1. 1.      How long have you been in real estate?  Pick someone who has cut their teeth on this market and is thriving, or someone who has been through this at least once before.  Years won’t matter as much as attitude and business sense.  Listen carefully for negativity – one of the most important indicators of the person’s ability to sell and market your home effectively. 
2. 2.      What is your marketing plan?  The most common complaint from anyone selling their home is “My agent just put a sign in my yard, and then I never heard from them again.”  How will they sell your home? Do they market online?  Where?  Do they have a database of clients?  What does their flyer look like?  What is the follow up plan?   
3. 3.      Do you have reference letters?  They should be able to provide client letters and phone numbers. 
4. 4.      What makes you different from the competition? You want someone who is honest, trustworthy, and assertive with good communication skills.  Look for an ‘outside-the-box’ thinker in terms of marketing.   The process can be stressful, so look for a sense of humor.  You’ll also want someone friendly on your side during the negotiation process.  You get a lot more flies with honey than vinegar!
5. 5.      How will we communicate? Do you prefer email, phone, text, or social media?  Do you want a call every week, or not until they have an offer in hand?  Don’t work with any agent that will not communicate with you, there is nothing worse than not knowing what is going on. 
6. 6.      Can you explain the paperwork that I will be signing?  A great agent will sit down with you and go over every single document BEFORE you put pen to paper. 
7. 7.      Are you a REALTOR®?  There is a difference between a REALTOR® and a real estate salesperson.  A REALTOR® has a strict code of ethics that they must abide by.  REALTORS® also care deeply about their communities and the laws that govern them, and put time, money, and effort into protecting home ownership. 
8. 8.      Can you recommend other professionals? A hundred different items can pop up during one real estate transaction and any one of them can derail the sale of your house.  A great agent has a list of companies that they have worked with in the past to ensure that doesn’t happen.
9. 9.      How much do you charge?  Everything is negotiable.  Ask up front what they charge, and ask them to quantify their fees with the level of service they provide.

10.  What kind of guarantee do you offer?  What if you aren’t happy with your agent’s services?  Can the agreement be cancelled?  What is the company policy for cancellation?  Has anyone ever cancelled with them before? Why?

This is 2011, and it’s a tough market out there.  Align yourself with a professional that will protect your interests first.  Make sure they explain the process to you and that you are always in the loop.  Trust your agent AND hold them accountable to those 10 questions.  While this can’t guarantee that your house will sell, it certainly puts you in a better position to sell, and to sell for the best possible price in the shortest amount of time.   Isn’t that exactly what you want?

Gina Hanson, REALTOR, is a Broker at Keller Williams Puyallup, and can be reached either by email at Ginaismyagent@gmail.com or by phone at 253.273.0740.

One of the biggest mistakes I see many real estate agents make is they don’t treat their business like a business. When I coach agents I ask them why they chose a career in real estate in the first place. Their answers usually boil down to two reasons:

1. The opportunity to make a lot of money
2. Independence

Some agents see independence as an opportunity to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and they operate their businesses randomly or on the fly. They may have business goals, but often they lack the practices and discipline to turn their goals into reality. For example: They procrastinate on marketing and prospecting; they don’t have a system for following up on every lead; and they do random things during business hours, like surfing the Web.

Who Wins in a Changing Market?

The real estate marketing is changing.  There may be hundreds or even thousands of agents in your area competing for dwindling business. Within the next 6 to 18 months, many agents will be looking for another way to make a living.

Even in down markets, there’s business to be had. Those agents who are committed and disciplined will be the ones who get the business that’s out there. To be successful in real estate, especially in today’s changing market, you must manage yourself and your activities as a business, with a plan, procedures, results-tracking, and accountability.

The Four Essential Systems

There are four key systems you need to run your business as a business. As you read about them, you may find yourself saying, “I already know all of this.” If you do, great, but do you personally have these systems, and are you using them consistently?

• A game plan – Your goals and the business and marketing strategies you’ll use to achieve them. Make sure they’re specific, measurable, and in writing.
• A schedule – A daily or weekly schedule of the actions you must take to grow your business. Without sticking to a schedule, most agents get sidetracked and lose focus on the most important business-building activities.
• A way to track your contacts, actions and results – Whether you use software or pencil and paper, you need to track your contacts and activity so you can know where your leads come from, how often you contact them, how many contacts it takes to get a deal, etc. Without tracking, you won’t fully understand your business or control your destiny.
• A way to get feedback – Most independent salespeople operate in the vacuum of their own ideas and perceptions. It’s important to have someone who can give you honest feedback about everything–from your business strategy, to your communication, to your appearance. Without outside feedback, you may be missing opportunities or getting in your own way without knowing it.

Case in point: I recently began coaching an agent who hasn’t had a transaction in over a year. At our first meeting, I noticed that his communication style was intense and aggressive, so much so that I speculated that he was putting people off. He asked his friends and coworkers for feedback, and they confirmed my theory. While he thought he was projecting confidence and strength, his prospects and coworkers saw him as overly aggressive and desperate. Over the past month, I’ve coached him on developing a softer approach and building rapport with his prospects. In one month since he’s changed his approach, he has four deals in his pipeline.

Whether it’s a coach or a coworker, find someone to give you honest and direct feedback. Without it, you’re living in a vacuum.

Use Your Systems

It’s not enough just to have these basic systems in place–you have to use them consistently. The systems will not only support your existing business, they will paint a clearer picture of where the holes are and what it will take to advance to the next level. The systems work synergistically. By planning and scheduling, you’ll get a handle on where to focus and when. By tracking your activity and getting feedback, you’ll see what areas need improvement and how you can adjust your strategy and schedule accordingly.

To be successful in the changing real estate market, you need to run your business as a business. If you don’t, the agent who does will get the business you want.

They say knowledge is power.  I say it will also save you a pile of money and at least a few gray hairs!   Here is my top 10 list of potential issues and pitfalls that can derail your home ownership dreams, or at the very least, complicate matters unnecessarily. 

1. Waiting to purchase.  Interest rates and prices are at an all time low.  Investors have finally moved back into the business of buying.  If investors think the time is right, shouldn’t you as well?
2. Not being pre-approved.  Don’t lose out on a multiple offer situation (and yes, those days ARE back!) because you aren’t pre-approved. 

3. Calling the name on the real estate sign.  That person works for the seller.  Their job is to get the seller the most money possible.  You want an agent who works for YOU.

4. Falling for real estate advertising schemes.  You are not going to buy 22 properties with no money down and no house payment until June of next year.  Really, it’s not going to happen that way.  Are there deals?  Of course there are, but they aren’t gimmicks and it isn’t instant money from the good house fairy. 

5. Not having your own agent.  A buyer’s agent works for you and is FREE.  Did I mention free?

6. Not emotionally prepared if you find the house.  Some people aren’t ready to put pen to paper.  If this is the case, talk to me, I can walk you through your fears and show you how I protect you and keep you safe through the transaction.
 
7. Failing to have a CMA.  A Comparative Market Analysis can show you how much the house that you are buying is worth, so you don’t over pay thousands of dollars. 

8. Third party influences.  Yes, you want Mom and Dad’s advice, and maybe your best friend, and your inspector, your uncle the contractor, and the person you trust the most.  Be very careful, however, that you aren’t listening to what someone else may like or dislike in a home because of how they live in a home.  You may not care if the kitchen is big enough for 2 people to cook in, you may be happy with a microwave in a galley kitchen, especially if what you really care about is a huge master bathroom.  Purchase the home for they way you live.  Listen to your gut on this one. 

9. Not requiring the proper inspections.  Never in your life will a few hundred dollars spent on an inspection save you more heartache and money in the long run than during the purchase of a home.  I always tell my clients that I’d rather they spent $400.00 on an inspection than $400,000.00 on a home that is structurally unsound.  Not only that, but usually it is the last contingency that I have control over where I can get you out of the deal if need be.  Spend the money, it’s worth it.

10.  Making a major purchase before closing.  You want a new car.  I want you to have one too.  AFTER you purchase the house.  It’s easier to get a car than a house.  Many, many times if you buy the car first, the lender will not allow you to purchase the home until the car is paid off.  Unless you are paying cash for your car, or planning on living in your car, wait until the house closes, then talk to the car dealer.
Don’t let your friends and families make these common mistakes—call me today so we can protect them and keep them safe!

“Some people shouldn’t own homes.”
Lately, I have been inundated with news about the end of the American dream; that home ownership isn’t necessarily a good thing, and that it may actually be hurting our economy and our neighborhoods.
I agree that not everyone should own a home. Home ownership requires commitment and responsibility, and frankly, there are people who shouldn’t own their own home. It’s not about where you are financially, there are many programs available that cover the down payment costs. It’s where you are on the reliability scale that determines whether home ownership is a good choice for you. Renting may be an option, but studies show that owning a home is the surest way to accumulate net worth. It forces people to build wealth by saving their money every month in a giant house shaped piggy bank. According to Trulia.com, it is cheaper to buy than rent in 72% of America’s largest cities. Another recent study by the National Association of Realtors, shows that families who own homes have a median net worth of more than $200,000, while renters have approximately $5,000.
A few facts from that study:

This study also showed that children of families who own homes have less teenage pregnancy rates, higher SAT scores, and later in life, they have more income, more stability, and less dependence upon welfare. Apparently, one of the smartest things you can do for your children is buy a house.

Additionally, every home sold creates a flurry of economic activity and jobs, with much of that pouring into small businesses. As an industry, the housing market is an economic behemoth. If financial stability and small business is the cornerstone of American society, then home ownership matters. Buying a home creates stable neighborhoods, leverages wealth, and promotes well being. Renting a home will never give you all the benefits that home ownership can. Protect your future, buy a home! Call me for more information today!

Here’s wishing everyone out there a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Thank you all for following me on my blog and helping me make 2010 a great year! I hope that you continue to follow me in the coming year, and that you bring your friends and family along for the ride.

Thanks again, and may you have a SAFE and Happy New Year.

I would like to take a moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

From our family to yours,
Gina, Dennese & Teresa

Are you waiting for spring to list your house because you’ve been told that that’s the best time to sell?

While that may be true, there are advantages to selling your home in the middle of winter. One reason to sell your home in winter is that although there may not be as many buyers, you will have much less competition. Moreover, those out looking in the middle of winter are actually serious buyers and are less likely to waste your time. Another plus for selling your home in the winter: with the leaves all fallen from the trees, you may now have a fabulous view that is only noticeable at this time of year, so you might as well take advantage of it.

If you pay attention to the details and get the word out there, no matter what season it is, the buyers will come!

Here are some things you can do to make your home more enticing to that would be winter buyer.

1. Make it inviting and accessible.
We live in the Pacific Northwest, there’s no telling what type of weather your buyer’s going to brave just to come see your home. If it’s been snowing, make sure you keep all your sidewalks and steps clear of snow and ice, especially from the curb to your home. More often than not, it’s raining, so maybe place a container at the front door where they can put their umbrellas.

2. Light it up.
During the day keep your blinds and drapes open so to let in all that natural light. In the evening make sure the lights are on, and replace all your bulbs as needed. Add new fixtures around the front door to give your entry a more inviting appeal. Set your indoor lamps and outdoor lights on timers, so if you are away, you won’t lose those prospective buyers because your house looked too dark and gloomy to stop.

3. Keep it warm.
It’s cold outside, so make it warm and cozy inside, give your buyers a reason to stay awhile. Half an hour or so before your showing, bump up the temperature a bit to make it comfortable. If you have a fireplace and you’re going to be around. Light a fire before the tour to add a little ambiance to your home.

4. Play a little music.
Turn your stereo on to a commercial free jazz or classical station, or fill the CD changer with soft music set to play continually. Keep the volume turned down low so they can barely hear it in the background.

5. Create a cozy appeal.
Set a background that will allow the buyers to see themselves living there. Consider laying a warm throw across the back or arm of your sofa, turning down your bed, filling vases with winter flowers to place around the house, setting up a dinner for two at your dining room table, or even turning your bathroom into a spa.

6. Appeal to their sense of smell.
Give your home a delicious aroma of fresh baked cookies and cinnamon spiced hot apple cider. Just before your potential buyers arrive, put out a plate of fresh baked cookies and heat some apple cider with a couple cinnamon sticks on the stove, then leave a note saying, please help yourself to a cookie and cup of hot apple cider. If you are going to be round during the tour, you can leave the cider on simmer to keep the aroma wafting through the house, otherwise don’t forget to TURN THE STOVE OFF before you leave.

7. Make your house sparkle and visually pleasing.
Keep your home clean and inviting for potential buyers, by boxing up all the clutter and storing it in the garage or a closet. You will also want to wash the windows, keep the carpets and floors vacuumed and swept, dust often and re-caulk in the kitchen and bathrooms where needed. Place photos of your home in the spring and summer around the house to showcase your yard and gardens, to give the buyers an idea of how it looks with the flowers all in bloom.

These are just a few of the many tactics you can use to sell your house during the winter months. Will doing all this guarantee that your house will sell? No, it won’t. What it will do is significantly improve your odds of selling in the winter. Chances are that it will sell, and in less time than the other homes on the market. Remember, you won’t have as much competition, but you also won’t have as many buyers, so you really need to make sure that your house stands out above all the others. So, if you’re thinking of selling your house and are still not sure now is the best time, contact a REALTOR, who will answer any questions you may have remaining, and get that house listed!

Are you or a friend facing foreclosure?  Are you afraid of what might happen to your credit?

If you know anyone facing this situation, the first step is to get expert help.  You need answers and you need them now.  Just having a qualified expert who will sit down with you to answer your questions can help reduce some of the stress that you are under.  Contact an expert and ask them about short sales, because this is not the time to ignore the letters coming from your mortgage lender.

Why Consider A Short Sale?

A short sale can not only help you avoid foreclosure, it can also be a much quicker option than going through the foreclosure proceedings.  It may not affect your credit as greatly.  A short sale may also enable you to purchase a new home sooner than after a foreclosure.  It can save you from a potentially embarrassing situation.  A short sale may minimize the stress of having to continue meeting a financial obligation that you are no longer able to maintain.

Why Use an Agent?

The most recent statistics state that 95 percent of the people facing foreclosure never contact a Real Estate Agent.  Experts agree that this option will probably hurt their credit the most.  Some people actually walk away from their homes while they still have equity.  Most of the time there are alternatives to foreclosure that you may be unaware of.  These range from a loan modification program to the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT JUST WALK AWAY FROM YOUR PROPERTY!

Most lenders are going to insist that you list your home with a qualified real estate agent, so you might as well get someone who is knowledgeable dealing with short sales and will help protect you and your best interests.  I can show you all the options that you may have available to you.  Keep your options open–CALL ME!

Has your agent held an open house?  Have they told you that “open houses don’t sell homes?”  Or, “open houses don’t work in Puyallup.”    Maybe it’s not the open house, it’s the way they held the open house.  Let me show you what I mean…

Your house is for sale in Puyallup – you’ve asked your agent to hold an open house.  What should you expect your agent to do?

One agent in Puyallup holds an open house and they show up, put a sign in the yard, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertise it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertise it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors. 

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertises it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors, and two days before they held another open house from 5pm-6pm (when people are driving home from work) leaving all their signs out around the neighborhood to generate more interest.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertises it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors, and two days before they held another open house from 5pm-6pm (when people are driving home from work) leaving all their signs out around the neighborhood to generate more interest, and has sent a postcard out five days before the open house inviting all the neighbors.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertises it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors, and two days before they held another open house from 5pm-6pm (when people are driving home from work) leaving all their signs out around the neighborhood to generate more interest, and has sent a postcard out five days before the open house inviting all the neighbors.  During the open house, they tour your home with each and every guest, showing the unique features of your home and the benefits of those features.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertises it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors, and two days before they held another open house from 5pm-6pm (when people are driving home from work) leaving all their signs out around the neighborhood to generate more interest, and has sent a postcard out five days before the open house inviting all the neighbors.  During the open house, they tour your home with each and every guest, showing the unique features of your home and the benefits of those features.  After the open house, they send a thank you card to every attendee.

The next agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertises it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors, and two days before they held another open house from 5pm-6pm (when people are driving home from work) leaving all their signs out around the neighborhood to generate more interest, and has sent a postcard out five days before the open house inviting all the neighbors.  During the open house, they tour your home with each and every guest, showing the unique features of your home and the benefits of those features.  After the open house, they send a personalized, hand-written thank you card to every attendee, including a small token of thankfulness such as a Starbucks card.

The best agent in Puyallup holds an open house, and they show up, put a sign in the yard, bring cookies and soda, and put other signs around the neighborhood, advertises it on the mls, and hold the house open from 1 to 4pm.  The day before they have walked the neighborhood inviting the neighbors, and two days before they held another open house from 5pm-6pm (when people are driving home from work) leaving all their signs out around the neighborhood to generate more interest, and has sent a postcard out five days before the open house inviting all the neighbors.  During the open house, they tour your home with each and every guest, showing the unique features of your home and the benefits of those features.  After the open house, they send a personalized, hand-written thank you card to every attendee, including a small token of thankfulness such as a Starbucks card, and they enter that attendees information into their database and continue to follow up with them long after the open house.

Each and every one of these agents would call what they do ‘marketing’.  Which agent do you want selling your home?  Open houses work.  They work in Puyallup, and they can work in your neighborhood as well.  You need an agent who knows how to work an open house, and you need an expert.

Gina Hanson, REALTOR – I am so much more than just a sign in your yard!

You’ve probably heard it over and over…”Buying a home is usually the biggest financial transaction a person will ever make.”   What they should be telling you is… “If anything can go wrong during the transaction, it will cost you tons of money.”  But, they don’t, do they? 

Here’s the bottom line – using an agent saves you money.  Lots of it.  Not just upfront in purchase price, but over the entire lifespan of the purchase.   There is, however, one very important distinction – this probably doesn’t apply if you call the sign in the yard of the house you want to buy.  Trust me on this one – that is a seller’s agent and a seller’s agent is obligated to protect the interests of the seller.  Can they also protect your interests?  Yes, but, their first relationship was, and is, with the seller.  Wouldn’t you feel more protected by using a buyer’s agent whose first relationship and obligation is to protect your interests at all costs? 

Let’s talk about what having your own agent on your side of the transaction does for you, and how using an agent saves you money.

1. It doesn’t cost you any money.  The seller pays for both agents commission out of the proceeds of the sale.  A buyer’s agent is completely free.  Yep, free.  Why wouldn’t you use one?

2. It gets you a lower purchase price.  “I can save the commission if I don’t use an agent by getting a better deal on the house.”  No, not usually.  Remember, the agent on the sign is committed to protecting the seller’s interests.  What are the seller’s interests?  Getting as much money as possible for the house in the shortest amount of time.  Bottom line – using your personal agent will almost always guarantee a lower sales price than negotiating on your own behalf.

3. It gets you a better home loan.  We KNOW who is out there providing excellent products with great rates and low fees.  We work with them everyday.  We can also protect you from costly delays in closing that could add thousand of dollars in fees that would be paid by you.  We also know about down payment assistance programs that can put thousands of dollars into your pocket to be used for your down payment.  Or rural homes assistance for a lower interest rate.  And down payment assistance for buying foreclosed homes.  We know who to hook you up with to save money over the entire lifespan of your home.   

 4. It gets you protection.  We know our forms.  We know how to protect you during the purchasing process and for years to come.  Not just if you buy the house, but what if you don’t?  I have five ways that I make sure that your earnest money is safe and will be returned to you if you have to back out of the transaction.  Also, I explain every detail before you ever sign a sign a single sheet of paper. 

 5.  It saves you time.  I do a preconsultation BEFORE searching for property so that I know exactly what your wants and needs are.  Once that is honed to perfection, I call you the second a bargain goes on the market that matches up with everything you love.  I know when new properties that are screaming good deals hit the market first –  and I can get that infomation to you sometimes days before the home hits all of the other search engines and websites.  You get a chance to make an offer and beat out everyone else who is searching on their own.

6.  It gets you peace of mind.  I take care of making sure that all the paperwork protecting you is done, signed, and turned in on time.  This protects you and all of your interests, including your earnest money, your ability to inspect the property, and things like checking out the neighborhood.  I follow up with every single person involved in the transaction to make sure that their aren’t costly delays or missed issues.  My job is to keep your time as freed up as possible so that you have time to take care of packing and arranging for your upcoming move.

Money, Time, Peace, Protection.  For Free.

Click on ”Ask me a question”  if you want more information or my free pamphlet on 5 Ways to Protect Your Earnest Money.