Good bye 2010, Nice seeing you!

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As the end of the year draws closer it makes me reflect back on the year in review.  This year has brought about a career change for the better.  I have spent the last 5 years in IT as a network administrator and web developer. 

I have enjoyed my career as a IT professional but it was time for change.  The company I was working for was slowly dying as it grew closer to becoming the dreaded out sourced!

Real Estate is one of those things that can never be out sourced!  Homes will always be in America and represent the American dream.  Of course a few here and there will come and go but this country is still the greatest nation in the world and people want to be here!

So here is a toast to all of the real estate agents, brokers, and all the other of millions of people who make home ownership possible in this great nation!  Happy New Year and I can’t wait to see what 2011 will bring us.

Jimmy Gilley
Cressy & Everett Real Estate
Niles, MI 49120
Mobile – 269-362-4841 (Primary)
JimmyGilley.com
jimmy.gilley@comcast.net

             

Referrals: Good business, or wasted money?

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Referrals are a topic that seems to have a ton of different view points when it comes to Real Estate.

Every person will have a different view point on the subject.  I know we have that in our office alone.  Some agents say why refer a client away from you? Some say refer away and at least get a piece of the pie when you might not be able to get the whole thing.

Since I am the one writing the post I think I will give you my view point on the subject.  Referrals are a part of my business plan.  I LOVE referrals!  My view point is on the side of get a piece of the pie when you might not be able to get the whole thing. 

I have advertising online that hits areas I didn’t intent it to hit but people call me about properties outside my area of expertise or out of state!  What do you do with these people?  Blow them off? Let them fall through the cracks?  Heck no!  Refer them to agents who can serve them and will pay you for it! 

Personally I have a “coverage area” map that I have drawn up and have different “zones” based on travel time.  With in each zone I determine who I will serve within those zones based on sales price.  For instance I can drive over an hour away if the sales price of the home is worth the time and energy it will take to complete the sale.  If I don’t feel I can serve the customer properly I will refer the client to an agent I work with in that area.

I have agents set up all around my “coverage” area so that when a referral comes up I have them ready to go and serve my client properly. 

It is a win, win, win situation all around.

I save a valuable client spot and still get paid.  The agents I work with make money on the client, which helps their business, and ultimately the client gets the best possible service!

So if you don’t have a referral plan in place I suggest you start thinking about it and get one in place so that you know exactly what to do when those situations come up!

Best of luck to you and remember it is YOUR business don’t wait for others to make it go!

Jimmy Gilley
Cressy & Everett Real Estate
Niles, MI 49120
Mobile – 269-362-4841 (Primary)
JimmyGilley.com
jimmy.gilley@comcast.net

             

What do you think the bank will accept on a foreclosure?

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As a Real Estate agent you are always getting bombarded with questions from clients, and people you run into.  It seems like that Real Estate is a hot topic for most people. 

We as ActiveRain members have been challenged to write down some questions we get and to fill out the answer and share them with the community so here is one of the questions I often hear as I deal a lot with foreclosures.

Recently I was out on a showing with a client and we were looking at foreclosures in Niles, MI.  One thing I love to do is at the end of the showing is play HGTV and ask them what they liked and what they didn’t like about the home.  With foreclosures that conversation is a lot more in depth than it would be for a regular home but I play it anyways.  I think it is a nice way to lighten the mood. 

They asked me “what do you think the bank will accept on a foreclosure?”

This is a tough question to answer because you don’t want to sound dumb or like you don’t have an answer to a question but the honest truth to the matter is that we really don’t have any idea in most cases.  The only way to know what the bank will take is to have a deal that falls through they tell you what they will take.  It all depends on which investor actually owns the property.  Even though it says Wells Fargo it might not be Wells who is the actual investor, they might just be the servicer of a foreclosure.

I have seen a foreclosure deal fall apart when it was just a couple hundred bucks between having an agreement, and I have seen a bank drop thousands of dollars to get a non-performing asset off of its books.

My suggestion to them is if you feel comfortable putting an offer in at a certain price then do it!  The worst thing they can do is tell you no, and we keep looking like we were planning on doing anyways.  What if they accept your offer at the price you wanted to pay?  Usually it is well after the expiration of the contract so you can rightfully get out of the deal anyways.

So if you are looking at foreclosures and like it, then put your offer in.  You just may end up getting the home of your dreams at a HUGE discount!

Happy shopping

Jimmy Gilley
Cressy & Everett Real Estate
Niles, MI 49120
Mobile – 269-362-4841 (Primary)
JimmyGilley.com
jimmy.gilley@comcast.net

             

Kodak Moment Captured When Youth Leader Get Even!

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One of the greatest things about being a real estate agent is building relationships with my clients.  There is nothing better than working with a client, and getting to know them on a personal level.  It makes the euphoria of finding that perfect house just as much fun for me as it does for them.  

I have taken this love of building relationships and turned it into something I can do to help give back to the community by working with our church's youth group.  I spend every Thursday evening working with the greatest group of kids on the planet!  They range from 6^th – 12^th grade.  

Every year we get to go up to Western Michigan's campus and invade!  Jr. High and High school kids from around the state of Michigan take over the campus for the Michigan State Youth Convention.  The kids look forward to this ALL year long, and we normally take around 50 kids!  

The event has scheduled activities and teaching times.  They also bring in popular Christian bands to play for the weekend.  This is a great bonding experience for the kids and the youth leaders, but at night is where the real fun begins.

Usually we are back to the dorms around 11pm to sleep, but no one ever.  This is the time the group of kids always plan "attacks" on each other and against the adults.  This year the pictured kid was brave enough to silly string my room, but his payback was coming!  What he didn't realize was that I knew he was planning to make a hit on me and I came prepared!  I made sure to pack some duct tape with me for such an event and as you see it had to be used.  

Some of the kids helped me hold him down while I duct taped his wrists and feet together and hilarity ensued.  I drug him into his room and put him under his bed while the crowd of kids all took pictures on their various devices to post on to Facebook.  The part that brings us to the picture is that he crawled back out into the hall way after we left him under the bed, and I caught him, so I had to drag him back into his room and that is when this picture was taken.  

Kids still today mention that event today.  It is just another Kodak Moment that will live with us for the rest of at least my life, and probably theirs as well.  

Jimmy Gilley
Cressy & Everett Real Estate
Niles, MI 49120
Mobile – 269-362-4841 (Primary)
JimmyGilley.com
jimmy.gilley@comcast.net

             

So you want to sell your home by yourself? ::chuckle::

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Ok, let me make sure I am hearing this right.  You want to sell your home by yourself?  Let me ask you how did you come up with the sale price?  Oh wow, you heard a neighbor say that his home was worth 225,000 dollars.  Have you gone to the county clerk and research the recent home sales in your area?  With out having access to the MLS you cannot easily see what homes sold by you and what they sold for.  Oh really, you know the house down the road that has 2 extra bedrooms, 1500 more square feet and a heated pole barn sold for the same price that you want. 

How many times have you had this conversation with a FSBO?  Unfortunately it happens all to often.  As a realtor you need to be quick on your feet and keep your ammunition box full because if you are actively pursuing FSBO’s you are going to hear this same conversation a million times over and you have to be ready to counter punch. 

When you face these hurdles make sure you are ready to show FSBO’s what you have to offer and statistics for your market area.  I find it a very effective tool to show them how many FULL TIME agents are in the area and the average days on the market.  “There are XXXX amount of agents that actively work in your neighborhood, and it takes them an average of XXX days to get a home sold.  How long do you think it will take you to sell your home, in your spare time while working a full time job? 

Maybe I am just sick but I love contacting FSBO’s just to get a laugh because it is crazy some of the things these people come up with.  They honest think that putting a FSBO sign in their front yard and putting it on forsalebyowner.com will get their home sold. 

Continue to ask them questions showing them how much work it is to actually get a home sold.  Eventually they will give in and realize that they can’t do it by themselves, and if you stay in front of them while providing helpful information you will get a shot at getting the listing, that is if you continually ask for their business.

Don’t be afraid to ask for business.

Jimmy Gilley
Cressy & Everett Real Estate
Niles, MI 49120
Office – 269-683-5355
Mobile – 269-362-4841 (Primary)
JimmyGilley.com
jimmy.gilley@comcast.net