Jana Lee's Millbrae Real Estate Blog

Its here again…the weekend.  For most of you, the weekend brings a sigh of relief from the hussle and bussle of the week.  So get out and enjoy the days, raining or not.

For some of us who still work on the weekends, grin and bear it.  There are still houses out there to be bought and sold.  Clients, we can do this together.  Pour yourselves that extra cup of coffee. My relaxation comes after my clients breathe that sigh of home ownership relief. So let’s go!!!

Heck No!  I refuse to be the biggest loser. However, when I watched that show yesterday, I was re-inspired to re-focus on my goals. So many times I just let things slide by and make excuses.  Well, 2010 is going to be challenging and I will succeed.

What I mean  by challenging is the fact that I have clients just sitting on the fence and not motivated to make a commitment to do what is needed to be done to achieve THEIR GOALS. 

Don’t let others dictate your future. I will always remember what my dad said to me…If you want things done right, do it yourself!!!  That has been my motto from years back and will always be my motto. Real estate ownership will not just fall on your lap, if you want it, DO IT!  

So let’s go and keep the goals in tact.

Can’t decide which phone to get?  I just had a friend that had his Iphone 3GS and had gotten it stolen.  So, he decided to try out the Droid through Verizon.  Aside from the pleasant sales person, he was highly disappointed in the Droid and its applications.  For Iphone users, he said that the Droid is not user friendly as the Iphone.  With the Iphone, you could view/close an incomin text in one step.  With the Droid, he said it took about 3 steps to even open the text.  Long story short, the Droid may have alot better graphics, streaming, camera and video viewing.  Droid had great GPS applications for real estate too. But if your looking for easy maneuvering to tasking, the Iphone is the winner! 

I have had the opportunity to try it out briefly and I thought the screen icons were smaller.  I also thought the Iphone was friendlier too.  Perhaps, its just we are accustomed to as well so test drive it out for yourself and Good Luck!

Please feel free to let me know what your thoughts and ideas are on the choices of phones you  have.

Its Wednesday and I feel like I’m losing steam.  Losing energy for the housing market, clients, and need to get my head back in the game.  As long as I have been in the Real Estate business, I still am amazed at the way some clients think.  For example, I was interviewed by a potential client and they both think that they do not need to get pre-approved in this market.  They feel that they read enough and their stocks, 401k’s and etc… are all lined  up for the kill.  They feel that because they make a great income, that they won’t have problems qualifying for a loan.  They don’t want to waste their time.  Well, I had my job cut out and finally succeeded in convincing them that they still need to go through that process regardless of their net worth. 

In this market, you don’t know what the scenario may be.  Whether it be a “regular” sale, foreclosure, REO,. shortsale.  Therefore, clients need to be pre-approved and lined up for whatever the lenders want to see.  Or simply, don’t play the game.  Time is of the essence.  Time is very valuable.  But to all concerned, spend the time to get the right things lined up for your benefits.

Image by sean dreilinger via Flickr

Wow… remember when you start planning to do something very exciting and it becomes a “Have to do”?  I was just guilty of not learning the baby steps before walking.

I am planning a brief vacation to the Caribbeans.  I was talking with my husband about taking extra excursions to see what there is to see in certain parts there.  Then, of course, he, being the “thinker”,  said  to wait a little and look at the internet for other peoples experiences and then decide on what excursions to participate in.  He was right.  Thank goodness we looked.  We found tidbits of information that was very helpful to point us in the directions of where the excursions of choice will be.

This is the same thing I advise my clients.  Learn the baby steps (pre-qualify, pre- approve,  know what is important in what you are seeking, know the present market, etc…).  Most clients think they know best how to get the piece of real estate without really being aware of what they need to do to be able to compete and widen their chances of obtaining their dreams.

My utmost advise…be realistic. Be prepared so that your if your dream house is stumbled upon in your search, you  will be well prepared and ready to “Walk the Walk”.   

It s a go do it kind of day.  For whatever you have on the burner for the weekend…start now in preparation and go for it.  These grey days are so meloncholy and just makes people around me sluggish and tends to bring down my mood as well. 

I asked a client if they wanted to look at property today and the response was “I dont feel like it.”  Well, I responded back and reminded him of the fact that he  and his family were the ones that approached me first to hurry and buy something by this summer.  Also, reminded him of the fact that real estate sellers will not wait till they are good and ready.  So guess what?  We will meet this afternoon.

I believe the old saying…”Haste makes waste.”  So its a GO DO IT  kinda day.

Im baffled by this and am hoping that any reader may have some insight for me. 

I have been working with a client for about 6 months.  She has been renting and has asked me several times to find a place in a specific area, within a certain price, etc.  Parameters have been given and taken into consideration.  The kicker for me is, I have provided her about 5 homes in her criteria and she is unwilling to compromise at all.  Its either on too big of a hill, too small, too big, bad vibes, too busy,or just not right. 

Question… since when do we find the perfect house?  I am beginning to think that she is just not a ready client and/or she is just not ready to really buy a house.  Am I rght?

As an agent, I like to think I’m very patient and often over pleasing.  But I don’t want the client to think that I’m not hearing her correctly and just wanting to waste time.  I have asked several times for her feedback and to my disappointment, am still in first gear. 

Oh well, just needed to vent  my frustrations and perhaps look forward to another point of view before I put her on the back burner.  Though it doesn’t take much effort to locate the houses, it does pose brain stress in trying to please her.

If you have an agent you enjoy working with, please communicate clearly and provide the courtesy of being somewhat compliant in all possible ways.  Afterall, as a realtor, that’s what I like to pride myself in doing as well.

Have you ever had those kind of days where you feel stumped and no where to go?  Upstream seems to hard and you want to forget about the longterm goal?

  Well, you are not alone.  I have a client who wanted to quit.  He wanted to stop all his frustrations of being “The Man” and pack up and leave to another state.  His job was giving him the bonuses as usual, and he was feeling the stress of not being able to provide the way he has done for previous years so he asked me to hook him up with an agent in Colorado.  As I was going through the motions, I asked him if he even discussed this with his wife?  He replied that she will have to go or leave.  He simply could not take the stress of his work and felt his health was at stake. he did not thoroughly go over the challenges he was facing because he felt she couldn’t handle it.

Well, to our surprise, when it came time to discussing the nitty gritty of leaving, his wife understood that a big change was needed to stay here in their house and continue living here in California.  then a family members decided that they did not want to see them leave.  Parents and other family members volunteered to help them out with some of their financially difficulties they were in. Now it seems that there is a rainbow at the end of their tunnel.

What Id like to express here is that, if something means that much to you and you feel as if you are hitting a brick wall, make sure you venture all your possibilities before you become totally discouraged.  Just like if you thinking you cannot afford a house but may have family members who can co-borrow or lend/gift you some of the down payment, ask!  If you don’t ask, you don’t get.   Just liik into things thoroughly.  You ever know when you may find the extra help.  Keep the faith!

Image by innoxiuss via Flickr

Brace yourselves.  Its going to storm!!!  Weather reports have been reminding us about this weeks stormy weather. Mother nature will prevail, and we can’t hide or fight with mother nature.  So we  better get our rain gear ready and drive extra careful.  The storm will hit this week.

As for another storm, the real estate market is changing and we better brace ourselves and get prepared if we want to survive and succeed.  The loan process is changing and becoming very strict.  Gone are the days of easy qualifying.  Buyers/owners will have to “jump through hoops” to buy a house or to refinance.  So be ready and get prepared so you don’t “blow” away your opportunities in the realm of real estate.