In Real Estate, HOPE is not a STRATEGY!

by Bobby Bryant

Are you a Realtor? Do you want to be successful? Are you struggling to produce? Well, being a successful Realtor is a tough sport and HOPE is not a strategy! I’m amazed at the number of Realtors that enter into this business thinking it’s easy. Well, let me be the first to tell you: It is tough being a successful and consistently producing Realtor. I’m going to share three(3) solid tips about how to turn your HOPE into HAVING a pipeline!

TIP #1

FIX YOUR MINDSET!  The biggest mistake a new or existing Realtor can make is NOT shaking the “Employee” mindset. You must get rid of it TODAY!! You are self-employed. It’s like going to college, there is no momma or daddy around to tell you to go to class, study, and not party. You are self-employed!! Your Broker can’t make you go to meetings or do anything. Just like in college, you have to want to be a good student. In real estate, you have to want to be a good student, of the game!

A Realtor can go to all the trainings, seminars, and office meetings that are available. A Realtor can read all the best books, watch the best videos, and attend the industries best webinars. However, until he or she has adopted the right mindset all of these actions are just a waste of money and time. FIX YOUR MINDSET!!

TIP #2

CHOOSE A MARKET! A generalist will NEVER make it in this business moving forward. You have to choose a market TODAY!! I’m entertained when I meet a Realtor in Houston and I ask where they market to get business. Most of the time, they just say “Houston!” They say this meaning they work all over Houston.

The TOP PRODUCERS in Houston ALL have specific areas that they market and demonstrate to the general public that they are the industry experts. They are always present in their market(s). They are sending direct mail, member of HOA’s, affiliated with the local Chamber of Commerce, etc.. It cost too much to be a generalist in this business. By choosing a market, you can consolidate and saturate a market and easily become an identifiable figure. Choose a market TODAY and dominate it!!

TIP #3

GET IN THE KNOW! Who knows you? What organizations are you affiliated with?  Do you blog? Are you properly using Social Media? Are you using video? Are you giving out business cards? Are you asking for business cards? Are you building your database? If you plan to consistently produce in this business, what are you doing?

You have to get in the know!! Again, this is not an easy business. Let the general public know who you are, what you do, and how well you do it!! Yes, speak up!! A closed mouth does not get fed. In this game, it’s not about how many people YOU know like in the old days. Today, it’s about how many people know YOU!

I tell my Realtors to join at least three(3) organizations and create your own audience. This is a must!! If not, who are you going to sell to? Whose houses are you going to list? GET IN THE KNOW!! Join organizations that are in line with your beliefs/values and the things you enjoy. Get involved!! GET IN THE KNOW!!

In conclusion, there are several other tips that can jump start your business. However, everything starts and ends with YOU. You can jump from one Broker to the next and it wouldn’t matter. It all starts and ends with YOU!! The best training in the world won’t help you if you don’t take personal responsibility for your own success. HOPE is not a strategy!! However, being a student of this game and having a burning desire to succeed are the raw ingredients to creating a successful Realtor!

Definition of Excuses: Tools of incompetence created by none achievers to create worthless monuments of nothingness!

Homebuyers, how to get up to 75% of our(iBuy Realty) commission to lower your closing cost?

by Bobby Bryant

Are you in the market to buy a new home in the next 12 months? Have you selected a Realtor? If not, I have some great news for you! iBuy Realty, a NEW real estate brokerage firm in Houston, Texas gives our buyers up to 75% of our commission to lower your closing cost. No Tricks, No Gimmicks, just real SAVINGS!!

People often ask: What’s the catch? Why would you give away your commission? Or, what services are you eliminating? My answer, iBuy Realty was designed with today’s homebuyer in mind. Our Mission Statement: To Revitalize Homeownership in America by making the purchase of a home more rewarding and the selling of a house more economical. With that said, there is NO catch! We have figured out how to leverage technology, studied the shift in consumer habits, and have designed a company that meets consumers at their individual point of need.

Our company has four(4) different Buyer Packages. These packages were designed based on and backed by statistical data. It doesn’t matter if you are super savvy to a more traditional buyer, we have a Buyer Package to accommodate your needs depending on your experience and the support needed to successfully close your transaction.

If you want 75% of the commission due to the Realtor, these are the rules that govern that Buyer Package:

iBuy Control
This Buyer Package is for the buyer that has already found their new home and just needs a Realtor to provide them access to the property and assist with contract preparation/negotiations. Buyers can get 75% of our commission, if they do as follows:

• Must buy a home that is $200,000 or more
• Buyer will search for their own house
• Buyer is limited to two(2) home tours(same as showing 2 houses)
• Rebate will be credited on the HUD-1 at closing
• If the buyer needs additional showings or service, they will roll over to the next Buyer Package

Furthermore, I will be the first to tell you that you have to do your part! If you want to receive a rebate, you have to do some work to earn it. However, the work we are asking you to do, you are already doing it because you have access to real estate data via the internet! So, why not get compensated for your efforts?

To see the remaining Buyer Packages, visit our website at www.ibuyrealty.com to furthermore understand how we can put money back in your pockets when you use an iBuy Agent! Or, call 1.888.870.iBuy(4289) to speak with one of our Agents TODAY!!

Want to buy a house in 2013? Three(3) simple TIPS to MAKE IT HAPPEN!

by Bobby Bryant

In spite of popular belief, buying a house in today’s real estate market is NOT a difficult task. Post the real estate melt down, consumers could have money and bad credit or good credit and no money, and still qualify for a mortgage. NOT TODAY!! Today, you MUST be prepared to buy a house. Unlike the mortgage industry of yesterday, you can’t just “flare-up” and decide to buy a house on the spot and actually get it. Today, you have to PLAN for it!

Do you want to buy a house in 2013? If so, congratulations!! I’m going to give you three(3) solid and simple tips about what to start doing today. This “priceless” blog will list and describe exactly what you should be doing right now to easily qualify “in-advance” for a mortgage. The three(3) TIPS are as follows:

TIP #1: Consult A Mortgage Professional TODAY!
Normally, people will tell you to go pull your credit at FreeCreditReport.com. However, you want to sit down with a reputable Mortgage Planner(Loan Officer) that will pull your credit and coach you on what you need to be doing to get prepared and easily approved for a mortgage.
Tell the Mortgage Planner(Loan Officer) your goals, timeframe, budget, etc… This will help them, help you stay on task with what needs to be done per your goals.

TIP#2: Start Saving!
Start saving TODAY! Banks these days want to see that you have some skin in the game. There are ONLY a few loan products out there that will lend 100% LTV(Loan To Value). Those loans are VA(For Veterans) and USDA(For Rural Areas) Loans. However, most consumers are using FHA(Federal Housing Administration) as their loan of choice if they don’t qualify for the 100% loans I just mentioned.

An FHA Loan requires a buyer to put down 3.5%. The lender wants to see this money come from you. However, they will allow the seller of the house to pay your closing cost up to 6%. So, if you are buying a $100,000 house, the lender will require you to put down $3,500. Now, be sure to ask your Mortgage Planner(Loan Officer) how much reserves you should have in the bank in addition to this down payment. The bank wants to see that you will have some money left after putting this money down. START SAVING TODAY!!

TIP#3: Create A Comprehensive List of Needs & Wants!
The days of splurging are over! Millions of people lost their homes because of greed and taking on more than they were able to afford. BUT NOT YOU!! You are going to buy what you need and want to be comfortable. Do you need a 4,000 square foot house when it’s just you? Do you need a $500,000 home when you are barely at home? Do you want to be close to work? Do you want to be close to your kids school? What’s important to you?

I’m starting to see more buyers these days that are purchasing functional and usable space that they know they are going to use. Today’s buyers are more responsible than they were in the past. I recommend you do the same. With that said, be sure to share with your Loan Officer and Realtor the goals you have for yourself/your family. Loan Officers and Realtors do this every day and every month. The average buyer does this every 5 to 8 years. A reputable Loan Officer and Realtor will guide you in the right direction by making sure you stay on task and effectively accomplish all of your goals.

For an experienced Realtor, contact iBuy Realty at 1.888.870.4289 and/or visit our website @ www.ibuyrealty.com to see how iBuy Realty can help lower your closing cost. You are going to love our service and the savings! Congratulations on your decision to become a homeowner…

Real Estate: Sellers, what does your For Sale By Owner sign say about you and your house?

by Bobby Bryant

Before reading this blog, click this link: http://youtu.be/uh6VpkPKIpU

I’m sure you have seen them in Home Depot, Lowes, or in the front of someone’s yard. The red and white sign that says: For Sale By Owner. The sign even gives its purchaser a small space to write their phone number down so potential buyers can call to inquire about the property. However, I often wonder if these sellers really know what this sign says about them and the house they are selling…

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Statistics

FSBOs accounted for 10% of home sales in 2011. The typical FSBO home sold for $150,000 compared to $215,000 for agent-assisted home sales.

FSBO Methods Used to Market Home:

• Yard sign . . . . . . . . . . 44%
• Listing on Internet . . . 33%
• Friends/neighbors . . . .27%
• Open house . . . . . . . .19%
• Newspaper ad . . . . . 17%
• For-sale-by-owner Web site . .12%

Most Difficult Tasks for FSBO Sellers:

• Getting the right price . . . 12%
• Understanding and performing paperwork: 11%
• Having enough time to devote to all aspects of the sale: 6%
• Preparing/fixing up home for sale: 5%
• Selling within the planned length of time: 5%

Source: 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

What does all these statistics mean? To some degree, absolutely NOTHING! However, there is a perception. I’ve typically heard anywhere from 15-25% of FSBOs successfully sell their home on their own. To me, the larger issue isn’t whether or not they CAN sell their home on their own, but whether or not it’s worth their while.

If a FSBO sells their home on their own, but an agent could have sold it faster, for more money, and made the process safer and easier for the seller, what was truly gained by handling this yourself?
Typically, buyers that are shopping in the FSBO market tend to be looking for one thing: A DEAL! A buyer, who wants to find the right home for them and wants to take advantage of the full inventory available in the market, will generally hire a professional to help with this search.

Given this fact, being that most buyers have a Realtor, there is a negative perception about working with the owner of a FSBO property. If listed with another Realtor/Brokerage, there are certain ethical creeds that we all must obey and follow to give everyone involved added protection against fraud or any misrepresentations. The local Broker gives their Realtors rules/standards, the local Association, State Association, and National Real Estate Association all have ethical standards govern how Realtors conduct business. All of that goes out of the door if the other side(FSBO) is not a licensed REALTOR.

So, what does all of this mean? Hire a Realtor! Can you sell your own house? Of course!! But, at the end of the day is it worth the time, energy, and headache. Statistically, it takes longer to sell your own house due to the limited exposure and negative perceptions of a FSBO’s. If your mortgage payment is $2,000 a month and you are trying to save money, does it mathematically make sense if it’s going to take you longer to sell your own property? Average MLS listed home in Houston right now is selling in 5.3 months. There isn’t a governing body that accurately and statistically documents the data for FSBO’s but I’m sure a unanimous majority would agree that the few successful FSBO’s sold each year in the United States took much longer.

I conclude this blog with another article about Colby Sambrotto, the Founder of ForSaleByOwner.com who decided to hire a Realtor to sell his condo instead of using the company he founded. Click this link: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/08/17/fsbo-com-founder-sells-condo-%E2%80%94-using-real-estate-agent/

CALL iBuy Realty to discuss your options to get optimal exposure and get your house SOLD. We offer four(4) Seller Package to preserve your hard earned equity depending on your individual needs. Vist our website at www.ibuyrealty.com or call us TODAY @ 1.888.870.iBuy(4289).

You are going to love our service and the savings! Rethink. Real Estate.