Omaha Real Estate Blog

What is the role of the Nebraska Real Estate Commission?  The Nebraska Real Estate Commission was formed by the Nebraska State legislature in order to administer the Nebraska Real Estate License Act.  Basically, their role is to protect the public from unscrupulous real estate licensees who may be in violation of the laws in the state of Nebraska.  They have the ability to revoke, suspend or censure the license of a real estate licensee in the State of Nebraska.

The Commission is composed of 6 members or Commissioners and one Chairman.  The Secretary of State serves as the Chairman and is an elected official.  The six members are appointed by the Governor and serve 6 year terms.  Three of the commissioners have a Brokers Licenses and are from each of the 3 Congressional Districts.  Another Broker is a member at Large, and the Commission also has one Salesperson and one member is a non-licensed person from the public. 

The commission has a staff to administer the day-to-day duties.  The commission also has a Director who is a full time member of the staff.  The commission is very helpful and they help keep everyone on the straight and narrow.  For more information you can visit their website at www.nrec.state.ne.us.  Many times when a question arises about a transaction it is best to call the commission to see if they can help you.  As with anything, you want to document that you called with the date, time and who you spoke with. 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

Congratulations to Keller Williams of Greater Omaha and their phenomenal growth and expansion in the Omaha market.  Keller Williams has just announced a merger with Boyer Young making Keller Williams of Greater Omaha the 5th largest company in the Omaha market. 

Keller Williams is a well known franchise in the world of real estate and they have just recently expanded into the Omaha market.  In the end, increased competition benefits both the agents and the consumer.  All of us at Alliance Real Estate would like to congratulate the folks at both Boyer Young and Keller Williams on their recent merger and their continued success.   

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

It amazes me how real estate is all about little things.  How quick do you answer the phone?  How quick do you respond to e-mails?  Is the description of the home in the MLS well written or is it just thrown up there with a photo or two.  Are the photos bad photos?  No photos at all?  Yikes!  There are many things an agent can not control but it is amazing the items in our control that we just leave to chance.  It always comes down to the little things. 

Even an item like a yard sign.  Is it readable?  What about the readability of the font?  I once eliminated a Broker - completely over the yard sign.  Is it a "half-pint" sign?  (smaller)  Can you read the sign at night?  Does it drive buyers to the web?  Are you giving away leads to your company by putting the COMPANY number on the sign?  Yikes!  Do you keep the flyer box filled?  Sign placement is important can it be read as you drive by?  Do you check your sign placement by driving by both ways?  I believe you should.  Again, it is the little things.

These are all little things ... no matter the size of your company ... it is the little things that will haunt you.  Real Estate is extremely competitive and like it or not you have to take care of the little things.  Little things determine whether or not you get the listing or if you get REFERRALS from those clients. 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

I would like to thank Megan Bengston of RE/MAX Professionals.  I had the opportunity to work with Megan on the sale of 4902 Glasgow Dr in Bellevue, NE.  In any transaction, it takes a top notch marketing plan and a successful buyer's agent help put a transaction together.  Megan is a true professional and I would like to thank her for her efforts in helping bring sale of my listing to a successful close.  I look forward to working with her in the future.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

One of the single best decisions we have made as a company is to hire a Virtual Assistant.  I was extremely skeptical when I first heard of the term VA.  What?  How can you hire someone to "assist" you when you have never even met them before?  Then I heard of the price for a top notch VA, $30 per hour?  What?  That really seemed very pricey for someone that I have never met.  Now, I can not bear the thought of NOT having a VA. 

My first introduction to the use of a VA was with one of our top producers at Alliance, Troy Trumm.  He hired a VA and I began to see the real VALUE of a VA.  His hours spent "working" on non-productive tasks went down and he spent less time in the office.  He became more efficient, made more money and SOLD more homes. 

Finally, we decided as a company we would hire a VA to do some office tasks and to implement some of the same systems Troy used to raise his level of service.  We now offer a Virtual Assistant PAID by the company for our agents.  Is it pricey for a company to pay someone $30 an hour?  Yes, however, it is money well spent because for several reasons. 

First, it systematized tasks such as posting a listing to Craigslist.org and to Postlets.com.  It is a waste of time for me to teach every agent HOW to post to a HTML to a blog or how to syndicate a listing via Web 2.0.  That does not make an agent money.  Being in front of buyers and sellers - makes money.  As a broker, I SHOULD be paying for some of the advertising for our agents.  Guess what?  Providing a VA at the company level is paying for the advertising. 

At the broker level another HUGE concern is staying in compliance with state law concerning advertising a listing.  If the VA takes over the syndication of the listing to a host of sites then I maintain control of where the listing is published.  Face it, some agents spend so much time trying to syndicate a listing on their own that they even forget where is is even syndicated to.  Now, that is a liability at the broker level.

Finally, another critical aspect is speed.  What used to take 5-6 hours now takes 50 minutes.  The product is better and a VA stays on task and is not distracted by what is the latest happenings in the office.  Again, things can be missed so you need to proof their work.  I was previously in the Marine Corps, having a VA is what we used to call a "Force Multiplier."

Having a VA does not mean you can "hand off" responsibility.  You can delegate authority but you can not delegate responsibility.  You have to spot check and proof read the work as it is being produced.  It is a team effort and nobody is perfect.  It is a best to use checklists and it is always subject to revision.  It is also a good idea to treat people nicely, you can get more bees with honey than vinegar.  One of the most important people in your company is the person who inputs your listings into the MLS.  That is the person you want to treat like GOLD!

When I speak to new agents or possible recruits many do not see the value of a virtual assistant.  Many see the answer to systems is investing in a franchise.  Even with a franchise, there are agents who unfortunately will be forever "stuck" at a certain level of production.  They do not have time to spend working "on" their business or explore new avenues to build their business. 

Our VA is Laura Monroe.  Troy, initially hired Laura and Laura and I found each other via Activerain in late 2006.  (Another Activerain success story)  We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Laura's caliber working with our firm.  Laura is relentless in her pursuit of knowledge and she goes to national conventions and gives us the "next coolest item" we should employ to stay ahead of the power curve.  

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

I would like to thank Dick Betts for speaking to the Omaha Area Board of Realtors today.  Dick is a national real estate speaker and technology "guru".  He spoke on a variety of topics this morning including blogging, text messaging, building a website and having a technology plan.  Dick also spoke of the power of blogging and how it can influence driving the consumer to your website.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

CLICK HERE to join Activerain

Alliance Real Estate in Omaha, Nebraska is excited to announce a new commission program with a commission cap.  What is a commission cap?  Normally, when an agent sells a home the Broker is paid a commission.  That commission is split between the Broker and the agent.  Splits vary between company to company.  Often, companies have different splits based on the production of the agent.  The more business you bring in - the more money you get to keep. 

Our split is 75/25.  In other words the agent gets to keep 75% of the commission to the company.  Here's the kicker - if the agent reaches a certain level they get to keep 100% of the commission.  Once they "cap out" meaning they have paid $20,000 into the company they get to keep ALL of the commission.  Other incentives can boost the split to 80/20.  However, once the cap is reached the agent simply pays a $50 transaction fee.

It is important to consider the split, however, an agent should NEVER base their decision on split alone.  What systems and tools does the company provide to enhance your business?  Some companies have a great split but provide no other services for their agents.  Also, it is important to consider the training program.  What training does the company provide?  Is it cutting edge or do they believe the newspaper still sells homes? 

Some folks like to want to work for a franchise others like an independent company.  What might work for some may not work for others.  I am an fiercely independent individual so a franchise is not my personal style.  Is a franchise bad?  Absolutely not.  For me, I want to implement things now.  Tomorrow is too late.  Am I getting the best or a standard template that works in a different market?  I want to be in control of my own destiny.  The ultimate success of a company depends on the agents.  Once again, it all boils down to service and taking better care of your client's needs.

Here are some of the TOOLS and SYSTEMS we provide for our agents.

1)  Onecallshow.com paid for by the company.  This allows you to be more productive and it ensures that better service to our clients by making the listing easier to show and this system automates the FEEDBACK process.  This results in more sales for the company, happier clients and more productive agents.

2)  Visualtour.com paid for by the company.  It is simply not enough to provide static photos of a home the consumer is demanding virtual tours.  Also, our visual tour program SYNDICATES to other websites automatically.  More exposure, more sales, happy clients and happy agents.

3)  Business Hub with e-mail/pdf capability and COLOR laser printer.  This has become a staple in all brokerage offices.  No color flyers or marketing materials - UNACCEPTABLE.  Forcing an agent to go elsewhere for COLOR copies - UNACCEPTABLE.  Is our copy bill high?  YES.  Also, if a contract comes into the office the agent can get the contract by e-mail.  Again, more productivity and better service.

4)  Company level VIRTUAL ASSISTANT - Our VA will post your listing to Craigslist.org, your blog, the MLS, and numerous syndicated webistes and your individual point2agent.com website.  We also have a direct feed for ALL our listings to be posted on the therealestatebook.com.  Again, it boils down to systems, tools and checklists.  If you do not have an assistant - you are one.  I do not want an agent to waste time on non-productive activities.  Those items need to be handed off and you need to spend time with buyers and sellers.

5)  Training:  We have intensive training and we are RELENTLESS in our pursuit of knowledge.  We budget money for management to TRAVEL outside of Nebraska in order to capture new innovative training.  The competition is tough, and we are nimble.  In order to compete we HAVE to be strive to be more efficient, better trained and ahead of the power curve.  We actively pursue professional designations.  We take the classes and bring the knowledge back to ALL our agents.  Anything else is substandard.

6)  Culture:  We have a TEAM atmosphere and we are like a family.  We SHARE ideas as well.  Face facts, the best ideas are great but without implementation the ideas are worthless. 

7)  Fun:  We truly believe that is you are not having fun you are in the wrong business. 

8)  Ethics:  We do what is right anything else is UNACCEPTABLE. 

The management team is passionate about helping the agent become successful.  We push ourselves, Omaha is a competitive market - GOOD.  I LOVE competition, that only makes everyone better.  Do we view the competition as adversarial?  Absolutely not, we focus on our improvement.  Will we be the biggest company in town?  Never know, we simply strive to be the best we can be.  However, keep in mind Godzilla at one time was a lizard.  We sell one home at a time and we grow one agent at a time.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

The Omaha Area Board of Realtors recently held their annual chilli cook-off and fund-raiser for the Omaha Food Bank.  In addition to the chilli cook-off, the Board sponsored a "hot dog" eating contest between Brokers and Managers from the local market.  I had the distinct honor of representing Alliance Real Estate. 

The winner of the  competition was Mike Riedmann of NP Dodge!  Mike's superior "hot dog" eating abilities are the envy of to ALL Managers and Brokers from across the City of Omaha.  Mike downed SEVEN cold and gross hot dogs in three minutes!  To the cheering chat of "Go, Mike Go!" and the even under the intense pressure of local news media he downed his dogs with the ability of a seasoned veteran.  Perhaps he has even "locked up" the nomination for Realtor of the Year for the second year in a row?

Congratulations to Mike Riedmann!    

Pictured above from left to right:  Vince Leisey with Prudential, David Matney with Alliance, Rusty Hike with Century 21, Bill Swanson with CBSHome, Mike Riedmann with NP Dodge and Brian Carlin with Deeb.

It was fun and we received some neat looking shirts and "hot dog" hats.  I will have to do better preparation and I would also like to thank Tami Robison who is part of the Member Services Committee for helping organize the event.  Many agents do not realize the time and effort it takes to host a successful event.  Tami is TOP NOTCH and she devotes many hours of her own time to help improve the overall experience for ALL the Realtors in the Omaha Board.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

Here are a few items to consider when helping your buyer purchase a "For Sale by Owner" in the state of Nebraska.  Most agents like to be paid when they help a buyer purchase a home.  Let's say your buyer you represent wants to buy a for sale by owner.  The State of Nebraska could care less under agency law whether or not an agent gets paid.  Agency or representation has nothing to do with getting paid. 

If you buyer wants to buy a FSBO - DO NOT write in the purchase contract, "Seller to pay Broker a commission of _% of purchase price"  Here's why.  The sellers could counter with, "Offer accepted as written except seller to pay 0 commission."  By law, you HAVE to present that counter to your buyers and if they accept the counter - you will not be paid.  If the buyers accept the counter - you still represent them as a CLIENT and your fiduciary responsibility is still intact.  Representation has NOTHING to do with being paid. 

If your buyers want to purchase a FSBO be sure to get an agreement with the seller in writing.  This is a SEPARATE agreement and not part of the purchase agreement.  Most sellers are reasonable and for the most part everyone understands that agents have to make a living.  It is best to consult your Broker or Manager in specific situations. 

Also, keep in mind AGENCY DISCLOSURE it is imperative to make sure disclosure is made to ALL parties both buyer and seller.  It is important that everyone knows who is a CLIENT and who is a CUSTOMER.  It is also important that even if you DO NOT represent the seller you still have several obligations under Nebraska law.  The seller must receive an itemized list of what tasks you will be performing to assist in the sale AND the sellers are to receive a sellers estimated proceeds sheet on the sale.  This seller's proceeds sheet needs to be signed and dated on before the date of the accepted contract. 

Again, consult your Broker to help you navigate situations such as this.  It is important that everyone is protected and everyone knows who is being represented. 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate