judyo's Blog: In The Trenches

Active Rain is currently giving away points (it was posted that 1000 points would be given for every hyper-local content post made - up to 7000 points - 1 post a day for the next 7 days).  I still post on AR (although I stopped paying attention to points a long time ago) and try to post on both REW and AR as much as I can (I have a list of all of my blogs and go down the list for each post to make sure they're evened out).  Sometimes it comes to once a week, sometimes less. 

I Wrote a Post That I Thought Followed the Recommendation

I posted about Orland Park Homes For Sale Under $200,000.  But I was told I should have dug deeper and posted about a more local and specific neighborhood or subdivision.  In my opinion, that was a niche in itself that would…

I'm saying that a lot lately.  It's sad watching the sellers' faces fall as I show them the reality of today's market.  Just yesterday I had to tell a senior woman whose family wants her to sell (because they fear for her safety in the town she lives in) that her house is probably worth around what she paid for it many, many years ago.  I could see the tears forming in her daughter's eyes and had to listen to the outrage of her son (not aimed at me personally, thank goodness).

The home owner had a mix of jubilance (she didn't want to move) and confusion on how the home she so lovingly cared for could be worth so little.  She lives in a town I don't work in much and only took it on because it was a referral from a friend.  This was a town that was always…

I was very happy to see that Morgan was putting on another REW Summit this year.  After attending last year's gathering I couldn't wait for the next one.  I originally planned to go without thinking twice about it.

However, I had hoped my husband could go on the trip with me and that we could spend a day or two in Seattle and at least one day in Victoria.  But my husband has a heavy schedule with his band in the summer and told me I'd have to go without him.  So I wasn't sure if I wanted to do that again.

Add to that the fact that we purchased a townhouse in Scottsdale, AZ at the beginning of the year and I won't even mention how much we spent on the purchase and furnishing the place.  Not to mention the 3 trips we've already taken and the fact that…

A highly respected tribe leader that had settled in Indiana was upset over a competing tribe member advertising his caves for sale.  He brought his grievance up with his local higher powers named MIBOR.

MIBOR wasn't sure how to interpret these ancient scrolls and they contacted the highest powers that be  called NAR.  Together, they reviewed these ancient scrolls to come to an agreed upon interpretation.

Even though the complaining tribe leader had signed an agreement of reciprocity, he did not understand what that meant.  He did not like sharing his wares with others.  He wanted to be the only tribe allowed to sell his inventory of caves.  Any cave buyers had to come directly to him to purchase his inventory.

Smoke Signals

You see, this…

OK, I'm finally calming down after taking a break to watch the end of Judge Judy and eat a Fiber One version of a Pop Tart.  Ahhh, my blood pressure is coming down.  I was driving this afternoon for what seemed like hours, and I suppose it was close to it - well, at least more than an hour.

I sold a foreclosure located much closer to my home than the listing office.  But I had to hand deliver the earnest money and originals of the contract and the addendums.  I did not have time to Fed Ex them because the buyer was too busy since we got the go ahead that our offer would be accepted and was only able to get certified funds today.

I hate to drive

I had never stepped foot in the town I needed to travel to but I did kind of know where it was.  And I knew…

I've had a seller for quite some time that finally got an offer on his Lockport townhouse for sale.  The original offer was within $10,000 of his new, lower list price.  Not bad in today's market.  But I couldn't get him to budge from his asking price.

After much chiding from the buyer's agent, I kept my cool and told him that my seller feels he can get full price, maybe not today, but soon.  The agent came back with an offer only $5,000 off list price.  My seller would still not budge.

My seller used to be a real estate agent

I have dealt with many ex-agents over the years and they know enough to be dangerous.  When I requested him to initial the area on the contract that states he was rejecting the offer, he got angry and told me that isn't…

My real estate partner meets a lot of people due to her bartending job in Orland Park, IL.  She met a guy a while back that was having a beer because his wife was shopping in the nearby Orland Park mall.  My partner, a friend I met in 6th grade, has a way with words and has no shame to admit she is a REALTOR and a bartender. 

She owned a couple of her own bars but sold her last one a couple years ago and went back into real estate.  Another REALTOR friend is part-owner of a popular restaurant/lounge and offered her a postion, which she gladly accepted.  She brings in the clients and I do most of the rest of the work.  She isn't computer literate but likes to sit open houses so we work well together.

So this guy actually calls us as his listing was about…

Thanks to my friends here at REW, my husband and I bought a condo in Scottsdale, AZ over the New Year holiday.  My husband, a musician, had a New Year's Eve gig at Maggiano's in Scottsdale with a friend of his. 

We had been talking about purchasing a condo but this gig made us do more than just talk about it.  I had a little buyer's remorse at one point (read about it here).  But just prior to our trip I started getting really excited figuring out which properties I wanted to see.  And like any eager buyer, I had fun looking at all the different properties available.

We joke that you know real estate is bad when we can afford Scottsdale.  We figured we had to do it while prices were right.  I believe that Arizona will once again increase in prices to the…