El Paso Real Estate

As a real estate agent, and in my every day life, I believe it is human nature to feel comfortable with someone you are similar to.

You can build a greater connection by finding things in common and this can help to build confidence and trust.

Traits you need in order to be a successful sales person and/or Realtor®. But first you have to gain someone's confidence to build that special rapport.

In order to do this, you have to understand people and their personality styles. There are 4 major personality styles and I have found this model works very well.

1. The Dominant person: Usually a result oriented person, quick to anger, and eager to fight back at conflict. These people are often successful but not always nice.

2. The Influential/Relationship person: Usually a friendly and optimistic person who wants to turn away from conflict. Influential people are fun but sometimes you may question their sincerity.

3. The Stable Steady person: Usually a trust oriented person, emotionally more passive, but strong and often tolerates conflict. The stable steady person is the strongest team member and an excellent negotiator. They are not easy to give up their thoughts or feelings.

4. The Conforming process person: Usually prone to fear and worry and avoids conflict. This type of person will alert you to potential dangers and negatives of your plans. They are excellent at implementation, but can appear pessimistic.

Most people are not just one style, but a combination of two styles. The difficulty is to figure out which style your client is and adapt your behavior so it attracts to theirs.

As you learn to recognize and adapt your behavior it becomes second nature to develop a closeness and trust that leads to greater success in your real estate business and as a real estate professional.

Jese Gonzalez is a real estate agent with RE/MAX Associates in El Paso, Texas.

Cheer up sellers, homes in El Paso are still selling. What is the biggest factor in getting a home sold? Price. Yes price. I know that the neighbor does not have the fountain in back or the new 18 inch ceramic tile, but the buyer wants all your great stuff for the same price as the home down the street.

I know this is frustrating, but buyers know they are in the drivers seat. After enjoying a crazy sellers market it is only fair that buyers have their day in the sun.

So what can a seller do to help their home sell? Hire me! Okay, aside from that a seller can do a lot. For starters, the front of your house needs to look awesome. For those of you in newer communities where everything looks the same, find out what colors you can paint your home. If there is a two or three tone color scheme approved by the HOA that no one else has, you could have instant curb appeal in a boring sub division. After a little curb appeal turn your attention to the inside. Move out all of your personal items. Buyers do not want to see your 300+ dvd collection. They want to see themselves living in the home. It is hard to do when surrounded by your stuff.

If you are a buyer and you are reading this... please try to look past these things. You may write off a home that could work very well for you just because someone has a collection of 142 vodka bottles.

Homes are selling in El Paso. Follow the steps above and you cannot go wrong. If you make no attempt to stage your home or price it competitively, you can join the 3000+ homes that are not selling. Think out of the box, set your home apart from the others, and hire an agent that knows the market.

You've found a house you like, but want to offer a little less than the asking price. What is the best way to do it?

How an offer is made has a lot to do with the outcome:

* Sellers are more comfortable with an offer if they know the buyer is qualified and eager to close.
* A buyer's agent can help. When the agent presents the offer in person, the seller can ask questions     that could lead to a favorable decision.
* A real estate agent essentially does the same. Though a real estate agent is working for the seller, the sale is still a primary goal.
* Always present your offer to the seller in person. Don't fax.
* Some sellers don't want personal contact with buyers. If you use a buyer's agent, be sure the offer is presented in person to the listing real estate agent.
* When a real estate agent requests that offers be presented in a sealed envelope, ask the real estate agent to prepare a summary to accompany the offer. The summary should tell something about you and highlight positive aspects of your offer, such as an early closing date.
* However your offer is presented, your chances of acceptance are improved by including a copy of a preapproval letter from a mortgage company.
* When multiple offers are involved, some buyers write a letter to the seller to personalize their offer. It won't help if you aren't qualified or if the offer is too low.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of buying or selling real estate is the commission and how it works and to whom it goes. Although there is currently no standard for where the commission goes, traditionally, the way it was set up was that, of the total commission offered, the listing broker gets half and the buyer's broker gets the other half. For instance, with the traditional 7% commission, the listing broker would get 3.5% to split with the listing agent according to their agreement, and the buyer's broker would receive 3.5% to split with the buyer's agent according to their agreement as well. What we have come across with many other real estate agents and companies is that they may, for example, list a property for 7%, but then they will only offer 2.5% to the buyer's broker and keep 4.5% for themselves.

What does this mean for you as a seller? Your money, that you are offering a listing agent to sell your home, is not being used to YOUR advantage, but for your real estate agent's advantage! If a buyer's agent is only offered 2% or 2.5% to sell your home, or 3% or 3.5% to sell other homes, which home do you think they will try to promote? Your commission money that is offered is also supposed to be there to entice the buyer's agent to sell your home as well-thus making your money work for YOU! In my opinion, it is very conceited of an individual to think they deserve a larger cut as the listing agent when, in our current market, the home WILL NOT BE SOLD without a buyer's agent! In a buyer's market especially, the buyer's agent should be compensated as much as the listing agent in order to sell your home. The temptation in a difficult market is for the agent, excited to get a listing, to get as much money as he or she can out of the listing to make up for the market conditions; but you need to make sure you are not taking the brunt of their circumstances! You need to sell your home, not pad the pockets of the listing agent!

I work with both listings and buyers; and as a listing agent myself, I explain this concept to my clients. How can I ask for a 6%, 7% or 8% commission if I am only willing to pay 2.5% to the buyer's agent? If I am only going to offer 2% or 2.5% how can I justify making you pay more than 4% or 5% to sell your home-I can't, because it is not fair! If it is not split equally, it is NOT to the seller's advantage, who is paying this money, to use that agent to sell their home! If you are currently under contract with another agent, you need to make sure that your money is going to benefit YOU, not your agent. Ask them what they are offering as a co-broker!!! Make sure they know that you will be sure to look at the HUD statement at closing to make sure they are being truthful to you! YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW HOW THEY ARE SPENDING YOUR MONEY!!!

There is a very large company here in our area that their standard is to offer 2.5% no matter how much commission they negotiate. Even if you specifically ask them to offer half, they say they CANNOT, and must walk away from the listing if you demand that half go to the buyer's agent! I personally know an agent from this company who had to walk away from a 7% listing because she couldn't offer 3.5% to the buyer's agent at their request! Be sure to find out the company policy on commission and co-broke offerings! Chances are that they will tell you that they offer less because that is what many other agents or offices do and it all comes out in the wash! Even if this is the reason, they are still not spending YOUR money wisely-just because they feel cheated!

As you are interviewing listing agents, BE SURE TO ASK what commission they are going to offer the buyer's agent. If they do not initially say that they will offer 1/2 to the buyer's agent-my suggestion is to move on to the next agent! If they are not fair in their everyday business dealings, what makes you think they will be fair while dealing with you? Be sure to let them know that you will check on the HUD (settlement statement given to you at closing- the top of Page 2 shows the commissions paid) to be sure they are being honest with you!

Ok, you thought buying your first home as a Single Homeowner was stressful, now you want to sell it. So where do you begin with all those thoughts running through your mind. When it's time to finally sell your largest investment, many sellers are filled with questions and doubt. For Singles this transition comes with a different set of thoughts; do I really need to move, it's just me?  Is it the right time to move? Will my home sell? Who can I trust to help me? With these questions in mind, I have created the following tips to help you take the steps to move forward.

• Yes "this" home has a special place in your heart but to sell, you now have to think of it as a "Property".  Of course, you are going to be emotional about your first home. How could you not, when there was so much excitement surrounding it when you bought it.  Let's not forget about all those memories you created in this home.  Today however you've made the decision to sell your home; it now becomes a financial asset. It's no longer your "home," it's now your "property." Why think this way? Taking away the emotion will help you stay objective throughout the selling process.
• Think what a Buyer wants, Location, Condition, & Price:  No matter where your home is, there are three things that every buyer is looking for and what it comes down to is location, condition, & price. Location is location. However, you have the huge opportunity to make sure your home is in the best showing condition, and you have full control over the listing price of your property. Ensuring you make the right decisions over what you can control is imperative to a successful sale!
• Remember, First Impressions are everything!  Property condition will help you tremendously when selling your property, as well; it can also be as big a detriment. Touch up any necessary paint, de-clutter your home, plant fresh flowers, & make sure your home has a pleasant aroma, put away the laundry, make the beds each day and do the little things like turn on the music lightly when you leave.  Yes, single men this means you too.
• There is no looking backwards when you are considering Price. What you paid for your property has little to no effect over its current value, Sorry! It is all about the current market and what has sold the last 6 months. This can be a little hard for some sellers to admit to, because it's something you have no control over, but the data is real and has to be considered.
• But what about all the $$, I spent on Improvements:  Improvements to your home do play a big part in the value, but the amount you spent on those improvements is not as important.  If you spent $5000 on upgrades that doesn't mean that your home is worth $5000 more automatically. This is only true if the comparables properties have lesser upgrades, again this is where market value is the key factor.
• Breath:  If you've priced your home correctly, made sure it's in good showing condition, & hired the right agent, your formula for a successful sale is coming together.  However, never forget you are still at the mercy of the market. Relax, maintain your home's showing condition, and adjust the price if market conditions and feedback call for it.
• Choosing the right Realtor is a key ingredient in a successful Sale!  When you are just beginning to consider selling your home, contact a reputable Realtor A.S.A.P! Ideally interview three Realtors until you find the agent who is right for you!  Though cost is obviously an important consideration the Service the agent provides is really the key to help you sell your home.  Think of this way....Whether you are baking a cake or selling real estate, it is important that you have a formula to accomplish your goal.  Without all the proper ingredients your cake (sale of your home) just isn't going to taste right.  I think you get the point!