Terrylynn's Blog

Active Rain has brought us together as a real estate/staging community. We are all looking for camaraderie, people who know our business and share our concerns and challenges, a place to bounce arounds ideas with people we can relate to and who relate to us.  Along with that we hope to gain recognition by the public and our peers and increase our business or market share.  It IS about relationships and cross country networking made easier. Here at AR you will be challenged if you are out of line, nudged  a bit if needed, and supported when we agree.  But you know pretty quickly whether we like an idea, as we will give an opinion and tell you. THIS is the perfect sounding board for your new ideas, products and business models.  You come here and get support, encouragement and I think genuine, honest  support and good wishes that you do well; Peers who want you to make money doing your work, whatever that is.

We are all SELLING SOMETHING.   As Realtors, we are selling our services to homeowners and we sell their homes.  BUT we have to sell ourselves first or we don't get the opportunity to sell the home, right?  As stagers we sell ourselves to Realtors and to homeowner or we don't get the staging work, right?   We sell ourselves whether we sell a home, staging, a book, seminar, class, prop, couch, book, blinds, drapes, whatever it may be.  WE ARE SELLING A OUR TALENT AND OUR SERVICE or we don't really have a business, do we?  We ARE in the business to make money, right?  Otherwise what ARE we we doing?  Is this a hobby, a charity? or a business?  Maybe there are some that can afford to do this work for free because they love it so much, but for the Realtor, the cost of a listing, marketing it, etc; or as a stager the inventory, storage, trucks, gas, and other things are daunting, it's an expensive hobby if that's the case, whether real estate or staging.  There are hobbyists in both professions actually and they sometimes kid themselves that they are running a business. They don't keep track of the cost of doing business and sell themselves and the client short as they generally can't afford to take classes, own the tools,  or do the things that make the difference for the client's bottom line.  (That could be the computer, website, truck or education they need to specialize and keep up with the current trends and demographics.  THESE are the marketing tools that aid the client behind the scenes, and so many more.) 

I am selling homes -

Connie Tebyani is selling gorgeous bedding http://activerain.com/blogsview/894229/This-Home-Stager-is-Now-Your-Independent-Distributor-of-Eastern-Accents-Bedding

Joanne O'Donnell is selling Dewey Color Classes  Click here

SO when you give genuine support do you mean it?  Do you want your peers to be successful as long as they aren't more successful than you are?  Do you want them to grow their business in ways that support the industry but think they should not make any money doing it?  Do you think that the efforts you put out on your business should not be rewarded?  Of coure not!  So why then should others efforts and industry contributions not be rewarded?  The truth is if the service is not needed, it will not be rewarded as we have a free society and we have the right to partake and purchase or not...it's a self governing system.

WE are all selling something and truthfully the person I would rather buy from or take a class from IS someone in the industry who has paid their dues and comes from a place of KNOWING my business and sharing their expertise.  There is a comfort in knowing they have a history that we share, a knowledge base that I can relate to and something to share.  But that's me.

2009 Staging Innovator of the YEAR - StagersLIST.com (Kym Hough and Terrylynn Fisher)

OOOOHHHHH MY We are going to get to meet Wendy Timmons, and Connie Tebyani and Annie Pinsker-Brown...and lots of others of you from LA...and of course see our friend Michelle Minch whom we've already met.  It's going to be such a fun event.  Hope to see lots of you there.

 This is an except from a newsletter I sent out to my clients in mid year 2008.  It was telling them that no matter how bad the market, some people find it the optimum time to buy... SO, did these people buy???  Here's the rest of the story!

Hi all, It has been awhile since I wanted you to know that Bob and I have been selling real estate even with the challenges in today's market.  We are fortunate to have buyers to assist, who recognize the opportunity of the market.  Could this be you?

Buyer #1  Connie has been saving for over 10 years to buy something and really would have been a condo buyer, until this downturn in the market.  She looked at a fixer in a neighborhood near where she grew up and because of today's market was able to get the house across the street, in much better condition for a good price!!!  UPDATE-Connie is enjoying her new home and yard and doesn't have any neighbors above her.  YEAH! 

Buyers #2, Virginia and Tom have been looking for about a year!  We have seen a lot of homes together and they have seen as many or more at open houses.  We have made offers on less than perfect condos and cluster homes, good buys perhaps, but no bank cooperation on the short sales.  We were just guardedly persistent and voila, found the perfect home with yard, corner lot, new windows, beautiful flooring, updated and charming gardens and it's NOT a short sale... In a market where everything appraises for UNDER the asking price no matter what that is, this one appraised for a little over, a sign that the appraiser was affirming what a great value it was.  A single family home 3/2 with family room corner lot, $480,000!!!  Talk about happy?!  UPDATE-Virginia and Tom have actually been able to refinance at todays lower rates because the price we paid was already below market for the condition and neighborhood that they still have the value to do so.  Pretty good in a down market.

Buyer #3, Kristina, patient Kristina.  We are looking for a home, also would have had to take a condo or cluster home a while ago.  We just made an offer on a 5 bedroom, 3 bath fixer in a good neighborhood for $415,000!!!  We'll see if it gets accepted.  We'll find something as Kristina and her family won't give up and the bargains just keep coming so we're confident we'll find something before the market turns. UPDATE-This home upon inspection had BIG problems and we had to back off, in the meantime the market flip flopped. Kristina, like many buyers today had to regroup when the market took some blips with credit score requirements and such, so is saving more money and is waiting for a bit, but still anxious to be a homeowner as possible.  We're keeping on the lookout for her for the perfect place the moment she has the downpayment.

Another Buyer Dennis, just purchased a condo nearby where he was living.  Truthfully you can't afford to rent at these prices when you can own.  I saw him in Safeway the other day and he's contemplating buying another with the market so favorable for buyers.  UPDATE-Dennis decided to wait on buying the second unit but he truly likes having his own place and the independence it gives him.

ARE YOU THINKING YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED AN INVESTMENT PROPERTY, OR KNOW SOMEONE LOOKING FOR THAT FIRST HOME?  Well, just ask any of our buyers above, we are persistent but it pays off in the end, they got a house.  If we can help you or anyone you know, give us a call, we'd love to get you in at the BOTTOM!!!  Interest rates are so good, it makes the payments as good as rent in most cases.  And, you can invest your IRA money in real estate now.  So, if you want to chat about real estate or just get together for a barbeque to catch up on things, give a call or email. 

The  rest of the story is that success is what we strive for and like many Realtors, this year we couldn't anticipate everything for everyone, but our clients were taken care of the way they needed to be and are still working on obtaining their dreams of home ownership.  We just guide them through the maze and when we hit roadblocks we reevaluate and regroup and move forward.  We are fortunate to have their loyalty and trust.  AND, look forward to the buyers and sellers of 2009 and seeing how we can help them.

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Terrylynn and Bob Fisher, Diablo Realty, Walnut Creek, California  If you are looking for persistent and hardworking Realtors who will tell it like it is and guide you through the reality of the market we are in, we're here, ready, willing and able to help you assess your real estate needs in 2009.  Call us, won't you?                             925 876-0966                          Terryshomes@astound.net

When you can't do everything, a little paint goes a LONG way!!!  Why do I make that statement, well Realtors and Stagers would prefer that clients do everything on the "list", wouldn't we?  Of course we would!  BUT in the real world, some clients just don't have the ability or funds to do so.  So when THEY choose what to do (with your guidance of course), make sure they are choosing the most impactful thing to bring them the return on investment.  Does your staging partner give your clients choices based on a priority?  Of course your staging team can do the work if sellers have the budget, but easing them into it gets more accomplished.  These are two examples of sellers that couldn't complete the whole list...but paint is always in the top 5 on my "staging list"... and top of the list for impact on a drive by, on the internet and in person are of course, CURB APPEAL, because if you can't get them inside they won't buy; and KITCHENS...The cook usually has the final vote on which home to buy a larger percentage of the time, and kitchens matter alot to the cook.

YES, we'd have loved to have a SS refrigerator and new light fixture in this condo...but the budget was tapped out with paint, appliances and countertops and flooring.  SO, now the refrigerator just blends in and the rest is such a wow, it had almost as good an impact, certainly on internet photos and open houses.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED-CLIENT GOT THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK AND THE CONDO SOLD QUICKER THAN THE COMPETITION IN THEIR COMPLEX AND FOR MORE MONEY THAN THE CONDO ON THE LEFT WOULD HAVE SOLD?  Sadly, this client was moving to assisted living.  However, he received enough more to keep him there for many more months.  He was grateful and we got him the money more quickly so he didn't have to worry while fighting his health battles.  This is what staging is about...making the tipping point difference.  I LOVE THIS JOB.

There is an end in sight, and we can see it from here...

There is a lot of speculation about the real estate market and when we'll see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Walking today in Santa Cruz along the ocean I took this photo.  It reminded me of the real estate market and gives a good illustration of where the light is. 

It IS out there, not within reach tomorrow perhaps, but within reach.  If we make changes that we need to make, stay the course and work at getting there we can.  When, you say?  Well I prefer to think sooner rather than later.  I believe thinking positively sets solutions in motion.  What do we have to lose by thinking the best?  A little "out there"  for some maybe. The alternative is putting the negative thoughts out there and heaven knows we have enough negative to keep us stuck for a very long time.  I prefer to think and give positive thoughts to the solution of these problems.  With a new president at the helm and many people who want solutions, I can put my energy of positive thoughts behind their efforts.  And my own efforts, which sends me on the path of preparing for the healing of our economy and our real estate market.

So, this photo is a constant reminder that I need to prepare for the journey as well as arriving at the destination.  Get ready all, the market is calling us.  Our expertise is sorely needed for the buyers of today and tomorrow to help them through the "new" real estate marketplace that will come out of this experience.  Are you with me? 

Terrylynn Fisher, Realtor, Green Real Estate Trainer,

Staging consultant and optimist.

Condos
Active
Concord Boulevard, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 882 sq. ft., listed for $169,000
Concord Boulevard, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 794 sq. ft., listed for $135,000
Concord Boulevard, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 794 sq. ft., listed for $129,500

Sold
Closed 7/8/08 for $205,000, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,272 sq. ft., 5450 Kirkwood Drive
Closed 7/17/08 for $177,000, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 891 sq. ft., 5455 Kirkwood Drive
Closed 10/27/08 for $189,000, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 902 sq. ft., 5460 Concord Boulevard
Closed 10/30/08 for $194,670, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 82 sq. ft., 5425 Concord Bouvevard

We have lived in Kirkwood since 1979. We love our neighborhood, so if you have any questions at all please call! Terrylynn Fisher 925.876.0966. www.KirkwoodNeighbors.com