Ty Lacroix

A checklist of things a Seller can do before the home inspector arrives

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:03:52 -0400

This checklist by Russel is quite thorough and one that most sellers should use before even listing their home!

For obvious reasons, a buyer may be looking at any defects as a chance to offer less money. Some of the associations and terms are from the United States and be assured that here in Ontario there are guidelines as well.

Via Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Russel Ray, Property Consultant):

A checklist of things a Seller can do
before the home inspector arrives

Doing as much as possible before the Buyer's property inspection helps ensure that escrow goes more smoothly. Following is my "checklist" of items often found during the course of a property inspection that a Seller could do or could easily hire a general handyperson to do.

OUTSIDE

Check that doorbells work.

Check for missing roof shingles.

Check for loose/damaged/clogged gutters/downspouts.

Check attic ventilation and condition of vent screens.

Check to see if there is standing water, especially near the foundation, after irrigation or rainfall.

Check for cracks in foundation walls.

Check structure (including attic and foundation crawl space) for pests (termites, wasps, spiders, nests, etc.).

Check exterior weatherproofing (stain, paint, etc.).

Check for any wood in direct contact with soil, including fences and gates.

Check for loose wiring (electric, cable, phone) and poor wire terminations.

Check for holes and damage to siding, doors, windows, and trim so that structure is weatherproof.

Check condition of fences or gates (leaning, damaged).

Check that any exterior outlets are weatherproofed and not in permanent use for any landscape lighting.

Check condition of landscape components (retaining walls, landscaper timbers, etc.).

Check for overgrown vegetation, especially in walkways; growing on siding, roof, chimney, fences, or in gutters; or too close to utility lines.

Check for trip hazards in walkways, driveways, and stairways (deterioration, vegetation, etc.)

Check for loose, missing, or rusted guardrails and handrails at stairways, decks, balconies, and porches.

Check that landscape lighting/irrigation systems work, and that sprinklers don't spray on fences or buildings.

Check condition of pool and spa, and related equipment and utilities.

Check that ponds, fountains, and waterfalls, and related utilities, work properly and are protected from children.

PLUMBING

Check that seismic straps are on the water heater.

Check that stoppers work in bathtubs and sinks.

Check for clogged drains.

Check that toilet seat bolts and screws are tight.

Check that faucets don't drip or leak around the base.

Check stop action on faucet handles.

Check condition of caulk/grout in bathtubs/showers.

Check insulation on water pipes in foundation crawl space and attic.

Check for safe and easy access to water shutoff valves (street curb, water heater, sinks, toilets, etc.).

Check for safe and easy access to any gas shutoff valves (meter, furnace, water heater, etc.).

Check for loose toilets and loose toilet tanks.

ELECTRICAL

Check for safe and easy access to electric panels and main circuit breaker.

Check that ceiling fans work on all speeds.

Check for burned out lights, including ceiling fans.

Check for damaged or loose outlets and light switches, including covers for outlets and switches.

Check for unplugged appliances, and unplug anything that is unnecessary to facilitate outlet testing by the Buyer's property inspector.

Remove extension cords and outlet multipliers.

Check that outlets work.

Check for outdated two-prong outlets and upgrade them to three-prong outlets.

Check for properly working GFCI outlets in kitchen, bathrooms, garage, and exterior.

Check that exhaust fans work in kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry area.

Check that any electrical junction boxes have covers.

INSIDE

Check condition of towel holders and tissue holders.

Check condition of bathtubs, showers, and shower doors, and replace old shower curtains.

Check that safety seal shows on floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors.

Check that carbon monoxide alarms work.

Check that smoke alarms work, and that they are present on each floor of multi-story houses.

Check for loose kitchen and bathroom countertops.

Check ease of operation for doors (including closet doors and cabinet doors), drawers, and windows, including windows nailed or painted shut.

Check for missing, loose, or damaged hardware on doors (including closet doors and cabinet doors), drawers (stops and guides), and windows.

Check for loose glass panes in windows and doors, as well as glass with holes or cracks in them.

Check that latches/locks work on doors (including closet doors and cabinet doors), drawers, and windows.

Check for damage to screen windows.

Remove excessive storage (closets, attic, garage).

Check for damage to walls and ceilings that need to be patched and painted.

Check for moisture stains on ceilings and walls; around doors and windows; near sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and showers; and near the dishwasher.

Check for loose, missing, or damaged guardrails and handrails in stairways.

Check for loose, broken or missing baseboards and door and window moldings.

Check for cracked tiles or deteriorated grouting in kitchen and bathrooms.

Check that kitchen appliances work.

Check that an anti-tip device is installed on the range.

MISCELLANEOUS

Let dogs and cats vacation for a few hours with a family member, friend, or at a pet spa. Check that other pets (birds, snakes, rodents, etc.) are caged.

Certain items should be inspected annually due to their inherently dangerous nature. These include gas-using appliances, pool/spa equipment, roof, and the fireplace and chimney. If they have not been inspected within the last 12 months, having it done now can make escrow go more smoothly.

Check that filters are in place and clean (kitchen range hood, heating/cooling, bathroom fans, etc.).

Check for soot, cobwebs, and wildlife in the fireplace and lower areas of the chimney.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends that the fireplace and chimney undergo a Level II inspection any time real estate ownership is transferred, and I recommend having that done prior to the Buyer's inspection.

Check that the fireplace damper opens/closes easily.

Check for manufacturer installation guides, operating instructions, or user guides that you can provide to the buyer, especially for kitchen appliances; heating and cooling system; water heater; security, irrigation, fire suppression, central cleaning, and water modification systems; water well; and septic system.

Many property inspectors exclude inspection and testing of some specialized systems, such as security and irrigation systems. Once you get the Buyer's inspection report, note what the Inspector did and did not do or could and could not do. Offer to meet with the Buyer to demonstrate how those systems are operated and maintained, and provide the contact information for any companies that regularly service the systems.

Check for receipts and warranty papers for any work done on the property, particularly for inspections and work done to prepare the property for sale.

Readers should feel free to reblog this or even to copy it, reformat it, and print it to use in your own businesses. It's always been one of my most useful flyers.

Try RusselRayPhotos.com for inexpensive, royalty-free photos.

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Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Are You Resistant to Doing Well or Unmotivated?

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:17:23 -0400

I was reading a great blog by Mike Brooks http://brokeragentsocial.com/article/888/should-you-train-unmotivated-sales-reps about training sales people and who a broker/owner should spend their time with.What really struck me was the word resistant. I had usually put the lethargy and poor performance to the unmotivated. I had never thought of another reason why some just refuse to succeed.

We may be motivated to exercise, but we resist. Motivated to save but resist. Motivated to be calm and kind, but resist.

What causes resistance? Do we say: "We are too old to learn? It is to much trouble? That is just the way it is? I've always done it this way. I have a degree in ______________?"

I do not have the answer and I would like to say 'not yet'. But in the meantime, are you resisting success? I am at times and I don't think I am any different than most of us!

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

How to Turn a Spit and Roast Evenly

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:24:40 -0400

Putting a chicken, a roast or kebobs on a spit and cooking evenly for hours can be a hit and miss thing. There are spits that are controlled with an electric motor or by hand, but years ago they did it with a special breed of dogs. I just returned from The George, in Lacock, southwest of London which is a famous pub still standing since 1326.

They still have the wheel where dogs were used to turn over a roast of boer or beef. For obvious reasons dogs are no longer used, but the atmoshere, the locals, the chef and selection of beverages make it a very exciting and wonderful place to visit.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Why Do Quality Built Homes Sell and Sell and Sell?

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:00:20 -0400

Yesterday I visited some of the Roman baths in Bath just south of London England. As well, walking the city and looking at homes that have stood the test of time over 5 or more generations.Yes they have been upgraded with modern conveniences but the structure itself (the bones) still stand the test of time.

Maybe we all could learn a thing or two about quality and style.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

So You Want to be a Real Estate Agent?

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:28:18 -0400

The article below was written by Lisa Orme and I feel her blog here describes what it takes to get agead in real estate sales and that real estate is a business, not a job.

Treat it as a business and choose who you start out with if you are new to the business, your chance of success depends on it.

Large is not better and small may not neccessary be any better but hands on coaching and training (and not the book stuff) will really help you.

Via LISA ORME, Broker/REALTOR®, ABR, CRS, GRI, PSCS, SFR, Notary Public (The Master's Key Realty LLC):

You've got to be kidding, right? If I had $100 for every person I've seen get into and out of real estate in three years or less, it's doubtful I'd need to sell another house; and I'd probably own the one I live in debt-free! <SMILE!>

Real estate is an intriguing profession and it attracts a wide variety of people and skill sets. Because of this, there's no secret formula to guarantee an agent's success.

To sell real estate, you need excellent people skills, and a big Rolodex. (Oops! I'm dating myself. Not a Rolodex anymore, but a big memory chip in that Blackberry?) Even more important is that your Rolodex Blackberry is full of personal contacts that TRUST you. If you're not known for honesty, integrity and excellence, it's hard to get people to entrust their most expensive asset or purchase into your hands. And if you lose their trust for any reason, you lose the opportunity for repeat business and referrals, as well as damaging your relationship and your reputation.

Don't worry if you don't have that solid reputation for getting the job done or that big database of names yet. If you focus on excellence and service, you will build them both over time. You'll also need self-discipline, patience, and perseverance.

Before you worry about whether you've got the skills you need to succeed, you'll want to make sure you have sufficient cash flow to get started. "What?" you say? You want to get into real estate to make money? Well yes, but probably not so fast. In real estate, this old adage is particularly true: You've got to spend money to make money.

Did I mention that real estate agents are normally paid on a commission basis? While these commissions may seem like a lot of money, they are still shared with your broker. And if you don't sell something, you don't get paid. In fact, the real estate business is a career opportunity that will cost you at least a couple thousand dollars to get started, and a repeat of that each and every year just to have the opportunity to stay in business, whether you make any money or not!

Even before you can begin selling real estate, you have to take required classes and pass the course exam, and then the licensing exam. These both cost up-front money; and if you're not a good test-taker, more money for re-takes.

Now you need to find a broker and pay your start-up expenses: an application and fee to your local Board of Realtors, Board dues till the end of the year, Multiple Listing Service fees, lockboxes and access fees for electronic key box systems, business cards, sign riders, and hopefully some money set aside for extra advertising and car expenses. (Before the current higher prices on gasoline this was a less critical amount to have set aside, but now it is crucial to be prepared and plan well ahead.)

Beyond all this, it's important to realize there is often a substantial lag time between getting started in real estate, and getting paid. So you'll need to be able to manage your living expenses until the money starts coming in.

Most new agents work with buyers first because it's usually a shorter road to that first commission check. Certainly you must spend several days, or perhaps even weeks, to find your buyer the house they want to buy; if they are actually a buyer, that is. Some are not. They are either professional "lookers", not quite ready, or ready but just not qualified to buy. If they really are a buyer though, and you successfully get through getting your buyer qualified, their contract successfully negotiated, and the inspection results are acceptable; well, it should only be another 30-45 days or so until your first closing.

Even so, working with a seller always takes just as long, if not longer. Depending on your market, it may take a few weeks, or several months to get that interested buyer with an acceptable contract. Then you still have to wait for the buyer to go through their process to be ready to close.

Delays are frequently inevitable in real estate. Your personal need for a closing to happen on a certain date can be over-ruled by the buyer, the seller, the lender, the attorney, the moving company, or any number of other circumstances not in your control. But if you like living on the edge, maybe real estate is just the right job for you.

Real estate agents, especially in the first three to five years of their career, and sometimes for a lifetime, often live in a "feast or famine" state. You get a big paycheck (feast) and then you pay everyone you can (famine). Cash flow fluctuations demand you be an excellent money manager. You must be able to "tighten the belt" in a difficult market, and keep a good attitude when everyone else is talking gloom and doom. Judicious use of credit is paramount; many agents have left the business to take a job with a steady paycheck so they could make their credit card payments every month.

Just to make it a little bit more exciting, your broker does not withhold taxes and social security from those commission checks for you. It's always a challenge to gather up all the proof of your legitimate business deductions to reduce your taxable income while you are in the middle of a juggling act to come up with enough money to pay Uncle Sam at tax time. Good record keeping is not just a business skill, it's a survival skill!

If you are still undaunted, then consider your personal skills set. Do you have those good people skills? Are you detail oriented and a good record keeper? A real estate agent is usually part finance manager, home decor expert, teacher, chauffer, photographer, marriage counselor, construction estimator, regional tour guide, investigator, home stager, negotiator, researcher, blogger, data analyst, computer geek, friend, and trusted source of information about house values, market conditions, interest rates, towns, taxes, schools, restaurants, recreation programs, town services, neighborhoods, and more. Realtors are not builders, tax advisors, accountants, inspectors, surveyors, lawyers, bankers, computer geeks, graphic designers, advertising experts, SEO experts, copywriters, telemarketers, miracle workers, or the decision makers; although their customers and clients will usually expect them to do the jobs of all of them at one time or another.

Still interested? Good. There's nothing more rewarding than helping a buyer get into that first house, or helping that seller get their home sold so they can join their spouse in their new job location. It's more than gratifying when you can help a buyer sell their home and avoid foreclosure, or move into that new larger home they've always wanted, or help them settle into something requiring less time and energy after the kids are done with college. You'll deal with people as they resolve the burdens of handling property concerns that result from changes in jobs, health, death, divorce, marriage, and growing families.

You can really make a positive difference as you do your job with excellence. Most of the time, you won't be appreciated nearly enough, especially on the really tough transactions. So make sure you have a lot of inner motivation if you want to take on this profession.

If you still think you want to be a real estate agent, then you're probably just the kind of person who can take the challenge and succeed. So what are you waiting for? See you in the trenches!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Serving the North Central Connecticut region, Hartford County, and the communities of Windsor, Bloomfield, Hartford, East Hartford, South Windsor, Manchester, Windsor Locks, Suffield, Enfield, East Windsor, Somers and the Granbys...

Opening Doors to Home Ownership . . . The Master's Key . . .

Residential Sales, Short Sales and Foreclosure Prevention, Multi-Family and Investment Properties, Condominium and Property Management

LISA ORME

Licensed in the State of Connecticut, ABR, CRS, GRI, PSCS, SFR, Notary Public, Lic. #REB.755648

Broker/Owner of The Master's Key Realty LLC, 340 Broad Street, #320, Windsor, Connecticut 06095

To contact Lisa, call 860-688-1400 or send an e-mail to lisa@masterskeyrealty.com

Copyright, Lisa Orme, 2010. All rights reserved.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Real Estate in the United Kingdom

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:10:08 -0400

I am sitting at gate 177 in the Toronto International Airport awaiting a 2 1/2 week trip to Britain and Northern Ireland.

Through contacts I will be meeting a few real estate people in 7 different offices in these 2 weeks. Some I have been referred to or some who referred clients to me.

If anybody from Revenue Canada (our IRS for my American friends) is reading this, yes, this is a business trip (part of the day anyway)

Yes I will be golfing, sightseeing and perhaps bending an elbow or two drinking amber lemonade but business can be stressful and a guy does need to take a break.

I plan to write about parts of this trip that are family rated, anything else you may have to guess!

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Sunningdale Houses & Condos in London Are Still Selling

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:04:34 -0400

Houses in Sunningdale, a neighbourhood in North London and close to UWO & Masonville , were sought after with 33 sales since January and with 15 condos selling as well.

The average sale price for a home in Sunningdale which took 28 days to sell was $531,009 which was 97% of the asking price of $545,147 and for condos in Sunningdale, the average sale price was $274,643 which was 98% of the asking price of $279,685 and were on the market an average of 40 days.

At present there are 10 resale houses for sale in Sunningdale starting as low as $429,900 to over 1.5 million. As well, there are 7 brand new homes in the finishing stages available. There are 5 condos available, 1 for lease and 2 for sale, starting from $229,900.

When you require information about Sunningdale, be it the amenities, the schools, the golf courses or even real estate you now know who to call. Let me prove to you that I put the real into real estate in London!

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Homes in Lambeth in London Selling Quite Well

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:53:14 -0400

Houses in Lambeth, a neighbourhood in South West London have received a lot of activity in the period from January 1, 2010 to September 1, 2010.Present listings vary from as low as $194,000 up to $569,000 which really explains the diversity of Lambeth and basically two neighbourhoods, one in 'downtown Lambeth' and the other what I call the Outer Drive neighbourhood.

84 houses in Lambeth sold with the average being on the market for 43 days and selling for $373,416 which was 98% of the asking price.

If you would like a synopsis of a particular neighbourhood or street in Lambeth or London I can put that information together for you to show you that facts and preparedness do wonders when thinking about buying or selling real estate.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Hyde Park Homes & Condos In London Activity

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:43:23 -0400

Re-sale houses and condos have remained strong in so far this year in Hyde Park and at September 1 , 197 houses sold with the average selling price being 99% of asking which was $252,044 and an average of 38 days on the market!

For condos, 54 sold at an average $169,498 and were on the market for 54 days.

With some great shopping, new schools being built, commercial and light industrial spaces available, people are finding Hyde Park to be quite attractive.

There also is a wide array of new homes being built starting from $260,000 and up.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Masonville , Uplands & Stoneybrook Homes in London Selling Well

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:19:35 -0400

Masonville area homes and condos along with the Stoneybrook & Uplands neighbourhood sales have been quite active with 98 sales at 97% of the asking price of $411,449and only 30 days on the market!

There were 92 condos in Masonville, North London that sold at an average price of $243, 946which was 98% of the asking price. These condos were on the market on average for less than 34 days.

This area remains one of the hottest markets in London and especially at this time of the year with UWO grads going and new coming to London.

Condos from $119,000 to $369,000 and with houses from $279,000 and up make Masonville & Stoneybrook a good market because of amenities and location.

This area remains one of the fastest growing areas of London with a wide mix of styles available.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Old South, Wortley Village Real Estate Sales Remain Strong

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:00:03 -0400

Houses in Old South and Wortley Village neighbourhood that were listed for sale are selling briskly! 150 have sold from January 2010 to Sept 1, 2010 and on average homes were on the market for 24 days and averaging 99% of asking price which was $250,098! At present there are 42 resale houses in Old South/Wortley Village listed for sale from as low as $181,000 up to $800,000 +. Because of the ambience and ecletic range of homes you can see why this is a sought after London Ontario neighbourhood!

Taking a drive through Wortley Village and Old South is worth the trip and if you are not the cookie-cutter type, you will love Old South London.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

London Ontario Telephone Numbers You May Want to Know

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:25:34 -0400

If you are like me, when I want to call someone at London City Hall or the London Library or garbage pick up date, I scramble to find the phone number, or wait to turn on the computer and get the number. Below is a list that I felt you may want to know:

Civic Contacts Community Information

Animal Control 519-685-1330

Building Permits 519-661-4555

Chamber of Commerce 519-432-7551

Crime Stoppers 519-661-8477

Fire Department 519-661-4565

Garbage 519-661-5485

Library 519-661-5187

London Economic Development Corp. 519-661-4545

Mayor's Office 519-661-4920

Parking 519-661-4537

Parks & Recreation 519-661-5575

Police 519-661-5670

Real Estate 519-435-1600 (I slipped that in, that's mine!)

Recycling 519-661-5803

Taxes 519-661-4540

Transit Services 519-451-1347

Hospitals

Children's Hospital of Western Ontario 519-685-8484

London Health Sciences Centre 519-685-8500

Parkwood Hospital 519-685-4000

Regional Mental Health Care 519-455-5110

St. Joseph's Health Care London 519-646-6100

Utilities

Bell Canada 310-2355

London Hydro (water) 519-661-5503

Roger's Cable 519-646-3311

Union Energy (water heater) 519-686-7554

Union Gas 888-774-3111

So there you go, those numbers work! Now, I didn't add some of our great restaurants, watering holes, golf course, pilates class or mud wrestling, I thought I'd leave the adventure up to you.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Adults Still Living With Their Parents

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:53:33 -0400

A survey of potential first-time homebuyers found that 29 per cent between the ages of 21 and 34 are living with their parents while saving for their home down payment.

While it is no surprise that those under the age of 30 are staying home longer, whether to attend school or save for a home purchase, what is surprising is the number of adults in the 31 to 34 years old category who are also still at home!

The survey found a considerable gap between potential first-time buyers' expectations and their realities when it came to planning and saving to buy a home. "We found that, although most young people would like to purchase a home within the next few years, most do not have a practical plan to get there."

According to the survey, adults between the ages 21 and 34, on average, have been saving for their down payment for only 1.6 years, yet expect to take only a total of 3.8 years to save enough to commit to a purchase.

The average reported savings rate (as a percentage of pre-tax income) of those who live at home with their parents, 16.6 per cent. Those who are currently renting, 11.0 per cent.

What amazes me is that both the U.S, and Canadian government have reduced or suspended first time buyer incentives or incentives with savings regarding down payments.

Mother Nature had it right in the bird kingdom, when you can fly, bye bye. With humans, she must have had a bad night!

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Is There a 100 Screw-Ups in You?

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:32:42 -0400

This morning I was looking for a document to send to a newer real estate agent that would inspire her and help her get through some tough times she was experiencing. I came across this piece and I did not record who wrote it. I wish I has because this is very sound advice.

"The real estate business is a hands-on business. No matter how much schooling and education you put yourself through, the only way to really learn this business is to get out into the field and start interacting with buyers and sellers. Now here's the thing, some things you can only learn by having gone through the experience. Since you don't presently know many of the things that you need to learn, you are going to make many, many mistakes. The question is whether you want to make those mistakes quickly, so that you can begin doing things right, or whether you want to make those mistakes slowly, so that it takes you forever to get up to speed.

The bottom line is that you have 100 screw-ups in you! There is no way around it, so don't even try! You have got to ask yourself if you are going to be timid and afraid of screwing up, or if you are going to get it over with quickly?
My advice to you is to get out there and "screw-up massively" and as quickly as possible! If you can get all of your screw-ups out of the way in a week then go for it!"

This may sound harsh but this can be a harsh business , so get out there and get business. It beats moping around, complaining, crying, drinking, swearing or whatever else we do when business is slow.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com

Your First 60 days in Real Estate Sales

Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:24:22 -0400

So you just got your license to sell real estate and are raring to go. Or you are looking for a new start with another company.

I feel the first 60 days are very critical for long term success as the habits that are required to be sucessful in real estate will either start in this period, you will form new habits or break old habits.Who you go to for advice and what you do in these first 60 days are the most important. The question is, do you know what good or bad advice is?

Sure, you will take advice that is consistent with your comfort zone but that may not be the best choice. Or the one that takes as little money as possible to implement. Or you will max your credit card 'getting your name out there'. Or, do stuff that worked 5 years ago, 10 years ago or when everyone was employed and making money , etc. etc.

Choose your brokerage wisely. Ask" What are you going to do for me?". Are you going to be just another body because your brokerage is in the agent business or in the real estate business?

If you want to improve your income and keep most of your commission, maybe we should talk. I have proven steps you can take regardless of your comfort zone.

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record & Owner

'NOT ALL REALTORS* ARE THE SAME', One call or email to me and you will know why!

Your London and S/W Ontario source for results!

519-435-1600 www.enveloperealestate.com