Just Because

 

By happenstance, I ran across this photo. It was taken 24 years ago.
Bonus Mom was 54.
I miss her dearly. 

MLS Pictures--Wallpaper and Weirdness Edition

Jane and I have been zooming this week. For grins, while on our call, we started looking at houses in other parts of the country and broke into giggle fits. Sometimes it is fun to have a friend in the biz.

In some cases, we have been trying to figure out what the agent was thinking when he shot a photo of the vacuum. Or, why on earth people thought that choice of wallpaper was appropriate. And who puts white carpeting in the bathroom? 

We have looked at fixer-uppers. One home we were pretty sure the folds of the carpet were the shape of a dead body. We have looked at 5,000 square foot starter-mansions where we couldn't figure out with so much room, why there was no laundry space? And who needs to paint their fireplaces lime green? There have been homes where there is an obvious divorce. Others where there is an obvious lack of attention to detail. It is nice to see that bad real estate pictures aren't limited to just Arizona. 

Here are a few I found. Maybe wallpaper is your thing? I grew up in the 1970s, when wallpaper was all the rage. It isn't for me. But apparently it is very popular in some parts of the country.   

Not just wallpaper, but pink wallpaper. 

The wallpaper clashes with the cultured marble counter. 

Wallpaper, parquet floors, granite counters and circus-tent curtains. 

Green fireplaces. In two rooms!!! 

Someone painted over the wallpaper. They didn't like it either. 

Tell me those aren't legs under that carpet. Please. 

We decided the limb was to a live person. 

This house boasts a bathroom. 

Yes, someone took a photo of the vacuum in the pantry. 

An open floorplan. 

On the Fence

I got an e-mail to apply for the Professional Development Committee. At first--and for several hours--I was confused. Wasn't that the umbrella committee that covered the Grievance/High Inquisitor Squad folks? Why was I getting a personalized invite to join a committee I already belong to? 

Finally, it dawned on me. I belong to the Professional Standards Committee. The Professional Development Committee is the committee I also sorta belong to that holds the auditions for the future teachers and monitors zoom classes. In 2020 I was a member of this committee. Unlike Professional Standards, which has a three-year commitment, Professional Development Committee is a one year obligation. And I can't say that I'm complaining about it. 

At one time I really wanted to teach real estate classes. Maybe part of me still does. But I'm not feeling it right now. That could partially be because I'm limited to zoom education classes. It could also partially be that Beth, who hired me for her personal real estate school, obviously has no confidence in my ability--though I don't agree with Beth's assessment. I don't even care if she has no confidence in my ability. But the experience working with her wore me down.  

Teaching is a labor of love. The teaching committee is a labor of patience. Part of me isn't ready to give this up. However, I do think this isn't the right season for me to be teaching. That I'm ok with. I'm not planning on walking away from teaching opportunities. But I'm not seeking them out either. The ten hour (plus monitoring) commitment each year isn't a big deal. And it can't hurt to stay connected. 

I will need to think more about deciding to apply for a 2021 role in this committee.  

There are 3,950 Homes Currently For Sale

This time of year comes with expenses. Or, as we like to call them around the ol' Sunshine household, "tax write offs." Today I paid my errors and omissions insurance, computer licenses and my GoDaddy fees. I still have my MLS and Association dues to pay. However, I don't see that happening by the end of the year. 

Actually, I would rather have work to justify keeping all of these expenses than just paying them and hoping for the best. 

What I didn't pay for was advertising expenses. Nobody is moving right now anyway. Everyone who has a home, is planning on living there for a bit longer. I can't say I blame them. 

Patrick-isms

My seven year old Nephew is hanging out with the Sunshine family for a couple of weeks while school is out. This way his parents don't have to pay for child care and we Sunshines can spoil him. Win-win. 

Patrick* is super-smart, and given he is my brother's child, my youngest sibling deserves this level of challenge in his life. However, I'm not sure my sister-in-law agrees. Sometimes (like yesterday) when Patrick talks to me, I start thinking of what life must have been like for DaVinci's mother or Edison's mom. Just like those mothers, my sister-in-law is a saint. 

Anyway, I don't have to raise the guy, so what comes out of Patrick's mouth is just stinkin' cute. On our ride from North Phoenix to Mesa Tuesday he told me in great detail about the difference in how nuclear reactors work compared to how nuclear bombs work. I don't really know if he is right or wrong, but it sounded good to me. 

Patrick also explained that I needed to ease up on my, "no explosions" stance in my home because he can "handle" a controlled explosion so if I would please just allow him to do what he needs to do, there won't be a problem. Auntie gave him a hard-no. He generously said he would be willing to revisit this later after I had time to think about it. 

And finally, I got an earful about Big Ben--which is actually a 13 ton bell, not a clock tower. The tower is the Elizabethan Tower where the clock and bell reside. The tower is 30 stories high and there are "about" 365 steps leading up to the bell--the second Big Ben--as the first was 16 tons and was broken from a bombing during World War 2. The clock is not electric because it was put in before there was electricity back when, "everything was in black and white." 

*His middle name. 

Dee's Crazy Standards

Dee and her Merry Band of Felons are looking to buy and sell as soon as possible. The Felon in question lives in North Phoenix, but needs to be closer to Dee and the rest of her gang. So, as soon as she finds a place for this guy, they will then sell where he lives now. Which is great for me, but not so much for them because--in case I forgot to mention this--there are very few homes for sale. 

Anyway, this morning Dee found THE PERFECT HOME and wanted to jump on it. This 85 year old, 900 square foot, three bedroom, one bath home on Buckeye and 19th Avenue already had three offers on it after six hours on the market. But what the heck! Let's make it four! 

The only major tid-bit holding back the enthusiasm came from some covertly worded phrase found in the super-secret realtor remarks. "Buyer must be flexible about the closing date because the seller needs to find somewhere else to live." 

I'm not even sure what that means to be honest. Does the seller need six months to scrape together a down payment? Is escrow supposed to be open indefinitely until the seller gets around to packing up? What if the buyer's interest lock expires and rates go up? And trust me, they can't go much lower. What if--and I don't foresee this from what I'm reading, but never say never--there is another housing crash in the middle of this indefinite escrow and the house doesn't hold its value? What if the seller decides they don't have to keep up the maintenance? What if the buyer or seller lose their jobs over the next few months while we are waiting to close? 

Contracts have dates for reasons. If I were to have structured the deal, I would have let the seller rent back the property for an additional thirty days after escrow at market-rent. That might have been a reasonable solution. Dee however was realizing that this might be the kind of crazy she didn't need and stepped away. She subscribes to my reasoning that the deal of the decade comes along once a week. It is nice to have clients like that. 

I So Didn't Feel Better

The auditions on Friday were interesting. One person nailed it--though I did put in my comments section that her saying, "You don't know jack..." could be considered by wider audiences as vulgar. I also suggested her telling a group of adult learners that she prayed to God asking for Him to just kill her now was perhaps not the best use of an example of something she found unbearable. 

The other four auditions were various levels of tedious. Two worked in the financial planning world and want to teach real estate agents about money-type things. The guy who spent 15 minutes promoting his book and saying that agents could have residual income by giving referrals was shocked to find out that agents cannot take or give monetary referrals to non-agents without losing their licenses. That kind of ruined his entire schtick. He was the better of the two money-gurus. 

We also had someone who had been an agent as long as I have and she did ok, but wasn't terribly dynamic. But hey, at least she knew how to talk to grown-ups!

Then we had Barbara. 

Barbara did not completely grasp that she was auditioning in front of a panel who would be deciding if she had a future teaching at the association and that her part was to only last 15 minutes. She started her presentation by telling her panel of reviewers her rules for her classroom and asking for participation from us panelists that we fully would follow her rules. She let us know these were hard-rules and she would be lording over us (the panel) from that point forward with an iron fist as if we were in some sort of military-based junior high full of delinquents. 

She then had only 10 minutes to wow us with her brilliance. Which she didn't. 

Beth, who was part of the panelists, sent me a text half way through Barbara's audition. It said--and I'm not making this up: "This should be making you feel better." 

Better about what? Barbara was drowning and didn't even think to ask for water wings! I felt terrible for the woman. Nobody wants to see such a train wreck. However, I was curious and I know better than to be catty with Beth, so I replied, "How so?" 

Beth's reply was, "She has zero instructor skills."  

That should make me feel better?! 

Now, I am sure but that was probably some sort of compliment to me. Right? After all, Beth might think I have at least some instructor skills. Hopefully. However, Beth had been bemoaning to the group when we started about how she's been teaching this six hour contract class all by herself lately (the class I was team-teaching with her earlier in the year and she hasn't invited me back to teach). But I can't think of any reason why else she would have sent me the note. Marty proffered the theory that maybe Beth thinks I am too discouraged to teach. That might be true if Beth ever got around to inviting me to teach again she would find out the answer. 

Perhaps One Audition Will Be in E-mail Etiquette

I happen to sit on a committee that decides who will be teaching at the local Association. Throughout the year, we have listened to the auditions of various folks and decide who will be hired to teach. Beth--the owner of the real estate school I have taught at--also sits on the committee. I would like to someday teach at the Association, but I'm not into Zoom teaching and at this moment, I don't feel like I have enough experience under my belt to do so. Plus, I've had a few other things going on. 

The auditions have traditionally been 15 minutes. Last August, after I missed a meeting, Beth sent me the following text: "You are going to wish you auditioned yesterday. We had 2 auditions on Tuesday and they only had to do 15 minutes. Going forward all have to do the full three hours for an audition."

That did nothing for me wanting to teach, much less audition. And it did nothing for my opinion of Beth either. But, that's for another blog. 

However, because I might want to teach in the future, I answered the call to sit in on today's audition. Now to be fair, the e-mail went out right after Thanksgiving and it covered the following: there was going to be an audition. It would be on December 18. It is a three hour audition. If you can commit to the entire three hours, and want to participate as a panel member, reply to this e-mail. Then the coordinator added these famous words: "If you do not reply to this e-mail you will not be invited to the meeting on the 18th. Please keep in mind it is going to be 3 hours long."

Not to brag or anything, but I actually read the entire e-mail and I replied that I could attend as a panelist. But, that's just me. 

Apparently other people also replied they could attend because we have a meeting scheduled for later today. 

And what do you know! There are a lot of whiney babies on my committee who are insisting on "Replying All" to the e-mail thread. "What do you mean it is a three hour meeting? Why would we do something like that?... That seems like such a time-waster... Sorry, I can't stay for the duration. I have other obligations..." and lots more outrage from committee members who are annoyed that their Friday morning during a pandemic is being fraught with something they volunteered to do. So, the e-mails have been flying and complaints are being lodged and for the love of all that is pure and righteous, why can't these folks just have private conversations? 

Nobody, however, has addressed my raised eyebrow: we have six auditions scheduled for today--not one person speaking for three hours. All six auditions are15 minutes each and then the committee (those of us who will be there now that several have bowed out) will discuss. Yep, you read that right. Beth--who is co-chair and knew the truth--purposely told me each audition would be three hours. According to Beth, if I wanted to audition, I had to prepare a three hour class. Nope. Not the case. 

I will be at today's auditions. All six of them. Beth is showing up but apparently has to bow-out early. She was one of the reply-all outraged.  

Who You Know

Within the last 11 hours I got two phone calls from past clients asking me for advice. Both were related to sellers who have their homes in a trust. 

Phone call 1: Seller (his grandmother-in-law) is 94. Her home is in a trust and the real estate agent is asking for the trust documents because the house is now in escrow. Does she need to provide these documents to the agent? I should mention, the house is in another state. 

After going through, "I'm not licensed in that state and this is my best unofficial-off-the-record guess," disclaimer, I gave him this: in order to convey title, the title company needs to prove who owns the property. If the home is in a trust, the title company has to verify this. If the agent is calling, the seller probably ignored the 583 phone calls/text messages/smoke signals from the title company and is now asking the agent to help get this document. If the seller is unwilling to give this to the agent (and please! Be unwilling to give this to the agent, IT IS NOT INFORMATION THE AGENT NEEDS TO KNOW), she can have her attorney directly contact the title officer and coordinate the right documentation. 

"What if she just doesn't want to provide it?" my caller asked. 

Flashbacks of some of my more difficult clients doing just that raced through my head and I could see this playing out. But, I didn't share what a nightmare that might be. Instead, I said, "Most likely the seller's listing contract included language about the seller being cooperative throughout the sale. That would include providing the right paperwork in a timely manner to make the sale close. The buyer can sue for specific performance if the seller doesn't cooperate." 

"Oh good! I will tell her she can be sued. That'll make her cooperate," he said. 

Phone call 2: The seller (his father-in-law) passed away this morning. His house is currently for sale with another agent in Phoenix and what happens now? 

I started with, "Because the home is listed for sale with another agent, I cannot give you real estate advice." Which is true. It would be a serious ethics breach under the circumstances. But the longer answer is yes, the home is still for sale even if the owner passes away. It is in a trust and my caller's wife is on title of the home, the executor of the will and the sole surviving member of the trust. I did tell him to call the agent and she would (hopefully) know what to do. If not, she should ask her broker who will (hopefully) know what to do. 

Hypothetically, as an agent, I would have gone to my most competent escrow officer, opened escrow* and had my escrow officer immediately ask for all of the current and necessary documentation, such as the death certificate and trust documents to make sure there wasn't any glitches. They can handle that part. 

Sometimes my job includes just knowing who to talk to.

*On a side note, you don't need to have a buyer and seller to open escrow. The seller can open it when they list the house. It can be a messy project, but under the circumstances I'd rather have someone I trust handling this kind of thing than an escrow officer I don't know who's been on the job two weeks. 

Grievance Weirdness

We had our last Grievance Committee meeting of 2020. I don't know if I'm on next year's Grievance Committee. I hope so. But, I do know they rotate out people. And, because I've been pretty silent at the Association, my name may fall through the cracks. I guess I could sent out an e-mail to the Powers That Be, but right now I have enough on my plate. I will be pleasantly surprised if I'm asked to return. Part of me thinks it won't be an issue. After all, who else will read 89 pages of he-said-she-said over some of the strangest things. 

This week's meeting was more or less uneventful. There was the usual, "This agent stole my client," type complaints. We also had a member of the general public we thought was scamming the agent and was trying to publicly shame the dude. There was a lot of fluff and multi-syllable words, but no substance. We didn't think the agent actually did anything wrong. Sometimes the loudest and most obnoxious complaints don't seem as legit as some of the more mundane.  

Then there is this case. I didn't peer review it. But it struck me as strange. So, I'll pass it along to you three readers. Essentially this agent was fired by his client. The agent didn't go away. The agent continually called the lender asking for updates. The agent continually called the mother of the client (in another state) asking for updates. The agent called everyone involved asking for updates--all after he was told he was fired! He just didn't go away. 

Here's where it got interesting. Someone said it isn't an ethical violation to be a pest. I sort of wish it was. We did send him to the High Inquisitor Squad on a lesser charge, but I'm not on that committee and I don't know if it will stick. I think we were all trying to find some sort of violation to help the complainant's case, but jerks and pests often get away with more than they should.

Directionless

Because of the lack of business, I'm a bit flat. There is no money in my account to pay for some of my necessities: my dues (so I can get receive my upcoming commission and use the Multiple Listing Service), the data subscription I use (and helps me in my business) and my errors and omissions (malpractice) insurance. All of these are due in 29 days. Not true, my data subscription has already expired. 

Honestly, I've been struggling with whether or not to keep my doors open. I have made a profit every year I've worked for myself so that isn't the issue. But keeping the doors open isn't necessarily viable if I want to keep doing this in the short-term. Truthfully, I can still maintain my license and go to a different brokerage. That will save me the insurance portion of what I owe. I still have to pay the rest. 

Of course, I have ways to get the money. But I am hesitating. My hesitation has to do with how much longer I plan on being an agent. Right now I'm not doing any advertising or looking for ways to create work. I need to make a commitment if I'm going forward. One way or another. 

I've weighed the pros and cons of closing my doors. Pro: less expensive, less liability, less paperwork. Con: Less freedom, less autonomy, less commission (assuming I have incoming commissions), somebody else's office policies/politics and there are start-up costs of signs, advertising and other broker fees I'm expected to pay. Plus, what broker in their right mind wants to bring in an agent who is not producing? I know there are discount brokerages out there who will charge me a fee (and/or a portion of my commission) and leave me alone. But most won't. Nor do I want to sit through sales meetings and deal with the crazy that comes from being a "team" player. As I write this, I'm having PTSD just thinking about the days I worked for El Jefe and the Insane Woman at 21st Century. 

There are a few life-thingys in the Sunshine household right now that need more attention than me trying to sell and house or two (we are fine). But what to do about my brokerage has been weighing on my mind. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will make a few decisions and commit to a direction. 

Random Adventures

Oh... and there have been adventures around here. Just not in real estate. 

The Grievance Committee meets this week. We are hearing three cases. There are 12 of us. Yet, once again, I have been given the most maddening case to peer review. My first year on the committee I didn't review any cases. The folks in the Association are making up for lost time. 

Anyway, for those of you who aren't real estate agents you may not know this. But for those of you who might be agents you should know: it is uncool to steal someone's clients. And if you wish to file a complaint against someone who does this, for the love of all that is holy and righteous DO IT IN LESS THAN 87 PAGES.  

By the way, there was a Grievance Committee meeting a couple of weeks ago that I was supposed to peer review another maddening 46-page case for. However, we had Sunshine Household drama going on and I wasn't able to make the meeting. 

Personal notes: 

Brother #1 and his New Yorker bride left on Saturday. They are both LARGER THAN LIFE extroverts with fabulous and enormous personalities that I absolutely love. However, it was an intense holiday. I haven't finished cowering in the corner yet. 

There is no work for real estate agents. I finished a documentary on Scientology and am re-watching my favorite Spanish novella. Plus, I am reading two books right now. And finally, I am half-done knitting Buckaroo's Christmas blanket. 

Job Hunting

There are bizarre decisions being made in the Sunshine home. For one thing, how can I bring in a small income to pay for a few necessities: such as airplane tickets to visit friends around the country. Generally this is done with real estate work, but there isn't a ton of that right now. 

I've started applying for freelance writing jobs. When I first started doing so, I didn't realize I actually had to submit a bit of writing to go with the application. It has been that long since I've been in the workforce, it simply didn't occur to me that would be necessary, though I can probably dig something up. 

Jane has suggested applying as a transaction coordinator. There are a few major challenges with that. First, to do so, I have to close down my brokerage and go work for whatever brokerage hires me. That isn't necessarily an issue, but I have a property in escrow and two potential listings coming up in the next few months. So, closing down takes some doing. I also have to alert the AZ Department of Real Estate and do whatever they suggest I do. 

The second major challenge with the above is that when I join a different brokerage, I get a different commission split. I like my commission split with myself. And third, transaction coordinators make about $300 a sale and have to deal with disorganized, moody and entitled salespeople. I've watched the craziness Jane went through when she worked for Mrs. Hufflepuff. Jane was a heck of a lot more patient than I would have been. 

I've also looked at mortgage and title insurance jobs. I have a few friends in the industry and I might know a few things about this kind of work. However, I have to turn my real estate license into the State if I want to do either. That means I can't sell anything--not that I'm having much luck right now anyway, but I'm not ready to let go. 

Finally, I could teach more. Possibly. So far, Beth is silent on inviting me to teach--though I haven't reached out to her either. I really hate zoom classes. And honestly, being a transaction coordinator pays more and I would be dealing with a lot more moody and entitled salespeople all at once.

I Worked-ish This Week

I had a 30 second chat with Steve earlier this week about his upcoming home. Then we talked for 30 minutes about the weather, what he is up to these days, what I'm currently reading (A Nero Wolfe book and "The Art of War."), how our 80 year old parents are doing and other innocuous current affairs. We ended with he and I wishing each other well and promising to stay in touch when there was more to tell about his home. 

The Fair Housing class I took this week made my eye twitch, as the teacher was more political than he needed to be and did not keep the class on topic. Additionally, the class monitor thought she was having a private instruction instead of watching the students to ensure they kept their camera on and continued to ask obscure questions. We have all been in those types of situations where that one person (the Monitor) tells a ten minute tale that could be summed into something like, "One time my grandfather thought he was being discriminated against because he was a Welsh kale farmer and what should he have done?" When the answer was provided the Monitor kept pressing. But the teacher didn't reel her in to let the instruction continue. I got credit for the class. Plus, I learned a lot of personal tid-bits about Welsh kale farming. 

Fair Housing

 As real estate agents, I am required to take a fair housing class every so often. Today just happens to be the day. The class is commonly the most boring of the classes we have to take, as it goes through the history of how certain groups of folks weren't treated well many years ago. Then, the required curriculum implies that as real estate professionals, we still don't know how to be professional and kind, and therefore, here is what we are to do: treat everyone the same. 

I get it, there are folks in my profession who don't know the Golden Rule. But it doesn't matter if they sell homes or not: they would be who they are. The difference is the government has set up fines for those who are accused of selling and renting homes and not judging every applicant the same way. 

A long time ago, I did a lot of business in Birmingham AL. Though I didn't see the folks I was talking to, I was often accused of being a racist. Generally, the unfounded claims were based on the fact I had three applicants for the same house. One had a recent eviction and no means of income. One had an open bankruptcy and two pet king cobras. One had spectacular credit, a great job, no pets and long-term ties to the area. The last one would get the house. The other two would cry to the Heavens it was discrimination. One time someone pulled that card and I told him, "I don't know what you look like or what religion you are. I do know you are rude and if you are this much of a pain now, I can only imagine what kind of drama I'm due for if I rent to you for the next year." It isn't illegal to say no to potential tenants who are just plain nasty. 

All that aside, I once had a billable chat with my attorney about a rare situation. She made a few bucks. I left our conversation with a pit in my stomach. You see, I had a rental home in Leeds, Alabama--the most bigoted, backwards place in all the South. I was made aware that a high-ranking member of the KKK lived next door. And I have to say, after meeting the monster, I truly believe it. 

Every time the home in Leeds came vacant, the phone rang off the hook. Many of the calls I got for this place were from folks who were probably not white (I didn't ask). However, I did not in good conscious think I could rent the house to someone of color. In this case, it was a matter of safety. I'd already had my home vandalized (several times) because I was a woman owner. And by the way, I was told when it happened, that was the reason. So, how would I in good conscious rent to a family that wasn't like these idiots? Would I be liable if there was an incident? What if a child got hurt? Even if I wasn't liable, I'm not sure I could live with myself knowing this about this neighborhood and agreed to let someone move in that might be vulnerable. 

In the end, my attorney assured me the neighborhood spoke for itself. I needn't worry. Nobody who didn't fit into the neighborhood wanted to live there anyway. She was right. It was never "officially" an issue. 

 

An Hour of Crazy

I took a class on the changes in the Multiple Listing Service happening this week. The class was forty minutes long. From the time the class started to the time the class ended, the inventory went down a net 45 homes. Generally November is a slow month in real estate. A 40 minute period on a Monday afternoon in November suggests it isn't slow at all. 

And a Happy Birthday to one of my favorite friends. I hope you have a wonderful day! Much love to you! 

Not Much Work

It's been so long since I've actually looked at MLS, I'd forgotten my password. 

Here's the latest: there are 4,832 three or more bedroom free-standing homes for sale in the greater Maricopa and Pinal Counties. That covers Phoenix, the suburbs and a few other outlier areas. If you want condos, townhomes and mobile homes, then the number is about 6,000ish. 

Kearny--which is 89.5 miles from the AZ State Capitol (downtown Phoenix), appears to be the hotbed of activity with seven properties for sale under $140,000. Call me if you want to see them. I will hook you up with an agent who specializes in Kearny homes.  

Polly's Christmas Gift
(which she is holding)

In other news: today I should finish the queen-sized blanket I am knitting for Polly. Every row takes about 15 minutes to knit. I hopefully will start Buckaroo's blanket tomorrow. I have until Dec. 24 to finish it. Given the amount of inventory out there and the number of Spanish telenovelas on Netflix, I suspect I will have plenty of time to make his. 

The garage still houses a good portion of our worldly possessions from the flooring project. There have been several trips to Goodwill, as we part with what we no longer need. However, because of work schedules (Polly), intense school schedules (Buckaroo and Polly), a bad back (Marty), a lame leg (me) and an autumn non-Covid cold (me), it is taking longer than anticipated to get our house back to normal. That's ok because the house is really clean. 

Good Will Hunting

 A friend contacted me yesterday. She wanted to know if the purchase contract expressly forbid the buyer and seller to talk to each other. 

Sigh. It doesn't. But how I wish it did. 

In almost 18 years of selling real estate, I can tell you I have yet to have a good experience where the buyer and seller decide to talk. Nope, not true. There is one exception.  One time, the seller said, "I will make no repairs. You can't make me." But then the seller insisted on being present during the buyer's home inspection. As the home inspector pointed out minor issues, the wife-seller said, "oh... that's terrible." and the husband continued to offer to fix the broken whatevers. In the end, the sellers fixed lots of extraneous things that the buyer wasn't really planning on asking for, but since the sellers offered... By the way, that was the first house I ever bought (1998). My agent was thrilled. I learned later the selling agent was furious. 

However, I have seen deals, where things didn't go very well. One time the buyers and sellers worked out the terms and conditions of the contract right in front of each other and then shook on the deal. Right after that, the seller asked the buyer what ward they belonged to. The buyer said they weren't Mormon. Then, when we submitted the offer in writing--the same offer the seller had agreed and shook on an hour earlier--it was flat-out rejected. 

Very early in my career, I was representing Mr. Ex-Partner on an investment home. He went behind my back and convinced the seller to allow his future tenants to move into the seller's home before he owned it. The owner did not pick the tenants and I doubt Mr. Ex-Partner even screened the people he picked to move into the house. Nor, did I know Mr. Ex-Partner even pulled this stunt at the time. Then the house didn't close on time. In fact, it didn't close for an additional month, and the seller was now a landlord and wanted money. Guess who was on the hook for Mr. Ex-Partner's antics? Even though I wasn't involved and didn't know at the time, I darn near lost my license over this and in the end had to forfeit part of my commission to make this all go away. 

Then there was the time another buyer of mine called the seller and asked if they would change the terms and conditions of a (very reasonable) contract. Why? Because my clients felt like they weren't getting a good deal. Actually, they were getting a fabulous deal. The seller was offended the buyers asked, suspicious if there was an ulterior motive--there wasn't. The buyer just read somewhere that agents are useless and thought they could do better (after the contact had been signed). When the buyers then asked for a few modest and necessary repairs, the seller went through the roof and all bets were off. There have been very few occasions when I have had to work for clients where I wanted the other party to prevail. That was one of them. Oh, by the way, the buyers ended up walking away from the house and the sellers got more money for their home in the end. 

One of the reasons I meet with my buyers prior to looking at homes is because I want to make sure they fully understand: this is a business deal. Contracts are for the times when things don't go well. Wanting the other party to like them is all well and good when everyone is happy. But there is no good will clause in the purchase contract. But more to the point, it is always best to just stay away and let the agents do their jobs. 

 

I Worked Last Week

So last week, I did my hair, slapped on some mascara and threw caution to the wind and--dare I say it--put on lip gloss. Then, I went out and showed homes to a client. 

We had to wear masks (sorry lip gloss) while viewing. One seller had a camera in their home and watched to make sure we donned hand sanitizer and booties--though I can't tell you how viruses are spread by shoes. I know this because the selling agent called me and told me her clients were pleased we followed protocol. 

In addition to that, we viewed new builds. Of course, one just doesn't simply walk into a new build. One calls, makes an appointment, gives the medical history of every member of the buying party (including children and the agent--though we aren't given the medical history of those working in the new build showroom). We are told we have one hour for my buyers to make a more than half-a-million dollar buying decision before our germs contaminate the model homes (through our masks and hand sanitizer) and must leave. 

I was spent before I arrived. 

New builds right now are a bit tricky. First, there are "lot premiums" on most every new home being built. A lot premium is extra money the builder can charge that is not included in the sales price. It has to be paid in cash. It is non-negotiable and it is slapped on over and above the price of the home because people are willing to pay it. 

Second, there are waiting lists for homes. So, my clients would have had to prequalify with the builder's lender and only then they could be put on a waiting list to decide which of the three plots of land they might want to buy (with the $10,000 lot premium). Most likely if my clients went this direction today it would be January or February before it was their turn to select a property. It is utterly maddening. 

As it turns out, my fabulous clients have decided that maybe they will sit out the latest market frenzy. They apologized for "wasting" my time. But they weren't wasting my time. They are lovely, gracious people and, as always, I enjoyed every minute with them. Plus, I got to put on lip gloss.

Learning to Teach

I should preface with Beth loves teaching zoom classes. She doesn't have to leave her house. She doesn't have to drive anywhere. I hate teaching zoom classes. I can't read the students' faces to know if I've gotten through to them. I don't like not being able to have an interactive discourse. The students check out and play on Facebook if they aren't interested or don't understand. 

Last time I taught a class online, I got crap reviews, partially because the students didn't find me relatable (my words--their thoughts). The class was a cluster, but that was for a lot of reasons, and me not being relatable was a byproduct of the entire day. However, I could have done a few things better to not have that situation. But it would have been easier had I been able to be with them in person. But I digress... 

 So Beth was the chair of some committee commissioned by the Dept. of Real Estate to make online "zoom" classes a permanent thing. When she got the appointment she went ape. This was a dream come true. And she and her committee made the most of it. 

Today I sat through a, "how to teach adults via zoom," class that basically blew. First, we are required to find 5 ways in a three hour time frame to interactively engage students. This ranges from breakout rooms to polls. Now tell me, when teaching BRAND NEW agents the 10 page residential purchase contract, why would I put them in a place all by themselves to discuss what they don't know? And what would a poll do? Decide via vote what the best way to handle the earnest money would be? The class I teach is a lecture, question and answer class. Though there is "interaction," most of it comes through discussion and real-world legal examples. One can't have a discussion with 30+ adults in the online format. I know. I've tried. 

Oh yes, in order to take attendance, we have to give a "secret word" at some point every hour. At the end of the class, students are to e-mail all secret words to the instructor so they can get credit for the class with the Department of Real Estate. Hence, if a student is taking my six hour information-overload class on the purchase contract and they miss one of the secret words because they are taking notes on a boatload of concepts, they don't get credit for the class and have to redo the six hours again. Yes, you read that right. 

There are still to be monitors in classes of 50 or more people (really, you need a monitor after about 10 people). Even our group of Real Estate Instructors needed a monitor, as I saw a few people doing questionable things. There were 30 of us. And by the way, I'm guilty too. I sent a couple of texts to my friend Kay, who was also in the class.

We were also taught lots of tricks on how to make zoom more--and I am not making this up--"fun." This included raising our hands, using chat and annotating--but my version of Zoom did not include an annotating feature. So instead I watched the other 29 participants do an online word search and write anti-Dodgers graffiti during our "annotation session." 

Though I am certified to teach online, I think I will do my level-best to wait until the classrooms open up again. I am more interested in teaching and helping new agents understand what they are doing than playing with technology. Not that it matters, Beth hasn't invited me to teach since July.  

Coincidence I'm Sure

I noticed my Broker-Pal, Sally's house is under contract as of yesterday! I'm really glad. That was a tough sell. I'm really happy for her. 

On an--I'm almost positive--unrelated note, there are 5,384 single family homes for sale in Maricopa and Pinal Counties. The least expensive one I found in the Valley is on McDowell and 35th Avenue. It is listed at $185,000, with multiple offers received. The remarks said the electrical and plumbing have been completely stripped in the house. If you don't want to live on McDowell and 35th Avenue but want under $200,000, might I suggest Kearny, Mammoth or Arizona City? 

Maybe I Can Tell Him After 25 Years

I got a text from JC Monday afternoon. After consulting with their financial planner of 25 years, a man he trusts with his life (JC's words), they have decided not to take on a mortgage at this phase of their lives. It would be too much of a burden. Therefore, they will not be moving. 

Translation: the $900 a month land lease on the property they were looking at wasn't factored into their initial budget and Carley--who hated the house JC wanted--finally explained to JC the house wasn't for her. 

However, they would do better if they purchased something, even in this phase of life. It would be less expensive than what they are paying in rent. I didn't explain the above to them. They aren't ready to hear that from me. 

On another note, I was invited over once the pandemic subsided. I happily accepted the invite. They really are nice folks. 

I Don't Want to be A Grievance Committee Case

My very first clients in my brokerage were this couple: JC and Carly. They rented a house with a bit more drama than they expected, even though I'd given them fair warning of what the rental market was really like. We have stayed in touch on and off over little things, like clauses in their lease, and should they move to another rental? 

JC reached out to me yesterday. You see, they want to move. They are so motivated to move that they went house hunting with another agent over the past two weeks. When I asked them why they didn't call me, he said--and I'm not making this up--"I didn't want to bug you." 

Now, they have have found something they love. The home is simply perfect! And can I help them out? Well, no. I can't. 

You see, there is this thing called, "Agency." It means if you are working with one agent, find the home of your dreams, another agent can't come in, swoop down and steal the buyers and write the contract. You would be surprised at the number of Grievance Committee cases we see on this particular issue. Even if the client fires the first agent before the contract on that wonderful home is written, it doesn't change the fact the first agent DID THE GROUND WORK. Therefore, anything I do from this point forward is an ethical violation. 

Now then, if JC and Carly don't like the houses they have seen thus far and don't want to work with that particular agent, I can come in (provided they haven't signed anything binding them to the first agent--which I am told they didn't). I would be happy to. It wouldn't be a bother. It wouldn't be bugging. It would be my job and the way I feed my family. But I suspect this won't be happening. JC has his mind made up. They found "the house." Carly, however isn't so sure, but said she could live there for a few years and then maybe move if it didn't work out. 

Our conversation was cheerful. To their credit, they sounded disappointed I wouldn't be representing them. And we parted as friends. This morning JC even sent over his lease, asking me to take a peek, just to make sure he can get out of it early if they decide to to buy. Well, why not. Maybe they will think of me first when they want to move again in a few years. 

Grievance Committee Meeting

 We had our Grievance Meeting. It was a rather long one with 9 cases to hear. The dude who was mad his agent didn't explain the contract or today's market to him didn't really have an ethical case. He got the house, mind you. He just feels he overpaid--which he probably did--because it was a multiple offer situation. Buyer's remorse isn't a code of ethics violation. 

The agent whose clients didn't get the rental home of their dreams is out of luck. The property manager doesn't work for this dude and this dude's clients. He works for the owner. The owner didn't want the potential renters. It isn't the property manager's fault. Nor is it an ethical violation for a property manager not to work weekends. 

There were two cases that made us sick. The first case was an agent who forged a document, entitling himself to a significant money from the seller's proceeds of the house. However, the case was more than 180 days old. And because of the rules on this particular situation, we could do nothing. I think I speak for my committee members when I say I really wanted to make a few exceptions to the 180 day rule. This agent is walking away, unscathed, with a hefty bank account. 

Then there was a horrible case. To summarize, there is a man who doesn't speak English, who is now homeless because his agent took advantage of him. He has been evicted and doesn't understand why. The agent deserves worse than just what we as peers can do to her. If the High Inquisitor Squad finds her guilty, she will be walking away with at worst with a fine and a suspended license. However, the man she burned has lost a lot more.  

Still on the Market

I haven't heard from my Broker-Pal, Sally since I gave her my feedback on her listing. It is still overpriced. It is still active on the market. Both of those things tell me either her sellers aren't listening to her or she didn't really want my opinion when she asked me to review her listing. Possibly both. 

Hopefully it will sell this weekend. I know she is ready to be done with this sale. I also know her clients are ready to move on. 

Grievance Committee Reviewing

I am reviewing the nine cases that are in front of the committee this week. I am half-way done and needed a break before I tackled the last five. There are a few takeaways: 

• Agents don't understand property management. I'm sorry you had to wait an additional 90 minutes to get a response from the property manager for your client. Maybe the property manager was busy and couldn't get back to you right away? It isn't an ethical violation. I'm sorry, after your clients submitted applications to rent, the property manager discovered your clients are lying. That is not an ethical violation for the property manager. What it was is crappy clients for you and a waste of your time. That sucks.

• Going after selling agents for not disclosing something they don't know isn't an ethical violation. Nowhere does it say in the code of ethics that real estate agents must retain a psychic at all times. 

• Harmed clients tend to go after the wrong party. Your agent screwed up but successfully covered his butt. Therefore, someone is going to pay. It must be the other agent! But usually it isn't. Getting lawyers involved who clearly don't understand Arizona Real Estate law does not make for a stronger case against the wrong party. It just makes the lawyer's bank account bigger. 

• Referral fees to the general pubic is a no-no. A big one. (I think it is a Class 6 felony, but don't quote me on that one.) Anyway, if you say to your friend, "I know a good agent let me call her and see if she will represent you," you AND you aren't a licensed real estate agent, I can't give you a referral fee. Feeling you have been wronged by an agent who (allegedly) agreed to give you a referral fee doesn't make that fee magically appear. Especially when that agent has denied from the beginning of every e-mail you submitted as your evidence of an ethical violation that they can't give you a referral fee. 

My head hurts. 

The Secret Shopping Expedition

My broker pal, Sally, called me. She needed a secret shopper to go to her listing and then give her feedback. Easy enough. Agents do this for each other all the time. This isn't my first secret shopper excursion and I've asked many agents for similar favors. 

Anyway, Broker Pal Sally has this listing. It is about 1,600 square feet, with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and this weird upstairs loft area that has no reason to exist. Oh yes, in order to get to the loft, one must risk their lives, ascending up super-steep stairs. In addition to all that, the homeowners have very little understanding of home maintenance and what it takes to actually stage a home for sale. Sally has gently nudged them on a few items, they responded with quick fixes that actually made things worse. So now she wanted someone else to provide anonymous feedback so she wouldn't have to be the heavy. 

I should also mention, Sally has already gotten more assistance out of them than she expected. For example there is only one bed in the master bedroom now. And they actually mostly-sorta cleaned the bathrooms. Additionally, the sellers are absolutely certain Zillow is the Lord's Gospel Truth and just know their home is worth $40,000 more than it is. Anyway, Sally has this place listed for $350,000. I sold one in March in the same neighborhood, bigger and in much better condition for $325,000. But what do I know? 

Here's the thing about being a secret shopper. It is like being an outsider to a dysfunctional family picnic. You may recognize that Brother James is a wackadoodle, but it isn't appropriate to say so. Nobody picks on Brother James except family. You, as the outsider need to grin and nod. I did not. 

Instead, I gave Broker Pal Sally the blunt truth. The place smells like a wet dog. There is (hopefully) water leaking from an exterior door, there are brass doorknobs, brushed nickel faucets and oiled bronze ceiling fans. The carpet is ripped in one place and weird green slime in another. The tile is circa 1986 and hasn't been cleaned since. Neither has the stove. There is too much furniture, and if they are moving anyway, perhaps they could move some of it now? I also suggested removing--and I am not making this up--the organ from the master bedroom, securing the staircase railing and investing in gallon jugs of Febreze. 

Anyway, Broker Pal Sally did not take well to my feedback. It appears I overstepped. She was looking for the glossed over version of me saying, "It will sell." And it will. But not at $350,000. The fact that it is still on the market and there are no offers after this weekend is evidence enough even in this market (5,700 homes Active) Buyers aren't that desperate. 

Here are a few pictures. You can't smell them. You're welcome. 

Flooring

My floors are done. They look great. There didn't have to be the crazy amount of drama that ensued but apparently some vendors just can't get it together the way they should without a nudge or a threat to the Registrar of Contractors. The number of Mrs. Sunshine calls I got today ("Mrs. Sunshine, I am just checking to see if everything met your satisfaction...") was five. Lowe's stepped up big-time. For that, I'm pleased. 

Would I recommend Lowe's for future flooring? The price was good, the work is warrantied, but the drama was beyond stupid. Honestly, I am not sure. Next week, when everything isn't so fresh in my head and my house is put back together I might say yes. Maybe. I have a low threshold for BS and lame excuses, so I also might say no. 

The flooring was important to me. It meant we have moved past the bankruptcy. It is proof that we are rebuilding our lives. 

Upheaval

Our flooring is half done. And... the crew that was supposed to put in the carpeting today walked out before they even showed up. 

In anticipation of them coming today, we cleaned out the six rooms they were carpeting. When I say "clean out," I mean we pulled most everything out of those rooms, including furniture, knick-knacks, electronics, etc. My office is spotless for the first time in 17 years, only because it is empty. All our worldly possessions are in the garage, front room, kitchen or on the back porch. 

Last night, Marty slept on my recliner chair in our bedroom (the bed was disassembled) and I slept on Buckaroo's spare mattress in the front room while Luna took over half of it. Unfortunately, she took the middle half, leaving me 1/8 on the remaining four sides. 

Marty did not work today--we had no Internet. I didn't work either. I was busy having big-syllable words with those carpet folks who picked up their phones. Those who didn't answer, got vague threats on their voice mails. Then there was a sweet scheduler in Clackamas Oregon that I might have upset. I really do feel bad about that. Maybe she shouldn't have told me it might be a couple weeks before they can get to me. Maybe I could have been slightly more understanding. But I wasn't. 

Our internet is back up. Our mattresses are down in our respective rooms. We have one working shower, as the other bathrooms are filled with furniture we didn't want to haul up and down stairs. Our clothes are still in drawers in the front room. The garage is a hoarder's paradise, with boxes and bookshelves scattered willy-nilly. 

Luna is loving all the extra attention. Finn is beside himself and is letting us all know how much he disapproves of this upheaval. Maybe I should've let him talk to the carpet people instead. 

Yesterday's Meeting

Yesterday afternoon, amid the three whirling table saws, electric sanders, a needy dog and wonderful texts from a friend I miss so much, I sat through this month's market data meeting. To be honest, my heart wasn't in the meeting. But there were a few takeaways: 

Historically, interest rates and home prices do not change significantly during a presidential election year--or even immediately afterwards. 

This is my fourth presidential election as a real estate agent. I have often heard folks on the fence, stating they were afraid of whatever the next administration might do. Therefore they don't want to make a move "right now." No worries. According to the folks in the meeting yesterday, it doesn't matter. 

Currently there are 3.85 buyers for every seller. 

There is no inventory. We aren't in a bubble because there aren't extra vacant homes out there. Essentially: supply is exceeding demand. Does that mean there will be a real estate slowdown at some point? Sure. 

But we need the folks from California to go elsewhere first. 

I Worked Last Week

I got a call from Evie last week. A few years ago I sold her a home. She now wants to sell that home and build. Could I help her? 

With nothing but a clear schedule in front of me, I met her last Friday at her hobby farm in the FAR Southeast Valley. Also, at Evie's request, I took a peek at her parent's home. They want to sell too. However they weren't there. Selling Evie's house will be much simpler than selling her parents--if I get the listing. 

Evie isn't doing anything about selling her home for at least a month. Her parents? Not sure how long that will be. 

After all that, I swung by Client-Steve's new-build to check on the progress. He is currently out of town, so I sent him a few pictures. As always, Steve was incredibly gracious and generous with his gratitude. I adore this dude. He is such a delight to work with. He said he will be in town this weekend with his pal, Patti. I am hoping for a chance to visit with them. 

However, as I write this, we are on day three of a major remodel project. Yesterday Umburto, the head of the remodel, gave me the news: they would be going on this all weekend. I could tell he wasn't any more excited to say that than I was to hear it. So I am not sure seeing Steve this weekend is in the cards. 

To give you an idea of "major remodel," yesterday I picked up chicken for lunch. Then Marty, Buckaroo  and I had a picnic on Polly's bed, using washcloths from the linen closet as napkins. Then we took our trash out the front door and around to the back yard to throw it away. We also brought the dog with us outside, so she could leave my bedroom and take care of business. The soiled washcloths were put in Polly's laundry. She wasn't home, as she has an aversion to jackhammers. And she was even less thrilled when she found out chicken was served on her pillow. I promised her we would change it up. Today's lunch would be served on Buck's pillow. Eventually we will have a kitchen/downstairs bathroom and possibly laundry facilities (the stove and washer/dryer are in the garage right now). But for now we are living a hoarder's dream as two floors of the home are fulling inoperable and all of our worldly possessions are either in the garage or shoved into the master bedroom (along with the dog and cat) or Buck's bedroom. 

Going Forth

This morning I sat through the Arizona Association of Realtor's classroom monitor training. It's a thing! 

In case you are paying attention, I was already doing this for the local association--where they pretty much just threw me into the fray and said "Go forth and monitor!" The state level association actually provides some training that boils down to, "Go forth and monitor." 

Anyway, I am now trained to monitor a class sponsored by the AAR in person or via video conferencing, where I tell the participants if they are late, don't have their butts in the seats, or are distracting they won't receive credit for the class. I would say that normally adults should be able handle such trivial instructions, but then again there are classroom monitors for a reason. 

Last Week's Realtor Consultation

Saturday morning, on his way to what is the equivalent of a 1920's speakeasy for stereo parts, my little brother swung by. My brother is an eccentric sort and he has eccentric friends--including a dude who makes his pals sign a non-disclose when it comes to where to purchase stereo merchandise. I was guessing the place is in some sort of abandoned missile silo in the middle of Box Canyon, just East of the Valley. But I am not sure, as my brother was sworn to secrecy. But, I digress. 

Anyway, Little Bro asked how my appointment with John went. Honestly, I wasn't sure how to answer. What I considered strange might not be what everyone else considers strange. And what y'all might find peculiar might be mainstream for me. To be fair, I was raised by political conspiracy theorists and there might be an ongoing drinking game my sibs and I play when a certain parent of mine says, "Trilateral Commission." 

Back to my appointment with John. 

John's mother passed away some time ago. John has been in the process (for the past three years) of cleaning out the property and getting it ready to put on the market. He is hoping to do so in the next week. Call me skeptical, but if it has taken three years to get this far, I am pretty sure shoveling out the place isn't going to happen in the next seven days. 

John also has a bit of analysis paralysis. He wants to bling-out the place. I tried to gently explain: just remove Mama's worldly belongings and clean the place (PLEASE!) and let's get a sign in the yard. That's all! Given none of those were a priority, I am not sure I got through on this point. I guess I will find out. 

But that's not all. John regaled me with stories about his own conspiracy theories, providing me with Web sites, ideas and--if I had an alcoholic beverage available--a fabulous drinking game. John is quite passionate about his opinion of the current state of world affairs and I am only sorry a certain parent of mine wasn't there to argue with him. That alone, would have been worth that lost hour of my life. 

For the majority of the time I spent with him, John didn't let me get a word in edgewise. I needed him to sign my agency form, so I waited politely while he talked about all of the above. And then, out of the blue and in mid-sentence, he just stopped talking. He suddenly reached for a pen, signed the form, unceremoniously escorted me out of the house and wished me well. 

I don't know if I will get this listing. I'd really like to help out John. He is a pretty nice guy. He is also a great friend to my brother. And frankly, I kind of get what John has been going through when it comes to dealing with his mother's passing. I understand the grief of losing parent (or in my case, a Bonus Mom). His conspiracy theories are interesting and don't really bother me. (Yet.) Perhaps if he is ready to list next week, he will call back. Or, perhaps when he escorted me from his home and slammed the door, that was it. I could see this going either way.  

 

It was a $500 Trip Charge

I think one of the big reasons I am burned out on the whole real estate thing is because of stories I just read on the AZ Realtor Forum--the super-secret Facebook site where agents can get together and work through issues. Here's the latest: 

This past Sunday (Labor Day weekend, mind you,) Mary went to show her vacant listing only to find out her seller's AC is on the fritz. The seller is out of state. Mary called her sellers to let them know this will need to be remedied. 

Now then, pop quiz time: who owns the house? The sellers. 

Who owns the AC? The sellers. 

Whose responsibility is it to get the AC fixed? The sellers. Even if they are out of town. 

However, Mary, who feels it is always right to go the extra mile, said she can be available on Tuesday to meet AC guy at the house, let the dude in and he can fix the problem. Of course, the sellers have to pay for this. 

But that wasn't good enough. Nope. The sellers demanded Mary meet the AC guy at the house Sunday  night of a holiday weekend--the earliest he could come is after 9 p.m., let in this stranger to a dark and vacant home where he will miraculously fix whatever is wrong and go on his merry way. 

Mary, who is night blind and lives miles away, asked if perhaps a friend or family member could do this. Otherwise, as she mentioned prior, Tuesday would work when she could meet the AC guy at a reasonable hour. The seller said no. She didn't want to "inconvenience" the neighbors or friends. The seller would rather pay the weekend charge and inconvenience her agent instead. 

Mary asked if she could put a combination key box on the property so the AC guy could let himself in. Nope. That was not an option. As far as the sellers were concerned, Mary was to babysit the AC guy in a vacant home late on a Sunday night. 

Here's where I get cranky. My attorney doesn't cook my food. My doctor doesn't fix my car. My AC guy doesn't cut my hair. They have boundaries. Most reasonable folks wouldn't think of asking the above to do any other tasks other than what they are paid to do. But clients expect real estate agents to be indentured servants. 

IT ISN'T MARY'S JOB TO SIT AT A VACANT HOME ON A SUNDAY NIGHT AT 9 P.M. TO WAIT FOR SOME STRANGER TO SHOW UP. And frankly, Mary should have set that expectation from the beginning. She is making it hard for the rest of us to look professional when she is willing to whore herself out. Pardon me, I'm annoyed. 

There are times I will do extra for my clients (remember Ruby the passive-aggressive standard poodle?). I've let in my fair share of vendors, at reasonable hours around my schedule, mind you. But I let my clients know it isn't part of my scope of service.

As agents, if we wish to be taken seriously, we need to stop trying to solve other people's problems and focus on what we are being paid to do. I understand this ruffles feathers of clients and agents alike, but it doesn't change the fact we have responsibilities and need to set boundaries.  

Gratuitous Blog Fodder

My youngest brother is an unusual sort of soul. Granted, he has sired one of my most favorite humans. Let's not forget that. And though I would rather tell you how wonderful my nephew is, this post isn't about the greatest seven year old to walk the planet. 

Actually this post it isn't about my brother either--other than he keeps interesting company. Case in point: when he and I were living together when I was in my early 20s, he had a friend who had "dreams" of serial killers using swords to cut off their intended's head. Friend shared with me his graphic dreams, smiling a drippy kind of creepy smile the entire time. Then he told me about how one serial killer in question has to jump dimensions to escape the authorities. But, no fear! This guy knows where he is hiding and intends to blackmail him. It was at that point, I sweetly asked Little Bro, not to have this wackjob friend back over to our house. 

Anyway, jumping ahead 30+ years, Little Bro has another friend, John, who I have only heard about for the past quarter of a century. I have suspected on a few occasions that Little Bro has purposely kept us apart, for fear of me initiating an intervention. 

Until now. 

And I might still initiate an intervention. 

Tomorrow morning, I have a real estate consultation with John. Though he seems perfectly nice and I (no longer) question my brother's taste in humans, there are still some major warnings about what kind of client John might turn out to be. I spoke to John on the phone for quite a long time yesterday. I can see that if I actually get to list this house, it will be a multi-step process complete with a drain on my sanity. Consider yourself warned. 

27 Books Since March

I Highly Recommend this Book

Here's the latest market data: there are currently 4,643 single family three or more bedroom homes for sale in Maricopa and Pinal County. Are you looking for a bargain? The deals of the week can be found in Kearny or Gila Bend where you can find gems (GEMS I tell you!) for under $100,000. By the way, they aren't the same bargains as last week. Somebody already scooped up those nuggets. 

Here's the least expensive home for sale in the City of Phoenix at $110,000. Great news! The house has a gas stove!  

Lesson Learned

Two interesting and probably related events happened last month in my world of (not) teaching real estate. First, because I was busy babysitting my nephew 8 to 10 hours a day, I did not audition to teach at the local realtor association. Honestly, I didn't want to handle the 15 minute audition through a zoom conference. Plus, watching/homeschooling a 7 year old is a lot of work and a lot more fun. 

My boss, Beth, is on the committee. I am too, but I didn't make the meeting for the same reason I didn't audition: Nephew. The next day, unsolicited, Beth sent me the following random text: 

"You are going to wish you auditioned yesterday. We had 2 auditions on Tuesday and they only had to do 15 minutes. Going forward all have to do the full three hours for an audition."

Let me just say, I don't see the committee sitting through many three hour auditions for potential teachers. And if they are willing to, the more power to them. I won't be sitting thought that or auditioning under those circumstances either. 

However, that brings up the second event: there has not been an invitation from Beth to teach this month or next. Honestly, that's ok too. 

Bloom Where You Are Planted

So as of today (Tuesday) there are 4,686 homes for sale in the Phoenix "metro" area. I wish to be really clear on that "metro" thing, because if you are looking for a bargain, plan on commuting from Kearny or Arizona City. 

In Maricopa County, there are 4,238 houses for sale (of the aforementioned 4,686 properties). Of those, only one is under $100,000 and that's in Gila Bend. Mind you, a balanced buyer-seller market is around 35,000 homes for sale at once. 

Lately, my advice for anyone who is itching to make a move is simply, don't. Stay put. And this is, my three friends, is why I am not working right now. 

 

Gratitudes

 My gratitude list for this week includes the following: 

1. I am not a landlord at this point in my life. If you want to know why, hit me up and I will give you eight years' worth of reading material, coupled with a lecture about how lenient judges are about tenants during a Covid pandemic. 

2. Marty didn't get the layoff notice this week. Of course, we play this layoff game once again in a few weeks. But it is nice to have a slight reprieve for now. 

Market Data

Bliz came to town. So, we went on a girl's trip last weekend where we talked about the same thing we discussed when we were 16. We probably drank the same things then too. However, this time it came with matching pajamas, an Air BNB and about three hundred howling coyotes surrounding us as we walked in the desert one morning. I don't recommend that last one. 

But you don't come to this site to see grown women in matching jammies. So, here's the latest: 

There are 3.39 buyers for every home for sale. Last year there was 2.19 buyers per home. We thought that was an incredible seller's market back then. I am told the trend is "leveling out," but please keep in mind, it took a year to get this high, we (probably) aren't going to get into a buyer's market overnight.

In yesterday's real estate market presentation we were told that we will see prices falling when we have 57,000 new and VACANT homes active on the market. Given we have about 5,000 right now and most of them are occupied, I am thinking we've got a way to go. So, don't expect a crash any time soon--though if a giant wave of zombies attack, who knows? And before you scoff: we are in the midst of a pandemic and two hurricanes hit the exact spot in less than a week, plus the aforementioned coyotes. So, be careful folks.