Gabrielle's Blog

My trusty Treo 755 is slowly dying. The sound quality just keeps faaaaaading away.

Now, the preference in my office is now a Blackberry Curve because, after all, "business people seem to trust the Blackberry, so it must be the one!"

I'm with Sprint. The plan pricing just makes sense in our household, but their phone choices are a bit limited. This week I've looked at the new Palm Pre, which makes me nervous because

a) it's brand new, and

b) it's a Palm ... and heaven knows my luck with Palm's has been far less than stellar

c) There's no stylus. it's all heat sensitive touch screen. Not even fingernails will work the thing. It feels really awkward to me.

I gotta say, my preference for sheer usability seems to be headed towards the HTC Touch Pro. It's Windows Mobile based ... slide out keyboard, plus touch screen.

That's what's bugging me about the Blackberry Curve so far ... lack of the touch screen. I use my calculator heavily on my Treo. With the stylus.

So ... Here's my question to you Blackberry users -- how DO you use your phone's calculator with all the various functions without a touch screen of some sort. I'd love to be convinced. Truly. I love the idea that business owners can't be all wrong. But that lack of touch screen. I think it's bugging me ...

I spent some time on a listing appointment yesterday with a family that had previously listed their home with another agent. The house didn't sell. Hmmm, why not?

Important question, right? Well ... I "can" tell you one thing in a big hurry. Resistance from the Sellers to do any prep at all when getting a call to show  the home. An attitude of "this is how we live, surely you don't expect us to put away our things just so you can tromp through our house and intrude on our time." How sad. Interesting though -- they "sound" extremely motivated to sell. Have their eye on a new home and want to be in it before school starts.

So, as with every Seller, I provide  with a quick checklist of things to do before someone comes to see their home ... after all, we want folks to see their HOUSE, not their home. Aside from my usual list and walk through advice of taking down personal pictures, removing tons of furniture, cleaning out the closets, etc., here's my checklist of "what to do when you get the call." Perhaps it'll be useful to you. 

• Make the beds
• Hide the laundry
• Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher
• Wipe dry the sinks, tubs, etc.
• Swish clean all toilets, wipe the rims, and be sure they are flushed and the lids are down.
• Ensure that dry matching towels are neatly hung in the bathrooms.
• Vacuum or sweep all floors
• Tidy, tidy, tidy! - Especially kitchens, bedrooms, and den areas!
• Be sure sidewalks are swept, the lawn is neat and tidy, gardens weeded.
• Use the nose test - does everything smell fresh and clean? Briefly open some windows to air things out, if needed. Then close them, of course, if it's cool outside.
• If you have pet, try to minimize them as much as possible, keeping litter boxes clean and out-of-sight, and cleaning up any accident areas. It's also a good idea to be sure that pet-food dishes are hidden, and certainly if you typically feed your kitties on top of your kitchen counters!
• Add appealing light scents through air fresheners or periodically add a single drop of vanilla to the top of one light bulb in strategic rooms. This will spread a wonderful homey smell in those rooms!
• Be sure there are no burned-out light bulbs anywhere and that all of the light fixtures are also freshly washed and polished.
• Do a quick walk-through to be sure that any valuables, jewelry, weaponry, and personal financial papers are safely put away and completely out of sight.
• Ensure that temperature is around 68°, but hide floor fans during hot summer seasons if you use them. If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on so that it rotates slowly (reminiscent of that lazy summer day feeling).
• Ensure that soft "elevator-style" music is playing throughout the house.
• Turn on all of the lights even if it's a bright sunny day.
• Then LEAVE and either take your pets or safely lock them up away from the house, if possible.

I am constantly amazed at how many friends and acquaintances I've made just by being a part of the WWW. Truly.

Years ago I participated heavily in a forum, now a Yahoo group, of likeminded decorative painters. We chatted about paints, brushes, and techniques, which then evolved into discussions of friends and family, and so on. As time went on and technology got better and faster, we started sharing photos of our work, babies, pets, friends and families.

Even then in the days of dial up (and we though it was FAST! <smile>) there were folks popping in from all over the world -- China and Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Argentina and Peru. The list goes on and on.

Today I am touched by the comments of a painting friend from Israel who popped in to my e-mail just to say "Hi" and "I haven't seen you much lately, how've you been?"

When I started my real estate career, one of my biggest personal challenges was giving up hours of painting time and devoting myself to the new career. I don't have much chance to paint anymore, and yet these friends from all around the world still care and still drop by now and then just to be sure that the wolrd turns in my little corner.

The paint brushes still call now and then, although far less than they used to ... and I no longer have a chance to lock myself away in a studio and just make a mess (what fun!). But friends remain and I am so grateful! I guess in many ways this speaks to the influence of blogging and Web sites. You just never know who you touch and who will become a life long friend.

Broker Colleen Fischesser is always after me to share a bit more on ActiveRain. Somehow the days just go by in a frantic hurry from one transacdtion to the next, but she insisted that this story was one that begged to be told. So here goes ...

Late November of 2007 I listed a home for some close friends that were in some financial distress. After careful review, we listed the home just below what appeared to be market value for the area. And we promptly received an offer that placed the sale as a short sale. After lots of discussion, the sellers (my clients) decided to go ahead and proceed with the transaction and listing as a short sale.

Well, to make a very long story short ... the first buyers backed out ....

as did the second

and the third

and the fourth

and the fifth

and the sixth -- well, kinda sorta. We FINALLY had short sale approval, almost a year to the date of the first offer. But by then the mortgage market had tanked and after almost four months of waiting these Buyers were unable to secure the financing. So they backed out.

Five months later ... And Buyer SEVEN Wins!!! I just know you'll want to join me in the virtual celebration! So ...  

drum roll please! ... 17 months, 7 offers, and countless countless hours of phone calls, email messages, certified mail packages to the lender and the sale is CLOSED! Whooo hoooo! I can't begin to tell you the relief that my clients feel (not to mention ME) with the successful closing of this thing. Finally.

Gosh ... my phone is quiet today. Nothing to do. (well, for the next five minutes anyway)

So ... thanks for letting me celebrate for a minute! YAY!!!!!

I'd love to hear some of your tales of long short sale transactions, btw. I'm told the trend is to close them faster. uh huh. Sure.