colleague has a story of frustration. We brainstorm ideas to improve each other's listings and endeavour to bring buyers to each other's listings.

When one of us has to be away, there is no fear of anything being missed -- there is no one here that I wouldn't trust to act first and foremost in the best interest of my clients. I fill in for my realtor friends here with the same passion that I handle my own business.

Together we're able to shoulder in to many community projects and to date in our little history have benefited: Habitat for Humanity, John Howard Society, Gateway Shelter, Vernon Food Bank, Winter Carnival and numerous other charities supported by us individually. A few weeks ago the "Sutton Scoop" also started broadcasting on YouTube, highlighting other people and activities that enrich the North Okanagan. When there is a need in the community we're able to be counted on.

It is incredibly heart warming to see the success of Sutton, to see the leap of faith landed those who took it not only onto firm ground, but into great atmosphere! As broker/owner Tamara consistently encourages the best in performance and life balance in herself and in all here. Any suggestions about how to make the company better are met with welcome and exploration. Being in a high stress industry, what an incredible gift to have an office to walk into like this one. It's the professional version of Cheers! (Remember the Boston Bar's theme song, "sometimes you like to go where everybody knows your name; and they're awfully glad you came...")

We are better together in house, and we are better together with all like minded individuals and business we deal with. Never let anyone tell you that a real estate company can't be as full of love and warmth as it is full of drive and professionalism.

Word of Mouth X 1,000,000

Beth Marks — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:08:00 GMT

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Word of mouth X 1,000,000

Mark my words (no pun intended) businesses not aware of the power of social media and the Internet are in for a rude awakening. Like it or not, the consumer voice just got amplified by a million -- so if you're not rolling out class service, the world is going to hear about it!

Remember the songwriter whose guitar got ruined while flying with United Airlines? He couldn't get satisfaction from the company so wrote a song, performed it on Youtube and it went viral. Now over 12,000,000 viewers have seen the video, "United Breaks Guitars." Not the kind of advertising they were looking for.

Papa Johns also found out the hard way that the most junior of employees reflects on the whole company when in New York an Asian woman found she'd been referred to on her receipt as "lady *** eyes." She simply snapped a shot of the receipt (used by employees to know who to give the specialty pizza to) and posted it on Twitter. It too went viral. Papa John's head office was left scrambling to make amends and make sure it didn't happen again.

New on the scene is a website co-founded by the songwriter of "United Breaks Guitars", Dave Carroll. It is called Gripevine.com and that is also the web address. This site is to give consumers a public forum to be heard about any dissatisfaction or business horror story they might have. Companies will have the opportunity to subscribe to the site and address issues as they arise.

Right now, not in the distant future, consumers have a means of leveraging word of mouth to astronomical proportions. Word of mouth is now times a million.

What I love about this is the pressure it puts on business to heighten customer service and satisfaction. What I hate about this is that it encourages the power of word of mouth to accentuate the negative.

In a complete inspired counter move I'm beginning the Greatvine.ca! Brenda Ellis is a computer whiz in my Sutton office and we've already purchased the domain. I'm going to hashtag #greatvine and keep these public areas to emphasize the great experiences we have with a person or a business. Stay tuned and help with the grass roots endeavour to highlight companies doing a wonderful job with fantastic customer service. Each day that I post a blog I will also post a great business at #greatvine.

The news is an easy way to see how slanted and consumed everyone is about what is wrong. Over a long weekend you would never see this report, "3,500,000 people travelled the highways safely over the long weekend." But, you sure would hear, "2 fatalities litter BC roads!"

Closer to my business, you would hear about the home sales from hell, but not that over 95% of all organized real estate transactions complete happily and without complaint. (In BC we do have a gripe outlet named the Real Estate Council of BC!)

Until we get the web site launched do join in the Twitter hashtag campaign to emphasize the business people you respect and recommend!

I encourage you to use your voice primarily to emphasize what is right in business. But for those businesses that just won't step up and provide excellence....let 'em have it with both barrels!

Yes, you should have an inspection!

Beth Marks — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:56:00 GMT

Yes, you should have an inspection!

So, you've found a home you like, you can afford and is in the right neighbourhood. I liken this to picking out a video in the store (a fading experience!). You've got it locked up, but you haven't paid for it yet.

One of the most important things you really must do, unless it is a new home under warranty, is to have the home inspected. I know some people's brother's cousin's uncle has built homes and could come do a walk through. Worse, some buyers have done bathroom renos so know homes. Worst, you saw a Mike Holmes show and know what to look for....

The best money you'll spend is on a professional inspection. The inspector I favour has had 30 years in the trades (carpentry, heating & cooling) prior to becoming an inspector. All inspectors are definitely not created equal so do look for a solid recommendation. Now in B.C. inspectors do have to be accredited so that helps consumers.

An inspection does many things, one of which is shielding you from buying a home with any major faults. Another thing is to point out little fixes that will be necessary either immediately or in the next few years. Delightfully most inspectors also produce a manual for you on your home with descriptions and instructions on when to consider replacements and what kind of materials have been used in the construction of your home.

I'm in my 8th year of real estate and have had to collapse less than a handful of deals based on severe problems. I have had price negotiations based on significant but not deal breaking problems as well. Always I pre-frame clients that an inspector will find some fault -- but that we're not nit picking (most contracts have a threshold for inspections: any problem over a certain amount requiring immediate repair of either a set amount or percentage of sale price).

In a home that's not new you should expect comments on usual wear and tear. Minor things are not deal breakers, only information.

What constitutes a deal breaker? Major foundation issues, unsafe building materials, poorly done additions, roof leakage, poor insulation, faulty wiring, things of this scope. What constitutes price negotiations? Anything over and above the agreed upon amount for normal wear and tear, i.e. you find out the 7,000 furnace is on its last gasp.

Once you've purchased the home there is no turning back. If two days after you buy the stove goes kaput...it's your stove! The only recourse you have for compensation would be if there was a latent defect (one not easily discoverable by inspection) that the seller's knew about and failed to disclose.

Ballpark price for an inspection is 450 - 500 and is the best money you can spend. Obviously a great Realtor is going to make sure all other subjects are met before asking you to pay for an inspection. (You'd hate to pay 500 then find out you couldn't get insurance or that there was a problem with the home title.)

So, yes, always yes, you should have an inspection and you should use a licensed, professional, well recommended, honest, knowledgeable inspector!

Do you LOVE your home?

Beth Marks — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:12:00 GMT

Is your heart in your home?

Home is massively important to me. I can't begin to describe how much I love pulling into my driveway and seeing my little yellow house. It is a humble home, but full of colour and the presence of my dogs and objects of art and photos that I love. Very commonly I am told by guests how deeply they relax there and how it reminds them of a home they loved from growing up.

On the bleakest of days when I nestle in at home and light my wood stove -- it's a little coffee coloured wood stove with glass front -- all is as it should be in my world. Home is sanctuary, creative space, play space, work space. It is where I go to rest, rejuvenate, create, entertain, laugh and commune.

I have lived in houses that were not a good fit for me. Rather like having a pebble in your shoe, you can be thankful for having shoes....but the fit is uncomfortable and distracting. The quest for home is a driving force and one that should be respected.

Perhaps this is why home buying is often an emotional decision. Logically someone is looking for a town home that's brand new yet fall in love with an old character home they drive by one the way. (There is a slang expression, "buyers are liars" in the real estate profession. This is not meant to be rude but to indicate that often a buyer thinks with their logic that they want one thing and end up buying something else entirely based on the draw of their heart.)

Many people I take house hunting know within seconds of walking into a home whether it is for them or not. Part of my job is to make sure it's not something easily altered that is the barrier if they don't like it. Is it the smell? Is it because the walls are yellow or the carpet pink? Cosmetic changes can be made easily. So, take your time to see if the home speaks to you in any meaningful way.

A great Realtor will try to get to know you, what makes you tick, what makes you comfortable. We're not being nosey...just investigating clues to help you find the home that wows your heart. There are few things more satisfying to a great Realtor that watching your expression when you find the home for you!

When you buy a home to live in, live in it! That might sound funny, but so often people will use all neutral colours or the most generic taste in furnishings instead of tricking it out just for their joy. But that's a blog for another day....are you buying to live there or buying to flip?

I wish for everyone the deep and satisfying joy of having your heart in your home. If you're living somewhere that doesn't fit you...call me. We need to talk. Don't let a few weeks of inconvenience stop you from being at home in your home.

Mind your manners, dipstick

Beth Marks — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:25:00 GMT

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Mind your manners, dipstick

Whenever I deal with someone who is without manners, this thought always comes to mind: "Charm school called, your refresher course is overdue." How on earth did we ever equate power in business or excellence in the arts with someone getting away with the behaviour of a rotten toddler? Is is shows like "The Apprentice" modeling the Donald Trump style of business manners? Or the diva's demands for their dressing room that somehow normalizes horrid manners for the "elite" in their fields?

Closer to my field of expertise, I can't believe it when the first words out of any Realtor's mouth upon receiving a written offer on one of their listings aren't, "thank you." I don't care if it is the worst offer ever to hit the Okanagan. It still merits a thank you. Whatever respectfully follows in negotiations is fine, but the missing manners at the get go creates a horrible environment for successful outcomes.

Years ago I wrote an offer on a townhome, just days after it was listed and at almost full price. In error I dated the contract incorrectly by a day. Believe it or not I was sitting at my desk (not in this brokerage!) and whomp, the listing realtor dropped the contract in a heap over top of what I was working on and declared, "This contract is a mess!" I was gobsmacked. Really? A simple date change all that's needed and you're treating the offer like a bag of burning dog dung? How incredibly rude. Thankfully, in the interest of best serving my client, I continued to deal with Mr. Jerkwater.

In case you're wondering when it's appropriate for a professional in ANY field to be rude to a colleague, assistant, client, audience....the answer is a resounding NEVER! It is not cool to be short and sharp with people. It is not lofty to treat someone in an undignified manner. Ever. Ever. Not only that, it's incredibly stupid! Imagine how much further any high maintenance knob would advance their business and their art if by behaving decently they encouraged the cooperation and talents of those around them.

Having enjoyed some wilderness adventures along the way I tend to measure people up by how they would behave in a leaky canoe going through rapids. When there is no audience, no paycheck, no fan fare and loads of life and death stress....what are we made of then? From my observation I'd readily choose many in humble positions before choosing someone with an inflated sense of who they are and what they're worth.

We're all people. We all put our pants on one leg at a time. Everyone deserves the dignity of your respect. OK, well...almost everyone. How many criminals and sociopaths are there that you run across!?

As far as the world of Realtors go, the prima donnas are going the way of the dodo bird. The arrogant tyrants will not last. The up and coming ethical, professional, cooperative and thankful Realtors are taking over the world! Well...starting the takeover! Phew.

Are Realtors paid too much? What's it worth to you??

Beth Marks — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:38:00 GMT

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What's it worth to you?

There is an urban legend involving Picasso I thought of today. As the story goes, Picasso was in a restaurant dining with a friend when a woman approached him. She apologized for the interruption but told him he was her favourite artist. She begged him to sign her dinner napkin and promised she'd pay him whatever he asked if he would just take a moment to do that. She repeated that she would pay him whatever he asked. Picasso signed the napkin and when the woman asked him what she owed him he told her $20,000. She gasped, "but it only took you 30 seconds to do that!" To which he replied, "No, it took me 20 years."

Sometimes people think Realtors get paid too much on a successful sale. After all, if you broke it down into hours it seems a disproportionate amount. What is underestimated is the amount of training, knowledge, experience and accuracy a great Realtor brings to the equation. What is also underestimated is the understanding that a Realtor generally does not get paid until and unless they're successful! Just because they work hard does not mean that they receive a dime until and unless they've done their job.

Are there lazy Realtors just in it for a quick sale? Of course. There are duds in any profession. But you will hear me say again and again, a great Realtor is worth their weight in gold. They will make you money, save you money, steer you in the right path to optimise one of THE MOST IMPORTANT investments you ever make. They will lose sleep finding you the most perfectly suited home for you and your family...and your critters. They will hold your hand, fill you in and advocate for your interests like a badger on steroids.

A great Realtor is not a one hit wonder; they're invested in you and your future. They are educated, experienced, superb negotiators, knowledgeable, know their area and most importantly know you! If you don't think in terms of having a Realtor in the same way you think of having an accountant or a doctor or a dentist, you certainly should!

Jumping from pillar to post with one hit wonders in the real estate profession is no different to your long term goals than if you had a different investment counsellor every time you made an investment decision. You stay loyal to the investment guide who knows you, knows your goals, knows your capacity for stress, knows your tolerance for risk, knows your family. As a great investment counsellor a great Realtor is with you in the good and bad market cycles advising on timing and strategy.

Given the amount of risk, stress, uncertainty, drama, learning and liability a great Realtor lives with every day it does not take them several hours or days to successfully market your home. It does not take them hours or days to successfully find you a home. It takes them years of experience gained long before you ever met.

What's it worth to you to have a great Realtor? It's priceless.

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Beth Marks — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:09:00 GMT

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