About Me

My photo
Fleming Island, FL, United States
My beginnings were humble which makes the end of the story that much better. It doesn't matter where you came from it only matter that you have a plan for where you're going. Don't worry about what anyone else says believe in yourself, I did. We moved to Jacksonville from Upstate New York several years ago. Shortly after arriving my husband and I decided that I would give real estate a shot. While my husband positioned himself to be my biggest fan I set out to see what real estate was all about! It's been a wild ride. From the very first year I was blessed to be a top producer for my company Vanguard Realty. What did I learn? That old fashioned hard work, networking with fellow professionals and most importantly remembering that if my customers had a remarkable experience they’d refer me to friends and family is what makes a real estate professional successful.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Gold Rush

Yes its that time of year in Fleming Island again. The FIHS Golden Eagles had their "pep rally" last night right after their Home Coming Parade.

Just like last year I took my little Hailey Rose down for some good old fashioned fun. Except this she was just a little older and the perfect age to really enjoy it. She loved the candy, music and dancing. The kids and parents do a great job. It truly is special.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Fleming Island Plantation

I wanted to share all these great pictures of the ammenities in Fleming Island Plantation. Living in NE Florida is such a great place. This community is like living in a resort and with the taxes, HOA and CDD fees all together the cost is still less than our property taxes in upstate NY. Check it out! You can also go to
http://www.flemingislandplantation.com/ to get more information on the community and everything that is included. We moved to Fleming Island Plantation 10 years ago and we love it. Our youngest is now in 11th grade. The schools are A rated! Whats' not to love?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Do I need to Stage my Home?

My agent said I needed to stage my home. I still need to live here. What really is necessary when selling a house?

You used the words house and home. We’ll get back to those. First let me pose a question. When you go to sell or trade a car what’s the 1st thing you do? Detail it, right? You get that car shining from the inside out, all the clutter gone and smelling good. Why? Because you want top dollar.


Now, lets go back to home and house. We are taking your home and turning it into a house that is available to every qualified buyer in the market place. Very different than being a home you live in. I would also bet that it’s worth more than your car. Would you not then give it the same spit shine, de-clutter, smell great treatment you would a car? You decide.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Listing Agent Number 2?

It saddens me as a successful full time real estate professional to go on listing appointment's these days. I sit across from a seller that called for obvious reasons, to list their home and the conversation often goes the same way.

FIRST AGENT APPOINTMENT

Realtor: Mr Seller, based on the comparable sold properties, the active listings, what is currently under contract as it relates to your home including all the wonderful features, lot location and condition here is the range your home will sell in________.

Seller: Well I was hoping to get ________ because we we need _______ to buy our other house. Or we need it to pay off some debt so we can do _______________.

Realtor: I understand your position, however with the amount of inventory that consumers have to choose from along with the amount of information that is available to them buyers are very savvy. It's important to you as a seller to come out strong in every area to get the highest price. That means condition as well as your list price. Consumers will recognize a good opportunity when they see it. You could even have multiple buyers interested.

What you don't want to do is chase the market down. What I mean is, if you start too high you will lose your best market time, your first months. By the time you lower the price to where you should have been in the first place, the market may have moved below that based on newer information. That being said a month after listing the home with no offers, having made another mortgage payment we may need to adjust the price to lower than suggested in the beginning and now you listing is a month old.

Seller: I hear you, but we really aren't talking that much and buyers will want to negotiate. They can always make an offer. Besides I need that room to come down. I can't sell below________.

Realtor: It's your home and your money we can list were you want to, you just need to understand the consequences of this strategy. If we do not get an offer on your home, which is the equivalent of someone being emotionally engaged in purchasing your home, we cannot even begin negotiations. An experienced agent will be a trusted counselor as well as a skilled negotiator. These are must have qualities in the Realtor you decide to hire. Meaning putting your best foot forward in the beginning, then have a skilled experienced agent that can handle the negotiations once an offer comes in equals selling your home. It's about more than, "Do you do open houses?" The only reason I am passionate about this is I have watched several home owners lose money over a strategy that will not work in this market. Unfortunately you will find an agent that will do whatever you tell them.

Seller: Thank you so much we are going to talk about it tonight and let you know tomorrow.

Realtor: (in mind) They have an agent already that gave them a warm fuzzy about a higher price!

DIDN'T SELL, SECOND LISTING
AGENT APPOINTMENT

Seller: Thanks for coming over so fast. Our listing just expired yesterday and we really need to get our house sold fast. I don't know why we didn't call you in the first place.

Realtor: Well, tell me what happened? What went wrong?

Seller: Well, when we listed our house we started out just a little higher than maybe we should have. But we needed the money to buy our next house. Now it doesn't matter anymore. Prices have dropped so much on our house that it's not even an option. At this point we just need to get out. The payments too high and we are just going to rent.

Realtor: (in my mind) I'm thinking I just walked in and get the listing, The other agent did all the work and did not even get the chance for the right price. At the same time this was so unnecessary. OUT LOUD: Let me show you how we market a home, go over the comparable's and our service then we can get started.

What's the point?

Is it better to be agent number 2? Well for the agent but never for the consumer or the market. The agent will have a motivated seller which equals a sellable home. At the same time if they would have listened to reason in the beginning they would have made more money and the comps would look better. Everyone has to remember that in most markets we are still declining. If you haven't noticed where are the 5 million foreclosures? They sure aren't "For Sale". It appears that the banks are trickling them into the market. Until all that inventory is liquidated and working Americans own them, the housing market will not be stabilized. That among other factors. It's not all doom and gloom but unrealistic sellers participate in driving down the market. Not sure what the answer is.

I will be listing agent number 2, but I much prefer to be agent number 1. It's better for everyone. market time, sold price and seller net. It's a win win!

Kim Knapp
Team Knapp 904-334-7426
follow me
http://twitter.com/jaxsecretagent