Agent/Client Communication Skills

Perhaps the reason I was drawn to real estate stemmed from being an aviation aficionado. What on earth do these two industries have in common (other than a disclosure telling your client they may hear airplanes flying overhead), you might ask?

I answer this conundrum with one word... COMMUNICATION

With technology today, a jet aircraft can safely land in conditions where the pilot can't even see the runway, that technology is coupled with constant communication from the tower-controller. That communication must be so constant, that if silence breaks for more than 5 seconds the pilot may need to abort the landing.

Buying or selling a home is no different, well perhaps contact every five seconds may be a bit much, but we all understand the concept here. It is reasonable for a real estate professional to estimate that at least 50% of clients are at bare minimum familiar with the process by means of the Internet and self-research; that is not, however an excuse to minimize or eliminate informative communication between the agent and the client.

Consider this real-life scenario:

You are interested in the opportunity to short-sell your home and you understand the basics of real estate and know the terminology of a short-sale, so you meet and list with an agent who 'specializes' in short sales. The agent lists your home and you don't hear from the agent for weeks. When you do hear from them, you are presented several offers they received, but no advice or guidance in accepting or countering these offers, not to mention you were never informed that some offers may contain special addendum with legal terms pertaining to the short sale status, or how to best counter your offer to better meet your financial needs through a short sale.

From the minute your home is listed, you're the captain on approach to your landing site. In markets like the one that exists today, the conditions on the ground are turbulent and a successful landing requires constant, ongoing communication between you and your agent...DAILY!

That said, it is not an uncommon story to hear when clients cite they were unable to reach their agent or broker. Calls go unanswered, e-mails not replied, and messages not returned. There is recourse!

Consider these options to facilitate a stagnant relationship with your agent:

• Contact your agent's broker (if they are not their own broker), cite your concerns and ask what they can do to expedite the communication process between you and your agent. Often times a 'jab' from the broker is all the agent needs to get a move on!
• If you're still not getting the results you need, and you are comfortable negotiating your own sale, see if your state offers an authorization for you to negotiate directly with the buyer or buyer's agent. You never want to contact the other party on your own without something in writing to ensure there's no conflict of interest, but most states should offer some means of self-negotiation. This won't negate your agreement to pay your agent's commission at the close of escrow, but it may be a solution to move the process along.
• As a last resort, you can explore 'firing' your agent or brokerage. You will need to contact the office and request this, and you may meet some resistance, however remember it is the fiduciary responsibility of your agent to seek only your best interest, and if they are not fulfilling that duty, you may need to see alternative solutions. Remember this option typically involves breaking a written contract, so be prepared to support your case, and don't hesitate to seek professional legal assistance.

No matter the circumstances, your agency agreement between you and your brokerage is dependent on communication, responsible business practice and old fashioned values.  As a client, you should demand nothing less!

The Greenleaf-Elving Group
Christopher Greenleaf, Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Southwest
6180 Brent Thurman Way, Las Vegas, NV 89148
info@captaurre.com
Content deemed reliable, but not guaranteed, Equal Opportunity Housing Provider
 

The Greenleaf-Elving Group Presents 31 Plum Hollow in Anthem

The Greenleaf-Elving Group is pleased to present 31 Plum Hollow Dr in the Anthem Country Club, Henderson, NV during our 2-day open house.

This gorgeous 2-story home features over 3500 square feet of living space, swimming pool and spa on just over a quarter acre lot. This pristine home features a wonderful lifestyle within one of the Las Vegas Valley's elite golf clubs.  This guard-gated community offers the perfect balance between the 24-hour entertainment of Las Vegas and quiet suburban living.

The Greenleaf-Elving Group welcomes you between 12pm-4pm Saturday and Sunday, June 8 & 9. Guests should follow the open house signs down Anthem Parkway and check in with the guard at the gate. Our team will greet you and escort you to this property for showing.  Guest will also enjoy a candy buffet and other refreshments.

Please contact our team with questions on this or any other property to meet your home-buying and listing needs.




The Greenleaf-Elving Group
Christopher Greenleaf, Real Estate Consultant
Keller William Realty Southwest
6180 Brent Thurman Way
Ste 100
Las Vegas, NV 89148
(702) 900-4741www.the-greenleaf-elving-group.com
*Each Office is Individually Owned and Operated
*Equal Housing Opportunity Provider

It’s Not Just a Home You’re Shopping For

It’s easy to get carried away playing the ‘We are waiting for the perfect home’ game. Housing markets are highly localized and can fluctuate quickly. As agents, it’s not uncommon to see a client walk away from what would appear to be a perfect fit only to ‘play the market' and end up with something more amazing.

Unless you’re intending to purchase your home with cash, it’s important to remember; the home isn't the only thing you’re shopping for! It’s no secret that interest rates have been at all-time lows for some time now. Finding the right rate is equally as important as finding the perfect home!

These low rates and virtual ‘steals’ won’t last forever.  In fact, over the last month, interest rates have climbed almost 2/3’s of a point! It may not seem like much, but just that small amount can be the difference of over $100/month in your mortgage, or worse… a decrease in the total amount you may have been pre-qualified for just a month ago.

We know that the housing market is very localized. What is happening in Las Vegas may be very different than what is happening in Seattle; the same for Chicago and Cleveland, Washington DC and Boston, and so on.  The interest rates however aren't quite the same. They work on a broader spectrum overseen by the Fed at a national level.

If you are (or have been in the last month) actively involved in the home-purchase process, this may be a good time to reach out to your lender and confirm your rate and pre-qualification status.  If you are planning on entering the home-buying market, this is still a great time to purchase, but remember; you are not only shopping for a home, but also for a lender who can offer you the best deal on the money you’re going to spend on this investment.  Rates change daily, and it is critically important to work with a lender you feel comfortable with to ensure everything is done to secure you the best rate for you loan.

If you don't have a preferred or trusted lender, reach out to a trusted real estate agent. Often times they can refer you to a reputable lender with whom they trust and have received positive feedback from previous clients.

Christopher Greenleaf
The Greenleaf-Elving Group
Real Estate Consultants
Keller Williams Realty Southwest
6180 Brent Thurman Way - Ste 100
Las Vegas, NV 89148
(702) 900-4741
info@captaurre.com

Your Product May Be Brand New, But We Still Deserve Quality Service

Recently, we had the unfortunate displeasure of experiencing some of the worst service we've ever experienced in our industry. It was so bad, we've actually taken action and escalated our concerns to the corporate office to have them addressed. It involved how we (and our clients) were treated by the sales staff at a new home development sales office.

In the Las Vegas market right now, our inventory is so limited that many home buyers are resorting to new construction homes. I've heard so may horror stories from homeowners who purchased new construction.

"Once my real estate agent checked me in to the sales office, I never heard from them again"

"We walked in and just didn't have the respect we expected. We knew the home we wanted, but expected way better service, instead we were treated with inferiority"

The fact of the matter is, an agent's job does not stop at the door of the new home development sales office. In fact, it's at that threshold our job just got a whole lot more challenging! The law states we, as agents have a fiduciary responsibility to look after the best interest and protect the rights of our clients. It's really that simple.

If you're a potential home-buyer, make absolutely sure when you select your real estate agent you discuss your expectations of them regardless if the home is new or previously owned. Remember the law is a little different when it comes to new construction, and permits minimal involvement from your agent when negotiating the terms of the sale for new construction. It doesn't require minimal involvement. The fact remains, this is still a major investment which deserves dedicated representation from a licensed and experienced professional..


When you step foot in the sales office of a new development, you have the right to demand respect. With that in mind, don't lose site of the fact that it is just that, a sales office. They are there to SELL you a product. To add insult to injury, in the world of real estate, everything is negotiable. Having a real estate agent in the office to represent you though the entire process (yes, right up to and including the closing) is the best way you can protect your best interests, and the best part is you won't pay a penny for their service!

If you think buying a home is exciting, wait until you have the experience of picking each feature of your new home and watching it be built to order. What are you waiting for? Go customize your dream home! (But call your agent first!)


The Greenleaf-Elving Group
Christopher Greenleaf, Real Estate Consultant
Keller Williams Realty Southwest
6180 Brent Thurman Way, Las Vegas, NV 89148
info@captaurre.com
Content deemed reliable, but not guaranteed, Equal Opportunity Housing Provider
Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

Partnering With the Right Realtor - 2,000 Miles Away

Finding 'A' Realtor is easy. You can drive down any street and find five or more yard signs with photos, names and numbers to call to find or list your property. Finding 'THE' Realtor that's right for you, perhaps not so easy.

"I am reminded of a scenario years ago when a family member had to sell a home in New Hampshire. Of course everyone and their sister 'knows' a Realtor, so we called the Realtor we 'knew'. With only two showings and no offers during the six-month listing contract, we took the property off the market and re-evaluated our needs. Months later, we did a little more research, and I happened to be chatting with a good friend who was in California and he provided me the name and number of a Realtor he knew, and had done business with in the past. Needless to say, that agent, at the exact same asking price had the property sold in less than two months"

Real Estate is similar to most other industries in that your professional must be licensed in the state they are doing business, so how can your friend or family member who may be over 2,000 miles across the country help you find an ethical, trust-worthy agent to represent your best interest? The answer is easy! Ask for a referral.

We all want to do 'good business'. Part of good business is trusting who those close to us have trusted in the past. Most agents take referrals very seriously. We work hard and strive to pro-actively build a strong network of agents across the country and around the globe. We know we live in a mobile society and we can't be bound to just one geographic location, but we also can't realistically be licensed and service everyone in every state.


Here at the Greenleaf-Elving Group, we dedicate several hours each week just to agent outreach and networking. When we travel, we reserve time to meet the agents and office managers in that region. We feel it is, in fact, our fiduciary responsibility to provide our friends, clients, partners, and associates around the country and the world reliable, ethical, result-driven agents for all of their real estate and lifestyle needs.

So what are you waiting for? Reach out to an agent or broker in your inner circle no matter where they may be located (we all know someone in real estate!); educate them on your needs and let them do the leg work for you. Don't trust a Google search or Yellow Pages listing alone, trust in those who you already trust to deliver what may be the path to the most important investment of your life!



The Greenleaf-Elving Group
Christopher Greenleaf, RealtorKeller Williams Realty Southwest
6180 Brent Thurman Way, Las Vegas, NV 89148
www.living-in-lasvegas.com
info@captaurre.com
Content deemed reliable, but not guaranteed, Equal Opportunity Housing Provider

Keller Williams Realty Southwest and KW Cares Joins Michal Gorski's Fight to Live

Today, we are taking a break from real estate, short sale, buyer, seller, and agent talk and shifting gears to something so close, so personal and heartfelt in our Las Vegas community.

When we blog about real estate, we, here at The Greenleaf-Elving Group often refer to the term and concept of 'lifestyle'. The story I'm about to share with you is also about lifestyle. It is the lifestyle we are trying to save and enhance for our local friend, our neighbor here in Las Vegas, Michal Gorski.

Several weeks ago, our broker, Tom Joseph asked Michael and I if we'd be able to help with a project he was working on through a program that Keller Williams Realty has called KW Cares. At the time, we were both new to the brokerage, and agreed to help in our respective capacities.

As we watched the project grow and come to life, we began to understand what KW Cares stands for and what this project was about.  When we realized the project was for a young local man, who like many others does not have the 'luxury' of having health insurance, and is in need of a heart transplant to save his life. Sadly, even in life-saving circumstances, without health insurance a patients name cannot even be placed on the list to receive a transplant.  Please take a moment to watch Michal's heart-felt story in the 4 minute video below.

Michael Gorski Heart Transplant from Tom Joseph on Vimeo.

The roles we played in executing this project are so insignificant in comparison to Michal's story and his bravery. Our hope, our drive is the small outreach we have with you, our readers, our friends, our family, and our colleagues will touch the right hearts to help Michal and share his story.

If you are able to make a monetary contribution to Michal's fund, you will see a URL to click at the end of the video, or you  can go directly to the page by clicking here. If you have questions, or would like more information about Michal, please contact us directly.



Living Near an Airport: A Grounded Move or One-Way Ticket to Madness

(702) 900-4741

There are countless perks about moving into a big city. Shopping, public transit, diversity of restaurants and dining, and of course, easy access to convenient air travel and so much more; but at what cost are we willing to pay for these conveniences? Increased market prices? Influx of heavy traffic and louder vehicles? The steady rumble of a freight train passing at 3AM?

Las Vegas is a very unique market in a lot of ways. Before moving here from the East Coast, I never really considered air traffic to be a key consideration in marketing lifestyles around real estate. Growing up around the Boston area, airplanes always landed and took off over the ocean with minimal impact to residential neighborhoods; I experienced similar scenario the short time I was in Los Angeles.

As an aviation aficionado, moving to Vegas was a dream come true for me. Being just southwest of the McCarran International I could tune into the control tower frequency and 'plane spot' all day from both runways!

Aerial photo of McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas) on December 24, 2012 looking north on approach

There is a fascination with aviation that seems to draw us in from all directions. We see runway observation areas, restaurants and businesses being built to overlook airfields, and even smart phone apps you can download to listen to all of the aviation chatter between the flight deck and the various control towers around the world... But what do you need to consider before purchasing a home near a major airport such as Las Vegas' McCarran International?  Here are a few key considerations:

• Runway and air traffic patterns: If you're concerned about the noise factor that accompanies living near an airfield remember, planes are louder on take off than landing. Some cities require primary runway use to facilitate that and ensure minimal noise to residential neighborhoods. Although the preferred departure runway in Las Vegas departs to the West, all runways are eligible for use as-needed. Before purchasing, look at the runway maps of nearby airports and see if your neighborhood is aligned for a noisy early morning departure push!
• Has the home been sound-proofed? When some airports are built out, as an effort to maintain property values in the area, the airport, city, or other entity may reimburse homeowners in direct path of the runway to have their homes sound-proofed. This was the case in Manchester, NH in the early 2000's where, through federal funding, the airport paid approximately $25,000 per home for 1,400 homes to have new, insulated doors and windows installed to minimize airport noise.
• Will further airport expansion take over my neighborhood? While with eminent domain, there are never any guarantees, as home buyers it is our duty to exercise adequate research and risk assessments. Having your home bought out from under you just so another 4,000 feet can be added to a runway to accommodate bigger planes, or another 5-level parking structure can be erected to handle additional passengers may not be your plan 6 years down the road. If you've selected a seemingly perfect property. Know your local zoning laws, and research to see if additional expansion plans are in the works. 

There are several dimensions to consider when purchasing a home in the heart of a big city.  Most are convenient and add value to your property. Count on your Realtor to show you how to maximize the value of your home in today's market!

Christopher Greenleaf
The Greenleaf-Elving Group
Keller Williams Realty-Southwest
Las Vegas, NV
(702) 900-4741