Becky Lund and Team

2010-11-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

I went to my first ever San Francisco home opener this year and watched the Giants beat the Braves in the bottom of the 13th with a walk- off, two- run homer. What a fun year it has been for my sons and me as we have followed the Giants’ exciting, often “torturous” season. The Giants have certainly enhanced the baseball experience for us this year but didn’t keep us from our traditional baseball park adventure. This summer we headed to the Southwest where we added two more parks to our growing list of major league stadiums we have visited.

We flew into Phoenix and were greeted by a heavy rain storm which wasn’t the weather we were expecting given it was June. The city was experiencing a “cold front” and the temperatures were in the high 80’s to low 90’s for our two-day stay. Weather doesn’t matter much at the Diamondbacks’ Chase Field because of its retractable roof. We had a fantastic time at the stadium especially since we were given complimentary first- row seats complete with our own waiter, special eating area, and private restrooms next to the players’ locker room. The park is shaped like a massive airport hanger, has its own built-in pool, and is air conditioned. Granted, the weather was cool for Phoenix, but it was nice to watch a game without the least bit of discomfort as we sat in the air conditioned, fully-enclosed stadium. We saw a good game between the D-Backs and the Cardinals even though there were a few tense moments in the stands when a Phoenix fan and St. Louis fan exchanged some rather harsh words. But in the end, the D-Backs’ fan was vindicated because Phoenix beat St. Louis in the bottom of the ninth when Chris Young hit a tie-breaking, walk-off homer.

Our next stop was Denver’s Coors Field but we had four days before the game, so we rented a car and slowly made our way northeast to Denver. We saw some beautiful, unique country along the way making overnight stops in Flagstaff, Santa Fe, and Colorado Springs. One of the best parts about our goal of seeing every major league park is being able to experience the diversity of the different regions of the country.

We made it to Denver a couple days before the game, so we had time to explore this marvelous city. There is so much to see and do in Denver – sports stadiums, amusement parks, the Platte River with bike trails, theaters, museums, restaurants, and so much more. The light rail system is amazing, so it was not a problem getting around.

Coors Field is located in lower downtown (LoDo) and we could have walked to the park from where we were staying, but we took the light rail for a quick and easy trip. Coors Field combines the comfort of the modern stadium with the atmosphere of the old-time ballparks. It was built with hand-laid brick and has an old-fashioned clock tower atop its main entrance. It has a row of purple seats that ring the park to mark the spot that is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. It was a good game between the Rockies and the Brewers with Denver beating Milwaukee 2-0. The real fun of this game was the fans that sat behind us. It was a group of men that had ditched the wives for the evening and came to whoop it up, and they were determined to bring everyone within five rows of them into the party. They were engaging, fun, and true Rockies’ fans and my boys thought that Denver might be a great place to live if everyone were like these guys.

The best hot dog contest continued again this year. Actually the eating of the hot dog has become a tradition almost to the point of ritual. We arrive at each game at least an hour before game time so we can check out the stadium, watch a little batting practice, and take a few pictures (my sons would like to skip the picture part). It seems as though over the last couple years that hour has been spent combing the park looking for the stand that has the best hot dogs. We already know that the standard snack bars have just ordinary dogs, so we don’t even go there. Instead, we start asking the local fans and vendors if they know where the best hot dogs in the stadium are. One person will send us to one end of the park and another one will send us to the other end. So we go to both places checking out kiosks and specialty vendors along the way. Some places have hot links, brats, and Italian sausage with sauerkraut and peppers, but those don’t work because one of our rules is that it has to be just a regular dog. Anyway, after much deliberation, we buy the hot dog that appears to be the best of the park. This year both parks had tasty ones, but the three of us agreed that neither topped the Mariners’ dog that become our favorite as of last year beating out the Camden Yards’ dog that had reined supreme for several straight years.

What an exciting end to another baseball season. The Giants winning the World Series was a thrill for my sons and me. Even though we didn’t have tickets for the game, the boys and I went to the Public House, a sports bar and restaurant at AT&T, and we watched the second game of the series there. It was definitely worth them missing a day of school to experience the buzz in the City and the excitement of the fans. I recently read a Babe Ruth quote posted on Facebook that said “Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world.” Baseball has given my sons and me a reason to travel the country, priceless memories that will last a lifetime, and best of all, something that we have in common. So for two sons and a mom, baseball is the best game in the world, indeed!

There's No Place Like Home - Home Base that Is!!

2009-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

With the World Series just ending, it’s got me in the mood to reminisce about my sons’ and my baseball trip this year. This was our fifth season of baseball park hopping and we took two separate trips to see four more major league baseball stadiums. The first week of June we were at Safeco Park in Seattle, and later in the summer we spent a week in Southern California and went to the three ballparks there. Initially I thought it was going to be a little less exciting as compared to our previous trips because we were staying so close to home, but like every year so far, it proved to be a great experience that created more memories for my sons and me and even produced a new “best hot dog”.

I am not sure why, but Ichiro is one of my son’s favorite players so going to Safeco Park to watch him play on his home field made this park extra exciting for Sam. Safeco, like many parks we have been to, is located the city’s downtown so we were able to walk to the stadium while enjoying the sights of city. It is a newer stadium with a brick exterior and rounded entrance that reflects the baseball parks of old. It has a retractable roof, but it was left open because the weather was more than cooperative on the Sunday we were there. It is a great park to watch a game with its stunning views of Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline. The Mariners did not disappoint us either, as on that day there were three Mariner home runs hit all by different players and Seattle beat Minnesota 4 to 2.
The last week of July we headed to Southern California and that trip turned out to be great fun. A good friend of mine from that area was away during the time we were in town and offered her home to us for our visit. That worked out well because her home is located in Laguna Niguel which is an easy trip to all three of the Southern California ball parks.

Our first visit was to Angel Stadium. I had been there before but didn’t recognize the park because it has been renovated over the years and it felt much more modern than I remembered it. It is fairly open and scenic and it certainly doesn’t seem as though it is over forty years old. John Lackey pitched well for the Angels allowing only three hits and the Angels easily beat the Indians 7 to1.
My son, Nelson, was excited as we headed south toward San Diego because he has wanted to see San Diego play ever since he was on a championship Padres Little League team a few years ago. We had heard a lot about Petco Park prior to our visit and we were not disappointed. It seems that Petco is the quintessential neighborhood stadium; it’s almost a park within a park. It’s located in San Diego’s Gas Lamp district and is surrounded by restaurants, shops, hotels and office buildings. Inside the park feels intimate with the seats located close to the field and they are all angled toward the pitcher’s mound. It had been a close game and was tied 1-1 going into the seventh, but the Brewers scored 5 runs in that inning and the Padres couldn’t recover. The final score was 7 to 1 Brewers, and even though we always root for the home team, a San Diego loss didn’t ruin our experience.

Nostalgia overcame me as we entered Dodger Stadium which was a feeling I hadn’t expected. As a Giants fan from way back, I realized that this is the place where Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale had pitched against some of the great Giant players of my day including Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. I told the boys that I could have actually come and watched the Giants play their long-time rival in this very spot some 45 years ago. Dodger Stadium, or Chavez Ravine as many people call it, is one of the oldest parks we have visited. We found the park unique, almost grandiose with a “space age” feel to it. It has the largest parking lot I have ever seen which is connected to a tree-lined entrance. Upon entering the stadium we found yellow, orange, turquoise and sky blue seats that added to the eclectic feel of the stadium. I had considered reneging on the boys’ and my pact to root for the home team because of my loyalty to the Giants, but the boys convinced me that doing so would somehow change the enjoyment of the moment, and they were right. The game was close and it was 6-5 Brewers going in to the ninth. One of the most exciting moments for us was when Manny Ramirez came up to bat with two outs with the winning run on second. You could hear a pin drop in the stadium. The tension didn’t last long because Manny hit it to right and it was a game ending flyout. This was the second day in a row that we had watched the Brewers beat the home team; but it was fun nonetheless!

Some of the parks’ hot dog reputations had preceded them. Many people have heard of the Dodger dog, and those in the know talk about the foot-long grilled dog found at Angel Stadium. We tried both of those hot dogs, plus the Padres offer what they call “5 for $5”, which is a hot dog, peanuts, a cookie, popcorn and a drink all for $5 – now that’s a steal. All of these dogs were decent, but none were as good as the one we tasted in Baltimore early in our baseball park touring days. That hot dog was grilled plump and juicy and served on a large toasted bun, and we had become convinced, after many attempts to find a better one, that we were not going to find a better hot dog. Seattle changed that. The Mariners have a hot dog that is even better than the dog that the Orioles serve. The hot dog is fairly large, grilled perfectly and served on a soft, fresh, potato bread-type-bun and it was tasty. After one bite, the three of us looked at each other and we knew we had found a new champion of hot dogs. Congratulations to the Mariners!

We have now seen 19 of the 30 major league parks. We get asked all the time what stadium is our favorite, and we always say Fenway. The truth is they are all great – each one being special for a variety of reasons. Much like the homes I deal with every day in my business, each stadium has a unique style, feel and character which reflect the people who inhabit it. So, whether it’s a small flat, a pretentious mansion or a major league ballpark, the old saying really is true – there’s just no place like home!

Grammar 101

2009-11-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

Grammar Mistakes for Agents to Avoid

Complete Sentences – A sentence needs a subject and predicate (verb).

1. Comma Splice – I wrote an offer today, it was accepted by
the seller.
A. Add a conjunction after the comma:
I wrote an offer today, and it was accepted by the seller.
B. Replace the comma with a semicolon:
I wrote an offer today; it was accepted by the seller.
C. Change the compound sentence into two separate
sentences:
I wrote and offer today. It was accepted by the
seller.
2. Run-on sentence – I wrote an offer today it was accepted by the seller.
A. Correct in the same manner as correcting comma splice.

3. Combining an independent clause and dependent clause – I can get your offer accepted today, if you can send me a pre-approval letter.
A. Do not add a common when you are joining an independent clause with a dependent clause:
I can get your offer accepted today if you send me a pre-approval letter.

Possessive Nouns – Use an apostrophe to convert a noun to possessive form.

1. To form the possessive of a singular noun not ending in –s, add an apostrophe and –s:
The home’s exterior needs painting.
2. To form the possessive of a singular noun ending in –s, add an apostrophe and –s:
The waitress’s schedule lacked flexibility.
*The apostrophe is added to a singular proper noun ending in –s regardless of whether or not the conversion to the possessive form adds an extra syllable to the word:
George Thomas’s offer was accepted.
3. To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in –s, add only an apostrophe:
The Petersons’ house will go on the market in one week.
The Joneses’ agent will hold an open house on Sunday.
4. To form the possessive of a plural noun not ending in –s, add an apostrophe and –s:
The children’s bedrooms had beautiful furniture.
5. To express joint ownership (that is, two or more persons together own one thing), convert the final noun in the pair to the possessive form:
Elisa and Stacey’s deluxe condominium is located
downtown.
6. To express individual ownership by two or more persons (that is, two or more persons each individually own one thing), convert each noun in the pair to the possessive form and pluralize that which specifies what is owned:
Elisa’s and Stacey’s deluxe condominiums are located
downtown.
7. The possessive personal pronouns ending in –s do not have apostrophes:

Ours, yours, his, hers, theirs

Pronouns – Every pronoun must have a noun to which the pronoun clearly, unmistakably, refers:
The sellers told the buyers that they need to have the
pool inspected. (Who are they?)
1. Make sure that the antecedent of the pronoun is not ambiguous: The sellers told the buyer that they will have the pool inspected.
2. The pronoun must agree in number with its antecedent: Remind the inspector to bring their ladder, measuring tape, and flashlight. (Incorrect)
If the antecedent is singular, the pronouns must be singular; and if
the pronoun is plural, the pronoun must be plural:
Remind the inspector to bring his/her ladder, measuring tape, and
flashlight. (Correct)

Personal Pronouns- Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence. (I, we, she, he, they, you, who and whoever) Object pronouns are used when a pronoun is used as a direct object, indirect object, or object of the preposition. (Me, us, him, her, you, whom, whomever)
1. She and I showed the house together. (Subject)
2. Mary opened the house for her and me. (Object)
3. The decision is between John and me. (Object)

Capitalization - Capitalize Mother, Dad, and other titles if you can insert the person's name and titles like Grandma and Major when they appear with a formal name.
Per buyers’ request, close of escrow to be December 31, 2009. (Per John and Mary Jones’ request, ….)
1. “Buyers” function as a personal name, so it should be capitalized. Per Buyers’ request, close of escrow to be December 31, 2009.
The Buyers request a December 31, 2009 close of escrow. (The John and Mary Jones – doesn’t make sense.)
1. Nouns proceeded by possessive pronouns, possessive nouns, or articles are written in lowercase:
The buyers request a December 31, 2009 close of escrow.

Commas – When three or more elements are listed in a series, a comma should follow every element except for the final one.

I showed homes in Elk Grove, Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks.
1. A comma should proceed the “and” before Fair Oaks:
I showed homes in Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, and Fair Oaks.

Contractions – The following are often confused:

1. Its – possessive form of the pronoun its
2. It’s – contraction for it is
3. Your – possessive for of the word you
4. You’re – contraction for you are

Spelling – These words are often misspelled:

1. A lot – is often spelled as one word
2. All right – also often spelled as one word

Dangling Modifier- A dangling modifier is a descriptive phrase that is logically incompatible with the noun or pronoun that immediately follows.
Walking in the house, the smell was worse than normal. The participial phrase “Walking into the house” needs to modify a noun designating the person on persons who walked into the house:

Walking into the house, the agent noticed the smell was worse than normal.

Property tax reductions - Prop 8

2009-09-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

Many of you will be receiving property taxes decreases for the next tax year because of the downturn in real estate market values. Your tax bills will be mailed out soon, but you don’t need to wait until you get your bill to see what your home’s assessed value is for the 2009-2010 tax year. To find that value follow these steps:
1. Go to www.assessor.saccounty.net (This is for Sacramento County. Other counties should be similar.)
2. On the home page, under Hot Topics select “Find Your Assessed Value on Parcel Viewer”.
3. After accepting the disclaimer, enter your address then scroll down to net assessed value.

This value is what the assessor believes your home was worth as of January 2009. If you think your home’s market value is worth less than that amount as of that date, you can file a Decline-in-Market Value form and submit it to the assessor by November 30, 2009. This form can be found by:
1. Going to www.assessor.saccounty.net
2. On the home page under Hot Topics select “Request for Assessor Review (Prop 8).

Complete the form by entering your contact and property information and submitting two comparable properties that have sold as close to January 1, 2009 as possible, but no later than March 31, 2009. To find comparables you can:
1. Go to websites like Zillow.com or Realtor.com.
2. Check county recorder’s office.
3. Call or e-mail us and we will be happy to supply you with comps from that time period.

It should only take a few minutes to the find out the assessed value of your home and completing the Request for Assessor Review paperwork is quite simple. Keep in mind that the date for determining your home’s value is around January 2009, not today’s market value. Another thing to remember is this tax decrease is temporary and as the housing market recovers, your property taxes will return to their original taxed value. Take advantage of the reduction and enjoy the savings while they last!

2009-07-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

Understanding Short Sales

Short sales are becoming a common way for homeowners to sell their homes when they find themselves in a situation in which they have to sell and they owe more than the house is worth in this market. Short sales are a complicated and lengthy process and there are many aspects of them that homeowners should consider before deciding a short sale is the best course of action for them. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about short sales:

What is purchase money and non-purchase money deeds of trust? Purchase money is the money you borrowed to buy the home and is considered non-recourse debt. Non-purchase money is debt on your home from a refinance of the home and can be recourse debt.

What is non-recourse and recourse debt? A home non-recourse loan states that in the event of the foreclosure, the bank can only take the home as collateral and cannot take any further legal action against you. It is still unclear whether banks can file a deficiency judgment against the homeowner in the event of a short sale of the property. Recourse loans are loans that allow the lender to come after the homeowner for the amount owed (or a portion of the amount) – even if they have taken back the property. If there is default on a recourse loan, the lender can bring legal action against the homeowner and garnish wages etc. to collect the amount owed.

How do you ensure that the banks are not going to file a judgment against you after a short sale? You make sure that through the short sale negotiations, you get what is called full settlement language. With full settlement language the bank states that the terms that have been negotiated give full and final payment of the debt and that they will not file any future deficiency judgments against you for the money forgiven by them.

How do you know if you will qualify for a short sale? There has to be a seller hardship such as loss of job, divorce, required move etc. and the hardship has to fully documented for bank review and approval.

Will I be taxed on the forgiven debt? In some cases the debt is not taxed, but it is important that you talk to the IRS or a tax advisor to get the answer that appropriate for your situation.

What lenders are easiest to work with to negotiate a short sale? According to a specialist in short-sale negotiations, the following are the most reasonable and fastest banks to work with:
Wachovia
Aurora
IndyMac
EMC
Wells Fargo

Which banks are the hardest to negotiate short sale terms with? The short sale specialists finds the following lenders to be the least reasonable and take the longest:
Chase
WAMU
CititMortgage
Credit Unions
US Bank
Countrywide

What if I have a first and second note on my house? Both loans have to be approved by the banks in order for the short sale to be approved for a sale.

Will the lenders ask me to pay for a portion of the debt? Lenders will ask borrowers to pay a portion of the loan depending on what they perceive as the borrower’s ability to pay. It is especially common for the second note holder to ask for some homeowner contribution.

What is the percentage of short sales that get approved by banks? The percentage of short sales that are successfully negotiating is definitely increasing as everyone understands the process more. Currently it is about 30%-40% nationally. Currently 30%-40% of short sales are approved nationally.

If you are considering a short sale, feel free to contact us to answer further questions and to advise you of your home’s current value.

Change your business a day at a time

2009-01-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

I've talked a lot about mission statements, goals and marketing plans which are so effective in taking your business to the place you want it. Don't stop there because usually these plans are done for a year at a time and if the plans are monitored daily, they can go by the wayside quickly.

That is why I am a big proponent of a daily plan for marketing and prospecting. This is a day-by-day list of what you are going to do to accomplish all the things in your yearly marketing plan. If you are anything like me after a day of listing appointments, showing property, and keeping my escrows alive I tend to let the things that aren't urgent slip by and pretty soon the things that keep the business alive past your current escrows.

I actually have a partner that makes sure all of the e-mail and mailed marketing gets done, and if I didn't have her I couldn't make it. What I have to do is get out among people; I have to make phone calls and write personal notes. I need to preview property, get to community events, and of course, I need to blog. I have all of these types of activities listed a daily activity sheet so I know immediately upon getting up what I need to do each day for marketing and prospecting. This is above and beyond my to-do list for my current escrows and preparing for buyer and listing appointments.

Below is my daily activity sheet. I have been using it since the beginning of December and have added three new escrow and landed three new listings. Trust me, it is just another tool to give yourself that will help you survive another year in this market!

Daily Activity
Week of___________________

Monday
Escrow meeting Tiffany and Michelle
Send out queues
Pass out 10 business cards
Write in blog
Listings update
Weekly Empowerment meeting
Pick-of-the Week

Tuesday
Five personal notes to database
Send out queues
Pass out 10 business cards
Preview 2 properties
Write in blog

Wednesday
Office meeting
Send out queues
Preview 3 properties
Pass out 10 business cards
Write in blog

Thursday
Client lunch
Send out queues
Phone three clients from database
Pass out 10 business cards
Chamber meeting (once a month)
Write in blog

Friday
Business-to-business meeting
Send out queues
Phone call two clients
Pass out 10 business cards
Write in blog

Saturday
Open house (every other Saturday)
Make phone calls if weekly goals were not accomplished
Send out note cards if weekly goal weren’t accomplished
Community event

Writing the marketing plan portion of the business plan

2008-12-29T19:31:00.000-08:00

Continuing on with the next part of the business plan to the meat of the whole thing -the marketing plan portion. I will cut and paste examples of my actual plan because I think it will be easier for you to write your own if you can use one for reference.

Listed below are the components that are important to include in your marketing plan:
1. Overview of your marketing plan
2. Marketing campaigns - write out exactly what you do for each campaign
3. Calendar each of your marketing plans by month
4. Calendar your daily activity

Here are examples of what my plan looks like:

Overview of Marketing Plan
1. Future Business (Prospecting)
A. A & B client campaign
B. Raving fans
C. Referral program
D. Client appreciation barbecue
E. Expired/withdrawn 8x8 campaign
F. Buyer prospect Agent Achieve campaign
G. Websites
H. Open Houses
I. Signs/directionals
J. Just listed/Just Solds
K. Developing business relationships*
L. Pick-of-the Week*
M. Blog*

2. Current Business(Sellers and Buyer)
A. 8x8 for pre-sold listings
B. Agent Achieve sellers in escrow
C. Agent Achieve buyers in escrow

Marketing Campaigns
A Clients are described as people that anyone from Becky Lund and Associates knows on a first-name basis. They would be someone we would feel comfortable taking to coffee.

B Clients are people that we have had some contact with but have not established a personal relationship with.

1. E-Mail Campaigns
A. On the 19th of each month e-mail area Trendgraphics stats
B. Seasonal notices
1. Valentines message sent out the 1st of February
2. State Fair info sent out the 1st of August
C. Save-the-Date for Client Appreciation Barbecue (For A clients only)
D. Agent Achieve – Buyers in escrow
E. Agent Achieve - Sellers in escrow

2. Mail Campaign to A and B Clients
A. January 15, 2008 send HUD-1’s to last-year’s buyers or sellers
A. March 1st – send out A’s/Giants with letter telling about where the boys and I are going on our baseball trip this year
C. September 30 – Baseball letter from the heart
D. December 1 – Personally addressed Christmas card

3. Client Appreciation Barbecue
A. A barbecue luncheon and party for A clients and Raving fans sometime in September

4. Raving Fans Campaign
A. They are to receive everything A & B clients get
B. Two phone calls a year asking for referral
C. First and third Thursday of each month is dedicated to Raving Fans (Phone calls, personal notes, updating activity, changing status etc.)
D. Two personal notes per year
E. Pop-bys at Christmas
F. One lunch, dinner or coffee per year
G. Send $5.00 Starbucks as soon as referral is received
5. Business referral campaign
A. Send $5.00 Starbucks as soon as referral is received

6. Agent Achieve Prospective Buyer E-mail Campaign
A. Day 1 – Tell them they are going to be set up on Sherlock Willie
B. Day 3 - Password and basic explanation for SW
C. Day 5 – Confirm SW is working
D. Day 8 - Explain how to find open houses on my website
E. Day 14- Explain difference between standard sale and foreclosure
F. Day 21- Check-in
G. Day 30- Lender info
H. Day 40- Are they still using SW
I. Day 60- Don’t get discouraged – there will be a house for them
J. Day 90- Still looking?
K. Day120-It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you

7. Expired/Withdrawn Campaign –
(Weeks are described as every 10 days)
A. Week 1- Introduction letter
B. Week 2 – Article explaining the unique qualities of Fair Oaks
C. Week 3 – Minor changes, major impact mailer
D. Week 4- Staging article or DVD
E. Week 5 – Resale statistics
F. Week 6 – What do all these homes have in common?
G. Week 7 – Testimonials
H. Week 8 – How I market your home

8. Just Listed/ Just Sold Campaign
Upon a home being listed, the office OA will automatically send out Just Listed cards to 100 homes surrounding the listed house
Upon the closing of the listed home, the office OA will automatically send out Just Sold cards to the 100 homes surrounding then listed house

9. Pre-sold listing Campaign
A. Week 1- E-mail seller all on-line marketing links
B. Week 2 - Lowes marketing material
C. Week 3 - Starbucks gift card
D. Week 4 - Mail or e-mail CMA
E. Week 5 - Consider price reduction
F. Week 6 - Monthly stats by mail
G. Week 7 - Handwritten note
I. Week 8 – Lowes tips to sell your home
J. Week 9 – Weekly stats by mail
K. Week 10 –
L. Week 11 – e-mail or mail CMA
M. Week 12 – Personal meeting with homeowner – consider price reduction

10. Open Houses
A. Buyers packet
B. Foreclosure packet
C. List of comps in the area
D. Team Brochure

11. Websites
A. Drive traffic to website in all marketing
1. Flyers
2. Bee advertising
3. Internet marketing
B. Valuable, pertinent information to be added to website

12. Agent Achieve E-mail - Buyers in escrow
A. Day 1 – Escrow is open/prelim
B. Day 5 – Homeowner’s insurance
C. Day 10- How to hold title
D. Day 15- Utilities and signing info
E. Day 7 AFTER CLOSE – Check-in
F. Day 30AFTER CLOSE – Supplemental taxes
G. Day 60AFTER CLOSE – Suggest video taping for insurance purposes
H. Day 365AFTER CLOSE – Say hello and suggest renewing home warranty

13. Agent Achieve - Sellers in escrow
A. Day 1 – Explain buyers inspections
B. Day 3 – Prelim and statement of identity from title company
C. Day 21- Signing, utilities
D. Day 60 AFTER CLOSE – Reconveyance
E. Day 120 AFTER CLOSE- Say hello
F. Day 365 AFTER CLOSE – Check-in

14. Pick-of-the-Week
A. Once a week send out a listing to A&B clients

15. Blog
A. Link blog to website a write on subjects pertaining to real estate and other interesting topics

Marketing by month
January
1. January 15, 2009 – Mail out HUD-1’s to last-year’s clients
2. January 19, 2009 – E-mail Trendgraphics price per sq. ft to A & B clients
3. Lunch with a raving fan
4. Personal note to raving fan(s)
5. Pick-of –the-Week every Thursday of the month
6. Ongoing Agent Achieve buyers’ campaign
7. Blog

February
1. February 1, 2009 – e-mail Valentines piece to A & B clients
2. February 19, 2008 – e-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
3. Lunch with raving fan
4. Personal note to raving fan
5. Vendor list to A clients with personal note
6. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
7. Ongoing AA buyer’s campaign
8. Blog

March
1. March 1, 2009 – mail Giants/A’s schedule with note about our upcoming baseball trip to A & B clients
2. March 1-17th pop-byes to A clients – Luck-of-the-Irish lottery tickets
3. March 19, 2009 – e-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
4. Lunch with raving fan
5. Personal note to raving fan
6. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
7. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
8. Blog

April
1. April 19, 2008 - E-mail Trendgraphics stats to A & B clients
2. Lunch with raving fan
3. Personal note to raving fan(s)
4. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
5. Ongoing Agent Achieve buyers’ campaign
6. Blog

May
1. May 19, 2009 - E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
2. May 31, 2009 Pop byes ice cream gift certificates to A clients
3. Lunch with raving fan
4. Personal note to raving fan
5. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
6. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
7. Blog

June
1. June 15, 2009 – mail out fireworks display post card to A & B clients
2. June 19, 2008 – E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
3. Lunch with raving fan
4. Personal note to raving fan
5. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
6. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
7. Blog

July
1. July 19, 2009 – E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
2. Lunch with raving fan
3. Personal note to raving fan
4. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
5. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
6. Blog

August
1. August 15, 2009 - E-mail state fair information to A & B clients
2. August 19, 2009 - E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
3. E-mail Save-the-Date for September client appreciation barbecue
4. Lunch with raving fans
5. Personal note to raving fan
6. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
7. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
8. Blog

September
1. September 19, 2009 – E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
2. September 15, 2009 – Client appreciation barbecue
3. Lunch with raving fan
4. Personal note to raving fan
5. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
6. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
7. Blog

October
1. October 19, 2009 –E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
2. October 1, 2009 baseball “letter from the heart”
3. Lunch with raving fan
4. Personal note to raving fan
5. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
6. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
7. Blog

November
1. November 19, 2009 – E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
2. Lunch with raving fan
3. Personal note to raving fan
4. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
5. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
6. Blog

December
1. December 1, 2009 – send out personally addressed Christmas card to A & B client
2. December 19, 2009 – E-mail Trendgraphics to A & B clients
3. Pop by Poinsettias for all A clients
4. Pick-of-the-Week every Thursday of the month
5. Ongoing AA buyers’ campaign
6. Blog

Daily activity
Monday
Escrow meeting with Tiffany and Michelle
Send out queues
Pass out 10 business cards
Write in blog
Weekly Empowerment meeting
Pick-of-the Week

Tuesday
Five personal notes to database
Send out queues
Pass out 10 business cards
Preview 2 properties
Write in blog

Wednesday
Office meeting
Send out queues
Preview 3 properties
Pass out 10 business cards
Write in blog

Thursday
Client lunch
Send out queues
Phone three clients from database
Pass out 10 business cards
Chamber meeting (once a month)
Write in blog

Friday
Business-to-business meeting
Send out queues
Phone call two clients
Pass out 10 business cards
Write in blog

Saturday
Open house (every other Saturday)
Make phone calls if weekly goals were not accomplished
Send out note cards if weekly goal weren’t accomplished
Community event

Writing a business plan

2008-12-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

In 2007, I wrote my first business plan and it changed my business. I was about to leave real estate and go back to full-time teaching because my business had literally dried up and I was at the panicking point. Kind of as an afterthought, I wrote a business plan and then worked the plan and 2007 was a very profitable year and along with that, I had a life. I tweaked my plan for 2008 and had even a better year, and now I have rewritten my 2009 plan and am already working it and am seeing results now.

Business plans are not hard to write, but I think that people don't know how to write one so they don't do it. Over the next few days I am going to explain the components of the plan and show you examples of my plan that will, hopefully, help you to write a plan of your own.

The main components of a plan are:
1. Mission/Vision statement
2. Goals
3. Marketing Plan and Calendar
4. Budget

Today let's just concentrate on the mission statement and if you follow what I have below it will help you to write your own. GET STARTED TODAY - it is the core of your business and who you are!

What is a mission statement?
A mission statement is a written, easy-to-remember sentence, short list of bullet points, or a paragraph illustrating your goals and purpose.

Sample Mission Statements

1. “To solve unsolved problems innovatively.”
3M
2. “To give unlimited opportunity to women.”
Mary Kay Cosmetics
3. “To preserve and improve human life.”
Merck
4. “To make people happy.”
Disney
5. “To help people achieve their goals.”
Becky Lund

Mission Statement Exercise

List 2 qualities that are unique to you or your business such as knowledgeable, creative, or organized.
________________________ _____________________________

List one or two ways you enjoy expressing those qualities when interacting with others, such as to advise or to serve.
_________________________ _______________________________

Pretend it is a perfect world and you are accomplishing everything that you want right now. What outcome are you seeing, such as satisfied clients who give you referrals or happy buyers and sellers.

Now put combine the three previous sections into a single statement.

To use my knowledge in such a way that I can exceptionally serve my clients creating satisfied buyers and sellers that want to refer business to me.

First draft:

Now that you have something in writing, tweak it. You have a basis from which to work and now you can keep writing it until you can easily repeat it and you need to mean what you say. It needs to align with your goals and purpose.

Second draft:

Third draft:

Are things really that bad?

2008-12-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

I went to Arden Fair Mall last Friday around noon and could not find a parking space. I drove around and around and after 20 minutes I decided to pay the $3.00 and get valet parking. Then I get into the mall to have lunch and the place is packed. Granted it was noon on a Friday, but based on everything I read in read in the news, I figured people were choosing to eat at home these days.

I have noticed the stores are crowded as well. I have stood in more lines this season than I can any season I can remember in the last few years. It seems as though there are as many cashiers as usual, so I don't think the lines are being caused because of lack of help.

My point is that things may not be as bad as everyone is hearing. My thought is that bad news sells - and the media is taking full advantage of any and all negative news about the economy. In the meantime, the rest of the country will go about their business and, hopefully, an economic turnaround is going to happen sooner than later.

Buyers are out there!

2008-12-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

I held an open house on Saturday at one of my listings in Fair Oaks. It was a cold, overcast day and there was a Christmas event and parade in the Fair Oaks Village, so I was wondering how many prospective buyers would stop by. This coupled with the total negativity of the economy and the fact that people have Christmas on their minds, I thought I might have no one show up.

I was pleasantly surprised with the steady flow of prospective buyers that attended especially with all of the seemingly strikes against it. Buyers saw the open house advertised on the various Internet sites and made a special trip to come to see the home. Other people saw the open house direction signs and came. Everyone who attended were looking to buy a home in the near future.

Some of these buyers are currently renting and want to buy a home now since prices have fallen to a level of such great affordability - plus interest rates are phenomenal. Other buyers are going to keep their current home, rent it out and buy another one because, again, it is such a great time to buy.

The media is so full of such negativity that at times it feels like the whole economy has shut down and everyone is holding up until further notice. Based on what I experienced at my open house, that is not what is happening at all.

Great time for move-up buyers!

2008-12-04T18:17:00.001-08:00

I am asked all the time if anyone is selling their home these days since prices have dropped so dramatically over the last couple years. Actually people are still selling their homes. Some people have to sell for typical reason like job transfer, divorce, death and so on. One group of people that are selling are the move-up buyers.

The people who want a bigger, nicer house are taking advantage of this buyer's market and are cashing in on savings on their next purchase. Sure, they are taking less for their house, but they are buying the next house for much less as well. I encourage move-up buyers to act now because this is the time when the market is really working in their favor. That $750,000 home that was unaffordable for them has just been discounted by 30% and that is a huge savings for anyone.

Real estate seems to be either a buyer's or seller's market. When it's a seller's market, those that are downsizing really benefit when they sell. In a buyer's market, people who are moving up reap the rewards. There is always someone who wins when it comes to real estate - it just depends on the type of house you are in need of and the state of the market that determines if you land on the winning side when you sell your home.

If you are a move-up buyer, it's your time to be a winner!

What's happening in Fair Oaks, CA

2008-12-04T06:01:00.000-08:00

Since I specialize in Fair Oaks, I get asked about the state of the real estate market a lot. I tell people that I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that inventory for single family homes is down almost 25% compared to the same time last year. Additionally sales are up when compared to sales of the same period last year which is encouraging.

What isn't such good news is that home values have dropped significantly. The median price for homes in Fair Oaks has dropped nearly 30% over the last year. The influx of foreclosure homes is what has really had an effect on home prices. In 2007, only 14% of the home sales were from foreclosed homes; this year foreclosures account for nearly 50% of the sold homes in Fair Oaks.

Of course, declining values is a big negative for homeowners, but it is very good news for home buyers trying to get into the highly-sought-after Fair Oaks area. There is a silver lining in everything, so I tell buyers that it is time to make their move because what goes down, must go up!