Ray Carman – Auctioneer

If you like wood working and tools, then you will love this sale!

For more details, call my brother, Gene Carman III at 615-633-1323!!! You don’t want to miss out on this one!

This week, I started off with a video and a choice we had to make. Either get up and go to work, or, sit and frown about what the media says about the market.

I will be the first to admit, that last Sept/Oct, I somehow took off my shoes and just sat in front of the news when things were starting to look grim. I got caught in the title wave. I found myself some days just thinking, “Well, it is all going down the drain, better get used to it!” And, for about a month, I did little of nothing!

Then, something clicked! A light bulb you might say! This hard reality started sinking in. “IF I DO NOTHING, THEN I WILL FAIL!” That is about as simple as it gets. So, instead of doing nothing, I began to think about what I COULD do even if things were looking bad! This led to me writing a short simple “how to” book that has given me much encouragement. “The Three P’s of Success!” (available here on this site.) And before you knew it, I found myself up and running again!

What I found was there are people out there still in need of my service! Also, I have found there are still niches in which you can, and need to get in to in order separate yourself from the crowd. There is no doubt what runs through my veins and makes me get up excited every morning!

So, my question for you, whether in Real Estate or not, “What gets you going, and what are you doing to make it happen?”

Let us know in the comments below!

I received an email from our showing service provider, The Appointment Desk, yesterday! The news? Showings are WAY up from the “norm” this time of year. In some areas she even mentioned they have doubled and tripled from just a year ago.

So this is proof positive that buyers have heard the call and are answering the bell! Rates are at perfect levels and sellers have started grasping the reality as to where to price their home to sell. “Bargains” are popping up all over Sumner County and surrounding areas.

So, work hard and diligent, for “the fields are ripe unto harvesting!”

This following video was posted on Facebook today. After watching it, this was my thoughts!

You have two options upon these facts…..

1. Get a frown on your face and go deeper into “Real Estate Blues.”

or…….

2. Dig deeper and look harder for what niche you can put yourself in for both surviving and thriving.

This market is troubling, yet there are opportunities for everyone who is willing to look past the media and simply “go to work!” Stories are all around us of agents getting listings and making sales. These are NOT to be written off as only “the lucky ones,” but rather, those who are willing to work hard and persevere! Listings and contracts don’t just “happen”, they come to those who put in the effort to obtain them!

This week would be a great time to put some thought into some areas you can make it despite what the media is saying and the market is doing!

In the month of January, in 22 days, Sumner County has seen 41 homes close, ranging up to over half a million in price. This is good news for those who are looking to sell their homes in Sumner County.

Although things may look rather cloudy, it is of utmost importance to keep your eyes on the positives! Otherwise, you will become stuck in the mud and lose valuable traction! Yes, things are not what they used to be, but, they are much better than they could be! Houses ARE still selling.

Another great positive is that interest rates and incentives for buyers are at remarkable levels. Politicians from Nashville to Washington know that the key to get our economy moving again is to have a long lasting spark revive the Real Estate market! Therefore, they are taking necessary steps to try and shore up the nations market. This process is not something that will happen overnight, however, it is in process and we should watch for the swells in the market in order to take advantage!

Remember, the keys for selling your home in today’s market is to be realistic and aggressive with your pricing, trust your agent to guide you, and be patient while waiting for results!

In the Real Estate world, there are givers and takers, pretty much like in all facets of life. There are some who do this job simply to get ahead in life, and, there are others who do it for the right reason, a service to their clients. And, in times like these, it is so easy, and tempting to become self serving as an agent.

Truth is, we have bills and mortgages just like everyone else. Our line of work does not really offer insurance or benefit packages, so we have to fend for ourselves. The trick in doing this job with integrity, is to not allow that “fend for yourself” mentality to bleed over into your work atmosphere. We MUST remember that we are here to service and meet the needs of our clients.

When things are tough, and money is slower than what we are used to, it becomes tempting to take any and every listing/buyer who comes our way. BUT, if you take one who is 1) a listing out of your service area, or 2) a buyer needing assistance buying a home in an area you are not familiar, THEN, you might want to rethink the situation. In neither of these situations can you really service your clients needs with full professionalism. However, you can still get paid for your work. How? Referrals!

What your client needs is Integrity and Honesty. If you are not the best suited for the situation, be honest with them and offer to recommend someone else. The truth is, you can still make some income on the situation if you simply tell them the truth and offer to find them someone better suited for the circumstance. Agents everywhere will be happy to work with you on referrals, simple as that! And, in the long run, your friend/client will always be willing to come back to you in the future when they are in your area, or even better, refer you to their friends and family in the place you are an expert! An additional honor is, you will have made contact with another agent who more than likely will send you referrals in the future!

And, we all know, there is no better business than business that comes through a Referral!

Have you ever wondered WHY home inspections are so important? Ever questioned the real necessity of them? I have! In fact, as little as 5 years ago, I discouraged such practises and told clients “these guys just try and kill deals.” But then again, the concept was still fresh and there were  no license laws in place at that time.

Well, recently, we ran across the classic example of why you MUST do a home inspection before buying:

We went to our subject home the first of the week. A quick look showed some minor details that needed fixing on the outside. Inside, there had been some remodeling, and it was the classic case of the “do it yourself” job. Electrical wires had been left uncapped. Some potential fire hazards with open electrical boxes, and so forth. Not anything you would run from, but would definitely want finished! Plumbing appeared to be okay, but, the water was not on, so it was hard to check.

Now, with the cosmetic appearance of this house, one might be tempted to say, “Oh what the heck, the plumbing is fine. They were living here just recently,” and you could leave the inspection there. But, the wise move would be to have the water cut on and finish! So, my clients opted for the latter, and we requested the water to be turned on. Which they did later in the week. We were set to return the following Monday.

Upon arriving at the house, I heard an unusual sound when I approached the door. “Surely not,” I thought to myself. “They would not have turned the water on and not checked the house for issues! Nah, must be something else” I thought. When I opened the door, I was evident the noise was coming from the kitchen, mainly, the very nice refrigerator. As I approached, I saw IT! Water was pumping its way out from the bottom of the refrigerator. But thankfully, it was a small puddle of water. But, what if………

I went to the recently finished out basement, and there it was! A newly made swamp in the carpets and walls! Evidently, water had been pouring out for several days, and the basement had become the collecting ground. Imagine the relief on my clients face to know they had made the right choice to have the plumbing checked out! Otherwise, they would have purchased the home and inherited immediate issues with a nice refrigerator that needs repair, and who knows what else in the basement.

The ending of this story is uncertain, however, the point is clear, “GET A FULL HOME INSPECTION BEFORE YOU BUY!”

to be continued…………

Many times in our line of work, you run across a case that requires some very delicate handling.  It could be a frustrated buyer or seller who you have to sit with and walk through the situation. Or, it could be you are handling an estate and need to be very careful with tender hearts. There are endless scenarios of situations that require that we be more than just a Real Estate Professional.

That is why it is very important to also develop some relationship skills along the way. We have to understand that our client is more than just a doorway to making some money. They are people with needs, hurts, aches, and bills to pay, just like yourself, and therefore, need to be treated that way.

There is a fine balance in this as well. Not enough involvement, and you can appear to be callous and hardhearted. Too much involvement and you can find yourself too deep in a situation which can cause you to make great friends, but enemies as well.

The key here is discernment! Knowing when you should get in, and when you should get out. (Sounds like an old country song called “The Gambler.“) In a sense, you are making strategic moves, and one wrong move could send you down the path of “destruction.”

So as you are gaining knowledge and professional skills, don’t forget to work on your “People” skills as well. As time goes on, through trial and error, you will begin to develop a better understanding on not only how to “get the job done,” but also, how to make contacts for life which will turn over into lifelong opportunites through future business and referrals! And who knows, you may make some Incredible Friendsips along the way!

You hear the phrases, Sellers Market and Buyers Market, so much in this business. In my 15 years of business, I have never seen a time more favorable for the buyer than now! With the market being off anywhere from 8 to 30% in the nation, a government looking to inject flow of cash into the market, and sellers/banks more anxious than ever to sell you a property, you are sure to find a great deal if you are willing to look!

The beginning of 2009 is a PERFECT opportunity for you, Mr and Mrs Buyer, to get yourself into a new home. Interest rates are lower than in our foreseeable past, and the current level of inventory is in your favor. But even now, it is imperative to get things started off right. Here are a few basic tips:

1. Be prepared before you start looking. Do your homework both on areas you like and the price range you can afford. Affordability may not necessarily mean what your mortgage guy approves you for. It should be more in line with what you feel fits comfortably into your current budget. This over stock of inventory is partly due to too many past buyers, now sellers, simply buying in the amount they were approved for. This often meant a little too much for the budget when push came to shove. Thus, the reason you, the current buyer has such a grand opportunity.

2. Connect yourself with a Qualified Consultant. It is true, as information has become more widely accessible to you the buyer, that the Real Estate Agents role is far more in the area of consulting than ever before. Your Agent needs to be knowledgable of recent activity in the area and be willing to research any properties of choice for you. Granted, you can do much of your homework yourself, getting things like Utility information, confirming school zones and zoning, and researching intricate details can be the difference between getting a great deal and getting busted. A friend in the business is not always the best choice for you, although a true friend will go way above the call of duty to know you are getting the deal you deserve.

3. Know your material, and be prepared to act! Yes, although it is a buyers market, with current interest rates, more buyers are on the hunt. As you and your agent are looking around, be prepared to pull the trigger when you find that diamond in the rough! With much inventory to sift through, you will surely see many houses that are of no interest, but when you find one that is “the house”, be prepared to at quickly, even if there are more houses on your list. Too many times have I witnessed a hesitation that led to missing out all together. So even now, as the market leans in favor of the buyer, remember, you are not the ONLY buyer out there, and moving swiftly is a necessary component in this process.

These are just a few keys you need in the year 2009 as a buyer to unlock the doors to your new home! If you are in need of a Real Estate Consultant, we here at Priority One would be honored to put our experience to work for you. We can be reached at 615-824-0044!

It can all happen in a blink of an eye!Life can change so fast in the Real Estate world. I was reading today on Confidence and how it is the overwhelming factor in the world of Real Estate. You tell people things are bad, confidence is down. Show even the slightest upswing, people are back at it!

This New Year, it is extremely important that Sellers remain confident in their ability to sell! This confidence should be coming from recent activity in the market, as well as, their agent! Proper knowledge and tools can still bring you a good buyer here in Sumner County.

As a seller, be sure you know the facts about what is happening around you. Too often we go on hearsay which can have negative impact on our thought process. Example: “Did you hear what they took for that house around the corner?” or “Did you hear what they got for that house around the corner?” If the numbers following these questions are not correct, it could cause you frustration in the long run. Your agent is the best source for finding out this type of information which is key to your decision making process.

So as a start in 2009, be sure to know the truth about all the impacting factors for your market, area, neighborhood, and street! And you can obtain these facts from your friendly neighborhood REALTOR!

( if you have questions regarding your real estate needs or the current Sumner County market, give us a call 615-824-0044, or drop us an email, RayCarman@Gmail.com! )