The Massachusetts Real Estate Guy

The "Un-Christianity" of some "Christian" Real Estate Agents ...

I might get hate email or comment posts for this ... That's okay... I need to get this off my chest...

I REALLY hesitated writing out THIS post, believe me, but this bothers me...

A couple of months ago, I had a phone call from an agent in another part of the country...

Through my blogging, he found me and contacted me concerning a referral he wanted to hand over to me ...

Which I deeply appreciated, don't get me wrong. I was curious as to why he singled me out. I was hoping it was due to my blogging, my qualifications on various important topics in real estate. Maybe he liked my online "personality"... who knows? 

Whatever it was, I was a little "curious"...

So, he called. Asked me the usual. How many years, my area of service. 

Then he asked me a bizarre, really bizarre question. I NEVER imagined THIS question could be construed as a "qualification"...

If this type of question was asked by a potential employer to a job interviewee, I can only imagine the civil right violations and the potential for lawsuits it may have opened up.

"Are you a Christian" real estate agent?  Because my friends, they asked me to find them a "Christian" real estate agent."

Like I said, I was absolutely floored ...

It took me a moment to regain my thoughts. The first thing I thought was  "I'm NOT dealing with THIS jerk."... "Who need this?"
 

He kept asking that same question, "Are you a Christian" real estate agent? over and over again. If anything, I felt he was (unintentionally) sort of "taunting" me ...

I was flabbergasted.  Stunned, was more like it.  I couldn't believe it.  I immediately mentally tried to answer to myself, "what does it matter?"

I mean, we do live in America, don't we?

Plainly speaking, I was insulted.  I didn't want to deal with this narrow minded jerk.

So, I quickly collected myself, and explained I just didn't feel comfortable answering his question. He gave me a long, "drawling" kind of laugh, like he verbally exposed the devil in a lie, and then I told him someone else would be calling him.

In other words, my marketing efforts and blogging made someone else a potential commission because I didn't like the position I was put in by this "Christian"...

A Christian, mind you, who acted very "Un-Christian like".

How Christian? Eh?

What irks me is the indirect discrimination the referring agent practiced. 

I just didn't like it.

Whether or not I'm a Christian has nothing to do with the issue, and I'm not looking to get anyone in trouble. I am looking to expose a very important, very frustrating, issue at hand. The issue of how religion can be used to practice prejudice in a "commission" only, independent contractor status type of hiring. 

LOL, what's even funnier is, up until now, I pretty much have tried to keep religion out of my real estate discussions. Didn't even think of it, to be honest. I mean, really, when you think of it, who cares?

But it's wrong. You know it's wrong. It can be construed as a violation of housing laws.  I want NO part of it, on any end. BUT IT'S WRONG..

I honestly don't even go there, in terms of religion, when dealing with the public. However, I worry about agents like the guy I am writing about, because if he did THAT to me, what did he do to others?

I never considered someone's religion to be of paramount importance when I went to a Doctor, hired or recommended an accountant, a lawyer, chiropractor, or auto mechanic. 

Christian Real Estate Websites have been under fire before for similar allegations, as I found out when I did a "Google" Search.
I guess my gripes were someone else's too, a while ago...

Which begs the question; would most of these "Christian" real estate agents work with non Christians in terms of helping them buy or sell property?

I think you know the answer to that ... and that's what I don't like, the "one sidedness"....

Let me turn the tables and ask, are they saying they are more honest than everyone else?

Does that make everyone who doesn't meet "their" standards liars? Unethical? 

What was that Jesus said? "Let he without sin cast the first stone"

Yeah, right ...

How dare they?

And that, my friend, is the honest "Truth"... no matter what my religion is ... or yours, for that matter....


 

Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson

Just figured I’d write something, ANYTHING about Michael Jackson. I’d be a fool NOT to,  after I read that Google got hit hard with hits… 

This is my blatant attempt to “capitalize” on the “I wanna know how, why, and even ‘if’ Michael Jackson died”… craze…

I’m not gonna speak ill of the dead, so don’t go there.. I actually have THAT album.  You know, “Thriller”… bought it when it first came out to look “cool”.. I think I even have a white suit (won’t fit now, LOL)…

I’ll just post MY memories and thoughts on this guy. And by the way, I DID see the memorial yesterday. Very touching.  Felt very badly for his kids..

I just wish MJ had the sense of control to live a while longer. No, I’m not a fan. I’m just human…

If you access MLSPIN Data, YOU should pay your MLSPIN dues!

I'm going to be a very vocal, very public whistleblower on THIS issue! I pity anyone who crosses paths with me on THIS one!

Recently, it seems there's been a couple of agents and people who access MLSPIN data, and use THIS data overtly and openly without paying their MLSPIN dues!

Well, I'll be darned if I catch someone doing that and I let them get away!

You see, as an agent, I have to PAY quarterly dues to access MLSPIN Data. That's one way MLSPIN gets their money to stay in business.

And that's fine.. What I personally may think of the dues doesn't really matter. If I "wanna play, I have to play"... is pretty much what it all comes down to.

Now, if there's an agent that is affiliated with an office that subscribes to MLSPIN, that agent (all agents) are expected to pay their dues.

I guess there is an exemption for rental agents and personal assistants.

When it comes to personal assistants, I'm all for not charging dues for them. Personal assistants (licensed ones, I assume) are accessing the MLSPIN information to assist the agents that employ them. 

I don't agree with the decision about rental agents. I need more clarification on this, I suppose, however, my view is, if you access MLSPIN to get data, to potentially make money, then you should pay.  However, from what I understand, a rental agent IS exempt from paying dues as long as they are working under a broker of record.

My biggest concern however, isn't with the cost. There is also the SECURITY...

When you join MLSPIN, you can also elect to lease a lockbox "keypad" (depending on membership level). This keypad will allow access to properties that have the "electronic" lockbox on them.  Very safe, very effective way to show property.

There are penalties if an agent "lends" a lockbox to another agent for a showing, and well, there should be.

The lockbox "thinks" the person gained access to a property by reading the information from the keypad. We don't want to mislead the listing agent who's entering the property. There SHOULD BE and I'm GLAD there are fines and penalties.

So, if "Joe" works at Blah Blah Realty, and IS NOT a member of MLSPIN, they call the listing agent to show the property, and if the agent is stupid enough NOT to check and see if the agent is a paying subscriber to MLSPIN, the listing agent has effectively allowed ANYONE off the street access to the home!

That's why I LOVE the showing service I subscribe to. The first question I get from the operator is "May I have your Agent ID Number please?"

MAPass is an OPTIONAL service, and NOT all agents use it. Some agents are VERY security concious and do their job. Some aren't even aware.

Maybe if they read THIS blog post they will be aware!

Getting back to the "saga" of the agent who doesn't belong @ MLSPIN, there are SEVERE penalties and I mean SEVERE, imposed on the broker owners of companies that allow these shenanigans to take place.

First, as mentioned, it's a security issue.  Who am I dealing with?

Secondly, why should I pay and you shouldn't?

In the past couple of months, I've heard of  offers written by these "agents" and of course, they got duly reported (not by me) and their broker owners in turn got fined.  I hear all sorts of nightmares.

I have NO qualms about reporting ANYONE!  It's wrong, and like I said, these offenders can get as smug as they want to be, BUT if anyone of these folks cross MY path, they will get reported!

This week’s comments – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly…

Each week, certain events continue to amaze me…

This week, I approached a couple of owners who are in danger of foreclosure; there seems to be a mass wave of a hypnotic trance that “immobilizes” the majority of them; they won’t call their lender to discuss their situation. If they do, and the results are unfavorable, they won’t consider a short sale.  They won’t seek guidance or advice; pretty much, with the vast majority of them, they bury their head in the sand and act like eventually, this will go away..

It won’t happen that way.  I can understand the “paralysis” these folks go through; however, a time for any action MUST be taken.

Foreclosure is THE worst option anyone takes. Maybe you won’t care about this now, but you;’ll care later. Maybe in 3 years, 5 years, 8 or even more…

You can say anything you want, but the facts are the facts…Eventually, you should care.

… especially when there are SO many resources to help you too..

Chances are, your own lender doesn’t want you to wind up in foreclosure…

It’s like talking to the walls with some of these folks. It’s so frustrating to see this pattern of “self destruction”, repeated on a daily basis.

And now, did you hear the news?  “They’re” expecting a whole new wave of foreclosures, a THIRD WAVE, of foreclosures, to come crashing down…It’s supposedly going to be MORE DEVASTATING, MUCH MORE DEVASTATING, THAN the last two.

It’s expected to be SO bad, that I personally am get involved in the short sale and reo aspect of sales much more intensely than ever.  I swear, I try, I really do; I try to tell people NOT to slide in foreclosure. At least give it a good fight. Don’t do the disappearing act!  Don’t go through the embarrassment of having your name splattered all over the “Notices” section of the local paper (They do print upcoming foreclosure actions, you know).. Wanna be secretive? Do a short sale!

Let me repeat .. If YOU want the Whole World NOT to Know Your situation, THEN DO A SHORT SALE!  You’re going to leave the house one way or another, if you can’t stay! Might as well leave with your dignity intact!

Maybe you’ll even be able to buy another home in a couple of years. Start over again. AT a better market condition for those buying. 

VERY UNLIKELY IF YOU GO WITH THE FORECLOSURE ROUTE!!

Places and cities I personally have NOT seen get bank owned and short sale listings are now starting to creep up. 

There’s NO other way for me to say this. 

I want to “bust” all the misconceptions and fallacies people may have or may have heard of in terms of short sales versus foreclosures.  If you have a problem, call me at 508-365-3581 or email me and let me see if I can help you.  Anywhere in the country. I will get you the help you need through one of my referral networks and contacts.

Sure, I may make a commission or a referral fee.

BUT YOU ALSO GET ME!

Most likely, you won’t pay anything, anyway…

Honestly, I know now how “Ben” felt being surrounded by the zombies in the original classic horror movie;  “Night of the Living Dead”..

I don’t mean to be nasty, and I am trying to say this with a LOT of LOVE, but the frustration of watching people totally give up is very very sad; it “gets” to me.

For every person I may anger with this post, I hope 5 others get the help, advice, and solution they may be able to get.

Technorati Tags: Short Sale,Worcester,Metrowest,help,foreclosure,avoid,massachusetts,Ma,Mass

Unscientific Study: Most Foreclosures I see nowadays are Former Short Sales Mishandled…

I’ve been noticing this and here’s the situation; unless the lender “killed” the sale by potentially cashing out more on the foreclosure if the borrower had PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) which gave the lender(s) more than what they would make with a short sale,  a good amount of current foreclosures were previously listed, and at sometimes RIDUCULOUS prices, as either short sales or just badly overpriced listings.

Which means there is a responsibility that real estate agents who are Realtors® have to follow, and THAT is;

according to the 2009 Realtors ® Code of Ethics;

Standard of Practice 1-3

Realtors^®, in attempting to secure a listing, shall not deliberately mislead the owner as to market value.

To go to someone’s house and list a property at an overpriced number because “the owner told me” is like allowing “Dr. Kevorkian” to prescribe medication because the patient simply has a bad day…

So, why does this sort of thing happen?

I suspect it has to do with one of the following…

1.  The agent doesn’t know how to do a short sale and figures, “well, this is a hopeless case, anyway, so I’ll just list it and if the miracle of 2009 happens, great! If not, I don’t care anyway, or, at least I tried”…

2.  The agent REALLY doesn’t know what they’re doing …

3.  The Seller gets TOO selfish and says “Hey, if I don’t get anything outta this, let’em take the house.”…

What about the credit rating?

Honest to God, if a seller can sell at a Short Sale, and doesn’t, that is probably one of the dumbest things they do!

You don’t have to be behind in payments to do a short sale! You only have to prove “Hardship!”…

So many people get so much bad advice; so much confusion… It’s ridiculous! 

Yes, short sales are tough!  Yes, short sales are a pain!  Yes, Yes Yes!

BUT..

If it’s the only way, it’s the only way…

I have done a good number of short sales. The process is pretty much the same. The work is brutal. BUT.. The reward is good, and believe me, I’m NOT talking financially speaking. I’m talking the knowledge I helped someone… A negotiated settlement is always better than a court judgment in most cases. At least you know what to expect.  

How Lighting Adds to Home Value

Given the state of the economy, many homeowners simply don’t have the means to undergo major home improvement projects before they decide to put their listing on the market. While many believe that value is only added by tearing a room down and recreating the entire look, it’s simple to take an easier approach to renovating your space through home lighting. Whether the kitchen in need of another task lighting source or you just want to highlight a decorative corner in the living room, it’s best to research some fixture options in order to bring out the very best in your home.

Many families spend a large amount of time cooking and entertaining in the kitchen, an area of the home that requires special attention during light fixture installation. Recessed lighting is a smart option as these bulbs prove to be powerful and effective yet are blended in nicely within the ceiling so as not to take away from the room’s overall style. If your kitchen includes an island, a lighted hanging pot rack or set of decorative pendant lighting will add instant appeal and value for when potential buyers are coming to visit. Pot racks not only feature a decorative light fixture but also give you the opportunity to store your cookware sets in one central location while freeing up countertop and pantry space for other kitchen accessories.

In terms of enhancing your home’s exterior, invest in a set of landscape solar lights to line the front side of your home or along the driveway. For a more decorative option, consider adding a set of post lanterns that are available in a variety of styles from traditional to modern in order to complement your home’s design and provide a safe environment at night. With the simple addition of exterior lighting, you’ll be able to accent each side of your home and garden, creating an attractive curb appeal for potential home buyers in the market.

Where housing is headed...

Interesting article.

Star Trek 11 Trailer - The NEW one (March) and in FULL HDTV!!

Upcoming changes to this blog

I'm contemplating to move this blog to Google's BlogSpot. Aside from the fact it will be free, versus paying for the service, Google offers many advantages, including integration with the other services from Google, that I use. Any thoughts?

Federal Tax Credit Explained