The Happy Client: Finding the perfect clients everyday

Hot'N'Scratchy.

As I'm eating my breakfast of coffee and granola bars, this is the only food-chain moniker I can think of that would provide healthy sustenance for the "on-the-go" worker.

And with more "muffin top" prevention that the Keebler Elf Human Resources Department (Hang in there, Elmer!), Realtors would be the perfect client for this business.

We would understand the long term and short term benefits of visiting Hot'N'Scratchy, what the competition offers (the elusive McRib), what we're going to need to do to get in line ($4.05 for a Groot, as we'd be going Dutch), and what a great outcome would be.

And it helps both sides. Nobody wants to be known as the client from hell, and no agent wants to push the "hater" button on their phone; you know the one that sends someone straight to voicemail so they know you've ignored their call?
Didn't know about that one?
Never mind, then.
They were probably going through a tunnel. In Iowa. Happens all the time.

My perfect client would be happy, open, optimistic, excited, curious, responsible, realistic, and a bit of a visionary. And alive. Very important on that last one, as the undead are sticklers for detail, and love to low-ball. And they torpedo property value in neighborhoods. But I digress.

The perfect client has to be happy, because we're about to go out and shop for their new home! Whatever has happened in the past that could be bringing them down, they've left it there, and are realizing today's a new day. I'm about to spend the next couple hours focused on your needs, you, you, you! It's like a spa day, but at the end, instead of some nice tea, YOU GET A HOUSE! Plus, it's your time off, and your time to be miserable while shopping was when you were 14, and all the Corey Haim/Feldman Trapper Keepers were already taken (c'est la vie). If you're a buyer, be happy that the market might be in your favor for the first time in five years, and that you've kept yourself financially stable enough to qualify for a loan that doesn't originate from a guy in a Yankees hat who "dabbles in insurance and the import/export" business?

The perfect client is happy to be seeing that there are options out there, or the potential for options. Yes, matching goldenrod sinks, stoves, and fridges are a bit out-dated, and three inch shag carpeting wouldn't be as snazzy if it weren't purple, but the schools are great, the home is solid. And those things are replaceable, like a Menudo member, or the cheesy contractor who installed them in the first place.

And the perfect client is happy that there is someone in their corner on this one. And while the world turns, they're happy to have their own personal Sherpa making the lists, checking them twice, organizing a tour of eight homes, remembering there's a dog in the garage, bringing a first aid kit in case you don't. Someone willing to take every bit of stress out of it they can to make what could be a circus a beautiful Cirque du Soleil. But one of the family friendly ones. Not the ones that made my dad afraid of Vegas.

Tune in next time for why the perfect client is open and optimistic. I've combined the two to get points for alliteration. And if I see a chain of Hot'N'Scratchy's pop up locally, I'll be smiling.

Because I'm going to sue you, and retire at 36.

Low Offers in a Declining Market: Whatcom County

Anyone been in a cave? In the outback of Alaska? Both, possibly? Good, thanks for the show of hands.

If you haven't heard, read, or had suth-sayed (past tense of sooth?) for $1.99 a minute, nationally the housing market is experiencing a "management restructuring." This is a politically savvy way of saying that the earth is righting itself, lending has returned to Planet Earth, and bidding wars on Mike Brady's home that reached half a million might have gone the way of the McRib (you'll be missed).

It's hurt, but not like Apollo Creed hurt, more like Rocky Balboa hurt, and not including the last two Rocky's. My apologies to the other three guys in the world who saw Rocky 5, and to the nation for the last one.

And while the national market is down, anxiously awaiting a song by Survivor, parties interested in investing are stepping forth: relocators, first time home buyers who are recognizing affordable prices while the last few years kept them in rentals, investors, flippers, floppers, moms and dads looking to see at least something come out of 5 years (sorry! rugby) of college, Greasers, Soch's, and basically anyone who's read a book by Robert Kyosaki.


And in the blue corner, the most ferocious of opponents: sellers. It's not the most optimal time to put one's home on the market, and yet, they stand in the face of adversity due to need, want, requirement, short sale, or foreclosure, when the bank ACTUALLY sells the shorts. Third-rate puns aside, the inventory is out there.

From the borrowing, begging, or stealing that occurred to get us here, and I include "US" like the royal "us", we still have the ingredients for a viable market: Buyers and Sellers.


The last time it took someone this long to get to a point, there were a few base camps involved but: Low Offers are going to happen. People are anxious to see what will be taken, how large a barrel a seller is over, and how creative they can get with an offer.

People with extra income from a strong base of equity are investing their dollars in homes that would normally be out of their price range....sound familiar? Almost as if this will build as more and more people become confident in the market, until suddenly there are multiple bids on the same property. It's the Circle of Real Estate, Simba.




So buyers, if you put in a low offer expect the following:

1. A harsh counter-offer the first time around (you've just taken the porch their grandfather built with his two hands from a tree they grew up swinging on, and erased its value)
   


2. No help with items on the inspection (they'd rather walk you through a plate-glass window than the workings of the radiant floor heating system)
   


3. Utter silence. Absolute ignoring of the offer. As actions speak louder than words, and ignoring doesn't require a fax machine.

Sellers, here's your chance to sell your home!

1. You've captured the elusive unicorn of this market, an interested and pre-qualified buyer, don't let it go because the coloring looks "splotchy".
   
   
2. Take a deep breath. This helps the life process. Then figure out what a good counter offer would be. While offers at listing price are happening, they might not be happening to you for a reason, whatever they may be.
   
   
3. Take it as a compliment: they liked your home/condo/yurt/78 Gremlin! So much that they took the time to write an offer. Think of other offers in your life that might not have been the best you'd expected....if you were lucky enough to not have been raised by Neanderthals (sorry, Thag), you'd politely decline, or offer another option, or keep trying until you reached an agreement.

As a Buyer's Agent, I've written my share of low offers, and bore the brunt of the hell that do hath fury much like a woman's scorn. I've also had clients who've passed on writing offers on a home because they thought their offer might have been to low, only to see the "Pending" or "Sold" for a number close to theirs.

"Well, we would've paid THAT!" doesn't keep them cozy. Your home might have. This first offer could be their "toe in the water" and you're response could be the difference between their moving forward, and "I'll just watch from the side, while my waterwings deflate from shame and cowardice." Strangely enough, waterwings are symbols of both, but that's for another blog.

Low offers are going to happen. But the difference between an emotional response and a seasoned and skilled negotiator could be the sale of a home.

Which is why you might need an agent. I'm here when you need me.

Chris McNamara
BuyerTours Realty, LLC
chris@buyertours.com
360-303-1034
Read about Whatcom County
http://www.realestate.bellingham.net/
http://www.bellinghampowersearch.com/

FHA Downpayment Assistance Soon To Be Gone

Now that both the House and Senate passed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, and with President Bush likely to sign the Bill, you can wave goodbye to Downpayment Assistance Programs (DAP) like Nehemiah and AmeriDream for FHA loans. This law will go into effect Oct 1 2008.

If your a Buyer thinking of using a FHA loan, now is the time to buy! Along with baring the use of a DAP, the Buyer now will have to put 3.5% down.

Below is an excerpt from the H.R. 3221 Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (highlighted text done by me):

SEC. 2113. CASH INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT AND PROHIBITION OF SELLER-FUNDED DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.Paragraph (9) of section 203(b) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709(b)(9)) is amended to read as follows:
(9) CASH INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT-(A) IN GENERAL - mortgage insured under this section shall be executed by a mortgagor who shall have paid, in cash or its equivalent, on account of the property an amount equal to not less than 3.5 percent of the appraised value of the property or such larger amount as the Secretary may determine.

(C) PROHIBITED SOURCES.—In no case shall the funds required by subparagraph (A) consist, in whole or in part, of funds provided by any of the following parties before, during, or after closing of the property sale:
(i) The seller or any other person or entity that financially benefits from the transaction.(ii) Any third party or entity that is reimbursed, directly or indirectly, by any of the parties described in clause (i). This subparagraph shall apply only to mortgages for which the mortgagee has issued credit approval for the borrower on or after October 1, 2008.’’

Inspiration from inspiration: 29th Annual Mayor's Art Awards Celebration

Positive-thought provoking. Awe-inspiring. Inspirational. Like a town crier calling for an approaching circus. But the circus you marvel at as a kid, not the media-circus connotation I carry now as a 32 year-old man.

And while the margin between the two is a country song waiting to happen, I was treated to nothing short of these feelings last night at the 29th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards Celebration from the Bellingham Arts Commission (http://www.cob.org/government/public/boards-commissions/arts/index.aspx).

20 artists were recognized last night in Bellingham, for Bellingham, on behalf of Bellingham. And these people are really the champions of this hamlet, giving back through their respective arts, each with a positive attitude, interaction with kids from age 2 to 92, or just immense creativity. The ability to recognize the moments you were in awe of someone was almost tangible, from the teacher who worked with children who said her art was an unsigned one, but multiplied over and over,making it better than any signature, to the writer who reiterated his account of how the old Fairhaven Hotel was dismantled into dump trucks and dumped along Boulevard Park. Each awardee represented the army of creative minds behind them, and in their brief moments in the spotlight, shone back with the talent that brought them to that podium in the first place.

In the true spirit of their art, the Dream Science Circus, who inspires through interaction, teaching confidence building, trust, and creativity through performance art, gave an acceptance fitting to their cause, as the one partner, climbed atop the others shoulders, and gave thanks back to Bellingham, when it was our appreciation they were there to accept.

And that was the underlying theme; even when Ben Mann was accepting his award for teaching art to students in the same classroom in Silver Beach where he "first brought his purple crayons", despite the Bellingham Repertory Dance Company's award for bringing performance level dance to our 72,000 plus town, as well as the opportunity to participate, they were still giving. They were giving thanks, genuine, well-thought out, and heart-spoken thanks to a place that isn't the biggest star on most maps, but might have the biggest heart.

And when the Poetry Night at Fantasia's spokesman spoke of the ingenuity, passion, honesty, and raw talent of their group, he qualified it for me forever when he made mention that the median age is 22. He boasted that he had hope for the future based on this group of young people, a rare statement in these or any times, really.

Grant Donnellan accepted his award, and posed a question for Bellingham to think about the next time that music's budget is on the chopping block: How many of us listened to music today, in some form or another? And in the same day, how many of us used complex mathematics? This doesn't discount the need for math is schools; but shows that music is so much more than extra-curricular.

A recipient brought a card from a student, that when opened read, "Thank you, with all our art!' And that's what Bellingham continually does, is thank itself through the local artists who grant us permission into their grey matter, to a creativity that we might be too busy to harness ourselves sometimes, but definitely need to appreciate.

Grey could be the predominant color in Bellingham. At points in February, there's no refuting that. But there are folks in this town who are doing their best to splash some accent color through carving, juggling, painting, teaching the piano, restoring the Whatcom Centennial Story Pole, dance, or poetry.

No amount of skillful invention can ever replace the essential element of imagination, said a man name Edward Hopper. It's Bellingham's continual combination of the two that keeps me here.

Destination Zuanich Point: Spring Run

From a storm of grey days, one brief, shining moment emerged this Saturday. I don't know how, or why, and am guessing since the local weather folks get blamed for the inclement weather, they should gleam some sort of credit for this, but we had an incredible April 12th.

And so, around 7:00, I pulled the quick laces on my shoes for a run that started on Railroad, went down West Holly Street, past the stores whose sidewalks don't roll out until the sun does, and into Maritime Heritage Park. Mostly downhill. I'm feeling absolutely invincible. And I look over at the park and decide I'm hitting those stairs, partly because I'm the only person alive at this point with the volume of my music, but more because it's Saturday, and it's finally nice out. What better two reasons to push yourself; you get 52 of these a year, and each one should count. Motivation. So 70 stairs later I'm on the top, looking out over the harbor, where the GP site is, knowing that we've got t-minus 10 years or so, and I'll be looking at 137 acres of incredible waterfront, possibly home to some internationally acclaimed organizations to be named later, great parks, and more importantly, more folks in Bellingham.

I'm an East Coaster, about 3300 miles away from where I opened my first lunch box, and the seascape that we have in Bellingham here is one of the reasons I stuck. We've rolling hills that look over a harbor into the islands. We're minutes from Canada, and and hour and half from Seattle, depending on who's driving. And the Bellingham Bells' symbol is the same as the Boston Red Sox so there's not much more one could ask for.

And as I run down the side of the street over the train tracks that helped build Bellingham, I veer left into the Bellwether, home to a couple of fantastic restaurants (Anthony's Ahi cooked to just north of rare) and where I saw a best friend get married in from of a pirate ship (not the wedding theme, just a happy coincidence). And suddenly the songs fade out, and I realize that there are a handful of people with access to this run, to this place on the Earth right now, and I'm one of them. I get a lot of those moments here.

The boats around the marina remind you why there's a waiting list to get a slip. And the view over the park that extends through the rock-built jetty into Fairhaven gives you reason to reason your way through the winters here.

It chalks up the thermometer at about 60 degrees when I finish my run, and that's more than enough for a reminder as to why I do what I do here. Being a steward to Bellingham makes me feel like a bit of a beggar at the palace, and that's fine with me.

You get 52 Saturdays a year, not barring leap years like this one. And I wouldn't give away Saturday for all the doom-and-gloom market reports in the world, as I know they're out there. But making the best of our surroundings and the best of what we have separates us, helps us top the food chain. Enjoying the sunshine in Bellingham feels good to type. Hope it felt better to read....

VA Home Loan Program

The Bellingham VFW Post 1585 had their monthly meeting tonight. Elections of new officers were held and you are looking at (so to speak), at the new Junior Vice President. Thank you... Thank you... yes with my cup of Mt. Dew in hand I was elected! But this blog isn't about self congratulations. I want to talk about VA Loans.

With the number of 100% mortgage loans diminishing, Veterans might want to look into using the VA Loans. You served or are serving our Country honorably so why not take advantage of the benefits offered.

Let's touch upon a couple of points.

1) It's possible to get a 100% mortgage loan because of the VA Guaranteed Home Loan. What this basically does, is guarantee the 20% down payment that banks would of required of you. What does this mean for you? Drum roll please...............Your down payment, to get into a home, comes to Zero Dollars! Normally you would get something like a 80/20 loan, giving you two different interest rates, which would raise your monthly mortgage payment.

2) Funding Fees. This is the cost of getting the VA loan. It is a part of your closing cost. If you are using the VA loan for the very first time, the fee is 2.15%. This is a one-time cost. The fee is reduced if you put some down payment down. Click here to see the Funding Fee Table.

To get started you need to apply with any mortgage lender that participates in the VA home loan program. You will need to get a Certificate of Eligibility. If your lender has access to ACE (automated certificate of eligibility), this can be done in a couple of seconds. Otherwise, you can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility by submitting a completed VA Form 26-1880, Request For A Certificate of Eligibility For Home Loan Benefits, to the Winston-Salem Eligibility Center, along with proof of military service.

For more information about the VA Home Loan Program Click here

Lake Padden Loop and Swim: Not so Fast...

This weekend was a rough one on the trail around Lake Padden, as the weather doesn't seem to be coinciding with the date (snow last weekend). With each morning, getting out of the car, looking at my MP3 player, and wondering why I didn't sleep in, I wonder when this feeling will start to dissipate.

My main motivation still ignites from getting beat by the woman in the Bumble Bee costume at the Jingle Bell run this year. It was a huge costume. And she beat me by a couple of lengths. I think she was running to Clay Aiken, and you can't beat that.

I vowed never to get beaten again by someone in a costume, after the "push-up" contest debacle against Goofy at Disney World this year (look at the size of his head, you can almost smell the Human Growth Hormone). But each day at Padden, I tap the Dr. Pepper machine, start my watch, and cruise past the tennis courts, the horse trails, and into the woods. Depending on the direction you run in, it varies in what you're workout will be. Could be flats for a while if you run clockwise, or immediately into the hills, and want to stay out of the winds that whip across the lake, and run counterclockwise.

Lake Padden is a gift, wrapped in a 2.6 mile loop (still trying to break 19 mins), about 5 minutes from the Sehome Haggen's. Surrounded by parks, fields, access to Galbraith and a couple great lengths of single track, you're only problem could be finding parking during the summer. And a lifeguard, as budgeting cuts have taken their toll on staff there. But barbecue, bring your dog (leashed here, unleashed there), and as long as you keep the two mutually exclusive, you can get an idea of why parks were created in the first place; to bring folks together in the Great Outdoors.

And yet, alone, on the morning of April 2nd (afternoon sun wasn't going to help much), I decided it was time to start swimming again, and waded into the Lake for a length across and back. I got to about my calves, then dove in, and after the Lady of the Lake stole the breath right out of me, I got right out. On the list of Bad Decisions I've made this year, this one hit the top ten. But we'll get there.

The location of Padden, off of Samish Way, makes the swims deviate from commonplace; high winds can produce an ocean-like chop, fog can set in, and by the time you're halfway across the lake, you can get pretty disoriented. And then there are the mornings where it's coffee table of glass, and the sun rises as you make your way back to the beach, and the chill of the water can't even knock the smile off your face. But it tries it's best, and this year, got the jump on me.

Sticking to a couple runs in the Chuckanut area for the next weeks will make my list for good decisions this year, and before I try to tap the Dr. Pepper machine at 18:59, give the Lake another go in May.

Advantage, Lake Padden.
Chris McNamara