Hula and The Real Estate Market Today

Every year I ask the same question "Why do we have to set the clocks back"? It only makes the days seems so much shorter and darker quicker, how can that make us more productive? All I want to do is eat earlier than I should and go to sleep earlier than I want to. So if I were in charge I would stop that time change for good.

But as you can see I'm not in charge of that nor will I ever be so it's just a worthless complaint that goes nowhere, kind of like the Real Estate Market these days. Complaints that go nowhere such as: Why can't Short Sales actually be Short, Why won't banks work with their clients to stay in their homes without making things worse, and Why are Qualified Ready to buy Buyers getting reamed with HOA delinquency fees they didn't create after waiting months to purchase. And there are many more WHY's but these are a good start. We could actually start on the When's......when will things get better? I'll tell you, when the why's get answered the when will begin. LOL

Yes, you have to laugh it's actually close to crying both very strong emotions except that laughing does your body good and good makes you function properly, which will end up lengthening your life so you can live past the Market of today. Gee I'm feeling better already. Guess I better get back to closing those transactions that I have.

Optimistic about tomorrow and now that the time has changed, maybe the Market will too.

Dee Fether                                                                             Weichert Realtors, Gold Coast #01793727

There are days in this Real Estate Market that do just that...trick you or treat you.

Examples of tricking you, don't return phone calls, don't return e-mails, don't acknowledge the offer you just sent in and waiting, waiting, waiting for any type of response. Or, accepting an offer then asking your client to pay everything including the kitchen sink after contingencies are removed and your at the closing table. WHAT the H..., is this really how you conduct your business? Driving me crazy, and disrespectful to clients and fellow agents, as well as bad professional policy. Stop the trickery and save yourself, this market won't be around forever.

Of course I'll leave on a good note, treats are always welcome. Funny that having good behavior, good manners and good professionalism has become a treat. Yes, there are still some Realtors (good ones)left to shine through the yuk of bad ones and make the process of Real Estate fun and enjoyable. When an agent picks up there phone, returns e-mails and updates during a transaction to keep everyone informed. Now this is a good environment to work in and one that I consider a Treat these days.

So ask yourself are you a Trick or Treat?

Dee Fether, Weichert Realtors Gold Coast

I know you rely on your Transaction Clerks, Escrow Officers, Title Officers, Lenders but Please don't forget to check it out when you receive this info. There are so many hands moving at the same time and speed that it's easy to miss or misrepresent your clients transaction. Maybe it's just that I actually read everything that I catch so many errors in the process. Thankfully I haven't had any suits, litigation or problems thus far but with the Market as crazy as it is and everyone's Agent doing something different to sell these properties it will come back to haunt you if you don't do your due diligence.

A simple fix is cleaning up your MLS listing, it takes a couple of minutes but it is crucial for the Appraiser, Home Inspector and so on who are using this information to complete their reports not to mention Buyers Agents and Buyers. Every time I let an Agent know there is/or isn't something in their Listing they should take care of it but honestly most don't, I can see that even something this small could bite them in the end.

Being a Realtor is not just a name it's a responsibility and should not be done in a messy manner, my call to colleagues is PLEASE pay attention to your transaction no one else cares as much about it as you do or has the same responsibility to your client.

Keeping it REAL in Real Estate,

Dee

Everyday the news just seems to be getting harder to read, Lawyers in trouble over Loan Mod's not to mention all the Short Sale/Loan Mod companies crashing all around. Homeowner's in distress and some loosing more money by paying for Lawyers and Short Sale companies that aren't performing or worse yet in foreclosure. Bankruptcy thru the ceiling, yikes.

As a volunteer for Fair Housing I see the good, the bad and the ugly and even though we seek to help everyone who is a homeowner in distress it is very difficult when you see that some of these owners are just taking advantage of everything and everyone they can. Of course this is making it double difficult for those who really need our assistance to be heard.

The banks have been holding back on foreclosing trying to modify these homeowners but when they do the homeowners are dissatisfied with the new terms the banks are offering. So the banks are about to bring the hatchet down and start foreclosing instead of dealing, that will create another mass of REO's to the market, which will bring everyone's property values down.

What a mess were in, seems a little overwhelming some days. When the ball falls Realtors will be in a Daze for sometime, I'm thankful that I started this business 3 yrs ago when the going was beginning to get tough so the tough had to adjust. I've learned so much these past years that even my colleagues never knew and they've been in the business for 20+yrs. I'm still learning and actually enjoying the process, I guess you just have to love this business to remain and still have a smile on your face.

Need a Realtor?

Dee

The Beach.....easy to live, play and work.

Most times Real Estate at the Beach is OFF the charts but recently there have been some amazing buys, you do need to keep an eye on it. It's true that the value doesn't drop much but sometimes with Bank Owned and Short Sales the price does. Unfortunately it does drop the comps in the area a bit but most people realize that here when it drops you purchase quickly or it will be gone. Not only will beach property keep it's value longer but it will also be the first to increase when the Market begins to recover.

If you have been thinking about purchasing a vacation home, or your live in home don't vacillate too long keep your eyes peeled on the property for sale here in HB and snag the one that best fits your pocket book, NOW really is the time to buy. When your ready call me, I love HB and can find you the best deals.

Weichert Realtors, Gold Coast 

Dee Fether, Realtor in HB

It's the end of the summer when every activity seems to wind down a bit, the weather seems to know that cooler is in and if you wanted to take that last minute mini vacation it happened on Labor Day Week-end. In Calif. we don't have a change of seasons the way other States do but we do have a change in the way we do things. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather that's for sure, it has been so hot & humid lately that it's hard to get things done. The 4th quarter used to be the dreaded no business time of the year for Realtors but this year it may turn out to be the most profitable for 2009.

Many buyers are still shopping and hoping to take advantage of the tax credit, inventory is low which is creating multiple offers and price increases on a lot of properties not to mention the fact that most buyers are qualified and ready to purchase now. This is good for the economy, good for the buyer and really good for the sellers. Short Sales will continue to be the norm for the rest of this year and maybe for a couple more as well, as a Realtor I'm still hoping for a shorter turn around time on these. Banks are still holding Bank Owned and we are all waiting for those to hit the market, hopefully this year but maybe next yr instead.

Good Bye to Summer 2009, Hello Fall of 2009

Dee - Weichert Realtors, Gold Coast

www.deefether.listingbook.com    

Everyone knows about the great tax incentive to purchase in 2009...but our time is running out so what will be the incentive for 2010??? Well there working on it, some want to add more $ which I think would be even better but....does this take the incentive off buyers to still purchase this year?

I hope not, there is no guarantee for next year only the rumors of a continuance. How about those FHA loans where you can use the tax credit now instead of waiting to file taxes? Well another unsure....it seems like we are in one of those gray areas but we can go for what we know is a guarantee right now.

Home prices are still low, interest is still low all we are missing is inventory. We know that there are properties, banks just need to work with Realtors to get them off the Short Sale wheel quicker and moved from the Loss Mitigators desks to become REO's. Seems so easy to say.....so hard to get done.

My best suggestion is the same one I've had all year, don't give up and don't give in, anything worth having is worth working hard to get even when it seems like you have expanded your willingness to move forward....DON'T

That home you've been hoping for can be the next offer you make. 1st Time Homebuyers go for it.

Dee

Everyone is all about the Social Networking, Facebook, Twitter, U-Tube, U-Name It we'll invent it.....I know it's the thing to do but seriously by the time I learn one everyone else will have moved over to a new forum. I'm still trying to figure out the acronyms on text messages I receive. (Thank you Amy for helping me with that one)

Do I think it works, absolutely. Do I need to know all of it, not really. This business although cell and internet play a huge part is still mainly face to face with service as the KEY component to attract and keep business. So thank goodness this is an area I feel I excel in. I don't think I'll ever claim to know it all but I can say that when it comes to people I'm definitely tuned in.

I can say for sure that everyone is different with different ways of getting things done but under it all the same needs will always apply. Finding out what those needs are and making your best effort to meet them requires a heart of service. After witnessing many colleagues in the field I'm sometimes at a loss for words at how poorly their service ranks. Of course we all have those.. what happen to my life days.. but all in all you can tell a person by their consistent patterns of behavior. I count myself blessed to have the best clients to work with every day. And when it comes to true friends there are no takers only givers, again I'm thankful.

So when it comes to being Noticed, let it be for the right reasons and not just because your face is plastered over every new tech do-hicky out there.

Your Realtor 4 Life,

Dee Fether   Weichert Realtors, Gold Coast  License #01793727  www.dee.fether@listingbook.com or www.hularealtordee.com