Spread the Word About MLXwireless!

One of the fears I have about writing a BLOGGAR is that I’m preaching to the choir and reaching only the agents who are already tech savvy. So I’d like to ask a favor of all of you Blog fans. Please share the Blog with a friend, a colleague, or a new agent in your office.

Most agents think of the MLS only as a place to look up listings. You meet a buyer who wants a Colonial in Wethersfield, so you go in the MLS and look up Wethersfield Colonials. But our MLS offers more functionality than just a simple search, it offers tools to help you work smarter not harder, a fact I sometimes think is the best kept secret in Connecticut.

In the last orientation class here at GHAR, I asked, as I usually do, how many of the agents in the class had smart phones. About 10 out of the 30 or so attendees raised their hands. Then I asked how many of those people are using MLXwireless. I hoped that all ten would raise their hands, but as usual, it was about half. So, why are agents, who are already paying for their smart phones, not using wireless access?

• It can’t be the price. It’s FREE!
• It can’t be the time it takes to sign up because the MLX wireless registration is easily accessible under ‘Resources’ on the MLX home page, 24/7, and it’s only four questions long.
• It can’t be that they couldn’t use the convenience of being able to look up listing information from anywhere.

So, it must be that most of the agents out there just don’t know about MLXwireless. So, I’m spreading the word and asking Blog readers to share. Your next sale may depend on the ability to look up information while you are on the road. Why not register for MLX wireless today and make that sale a reality!?

Shelley LaPaugh
GHAR MLS Director

Do you have integrity?

Ethics is a subject that applies to our business dealings as REALTORS®, but it is also at the root of our moral character as individuals, parents, and leaders. NAR established the REALTORS® Code of Ethics based on the fundamental golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. The Golden Rule falls under duty theory in the family of normative ethics, but did you know there are actually three theories that guide our moral conduct?

• Duty Theory: Basically what NAR says…Avoid wronging others, treat people as equals, and promote the good of others. According to Kant’s categorical imperative, treat people as an end, not as a means to an end.

• Virtue Theory places less emphasis on learning rules, and instead stresses the importance of developing good habits of character. Plato describes cardinal virtues as wisdom, courage, temperance and justice. Other important virtues are fortitude, generosity, self-respect, good temper, and sincerity. Aristotle believed that virtues are good habits that we attain..

• Consequentialist Theory: An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable. Utilitarianism falls in this category – do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

From Donald Menzel’s Ethics Management for Public Administrators, here are a few integrity building tips for you, your staff, and even your children:

1. Take risks to oppose unjust acts (don’t just go along)
2. Communicate Truthfully (don’t intentionally deceive others)
3. Deal Fairly (don’t provide advantages or disadvantages because of affiliation or position)
4. Honor Agreements (keep your commitments)
5. Accept Personal Responsibility When Things Go Wrong
6. Forgive individuals for mistakes or wrongdoing (Don’t hold grudges)
7. Exhibit humility (Avoid unbridled ambition and emphasis of rank and status differences)
8. Respect the dignity of individuals by giving earned recognition (don’t treat employees as simply vehicles for getting the work done)
9. Celebrate the ability and good fortune of others (suppress envy)

Best Wishes for a long life well lived!

Susy

Short Sales from Your Perspective

Hi Everyone,
As Director of Member Services, I need to address current market issues based on hot topic items in the industry. In our current economy, I’ve heard a tremendous amount of feedback from REALTORS® regarding short sales; such as how to close them, how to get the banks to return calls, and how to figure out the necessary paperwork, just to name a few. If you are an agent who struggles with these questions, or some like these, then you are not alone.

Help is on the way! We have secured a short sale expert to come to GHAR to address issues like the ones mentioned above and more. On Friday, March 18th at 9:00am, George Tifft, REALTOR® and Certified Depressed Property Expert, will be speaking regarding short sale topics such as:

• Why will a lender do a Short Sale?
• Understanding how banks make money and how it relates to short sales
• Just how big is the short sale market going to get?
• Where do you start?
• The Listing Package
• MLS Disclosures
• The Offer
• The Lenders Package
• Lender Negotiation

Visit George’s Blog for more information and helpful tips:
http://www.saveufrom4closure.com/Blog.aspx

To register for the George Tifft Seminar:
http://www.gharonline.com/pdf/Event_Workshops.pdf

“As an agent with the CDPE® Designation (Certified Distressed Property Expert), I have a strong and unique appreciation of the factors affecting the market, and know that there are options available…”
- George Tiff from http://www.saveufrom4closure.com/

Let us know what kinds of issues you’ve seen out there in this market. What topics are important to you and how we can better serve you?

Sincerely,
Gina Micelotta
GHAR Director of Member Services

GHAR exclusive benefits - what's next?

Hello all,

Hopefully by now you are aware of GHAR’s new member benefit product, zipForm 6 Professional. Please take advantage of this GHAR members-only benefit by enrolling or maybe you are waiting for your zipForm 6 Standard software license to expire before your switch over. Here are step-by-step instructions to sign up for or renew your zipForm 6 License Agreement, if you haven't already:
New user: www.gharonline.com/downloads/ZipForm_Member_Signup.pdf
Renewing user: www.gharonline.com/downloads/ZipForm_Member_Renewal.pdf
 

In any event, GHAR’s focus is squarely on providing you with tools to enhance your professionalism, productivity, and profitability. It is our vision to be Connecticut’s leading provider of products and services for real estate professionals and I believe this tool proves our dedication to that vision. As the only REALTOR® association in the state to offer this benefit, we have further demonstrated our leadership.

Clearly, we are proud of this accomplishment and we've also gotten positive feedback from you but we want to know more. Tell us what you think about zipForm 6. What other tools would you like to see GHAR deliver? What more can we do to provide products and services to help your business grow?

Jeff Arakelian, RCE

GHAR CEO

Who wants a free CE class?

I’ll get to the free class in a minute, but now that I have your attention I’m wondering how you communicate. We’ve been doing lots of thinking about communications as of late. Our strategic planning session for 2011 seemed to have communications come up in every topic! That makes me happy. I happen to think relevant communication is very important – especially the way it’s delivered - and I’m not saying that just because it’s my job!

Are you wondering about that free CE class? Not long now. :) Do you find it difficult to find the right way to communicate with your clients? I think everyone in all types of businesses might struggle with that as technology tools become increasingly diverse. Do you wonder if email or social media are enough? Maybe you prefer to pick up the phone. Does anyone actually send mail anymore? Our inquiring minds would like to know!

Ok, first things first. Who are you? Oh sure, we have a membership database that lets me know we have roughly 3500 members. Of those 3500, I know that roughly 60 to 70 percent of you are female. That’s about all the rough information I can gather. This is where you come in to help! I’d like to know how you communicate. I'll beg if I have to... please, please, please fill out this survey and tell us! You will be entered into a random drawing to win a free GHAR CE class!!

Thanks for your time - it is hugely appreciated.
best,
Keara

Got eWaste? Destroy, Donate, or Dispose

I found that our office had accumulated a truckload of computer equipment over the years. I didn’t throw out old routers or CRT monitors because I thought I might need them someday. Some of the gear had some value and could be donated to a worthy cause, but the rest of it was too old to be given away. State law prohibits me from throwing it all in the garbage and mandates that I recycle it. We got ewaste and now I had to figure out what to do with it.

Since all of the computers were too old to donate, I destroyed the hard disks by opening the drives and bending the platters that held sensitive data. I would have used Cybercide or KillDisk to destroy the data on the hard drives if I were going to donate the computers.

I took our old gear to the Computer Recycler in Cromwell. It’s a free recycling service for home users, businesses, or educational institutes. They take all kinds of electronics and computer equipment and are open Thursdays and Saturdays every week for a few hours. The guys were friendly and were happy to take our old computer equipment.

If the drive to Cromwell is too far, check if to see your town has a transfer station that will take residential electronics for no charge and what items they’ll take.

I donated the equipment we didn’t have any use for to a local charity called the Global Harmony Institute. If you have computers you would like to donate, check to see if it meets their criteria. While they charge $10 an item, at least you’ll know your donation would be re-used at a school or other nonprofit organization.

While there are a number of organizations who will also recycle your electronics, the most useful link I found is the one for returning HP printer cartridges and their consumables. You can print a UPS label so you can return the HP printer cartridge to a recycling center.


Christian Disbrow
Director of Information Technology

Resetting Days On Market (DOM) on an older listing

In the past few weeks I’ve gotten several calls from listing agents who want to reset the Days on Market (DOM) to zero on an existing listing by canceling the listing in MLS and then reentering the property into the MLS with a new ML number to “refresh” the listing.

The problem with this idea is that the Listing Date in the MLS must be the actual list date as it appears on your listing agreement, not the date that the property was input into the MLS system. So a property, reentered into the MLS under the same listing agreement, would still have the same list date, and DOM would not change. In order to change the DOM the listing agent and the sellers would have to sign an amendment cancelling the old listing agreement and then a sign a new listing agreement.

But these calls have gotten me thinking. What is the most effective way to give a boost in the MLS to a property that’s been listed for several months, and isn’t getting any showings? Does just reentering it as “new” without any other changes make a difference? Let me play devils advocate and argue all sides. And let us hear your ideas too.

On the plus side, reentering a listing makes it come up on the hotsheet again, and the automated searches it matches will all resend it to buyers and agents. But does that make a difference? I maintain several prospect searches as a way of monitoring the function of the MLS system. I see the same properties come, and go, and come back, with no substantial changes, and the same old photos. I think that agents and buyers, once they have seen a property, must immediately recognize a ‘redo’ that really hasn’t changed.

So, what other strategies can be used to perk up a tired listing. The first thing that comes to my mind is the old real estate saying, “There’s nothing wrong with any listing that a price reduction can’t fix.” Obviously not every listing agent is going to be able to convince their Sellers that a price reduction is a good idea, but there are other things a listing agent can do.

Look at your listing in MLS with a buyers’ eye. Does it look a little sparse? Make sure you provide the information buyers are looking for. Look at your pictures. Are they good photos, well composed and flattering to your property? Or do you only have 1 or 2 exterior shots? Get your sellers to declutter, restage, and take some new ones. Finally, some of the best agents are lousy photographers, get professional help where needed. When information or photos are missing, buyers think the worst.

What other strategies have you used on your older listings? Share with us what’s worked for you. We want to hear from you.
Happy Holidays
Shelley LaPaugh
MLS Director