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

  Finally!
     It's here! 
      Hip Hip Hurray!

For many years, members of the Lebanon Board of Realtors have used a local real estate guide as a form of local advertising. The guide has ranged from 50 pages all the way up to 170 pages! We've gone from black and white pages to a mix to now all color.

And, finally, we've gone on line!

Published every two months, the guide hits the stands the first Friday of the even numbered months. (Got that?) The on line version will be updated the week before the actual print version is available.

But, there are other important features of the on line guide:

• Search by town
• Search by name
• Search by price
• Download a page as a PDF
• Print a homes guide page to take with you
• Print an ad to reference later
• Email links are "hot" - ask your question or schedule your appointment right from the real estate guide page
• Web address links are "hot" - visit the agent's website for up-to-date pricing and fresh new listings, in between guides
  
  
  

Having the Lebanon MO area real estate guide on line will greatly increase the life span of the book, increase the exposure of our properties being offered for sale and expose the information to more people in less time. Believe it or not, mailing a 170 page real estate guide was not only costly, it took forever to reach its destination!

Our October / November issue isn't available until Friday, October 3rd, 2008 but you can have your sneak peak here and now!

Lebanon MO Area Real Estate Guide

Be sure to leave a comment or email me direct, I can't wait to hear what you think!

Our web address and my email are HOT links!

Not only in the header, but any link, any where on a page will be HOT!

Down load the page as a PDF file, search the pages, view the index or ask for help!

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...

I had been jotting down notes, preparing to write a post: Selling Tip #2 when I came across this post by Danilo Bogdanovic. Danilo is an agent in Ashburn, VA - but I believe strongly, in this case, your location doesn't matter. 

His tip:

Your Asking Price Determines If and When You Sell...Period

goes beyond state lines. It is a timeless tip for Virginia. It is a timeless tip for your Missouri property as well.

Read on, as Price does matter.

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!