Omaha Real Estate Blog

I would like to congratulate Troy Trumm of Alliance Real Estate for his second place ranking in Nebraska on Activerain.  Troy began his career at Alliance and he continues to set the standard on client service. In fact, Troy has been named listing agent of the year for the past three years. 

Troy consistently sells over 50 homes a year and he readily embraces new and innovative techniques like blogging and its impact on the consumer in today's marketplace.  Troy works tirelessly on improving his level of service and his readily shares his knowledge with agents within the office.  We are extremely fortunate to have him on the team.

Congratulations Troy!

Thanks, 

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate  

I would like to thank Rhett Shepherd for inviting me to participate in the filming a TV commercial for his company.  It was a fun experience and a first for me.  I was one of several agents within our market asked to "star" in the commercial.  I sincerely doubt that I will be a TV star anytime soon. 

Alliance Real Estate has used OneCall Home Showings for over a year and we are thrilled with the service they provide.  We provide this service to ALL our agents for FREE.  We do this because it boosts productivity and it is ultimately better service to our sellers.  The companies that provide their agents with a dedicated showing desk do provide their agents with distinct competitive advantage. 

I am currently working with several buyers and it is amazing how EASY it is to set up a showing with companies that have a dedicated showing desk.  Too many times, listing agents set up the showings themselves and they are either; 1)  Too busy to take the call or  2)  Take the call but are so rushed they do not even bother asking your name or phone number in order to contact you later for feedback.

Many agents are concerned with losing the "contact with the other agents" by having a showing desk.  Actually the opposite is true - you enhance the contact with the showing agent.  You can still have the showing desk do the legwork and set up the showing and still specify giving you a call to notify you of an upcoming showing.  This will still allow you to call the agent back and up-sell the property or a chance to increase a multiple offer situation.

Onecall is also unique in that they provide a feedback function.  This is a fire and forget mechanism and it done AUTOMATICALLY.  This allows you to provide feedback to your sellers and make necessary adjustments in order to get the home SOLD.  I work expired listings and the lack of feedback is the single biggest complaint.  Onecall is a force multiplier and will help you obtain the listing when you are on a listing appointment. 

Again, I would like to thank Rhett for asking me to participate and for providing a service that is TOP NOTCH!

Take care,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

Alliance Real Estate is proud to have partnered with ServiceOne Home Warranty to offer sellers a FREE home warranty during the listing period.  Our company has offered this program with ServiceOne for several years and it has been well received by our agents and our clients.   The warranty is free and it also comes with free evaluation conducted by ServiceOne of the major mechanical systems of the home.  For more information or to sign up for the program please contact your friendly Alliance Realtor.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

I am proud to announce that Alliance Real Estate is leading the way by being the FIRST company in Omaha to introduce a VIRTUAL FLYER for buyers via PDA/Smartphone!  This system employs a text message call capture system with an attached virtual flyer!  Smartphones are the future and are outselling desktop computers 4 to 1. 

This technology will enable a potential buyer to look at multiple photos and view pertinent home information within the comfort of their car instantaneously.  The buyers simply sends a text message and they receive a information back in the form of a text message.  If the buyer has a smartphone, then a link is attached with a virtual flyer with multiple interior photos.  The system then sends a text message to the listing agent with the buyer's phone number.  Try it out.

Text Message: HOME320  To: 23333

When someone pulls a paper flyer you have no idea who that person is.  This technology will tell you who pulled the flyer AND their contact number.  This system is  a true lead generator and will also allow the text message to be FORWARDED much quicker than a paper flyer that would have been lost.  This forwarding capability allows you to put the information in the the hands of the potential buyer quicker.

This technology saves time, gas and is environmentally friendly.  Buyers in today's market want the information NOW they do not want to go home and log on to a website.  In the future, the buyer will have the web with them via smartphone.  Of course, there are still some buyers that do not text message or have a smartphone.  For those buyers, I still use the conventional paper flyer.  However, eventually I personally see paper flyers going away and virtual flyers being the standard. 

Take care,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

The smartest person in the transaction is the BUYER.  Why?  Most buyers by the time of making an offer have become experts in pricing homes currently active in the market.  They have spent hours searching on-line, searched days sometimes weeks looking at homes in person and sometimes they have searched different areas of town.  They know when a home is a good value and when it is not.  Buyers are looking at your current competition.

The buyers are NOT looking at homes that have SOLD.  They do not tour your neighbor's house that sold a year ago.  That is ancient history.  Markets change so do prices.  They are also having their agent do an address history.  So they also know that you tried to sell your home 6 months ago and then you took it off the market.  They are also having their Realtor research expired and cancelled listings in the area to establish what the market is NOT willing to pay for a property.  

Buyers have also had their Realtor research the county records to see what you paid for your home.  So they know upfront your initial basis.  Buyers also know by the time they make an offer that certain amenities are usually standard at certain price ranges.  True, a new furnace is nice to have but buyers expect to have a home that is heated.  For some items, you do not get a dollar for dollar return.  A new furnace might help a home sell faster but it will not necessary get you more money.  At certain price ranges, buyers EXPECT to have certain amenities.  Of course there are always exceptions.

Buyers are unforgiving when it comes to items that need to be fixed or replaced.  The competition has already fixed and replaced those items.  Buyers do NOT want an "allowance" to fix/replace/repair an item.  If a buyer goes in a home and sees wallpaper - they see WORK.  Buyers notoriously estimate HIGH when they see work as well.  They do not want to do the work anymore than the seller does.  In fact, they will click right past your home if they see work involved. 

The key to selling your home is to be the best VALUE in the area.  You can be the highest price and buyers will pay that amount IF you are the most compelling VALUE.  Buyers buy homes, the best marketing plan on the planet will never sell a home if it is OVERPRICED.  Changing agents, companies or having an open house will not sell an overpriced home. 

When you sell a home you actually have to convince 4 other people on the price besides yourself.  The listing agent, the buyer, the buyer's agent and appraiser.  Most agents, even on a CASH offer, will write a contract contingent on "subject to property appraisal at or above purchase price."  If it does not appraise - no deal.  Even if the buyers LOVE the home most will not pay more than what it is worth. 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

Have you ever been in a home and noticed a crack in the wall of the foundation in the garage?  This is typically caused by a phenomenon known as "street creep."  What is street creep?  Street creep is when the concrete expands and pushes on the driveway which subsequently pushes the floor of the garage against the wall of the garage which then causes causes the wall to crack. 

Are some homes more prone to street creep?  Yes, homes that are located on the bottom of a hill on a curve or homes at the bottom of a T intersection.  Why do these homes see street creep?  Concrete is just like anything else it flows downhill.  It is also important to remember that concrete expands and contracts with the weather and this also can effect the amount of street creep.

Can you prevent street creep?  Sometimes, if the home does not properly installed expansion joints in the driveway then street creep is more prone to happen.  This expansion joint is a gap that allows for movement of the concrete.  You can hire a professional contractor to cut the concrete with the proper depth.  Unless the expansion joint is the appropriate depth then the movement will still occur.

Sometimes, when selling a home you run across structural issues that are beyond the scope of a typical home inspection.  If you have a question in those situations you would want to consult a structural engineer.  A structural inspection typically costs approximately $200.  This is money well spent and a professional Realtor will strongly suggest this type of inspection if the situation warrants.  

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

This post has nothing to do with golf but it does involve getting the most of the tools that are available.  Tiger Woods is a professional who can get alot more out of a five iron than myself.  Why?  Because he is a professional.  A professional knows their equipment, is a student to their craft and can maximize equipment to its full potential.

Realtors have tools like a lockbox.  Something simple like a lockbox is a tool than can be used by a professional to add value to a transaction.  Do you maximize its potential?  Do you program and track showings via lockboxes?  Do you program your business card in the lockbox?  Do you program a FLYER into a lockbox?  You can. 

In fact, why not program several unique features about a potenial listing into a lockbox before going on a listing appointment?  At the appointment, inform the seller that you have had specialized training and that you can inform everyone who opens the lockbox of certain unique features.  Demonstrate this at the appointment.  Do you inform your sellers that you could program the lockbox to only open at certain times?  You can. 

Even worse, is a dreaded coded lockbox.  This is not a slam on agents who use coded lockboxes in their marketplace.  However, if your board requires Supra then why would you use something that hampers showing the property?  If it is a REO then use 2 boxes - one electronic and one coded.  Using a coded lockbox would be like Tiger Woods buying his golf equipment at a yard sale. 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

This post is to mark my 200th post on Activerain.  The amount of information available on this network is simply amazing.  I would like to thank all of those of you who have went out of their help me grow my business by posting and sharing their marketing ideas.  

I had no idea when joined this network what kind of impact it would have on my business a year and a half later.  I have met some great people locally and from across the nation on activerain.  Thanks again for all you do to make this such a great network.

Thank you,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate