Real Estate: Understanding Representation and Agency
May 29th, 2010 categories: Buying in Toronto, Real Estate, Selling in Toronto
Representation and Agency are not very well understood by the consumer public…but also not well understood by some salespeople.
When a Salesperson is representing a product, whether it be a suit of clothes or a house, they are acting under Agency and their fiduciary duty belongs to the party paying for their services unless they have a contract that says otherwise. If you walk into my Open House and ask me questions about the property, like “what will they take?”, it is my duty to tell you that “they will take the asking price.”
I’m not trying to be smart or glib, but the seller has signed a contract with me and the Company, to sell the property at a price they have chosen under the listing agreement. My duty to counsel is to the Seller, not the Buyer…. Read the rest of this entry »
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Toronto Real Estate: Holding Off Offers.
March 29th, 2010 categories: Business, Listings, Real Estate, Selling in Toronto, Toronto
Over the past years a technique has developed that Realtors and the Public call: Holding Off Offers.
The idea is that the Seller and Realtor bring a property to the market through the TorontoMLS system with a note in the Broker’s remarks that although showing can commence at the time of listing, offers, if any, will be reviewed at a later date.
What is the reason for this? Are the Realtor and Seller manipulating the market to force multiple offers in an Auction-like scenario? Could be…but that can also backfire…What happens if, at the end of the time period, no offers appear or an offer appears that the Seller is unwilling to accept. Read the rest of this entry »
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Impressions of REBarCampNYC and Inman Connect NYC 2010!
January 22nd, 2010 categories: Business, Economy, Real Estate, Technology, Travel
So I have been home a week and trying to make sense of all the information that I gleaned in the four hectic days of meetings in New York City. Instead of the usual “Blow by Blow” and who said what, I will just give you some of my impressions:
First and foremost, the four days were all about Social Media . Like it or not, just the way we used to say that Realtors with Technology will replace Realtors without it, now, Realtors and Brokers who have a Social Media presence will replace those who do not. As one of the speakers said, being a “Geek” is the norm and fashionable. Grandma’s are on Facebook , tweeting and showing off their new IPhone ! Read the rest of this entry »
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New Year’s Resolutions 2010
January 1st, 2010 categories: Around TORONTO, Downtown Toronto, Economy, Lifestyle, Real Estate, Technology, Toronto
It is the end of the year and the beginning of a new one. At this time of year there is a natural tendency that I have had to make New Year’s resolutions. I’m sure that I am not that unusual and it is probably a trait that goes back through my family history. Was it a half-empty glass scenario?
So this morning, I was taking a nice long New Year’s walk…around the deck of a Cruise Ship as we are leaving Antarctica (not a bad life!). I challenged myself, as I routinely do to try to decide on changes that need to be made in my life. Read the rest of this entry »
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The Problem with REALTORS.
December 23rd, 2009 categories: Business, Lifestyle, Real Estate, Selling in Toronto
Before I even “go there“…let me first say that I am speaking totally on my own behalf and not in any of the positions that I hold in organized Real Estate. This is just some of my ramblings that come in go in my mind and need a Blog outlet, so please bear with me.
I began in the business 30 years ago and when I say “the business” I am referring to Real Estate or any other service industry. We had all been trained to strive to be the best in our field. Success equates to the sale of property, a satisfied Buyer, Seller or both. Read the rest of this entry »
| Discussion: 8 Comments »
Hooked on Travel and My Video Pocket Camera.
December 17th, 2009 categories: Business, Economy, Lifestyle, Photos
Giving you an update for the next few weeks and talking about how much I love my Video Pocket Camera, a VadoHD by Creative Labs .
Any thoughts? Comments below?
| Discussion: 6 Comments »
Technology: The Joys of Ping.fm
December 9th, 2009 categories: Business, Technology
The great news about Social Media is you have all these platforms to help get the word out…The bad news is that you have all these platforms to update. It forces you to rewrite or cut and paste updates into three, four or more sites.
Then along comes Ping.fm and I love it. It allows me to go to one dashboard, enter one update, and have it syndicated to all or a number of the Social Media platforms that you use (eight for me…at present). Read the rest of this entry »
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What I learned at National Association of REALTORS Conference San Diego 2009.
December 7th, 2009 categories: Business, Economy, Email, Lifestyle, Real Estate, Technology
REBarCampSD 2009:
We arrived a few days early and were able to take in some of the sites of San Diego and the REBarCamp San Diego thanks to the great work of Jim Marks and his team. REBarCamps are quite a phenomenon in the Real Estate Social Media World. They were begun by Todd Carpenter , Andy Kaufman , Mike Price and Brad Coy , four energetic and crazy guys who decided that a “Un-conference” that gathered the best minds in the field in a large space with lots of viewpoints for a day of discussion might be fun. Little did they know that the idea would grow with BarCamps held across the States in one year culminating in the largest, held at the nightclub “Stingaree” in San Diego? It was my forth in the past year, filled with knowledge, networking and great conversation. Read the rest of this entry »
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My First Video Blog…Time to Jump in to VLOGGING!!
November 26th, 2009 categories: Around TORONTO, Business, Real Estate, Technology, Toronto
It is not often that at this point in life, I can lose my Virginity but here is my very first Vlog.
Sorry for the production quality and the noise of plates being washed in the background but…there is a lot I want to convey and having the time to sit down and write is not always possible…Feel free to tell me if you think I should scrap the VLOGGING project and please let me know if there are subjects that we should talk about…
Comments are always welcome.
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Toronto Real Estate Board: Upcoming Social Media Primer November 19th, 2009
October 16th, 2009 categories: Business, Email, Technology
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Toronto Real Estate Board’s Auditorium
# of CE credits: 3
Cost: $42.00 (GST included)
As Social Media and Networking become more popular, many REALTORS® are jumping on the bandwagon, writing Blogs, Twittering, and appearing on LinkedIn, and Facebook. This class will ask some basic questions that need to be addressed before heading down this road on the Information Highway; then the class will move down the road and discuss the most popular options. Read the rest of this entry »
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
