So You think you wanna be a buyer in 2010?

Buying a home may be the biggest financial purchase a person can make. Add to it the emotions involved...and it may be one of the biggest decisions one can make in a lifetime too! If you are considering buying a home...you may already be scared senseless. A favorite saying of mine is "expect the best, but just in case...be prepared for the worst!" I ....your trusty fellow real estate agent willingly accepts the responsibility to prepare you for the worst!

When my friends talk to me about a hard situation they may be facing..they usually hear me say "so...lets see...whats the worst that can happen here?" Ok...before you think I'm a doom and gloom fuddy duddy...give me a fair shake. I have heard it said 70% of what one fears never comes true. So, facing the worst means about 30% chance it will come true. Assuming it does, wouldn't you want an agent to prepare you for as much of that as possible so when something happens it doesn't seem so earth shattering?

My slogan "giving the service I would expect" kinda fits in here. I would expect to have someone hold my hand, and perhaps guide me when a large decision is needing to be made. It really is a tough market out there today. I am not completely sure I would want to be in the shoes of a new buyer right now unless I felt I had the help, guidance and support of someone who knew what i didn't.

Consider me a life line! Relax...I am here to make the process as easy as possible. I'm successful when you are safely tucked in bed in your new home! You dream....and I'll do the dirty work!

First...lets pretend you are entering a market that makes no sense what so ever. Ok, it's not pretending. Ask anyone who has worked this market for a bit and you will get the same answer. Remember you parents telling you "use your common sense!?" Lets assume there is none. (This is the part where I help you prepare for the market!) Come on now...your up for a challenge right?

A fellow agent friend tells me on a regular basis to "put my big girl panties on in this market!" I think she is trying to gently remind me I have to work a bit harder these days and not to be a baby just because things are a tad tough! So...maybe a nice pair of panties should be your first purchase! Challenges just make the home we find you more sweet! If you think your mentality is described as a bit "old school"...we may need to work a little new school magic!

To be successful,we will need some creative thinking, some patience, and some heart! I think your new middle name is "flexible" (funny...that's my middle name too!). Hang on tight! Everything's gonna be just fine...I promise!

The Perfect Match!

One of the greatest parts of being a Real Estate Agent, is when a magical moment occurs. In todays market I must admit...those moments can seem few and far between. But when they happen they are sweeeet!



Recently I had the good fortune to experience one of those moments. The home seller in this story is a couple that have loved and cared for their house. It has truly been their home for many great years and it shows in the look and the feel of the home. The buyers in this story have been looking for a home for quite some time. Years actually. They have dreamed, and wished, and planned, and waited. They were the type of buyer that was willing to outwait the market until their dream house appeared. And...one day...it did.



Magic. As the negotiation of the purchase comes to completion, the moment comes alive with relief, anticipation, excitment, dreams to fulfill and new memories to make. I stand in the mix of all the players watching with a smile. Glancing at one of the buyers I notice tears in her eyes as she says "I have waited so long for this home". Another buyer sees her tears and begins to cry himself as he joins in her joy. The sellers...happy that their home will continue being loved as much as they have loved it begin to join the streaming of tears. Family follows suit.



A moment just shy of a miracle! And..of course my camera was no where to be found! But the moment in time is etched in my brain as a moment I will remember for a very long time! What dreams are made of.....thats good stuff!

How to Be A Successful Buyer in an Unsuccessful Market

Giving information on how to be a successful buyer in such a tough market might be a tricky post. It is truly my ultimate goal to make you successful. If you win, I win! It's simple! So, I will be paying attention to what you say, because it is important! After all, this will be your purchase, not mine. But, ultimately, listening must be a two way street. I can go to work and find you what you want, but you may only be able to acquire it if you listen to me to! It sounds like fun right? I love this job!

OK, here I go on my little soapbox. There is no making sense of this market. No rhyme...no reason...no easy to follow rules. Sorry. But, if I prepare you for the worst,we can't lose right?
Imagine calling a real estate agent because you think you are ready to buy a home (I'm still waiting patiently for your call by the way!). You immediately want to go see homes because that's the fun part! Maybe something sparked your interest...an advertisement, a sign etc. Let me ask a seemingly unrelated question here for just a second. What's your favorite food? (Go ahead...take your time to pick). Now...imagine me holding that just outside of your mouth, but close enough to smell! How long would you trust me...or like me for that matter? The old saying "holding a sugar cube in front of the horse" (no, I'm not calling you a horse) applies here. Truly, that's what I would be doing if I took you out to see homes immediately! I would be setting you up for failure...and me for that matter.

This market is a fast paced market no matter what you are being told. There are some great deals out there. But homes are still going for very close if not more than the appraised value..and usually there are multiple offers on every home. Homes are being sold very quickly and if you are not prepared mentally and financially to purchase the day you go to look at homes, you will miss the boat every time. It is part of my job to equip and prepare you before I take you out into this big bad world of real estate, or we will all look like dogs chasing our tails! (I personally get dizzy going round and round, so it is not my favorite thing to do!)


I can and will prepare you for the market and all its many pitfalls. I know how to help you be successful, and will give the service I would expect someone to give me in purchasing a home...or anything else for that matter. I love taking care of my clients...It makes me who I am.

Quick, like a bunny, call me! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Open Fire for an Open House

It was my first open house...and I was sooo excited! I had planned to make the day seemless and near perfect. The morning began with gathering all my supplies I would need for the many buyers I had hopes of meeting that day! I wanted to look so smart...so together....so perfect...who wouldn't want me as their agent? The company I work for supplied balloons and helium free of charge for us and we were encouraged to use them! Awesome idea...balloons on all my signs...drawing attention to my outstanding open house! My son came with me to help me cram as many balloons as we could possibly cram in the back of our Land Rover! The wind blowing that day made even loading them in a chore. Oops...lost a couple to the ozone layer already.

We pull off the side of the dirt road with hazard lights blinking to start posting signs of my open house. He grabs signs to go in front of the car ...I head behind the car. Focusing on hammering signs into the ground, we don't even notice the wind that has funnelled through the open doors of the car and has blown out several balloons tied together. Seconds later, we hear a large BOOM from up in the air that caught our attention. Quickly diverting our attention to the source of the sound.. we see sparks flying out...and beautiful pieces of red shooting several feet out into a large open, dry weeds field. 4th of July happens to be my favorite holiday and for a mere second my mind thought, "How beautiful, I wonder how that happened?"

Momentarily...those beautiful sparks scattered onto the ground instantly igniting the dry brush underneath it, and quickly became 6 inch flames! "Holy Moly! FIRE!" I screamed to my son as he meandered over to observe the sight. Still baffled we look terrified at each other thinking, "What are YOU gonna do to put that out?"

Luckily, I had a cloth in the car and he had big fast feet! As we frantically ran around batting out flames, I noticed how several cars had passed, probably wondering what those crazy people were doing in the middle of flames but, no one offers to help! What happened in seconds, felt like minutes. Thankfully, not long after only smoke was rising up where flames had once been.

Bending over to catch my breath, my son giggles. I, however, have visions of cuffs on my wrists being taken away for arson. A truck with 2 men finally pull over and ask, "You two OK? Lady, we called the fire department for you just in case those flames start up again."

"Oh brother"... I'm thinkin', "How do I get out of here quick so I can't be attached to the crime!?" As we wait, the pieces fall together. It seems I couldn't have planned a fire better even if I tried. As it turns out, rubber balloons burn hot and long, and metallic string hanging from balloons is a great conductor of electricity! Especially when it wraps around a power line directly above where open house signs with beautiful red balloons are. Add a dry open field and your life as you know it could be over!

As I cross my wrists for handcuffs waiting for the firemen now arriving to haul me away I say to the men who so kindly called the firemen,"Please tell my family I love them".Smiling, the men say, "Lady, we got your back. Let us do the talking." I thought, "Sure, why not? Stranger things have happened." Well actually, not really.

As the firemen approach asking how the fire started, these guys say, "We don't know, but what we do know is this superwoman and her son put it out. We watched them!" Gulping (hoping the guilt on my face doesn't give me away), the firemen thank and dismiss us so that they can clear the area and make sure all is under control.

It turns out, I was late to my open house. After my sweaty armpits dried, and my heart returned to normal beating, I welcomed in my new clients. Suddenly, the open house wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Hmm...wonder if my clothes smelled like smoke that day?