Being the best Real Estate Agent in Fishers

Fishers Real Estate - Renters

2009-02-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

Whether you are buying in the Indianapolis Real Estate Market or renting; you will find the same professional service from the Marchant Team. Recently a family came into town and needed to rent, so we spent the whole day looking for the right one. They found one in Sunblest, great neighborhood in Fishers and I called the agent. Unfortunately it was rented; why he didn't update the MLS is beyone me. So they were very disappointed.

I knew my partner Liz had a home in Fishers, but I could remember the rental amount on it. I called her and she told me it was "X"; which was quite a bit more than my people wanted to pay. She said, take them to see it and then let me know and if they like it, I'll call the seller. So we did. They really liked it so we threw out a number less than "X" and gave it to Liz to negotiate. She did; my people move in later this month.

Do Liz and I wish we could have sold the home rather than rent it; sure! The commission on the sale of a home is 6% in this case; the commission on renting it is 60% of the First Months Rent so a substantial difference. But, are we thrilled to get a family in there and have it rented, you bet! The home will sell at some point and my renters will probably buy in a year or two when they feel more settled.

The point to being a community advocate in selling Fishers homes or the surrounding area is to be an advocate. It is not about the commission to us, it is about finding the right home for the folks who put their trust in us.

Starting 2009 Fishers Real Estate with a BANG!

2009-01-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, maybe not the bang I was anticipating! Here are the story's for January:

Jason and Kelly were able to sell their home and purchase a new one with perfect timing (didn't have to rent and didn't make a double payment...that is perfect!). They were able to get a great price on the home they sold and an unbelievable price on the home they bought. How did they get that great price, I'm glad you asked! I was their realtor and when we couldn't get the price we wanted from the new home sales rep (we were bidding on a spec home); I called the builders Vice President. She understood perfectly why we needed to bid what we did and agreed to the price! They closed both homes last week and the only glitch was in wiring the money. But rather than have my clients stay, I sent them on their way to get their moving van, load it up and then we met later for me to give them the keys. Did I mind waiting a few hours longer to get the keys; it was necessary and it was my job to get it done. And we did!

We have done so many rentals in 2008 and I think we will see more in 2009 as getting a loan becomes harder and harder. I have clients moving here from Pittsburgh and they have great credit, but want to know the area before they buy. Their top dollar was around $1,100 and we were having trouble finding a great house in the Fishers Real Estate Market for rentals. My partner has one listed and it was more...but we went and looked at it and asked if they would consider a lower rental and they took it! I got my folks in a great house, close to work and for a great price.

Closing out 2008

2008-12-29T17:57:00.001-08:00

Hi, I just wanted to write a final post for 2008 and give you some of our statistics. Our team was basically Liz and I for most of 2008; Susan joined us in November of 2008. We had 58 transactions and sold over $12 million in 2008. We had 28 of our 58 transactions come from previous clients who referred us. That is so thrilling to us because we want to give you the best experience in real estate so that you will share that with those you know and we will have the opportunity to exceed their expectations too!

We had several sellers who were also buyers and we were able to transition them smoothly without double mortgage payments or being homeless before they found their next house! We had several new construction with area builders and were able to get great deals for our clients that they would have not gotten without the use of a realtor in the new home transaction. We had several where we were the 2nd realtor and the last, we sold the house. We had several transactions from the website where clients found us and kept us! We hope many more find us next year!

So, from us to you...thank you!

Lawrence Township Transaction has blips, but closes

2008-11-07T05:17:00.001-08:00

It's hard to explain that the offer you have on the table currently is the best offer you will get when your home sold in less than two weeks. I admit that it is hard to stick with your first buyer when they start wigggin' out on you. But, trust your real estate agent.

We recently had a 95% offer on a home (granted the buyer started with an 84% offer which means we weren't crazy about the buyer from the get go). There was a significant major defect found in the inspection report. The buyer, of course, asked for that to be repaired. But, they also asked for about 20 other items including asking for a baby gate hole to be repaired...which made me and my sellers sigh.

Through some good negotiations we were able to get them down to just the major defect and radon. The only stickler now was could we get them to agree to a check to the vendor versus having the work done prior to close. My sellers were ready to walk if they wouldn't agree. I understand both perspectives: 1) Seller has it done leads to no risk to the buyer or 2) Buyer has it done after close and seller has no risk. But, in this case, I work for the seller. After much conversation we were able to come to agreement to issue a check at the close.

Next, without going into a lot of detail...Marion County taxes as of the close still had not issued 2007 taxes meaning my sellers were going to give 22 months of tax escrow to the buyer. My sellers hadn't filed their exemptions until 2007 so they were at the higher rate currently. This is where having a good real estate agent versus a great real estate agent matters. I was able to get an amendment signed by all parties that holds those 22 months in escrow until the taxes are issued and at that time have the excess refunded to the seller.

Long story short (or maybe not so short!); this transaction did close. I think everyone was happy and that is utlimately the goal if possible.

Selling with the Marchant Team will get your home SOLD

2008-10-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

I admit it, I have another blog! This is a post I recently did on selling with the Marchant Team and I thought it would be great on this blog too. So here is a reposting of a previous article.

We’ve crossed the half way point and are up to Question 6 in our 10 Top Question series. In the market today (10/10/08); I know it seems hard to believe any home will sell. The DOW is down significantly and the interest rates are climbing; but the Marchant Team continues to show their listings and secure offers. I’d like to tell you we have a plan; and we do…but each plan is customized to your real estate in Fishers. We do not use a cookie cutter process to market your home. That is probably the first difference you will see with us. We work off of a 35 point plan that we go over when we list your home. For that plan we make choices on which options will fit your Fishers home the best and sell your home the fastest and for the most money.
It is our goal to make your Fishers home stand out among the competition and to receive the most showings and best offer. Making your home stand out takes experience and knowledge and quite frankly, making a few mistakes along the way that we have learned from.
For example, we will want a stager to come into your home in Fishers or other community prior to listing the home. A stager can not only rearrange furniture and brighten up a home, but actually bring life to the home in a few hours. We don’t use just any stager, we use someone who has proven her skills and talent to us over the years. Our clients are so impressed with her, many of them hire her to decorate their new homes…because their old home did sell!
We use analytical methodology to determine your pricing and unique marketing techniques to get your home sold in addition to the basics of signage, flyers and internet exposure.
In addition to this, we are more responsive than most realtors. If you call us or email us, frequently you will get a response in a matter of minutes with us, but certainly by the end of the day.
When you are looking for a great realtor in Fishers we hope you will consider working with the Marchant Team. Click to get a free CMA (Competitive Market Analysis) of your home in Fishers without any obligation on your part as a first step.

I'd drive a mile for my buyer, in fact I'd drive 450 miles!

2008-10-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

I have a client who is relocating here and needs some land because they rescue dogs, I like my clients already! We have been exchanging emails for several months. They can be anywhere in the city as long as there is acreage. They were scheduled to be here this week 10/6.

I was contacted by a young lady that works for someone that I knew in my BNI group to possibly list her home, she was unhappy with her current realtor. So, kind of a friend of a friend. She told me about her home...it was on acreage and was a few houses from where my brother lives who happens to work for the same company my client was going to be working for. I thought it might be a good fit.

She became a For Sale by Owner on Friday of last week. Some realtors would have rushed in to list the property and get what is called a me and me. Hopefully get the sell side of the commission and the buy side. My buyers, like most buyers, have a limit to what they can spend. If there isn't a 7% commission, but rather something much less...the price might work for my buyers. So, I showed them the property on Monday. We looked at about 15 others and came back to this property today and bought it.

My brother is the reason I received this buyer client (thank you David), my brother also lives around the corner from this house, I only knew about this property because the seller got my name at about the exact time this buyer was coming to town (I would have never pulled it because it was too highly priced for this buyer). Coincidence...I doubt it.

What a great feeling to somehow find the perfect match!

Update on $75,000 Buyer

2008-10-01T19:48:00.001-07:00

All is well that ends well... we closed on Thursday 9/25 and she moved into her new home on Monday, the 29th. My renters arrived today 10/1 and everybody is where they need to be. Whew!

Most realtors are probably thrilled to pieces on a $1,000,000 sale (and I would be too!), but I feel great about a $75,000 sale tonight!

Our Mission is to Serve You...we will go the extra mile

2008-09-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

This is a story that has yet to have resolution, but I want to talk about a $75,000 buyer that is dear to my heart. I met this buyer on another property's sign call and we connected immediately. We looked at a few homes and found a property that she and her husband could afford. We placed an offer on the home, using the Ameridream program which is set to sunset on 9/30 of this year. We were to close on August 26th. You can tell by the date of this post that was nearly a month ago. The lenders as of late are asking for everything except your first born and blood. We have been through a series of "conditions" and have met each one of them with a smiling face. I have had to be the cheerleader for my buyer when she wanted to give up, the ever helpful agent to the seller's agent who is ready to pull her hair out and probably mine as she waits patiently for us to get the clear to close, the dog on a bone to the lender to be sure we are moving as quickly as we possibly can.
But, my buyer has to be out of her apartment on September 22nd, the apartment complex has graciously given her 22 extra days but they have a new renter coming in.
I have a rental property that is rented, but the folks are still not sure of their move in date. I checked with them today to see if my client could stay there for just a few days while we sort this out and they have agreed. Tonight I'll run over a couple of bar stools, a couch and a lamp or two and an air mattress. Why would I do this, why wouldn't I let my buyer figure it out.
Because we are more than agents, we are trouble shooters, we are helpers and we believe our mission is to serve. Yes, we hope we get paid in the end...but we want our client to FEEL the difference with us and I know that this couple will.

Working with Buyers-Bank Owned Real Estate

2008-09-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

This is another Bank Owned story....after all, when someone wants a deal; this is often where you find them. I have a client who is talented in renovating houses, so buying a bank owned home or pre-foreclosure that has not been well cared for was the best option. This client was not from the Indy area and needed me to help him find the best resale location, best bones of a house and best price. The client wanted to spend around $150,000 but be in a neighborhood that could support a much higher price. I knew Carmel was probably the best area for that type of scenario, Fishers Real Estate probably was too far from his work place. We found a great "villa" type home with stucco and a turret in Carmel; I loved it for its uniqueness and he loved it for the awful condition it was inside. The home is located within a stone's throw of Keystone and 465 so great for moving around the city. We made a bid and of course, were immediately thrown into a "best and final bid" due to multiple offers. I advised my client on where he should bid and we got the home; it was NOT at list price. We proceeded through inspection and whoa....there was a lot on it even for a bankowned. We negotiated a fair repair allowance; about 10% of the cost of the home. My client was happy with the location, the bones of the home, and now the price.
We help all types of clients, whether you are a move up buyer wanting a pristine home on the water, a first time home buyer that wants someone to take the time to explain the process, an investor that want a deal on a home or someone who wants to downsize to a low maintenance community. Our team knows you and has worked with someone just like you and had a smooth and successful transaction. We look forward to meeting you soon.

Rent versus Buy

2008-09-08T19:06:00.001-07:00

These past two months have had more Ameridream buyers and renters than I've ever seen. It's great to see buyers get the home of their dreams with this program before it sunsets on 9/30/08.
I spent some time this weekend with a family moving to the Indianapolis/Fishers area who need to rent for a year before buying. The commission on a rental is typically 10% of the first months rent, so about $100-$150 in most cases. Why would we spend time showing rentals? Many agents would not, but the Marchant Team cares about people. I had a great time with these folks and we found them the perfect home to rent, got their paperwork in and signed the lease today. They are thrilled and so am I.
Tomorrow I will be with another family showing rentals and hope to find them a place to live as well. Fishers Real Estate has many options for families and renting is one way to recover from some credit issues, live in a new city to learn it before buying, or to save some money and buy the home you really want in a year or so. If that's you, we'd be glad to help you find the right place.

How many houses is enough

2008-08-05T04:25:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a great month; we have about a dozen closings! My favorite closing this month is with a young family that has been with me since about February. Initially we just started looking on Wed mornings to see what was available for the price they wanted to spend. They loved their current home and just didn't want to give it up without getting all that they wanted in a new home.
Fast forward to 75 houses later! :-)
Because we work with so many buyers and sellers, I knew about a seller that was going through a divorce and would ultimately be putting their home on the market (we call that a pocket listing) in the Fishers Real Estate market. As I was thinking about my young couple and the homes we'd been through, I looked through all my pocket listings and found this one. It had the large basement they wanted (and it was finished), the three car garage (it was also finished with a heater!), nice lot (backed up to a farm area), big room sizes, and not the typical floor plan. It was definitely at the top of their price range; but I was sure it was the right house.
They walked in and we are set to close on 8/19/08!

The question is was 75 houses too much....ideally we think we can find the right house in about 12 showings. But sometimes, if the area is large, the price range is wide or you want to do a lot of homework before you buy...then 12 might not be enough. In this case, I feel great. I found the right house for my clients and it was one that no one else could have found since it had not been listed.

Working with realtors who have been around for awhile is helpful because they have so many connections with other buyers and sellers that sometimes we can match you seemlessly!

Working with Buyers-Bank Owned Real Estate in Fishers

2008-07-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

Hi, today I want to talk about a young lady I have that is trying to purchase a bank owned property. We got a great deal on the home and as we were nearing the closing date learned that the 2nd mortgage was not going to release the lien and my buyer suddenly in 48 hours was going to have no where to live! I worked diligently with the sellers realtor and the seller to sign a pre possession agreement allowing her to move into the home rent free for at least 90 days as we sort through this mess. Everyone agreed and my buyer moved in 7/1/08 rent free!

I am staying in constant contact with the other agent and trying to come up with all types of scenarios that might work. It would have been easy to say to the young lady, "you'll have to find another place to live while this gets worked out"; but our commitment to our clients is more far reaching than that. We are here to help you not only find the right home, but to get the best price, have the smoothest transaction, and stay in touch long after you move in.

Being a Real Estate Agent in Fishers Indiana

2008-06-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

This is the busiest time of the year for realtors; Spring. There is a lot of conversation at our office around sending "canned" newsletter, birthday cards, notes, etc. There is a lot of conversation around time management; having clerical staff man the paperwork, the first line of calls, etc. During this conversation it becomes very clear that we on our team are different. It is probably why we are pulling our hair out about this time of year. When you work with one of us, you work with one of us. You are never handed off, you are never not in the loop of what is going on, you are never made to feel like a process rather than a person, you are never waiting long period of time for us to call you back. We are, in a nut shell, geniune. I hope if we have anyone reading our blog thinking about which agent to choose, this will tip the hat. It is most certainly something that distinquishes us from many.

Working hard for sellers

2008-05-24T18:19:00.001-07:00

I've spent the last few days retaking pictures. I am amazed at how many "snow" pictures are still on MIBOR; this is a true sign of a realtor that is NOT working for their sellers. I haven't had a snow picture in months! However, with Spring flowers bloom, trees fill in, grass is greener; so off I went to retake some pictures. I think the first picture buyers see on the internet do make a difference if they go further into the listing, so this is important to me and especially to my sellers. First impressions are key. I think there are few realtors who would do this and suggest it as another reason sellers list with us and you should consider us when listing your home.

Do Things Happen for a Reason?

2008-05-16T05:59:00.000-07:00

Hi, in an effort to win for my buyer; we lost the house. Those are tough words to swallow for me. I had a buyer who wanted a home in the Fishers Real Estate market, the seller was upside down in the home and needed our help in the purchase price and the repairs. Initially, we worked with the seller to move up the closing date so she wouldn't have as high of a payoff and we took on one of the installments of taxes to also help. (Taxes are paid in arrears here) I felt like we were still in the "good" price for the home for my buyer with these concessions.
The inspection showed quite a few items. Before the other agent even had estimates, he was asking for us to split $1,200 four ways. Each agent and the buyer and seller would give up $300. I blew a gasket; I admit it. I felt like we gave on the purchase price and quite frankly told the other agent, his seller's financial problems were not my or my buyers problems. I told him they either fix the major items or we walk away. Perhaps I was a little to0 ugly as I look back on that. In the meantime, I gave the list to a couple of my handyman people to get estimates. It was about $4,000 in all; and $1,800 was in major items. One of those was undefined, depended on further analysis. I forwarded that to the other agent (thinking why am I doing all the work???). The seller couldn't/wouldn't do it; so we walked. A week later my buyer decides there isn't anything else out there, so let's go back. We do, and I tell the other agent...let's try to figure out a way to get this done. There was one item in particular the seller was sure wasn't broken, I wanted to go out the house to show her what I saw the inspector point out and see what she saw. The sellers agent was working on getting that meeting set up...then late on a Saturday night he emails me and tells me they took another offer. I was a bit livid. Why wouldn't he want to work with us now...then I remembered the email I sent and I feel like maybe I was to blame.
But things happen sometimes for a reason...we found the exact same house a week later (not as nice of a yard) but for 15% less in price because it was an estate. Yippee!!! We bought it within about four hours of it going on the market and the inspection had two, count em two! items on it. This is really a much better house at a much better price...so I feel good.
The problem is sometimes we fight so much for our buyers or sellers; our personal interests of what is right and wrong get in the way and we need to remain focuses on what the buyer or the seller want to do. It is THEIR decision. Lesson learned!

First Time Homebuyers

2008-04-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hi, well...you can tell it is Spring time, less time to Blog! We are currently helping 8 buyers and have 17 listings. Putting directional signs out each weekend for these listings is definitely taking away some time to blog; but it is the best way to direct traffic to your listing!

I wanted to write about our new website designed for First Time Homebuyers, it is www.indyfirsthome.com and has registration for home buying classes, tips on frequently asked questions and a great banner! I hope you know someone who is a first time home buyer that you can direct to this website.

Keller Williams Conference (Family Reunion)

2008-03-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

I went to Atlanta a few weeks ago for the National Keller Williams Conference, known as Family Reunion. The reason I work for Keller Williams is because I believe in their mission which is "to have Careers worth having, Businesses worth owning and Lives worth living." We spend a great deal on charities and each week work from a National prayer list from agents all over the country. We fund a KW Cares organization that helps agents in every state who have experienced a life altering event. There are over 75,000 agents nationwide and we experienced a 36% increase in market share in 2007. You may not recognize us as quickly as some because KW gives us the opportunity to customize our signs...so they don't look alike. If they were concerned about the KW image, they would probably enforce a standard; but they care about the agent.
I spent most of my time at the conference in the E-Agency classes, trying to be a better advocate for you through the web, internet and technical capabilities of buying and selling real estate. Many of you attend your company or industry conferences, but how many of you can say your classes hold over 800 people and they actually have to sit on the floor in the aisles because there isn't any more sitting room. That's what it was like in Atlanta, KW agents want to learn to be better...always. I want to be the very best and for those of you who have worked with me, hopefully you feel that way. And for those of you reading who haven't worked with me; I hope we will work together soon!

Listings get Exposure

2008-02-22T12:25:00.001-08:00

I wanted to take a minute to share what web exposure our listings get when sellers list with us. Over 85 % of buyers shop the internet before entering the market place to buy. With that in mind, where you home is on the internet DOES make a difference. When we list your home, you are on realtor.com in a "showcase" position, first on the list. You are also on the Marchant Team website that has over 35 visits a day. You are on Trulia, Yahoo real estate, Zillow, Google, Geebo, Cyberhomes, Homescape, AOL real estate as well as others. The Marchant Team will certainly give you more exposure than most real estate companies. Your listing will be pushed to the top of these sites because they will have a virtual tour; we won't list a home without one. It is just another way we put your home in the best position to sell!

Buyer Success

2008-02-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, there is a family from NY that is moving here for the deaf school for one of their kids and we found the perfect house. They need a very large pole barn for his welding business and they need four bedrooms in a good school distric and some land. They *really* want to sell before they move and they only wanted to spend "x" dollars; we made an 85% of list price bid which is definitely low on a home that has a 30 x 81 pole barn and is on an acre and in a great school district. After working very hard with the other realtor and some negotiations we were able to get the home for them, do a delayed closings and have the current sellers rent it back for two months! This allows them several months to sell their 18 acres in NY first which always makes a buyer breathe easier. I was also able to refer them to a NY realtor who will work hard for them. I referred my sellers that moved to Iowa a realtor also. Being a CRS agent allows me easy access to some of the best agent in the country. We are all about making the move to Indy (if that's you) as easy as possible!

Out of Town Buyers

2008-01-31T12:39:00.000-08:00

Hi, this week has been busy. I went over to Zionsville to take lot pictures for my buyers in Kansas. They can see the homes online, but need me to take the pictures of things that aren't shown (i.e. backyards), especially when the yard is one of the major criteria in finding the right house. I took thte pictures and sent them off.
Then on Saturday last week, I met my buyers from Oregon. It was great to show them our city and we made sure to stop by the school downtown that their kids would be attending. We looked at several neighborhoods and now they have a good idea of what Indy has to offer and are even more excited about coming here.
This Saturday I'll be showing another couple from New York around town. They are moving here because Indianapolis has one of the best schools for deaf children in the country.
Finally, two weeks from now I'll be showing a family from Tennessee our city so that they can decide if this is the place for them.
We work with a lot of relocation clients and have great relocation materials to send to them. We love to show off our city too!

Update on Flashlight Buyers in Fishers Indiana

2008-01-24T17:38:00.000-08:00

The property they wrote an offer on is a bank owned with a basement in the Fishers Real Estate market. As a precaution, I suggested they have an air quality/mold test done. Sometimes when a bank gets involved they turn off the electricity and the sump doesn't work and water gets into the basement (past experience has taught me that). The test came back with a 125,000 count of Aspergillus. This type of mold isn't the "black" mold, but it can cause respiratory problems for small kids, older adults or someone with allergies. The other realtor actually blasted me for having this done; saying no one ever does this and now he'll have to disclose it if we can't go to close. No other realtor ever does that because no other realtor is on top of these types of issue except us! The bank won't agree to fix it; doesn't that just make you crazy. No one will buy the house with mold in it so they'll have to fix it for someone, why not us? I've actually gotten ahold of the attorney involved in this deal and sent him a note that I quote below:

Just so you know, we are not anxious to move on as mentioned by your selling realtor. We will never understand why with a bid of $171,000 (over list) you wouldn't fix the mold issue; seems you would have to do that for any buyer. My folks loved that house, but with a 2 year old and a brand new baby they just can't buy it until its clean. It seems once attorney's or banks get involved; common sense leaves. I don't mean that you don't have it and aren't the brightest of people; it just seems it moves to such a low priority....simple things don't get done.

I think you have to work ever angle for your buyers and as a previous accountant, I will fight to the bitter end for my clients. Okay, I'm getting a little dramatic here. The point is to the attorney or the bank; why do you dismiss a buyer who can put 20% down and paid a tad over list price on a repair item you have to fix to make the house habitable? I'm not trying to say bank people or attorneys are not dealing with a full deck by any means; we know they are bright people...but how do these things happen.

Being eyes and ears for out of town buyers

2008-01-23T07:50:00.001-08:00

We do a fair amount of relocation work, we have a great relocation binder for our clients (just an aside). I have two clients who have fairly specific needs and have met both of them on a trip to Indy they have made; so I'm very clear on what they like and don't like. Today I will go and visit a home that I have "heard" is going on the market. Realtors often know before a home goes on the market that it will be. It has many of the qualification of my buyer from Kansas, but lot/yard is everything to them. So, I'll head over to Zionsville and take a picture of the lot and let them know if it's worth pursuing. I have another buyer from New York and we saw a listing on paper with no pictures (why do realtors do that???) so I contacted the agent and asked when they would be available and kept track so I would see them first. We did on 1/18 and I immediately sent them to my buyer. My buyer wanted specific shots of certain things so I asked the other agent to take those when she went out to finish her pictures. She did and my client is very interested in the home. So, getting those pictures, pointing her to the school websites for that home's location, knowing that a very large out building is a priority on some land...we have a possible winner. They'll be coming in on February 1st to see it in person. Stay tuned.
We can be your eyes and your ears if you are an out of towner. We can take pictures, record a video, call you while we are in the house, etc to help narrow down the inventory to real possibilities. We also can ask other agents who sale in those areas if they have some "pocket" listings that might work. We are very well respected agents and other agents like to work with us so will tell us when we ask about those listings.

Always reinventing ways to sell a home

2008-01-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

Last week we met with a new vendor; we are always looking for creative new ways to sell a home. We currently use a company that does virtual tours and has a great tracking system for evaluating hits to that tour. We met with a company last week that does that and DRAWS the floorplan to load on the MLS. We love this idea because many buyers have preferences about the way the home is laid out; this will help buyers decide if it is a home that will work for them. This company will also be coming out with furniture that you can place on the floorplan to help buyers decide how functional the home would be for them. In addition to tracking the traffic, this company also records how long the person stayed on the site; this will be very useful information as well.

Reviewing Listings

2008-01-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

I have a home that is getting fewer showings than what I consider normal traffic. I reviewed the listing looking for something that might be causing that; I think the price is competitive. What I did notice is that the sq ft is 1481 which is pulled from the tax record. I made a change today and moved the sq ft to 1500 and put a note in the record that says "sq ft has been rounded" so that no one is misled. Many realtors search by the sq ft category and 1500 is a popular number for smaller houses, so I'm hoping changing it by 19 sq ft actually helps. We look at our listings individually to be sure they are getting the traffic that is within the "norms" for the market and season and if not, we will figure out why and hopefully solve it.

Late Night Showing with my Buyer

2008-01-14T05:25:00.000-08:00

Earlier last week, a client asked me if I could show them a home around 7:00 last night; they were coming in from a flight to their home in Muncie. I said sure. As you know, planes and situations always change...she called at 8:30 pm and asked if we could still see it, she had just left the airport. Luckily it was a vacant home, so I said sure. I had already called to be sure the electricity was on; it is a bank owned home and at 7:00 or 8:30 it would be dark. I brought a flashlight as well, to look at places that didn't have a light. So, I showed her the house from 9:00 to 9:30 on a Sunday night. We want to stress our flexibility and desire to exceed your expectations as a buyer working with the Marchant Team. I think this is a good example of that.

Staying in Touch with Sellers

2008-01-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

We take listing a home very seriously. One of the things we do that ensures our seller is updated with current market conditions and the activities we’re doing on their home is provide them with a monthly listing report. This report is emailed to our client on a monthly basis, outlining everything we have done from the day the listing contract was signed, to the date they receive the report. It also shows the feedback from the all the showings they’ve had in that time period. We will also give them a market update—not only on their neighborhood, but on the area as well. By receiving this report, our seller is put at ease knowing we are doing everything possible to sell their home—and doing everything we’ve promised them we’d do--- keeping them informed throughout the entire transaction. This is just one of the things we do that makes us preferred realtors!

Buyer's Needs Met

2008-01-12T18:21:00.001-08:00

Today was another example of The Marchant Team going above and beyond the “normal” scope of business. I had just completed setting up homes for my clients to see—covering the Lawrence, Fishers and Carmel areas. After I had received showing confirmations on all the homes and had mapped them accordingly, I got a call from my client wanting to add a home which was located in Greenfield. It would have been very easy to push that off to another day, but knowing my clients really wanted to see it, I figured out a way to work it in. I scheduled it to be our first showing—still being able to make all the other homes and their timeframes currently set up, although a little tight. It ended up being a home they probably won’t pursue, but if I hadn’t scheduled it, we would never have known that and an offer wouldn’t be able to be made on another home until this home was shown. (Posted by Liz Hanes of the Marchant Team)

Charities are Important to the Marchant Team

2008-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

I should have mentioned this earlier, but another feature that separates us from most realtors is a commitment to charities. Most realtors give to the Realtor Foundation or something similar. I also give 10% of my commissions received to the charity of my clients choice. I've given many times to the Humane Society (we love animals too), to the Komen Breast Foundation, to area hospitals and churchs, and various other great causes. It is great for the client to receive that recognition also. So if you are looking for real estate agents that are different; continue to read our posts. We can show you numerous ways we out shine other agents.

Being Accessible

2008-01-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

I think it is so important to be accessible, and of course still having balance in our lives! Our team has their cell phones with them constantly and can take most calls immediately or within an hour. Today an agent showing one of my listings was having a problem with the key box. My seller was out and not reachable. I ran up to the listing and played with the key box knowing it was probably a stuck key...I was able to get the key box open and give the key to the other agent so she could show the property. Wouldn't it be a great story to say they bought it! I think we are different than most realtors in that we are accessible and WILL go the extra mile to be sure your home is seen.

New Construction/Build

2008-01-09T04:08:00.000-08:00

Today I am closing a transaction with a couple who built a new home. They used a realtor (me) in the transaction for a number of reasons; to ensure a great lot, to have me explain what is a builder "add" and what is standard (those models are not standard and you can add thousands at the design center just to get some basic things), and to watch the construction process to be sure things go right. For example, one thing I have learned to watch for is that the water pressure is acceptable when both showers are going, or to check the way the flooring is laid to be sure it is straight or to be sure the windows all stay open. I have a list of things to check for when I work with a client in a new construction transaction that hopefully makes it a win/win for everyone involved.

Bridal Show

2008-01-05T08:38:00.000-08:00

Today and tomorrow are the Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal shows at the Scottish Rite downtown Indy. We have a booth there that rocks! My husband build a doll house two years ago and this year we got furniture for it and lights. We are giving away chip clip magnets, chapstick, key chains and big bags to keep their things in. We also have them register for a free trip to a spa of their choice. We are hoping that as these brides move to wives they will think of us when it is time to buy their first home.

Favors are easy for my sellers

2008-01-05T08:34:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, my client (seller) in Zionsville (about 30 minutes from where I live) called frantic that they had left town for St. Louis without some important papers and wanted to know if I could get them for her and mail them to St. Louis. That's easy! I was able to get them and put them in the mail today for her.

I also refilled flyer boxes yesterday; I do this every Friday because I hate seeing empty flyer boxes!

Update of Flashlights and Zionsville Buyer

2008-01-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

My flashlight couple did get the house! We bid $1,000 over the list price because I had a feeling the other bidder would go to list price and maybe just a smidgen over; so I told my buyers for $6.00 a month (or $1,000 more in purchase price) let's do the very best we can to get this house. And we did!

Yesterday I spent the day with some out of town clients who are looking for a fairly large home with acreage in Zionsville. The issue is that they are drawn to more open floor plans and higher ceilings; and that is usually found more often in newer homes. Newer homes don't typically have large lots though. So, I called another agent that I know sells a lot in Zionsville to be sure I have considered all the options. It appears for the time being I have; but it was good to confirm with another agent. I am an expert, but I am willing to ask for additional information if needed, I think you have to do whatever it takes to find the right home for your buyer. I'll update you on how they move forward soon!

Taking care of out of town sellers and vacant houses

2007-12-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

Hi, just got back from running over to a listing to water the plants while they are overseas for two months, turning on lights for a showing while my clients are on vacation and running through another listing to be sure that all the painting and winterizing of their home is completed; they moved to Denver and will need me to check on their home each week. We have also arranged for someone to shovel their snow should we get hit with another snowstorm. It is a relief to sellers who either move away before their home sells or they go on vacation to know that we will try to take care of at least running through the home, watering plants, etc.

Flashlights for Buyers

2007-12-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hi, this blog is to hopefully let prospective clients get a sense of how our team works. We'll try to post events/tidbits about why we think we serve our clients better than any other agents.

My first example happened yesterday 12/28/07 with Justin, my buyer. We were looking at a bank owned property with either bulbs or electricity out so that the basement was pitch black. Sometimes in bank owned, the basement flood so we couldn't tell if there was even water on the ground. I decided to run to a CVS and get two flashlights, which I did and we were able to view the basement and look for water penetration. Since we were able to complete the showing to his satisfaction, we were able to write an offer yesterday. It is a multiple bid scenario so we'll see if we get the home; but had we not gotten the flashlights...the house would have sold to the other bidder before we had a change to make our bid.