The For Sale By Owner Blog

Helping get “outside the box” when you live in it!

WHY 5-6% COMMISSION? NO THANKS! I’LL CALL REALTORHOURLY.COM.

Why Pay 6%?So I’m curious, given today’s tecknology, why anyone would allow themselves to be held hostage for 5-6% of the value of their home? for what, a yard sign or a listing in your local MLS? As a Broker, I have trained hundreds of Real estate agents in the past 30 years for the large national brand “cookie cutter one size fits all brokerages“. Trust me folks, the Internet has changed everything! Anyone can access the Multiple Listing Service through any one of over 5000 public access Internet sites. Don’t tell me home owners aren’t able to answer a few simply questions or show their own home. Of course they can! What most home seller(s) or buyer(s) really need is a truly AFFORDABLE real estate professional they can rely on when they need help or access to the MLS. And that’s why we created REALTORHOURLY.COM. If you questions, want a free no obligation consultation or need help finding a pre-qualified licenced Brokerage in your area that will do the same quality work for a low hourly rate, give us a call or email us today! One last thing, when you work with one of our licensed agents or referrals we will donation 10% of that low hourly rate to a local homeless shelter or advocate organization in your name and area!

Richard Brees

253-355-1272

info@realtorhourly.com

April 20, 2009 Posted by brees | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

FSBO’S AND DISTRESSED OWNERS = “TRUST ARRANGEMENTS”

The Trust AdvantageTrust, or trust arrangements, in their many forms have been around for centuries. They are structured by their creators to accomplish a variety of objectives. So, can a trust arrangement help a “distressed home owner” or “for sale by owner” in a depressed market such as we have today? Answer, that would depend upon a number of things. At Assist U Sell Realty we are a buyer(s) agency using trust propasals too benifit our clients in the purchase of real estate. For the most part, the key issues are usually flexibility and or short term financing (36-60 months). If you are planning to sell or purchase property in today’s market having creative terms and conditions may be the most important tool you bring to the table. If you are an upside down seller (owe more than its worth), can’t find a qualified buyer due to a conservative mortgage market or your the buyer(s) who can’t get bank financing then a trust arrangement maybe the answer. One of the key components to a properly constructed trust arrangement may allow transfer of an assist without triggering the lenders “do on sale clause”. This could become an important option when negotiating with a potential buyer or seller. I have used trust arrangements to structure purchase and sale offers in both commercial and residential transaction. If you are not working with an experienced agent in this market who understand how to draft a trust arrangement or blend trust advantages with a traditional transactions, you may be under represented in today’s depressed ”bailout market” . For the most part traditional Realtors have a great deal of difficulty getting outside the  traditional commission based structure they were raised in. As I explain to all my clients, real estate is more about terms and conditions then pricing. Once you get beyond price negotiations and begin discussing terms, having an agent with experience and knowledge of trust arrangements can make the difference. To make my point, I have a standing offer to purchase any property with good marketable title for any amount as long as you meet my terms. If you doubt it, try me! Now having said that, our agents have received on going special training regarding Trust Proposals. Our firm represents good people looking for good homes in this reemerging market. A trust arrangement can be similar to a purchase option without triggering the lenders “due on sale clause” if structured properly. Our selling/listing clients often use our exclusive “blended trust listing” to sell their property COMMISSION FREE, saving 4-6% of the sales price which can be used in negotiations rather than paid to Brand X Realty. First, we are no different than other Washington State real estate brokerage accept, we DO NOTcharge selling, listing commissions or up front fees. Instead, we will list your home with the North West Multiple Listing Service just like Traditional high commission national brand brokerages. Then we, in the marketing remarks add “THIS HOME QUALIFIES FOR TRUST ARRANGEMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE LISTING AGENT FOR DETAILS”. That’s it, this doesn’t mean you must sell using a trust proposal, it only means your home meets our trust standards and that you are willing to consider traditional offers containing trust addendum’s, what we refer to as “blended offers”. When you list with Assist U Realty, LLC your home is exposed to the same 33,000 Washington State Real Estate Agents, their clients and over 5000 private Internet access sites just as with the cookie cutter national brand brokerages. You can still sell your home commission free and our firm will provide all the state required forms and disclosures at no cost to you. If your home qualifies for our exclusive blended trust listing program one of our licensed trust agents will visit your home, take photos, enter information and prepare the necessary forms and answer any additional questions. To see if your home is eligible for our commission free trust listing you can call the Broker direct at 253 355-1272, email at info@advice4fsbo.com or join our blog at www.advice4fsbo.com.

Richard Brees

Consultant

info@advice4fsbo.com

Ph  253 355-1272   Fax   888 258-6307

March 14, 2009 Posted by brees | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

READ MY LIPS, THE MARKET WILL NOT RETURN! IT WILL “RESET”

The Party's OverI am the Principal with Richard Brees & Associates. There seems to be a very curious but none the less troublesome theme out there. A number of my clients keep asking, “so when do you think the market will return”?  My response, your dreaming, the market will not return but  it will reset. The problem is, there’s a world of difference between how you adjust your marketing efforts for a reset in the market place opposed to a return. Consequently, my more savvy clients are asking me to develop marketing strategies based around a fee for service business model rather than the old commission based structure. Gone are the traditional one size fits all marketing campaigns in this post bailout environment. As a marketing consultant servicing a verity of individuals and small too mid-size client I try to impress the need for new fresh thinking. Trust me, when those road weary consumers finally dig out from the ruble left behind due to the collapse of their retirement security blankets, they will be hungry for something new not just a fresh coat of paint on last years model. The only question is, who gets it! Who is willing to get under the skin where it hurts and switch off that entrenched marketing system and address the new emerging consumers.

Author, Richard Brees

info@advice4fsbo.com

Ph.   253 355-1272    Fax. 888 258-6307

March 14, 2009 Posted by brees | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

WHY PAY “COOKIE CUTTER REALTY” A 6% COMMISSION?

why Pay 6%?I have been marketing and developing real estate for the past 35 years and can’t believe most home sellers are still paying ridiculous high commissions to traditional real real estate firms when they have options. WAKE UP AMERICA! The Internet has changed everything! The internet savvy seller(s) or buyer(s) are no longer hostage to an archaic agency commission based marketing system. The fact are, over 90% of all home buyers begin their search on-line! There are more than 5000 FREE public real estate sites providing direct access to your local MLS and countless ways to listing and selling property on the same MLS Realtors use without paying commission or up front fees! On the other hand, if your heart is set on paying tens of thousands of dollars for a sign in your front yard advertising Brand X Realty, (signs don’t sell homes, signs attract new clients for the Brokerage) can’t answer a few simple questions or show a prospective buyer your own home. Then by all means, be my guest!  After all, someone needs to contribute to those Cadillac Escalate payments and that flashy store front. After all, they need a way to get around town and a place to congregate while splitting up the take. Excuse me, I ment commissions!

Author, Richard Brees

info@advice4fsbo.com

Ph.  253-355-1272  Fax. 888 258-6307

March 14, 2009 Posted by brees | Uncategorized | | 1 Comment