Category Archives: About Jim
Back from Chicago
I traveled to Chicago Monday afternoon and returned late last evening. The meeting was informative and enlightening with regards to the future of the real estate industry as a whole. More on this later. For now, back to blogging.
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A mini-revelation
One of the greatest challenges in real estate or any other business is maintaining the elusive balance between work and family. Getting to the following point has taken me quite a long time – in part by watching my parents come to my soccer games when I was the kid and they were the Realtors (they still are).My daughter is going to be eleven only once; this is why I do not negotiate my attendance at her soccer games – that I am the coach is secondary. When I have clients on Saturdays, I tell them that I have an existing appointment that I will not negotiate – my daughter’s soccer game. To a person, every single one of my clients has understood and said things such as “we wouldn’t want it any other way,” “absolutely,” and so on. What’s the mini-revelation? Those who do not understand may not want to work with me; most importantly, I don’t necessarily want to work with them.
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Light blogging
Whoever decided to put Spring Break in the middle of the spring market was certainly not a Realtor. The juggling act continues will be more interesting this week.
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Leadership Academy
I am going to be gone next week, Tuesday through Thursday, attending the VAR Leadership Academy. This is a year-long program that is comprised of four retreats and is designed to – you guessed it – shape and develop better leaders. Our first assignment has been to read The Timeless Leader, a fascinating conglomeration of leaders throughout history and the corporate correlations. Continue reading
What is a Buyer’s Broker?
I read this at UrbanDigs, thanks to Curbed, and thought it worth republishing (with permission, and a few edits) -My Definition of a Buyer Broker: A broker who represents the buyer and has a fiduciary responsibility to the buyer in finding a property that meets their needs on all levels (price, location, size, condition, style, and living quality). A buyer broker should look to find the best value for their client and negotiate on their behalf during the bidding process to get the lowest possible purchase price from the seller. In times of bidding wars, the buyer broker should advise their client on how high over ask the buyer should bid without overvaluing the property or putting their client in financial risk.In addition to these services a Buyer Broker will prepare the client for the real estate transaction in a number of ways:1…. A good buyer broker will ask their client what their strategy is with their investment and advise their client on possible mortgage products that could be used…. Co-ordinate visits to the property for contractors as needed and accompany the client on the final walk-through prior to closing to fully inspect the property based on the contract of sale’s terms and conditions. All electrical, plumbing, and appliances should be in working order.Most buyer brokers, also known as Real Estate Salespersons or Agents, are in real estate as their full time profession which does not mean they know what they are doing. It is up to the buyer to determine whether or not their buyer broker is responsible, knowledgeable, and privy to the current housing market prices and developments.I can tell you that as a broker (aka, Real Estate Salesperson) there is a ton of competition out there and very little loyalty…. My thinking is:I am going to find you the highest quality property that meets your needs for the lowest possible price, and do it in a way that makes this transaction a positive experience for you that you will refer my services to all of your friends and family when they need to satisfy their real estate needsAs a buyer you should be especially vigilant that your buyer broker is really out there to assist you, and is not just trying to make another sale. Continue reading
BD #30
Today is my birthday – #30, so the wife has scheduled a little trip to New York for the weekend. Leaving is hard to do – the kids, the business … bah. You only turn 30 once. Continue reading
Things leaders do
Maybe not “the” things leaders do, but certainly some very good ones.I like them all; these stand out to me:Stay disciplined and detailed.”Good leaders are never afraid to intervene personally on things that are important. Leaders learn constantly and also have to learn how to teach. “A leader’s primary role is to teach. People who work with you don’t have to agree with you, but they have to feel you’re willing to share what you’ve learned.”Stay true to your own style.”Leadership is an intense journey into yourself. You can use your own style to get anything done. It’s about being self-aware. Every morning, I look in the mirror and say, ‘I could have done three things better yesterday.’ Continue reading
What type of blogger am I?
I would have to say that I fall under the “local blogger” category. This is an excellent analysis of the 7 types of blogging style. Link via InstaPundit. Continue reading
