The business of referring someone either for a job, or as a service provider or even as a client is tricky business. In my role as a Realtor I get asked very often to recommend service providers and trades people; electricians, plumbers, garage door specialists, mortgage lenders, appraisers etc. The issue that I see is that people are human PERIOD They have bad days, they have frustrations in their life and while they might be the very best at what they do, they aren't always performing at 100%. As it happens, I need a new boiler in my home. I have contacted at least five different people/companies who have all been recommended to me. I have received two written quotes, one e-mail with a rough estimate, one service provider who despite two or three reminders keeps forgetting to put the quote together and I'm still waiting on the last one. All of these people have been recommended by someone that I trust, am I putting out a 'vibe' that says that I'm impossible to work with? I know that I pay all of my bills either on time or early, I don't engage in a project for which I can't pay.
So, I am looking for recommendations for mortgage lenders that I might pass on to my clients. Each year in January I review my business card catalog and review all of the people who's cards I am carrying. I want three different options for each type of provider and this year I'm reviewing mortgage people. I'm a member of two different chambers of commerce and as such I meet a lot of people who are interested in building thier business. I started calling the people for whom I have cards, you know what? No return calls from some of them either. Has everyone given up on business? Plumbers? Mortage origionators?
Yes, we are in a time of change and economic contraction but if the people who want to stay in the business in which they are currently engaged don't respond to requests for service, who's left?
If you know of any mortgage businesses that are comitted to their profession, please have them get in touch with me!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Searching for a home?
I talk with a lot of professionals involved in the Real Estate industry, lenders, attorneys, home inspectors, trades people and of course other Realtors. Today I spoke with a lender about the inventory of homes that are available in the area. In my humble opinion, they are all substandard. There seems to be nobody selling a home that isn't in a state of duress. As a very wise Realtor said to me a few years ago, the market that we are facing will be intertwined with either death, divorce or transfers. I am working with several buyers who would like to purchase a home but the options that they have are dismal! Most of the properties that we are looking at are either estates, short sales or the sellers are separating.
I also spoke with a homeowner today who would like to sell their home. They had spent all of 2008 on the market and the home didn't sell. I did a brief market analysis of the similar homes that did sell and their list price was about 15% over market value all year. Where was their agent? Yes, yes, hindsight is 20-20 but I feel that as a Real Estate professional that I have a responsibility to deliver a message that reflects accurate market conditions. I won't tell my clients that they will get a price that isn't realistic given the market. It's nice to have listings, but it's nicer to have clients who repsect your integrity and ability to get a job accomplished.
One more thought for my first post; I had a buyer contact me one afternoon and the expectation seemed to be that I drop what I was doing and take up some work for them. I let them know that I had no problem helping them with their request but I wanted them to make a committment to me via a contract. I didn't ask for a lifetime committment, or even a 3 month committment, but the expectation was that I would be what seemed like infinitely available to this particular consumer yet the consumer expected that they were free to take my 'work product' and go on thier way with it. I declined to be available without some form of committment, a 10 day contract perhaps, the consumer responded by letting me know that they would 'call the next agent on thier list.' I hope that the next agent doesn't sell them something that I will see as bank owned in the months to come.
I welcome comments and feedback, tell me if I'm off track. I can handle it!
I also spoke with a homeowner today who would like to sell their home. They had spent all of 2008 on the market and the home didn't sell. I did a brief market analysis of the similar homes that did sell and their list price was about 15% over market value all year. Where was their agent? Yes, yes, hindsight is 20-20 but I feel that as a Real Estate professional that I have a responsibility to deliver a message that reflects accurate market conditions. I won't tell my clients that they will get a price that isn't realistic given the market. It's nice to have listings, but it's nicer to have clients who repsect your integrity and ability to get a job accomplished.
One more thought for my first post; I had a buyer contact me one afternoon and the expectation seemed to be that I drop what I was doing and take up some work for them. I let them know that I had no problem helping them with their request but I wanted them to make a committment to me via a contract. I didn't ask for a lifetime committment, or even a 3 month committment, but the expectation was that I would be what seemed like infinitely available to this particular consumer yet the consumer expected that they were free to take my 'work product' and go on thier way with it. I declined to be available without some form of committment, a 10 day contract perhaps, the consumer responded by letting me know that they would 'call the next agent on thier list.' I hope that the next agent doesn't sell them something that I will see as bank owned in the months to come.
I welcome comments and feedback, tell me if I'm off track. I can handle it!
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