Last month, REALTOR® Steven White opened Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Real Estate in Pitman, N.J., at 7 East Holly Avenue. The new office provides full brokerage services to home sellers and buyers throughout Gloucester County, and can be reached by calling (856) 589-7600 or e-mailing swhite@assist2sell.com.  

With its "Full-Service with $avings!"® program, Assist-2-Sell® saves homeowners a significant amount of money on the sale of their home. White charges a low, flat fee commission of $3,295 for homes up to $200,000, with moderate increases for homes that list for more.

"I opened this office because I want to help people hold onto more of their home's equity, which is really important given today's market," says White, owner and principle broker of the Pitman Assist-2-Sell office. "Real estate brokers who charge six percent are taking hard-earned equity out of homeowners' pockets. With Assist-2-Sell, I can provide all of the services you expect from a traditionally-priced real estate office but charge a fair price."

Home sellers who work with Assist-2-Sell have qualified real estate professionals taking care of everything throughout the entire process of selling their home, including pricing the home; advertising and marketing online, offline and in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS); showing the home to prospective buyers; working with other local brokers and agents; and managing all of the paperwork and the closing.

Continues White, "People think we're too good to be true but Assist-2-Sell's 20 year history is proof that we get results. More and more home sellers are realizing they can't afford to pay high commissions, and I wanted to make sure a better alternative was available to Gloucester County homeowners."

Assist-2-Sell also offers full brokerage services to home buyers, including access to Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings database.

For information about selling or buying a home with Assist-2-Sell, call (856) 589-7600 or e-mail swhite@assist2sell.com, or visit http://www.pitmanhomes.com/.    

Last weekend, local REALTORS® Lyle and Sandy Longridge opened an Assist-2-Sell® franchise office in New Westminster, British Columbia.  The new office provides full real estate brokerage services to the greater New Westminster and Burnaby areas but charges a lot less than "traditional" real estate companies.

The grand opening was attended by the Mayor of New Westminster, Wayne Wright; Chuck Puchmayr, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for New Westminster; and City Councillor Calvin Donnelly. (pictured left)

"Local homeowners haven't had many options when it came time to sell their home: do it themselves or pay a lot of money to have it done for them," says Lyle, owner and managing broker of Assist-2-Sell Buyers and Sellers Options Realty.  "Sandy and I started this company because we want people in and around New Westminster and Burnaby to have a choice.  Now home sellers can have the best of both worlds: a REALTOR® who will take care of everything, but for a lot less money."

Assist-2-Sell's "Full-Service with $avings!"® program was developed more than 20 years ago and continues to save consumers a lot of money on the sale of their home.  Homeowners who work with a local Assist-2-Sell office have a team of qualified real estate professionals working for them; taking care of everything throughout the entire process of selling their home.  That includes pricing the home; advertising and marketing online and offline; showing the home to prospective buyers; working with other local brokers and agents; and managing all of the paperwork and the closing.

Says Sandy, "Don't let the name fool you.  This is not a do-it-yourself concept.  With Assist-2-Sell's marketing programs, sellers receive the full attention of professional REALTORS® at a fraction of what they might normally pay."

Once the process is complete, Assist-2-Sell is paid a low, flat fee-instead of a percentage of the sale price.  The Longridge's office in New Westminster charges $3,995 for homes up to $500,000, with moderate increases for homes that list for more.

Assist-2-Sell also offers full brokerage services to home buyers, including access to Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings database.          

For information about selling or buying a home with Assist-2-Sell, call (604) 540-7253 or e-mail buyandsellhomes@assist2sell.com.  Assist-2-Sell Buyers and Sellers Options Realty is located at 626 12^th Street in New Westminster, and online at http://www.bcrealtyoptions.com/.   

Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle Martin, co-founders and co-chief executives of Assist-2-Sell Inc., have once again been named by Inman News in its annual list of the "100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders." This is the fourth consecutive year that Inman News has recognized LaMeres-Pomin and Martin for their contributions to the residential real estate industry.          

"Given the current economic crisis, home sellers need Assist-2-Sell more than ever to help them overcome the challenges of the real estate market while allowing them to hold onto more of their hard-earned equity," say LaMeres-Pomin and Martin. "We're proud to have built a company that has sustained success for so many years while supporting consumers in their home buying and selling needs."

LaMeres-Pomin and Martin started Assist-2-Sell more than 20 years ago, helping to create the "discount real estate" concept. Today, there are more than 450 Assist-2-Sell franchise offices throughout the United States and Canada.

Assist-2-Sell, North America's Leading Discount Real Estate Company^SM, provides home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee, saving consumers nearly $1 billion in commissions.* Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings databases. Entrepreneur Magazine has recognized Assist-2-Sell as a leading franchises and the Wall Street Journal's StartupJournal named Assist-2-Sell one of its 25 "Franchise Top Performers." Assist-2-Sell has also been included in Inc. Magazine's "Inc. 5000," a list of the fastest growing private companies in America. On the Net: http://www.assist2sell.com/ and http://www.a2stalk.com/.

*Savings based on statistics since January 1, 2000, for all Assist-2-Sell® offices in North America, compared to paying six percent commission.  Six percent used for comparison purposes only.  Commissions may be negotiable and are not fixed by law.

Michele Feeley, owner and principle broker of the Newnan and Peachtree City Assist-2-Sell® offices, was featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Ask an Agent" column on Sept. 7, 2008. In the article, Feeley guides homeowners through the home pricing process and explains why pricing is so important in today's real estate market.

The article can be accessed online at:

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/homefinder/stories/2008/09/07/ask_agent.html.

To learn more about Assist-2-Sell, call (770) 253-8784 or e-mail mfeeley@assist2sell.com. Additional information is available online at http://www.soldingeorgia.com/. Assist-2-Sell Buyer & Seller Realty is located at 1 Bledsoe Road, Suite D in Newnan, and 111 Petrol Pointe, Suite F in Peachtree City.

Assist-2-Sell Buyer & Seller Realty is owned and operated by Michele Feeley. The Newnan office opened in June 1999 and was purchased by Feeley in May 2007, and the Peachtree City office opened in September 2000. Assist-2-Sell, North America's Leading Discount Real Estate Company(SM), provides home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee, saving consumers nearly $1 billion in real estate commissions.* Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings database. All brokers and agents are fully licensed and REALTORS®. 

# # #

A high res photo is available by request. E-mail mfeeley@assist2sell.com.

Michele Feeley is also available for interviews and can provide additional information about local real estate conditions, as well as tips for selling a home in today's market. Call (770) 253-8784 or e-mail mfeeley@assist2sell.com.

Sept. 5, 2008
Houston Chronicle
A flat fee to help sell a house
Sandra Bretting

Seven years ago, while vacationing in New Mexico, Greg and Shannon Stubblefield noticed a sign for Assist-2-Sell, a real estate company that offers services to home buyers and sellers for a flat fee, versus a percentage as normally charged by real estate agents.

When the Houston couple returned the next summer, that lone sign had blossomed into a hundred.

"We were in the discount mortgage business, and we realized this was basically the same concept, but for real estate," Greg Stubblefield said.

The couple contacted the corporate office of Assist-2-Sell and by the end of the year owned franchise No. 615, now in west Houston. Both also obtained their real estate licenses, with Shannon Stubblefield adding a brokerage license along the way.

"At that time, no one was dealing in discount real estate services in this area," Shannon Stubblefield said.

Savings for consumers

Today many people are finding properties themselves without the help of real estate agents, she said.

"With the computer they can look up which houses are for sale, then MapQuest the directions. Real estate is an industry that's benefited tremendously from technology, but hasn't passed those savings on to the consumer," Shannon Stubblefield said.

According to Betsy Gelb, a professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, people offering a discounted service shouldn't necessarily compete head to head with full-service companies but should market to people who place savings above other features.

"That's key for anyone offering a discount service, no matter what the industry," Gelb said.

She added that knowing which market will appreciate discounted services is critical.

"You need to divide your market segment into groups and then go after the group that values savings the most," Gelb said.

'The best interest'

According to Greg Stubblefield, his franchise offers much of the same services as traditional real estate brokers but relies on volume to offset the lower fee structure.

The Stubblefields' franchise sold 46 properties its first year in business. Last year, it sold 126 homes, primarily in the Katy area and Deer Park, through a second office established there.

For a flat fee that begins at $2,995, home sellers receive a competitive market analysis, posting with the MLS listing service, if that's what they choose, an agent who will show the home and arrange for open houses, and other services.

In addition to what discount brokers offer, full-service agents typically negotiate offers, help explain complex paperwork and produce more marketing materials.

Properties the Stubblefields' Assist-2-Sell have sold range from a $60,000 home in Katy to a $1.3 million mansion in Piney Point, owned by a physician.

"There are a lot of different kinds of business models out there in real estate," said Mike Leviton, chairman of the Houston Association of Realtors. "As long as they represent the best interest of sellers - or buyers - we don't have a problem with any of it."

Shannon Stubblefield says they do represent the best interest of sellers and buyers but adds this caveat:

"Look, we're not encouraging people to jump into a pool where they can't swim. This is for people who know what they want, and they're not afraid of using something new."

Last week, Help-U-Sell filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company says that its brand and franchisees will not be affected by the bankruptcy proceedings, but others in the industry are using this as an opportunity to discount the viability of alternative business models.  

Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle Martin, co-founders and co-chief executive officers of Assist-2-Sell Inc., a leading full-service discount real estate company, had these comments:

"Many ‘traditional' real estate brokers are pointing to the Help-U-Sell bankruptcy as a sign that all ‘discounters' are doomed to fail. First of all, Help-U-Sell hasn't failed. So far, it has simply made a financial decision that many companies make. Second, one simply has to talk to home sellers who have recently used a discount brokerage to see that the model is alive and well. More than ever, homeowners need to hold onto more of their home's equity, and as awareness for alternatives to ‘traditionally-priced' brokers grows, so will discount real estate.

"It's not a surprise that Help-U-Sell-along with most of the major real estate franchises-has lost offices over the last couple of years. It's unfortunate but it's not unusual for a down real estate market. Anyone who has been in the industry for long knows that real estate is cyclical.

"We remain committed to the business model we developed more than 20 years ago and are confident that Assist-2-Sell will once again be one of the fastest growing real estate franchises when the market inevitably picks up.

"Today, Assist-2-Sell has more than 450 franchise offices throughout North America. As a franchisor, we continue to be strong and debt free. One of the things we are most proud of is the fact that we have not undergone any significant disruptive management changes over the years. We [Mary and Lyle] started Assist-2-Sell in 1987 and continue to run the company, along with a team that has been in place for many years.

"We are also proud to have saved home sellers nearly $1 billion in real estate commissions*, without forcing them to sacrifice any of the service or support they want and need. We have customer testimonials from all over the United States and Canada, and from all income levels, attesting to the fact that Assist-2-Sell is truly a full-service real estate brokerage. Competitors who say otherwise are simply confused or uninformed."

LaMeres-Pomin and Martin are available for additional comments. Simply e-mail Assist-2-Sell Media Relations at ecampbell@assist2sell.com or call (760) 494-5979.

About Assist-2-Sell Inc.
Based in Reno, Nev., Assist-2-Sell was founded by Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle Martin in 1987. Their full-service discount business model caught on with consumers who were tired of paying high commissions. Today, there are more than 450 Assist-2-Sell offices throughout the United States and Canada. These offices provide home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee, saving consumers nationwide nearly $1 billion in commissions.* Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings databases. All brokers and agents are fully licensed and REALTORS®. On the Net: http://www.assist2sell.com/.

*Savings based on statistics since January 1, 2000, for all Assist-2-Sell® offices in North America, compared to paying six percent commission. Six percent used for comparison purposes only. Commissions may be negotiable and are not fixed by law.

# # #

By now, I hope you're fully engaged with LinkedIn.  You've completed your profile; started building your network; begun posting recommendations for people you've worked with; and reached out to your network requesting recommendations for yourself.  Now there's another LinkedIn tool that will help you take full advantage of this popular online networking site.

LinkedIn Answers allows LinkedIn users to pose questions to everyone in their network, including people who are very indirectly "related."  All of those people then have the opportunity to answer the questions.  If you begin answering questions that are related to your areas of expertise (i.e. buying and selling a home, practicing real estate, running a small business, managing employees, etc.), you will establish yourself as an expert -- not only with the person who asked the question, but with everyone in your entire network. 

I'll use myself as an example to put that into perspective.  I have 249 "trusted friends and colleagues" in my network.  Through them, I am connected to more than 4.2 million LinkedIn users.  That means my total LinkedIn network has more than 4.2 million people... and it's growing every day!  Since July 29, nearly 47,000 people have been added to my network without my doing anything.  That's a lot of people!

Get started today:

1) Log on to your LinkedIn profile and go to the LinkedIn Answers section.

2) If you scroll down, you will see questions that have recently been asked by your network ("New Questions From Your Network."). Similarly, your LinkedIn home page will display recent questions related to your profession.  You can either visit these pages frequently looking for questions to answer, or you can set up a feed to your RSS Reader or Google or Yahoo Home Page. Much more convenient!

3) First, figure out which categories you're going to target. The top level categories are listed on the right hand side of the page under "Browse." Click on each category to get a full list of sub-categories.

4) You'll go through the following process for each of your targets:

a. Click on "Personal Finance." Then click on the "Personal Real Estate" link on the right hand side of the screen.

b. Once the new page opens, you'll see a little orange square (the RSS icon) under the header "Subscribe to new questions in." Click on "Personal Real Estate."

c. Now you'll see a list of options. I personally use my Google home page to keep track of LinkedIn Answers, as well as all my blog feeds. Use whichever option is right for you.

d. Voila! Any time someone in your network asks a question related to your profession, your home page or feed reader will be automatically updated.

5) When you're answering questions, please remember that your answers can be seen by everyone in your network and they will be connected to your LinkedIn profile. Take your time. Be professional. And please don't be overly sales-y! Don't try to sell your services. If you present yourself as an intelligent, well spoken real estate professional, your expertise will sell itself.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

And don't forget to check out Trulia Voices.  They have a similar application that is solely related to real estate.

Michael Sinton, owner of the Mercerville, New Jersey Assist-2-Sell office, was interviewed at length for an article in Real Estate Business Magazine.  The magazine is produced by the Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers (CRB Council).

Real Estate Business Magazine

Technology 101

By Lon Mills

Home life may not mimic "The Jetsons" just yet, but buying and selling them has moved a step closer to that futuristic lifestyle that was merely a fantasy 40 years ago.

As the 21st century moves forward, more real estate brokerages are adding, upgrading or researching the latest technology innovations to better their firms, customer service and agent productivity.

It's not just today's market conditions that brokerages need to analyze, but it's the real estate trends as well.

"The idea behind an office with 100 desks isn't needed anymore," says Steve Westmark, CRB, past president and broker of Counselor Realty in Minneapolis-St. Paul. "Agents may be in the office three hours a week; and the rest of the time they are running their business out in the field."

As real estate agents embrace an expanding mobile society, brokers must adjust their management tactics and strategies. But where to start? The tools and services available to real estate brokerages can be overwhelming, especially to a new broker, owner or manager.

Go e-PRO
One place to start is by earning the e-PRO certification offered by the National Association of REALTORS®‚ (NAR). e-PRO is the only NAR-approved Internet certification program and is designed to keep real estate professionals abreast of online real estate developments.

For Michael Sinton, a CRB Candidate and broker/owner of Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Edge in Mercerville, N.J., the e-PRO course was the starting point for him and his agents. Approximately a year ago, after reading many articles forecasting the downturn in the real estate market, Sinton decided to bring his office up to speed on technology.

"It was an eye opener," Sinton says. "It made us ask, ‘What more could we do?'" His experience with the course led to researching innovative tools and services that could keep his brokerage competitive in a changing market.

In an industry where customer service is everything, technology is needed to make things more efficient, not necessarily easier.

"The things we've implemented make us more efficient," Sinton says. "It gets us in front of people rather than stuck behind a desk trying to find people. It streamlines our operation."

Tech Talk
Offered by the CRB Council, the brand new course "Technology Management: Develop & Deploy an Effective Strategy for Your Office" presents strategies for both small brokerages as well as managers working within larger firms who enjoy the luxury of having a full-time IT person. This course was developed in partnership with Matthew Ferrara & Company, a leader in real estate technology. It aims to give participants a technology plan to implement right away when they return to their offices.

"One of the benefits of the class serves to help build the bridge for large and small brokers," says John Mayfield, ABR, ABRM, CRB, e-PRO, GRI, and broker associate with RE/MAX Best Choice in St. Louis, Mo., president of RealEstateSalesMeeting.com and instructor for the "Technology Management" course.

Topics in the class include technology, office policies, modern office infrastructure, enabling a mobile work force, marketing technologies, Web site enhancement and metrics, blogs and Intranets. It's a resource to learn what can work, what saves time and what makes a firm more profitable.

"The goals for the course are to get brokers and agents up to speed on what technology changes are needed for their firms," Mayfield said. "We want to inject a lot of ideas into them to implement into their own office."

If a real estate brokerage has a full-time IT person, Mayfield suggests the broker and IT director take the course to understand each other's roles to ensure a smoother operation.

"It allows both parties to understand what the other does," Mayfield says.

Your Software is Showing
An innovation that is making ground with real estate brokerages is the use of "showing software." Sinton and his firm use Real Front Desk from Advanced Office Solutions and appreciate the personalized automatic feedback system it provides.

The software works like this: As soon as a showing agent shows a house listed by Sinton's firm, they receive a survey via e-mail with personalized questions about the home. As soon as it's submitted via e-mail, a copy goes to the listing agent and the homeowner. Sinton cites his firm had a showing agent response rate of 20% without Real Front Desk as compared to 90% with it.

"It's quicker to get feedback from the showing agent," Sinton says. "It takes less of their time, and they can do it at their leisure. That's one of the reasons our response rate went up."

More showing agents are comfortable responding to a personalized survey rather than telling a listing agent what is wrong with a home. Through this method, listing agents can quickly gain information on the potential buyer's interest, what the showing agent thought of the property, as well as get opinions on pricing, etc.

YouTube, YouTube, We All Scream for YouTube
As showing agents let potential buyers into homes for an up-close-and-personal look, buyers can turn to the Internet for a sneak preview of what they will see. Sinton and his firm use a creative and cost-effective way to show those homes: by posting video on YouTube.

Launched in February 2005, YouTube is a free video-sharing Web site where users can upload, view and share video clips. Today, YouTube is more famous for cease-and-desist orders from movie studios, crying Britney Spears fans and babbling beauty contestants who aren't familiar with current events.

However, among the sea of quirky clips, real estate agents are taking advantage of the service and using it as a tool to sell homes.

"It's a big hit with our sellers, and we get a great return on it," Sinton says. "People really like this kind of stuff."

One of Sinton's agents, Allan Brown, experimented with producing his own video listings instead of using a professional "virtual tour" service. He simply took a video camera and walked through a home while narrating and showing everything the house has to offer.

By investing in a quality camera and video editing software, a real estate brokerage can reign in the savings while still putting out a professional-looking presentation.

An agent will still have to be creative by editing the video at the office, adding music to create ambience and re-recording the narration so descriptions are complete and clear.

"Another benefit of using YouTube is that you can embed the videos on any other site," Sinton says. "It creates huge exposure."

Depending on the home, most of Sinton's firms listings are presented this way. He cites video at the top of his firm's presentation methods.

"Videos blow pictures away," Sinton says. "We've seen it firsthand. It actually works."

Good Calls
While the Internet, computers and cameras are must-have technology items for a real estate brokerage, the telephone still has relevance when it comes to listing.
By implementing a call-capture system that works through an 800 number, Sinton's firm has gone from 10 to 15 buyer calls a month to more than 280.

Sinton uses Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Edge to set up an 800 number that allows 1,000 voicemail connections and assigns every listing its own extension. When a potential buyer tours a home, and wants more information, they are given the 800 number with that home's extension for more information. When the customer calls, they are greeted with a recorded message about that particular house greets them.

"This is one of the most advanced things we've ever done," Sinton says. "It broke the barrier on how to get the next buyer."

As the customer listens to the message, the listing agent and Sinton receive an immediate text message and e-mail of the information gleaned from the call. Within 10 minutes the listing agent makes a follow-up call to the interested party.

"Most of the time, the potential buyer will have additional questions," Sinton says. "They are always impressed with the follow-up and technology."

The listing agent stays courteous and just makes sure the potential buyer received answers to all of their questions. Since the customer made the initial call, the follow-up doesn't violate the Do Not Call law.

"Our homeowners love it," Sinton says. "I need more agents because the 800-number innovation took off so rapidly."

While the increase in warm leads for Sinton's firm jumped by leaps and bounds, he cites the call-capture system as an effective way to make sure his agents are doing their jobs.

"It's good for accountability because I receive the information the agents do," Sinton says.

By using this type of system, the broker knows a buyer called one of the home extensions and can make sure his/her agents follow up in a timely and proper manner.

"This is our golden goose," Sinton says. "It's cutting-edge stuff, and with an ever-changing market, you have to know where the next buyer is coming from."

E-volution
As the Internet's roots grow stronger and continue their evolution into becoming a business necessity, brokers and real estate offices have turned to paperless technologies to make their documents electronic.

"There are a lot of great scanning and storage solutions that can provide what is needed," Mayfield says. "Online storage solutions are a really big trend, and you're going to see more brokers moving toward it. It's affordable and available 24/7."

Mayfield recommends checking state rules and commissions regarding paperless transactions. Some states require keeping original documents for a period of time.

NetDocuments is a document management service that requires no hardware or packaged software. In an era when more real estate agents are mobile, Mayfield recommends a service like NetDocuments. As an example, a real estate brokerage can scan contracts and marketing materials and store them in specific folders and set parameters on who has access to those folders. If a listing agent has a request from a buying agent for a certain document, the listing agent can grant the buying agent access to the necessary online folder to retrieve that document.

NetDocuments, according to Mayfield, charges $20 per user per month with a requirement of two users per office. So not only does the service streamline document management but it can also be cost-effective.

In the 21st century, real estate agents who are new to the industry no longer hang out at the office. They use broadband Internet connections and work out of their home or out in the field.

"Having an online solution where your documents are accessible from remote locations is a valuable tool," Mayfield says.

Call in Backup
While having real estate documents available from anywhere is convenient and cost-effective, it's all for naught if they are inaccessible. Brokers need to back up their firm's data. It's as simple as that. Brokers need to ask how to do it, not whether they should do it.

"What if you have a fire or a server crash? You're going to lose all that data," Mayfield says. "There are some really good solutions out there for
online backup."

A backup method Mayfield recommends is MediaVault, a storage drive that offers an easy way to back up files from networked PCs, along with the ability to stream digital media files to other networked devices.

Carbonite.com is another service that specializes in backing up computer files. According to Carbonite.com:
• 43% of people lose irreplaceable files every year due to accidental deletion
• Only three out of every 100 stolen laptops are ever recovered
• Thousands of files are lost each year due to fires, floods and other disasters
• Up to 13% of hardware drives crash in their first year

The service Carbonite offers is Internet-based and doesn't require hardware. The service is subscription-based, costing $49.95 per year per computer and provides unlimited storage space.

For brokers experiencing growth and wanting to store office files offsite for extra security, an Internet-based service like Carbonite is a good option.

"It's an area brokers need to consider technology-wise," Mayfield says. "If you woke up one day and your files were gone, what would you do? The total loss of computer files can put six out of every 10 businesses out of business."

Smart Phone, Smart Move
As agents move into mobile mode, more real estate brokerages are hosting Microsoft Outlook on their server which allows agents to sync their smart phone and turn it into a mobile office.

For smaller brokerages, services like MailStreet.com are available and will host an office's Microsoft Outlook for a small fee. This type of service eliminates the need to maintain dedicated in-house servers.

"This service can be used by anybody wanting to keep their smart phone up to date in real time," Mayfield says. "A lot of real estate agents use Microsoft Outlook and this feature is a real benefit. A lot of small brokers don't realize it's out there and when I tell them about it, they are wowed."

For a real estate agent, speed of response is critical. Agents need to be able to do that efficiently with consumers and constantly be looking for new ways to communicate.

"We want to be leading edge," Westmark says, "not bleeding edge."

Virtual Realty
Westmark cites that four out of five new agents at Counselor Realty are "virtual agents." As a result, the office space there is designed with the remote, or virtual, agent in mind.

It still features traditional amenities, like conference rooms, but also houses an Internet café and a flat-screen TV.

"If I want to ‘wow' a client, I may need the office for presentation purposes," Westmark says.

With an increasing number of agents using notebooks and Wi-Fi, business can be done just as easily in a more relaxing and casual atmosphere for the client such as Starbucks. According to Westmark, agents also want to forego paying for office space to keep their costs down so the firm has to maintain an "on-the-fly" structure.

Westmark also believes in maintaining a "wow" factor for agents. He suggests firms tap technology leaders when it comes to researching new gadgets and services to keep agents at the top of their game.

Counselor Realty has company quarterly meetings where the firm brings in vendors to present technology innovations. The firm also provides monthly training on new and existing technology the office uses.

The firm also has several committees and the leaders of each committee are dispatched to the NAR conference every year to, as Westmark puts it, "walk the floor."

The goal is to find new and beneficial tools or services that the company can employ. By having a specific team sent to bring back and educate agents, the agents can continue with what they need to do: buy and sell homes.

July 28, 2008
"Tis the season..." to sell your home
Cadillac News
Kayla Kiley

Selling your home is not easy in today's market. But there are ways to increase your chances - especially during the warm months.

"Now is the best time of year to sell," said Scott Farley, broker/owner of Assist 2 Sell Buyers & Sellers Advantage in Cadillac. "People would rather move in the spring and summer. They do a lot more looking that time of year, and homes look better in those seasons."

With the summer season in full session along with some home-selling tips, you may get a few nibbles, and hopefully the big bite.

Follow Farley's tips on where to invest your money, and you just may end up hurrying your home off the market...

With increased tourism and pretty weather, it's the season to sell your home.

But with so many homes on the market these days, you'd better have an action plan if you're serious about selling.

Scott Farley, broker/owner of Assist 2 Sell Buyers & Sellers Advantage in Cadillac, offers tips on how to get your home buyer-ready.

SELL YOUR HOME

• Cleaning goes a long way. Most potential homeowners don't want to think of their house as messy and dirty. "Homes show and sell so much better when they're clean and neat," Farley said.
• Get rid of clutter. It'll make the home look neater, larger and help de-personalize the house. Take down family photos so people can imagine the house as their own.
• Make your house homey. It may be an extreme, but it just may give you the one-up on the other home. Put out potpourri, brew a pot of coffee or dim the lights. Playing to peoples' senses may help your house sell.
• If you're painting, keep it neutral. Painting in neutral colors may be a good option if you have funky colored walls. "Paint can go a long way," Farley said. "Keep it neutral - you'll appeal to a wider market it you do."
• Staging tends to be for higher end markets, but even if you're on the lower end, staging helps. If there is too much in one room, take out some pieces and put it in another room or in storage - this could help your home look larger and more inviting. Rearrange your furniture then take a look at the layout before deciding the best look - this may take a few different set ups. You can even turn on a few low-light lamps to help give the room a nice, warm glow.
• Don't over-invest your money. "Take what you have and make it clean and neat," Farley said. Fix things that need to be fixed, such as patching holes and maybe give your house and deck a power wash. Stay away from major expenses, such as putting in new carpet, which is very costly and could backfire.
• Maintain your yard. Don't hire a landscaper, but do keep your yard neat. "I would encourage sellers to do the basics," Farley said. If there's bad spot on your lawn where grass isn't coming in, give it your time and attention, trim your bushes and put out flowers.

"Curb appeal goes a long way, especially with ladies," Farley said. "They want to pull up house that looks warm and inviting."

• Price it right. It's definitely a buyers market - there are a lot of homes on the market and buyers are looking for bargains.

"The biggest motivating factor for buyers is price," Farley said. "Playing economics is one of biggest things (in whether your home will sell). Right now, people want a deal because they know it's a buyers market. People want to think they've negotiated a good deal, and they want the price to be very little compared to asking price. It's tough out there, no doubt about it."

NOT READY TO SELL YET?

Not sure you want to sell yet and thinking about remodeling? Keep these tips in mind:

• A lot of people in this part of the country like a garage and basement. Guys especially like a nice garage, and ladies like a basement - they can both be great for storage, extra rooms and general space.
• Keep the dough in the kitchen and bathroom. While they're the two most expensive rooms in house, "they're important rooms because they're used so much," Farley said. If you're thinking about selling in the near future, when these areas become old and dated, consider refurbishing them.
• Land brings the buyers. A lot of people who are looking for homes in northern Michigan want land, and they want at least an acre. Farley said buyers request a minimum of an acre of land "all the time."
• Do what makes you happy. If you plan to live in your home for a while, it'll still your home for the time being, and you should make yourself happy. So, fix the things that need to be fixed so you can enjoy them for a while, and if that new subzero fridge floats your boat, or you want to replace your counter, Farley said "do that, too."
• Remember that the best house to own is the cheapest in the neighborhood. And it's the easiest to sell. So, don't over invest in your house to the point where people may think the Jones' own it.
• It's a good time to hire contractors. With our state's struggling economy, real estate has taken a hard hit and so have contractors. The good news is if you're looking to have someone work on your house, it's likely you can get a good competitive price - so start looking.

June 26, 2008
Cottonwood Chronicle
Linda Kaschmitter Joins Assist 2 Sell

Linda Kaschmitter has joined Team Assist 2 Sell.  Assist 2 Sell is a National franchise which originated in Reno Nevada in 1987.  Because of its new and unique marketing strategies it is currently one of the fastest growing discount real estate companies nationwide with over 630 offices in 44 states and Canada.  Each Assist 2 Sell offices are independently owned and operated.  All agents are members of the Lewis-Clark Association of REALTORS.  The Lewiston office has been nationally ranked in the "Top 5" producing offices for "small markets" 3 years in a row. 

Linda has been a licensed realtor for 12 years and is currently working on her Associate Broker License.  Linda along with her husband Kevin have lived in the area for most of her life.  They have 3 grown children and 7 grandchildren.  If you would like more information about Assist 2 Sell you can call the Lewiston office at 208-798-7822 or call Linda Kaschmitter at home 208-962-3672 or her cell 208-983-6771.  Check out the web site www.lewistonclarkstonhomes.com.