If you haven’t seen the list of a year’s worth of blog ideas from the RSS Pieces site, now is the time to take a look.
The list is outstanding. Not just filler, but some really creative ideas.
Maybe it’s just me, but all the links on the RSS Pieces blog go directly to the comments, not the content. If that’s happening to you, too, persevere. It’s worth it.
Have a great weekend.
Someone from Michigan recently posted a comment on a post on this blog. I’m from Michigan originally, and had this almost irresistible urge to extend my left hand and point to where I’m from.
Besides looking pretty strange since the commenter couldn’t see me as I was sitting at my computer, that particular gesture has been the source of quite a bit of teasing throughout my life. Of course, when I’m in Michigan, no one comments. But, try it with people from other places, and they look at me like I’m crazy.
And, here’s why:
NO ONE (except people from Michigan) HAS EVER SEEMED TO NOTICE THAT THE LOWER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN IS SHAPED LIKE A HAND!!!
Which I find rather amazing. For all the time everyone has spent looking at maps of the US, how is it that the distinctive shape of Michigan’s lower peninsula is lost to so many?
For Michiganders, it’s extremely handy. If you’re going to Traverse City, you’ll arrive somewhere near the tip of the ring finger. Detroit is below the base of your thumb. East Tawas, where we used to vacation as kids, is about the first knuckle of your forefinger.
On the other hand, maybe I shouldn’t be so amazed at the lack of Americans’ knowledge of geography. When we lived in Pennsylvania, the dentist told my mother that he and his wife had vacationed near to our home state – he and his wife had spent a week in New Mexico the last summer.
For those of you who are also geographically challenged, New Mexico is considered the Southwest, and is located no where near Michigan. And, for those who are curious, I’ve put a map on the second page of this post. Just to save you the trouble of finding Michigan on a map.
Enjoy…
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Here’s a tip about a quick way to get additions for your website, blog, or the handouts you leave with prospects or clients.
NAR has provided a set of 62 different handouts on a variety of topics for home buyers and home sellers.
The buyer handsouts cover topics on getting ready for homeownership, home financing, finding the right home and preparing for the close. The seller handouts include handouts on what to do before you sell, getting ready for showings and preparing for closing.
There are even several handouts that are geared toward helping you work with FSBOs to turn them into clients. One of those is titled “Forms You’ll Need to Sell Your Home” and another “17 Service Providers You’ll Need When You Sell”. If that doesn’t scare a FSBO, they’re just not paying attention.
These reports are especially handy because the write ups are downloadable in Word files. You can then easily add your logo and contact information and print them out. Naturally, if you’re going to use them as is on a website, you’d want to put a “no index” on the page they’re on to prevent the search engines from seeing them as duplicate content.
A better way to use them on a website would be to make an offer of buyers’ and sellers’ guides. Your visitors would then sign up to receive the guide as a Word or PDF document.
This is the fifth in a series – see all the posts
NAR’s 2007 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers contains some revealing insight into the relationship between home buyers/sellers and the agents they work with. We’re all aware that some people have very little respect for real estate professionals as a group. However, the statistics don’t reflect that.
To Use an Agent or Not
Interestingly enough, the profile indicates that 79% of the home buyers surveyed bought their home with the help of a real estate agent. And, 80% worked with just one agent during their home search. So, while you might have run into buyers who get multiple agents looking for their next home, it may not be the norm.
Should You Ask For a Buyer Representation Agreement?
Forty-three percent of buyers had a written Buyer Representation arrangement with their agent. And, more repeat buyers had a written arrangement than first-time home buyers. Certainly that indicates that as a home buyer gains experience, they realize how important buyer representation is.
If you’re hesitant to ask your clients to sign an agreement, take heart in the knowledge that it’s not that unusual. Since there are often spirited discussions on this topic, take a look at how the numbers came out:
| Type |
All Buyers |
First-Time Buyers |
Repeat Buyers |
| Written Arrangement |
43% |
41% |
45% |
| Verbal Arrangement |
19% |
21% |
18% |
| No Arrangement |
26% |
24% |
27% |
| Don’t Know |
11% |
14% |
9% |
The other interesting thing to note is that overall, 11% of buyers had no idea whether they’d signed an agreement or not! I guess a bit better education on the subject is required.
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