Things in my Head

I was at a Chandler Chamber of Commerce function recently and met a lady who currently has her house listed for sale with another agent. 

We began to discuss the current market.  The "slow down" as she called it.  "Where are all the buyers?"  she asked.   She said that her house has been on the market for a couple of months and she has had very little activity as far as showings and they have not received any offers.

I told her that the number of days on market has increased in the Phoenix area and that she should not get too discouraged.  She then said something to me that I thought was interesting.

She said that her agent had advised them to adjust their asking price down based on comparable sales in the area.  She then said that they were not going to follow the agent's advice because her and her husband believe they can sell their house at the higher price.

I then said kind of jokingly that they must not trust their agent.  She said "no, not really".

I thought this was amazing.  You are in the middle of probably the biggest financial transaction of your life and you don't trust the person you hired to help you facilitate this transaction! 

Don't get me wrong.  I am sure that they have hired a very competent and experienced agent.  I'm sure their agent has given them great advice when they suggested a price decrease. 

The typical Real Estate Agent is very good at what they do.  They know the market.  They have great marketing ideas and strategies.  They are great negotiators and mediators. 

Why did you hire your agent if you don't trust them?  I see this as setting yourself up for failure.  It is crucial that you hire an agent that you trust.  They are the expert.  Listen to them and consider their advice seriously.  When you make the decision to hire an agent, hire the best and trust that they will do the very best and that they always have your best interest in mind.   

This Blog will be dedicated to answering all your real estate related questions. 

Just hit the comment link and ask away!

As the weather starts to get warmer here in the desert, be aware of those slithering creatures.  They will be out and about looking for food.  We have lots of desert areas throughout our neighborhoods here in the Valley of the Sun so be careful.

With all the outdoor activities available to us, we need to be cautious.  If you're hiking, bike riding, golfing, etc., be alert.  When I go dirt bike riding in the desert, I almost always see a snake or two.  I just recently spoke to a friend of mine in Gold Canyon that saw a rattlesnake crossing the road as he was riding his bike.

Do not try to catch or kill them.  Statistics show that over 90 percent of snake bite victims were trying to catch or kill the snake.  Leave them alone and you shouldn't have a problem.

During hot weather, snakes often search for water.  If you live close to a desert preserve area, be careful about leaving water bowls outside for your pets.  If you find a snake in your yard, call your local fire department or animal control to remove the snake.  Do not do this on your own!

In the case of a snake bite, apply a tight bandage over the bite area and immobilize the limb and person.  Do not remove the bandage, do not apply a tourniquet and do not try to suck out the venom.  Get to a hospital  immediately.

The desert is FUN, but remember that we are sharing it with other creatures.

I thought that for my very first post on my new blog, I would relate a true story that happened to my Grandmother on Valentine's Day.

A little history...My Grandparents live in a relatively small town in North Central California.  They have lived in the same house for over 50 years now.  To the best of my knowledge they have 5 children, 21 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren.  (I may be low on the great grandchildren).  Needless to say, they know quite a few people in this town.

A few years ago, my Grandfather gave my Grandmother a diamond ring for Valentine's Day.  About a year ago, my Grandmother lost the ring.  She reported the loss to her homeowners insurance company.  The insurance company approved the claim and gave my Grandmother a certain dollar amount for her loss.  My Grandmother did not replace the ring.

In late 2006, my Grandmother found the ring she lost.  She called the insurance company and let them know that she did find the ring and asked them what she should do.  The agent informed her that she had two options: a. Repay the money the insurance company paid out on her previous claim or b. Give the ring to the insurance company.

Well, my Grandmother loved the ring as it was a special gift from my Grandfather so she decided to pay the money back to the insurance company.  My Grandparents didn't have the money to pay it all back so they made installment arrangements with the insurance company and started to pay a certain sum every month.

Over the holidays money got tight.  They had some unexpected expenses with their vehicle and some other things.  My Grandmother decided she could no longer afford to make the payments on this ring.  She was very sad but she called her agent and told her that she would need to give the ring to the insurance company as she could no longer afford to make payments.  The agent made arrangements to get the ring from my Grandmother.

End of story...oh no...the day before Valentine's Day 2007, there was a knock on my Grandmother's door.  She answered.  It was her insurance agent and she had a very nice gift box in her hand.  She said it was a gift for my Grandmother.  My Grandmother opened the gift and there was her ring! 

At this particular insurance company the procedure when this kind of thing happens is that the items go up for bid amongst the different agents in the company.  My Grandmother's agent placed the winning bid and gave the ring back to my Grandmother.

Do you think that my Grandmother is going to tell everyone within earshot  about her experience with this agent and her company?  You bet she will!  And that is a lot of people.  I am certain this agent will get many new clients as a result of this small act of kindness.