Hi folks. I was browsing through some of my older posts today and found this little ditty about FSBOs (For Sell By Owners). To fully appreciate this post you really have to pop over and read the comment stream on Jeff’s post. YOWSER!!! 

Jeff Turner posted “For Sale By Owner: Raise the price then call a REALTOR®” a couple of years ago. Jeff’s post was basically reposting a question that a FSBO had placed on Twitter. The question was: “Got a buyer for my condo. They want me to hold the mortgage. Any advice?”

Jeff’s post was not only a Public post but it was also a Featured post. It received over 70 comments. The comments, from REALTORS® included statements such as:

• * ……this guy is seeking free advice? After he doesn’t want to compensate a professional?

• Never ceases to amaze me how people with little to no experience buying or selling houses seem to “wing it.

• My advice to the seller’s, don’t reinvent the wheel, always deal with professionals.

• …..just another example of an ignorant homeowner who thought they were doing themselves a favor and “saving” money.

• This guy is a certified idiot.

Now, in all fairness, there were some pretty decent responses, as well, but in my opinion, the majority of the comments were just reprimanding this guy for not wanting to use a “professional”. Folks, if you think those PUBLIC comments make you look like professionals then you are sadly mistaken. Whether this FSBO made a good choice, or not, he was really just asking for some advice. If you don’t want to give him any….then don’t.

But make no mistake about it….him choosing to “go it alone” does not make him an idiot! One commenter summed it up nicely with this comment: “All sellers have four choices, don’t sell it, sell it yourself, list with any old Realtor, or hire an experienced one.” The key word of course being CHOICES. It’s the Seller’s choice…not ours.

If you want to try and win their business then have it…but demeaning their decision to “go it alone” will only accomplish making yourself look foolish. Not to mention the damage it does to our profession’s reputation. What say you?

Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.

Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com

***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Hi folks. Recently, I’ve read quite a few posts on ActiveRain from folks trying to decide whether or not to stay in the business. The posts don’t surprise me as I have been reading those types of posts on AR since I joined back in 2006. What surprises me are the comments from people who mention they are “hanging on waiting for things to get back to normal“. You know I hate to be the bearer of bad news but things will NEVER be “back to normal”.

Staying in the business may be the right decision. But if you are staying in to “hang on until the market changes” then you may be just hanging on for a very long time. People are going to be upside down on their mortgages for many, many years. Short Sales and REOs ARE the real estate market and will be for a long time. This current market IS normal.

So my advice is to NOT hang in there but to adapt. Learn new skills and learn how to make money in this current market. This is now the “normal” market. If you can do that then you will not “hang in there” you will not only survive but you will thrive and you will help a lot of people along the way.

So….the first thing you need to do is some market research. Log onto your MLS and start looking at data. You may actually be surprised at how many properties are closing in your area. Then once you find out how many properties are closing, and in what price range, find out who’s selling them and who’s buying them. Then all you have to do is figure how to get these Buyers and Sellers to use your services. It’s simple. It’s just not easy. It requires actual work. But it sure beats “hanging in there”!!! What say you?

***If you need some help just click on that little link down there and join the TTRealtyNetwork. It’s a work in progress but there is already a lot of free info over there that will help you in your business.

Do you need a new Broker?

Want to find out more? www.TTRealtyNet.com

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Earlier today I read a post byJoshua Pettus titled “I Quit!”, “I Need a Real Job!”, “I’m Broke!”, and Other Things I’ve Said Recently  A very well written post pretty much pouring his heart out. Give it a read.

Anyway, after reading his post I dug back through my archives and dug out this article I wrote in August 2007.  My advise was good back then and I stand by it today. Maybe it’ll help somebody.

First, it’s important to remember that Real Estate is a business NOT a job. When you are a business owner your job is to find a way to make things happen. Chasing money is what we do. If you don’t have any then your job is to find some. Hopefully it will come from closings. If not? Well here are some ways to generate cash flow.

• Find a partner. This can be another REALTOR® that wants to team up so you can pool your resources. Or maybe a family member who is willing to back you for a small return on their investment. You can’t operate a business without capital. Go find some.

• Use an equity line or credit cards. Have faith that you are good at what you do and will be able to pay these loans back once you get rolling.

• * Do some property management.

• * Do BPOs.

• * If you write a deal use a commission advance company to pull some cash.

• *Get a part time job or jobs that leave your days open to practice real estate. I used to wait tables AND drive a taxi. At the same time.

Do whatever you need to do to get capital for your business. With out it. You will fail.

Secondly, get to work. If you are sitting at home or in the office moaning about how bad business is, you will fail. Get off your butt and get to work. Here are some things you can do that don’t cost anything but time.

• Attend every function you can at your Board of REALTORS® to network and gain knowledge.

• Join an investment club. What better place to meet investors.

• Get a FREE website or start a FREE network. I use Ning.com and have several of them including www.ShortSaleSuperStars.com and www.CFLInvestmentHomes.com  and www.TTRealtyNet.com. I get business from all of them.

• Utilize ActiveRain and Localism to their full potential.

• Solicit for listings. Folks, I have on numerous occasions, given you my expired letter and suggested you use it, everyday, for every expired and withdrawn listing. How many of you have? Or is it still on your list of things to do? While you’re procrastinating, I took several listings last week, that were all from my letter. And turned down several others. And I’ll do the same thing this week, the next week and on and on and on.

• Hop in your car and go visit some yard sales this weekend. People have yard sales because they are getting ready to place their home on the market. Say “hi” and give them a card. And if you see any FSBOs working in the yard while you are out, stop and strike up a conversation.

• Visit a few Human Resources departments in your area. See if they will let you hold a Buyer’s seminar. Do the same at the library and the community center.

• Go view the listings in your market area. Leave your card.

Folks, my point is GET BUSY!! Activity creates opportunity. Get into your community and start striking up conversations, passing out cards, passing out flyers and anything else you can think of. Go stand in front of the grocery store and say “hi” to everyone that walks by. Go to the self service gas station and pump gas for others with a big smile on your face and a card in your hand. I’ve personally done ALL of these things.

So there you have it. A few simple and free things you can do to generate business and cash flow. They aren’t difficult. It’s just requires attitude and motivation. Success is a decision. Failure is a lack of forward movement. It’s your choice. So what’s your decision? Are you going to turn your “to do” list into a “job completed” list?

Do you need a new Broker?

Want to find out more? www.TTRealtyNet.com

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Christine Schneider wrote an article titled “When All is Said and Done”.  If you haven’t already take a few minutes and pop over and read it. It’s basically about time management and how we can become overwhelmed if we don’t take some down time for ourselves.

I couldn’t agree more with what Christine is saying. I have always been excellent at managing my time and setting boundaries. Here are my thoughts on the topic and an outline of what works for me.

First I want to give you some facts:

Once you get your head around these things you can then set a schedule that works for you and your life. For me:

As long as potential customer/clients know these things before they decide to hire me we never have any issues. If they can’t or won’t work within MY boundaries then I refer them out because I know our relationship will not work out. They will cost me time…..

…..time that would be better spent on folks that appreciate my boundaries. A better fit means a better working relationship. Which of course translates into getting the job done in less time. It’s simple.

Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.

Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com

***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

…..and then complain about it! Today I want to talk briefly about co-brokes and the “ole’ 50/50 rule”. In my area it is quite common for short sale listings to have verbiage in the MLS remarks stating that what ever commission is received will be split 50/50 with the selling agent. Then of course they offer a ridiculously high co-broke so the uneducated Buyers agent believes he will get that x% co-broke when most of us know the short sale lender will rarely allow more than y%.

I don’t handle my listings that way. I offer z% percent as a co-broke and I guarantee it. No matter how much the lender allows me to get paid I honor the co-broker offer. I do this because I completely disagree with changing co-brokes after the Buyers agent has already shown and negotiated a deal on my listing. In my opinion it’s playing dirty pool.

BUT….I’m also not an idiot. I offer a co-broke that is in line with my market conditions but one that still leaves me a little bit of room for play. This means that if the lender allows y% I end up making more money than the selling agent. If the lender reduces the commission I make less than the selling agent. It all works out in the end and I feel it’s a fair way of doing business. There are no surprises for the selling agent. They get what’s offered in the MLS with no exceptions.

Today I had a selling agent upset at me because they saw I was making more than them on the HUD statement. He wanted to know why? I explained my company policy to him but he just didn’t get it and started going off about the 50/50 rule. Finally I just had to tell him that what I get paid is really none of his business. He hung up on me.

So I sent him this email:

Dear agent,

I want to clarify the co-broke on my short sale listings. It is always z% Even if the bank comes back and reduces the commission to h% or j% I still l pay z% to the selling agent. Your commission is guaranteed.

In fact I am the only broker that I know of in this area that does not reduce the co-broke when the lender reduces the commission on a short sale. It was z% when you showed the property and it’s still z%.

My commission agreement is between me and my seller. I’m sure if I were getting less than you there would be no issue. On this particular short sale the lender allowed me to get y% so I made out better. That is not always the case.

There is no such thing as 50/50 rule. That is a figment of your imagination.

Thank you for your hard work with getting this transaction closed. I hope we can do more in the future. End of email.

Is this really that difficult to understand? What say you?

Do you need a new Broker?

Want to find out more? www.TTRealtyNet.com

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

We now have 1,300+ members of www.ShortSaleSuperStars.com  who are ready to help you master Short Sales. And if that’s not enough…….

Need Training?

If you need short sale training to feel comfortable pulling off the deal, you’re not alone. The number of foreclosures happening across the United States is unprecedented, and it’s not often that short sales are mentioned outside of this kind of economic environment.

It’s time for you to get the expertise you need, because short sales are becoming extremely common. You don’t want to be caught feeling unsure when a client asks for one.

That’s why we offer you three different training solutions, each of them custom-made for agents just like you. These training sessions take you from complete confusion to calm confidence in no time flat – and you’ll be able to turn that new knowledge into perfect closures immediately. 

This five-part Short Sale Agent Training webinar with short sale professionals Bryant and Wendy takes you through 8 full hours of short sale training, walking you through each step of a short sale so you know exactly what to expect and how to deal with problems that may arise. Click the button above to order $97

Bryant and Wendy interview a short sale negotiator from one of the major lenders to get you the insider secrets that make your short sale a huge success. If you want to come out ahead in a negotiation, ask the negotiator – and we did just that, so we could give you that insider info. $27

First short sale? Use this handy Short Sale Listing Package, and you won’t leave anything out next time. Everything from the short sale submission letter to a listing checklist, as well as anything else you‘ll need, all in one tidy package so you don’t have to stress. Just check it off, and close the deal. $27

Wendy Rulnick and Bryant Tutas
www.ShortSaleSuperStars.com

Copyright © 2010 REGrow, LLC | All Rights Reserved

Here’s a secret about expired listings. Expired listings are  almost ALWAYS over priced. That’s why they are expired.

E$pired listings are without a doubt my favorite type of lead. These Sellers have already decided to sell and they’ve already decided to use a broker. 

The only hurdle left is to get the price right. That being the case it’s important to establish quickly if this is possible or not.

A CMA (Comparable Market Analysis) for a property that has expired should be short, sweet and to the point. No need to go overboard. A good technique is to arrive at a “range” of where you know the property will sell.

The idea is to make sure the seller is willing and able to make the proper price adjustment BEFORE you spend a ton of time arriving at a more precise price.

Why? Well…. the property was overpriced. This means either the seller was unrealistic about price or they were given bad advice by an inexperienced agent. The first seller will be more difficult than the second.

An example would be an expired listing that was priced at $500,000 that’s worth $325,000. All you really need to know is that the property should sell in the $300,000 to $350,000 range.

If you give the seller this price range you will know almost immediately, by their reaction, if you have a chance of getting the property priced right or if you just need to walk. If  you feel the seller is receptive to pricing right then get serious and do a full blown analysis.

Good listers can establish this stuff during a phone call. No need to set an appointment unless we know for a fact we can get the price right. I know my time is valuable. Is yours?

Do you need a new Broker?

Want to find out more? www.TTRealtyNet.com

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Hi Folks. As we all know, nothing can derail a real estate transaction faster than a home inspection that uncovers “serious inspection issues“.

Recently I had a home inspection done on one of my pending listings. It was an older property and I was a little bit nervous and hoping there wasn’t going to be any major issues to deal with.

Anyway, shortly after the inspection was completed I get the e-mail from the selling agent to let me know we have “serious inspection issues.” She also sent me a copy of the inspection report and the WDO (wood destroying organisms) report. Darn it!!! We have termites!,  wood rot and major AC issues.

Well, being the good little Broker that I am, I pick up the phone and call my “peeps”, Wendal my HVAC guy, Dan the Termite Man and Khan my handyman and wood rot specialist. They all return my call within 5-10 minutes and stop what they are doing to go by the house and check it out. Within one hour, I have writen estimates from all three and time set aside on their schedules to get the repairs taken care of.

OK, now I’m prepared to call my Sellers. So I give them a call, explain the situation, go over the estimates and within 10 minutes I have authorization to move forward with the repairs.

Smartly, I had spent time during the listing presentation discussing inspections and repair issues and my Sellers were prepared. They understood that these were serious issues and would not just go away. So, they agreed to “let’s solve the problem and close the transaction.“

Now, a little over an hour after receiving the inspection report and e-mail from the selling agent, I give her a call. Folks, for some reason she seemed to be surprised that I called back so quickly, not to moan and groan about a problem, but to let her know the problem had been solved, repairs had been approved and scheduled and the signed repair addendum was on the way over from the Sellers. I think this REALTOR(R) will be happy to show and sell my listings in the future.

What could have been a deal breaker was not even a bump in the road. It was just a few calls to the right “peeps” and a well informed Seller. We were back on track.

Folks, it’s all about educating your customers/clients and having people that you have worked with for years who are willing to drop everything and help you out when you need them.

So, have you built and nurtured your business relationships(“peeps”)? Are you in a position to solve problems this quickly? Are your Customers/clients educated and well aware of issues that my arise during the contract period? I hope so. There’s a lot more involved with being a listing Broker…… than marketing.

Broker Bryant’s Tips

1. Educate your Sellers at time of listing
2. Get estimates for repairs so the seller can make an informed decision. It’s rarely as bad as they will imagine.
3. Have “peeps” that you can depend on. Make sure they get paid quickly. 
4. Repairs issues will not just go away. The seller will pay one way or the other. Best to just do them and close the deal.

That’s it. What say you?

Presentation is so important. The way we present information. The way we present ourselves. The way we present our responses to objections. Being a good presenter will make your business easier and will help to build your reputation as a fair person. And this of course will make people want to trust you. Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about.

In my area it is common to see co-broke commissions in the MLS like this 3%-$295. How does that make you feel? It makes me feel slighted. I feel like they have given me something and then taken it away. It’s not the amount of the commission that causes me to feel that way it’s the presentation.

Do you need a new Broker?

Want to find out more? www.TTRealtyNet.com

Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Kind of a lazy hot florida day today. So I'm just sitting around and was thinking how fortunate we are to be in the business of real estate. Set your own hours, take a day off if you want, meet interesting people, solve problems, help people realize their dreams and get paid very well.

So I was wondering how did you get into real estate? Was it a conscious decision or something you just fell into?

My journey began about 15 years ago while driving a taxi cab out at Disney World. I was driving families to the attractions all day and dropping them off to buy tickets at the gate where they had to wait in line. Waiting sometimes for an hour or more. So i had a flash. Why not buy tickets at a discount and sell them to the people in my cab for a profit. So I did this and made some pretty good money doing it. At about this same time my lovely wife interviewed with a vacation management company for a receptionist job. Since she was over qualified for the job she was interviewing for the owner decided to hire her to open up a guest service company selling attraction tickets and transportation to UK vacationers staying in short term rental homes.

To make a long story short this evolved into a company that my wife and I started named Holiday Makers. From there I went to work at the same management co. that had hired my wife to be a property manager and to try and increase their management inventory since Holiday Makers had an exclusive to sell tickets to the guests in these homes. I figured more homes, more money for Holiday Makers. Well needless to say once meeting with the guest they started wanting information on purchasing homes. And from that my wife and I opened Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. That was 9 years ago.

So I was wondering how did you get into real estate?