Keeping It Real... Estate

So What Happens Now?

2011-04-27T22:31:00.001-04:00

What happens when you no longer care? When everything becomes an effort and you've lost the passion? Better yet, what needs to happen

I can tell you first-hand: change. Or at least that has been my experience. I had an older gentleman give me some advice about business, "don't follow the money, follow your passion and the money will find you." I've also heard other variations of this same mantra.

As I reflect on that, I find that the truth rings louder and louder. I moved to Tampa to go to film school. I guess I had an idea that I would be a big shot movie producer and make billions of dollars. Needless to say, that didn't happen, I realized how much I didn't want to be a filmmaker and left (yes, I am a film school drop-out).

My next endeavor involved revisiting my hotel roots and working for a seemingly luxurious hotel at a casino. After almost two years of working at that terribly smoky environment and adhering to totalitarian-style rules, I left and took my first job in real estate: leasing. I did enjoy that job and if was the catalyst for my interest in association management and real estate sales.

After limited success, I have found myself taking random and odd jobs, such as consulting, marketing, and ironically, film making as a hobby.

As I consider recent events, I can't help but think: what do I want to do?

My doctor commented that while others resist change, I seem to thrive on it. Which is very true. I don't like to sit still and I loath stagnation.

Which brings us back to our original question: what happens when you lose your passion? I've been working since I was 16 years old. I have a rather diverse resume but there are still a lot of jobs I've never done (or won't do). When I evaluate my life, my career, and my education, I realize I haven't lost my passion, my passion just gets redirected.

I can almost identify a pattern. I usually get an idea, then I research it to no end, pursue it, become an expert, then the final step, I "redirect" my passion. Something happens, a series of bad days, a pain in the butt client, something happens that reminds me how much I love change.

Now, please don't misconstrue that as giving up or having thin skin. Simply put,and like a broken record, I quote Confucius, "life is too short to have a job you hate." So, so true.

During the opening credits of Real Housewives of Atlanta, Lisa Wu Hartwell says "If it [doesn't] make me money, I don't do it." I've tweaked that to incorporate the advice of not pursuing money, "If it doesn't make me happy, I don't do it."

I've had a lot of fun during my career journey, ups and downs, highs and lows. I never know what to expect when I start something new, but I can guarantee myself this: I'll have more fun spending my life trying to find a job to love than 40 hours per week at a job I hate.

Mahalo

Find me. Follow me.

“…self-evident, that all men persons are created equally…”

2010-12-29T13:23:00.045-05:00

Redlining. Xenophobia. Blockbusting.

Whether you have heard of these terms or not, if you’ve experienced any of them, you will certainly be able to identify it.

One of the most important things I learned during real estate school was that this industry has a history of being very creative in discriminating against potential buyers and renters. The Civil Rights Act of 1968, which is commonly called the Fair Housing Act, defined and prohibited discrimination in regards to providing banking, and professional services; specifically for this blog, the buying, selling, financing, leasing or renting of real property. Since 1968, various other minority groups and legislation have been added and collectively are the governing laws that real estate brokers, property managers, mortgage lenders, apartment leasing companies and in some cases individual property owners must adhere to.

But is it enough to know and comply with these laws? Should real estate professionals and those affiliated with this industry adopt a creed to diligently serve the members or prospective members of a community with fairness and respect?

As a REALTOR®, I am a member of a local board of REALTORS® as well as the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). These are professional organizations to which we pay dues and pledge to uphold a Professional Code of Ethics. (It’s worth noting not all real estate brokers or agents are Realtors®, membership is optional and one must choose to become a Realtor®. The only legal requirement is to be licensed by their respective state to engage in the business of real estate services offered to the public.)

In brief, the laws and the NAR Code of Ethics state that real estate professionals and financial institutes are not to limit services to, unjustly or dishonestly treat, or discriminate against “any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin” in regards to real estate business practices.

The easiest way I have learned to remember this is to think of the words “fresh corn” and remove the vowels: FRSH CRN (family, race, sex, handicap, color, religion, nationality). Last month, the National Association of Realtors® amended the code of ethics to include sexual orientation in this list. Though, federal law does not provide protection for sexual orientation or gender identity, 13 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.

As 2010 draws to an end, we’ve seen the United States Congress actively discussing issues such as the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (the military ban on gays and lesbians openly serving in the armed forces), across the country there are countless lawsuits involving religious liberty in the workplace, and a public school district in Michigan has fired a teacher for dismissing a student who made derogatory and homophobic remarks in a classroom.

While we are all entitled to our opinion on any of these issues, I think we should all be able to agree that every single person on this planet is entitled to be treated as a human, period. And, that we should all have the basic right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

2011 is fast approaching. As businesses, real estate professionals, and anyone else trying to make a living in this struggling economy continue their efforts, we should all remember that everyone has a basic natural right to be as they are. I have and always will diligently and respectfully provide professional services to any individual regardless of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin or sexual orientation and I should hope that while it may not be required by federal law, that all businesses that transact with the public make this declaration.

If you feel that you have been discriminated against in housing or employment, if available, contact your local Fair Housing or Equal Employment Opportunity office. If your area does not have local offices, contact the U. S. Housing and Urban Development Department or the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Have a Safe and Happy New Year, Mahalo for reading!

Rent vs. Buy

2010-08-05T13:59:00.004-04:00

In this economy, short sales and foreclosed properties make up the majority of our inventory. In addition to that, home prices have fallen by double-digit percentages. For many people right now is the time to buy, but it may not be the right time for everyone.

While there are many advantages to homeownership (tax incentives, no landlord, freedom to make changes to your property), there are disadvantages (home repairs, property tax increases, long-term financial commitment). Which brings us to the question of the day; when is it better to rent vs. buying.

The New York Times has a very comprehensive rent vs. buy calculator but there are many common sense factors that can help you make a decision.

Keep in mind real estate is immobile, so, for example, if you’re young and you plan to move because of work or grad school, you’ll have to go through the process of selling your home, possible at a lost depending on the term of the mortgage and fees such as pre-payment penalties. If you enjoy having repairs taken care of by the property manager or not paying taxes based on the assessed value of your property, then renting might be a better option.

On the other hand, if you’re stable and financially sound, you may want to make the commitment toward owning your own home. A home is something tangible that you can pass on to your children, take pride in ownership and never worry about someone prohibiting you from painting your living room that hideous shade of green (except maybe your spouse).

When it comes to renting versus buying, talk to a financial expert in regards to your personal finances and what would be the best decision for you. If you’re ready to buy, contact a Realtor in your area.

Good Luck and Mahalo.

Knowledge + Technology = Power

2010-06-16T13:34:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I attended a marketing and technology seminar hosted by the Vice President of Realtor.com, Max Pigman. (Many people don’t understand the difference between a Realtor® and a licensee and I’ll address that on a future blog.)

In the real estate industry, marketing and technology are two of the most important components of success. A real estate agent should know about and be familiar with social media such as Facebook, twitter, and YouTube. An agent should also be very knowledgeable with technology, and not just having a Blackberry or Treo but knowing how to set up appointments, how to take pictures and send them, and how to sync their email accounts to that mobile device.

I feel very lucky that I was growing up right around the beginning of this technological revolution. That I am a whiz when it comes to computers and technology because that’s what sellers look for when they plan to list their property for sale and that’s what buyers look for when they’re searching for an agent. According to a 2009 survey, 71% of real estate customers found their agent via the internet. Compared to 24% who chose an agent based on signage and 4% who found an agent from the newspaper.

Sellers look for agents who are going to use every logical and popular resource to market and sell their property. They’re looking for someone who will not just list their property for sale online but will also have a current and relative website to market that property, an agent who knows how to record a video tour and post that to YouTube, and who can quickly answer calls from prospective clients and manage all of those appointments and information with a handheld device.

Similarly, buyers are looking for someone who can quickly pull up information while out showing a property. Someone who knows where to look for properties and doesn’t just rely on their area’s MLS but will also check websites like Craig’s List or Zillow to find the perfect property for their buyer.

Everyone knows “knowledge is power” and if you’ve got an agent who has the knowledge to market property and research information, then you’ve got a pretty powerful resource.

As always, post any questions or comments. Mahalo for reading.

Short Sales 101 (part 2)

2010-06-04T11:40:00.003-04:00

So, by now, we all know what a short sale is... right? Well, my interview with Real Estate Broker Ed Moore will answer that question and more. Prepare to become an encyclopedia on short sales.

As always, don't forget to follow the KIRE blog and post your comments or questions.

Mahalo for watching.

Short Sale 101

2010-05-28T09:19:00.002-04:00

I receive a lot of calls about short sales from owners and buyers. I get asked a lot of questions by friends and family about short sales. With this economy many owners have had to resort to short selling their property. In short (no pun intended), a short sale is when an owner decides to sell their property based on what it's worth in today's market and not what is owed on a mortgage or what it went for when purchased. That's the short answer, next week I will post a video blog entry with a special guest who will explain in detail the process.

I plan to have my guest speaker answer frequently asked questions such as: Will it hurt my credit? How long does a short sale take? Does the seller make a profit on a short sale? If you have any additional questions about short sales or foreclosures, post them in the comments section or post them on my facebook page.

Of course, check back next week for the answer to your questions.

Mahalo.

Why I sell neighborhoods and not houses.

2010-05-19T16:09:00.002-04:00

When buying a house or even renting an apartment, it’s important to know whether or not you will love the neighborhood—not just the house—where you’ll be living. To know that the lady across the street watering her flowers when you came to the open house will be Julie with the awesome daisies in her garden. Or that the guy playing catch with the kid two yards down is Tyler and his father Mark. It’s important to get to know and love your neighborhood as much as you do your house. Unless you plan to be a shut-in, you will see these people on a regular basis and it’s important that they know who you are and you know who they are.

Additionally, you should ask yourself questions like “What will this neighborhood look like in five years? What is the status of the HOA budget? (If you will be buying in an association) Will the community pool always be maintained? How long has the lot on the corner been vacant?” I always recommend driving through a potential neighborhood at least two more times after the initial viewing: at night and then on the weekend. A neighborhood could look prim and proper during the day but is it a mad house at night? Are there loud parties and cars lining the streets on the weekend? Ask your soon-to-be neighbors. Knock on a door and ask someone if there’s a dog that barks all night in the neighborhood or ask people on the street how long they’ve lived there and if they’re happy with the community.

As a real estate agent, I think one of the worst things would be to find a house or condo where the buyer absolutely loves the master bathroom and the amount of light coming into the kitchen but strongly dislikes the guy who steals their newspaper every Sunday morning or the teenagers who blare music driving past your house every night. There’s a Russian proverb: “Buy the neighborhood, not the house.”

Mahalo for reading

Welcome

2010-05-13T10:43:00.000-04:00

For my first post I’ve decided to introduce myself and as I progress I will introduce the cast of characters and the chain of events that make up my life.

I have a significant background in the hotel and hospitality industry. In 2008, I began doing property management and leasing (and I loved it) of private, luxury condos. That same year I started a guest services and hospitality consulting firm with the goal of curbing and eliminating poor customer service and the effects it has on local businesses and brands. I thoroughly enjoy guest services, meeting new and different people, spreading joy that comes from a good experience. The feeling of spending money without regret because the cashier genuinely asked how you were doing that day or the hotel staff acknowledged your birth date on your driver’s license and wished you a great one. All of this work, while great, left me longing for some more fulfilling. The transient lifestyle is fun, check in 200 guests tonight and check in 200 different guests tomorrow, but I wanted something more permanent.

A natural progression in my career was to real estate. In the summer of 2009, I went to real estate school, graduated and obtained my license. I am by no means a real estate guru (yet) and even today, I am still learning new things as I expect to do every day in this business. This blog will be more about my views as a new real estate agent and my experiences and journey down a new path. I hope you will subscribe and join me along the way.

Mahalo