The N.A.R. has a thing called ‘Center for REALTOR Technology’ which apprarently has been on a 14-month journey to find the most inspiring agents who use technology:
http://blog.realtors.org/crt/2009/09/16/the-spotlight-is-plugged-in-finalists/
Fifth on the list of ‘Pioneers’ is the guy who took a swipe at me the other day, noting on his blog that I was complaining about getting REO listings.
Seeing him on the list reminded me to explain the process further.
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Remember this one? It finally closed!
4773 Sequoia, Oceanside
Assigned to JtR: 9/12/08
Tasks:
Determine occupancy
Offer cash-for-keys, which the tenant first accepted, then declined.
Evict tenant.
Manage his ‘personal property’ (junk) left behind.
Put utilities in my name, and pay for them until after closing.
Obtain repair quotes, and make sure work is completed satisfactorily.
Complete two BPOs (broker price opinion).
List property for sale at $179,800, which was $20,000 under my latest BPO.
Field and manage 19 incoming offers and related calls and emails.
Issue 19 highest-and-best counteroffers.
Field and manage the returning counteroffers.
Help pick a winner, at $235,000.
Meet appraiser, and beg for mercy.
Explain in writing why appraisal came in at $218,000 (5 recent comps within $5,000 0f $218K)
Read and respond as needed to 257 messages on the system.
Follow-through to closing, which it did on 9/2/09, almost a year after assignment.
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We have plenty of help to complete these tasks, so there’s no problem doing the work.
When I was complaining the other day, it was only because I’d like to occasionally get assigned a local high-dollar REOs, in exchange for travelling around the county selling the cheaper mold farms and crack houses.
For example, remember the RSF house featured here a few days ago? The listing agent represented the buyer and seller, which means he was paid 6% on $2,090,000. I’d just like to see one of those come my way.
In the meantime, I’ll quit complaining. I don’t want high-powered, award-winning realtors to think I’m not grateful, because I am – I love listing REOs!
The comments section on the link posted make me want to vomit.
Jim, how much more work does it take to close that $2m REO in RSF (compared, say, to the one you described in Oceanside?) I can’t believe someone makes $120k on that.
The BEST BY FAR Real Estate Web Site I saw in my two plus years of searching for an S.D. home (& I mean SEARCHING) was “SDLOOKUP.COM”. But, more importantly, I can’t imagine a single reason why a committed buyer would take seriously ANYTHING the NAR has to say about anything! Nor can I imagine a realtor anywhere who works harder than JTR to represent buyers & sellers fairly & squarely in the aftermath of the most corrupt r.e. mkt. our country has ever seen!
Retired & loving every minute of life in our S.B. REO “money-pit”, doug s.
Byrd has a great, up to the minute website, but he seems like a weenie in a Prius.
Was there a second page to the link you posted Jim? There is no explanation why these people were nominated or how they used technology. I’ve seen more detailed stories about lottery winners than this.
Nope, just a mention and a link. Not great linkage either, for a guy giving away awards for best use of technology. See Mark F.’s link.
It links to the association of realtors’ website, is that what he did? It looked unremarkable to me, unless you compare it to our local association’s website http://www.nsdcar.com which is a wasteland.
Jim for whatever it’s worth, if I ever win the lotto, there isn’t any other agent I’d want to use.
Jim, this is unbelievable. What a collection of solid “C-” Web Sites on that NAR list, with a few exceptions.
But Jim, YOU are doing something right with this “bubbleinfo” business. Keep it up!
Thanks George.
I thought the same thing, and wondered, is that the best they could do after searching for 14 months?
How could they miss bubbleinfo.com? Have any of those “winners” been featured on network tv or the WSJ ?
“squarely in the aftermath of the most corrupt r.e. mkt. our country has ever seen!”
You know what, this one ain’t near as bad as some. Infact San Diego has seen this before.
As my Grandmother said, nothing new under the sun.
Indeed the story even has the same characters. There was sure a JtR, though he had no blog.
I ain’t sure who the JimB is, though it’s looking like this one will be leaving town. Good luck folks… until we all meet again!
Byrd? Seriously? Did you guys click through to his website?
What a piece of junk. His site looks like he should be selling low-priced trinkets on Ebay, not multi-million dollar real estate. The site doesn’t even render consistently in Firefox. It’s like a Schizophrenic view into real estate with no purpose and no direction.
Sorry, but his site makes me think he’s borderline manic depressive. Some pages are fine, but others are basket cases. Did the NAR hire an intern to come up with this list? An intern with a drinking problem?
Just wondering.
IF the bar is set that low, how easy would it be to excel as a Realtor… believe me, I’ve considered it if I didn’t believe that the entire profession was about to be marginalized by Redfin and Zip Realty (no offense intended, Jim) professional realtors are few and far between. Their sites reflect that.
Chuck
“Byrd? Seriously? Did you guys click through to his website? (Chuck Ponzi)
Yep, I did! FWIW, I started chuckling immediately. There’s a lady at the very top in a green shirt with her arms outstretched with a small home and a little Century 21 SOLD sign–all held within her two hands. And half her head is missing!
Why is holding a house in your hands even remotely considered professional? *Giggle* It reminds me of a realtor over in Santa Barbara. Whenever you see her name, she has a picture of herself with one of those little houses you see in Christmas village displays in her outstretched hands. (Wow–she’s handing me a house!)
JtR, is this something the powers that be specifically recommend to new agents in Real Estate 101 to put on their business cards?
Now scroll down to the third box. There you find a lady holding a large white sign in front of her which proclaims: “Real Estate Statistics”. Seems like a Seinfeld moment of sorts, and it looks like she’s has a white tank on that closely resembles a “wife-beater” t-shirt. To further emphasize my point, she’s not even smiling. What’s that quote?–you’ve never get a 2nd chance to make a first impression.
JtR, when I first heard of you from the LA Times article, I came over to check out bubbleinfo. My first expression was of an experienced, professional agent who just wanted to tell buyers/sellers the truth.
And in the months which followed, you have proven day in and day out that you are NOT the usual agent. *Chuckle* I only check in 2-3X a day, and am so relieved you haven’t uttered the words: “It’s a great time to buy!”.
Just my two cents, be sure your website reflects who you are as an agent.Be sure your website reflects who you are as a realtor. Jim sure did with bubbleinfo…
They are just used home sellers, don’t we have to cut them some slack? Like a list of best shoe salesman at Payless, what would you expect? Kim is the exception, I don’t know how he puts up with it all. I wish we were not forced into using them, but I tried FSBO and felt the blackballing from the frontline.
The lower priced listings can be frustrating but when the asset management companies see you doing a good job on the lower end properties they will assign you some higher end homes. I have often asked an asset manager point blank to send me some million dollar listings. I usually do it when I just closed on a particular tough escrow. Ask and you shall receive.