Omaha’s Very Own Unique Vocational Training & Recycle Center Makes Lives Better

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There is an amazing place in Omaha that is dedicated to bettering residents’ lives in a unique way. Not only do they work to teach the men and women that come through important, valuable skills but also they provide useful items to enhance their lives. They do all this while recycling items that might otherwise by wasted and even harm the environment.

Brenda Banks, Executive Director of Cross Training Center, was generous enough to walk us through their expansive facility and share with us their inner workings as well as what makes them succeed in this endeavor. In fact, when it comes to recycling old TVs and computer monitors to manage the lead content in their glass tubes, the organization has partnered with yet another organization that employs the help of Veterans.

Items welcomed include anything from as small as cell phones to as large as cars. The vocational training is received when students learn to fix anything that is fixable. Items that have no life left in them are then recycled. The basic premise is “if it has a cord or a battery, we can use it”. But that doesn’t mean they won’t accept other items that might ease some people’s troubles.

The most popular items the center requests are laptops. In fact, the Cross Training Center is certified with Microsoft® and they are qualified to conduct repairs needed to get these machines up and running again. Once repairs are complete the computers and other items are either sold to the public or utilized to enhance the lives of the very people working hard to make a positive change in their own lives. Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of this great organization is the fact that it provides opportunity for people that are willingly trying to make a positive change. Once the skills are taught, they are able to utilize these skills toward a stronger future, often one without poverty and strife.

Whether you are an individual or business that would like to give or someone that could benefit from the offerings of this place, let us know. If you would like to donate something that you feel may be of value to this fantastic mission, donate funds or even share your time and skills to the cause – contact Brenda.

The Cross Training Center
4505 South 76th Circle
402-590-2100
www.CrossTC.com 

Papillion Welcomes Chick-Fil-A to Its List of Many Businesses

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We love to support the Papillion community so when the famous “chikin” place came to town we had to be there to welcome them home! We’re inviting you too, to come by and have a taste of this delicious food, enjoy the fun atmosphere and even get a look at the famous cow proclaiming his feelings about the type of meat folks should be eating.

Just moments away we have our new model on display to show you the amazing housing opportunities that lie in the Papillion area. Visit our website www.BuildPapio.com for a glimpse of what the community has to offer, amenities you can expect to find with this subdivision and learn more about the Settler’s Creek home community.

Getting back to the famous chicken, as a celebration of the new Grand Opening patrons can get a free sandwich every week for the first year! All you have to do is be among the first 100 people to show up.
We invite your feedback on our fantastic model at Papillion and hope to see you there soon!

Remember, you can always contact us at 402.680.2500 or email Bill Black directly at bill.black@cbshome.com.

For more footage see the below video.

Omaha’s Most Happening Place – the Papillion, Near Shadow Lake Town Center

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We’ve got some great opportunities for development in yet another fantastic location – this time overlooking the beautiful Shadow Lake Towne Center. But it isn’t just about the shopping or the great view. We’re here to tell you that you can get in on helping us to decide what to do with the property up here. Surrounded by conveniences like nearby restaurants, shops, shopping areas, easy highway access – and not to mention the gorgeous backdrop of quiet and peaceful green, this is a blank slate and we need your suggestions!

Comfortably away from the hustle and bustle of busier areas without sacrificing the ease of being near all those amenities you need, the property is situated in the perfect place at about 72nd and highway 370.

Today, we invite you to share with us your ideas of what we ought to do with this property. Do you see a nice sized high-rise building dedicated to residents 50 years and older? Or do you see us putting up multi-use properties with some commercial and residential mixes? Would this pristine area be best suited to strictly residential units?

Share what you think – we may even have a contest to get some interesting ideas going. But as you do come up with your suggestions, don’t forget that this area is THE happening place in Omaha. With star statistics second to none in many capacities, you can bet property in this area will be a hot commodity. Among other reasons, with less than 5% unemployment despite the economic crisis since 2007, Papillion has consistently been voted as the number one place to live, to retire, to relocate and to invest in.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you! Call 402.680.2500, email at bill.black@cbshome.com or shoot us a message on Facebook.  

Build a Home in Beautiful Papillion and Be in One of Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live

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Very excitedly we announce our newest development project in gorgeous Papillion, 7024 Beth at Settler’s Creek. This area is the perfect neighborhood! Whether you are a family that desires privacy and safety – or a professional that loves being slightly away from the metropolis area, you will love this locale.

Our new website to promote the subdivision is www.BuildPapio.com and we invite you to check it out soon.

Some of the conveniences you can expect from living here include fantastic restaurants, easy access to convenience stores, department stores and other shopping and commercial establishments. Anything from a Walgreens to Hobby Lobby or home improvement stores and more – all located within minutes while you comfortably are able to live and enjoy your new home nestled in a quite, peaceful neighborhood.

Money Magazine has consistently voted Papillion as being one of the best areas to live in, retire in, raise a family and more. The area has received glowing accolades from other publications as well – making it a great place build your forever home.

In terms of economic growth, we are seeing some exciting things happening in the area, including a $225M project that will bring thousands of jobs to the locale and of course pump the economy as a result.
Come see us, either at our model open now or through the Parade of Homes in the first and second weeks of October. And as always, feel free to contact us at 402-680.2500 or bill.black@cbshome.com -- we look forward to hearing from you!

An Interview With the Founder of The Pink Store

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When you log onto The Pink Store website you will instantly be transported to a little French boutique, seemingly with patrons of the quintessential Mademoiselle looking for just the right pink item to enhance their already existing collection of pink. With something for everyone, this store features items for women, men, children and even your home.

Now what pink-related store would not have a cancer awareness theme to it? The Pink Store also features an array of products dedicated to breast cancer awareness and each quality piece can be proudly worn in show of support for cancer survivors and those that have succumbed to the disease.

Getting back to The Pink Store and its origin – the store’s owner and founder, Beka Doolittle, set up her store in 2007. She says that after having three teenage boys and a husband around, with so much testosterone in the air she wanted something “a little girly”. And so was born her little shop that has grown into a bustling online e-commerce venture. Plans for the store in the future include transitioning into a storefront model plus expanding on a recent undertaking involving roadshows for her products.

Featured in Midlands Business Journal and Omaha.com, Beka has enjoyed a good amount of success in her venture – purposefully reaching her goal of being a stay-at-home mom while engaging in business at the same time. And since she passionately loves the color pink, it only seemed a natural progression to establish the perfect little Pink Store.

For more information, you can visit the store’s website at www.thepinkstore.com or call them Toll Free at 877-991-PINK. You can also find the store on Facebook, Twitter and on Pinterest.

ServiceOne Warranty Available for HearthStone Homes

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Nothing hurts more than to see our community members affected badly when a business goes under – particularly in today’s economy. That’s exactly why in the wake of HearthStone Homes’ bankruptcy proceedings we wanted to do something to put our fellow community members at ease.

An unfortunate circumstance of this bankruptcy is that countless owners holding warranties will have to give up a lot of their coverage. As you can see in the article from Omaha.com linked above, some owners are starting to have some major problems with little or no recourse. This is especially difficult since there is no one to manage client claims in the interim of bankruptcy proceedings.

Warranty for HearthStone Owners Available For Fraction of Normal Price

At the Bill Black Team, we are committed to making sure everyone in this situation has an opportunity to protect themselves. Though the current coverage provides homeowners the right to have appliances, windows and other areas that carry manufacturer warranties included in the building of their home – that is not enough. That is why we have made a special arrangement with ServiceOne, to provide a home warranty for customers of HearthStone Homes with new homes built within five years or sooner in qualifying subdivisions. Whereas a warranty would normally cost anywhere from about $395 and up depending on the home, the folks at ServiceOne are generously offering their coverage for a very affordable $99.

No matter which subdivision of homes you are located within, we invite you to contact us to find out whether you qualify for a slice of this peace of mind. We know it does not fix everything but at least you can rest assured that major components of your home will have coverage in case something were to go wrong. This includes things like your heating and cooling unit, furnace, electrical and plumbing systems and more.

For more information about this warranty and any other of your real estate related needs, please contact us today at 402.680.2500 or email Bill.black@cbshome.com.

What Goes On Behind the Scenes at a Real Estate Office?

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Most people would think that all a real estate agent does is to match buyers with the right home, show them the ins and outs of that home – and have them sign a dotted line to purchase the home. If they only knew…

The truth is that real estate agents have a TON of things to deal with to make sure everything goes smoothly with a transaction. In fact, showing houses is probably the simplest part of it all. Between the negotiation process, countless amendments and addendums, going back and forth and then finally reaching the point to sign documents – an agent has their hands full.

The Ball Starts Rolling When Two Parties Agree to Collaborate

From that moment that both agents have come to a consensus on a property and the contract is negotiated, the transaction will move over to the lender and the lender will then begin their process. A lender’s office is typically completely overloaded with paperwork – signs of a long, arduous and very detailed amount of meticulous processing that must be done prior to closing.

One very important aspect of buying a house is to make sure you have a clear title. Real estate agents will send an order to the title company to start the title search process as soon as there is agreement on the property, usually while the lender is finalizing paperwork. And as there is with a lender, there is also mountain of paperwork involved during the investigation of a title.

The Closing Marks the Beginning of Checks and Double-Checks

At the closing table, there will be two stacks of documents for the parties to sign. One is about getting the money to actually pay for the house (the loan) and the other stack of paper pertains to the actual selling of the property. After all is signed, said and done – the monies exchange hands and the deed changes hands. The buyer gets the deed and the seller gets their check.

The minute both parties walk away, a detailed process begins starting with review of all the paperwork. Files are processed, deeds are checked and double-checked for any inconsistencies or problems and escrows are taken care of. Escrow is calculated within the loan to cover real estate taxes but there are also other incidences of escrow that the agents’ office and affiliates must manage. An example is an undone part of a newly constructed home. For instance if the sod has not been laid at the time of closing – the money to complete that work will go into escrow and once the work is completed, two departments will communicate to ultimately release the funds. This is just one aspect of how things are managed after the fact and behind the scenes.

Organizing Documents for Future Reference

After all documents are signed and the parties have exchanged relevant items, the process of documentation begins. Yet another team processes everything. All data is filed electronically and then the paperwork is taken to storage. We then maintain all files for a minimum of five years and made accessible to the IRS, a court, and a few other parties – with permission. The physical documents are maintained in a warehouse or storage facility designed to protect paper documents.
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A question that we are frequently asked is about the fees that buyers and sellers will often see as result of the process of engaging in a buy or sell transaction. As you can see from the above-mentioned stages of a real estate transaction, much goes on behind the scenes. Buyers and sellers will see fees as a result of all the time spent on all these things; a closing fee, an escrow fee, commission to cover lengthy paperwork processes and more.

Remember, there are a lot of good people standing behind your Realtor and together we are working to make sure you have the best possible experience in your real estate endeavors!

CBS Home Ranks #1 in Market Share With Online Search Engines

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Time to sell your home?  How about reaching the countless buyers that begin their search online with wide-eyed dreams of finding the perfect home? At one point in time, Realtor.com used to be the website of choice for both sellers looking to list their home on a high-traffic site and buyers that wanted to gain access to all the latest properties. But things have changed. Now, a whopping 88% of buyers go online before even setting foot in a real estate agent’s office. They are logging on and browsing through national website like Zillow.com, Truila.com and a host of other property sites as well.

The Secret About National Listing Sites That Most People Don’t Know

When most people log onto a site like Zillow.com or Realtor.com, little do they realize that there are multiple tiers of advertising available on the platform. The average home seller or agent logs on and lists a home using the standard basic free tier. A few photographs are added to a general listing with some basic information about the property. There are two more levels on top of that first one that allow posters some more room to elaborate on their listing.

The highest and most visible form of advertising on these sites, however, entails the deepest level of market penetration. The Bill Black Team engages in this level of marketing on almost fifty various property search tool websites. The banner that is most commonly seen at the top of these site’s pages are among those that we pay for – so that means that when buyers visit those sites, precise target marketing takes place, prominently showing them your property. One step further, when buyers inquire about those properties they are redirected to us and we can then further assist them with their interest in your home.

The Age of Offline Advertising Is Fast Changing

At one time we would invest a lot of advertising dollars into all the forms of ads that were once popular. Today, print media, Television ads and high-gloss colorful flyers placed at the home sites are all virtually obsolete. The Internet has completely taken over. Through our extensive tracking systems we have been able to confirm that 88% or more of all buyers start their search online. In a “here and now” society, it is essential to be able to provide on time, real time property listings that satisfy the needs of today’s buyers.

CBS Home Ranks First in the Top Five Property Search Engine Sites

Not surprisingly, in a survey conducted by an independent firm, we discovered that CBS Home captures a significant market share of first-time online buyer presence. CBS Home has a 60% market share, followed by NP Dodge with 34% of the Omaha market share in this category, Deeb Realty with 4% plus Keller Williams and Prudential each with 1% total market share in our region.

Top Notch Online Visual Presence Gets Homes Sold

With an average of over 139,000 visits each month on our website, we place a lot of emphasis on making sure your listing receives the best attention that lasts longer than just a casual browse. We hire professional photographers to present your home in the best light possible, both in video and photographic stills. That is why when we upload it onto our affiliated websites we know that the best possible presentation is made.

Our video and written blogs were established to provide our readers with valuable information while at the same time promoting your listing in a place where buyers feel comfortable and familiar. Future buyers that stumble upon your property on our site contact us and we get the ball rolling right away.

With a list of over 50 affiliate sites on which we list our properties, your home will be sure to get the most visibility possible. Some of these sites include Omaha.com, Trulia.com, Aol.com, Yahoo, Zillow and HGTV’s Front Door. We have maintained and nurtured partnerships with several high-visibility relocation clients as well as end-clients that use our services to help re-establish their newly relocated employees to our area. This provides first-hand access to your property to countless buyers looking to buy right away; yet another compelling reason to let us help you with your home selling endeavors!

Contact us today so we can assist in making your real estate goals become a reality!

To Move With the Best – Go With the Best at CBS Home

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Year after year, CBS Home continues to wow its clients, partners and associates with unprecedented performance and dominant market share. This year is no different. Once again, the Bill Black Team is holding not one, but two very special awards given to us by the CBS Home organization in recognition of our outstanding performance. We have the best trained Realtors in the greater Omaha area and our agents are among the top producing agents here as well. Since 2001 we have consistently demonstrated dominance in our marketplace with more homes sold than in other company both in new construction and homes in the above $400,000 price range.

Here are some more reasons we are best in class:

Unprecedented Web Presence

Far extending reach of real estate listing websites such as Trulia, Zillow, HGTV’s Front Door, HomeFinder, HotPads and more. Catering to the over 90% of buyers that conduct home searches online before any other step in their real estate finding ventures, our web presence and marketing techniques are in the forefront of technology. With meticulously tracked online traffic analytics, we know who is visiting our sites, which topics are popular and what consumers want to see.

Relocation Services Partnered With Companies and Clients

Working with a large number of partner third-party relocation companies such as the Relocation Center, AmeriCorp and Prudential Relocation – we have developed strong alliances with all the major players in this industry. We also have an extensive list of clients that we serve. Helping each relocating employee, one household at a time, we serve clients with business locations in our area such as ConAgra, FedEx, Lockheed Martin Corp, Pepsi, UPS and more.

Best in Class Market Dominance

We are proud to enjoy 31% overall market share in the greater Omaha area, with specific market share control in properties over $400,000 plus new construction. Time and again, year after year our team provides you with the best service, assists top companies and their employees with relocation efforts. We are proud to have been recognized as the top sales team and top new construction team for 2011.
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If you would like to buy, sell, relocate or invest – call us today. We know that our continued success is in the success of our valued clients and we look forward to serving your every real estate need!  Remember, if you are going to move with the best – go with the best. The Bill Black Team is committed to serving you!

Here are some links to some great CBS Home One Sheets:
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/95601236/008
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/95601440/009
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/95601634/010
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/95601775/011
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/95602104/012

The Danger of Not Understanding Property Line Laws

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If there was one piece of advice I could give to homeowners, it's to get a survey before closing on a home or doing any kind of major work in your yard.  I saw a very real recent example of this that I show in my latest video.

As a homeowner, you simply have to understand where your lot lines really are.  It's not enough to have an idea or “guesstimate” of where your lot lines are.  In this current situation, a homeowner put an elaborate pond and waterfall in their yard.  It's beautiful, but the seller never did a survey to find out for sure where their lot lines are laid out.

As you can see in the video, there is a survey stake on the lot line right now because one of the homeowners did a survey recently.  Unfortunately for the homeowner who built the expensive and elaborate waterfall and pond, all of their electronic mechanisms as well as 4 feet of their pond are on the wrong property.  Ouch!

Up until now, the homeowner has been refusing to move their pond.  That forced the other homeowner to have an attorney send them a demand letter telling them they have to move it.  We'll see how this all pans out, but it didn't have to happen this way.

Getting a simple survey before doing any kind of major work in your yard, such as adding a fence, can save you a lot of headache, hassles and money.  The law is very clear about lot lines, so don't guess where yours are.

Often, homeowners have a question about trees that might also be on the property line.  As you can see in the video, there is a big tree that is also on the lot line with its branches growing over onto the lot that has the pond.  The legal owner of the property has the right to trim the tree of another person, but they cannot destroy it.  Of course, it's always best to talk to the owner of the tree before trimming it.

If the person who trims the tree ends up damaging it or destroying it, they could be liable for 2 to 3 times the value of the tree.  Of course, how do you value a tree?

There is no question that property lines can become a heated point of conversation if no survey was done prior to the commencement of work.  Protect yourself in the beginning by getting a survey of the property.

If you have any questions about this or any other real estate matter, give me a call.  I'm always happy to help!

A Visit to Urgent Care of Rockbrook in Omaha

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This blog post is a bit different than most because we're not going to be talking about real estate.  Instead, I decided to make a visit to Urgent Care of Rockbrook to chat with my friend Scott.  I wanted my readers and clients to know where they could go to get their medical needs met in a professional, caring environment.

Urgent Care of Rockbrook covers a variety of medical needs from coughs and colds to sports physicals.  They also do laceration repair and set broken bones.  Because they have a digital x-ray system, all imaging can be sent directly to your personal care physician or other specialists in the event that you have to go to urgent care during the off hours.

This facility also has a very sophisticated lab where you get your results almost immediately.  How frustrating is it to go to your regular doctor and have to wait days, if not weeks, for your lab work to be returned?  When you go to Urgent Care of Rockbrook, most of your lab work will be returned to you almost immediately so that you can take it back to your doctor if needed.

Another perk of this facility is that they have electronic medical records.  That means that your primary care doctor can easily access those to see what was done.  Scott told me that they are there to help the primary care doctors, so they send all charts to the doctor at the end of the day.

Urgent Care of Rockbrook treats everyone including tiny babies all the way up to the elderly.  They also do employer drug testing which the employer can see the results of online.  In addition, they do pre-employment physicals and $25 sports physicals.

This facility is open from 8 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday and 10 AM to 6 PM on Sundays.  They are open 365 days a year so that you can come when you need to.  You don't have to take off work to see a doctor because they are they are there in the off hours to help.

Urgent Care of Rockbrook has three exam rooms as well as a radiology room and lab.  They also offer preventative care such as flu shots.

When you need professional medical care, call on Urgent Care of Rockbrook. Of course, when you need help with your next real estate transaction, call me!

Kalamazoo’s Promise Is Going Strong – Here’s To Building the Omaha Promise

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Why is it that here we are in the 21st century yet there is still a vast economic divide that continues to become wider, forcing millions of children to give up their dreams of aiming high for higher education?  There are so many countries that consider education (right up there with health care) as being the natural born right of their citizens. Why, then, does America continue to lag behind?

In one small town in the Midwest, a school superintendent moved to answer this question by doing something about it.  Dr. Janice Brown, former Superintendent of the Kalamazoo Public School system in Kalamazoo, Michigan spent years developing a model that would very well give back the promise of a future to all the children in her district.  As Katie Couric reports in the CBS Evening News, Dr. Brown spent five years developing the program and through a group of anonymous donors has been able to secure an educational scholarship for each and every child of the KPS.  There are some guidelines for the Kalamazoo Promise but they are achievable ones that are designed to illicit responsibility, accountability and strong academic performance as incentives.  With over 40 participating higher education institutions involved, students have much variety in education and lots of curriculum options.

Closer to home in Omaha, there are countless children that may or may not be able to make it past high school yet each deserves the right to an avenue for a strong future.  Why couldn’t we, as a community, come together and build the same promise for our youth?  In fact, if we partnered with some of the amazing institutions we have right here in our own hometown, such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center, imagine the possibilities that could open up?

As Dr. Brown mentions in her interview with Katie Couric, the whole system ingeniously supports the economy, which in turn supports the citizens, which end up coming right back to boost the economy even more.  That sounds like a win-win to me!

There is no reason that we couldn’t do the exact same thing – and even better – right here in Omaha.  The Omaha Promise could very well become a reality.  So I propose that we come together, pool our resources, tap into every single resource we have both individually and commercially – to make this dream a reality.

What do you think?  I’d love to hear some of your thoughts and suggestions as to how we can accomplish this.  We need to help each other.  Wouldn’t it be great to help create a legacy that will truly live on for generations yet to come?

Honesty and Real Estate: Do They Go Together?

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Today I want to talk about honesty and real estate.  Unfortunately, this is sometimes lacking in the real estate transaction process.  Many times, the agent is too scared to really be honest with their clients for fear of alienating them or losing the business altogether.  However, we are brutally and totally honest with our prospects and customers because we feel like that is the only real way to help them sell their home or find a new home.

Let me tell you about a typical phone call that I get on a regular basis.  Someone will call me because their house has been sitting on the market for a while.  It's expired and they are now looking for an agent.  Maybe they've been given my name by someone else, so they give me a call.

I go out to look at the house and try to tell them why it may not have sold.  I always tell people that I'm going to be honest.  Hiring me means that you're also getting the service of my brutal honesty.  It might step on toes, but I'd rather give you the truth up front so that you know where I stand.

Recently, I walked into a house that had expired with another agent.  As soon as I walked in, I knew exactly why the home hadn't sold.  The carpet was in very rough shape, there was lots of clutter and there were obvious repairs that were needed.  For instance, the Formica countertops were very aged and needed to be replaced.  At the same time, this particular seller was trying to get top dollar for their home.

Now, I'll give the agent some benefit of the doubt in that they got a lot of traffic through the house.  They actually did a decent job.  Where they failed this home seller was that they didn't speak the truth.  They didn't tell them the truth about why the house wasn't selling.

When I come out and take a look at your house, I'm going to tell you the truth.  Now, what you do with that information is entirely up to you.  You can simply ignore it, you can do it or you can do a certain part of it.  The choice that you make will affect how fast your home gets sold.

I would love to have a chance to chat with you about your real estate needs.  Whether you're looking to sell a house or buy a house, you can expect total honesty from me during the process.  Call me today so that we can talk about your specific situation.

Looking Back at 2011: Your Questions Answered

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Now that 2011 is over and we can look back, it's a great time to reflect on some of the questions that I've gotten via e-mail recently.  After 30 years in the business, it's always interesting to hear the thoughts of my clients and customers, as well as their questions.

How Long Will It Take To Sell My Home?

One of the questions I recently received was what is the most frustrating thing about being in the real estate business?  Perhaps the most frustrating part of being a real estate agent is that I cannot predict the future.  Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball that will tell my home sellers how long it will take to sell their home.  All we can do as real estate agents is look at past data and figures to come up with the list price and most likely sales price.  However, we never know how long it will take to sell a property.  You just have to trust that I know what I'm doing with my level of experience.

We Can Help With FSBOs Too!

Another big frustration for real estate agents is when we show buyers and spend time with them looking for the perfect home and building a relationship, and the buyer panics about finding a house and purchases a for sale by owner instead. Even after 30 years, this is still very hurtful to me as an agent simply because I want to do my best for all of my clients.  Many buyers don't know that they should call me even if they want to look at a FSBO (for sale by owner) because I can still help them negotiate the deal.  

How Did 2011 Stack Up Compared to 2010?

Another question I got recently was how was the market from 2011 compared to 2010? December statistics just came out, and one of the interesting points was that the active sales price in 2010 was $170,000 and only $164,000 in 2011.  In addition, the average closing time went up slightly from 68 days to 72 days.

Our real estate group did a little bit better in comparison with an average sales price of $205,000.  This led to the question of whether or not I only deal with high-end real estate and the answer to that is no.  In fact, the lowest sale that we participated in during 2011 was $50,000.  We will work on any kind of property at any price range.

Does Dave Ramsey Endorse You?

I also received a question asking if we are endorsed by Dave Ramsey.  The answer to that is yes.  We have taken the Money Matters financial accountability classes two times now.  We believe that you should have your financial house in order before buying a house.  Dave Ramsey does endorse us, and we have been scrutinized heavily by him and his team.

Where Does CBS Home Rank, And Where Do You Rank?

Another inquiry I had was whether or not CBS Home is number one in residential real estate in the market?  The answer to that is also yes.  In fact, our agent team ranks number three in the entire company out of about 450 agents.  That would put us in the top 10 agents out of our entire area.

Finally, someone asked me what I liked best about the real state business.  I would have to say after 30 years that it's still the same answer I've always had.  I get to help people make life-changing decisions and get to make new friendships.  I love your referrals because they allow me to create new friendships.  I met a lot of great people this year.

As always, if we can answer any questions about real estate or anything else, don't hesitate to call us.  We love your referrals and keep e-mailing those questions.