FEMA Maps On-Line
October 29, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under General training classes
This is pretty neat.
Check out the FEMA Maps online. You can zoom in and check out an area all for free.
FEMA Maps On-Line and Maps Service Center
A few blogs posts from my past
October 22, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under General training classes
I originally posted this back in July on the Active Rain Real Estate Network. At that time I was pretty excited about becoming an ABR and SRES instructor. I wrote the post and inserted lots of links that take you to other articles I’ve written. It’s sort of like a journal and a passage of sorts. I look back at some my early blog posts and cringe a bit…but hey that’s me…my words and my feelings.
I’m off teaching NHAR’s Quick Start program for the next two days and then Jay and I are driving to Pennsylvania for the Penn State/Ohio State game. Plus the RedSox are going to the world series! What a weekend it will be for us!
See you next week!
It’s Offical I’m an ABR and SRES Instructor!
July 2007
As some of you know I’ve been working my way through the instructor certification process required by REBAC to become an ABR and SRES instructor.
It took a while but I have completed both the required one day course in DC and the two day course in St Louis and the dreaded tests.
Thankfully I passed both tests and now I’m finally “certified”…YIPPEE!
Consumer Centric and Web 2.0
October 20, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agent tips
Consumer Centric Market & Web 2.0
3 Hour Continuing Education Credit (elective) # E1000
What Centric are you working in?
Understanding the impact of the changing real estate market and the
changing consumer is crucial to an agent’s successful ability
to represent the needs of their clients and customers.
This is a 3 hour highly interactive program.
Contact: Monika McGillicuddy
(603) 548-7728
Date: Monday October 22, 2007
Time: Registration 8:45 class starts at 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Stage Road Junction Professional Office Community
At the corner of Route 111 and Route 121
Hampstead, NH 03841
Instructor: Monika McGillicuddy, GRI
Credits: 3 hour CE credit #E1000 (elective)
Cost: $ 35.00
Walk-ins welcome
Caution…Can’t be a Designated Agent yet
October 17, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agency Q&A, General training classes
But we’re getting closer…
Today with a standing room only crowd the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS board of directors voted to pass the recommended proposed Designated Agency legislation with some added language presented by the Exclusive Buyer agents. The language added appears in Italics below.
XII. Dual agency does not occur in firms that represent buyers only who have appointed designated buyers’ agents, or firms that represent sellers only who have appointed designated sellers’ agents within the firm.
It passed with hardly a whimper as a jammed room of state directors and visitors alike listened to a brief presentation and then cast a vote.
They cast a vote for all of us today and most importantly for the public. The consumer will finally, if this passes through legislation, get the representation they deserve!
How sweet it will be!
Caution…You Can Not act as a Designated Agent yet….If and I do mean If we get through the legislation process we’re looking at maybe 2009 before it becomes law! So Please don’t think you can do it now!
I’ll keep you updated as we go along. Feel free to post a comment or a question and I’ll do my best to get you the answer.
Read more here …What is Designated Agency?
Draft Copy of Proposed Designated Agency Legislation. Without the new language to XII added.
Designated Agency and Facilitation in NH
Till later
So you think you’re alone now…
October 14, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agent tips, General training classes
But are you really?
Sometimes I hear stories that just leave me wondering.
A listing agent met a Co-broker and her clients at her listing to do a showing. During the showing it was readily apparent that the home did not meet the buyers needs.
While standing in the kitchen talking about the home the listing agent mentioned another listing that she had just listed. One that she thought would better suit the buyers.The home was in excellent condition was priced competitively and had everything the buyers seemed to be looking for. She suggested that they go take a look at it as it was easy to show.
What is Designated Agency?
October 10, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agency Q&A
On Wednesday Oct 17, the board of Directors of the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS will meet to vote on recommended proposed legislation which would allow NH REALTORS to act as Designated Agents or Facilitators.
Read my previous post for complete details Designated Agency and facilitation in NH.
Read also a draft copy of the legislation here draft-agency-legislation-9-12-07.pdf
NHAR’s Legal committee chair Mary Beth Rudolph describes what the NH version of Designated Agency would actually look like in the field.
Designated agency and facilitation in New Hampshire??
October 7, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agency Q&A
On Wednesday, October 17th a special Board of Directors meeting will be held at The New Hampshire Association of REALTORS in Concord. The sole purpose of this meeting will be to have a motion to approve the proactive legislation “Relative to Changes to the Real Estate Practice Act”. This is the legislation that, if approved, would enable the practice of designated agency and facilitation in New Hampshire.
NHAR New Agent Training Program
October 5, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agent tips, General training classes
The New Hampshire Association of REALTORS QuickStart Program is geared towards newer agents but would be a great refresher for even the most seasoned agents. Interested in learning some of the latest web 2.0 marketing techniques as well as those tried and true methods. Real Estate 2007 is a real estate year like many have never seen before and you’ll need to take advantage of all the tips available to thrive or simply survive in this market. Besides…guess who is teaching it??? Me…
QuickStart: Last Chance for 2007
The final 2007 session of QuickStart is scheduled for Oct. 23-24 and Nov. 1-2 at the New Hampshire Association of REALTORS® office in Concord. Sign up now to reserve your space, as the program will not be offered again until March 2008.
FAQ on the NEW Agency / Non-Agency Disclosure Form
October 4, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agency Q&A
Attention NH Real Estate Agents…Important Information!
FAQ on the NEW Agency / Non-Agency Disclosure Form
As many of you know, recently the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission made changes to their Rules and Regulations. These rules went into affect on May 1 2007.
Are you using the new form? Do you understand how to use the new form?
They updated the 1. Listing agreements, you click here to see the changes>>>Listing agreement changes
2. Buyer Agency agreements>>>Buyer Agency Contract
3. Dual Agency Consent agreement>>>Dual Agency
The changes are an attempt to bring the Rules in line with the Law and the way we practice Agency in New Hampshire.
The commission also required that we ALL use only ONE agency disclosure form. One that the commission created and has approved.
Offer in hand…why wait?
October 2, 2007 by Monika McGillicuddy
Filed under Agent tips
This is a cautionary tale for all Real Estate agents and home sellers. Sadly, this is a true story one that I think we can all learn from. This took place this past August. After every thing that happened the seller in this story never ended up selling his house and now it is off the market.
I’ve reprinted that article below as written in August of 2007.
Is a Bird in the Hand better than Two in the Bush? The answer is yes!
Times have changed, the market is no longer a Sellers market. I know you all know that, have heard it on the news, read the articles in the papers…all the doom and gloom but even so many sellers are acting as if it is still a sellers market. As if willing it will make it so! So are many real estate agents! I’m all for being optimistic and positive but I’m also realistic.
And REALISTIC is where you need to be and you need me to be… if I were your agent.
I know it hurts, you bought your home, cherished it and now it’s time to sell and the American Dream of making big bucks quickly by selling your home is NOT going to happen for you.
What that means for you as a home owner is simply that it will be harder to sell your home and you’ll realize less of a profit. But… you still can sell it!!!
You need to adjust your mind set. You need to act fast when an offer is received. Dragging out a presentation or a decision on an a valid offer in hopes another offer will materialize creates anxiety and stress not only for you but for the buyers. Two years ago the buyers would have waited it out…hoping that you would decide in their favor. They had no choice but to wait.
Today Buyers do have choices and that is the BIG difference! They don’t have to wait for you.
Sellers run a big risk by delaying…the longer a seller puts off making a decision the further away the buyer becomes emotionally from the home.
That emotional distance can be a killer…while the seller is deciding or waiting for an other offer the buyers with an offer in hand are starting to look at other homes. Just in case they can’t get the home they put the offer in on…buyers have choices today.
Daily more homes come on the market…more choices for buyers..as inventory increases the chance of competing properties being listed at a lower price than your home increases.
A bird in hand is better than two in the bush. Recently to be fair a seller put off having an offer presented to them, simply to give another set of buyers time to also make an offer.
That seller felt in control…maybe it took longer to get an offer but suddenly they had not only one offer in but an other coming in. So they waited and waited. They felt in control…maybe even had dreams of a bidding war.
By the time they decided to stop waiting for the second offer to materialize they lost the first buyer! Prior to the presentation they withdrew their offer and pursued another home.
Those sellers went from one solid offer in hand and another in the wings to NOTHING. You see the second offer never materialized! The cost of being fair and delaying in making a decision cost the seller. Both buyers??? They found other homes that suit them just fine.
My advice:
Price your home aggressively, there are lots of homes out there. July and August are traditionally great months to sell as many buyers want to be settled in their new home in time for school to start. Look around and see which home in your price range is your stiffest competition and price your home lower. Get a list of competing properties from your agent and drive by them. If you were buying which one would you look at first? Yours or your competition?
Make sure your home shines both inside and out! Curb appeal is crucial.
Check out the photos of your home that are on line and in MLS. Do they represent your home correctly? Does your agent have a virtual tour posted?
Make sure your home SMELLS nice as well as LOOKS nice, walk in your home the same way a buyer will…what do you see when you enter your home? Be honest with yourself. Would you buy your home all over again at the price your asking?
When you do get an offer in…a valid offer in writing and with a deposit check…act on it. Think seriously and consult with your REALTOR before making a counter offer. Re-analyze the market…maybe your CMA is a few months old. The market changes rapidly and you must have current data to make a good decision. And lastly home selling and buying is an emotional business…you need to try and put your emotions aside and think clearly.
Hire a REALTOR, one that you trust and work well with…work together…and the end result will be worth it. TEAM=Together everyone achieves more.
Read also:
Don’t stigmatize your home by over pricing!
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