Boise Real Estate Blog

Which Buyer Are You? – Part II

2) Those who want to buy.

• These are the people who are well-intentioned but not yet ready to buy.
• These are the people who are looking ahead at their future and trying to figure out what they want to do.
• These are the people who may need to work through some challenges, such as selling their present home or completing their job transfer, before they are ready to buy.
• These are the people who need more information in order to make an informed decision.
• These are the people who need to buy their first home or their next home for a variety of valid reasons.
• These are the people who want a larger or smaller home.
• These are the people who want to move closer or farther away from their children or parents.
• These are the people who want, need, and appreciate my help and support while they work through the home buying process.
• These are the people who are loyal to me and willing to work in partnership with me.

I often work with buyers like this for a year or more to help them achieve their housing goals.

September 30th, 2009 Posted in Buyer Stuff |  Print This Post | No Comments »

Which Buyer Are You? – Part I

There are 3 kinds of buyers:

1) Those who must buy.

• These are the people who want to own their own home for the right reasons.
• These are the people who view their home as a place to live, not a “financial investment” to be used as their own personal ATM.
• These are the people who realize that real estate is cyclical and that their home will not always appreciate in value.
• These are the people who wouldn’t dream of being renters!
• These are the people who don’t want to worry about their landlord selling their rented home or losing it in foreclosure.
• These are the people who want a home of their own where they can raise their kids, punch their own nail holes in the walls, paint their kids rooms any color they want, have a dog or three, and build rich family memories over the years.
• These are the people who eagerly ask me questions and hang on every word of my recommendations.
• These are the people who ask me if they can sign a Buyer Representation Agreement to ensure that I will work with them so they can benefit from my knowledge and experience.
• These are the people who willingly get totally pre-approved for their financing before we look at homes.
• These are the people who view me as their partner; not an adversary who is out to “close the sale”.
• These are the people who become lifelong friends after our transaction closes.

September 29th, 2009 Posted in Buyer Stuff |  Print This Post | No Comments »

Which Seller Are You?

There are 3 kinds of sellers:

1) Those who have to sell

These are people who just got transferred to Fargo, lost their job, can’t afford their present home, getting a divorce, headed to prison, etc.

They clearly understand today’s market, will price their home to sell, and will put their home in no-apology condition to ensure that it’s the next home to sell in their subdivision.

Many of these people have been previously been tenderized by the market after being unsuccessfully listed with another agent who told them what they wanted to hear.

2) Those who want to sell

These are people who made a contingent offer on another house, want to relocate, want a larger/smaller home, want a larger/smaller lot, want to move farther away from their kids, want to move very far away from their parents, etc.

They are motivated, but do not have to sell.

3) Those who don’t care if they sell

These are the folks who will only sell for a 2005 price, will only close when they want to, won’t allow a sign or lockbox, demand a reduced commission, want a 30-day listing, no evening or weekend showings, etc.

Further, they will have comments in MLS like “friendly inside dog Brutus hasn’t bitten anyone since last week”, “buyers to make offer subject to seeing house”, “please allow 48 hours’ notice before showing”, $1 selling agent commission”, etc.

These people could care less if they sell and are ripe fodder for inexperienced, new, agents who are trying to win this month’s office listing contest.

The discount brokers and upfront flat-fee brokers absolutely love these people!

Which one are you?

If you are a #1, I am currently accepting salable listings and would like to talk with you.

September 28th, 2009 Posted in Seller Stuff |  Print This Post | No Comments »

Things To Know Before Listing Your Home

Listing agents are taught, from day #1, to get the listing ~ no matter what.

Why?

Because the broker wants more signs up to create the appearance of a larger-than-life market presence, and because listings provide listing agents with “inventory” and a chance of making a sale.

Listing agents hope to get a call from someone who drove by, pulled a flyer (if they had flyers in the box), and liked the curb appeal of the home.

Plus, listing agents have a chance of getting paid if another agent in MLS sells their listing.

But, all of those opportunities turn into challenges when a listing agent overreaches and takes a listing just for the sake of trying to win the monthly office listing contest.

One current popular strategy is for agents to list as many homes as possible while hoping they will get lucky and some of them will sell.

I know agents who are currently carrying 25-50 listings, hoping that “something” will work!

Wow, what a concept ~ having to “get lucky” in order to get paid?

My strategy is precisely the opposite ~ I won’t take a listing unless I’m sure I can sell it.

Which is why I routinely decline many of the listings I am offered.

It’s also why I sell almost all of the listings I take!

Real estate is difficult enough without taking large numbers of listings that are overpriced, filthy, difficult to show, and owned by sellers who don’t care if they sell.

That said, I am never too busy to consider your listing if you have a salable property, are seriously-motivated to sell, and would like to benefit from my  experience.

I have survived and thrived through many down markets during my 37+ years in real estate.

Our current market is a walk-in-the-park compared to 1982, 1991, 2001 and other “fun times”.

I’m always interested in taking a salable listing, regardless of market conditions.

Thinking of selling?

Able to handle some straight talk?

Give me a call at (208)938-5533 Direct and let’s figure out a time to sit down and talk about your situation, okay?

September 25th, 2009 Posted in Inside Real Estate, Seller Stuff |  Print This Post | No Comments »

Boise Real Estate's Pressurized Irrigation

Newcomers to the Boise area often ask “what’s pressurized irrigation water?”, so here’s a brief explanation.

Before we had subdivisions in the Treasure Valley, three dams were built up in the mountains for flood control and irrigation purposes.

They are Arrow Rock, Anderson Ranch, and Lucky Peak.

Then, a network of open irrigation canals (ditches) were built to distribute the water to land owners in the valley with water rights.

Which begat us the term “ditch water”.

Back in the old days, the farmers used their water rights from the reservoirs to irrigate their crops in what was originally arid desert land.

As growth occurred in the Treasure Valley (Boise area), those farmers sold out to developers and their water rights went with their land.

Then, as the developers converted the farm land into subdivisions, they installed pumping/pressurization equipment in their new subdivisions and provided piped, untreated, pressurized irrigation water to each lot in their subdivisions.

Thus, the term “pressurized irrigation water” came into existence.

The advantage of watering landscaping with this water is that it’s cheaper than treated city water.

Ditch water delivery usually starts in April, and ends in the Fall, depending upon how much water is available in the reservoirs.

Some subdivisions provide pressurized irrigation water at no additional cost as part of their homeowner association dues.

Others assess an extra charge, often based upon lot size.

Sadly, several people drown in our irrigation canals each year.

It’s often small children, left unwatched for even a moment, but every now and then we lose an adult who has consumed an adult beverage or three and thinks it’s a terrific idea to go for a swim.

The current in those canals is often strong and the sides of the canals are slippery.

It’s best to keep your kids, pets, and your favorite squeeze away from those canals if you want to have them around in the future.

Now you know all about ditches and pressurized irrigation water.

September 23rd, 2009 Posted in About Our Area |  Print This Post | No Comments »