The For sale by owner aplogizes

An apology from the for sale by owner......

I learned something rather interesting on my radio show this weekend. The usual topics on the show include things like how to properly maintain your HVAC or how to stage your home for sale. Generally speaking it is an informative show about local and national real estate related topics. As a benchmark feature on the show I have included a segment on For SALE by Owners or FSBO's as they will be called, and we actually call them LIVE with no preparation and try to discuss the importance of a real estate agent when trying to sell your home. This can prove to be quite a task. The reason that we do this is two-fold.

ONE: I thought it was interesting that this was such an important part of my business and most successful Realtors business but it was something that people were afraid to talk about and afraid to do....prospecting that is!

SECONDLY: I think there is some valuable information at the heart of the "for sale by owner" and any rational person that has could weighed their options in the market place and then decided that

"hey, I think I can do this myself." I am baffled every time....

So, this week I was up for the challenge but I was not as quick on my feet as I would have liked to been. I have my basic points of rebuttal prepared and was taken aback by my first caller. I talked to a lady named Carrie whom was a Realtor in Missouri and not in Kansas, so when she chose to sell her home in Kansas she chose to do it by owner which tells me she believes in her service SO much that she wouldn't even use it herself. That is absolutely ridiculous and an embarrassment to good real estate agents everywhere. I just asked her some basic rebuttal questions and really let her off the hook easy..a real fumble to not really nail her to the cross in hindsight.

The real issue came on the next caller who was very on guard to begin with when I asked her to be on the show. I mean hello, you people put your name and number all over the web and in the paper wanting to sell and then you treat people like real losers when they call. That is not even the point her but I digress:) So, I give her the opportunity to talk about her home a little that is a very nice home in the Blue Springs area about 145,000 and it has been on the market ALL SUMMER LONG..... We start to talk about why a real estate agent will be in a much better position to market her home and not only bring a higher price, but save her the time, stress, and hassle of going it alone. I mean the statistics prove that even the worst REALTOR will bring you 16% more than you can bring yourself. She begins to really brutalize me with the bad experiences she has had with other agents and on the air is bashing not only the profession but the entire process. I was not as offended as you would think because I thought she sounded absolutely ridiculous, but I received many calls and emails after wards telling me that I should have ripped her up and said how stupid and out of line her points were.



After the show I received an email from our caller as well that said something to the effect of "I was out of line and I wasn't sure that we were on the air, I apologize to you and your profession etc...and thank you for being merciful to me. So the question remains, what can you learn from this experience. And, what I learned is that arguing with someone who you clearly know is wrong is not always the way to make them see it. I wished our caller luck and told her on air that I had learned something from her because I had. The others that gave me feedback requesting a lynching also realized that I didn't need to lambaste her to get my point across. When someone doesn't understand the power of a Realtor they are evident to everyone else who does get it. The reason we call fsbo's is to get into their head a little bit and to learn how they tick, and when we do we find good people that are afraid to give up their equity along with their unwillingness to pay for a service that they deem unnecessary. I am not going to bore you with the 1000 reasons agents are successful and why you are not capable of doing what they can regardless of your background, because if you don't see then you are in the boat with my caller....if you do then welcome! I hope your extra time and money from your Realtor services has served you well...hope you learned as much from this as I have.



THANKS for reading the post and if you would like to listen to

Door 2 Door the show I am talking about it will be posted soon at

www.door2doorkc.com

Synthetic Stucco Question came in on the show.....and I wanted to provide this link >>>>

It is beneficial to to through what it is, and how to maintain it. I thank you for your questions and I hope this is helpful. Contact me if you would like to talk about it further....

EIFS, Synthetic Stucco
What is EIFS?
EIFS stands for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems. The product is also called synthetic stucco, and refers to a multi-layered exterior finish that's been used in European construction since shortly after World War II, when contractors found it to be a good repair choice for buildings damaged during the war. The majority of repairs to European buildings were to structures constructed of stone, concrete, brick, or other similar, durable materials.

EIFS in North America
North American builders began using EIFS in the 1980's, first in commercial buildings, then applying it as an exterior finish to residences--mostly wood frame houses--using the same techniques that had been successful in Europe.

There are three layers to EIFS

Inner Layer Foam insulation board that's secured to the exterior wall surface, often with adhesive.

Middle Layer A polymer and cement base coat that's applied to the top of the insulation, then reinforced with glass fiber mesh.

Exterior Layer A textured finish coat.

EIFS layers bond to form a covering that doesn't breathe. That's fine when no moisture is present behind the covering, but if moisture seeps in it can become trapped behind the layers. With no place to go, constant exposure to moisture can lead to rot in wood and other vulnerable materials within the home.

What had worked well as an exterior shell for concrete and stone became a problem when used on wood. Moisture related problems lead to individual and class action lawsuits by consumers.

Synthetic Stucco vs. Traditional Stucco

* Synthetic stucco is soft and sounds hollow when tapped.

* Traditional stucco is hard and brittle, and sounds solid when tapped.

Maintaining EIFS

* Any opening, such as door and window frames and the areas around flashings, must be sealed to prevent water from seeping behind the EIFS.

* Gutters should be kept clean and positioned to drain away from the house.

* Foam should not extend below grade.

* Items that penetrate the stucco must be sealed.

In other words, no moisture should be able to seep behind the EIFS.

Signs of EIFS Problems

* Mold or mildew on the interior or exterior of the home.

* Swollen wood around door and window frames.

* Blistered or peeling paint.

* Cracked EIFS or cracked sealant.

EIFS Today

Newer EIFS systems include a drainage arrangement to help keep moisture from being trapped behind the covering. Ask a trusted home builder for details about contemporary EIFS.


for more on the radio show go to www.door2doorkc.com