I *LOVE* selling tips - I love assisting sellers with the process of listing to closing. Today, especially in the ever changing market, I think it's important to hear from agents outside our area - what are their selling tips?

Judy from Buffalo Grove, IL has a great idea -

What should a seller look for when selecting a REALTOR?

Read on....

What is a friend for - but to help out in good times and bad?

My friend Cheryl Willis has a BAD case of LUST for this wonderful home.

I think we should give her a helping hand and get this home SOLD!

If you're looking for a home in Southern Missouri that appears to have it all - from great square footage, nice sized land, cherry cabinets in the kitchen, poured counter tops for easy cleaning, barn and so much more - let me know! We'll schedule an appointment to see this wonderful home - you never know, this home could be the ONE!

Cheryl's husband will thank you!

The weather was almost perfect today - blue skies, very little wind, low 70's.

I spent the day showing a nice lady from Las Vagas homes. She has a budget and is looking at foreclosures. Coming to Missouri with cash, she feels she can get more home for her money buying a foreclosure (or two.) She is probably right - cash and a quick close are often motivators for those holding the title on  foreclosures.

We looked at some incredible homes today - and by the end, my client and I were both exhausted and I have to say, more than a little disgusted.

I have my own thoughts of how the country arrived at the mortgage mess we are in - but now I have to wonder why we all have to pick up the pieces of greed and disrespect of the former homeowners.

I'd like to sit face to face with a few of the former homeowners whose homes we viewed today: 


Mr. and Mrs. Foreclosure:  Why did you lock 22 cats in your home as you pulled the door shut for the very last time and headed down the road? Did you not have any compassion for the animals you left starving in your former home? Did you not have any thought to the real estate agent that would first visit your home to let these cats out? Did you not give any thought to the agents and the potential buyers that would come later, to see the home? To smell the home from the driveway before we even walked up the porch steps?

Your one year home that would have sold for $150,000 will now sell for approx. $30K - the value of the land. Did you give any thought to who will pick up the tab for the difference?

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Foreclosure: May I ask why you had chickens in your home? My buyer and I noticed chicken droppings in the dining room. The neighbor across the street walked over to let us know you were raising chickens in your home, selling the eggs and selling the fresh meat. While we can appreciate your creativeness, we can't understand why you choose the dining room for your home based business. Was the garage not good enough for the animals?

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Foreclosure: Your cedar sided home was lovely, sitting upon the hill over looking the country side. I noticed when it was previously listed, you offered 16 acres with the property. Now, the REO company is only selling six with the property... oh, I see... you sold off the front ten acres to a business man. That man is now putting up a commercial building in front of your former home. A new buyer will have to enter via the easement, passing the building and passing the equipment of the new land owner. Were you able to buy a new home with the proceeds off the ten acres in the front? Who do you think should pick up the difference between the defaulted loan amount and the amount this home will now sell for?


No wonder foreclosed homes are selling for pennies on the dollar.

The building supply business should be booming - it will cost millions to put some of these homes back together again.

This past weekend, I held an open house at a foreclosure listing in Lebanon MO.

The property is a four bedroom, 3 full bath home in a quiet neighborhood, at the end of a cul-de-sac.

Asking Price:

    $144,900

I almost did not write about my weekend. Then I read Patricia Kennedy's post, Please Don't Preview My Open House And Whine About The Market!  and decided to share my experience.

First, let me say, public open houses are not common in the Lebanon MO area. We've seen more in the last three months than we probably had in all of 2006 or in 2007. Being a rural area, this has not been a common tool for listing agents.

Because this home is located in town, offers a lot of square footage and a reasonable price, I decided to hold the home open on Saturday and on Sunday.

I had a few real estate agents come through. One came through with her clients. I was glad to see them and certainly glad potential buyers had the opportunity to see the home bright and airy and smelling good.

I had a few unrepresented buyers come through. Most were pleasant, making conversation and asking intelligent questions.

But, then there was the ONE. So often there has to be at least ONE.

The buyer that wants to argue about the price - the home is a foreclosure, MAKE AN OFFER!

The buyer that wants to argue about the terms - NO, the foreclosure company will NOT rent the home to you until your current home sells.

The buyer that wants to lecture me on the HIGH FEES charged by REALTORS - Sorry, I will not discuss with you Mr. Buyer my compensation agreement with the SELLER.

My smile was fading... thank goodness I was saved by a NEIGHBOR who wanted to see if the home was still in good condition. (It is...)

The bottom line, I did not write an offer on this home and I did not let one bad apple spoil my event. But, it'll be hard not to think about the whiners the next time I plan on having an open house.

You don't have to take your shoes off, but you do have to check your attitude at the door.

More photos on the web:

UCMissouri.com

Selling Tip #3 is really another twist on Selling Tip #2 - Your Missouri home, land, farm, river property or business must be priced correctly.

I think Ken Tracy, from my old hometown of Naperville IL sums it up beautifully:

"Buyers today are more cautious and better educated than ever.  You will never get a bidding war on an overpriced home."

Don't let your property be over looked thinking you can always negotiate later. Sometimes, there is no later...

Here is the rest of Ken's thoughtful post...

Missouri "Bond Money" is a loan program offered through the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

Bond money allows residents planning on living in their home to obtain assistance with their purchase (meaning: the home cannot be for investment purposes/rental)

Money is limited so the Missouri Housing Development Commission "announces" money and rates. Thanks to Darren Stewart with OakStar Bank for posting about new bond money and new rates. You can read his post here: Missouri Bond Loans - Major announcement !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CASH assistance available in Missouri!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are guidelines for the buyers income and for the property. A certified loan officer can assist you with all the particulars of the program. Darren is located in the Ozark area of Missouri, or you can search for a certified loan officer on the MSDC site. I have had clients use Susan Edwards at Countrywide in Springfield, MO and a few have used North American Savings Bank. Your favorite loan officer may already be qualified to assist you.

It's best if you contact one of the certified specialists to answer all your questions - as REALTORS we are not in the know of all the ins and outs of loan products. However, I do like to remind my clients and customers to ask about the "recapture tax" that is part of the bond money program.

Recapture Tax could apply in some cases when the home financed with Mortgage Revenue Bond funds is sold.

As I understand the program, the Recapture Tax would apply if the seller meets all of the following conditions:

   * The home is sold within nine years.

   * The Seller makes a net profit on the home. (After adjusting the value of the home for any improvements or repairs that have been made, and after deducting all costs of the sale, including sales commission.)

    * The household income of the Seller has increased at least 5% each year (on average).

BUT, if you refinance your home at a later date to obtain a better interest rate, or to pull out some of the equity you have in your home, the Recapture Tax provision is not triggered.

There are lots of great programs still available to Buyers in Missouri. Missouri Bond Money is just one example.

If you're thinking of Buying or Selling in Southwest Missouri, I am more than happy to assist you with you real estate needs. United Country VIP Realty is a full service real estate brokerage, with an office in Lebanon MO and an office in Marshfield MO to best serve your needs. We work with a variety of lenders, locally and across the country.

Missouri Bond Money... another way you could be Finding Your Freedom in Missouri!

I'm sitting at my laptop, on-line via my cell phone. Satellite TV on in the background, coming from the living room. Sounds of the Wii float through the air from the kids playing down the hall.

Last Thursday a storm took out our router box, used for our high speed Internet connection. The box exploded into pieces - thanks to a summer storm, complete with show stopping lightening. We used a box from our Marshfield office over the weekend, but that box had to go back this morning, so business could resume after the holiday. UPS has yet to bring us our new box for our home. (Read: so our four computers can be connected to the world via the WORLD WIDE WEB)

Sitting here, I have to wonder - what did we do with our time before the Internet? before satellite TV? before the Wii, PS2 and Nintendo DS games of the world?

My kids have no idea what a pay phone is - I have trouble even remembering the last time I saw one.

My kids have no idea what a "calling card" would be for - a game of Pokemon perhaps?

A typewriter? You've got to be kidding! A word processor? What was that used for?

A Polaroid camera? How cool!

I've heard the stories, from the "old timers" of selling real estate without fax machines - writing listing information using graphite paper (which my kids I am certain have never seen!), hand delivering the pages and calling each other on the rotary phone to set an appointment. Maybe even mailing a contract through the US Post Office. {collective gasp!}

My husband and I bought our first desk top computer in the early 1990's - AOL was our first forlay into the wide world of the web. I remember using a book, similiar to the yellow pages to find web sites.

And, yet I still wonder, how did I survive before becoming addicted being introduced to the Internet? And will I live yet another day if the UPS man doesn't bring me my box! Darn these postal holidays!

You've decided it's time to sell your Southwest Missouri home.

You've done some research and you've talked to family and friends. You've decided to call a REALTOR®, see what services they offer, what "price they charge" and what they think your home is worth. You've done a little homework.

But, you can't stop there. There is more work to be done - your assignment book is not complete.

As part of the listing process, there are three things you will need to do for me, your new listing agent from United Country VIP Realty:

1. Be clear in your motivation in selling.

• Are you relocating?
• Trading up or downsizing?
• Divorce?
• Pre-foreclosure?
• Just because rates are low?
• Because it's been two years and you have the itch?

If you are not motivated to sell, there is very little I can do to facilitate a sale for you. I am a REALTOR®; most days I am not a magician.

If you love your home and are only moving because your husbands step sister just moved into an all brick home and you now think you need the same - a REALTOR® is probably not want you really need.


2. Know what your financial situation is.

• How much money to you expect from this sale?
• Do you have a mortgage? If so, what is the current payoff.
• Do you have a second mortgage or home equity loan? If so, what are the balances.
• Any other liens on the property?
• Do you have a pre-payment penalty?
• Are you being forced to sell your property? Is foreclosure just around the corner?
• Are the taxes current?

3. Have your "little black book" ready.

• Find your latest tax bill. 
• Have copies of any and all covenants and restrictions.
• Copy of your deed, if available. How do you hold title on your property - in your name or perhaps in the name of a trust?
• Average utility bills
• Has the property been surveyed? If so, do you have a copy?
• Make a second set of keys. 
• Do you know where all the garage door openers are?
• If you have a mortgage, what is the name of the company, their phone number and your policy number.
• Any receipts for repairs, warranty information if applicable on appliances, roofs, etc.
• Any manuals for appliances, the pool, etc.
• Make a list of any personal property in the home that would not convey -your favorite curtains in the master bedroom, the washer/dryer. 
• Make a list of any other items in the home that could be seen by the buyer that would not stay - the hall bathroom mirror, the mail box your Uncle Cecil made for you. 

Once you complete steps one and two, you are ready for step three.

Doing your homework before our listing appointment will save you time and grief. When someone is sitting across from me, asking for that one piece of paper I received from the County Collector last year - that is when I'll have no earthly idea which file I put my tax bill in.

Doing your homework before our listing appointment will also allow you to more fully concentrate on the process, on the questions you wish to ask me and the answers you receive.

Real estate selling tip No. 1 - just in time for back to school!

Last weekend, our Marshfield office had a booth at the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, Missouri. (Read about all the events of the festival HERE.)

As we were setting up our booth Saturday morning, a candidate for Webster County Sheriff  came over. After a little chit chat, he said, "This isn't your typical real estate booth."

Later on in the day, I was talking to a couple who recently moved to Marshfield from Arizona. As they were walking away, the man leaned over and whispered, "This isn't your typical real estate booth. I love it."

We had a nice crowd, almost all day long. Even though this was the first year booths were inside and there were so many other activities going on, there was a steady flow of people. The day ended with a handful or so of good leads to follow up with. we met lots of interesting people and I learned more about a community we are still new comers to.

I really didn't put all the pieces together until Sunday morning when one of the organizers of the Festival came by our booth. She said she wanted to make a point of stopping by - she loved the booth. "It's not a typical real estate booth, you know."

Through the years, we've done a variety of festivals and have had a variety of booths. None of them had the feel we were after and we changed them time after time; never having the same booth twice.

The fence came from behind my Mom and Dad's farm house, literally - just three days before the Festival they let Ray and I cut down four sections of their fence. The wagon wheels were brought down to Missouri from Illinois; the hay was from my barn. The signs were original yard signs from the earlier days of the United Country franchise. The lariat and spurs were my Grandfather's, given to my husband, Ray.

This booth reflected who we are as a group and as a company. We sell the country life style. We sell the family life style that comes with owning your own piece of  property. We sell the peace and security that comes with living in rural America. We sell what and where we live.

As we packed up from the Festival on Sunday afternoon, I was exhausted but fired up. Finally, we had a booth that reflected who we are and what we believe in. We had a booth that reflected our message: we are not your typical real estate company. We are here to help people FIND THEIR FREEDOM in South Central Missouri. And, I love it!

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Contact Debbie DiFonzo, Broker, United Country VIP Realty, at 417-468-5900 to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Marshfield, Conway, Phillipsburg, Lebanon, Long Lane, or Buffalo, Missouri.

To view all our listings and auctions, visit: UCtheOzarks or FindYourFreedom

Contact Debbie at: Debbie@ucvip.com

Copyright © 2008 By Debbie DiFonzo, All Rights Reserved. The information provided herein is obtained from multiple sources and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.