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Real Living HER has a new web site

Posted on 12/01/2010 | Leave a comment

Real Living HER switched over to their NEW extensive website today. They have always beat out the competition with a high-traffic, very user-friendly site used by millions. This new design is even better, providing even more information on each listing. Remember, all broker’s listings are included – not just Real Living’s – through agreements called Broker Reciprocity.

REAL LIVING HOME PAGE

You can set up your own personal search based on the criteria you want in a home, then save it. When new listings (or a price reduction) come on the market that match your criteria, you’ll be notified via email immediately.

When viewing a home that is for sale, you will be able to view an extensive amount of info for the neighborhood or city where the home is located. Look for the tabs located below the photo box. You’ll also be able to see many photos of the home if the listing agent has added them. To see an example of a listing click on the following link.

POWELL OH HOME FOR SALE

Each Real Living agent has been provided a section on the main website. Click the link below to visit my section. When on my site, you can set up your home search, designate me as your agent, or email me. If you click on the Local Information tab, you can enter an address, such as your own, then view the same type of demographics as is available with each of the homes for sale. That’s a rather fun exercise for your own home. See what the stats are for schools, crime, environment, income/education, and walking score. If you’re thinking of moving to another city, you can check the stats for that city as well.

ELAINE REESE SECTION OF REAL LIVING WEB SITE

A lot of work went into this new web design, however, since it’s brand new, there may be some start-up glitches for a few days. The development gurus have also told us that they’ll be adding even more features or pages of information in the coming months. Of the things that I’ve checked, it seems to be working OK so far. So, go ahead, give it a test drive.

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Columbus Ohio, Delaware County, Elaine's Listings, Franklin County, Homes, Homes for sale, Powell Ohio, Real Living HER, Realtor® selection, Realtors®, Sellers, Technology, Wedgewood

Tagged central ohio real estate market news, Columbus OH, real estate web site, Real Living HER, Search for homes for sale

Who sells the most homes?

Posted on 10/20/2010 | Leave a comment

Are you thinking of buying or selling a home and are uncertain as to which agent to use? Perhaps, your home is on the market but you’re not quite satisfied with the marketing your home is receiving.

SEE WHO IS SELLING HOMES IN YOUR AREA

I just updated the “BROKER SHARE” page to show the Top 5 Real Estate Brokers from Jan 2010 thru Sep 2010 for a number of school districts in northern Franklin County and southern Delaware County. Check out your area to see who is selling the most homes – whether it is a home listing for sellers or helping buyers find their new home.

Naturally, I suggest using #1 Real Living HER … and dare I say … I’m available.

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Delaware County, Delaware Ohio, Dublin Ohio, Franklin County, Galena Ohio, Hilliard Ohio, Home buying process, Home selling process, Homes, Housing stats, Lewis Center Ohio, Powell Ohio, Real Living HER, Realtor® selection, Realtors®, Sellers, Worthington Ohio

Tagged central ohio real estate market news

Know when to “fold ‘em”

Posted on 08/18/2010 | Leave a comment

Can a real estate agent decline your business when you are buying or selling a home? The short answer is ‘yes‘. That’s because real estate agents are self-employed and can operate their business as they choose … as long as it’s done legally.

Why might an agent not take my business?

The primary issue is often HONESTY or TRUTHFULNESS. If the agent suspects you’re not being truthful in the information you’re providing, they may be cautious about working with you.
RESPECT and TRUST might also be a reason. Few people want to work so closely with someone who doesn’t respect them or might treat them rudely, but that’s true for many industries, not just in real estate.
UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS can lead to frustrations down the road. Sellers who want to overprice their homes regardless of what the comps indicate may have a hard time finding an agent to list their home. Likewise, buyers who are determined to to buy a home for 80% of its list price regardless of the competitiveness of the list price, may find themselves without an agent to drive them around neighborhoods writing countless offers.
FAILURE TO ACT to prepare to sell or buy, such as cleaning the home properly, making suggested repairs or meeting with a lender to get pre-approved prior to viewing homes.
OUTSIDE THE AGENT’S AREA of expertise or geographical area may cause an agent to decline. Currently, numerous agents are not working with short-sales or REO’s. Some agents may not want to work with farmland because they feel they lack the expertise required. Still other agents may have a policy to not work beyond a certain number of miles from their home base or office.
Some agents don’t work with THIRD PARTY RELOCATION sellers or buyers. These are clients taking new jobs in other areas and the new employer has hired a 3rd Party Relo company to handle the move. The agent must pay 38% or more of their commission to the Relo company. With other financial requirements from the Relo company, an agent may make only 45% of their normal income. If the time involved with the Relo client cuts into the service level the agent is able give a regular client, the agent may refuse the Relo business.

Just like any other company or business, real estate agents have a business plan with target markets, sales & income objectives, and the need to control overhead costs. Remember, while you are interviewing the agent to see who YOU want to work with, the agent is subtlety interviewing you to see if your goals/intentions fit their biz plan. Sometimes it’s a good fit and sometimes it’s not. To reference Kenny Rogers’ song, gotta know when to hold ‘em & when to fold ‘em.

Copyright © 2010. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Home buying process, Home selling process, Homes, Homes for sale, Realtor® selection, Realtors®, Sellers

Tagged central ohio real estate market

Helpful info for home buyers & sellers

Posted on 07/09/2010 | Leave a comment

Real Living HER, Elaine Reese yard sign Planning to buy or sell a home and not sure what agent to select? I just updated the charts that show the Top 5 Real Estate brokers by some school districts. Naturally Real Living HER has the leading market share around the Columbus metro area, selling more homes to or for our clients by a wide margin in most school districts.

How do Real Living agents do it? They have the support and tools of a broker that has been recognized nationally as one of the most innovative in the nation. So, check out the results for your area, then give your favorite Real Living agent a call. Hopefully, you’ll call me.

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Delaware County, Delaware Ohio, Dublin Ohio, Franklin County, Galena Ohio, Hilliard Ohio, Homes, Housing stats, Lewis Center Ohio, Powell Ohio, Real Living HER, Realtor® selection, Realtors®, Sellers, Worthington Ohio

Tagged central ohio real estate market news, Columbus OH metro area, Real Living HER, Top 5 real estate brokers

Is your home a little tipsy?

Posted on 03/25/2010 | Leave a comment

If I were to ask if your house was leaning or was perpendicular to the ground, most likely you would say that your house is straight with the ground.

However, judging by many of the photos in our MLS system, it appears a number of homes in central Ohio are leaning quite a bit, or else the real estate agent that took the photo was a little tipsy. Crooked homes, walls, cabinets or doors are a pet peeve of mine. bad MLS photos It’s so easy to take a perpendicular photo by lining up the image box in the viewfinder. Our image adjustment programs that come with our cameras also allow us to fix photos later.

Here’s a photo of a home (right) that I purposely made crooked for this article. Haven’t you seen photos online that look like this? Do you turn your head when you see such a photo? Do you wonder about the agent taking the photo? I saw one home where every single photo of the home – inside & out – was tilted.

The imaging program that I use allows me to easily define which visual line I want to be perpendicular. It takes about half a second to do. It’s just a matter of deciding which portion of the home’s lines should be perpendicular. bad MLS photos

Since cameras tend to “bend” lines that are furthest from the center of the photo, lines like the back corner of this home will look the worst. But if I make that back wall straight, I know that it will tip the front of the home upward, as shown in this photo to the left. Gahanna Ohio home

Generally, I choose a predominant line in the middle of the photo, since that’s where our eyes focus first. For this home, with all its lines and angles, I chose to have the left edge of the brick facing be perpendicular. (right) I thought that seemed to work the best.

The next time you’re viewing homes online, just for fun keep track of how many tipsy homes you see.

Maybe tipsy homes will become a pet peeve for you, too!

FYI, this is a new-build home in Gahanna that a buyer client purchased.

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Posted in Central Ohio, Homes, Homes for sale, Realtor® selection, Realtors®, Sellers

Tagged "photographing homes for sale", "realtor photography", central ohio real estate market news, MLS photos, Photography

I’m a Listing Agent … I’m prepared!

Posted on 02/14/2010 | Leave a comment

There are two kinds of Realtors® … agents who work mainly with home buyers … and agents who primarily work with sellers. Generally, over time, an agent will gravitate to a preference to work with one or the other type of client based on their skills or personality. However, there may be an additional difference … their cars.

Buyers’ Agents usually have nice, clean cars – or they should. The successful ones drive the luxury versions for a smooth ride for the clients when they view 10-15 homes at one time.

Listing Agents may drive vehicles that can easily hold yard and open house signs AND those signs can be thrown in quickly when it’s raining or really, really cold. They also may carry a bunch of odds ‘n’ ends supplies required to handle most any emergency that arises on the listing.

Listing agent's car The WEENR-mobile is perfect as a “listing” vehicle. The 4WD gets me through most any kind of road. The back is easy to throw in yard or open house signs. In a pinch, I can fold the back seat down when I need to haul larger items.