Ray Carman – Auctioneer

But not in a list we want to be known for. Foreclosures!

RealtyTrac Inc, one of the nations foremost authority in foreclosure data put out this report on national foreclosures last month. Tennessee ranked tenth in the nation in the month of February.

I have been watching our states foreclosure very closely, and I will presume that this report is spot on. We have had a tremendous amount of foreclosures in the past few months. BUT, there needs to be some further looking into the issue. From the research I have done, nearly 50%, if not more, of these foreclosures have been in Shelby County (Memphis).  We have seen a fair share of them come through this area, but nothing like what Memphis is enduring right now.

If you would like to check in on foreclosures, you can sign up for RealtyTracs feed, or go to Hotpads.com

I am always on the lookout for another forum in which to present real estate and auction material and ads. In this case, I have come across a site that is pinpointed locally and full of content and very user friendly.

isurfsumner.com was introduced to me by Bill Seaver of Micro Explosion Media. Today I was honored to meet with the creator of the site, Ben Fisher. Ben has worked feverishly for the past 15 months to build a central resource site that is focused in on Sumner County. Whether you are looking for a place to eat, a local business, local news, local real estate, local events, and now, local auctions, this is a site you will be well pleased to see. Combining the power of news articles, local directories, and personal ingenuity, Ben has created a site that will be useful to all folks in Sumner County, TN. So if you need to find a church, fitness club, doctor, or a cleaners, you can use this site as a one-stop-shop!

For me, and my industry, it offers great opportunities to input local listings and auctions for the public to have a central location they can visit for local real estate properties. With local Realtors and Auctioneers contributing both articles and available properties to the site, one can find a great resource for finding the perfect fit for them on this site.

My appreciation to Ben for all his hard work in putting together this great local resource.

PriorityOne.tv brings us this video home tour of our upcoming auction in White House, TN on May 3rd, 2008 at 10 am.

Tanks to Amanda Brinkley of Jim Brinkley Realtors for referring this auction to us, and to Gene Carman Jr for coming to conduct the auction. Be sure to come see us on May 3, 2008 10am.

Do you ever stop and think where your Real Estate company will be in the year 2020? What will it look like? Here are a few insights and questions from an insider’s point of view.

1. Will it be growing or diminishing?

2. What steps are you taking today to ensure its success when you are gone?

3. Do you have someone in line to be your successor? Are you pouring energy into this person? Are you giving them lee-way to grow the company even before it is theirs?

4. Are you listening to them to stay ahead of the Real Estate technology from their perspective? They are younger and more into the new technology, are you allowing them to teach you about these things?

5. Do you allow them to make mistakes in order for them to learn invaluable lessons for the times to come?

6. Do you give them authoritative roles in order to prepare them for when they will be in charge?

7. What are you doing to see that future generations will be as successful in Real Estate as you presently are?

8. And, if things are headed backwards, what shifts are you making to correct the problem? What counter measures are you taking to stop the bleeding?

9. Or, are you simply satisfied to rest in your job well done, your money earned, and allow the market to go into the hands of other companies more progressive than you are, all for the sake of your comfort?

These are questions each owner of a Real Estate company should ask themselves, especially those with a great heritage and reputation?

So, where will your company be in 2020 (2030, 2040, and beyond) and what will it look like? Who will run it? What are you doing TODAY to make that a reality?

I thought this article was right on target and worth sharing with you. In a world where more is promoted as best, I believe Quality is the Key! Thanks for sharing Ines!

Here is another Video Home Tour of 600 Hwy 52E in Portland Tn!

For additional info on the house, call Ray Carman at 615-428-4920.

For information on how you can have a video home tour done on your home, call 517-4488!

As we sift through the market as we know it today, people are mostly looking for the “set apart.” The agent who is set apart from the rest. The house that sets itself apart from the rest. The deal that is the best. I have talked briefly about how one can have their home set apart from the rest. This was mostly about your home, but what about the agent you choose?

I talked about looking for the TRUTH in an agent before, and using good reason to choose your agent. In our local Sumner County Market, some agents have done a remarkable job setting themselves apart from the rest. These agents have done so through hard work and integrity.

In the coming days, as technology continues to grow in our market place, to be set apart, one must combine the hard work and integrity with staying ahead of the game in the age of exploding information. With so many search engines being used to find homes by potential buyers, and homeowners seeking their agent through online resources, it is imperative to know where one should place yourself to be “set apart.” But, one must NEVER forget the amazing difference being personal with your client can make! While tracking down all latest and greatest online tools, gadgets, and widgets, none of that will ever take the place of personal relationships and firmly founded friendships we build with those for whom we have worked. There will NEVER be the day that any forum of advertising, or gadget of technology, can replace the good ole “word of mouth” referral. When a job is well done, your client base will grow mainly through the referrals of clients of whom you have earned their trust and respect.

So as the world of technology grows, never forget to let your clients know, they truly are your best resource for future business, and do not be afraid to ask for it!

Set Apart! the old school way!

I have just spent some time this evening reading through the local Homes Galore section in the Friday edition of the Gallatin News Examiner. It was FULL of information for the potential home buyer/seller. The concept is “Educate yourself!” With this I totally agree. You need to know all you can before you proceed in your Real Estate transaction.

What hit me was the seeming “overload” found in the paper.  There was so much information that you could find your head spinning. Each article finished up with “get yourself a good Realtor!” From my perspective as a Realtor, it seemed the goal behind the info was to prove to the consumer the value and need of a Realtor on your side.

Buying or selling a home is usually one of the biggest transactions in your financial portfolio. It is clear you would not make a move in law, job, or any significant choice without an expert giving you advice, so why would you in a Real Estate transaction?

In our day and age, more and more people are using online training to do their own taxes, thus eliminating the need for a CPA. More and more people handle their own stock trading, eliminating the need for a stock broker. More and more people are attempting moves in many areas of life and bypassing the help of an expert, saving a fee or commission of some sort. Real Estate is no different.

But here is what I would ask those who are “going it alone.” Why do people who make the most money on Wall Street use a broker? Why do people with an expert CPA tend to raise less eyebrows of the IRS and get more significant returns? Why do people who have used an expert Realtor see an average of 12% more than those who don’t.? Why do people using a Realtor to buy, seem to get a better deal and avoid more pitfalls?

Yes, I know there are some who do not need these services and can do fine on their own. But from experience, this is the exception and not the rule. Educate yourself! But your best resource will be a well trained, knowledgeable Realtor! They also have all the contacts for the services you might need (Mortgage  Planner, Home Inspector, Closing Attorney, Title Company, Termite  Inspector, etc…)

For those in Sumner County and Middle TN who would like to sell For Sale By Owner, or buy on your own, here is a great fee based resource for you, FisboPro.com.

So I was over reading Joel Burslem’s blog, Future of Real Estate Marketing, and he had this video posted!

I thought it was funny, but, here is another take. The Realtor got his name on YouTube in the Jacksonville Area. He said Jacksonville several times, and his name was said and was there in your face on his sign the entire video! Also, can’t say a-lot about a man willing to “beat the bushes.” At least he is not home whining about the bad market or worse, doing nothing at all!

All that being said, I think I will avoid this tactic for as long as possible!

I would like to make you aware of a new service that is now available to you. As we have offered listings of upcoming auctions in the area in hopes of keeping you informed, there is now a new website, AuctionTracs.com / ALS , which will service you much like the MLS has for years regarding Real Estate.

When you go to their site, you can search auctions by county here in Middle TN. You can also search for an auctioneer if you are in need of auction services. If you are looking for an auction with personal property, you can search by type, thus eliminating the need to read every ad in the paper. If you need a farm, or are hunting up foreclosures, sold by auction companies, they are available as well.

Over all, I will give this site and its concept a top rating for usability and function. It is young and has yet to grab a hold of auctioneers, but I do think this will be a place you will soon find yourself hunting for the auction you want to attend each weekend!

For now we will continue to spot light auctions and offer auction tips, and hope that one day you will find yourself surfing through upcoming Middle TN Auctions at AuctionTracs.com

p.s for more tips like this, visit our site at www.SumnerAuctions.com