What Realtors Do Behind Your Back!

Realtors continually are looking to help you buy or sell a home. Heck, we at the Simonson Team do that every day! But Realtor.com came up with a great article that truly gives a better breakdown for what we do every time we start working for you. Remember the Simonson Team when you have questions about this article or your personal market and read on!

Have you ever wondered what on Earth your real estate agent is doing behind your back? No, we don’t mean anything underhanded, naughty, or downright felonious—far from it, in fact. So relax. What we’re talking about is a mystery: In the sometimes confusing, occasionally hectic, and always stressful world of buying and selling, what are your agents really doing behind the scenes? We’re here to shed some light! For every hour an agent spends in your presence, he or she will spend an average of nine hours out of eyesight working on your behalf. Why? Because agents don’t get paid if they don’t close the deal! Unlike lawyers who bill by the hour, agents won’t receive a penny until (or unless) a sale comes through. It’s all a gamble, in which they could shoot snake eyes and come away empty-handed. This is the business. So if you’re wondering what that commission is actually going toward, we’ve compiled a list of things agents do when you’re not watching (or should be doing—if they’re not, maybe you need a different agent!).

They shop property online

Don’t we all? And yet, their real estate research goes beyond oohing and ahhing over a few photos on a Saturday night. Darbi McGlone, a Realtor® with Jim Talbot Realty in Baton Rouge, LA, estimates she spends about two hours each day researching potential properties. “This could include looking up flood zones, previewing the homes for out-of-state clients, or any number of specific things,” she says. Plus, listings come and go fast in the real estate world, so agents need to check their multiple listing service database constantly, or else they’ll miss out. Sometimes the process of matching up properties with clients can take a very long time. “I have a client who wants a Mid-Century Modern house in Carlsbad, but there aren’t many there,” says Rachel Collins Friedman, a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty in San Diego, CA. That means that she’s been searching the database regularly for that particular kind of property for three years (here’s hoping all that patience pays off).

They go prospecting

Of course, there’s nothing like seeing a house in all its brick-and-mortar glory, which is why most Realtors worth their salt spend tons of time driving around checking out new listings. In Friedman’s San Diego area, they call it “caravan day.” “It’s a good way to preview properties, and it’s a good time to network with other agents and talk up your listing,” she says.

They attend pitch sessions

Agents don’t spend all their time sizing up homes. According to Friedman, they also spend tons of face time with other pros at pitch sessions—gatherings of local agents at cafes where they swap listing info in order to spread the word about your property if you’re selling, or to find the house that checks every box on your wish list if you’re buying.

They spend their own money on marketing

In addition to not getting paid until a deal is done, selling agents also spend their own money on marketing: magazine and newspaper ads, fliers, hiring a photographer, glossy prints, and premium placements on listing sites. “Agents can spend thousands marketing a property,” says Friedman.

They write up offers and counteroffers

Offers and counteroffers are an extremely important part of the transaction, as they can save or net you thousands of dollars on a sale. Yet getting to the right price requires written offers and counteroffers every step of the way. “It’s time-consuming to be writing them up, explaining to the client how to counteroffer and the ways to do so, and just keeping track of it all,” Friedman says.

They stick around for inspections

You might not be present when it’s inspection time, but a good agent will be. This gives the agent an immediate knowledge of what’s going on. Anything from termites to an iffy foundation can be relayed to the buyer immediately, according to Friedman. McGlone estimates inspections take roughly two hours.

They smooth bumps in the road

Not every sale goes smoothly—buyers and sellers get difficult all the time—but good agents try to shield their clients from the high drama unless there’s a reason to fill them in. “It’s called putting out fires,” says McGlone. “It’s just fixing issues that a lot of times buyers and sellers never needed to be made aware of.”

They keep you calm when the pressure’s on

Good agents don’t just hand you a house. They can also act as a therapist, making your sale much less stressful. “People get emotional. You have to be a problem-solver and keep a positive approach and come up with a positive solution,” Friedman says. “It might not take a lot of time, but it takes emotional energy.” Tell that to your therapist.

Now that you have a glimpse into our “every day”, don’t forget to get the professional help you need to get top dollar for selling or the best deal for buying. Call the Simonson Team today at 303-229-6026!

September's Housing Sale

David reported yesterday to the Denver Post that real estate in the September Month were tought but Denver is still a good real estate market. Read more:

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_19084543

For more information call David & Krista for more information 303-229-6026.

Check Out The August Home Sales

Today David was interviewed by both the Denver Post and the Denver Business Journal about the August Home Sales.

Denver Post:
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_18851070

Denver Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2011/09/08/single-family-home-outlook-improves-in.html

Denver Media calls us when they need an expert in the Housing Market, shouldn't you?

Facebook Business Pages

Question:

I run a small business with an active website.  I have just started blogging and I have apersonal Facebook page.  Do I really need a Facebook page for my business?

Answer:

Yes, yes, and yes again! Your website is a must-have tool for business and blog are important too.

But with the growing popularity of Facebook, not having a Facebook Business Page is like turning dow a free storefront on the busy street corner, that all of your customers and friends hang out!
5 Reasons you need a Facebook Business Page:
Reason #1:

Your clients and prospects are there! As of July 2011, there are more than 750 million active users

on Facebook. That’s a 50% increase since last year when Facebook had “only” 500 million users, and it’s not inconceivable that Facebook will reach its projected 1 billion users. Fifty percent of current users log on every day (many before breakfast or even brushing their teeth!).
Reason #2:

Your competitors are there. But chances are, they are not taking advantage of all Facebook has to

offer. And even if they are, FB is the great equalizer: Facebook levels the playing field so even a one-man shop can get the same exposure as a multi-million dollar company.
Reason #3:

Facebook magnifies your results. First, have a business plan, then determine how Facebook can

enhance your current marketing efforts. Facebook is a powerful way to generate referrals, listen to feedback, build authentic relationships, and provide more value to both current and future clients. The more value you provide, the more trust you build. And the more you keep your name in the forefront of people’s minds, the better chance they’ll not only think of you first for their next real estate transaction but also consider you a trusted source of information.
Reason #4:

Facebook spreads your message for free, and makes it easy for you to be “found.” When friends

“Like” your business page, your page shows up on their page and in the News Feeds of their friends. If you post  something relevant or newsworthy, the “Share” button lets your friends add it to their pages — equaling more free exposure for you. While Twitter follows the same concept, chances are more of the people you are trying to reach are on Facebook. And while blogs and the Internet as a whole lend themselves to sharing of information, you’ll spend a lot of time getting people to find you. On Facebook, the people you want to reach are already there.
Reason #5:

Don’t forget Facebook Pages (as opposed to Groups) make it easy to track demographics

and visits to your page.  It also makes it  easy to view insights and view traffic information.  What a better way to help make your business better.

If you do not a Business Facebook page, now might be the time to get one. 

BIg 6 Factors That Sell a Home!

Although they can be stated in different ways, there are only six factors that affect the sale of a home, according to blogger Karen Kruschka. The Sales Associate with RE/MAX Olympic Realty in Manassas, Va., wrote an Active Rain blog post detailing the "Big 6," as she calls them. These factors are controlled by three main entities: the seller, the agent and the market. Sharing the blog with your own clients and educating them on their role in the process gives you a perfect entry point to demonstrate your value as a trusted advisor – especially when they’re deciding on listing price and terms. Here’s an edited excerpt of Kruschka’s post: SELLERS Control 1. Price – You determine list price for your home. However, a list price above the market for homes similar to yours will negatively impact buyer interest in making an offer. Your Realtor will review price history with you to assist you in making a list price determination. 2. Terms – Buyers have requirements just as sellers do. Your willingness to respect them and be willing to negotiate which terms will be acceptable to both parties can have a very positive impact. Price and terms will usually be negotiated at the same time. 3. Condition – How well you have maintained the home will influence both your price and the length of time it will take to sell. The pool of buyers who are willing to make major repairs is much smaller than the pool of buyers who want a home that has been well maintained. THE MARKET Controls 4. Timing – Economic conditions operate independently of price, terms and property condition. Similarly, seasons and weather factors can affect the time it takes to sell a home. 5. Competition – The number of homes on the market most certainly bears heavily on your ability to sell your home on a timely basis. REALTORS Control 6. Promotion – From entry into the Multiple Listing Service to Internet marketing and any other programs, your agent will have an impact on your home sale.
RE/MAX Affiliates may share this article, provided they do not charge for it and this notice is included. All other rights reserved.

We Love The Highlands Ranch Chamber!

Check this video out!  You can tell we love the community that we are a part of!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl1e1CdKBio&feature=youtu.be

July's Real Estate Wrap Up

July 2011

Check this out and let me know what you think!!