JOE AND CHRIS BALESTRIERE - FAIRFIELD COUNTY REAL ESTATE EXPERTS
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risk mitigation for buyers and sellers

3/15/2018

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Mitigating Risk (in real estate)
==
The action a Realtor takes behind the scenes to protect the buyer or seller

Some consider real estate agents the 'keykeepers' and otherwise do a lot of nothing when working with our clients, but that is where we let our clients tread into dangerous territory. If your Realtor is doing their job, they should be anticipating problems and heading them off before you even know they were a problem - RISK MITIGATION!
A lot of this effort is thankless, and many times the client doesn't know it was done, unless it is needed at some point in the process in order to put out a fire - we have been using that term a lot lately. Instead of thinking of Realtors as fire-fighters, for a second, think of us as the smoke alarm that goes off before the fire starts. Let's jump into the practical, real-world application of this as it pertains to real estate.

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Your Credit Was Probably Compromised

9/15/2017

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The title sounds dire, but this situation warrants a warning like this. I would rather, despite the saturation of this in the news, you hear it again than not hear it at all. Read on...

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Educating Clients Through the Power of Email

2/13/2017

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Keeping up with the transparent nature of my real estate business (through this blog), one medium I have not touched upon is Email. I have educated other Realtors and clients on how to list a home, the process of listing and buying, and so much more; but across these types of interactions are the communications that tend to happen through email. This starts at first communication, usually that first communication is a thorough breakdown of the market, my marketing, the lending of resources and tools, and so much more. That is what I want to tell you more about.
My goal with this post is to show you the ways I jam pack my emails with education and value so buyers and sellers get the most out of these communications. I intend to make you understand why my emails have been complimented time and time again as being thorough, useful, and integral in the start of a long-term relationship.

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The Game Plan - Organic Growth

8/9/2016

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Continuing the Game Plan, your home would already be prepared to go on the market. As the seller, you should have a signed contract, a fixed, cleaned, and staged home, and professional-quality photographs (if not, go back). You should also have a detailed and thorough description written, room features and dimensions already taken, and all the supplements necessary to get the home sold.
Now that your listing is promotion ready, it is time to begin an Internet marketing plan to knock out the competition. In an effort to achieve organic growth on a small scale, there are some key websites that will get the word out there more effectively than others. Most are common knowledge, but some might be new to you. Those that are not so common, set my business apart from the rest. Despite my disclosure of all my 'little secrets', there is still an innate understanding of how these websites work together that differentiates myself from the Realtors in town.
So, now that we understand how important the Internet is, where do I go as a Realtor or a seller, for the most impact?
  • MLS: The Multiple Listing Service is the comprehensive list of homes and their properties, exclusive to agents in their particular location. In more detail, it is a database where Realtors can upload their listing for other Realtors to see;
  • Zillow/Trulia: In some areas, putting the home on the MLS automatically syndicates (or feeds) it to Zillow and Trulia. Worth noting: these two companies are now one single entity. If your broker or MLS does not allow listings on these websites, a tool such as Postlets (below) can be used to syndicate to these websites, and many more;
  • Social Networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, LinkedIn, etc. etc. I have written tutorials on how to use some of these social networks, and how to set them up for your use. In a nutshell, you should pick the social network you use most, or where you have the biggest following, and focus on that one, or those two (See what I did there?). Spreading yourself too thin works against you in social media, unless you have a million followers, or someone managing it for you;
  • Postlets: Postlets is a tool that transforms your listing into an optimally designed representation of the home. It then allows you to expose it to multiple real estate websites, most prominently Zillow/Trulia, but also Yahoo Homes, Hotpads.com, and more. This website also automatically creates the HTML code (all you have to do is copy and paste) to put the listing on Craigslist;
  • YouTube: If you make a video, your channel on YouTube will be an additional medium for marketing the listing. You can create a virtual tour, or get a camera and get creative with video and programs like iMovie on Macbooks. Either way, something 1-3 minutes is a nice way to stand out from your competition.
This is by no means all-encompassing. The Internet is a vast playground, and if you seek, you shall find. I have taken this marketing plan and brought it a step further, by learning the nuances of real estate analytics on this small scale. That can be covered in another blog post in the future.
I would also suggest combining this with a physical marketing plan, including open houses, direct mail, and other ads that further promote you and your listings (or your home).
Learning how to work these websites together, takes practice, but is a small hurdle for a Realtor new to technology, or this Game Plan.
This article is the last one of several about Listing Real Estate - The Game-Plan. If you want to continue to learn more about Listing Real Estate, there will be more to come from your's truly.
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Your Credit Score, and How You Control It

7/8/2016

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Fix Your Credit For Real Estate
In the context of real estate, the Credit Score is a make-or-break factor when it comes to qualifying for financing for a home, or other purchase. Typically, I tell buyers and sellers to be prepared 6 months or more in advance, but when it comes to fixing your credit, a couple of years might be required. Let's talk about credit:

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9 Reasons NOT to Overprice Your Home

4/16/2016

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All too often, I hear the frustrations of colleagues about a homeowner that is unwilling to price their home correctly, despite the agent's ignored pleas. I have met plenty of homeowners that want the higher price, or the maximum of the range I give with my home market evaluations. Why wouldn't they? I have even gone to efforts to create strategies that deal with this type of listing scenario. But as a seller, there are some reasons to take your agent's pleas as honest and coming from a good place.
A seller's unwillingness to price a home correctly, leaves the Realtor frustrated, and more disconnected from the sale of the listing. Their knowledge of the real estate market is limited, so consider the following when pricing your home. Here are 9 reasons not to overprice your home for sale: ​​

1

Price Reductions - Eventually your Realtor will have to convince you to reduce the price. Now you are chasing the market instead of being competitive with the other homes in the area.

2

Seller Not Serious - By overpricing, the Buyer may think that the seller is testing the market and not serious, or that there might be a major defect with the property.

3

Few to No Showings - Realtors and Buyers are both pretty aware of the market prices so if your home is overpriced, they will just not show it at all.

4

Limits the Number of Buyers - By overpricing your home, you cut out good Buyers that are qualified below that amount.  When the price finally gets corrected, these Buyers have moved on.

5

Failed Negotiations - Buyers may put in a lower offer, but if the Seller is overpriced, the gap is typically too large to agree upon. Homeowners that are locked into a price are more resistant to a drop, even when advised by their Realtor.

6

Will not Appraise - If it is overpriced, it will not pass the appraisal and the deal may fall through.

7

Sells the Competition - Buyers will look at 10-20 houses before putting in an offer. If you are too high, they will think the house down the street is priced better. Your overpriced home will make others look better.

8

Higher Days on the Market - Buyers are always looking for new listings on the market; if your home has a high number of days on the market it will bring up red flags with buyers.

9

Home Never Sells - Homeowners will frequently get so frustrated that they decide to take the house off the market and not sell at all.

This advice comes from a good place, the place where it is necessary to get realistic and make good choices. If you are a seller in a tight position, give your home the justice it deserves and price the home accordingly. It will result in reduced stress, and a quicker process. It might even give you leverage during proceeding negotiations. But either way, it will help get the home SOLD.
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Open Houses - Exposing Real Estate's Biggest Myth

3/24/2016

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For anyone who has sold a home through traditional real estate means, i.e. hiring a Realtor, you have likely dealt with the inconveniences of the whole process. You have made sure to clean up in the mornings, left personal belongings in a safe place, left the house at the drop of a hat, and made sure to make plans for the expected Sunday Open House that was pushed by your Realtor.

What is an open house and what does it do?

There are two types of open houses, broker open houses, and public open houses.
Broker Open Houses are used to showcase a listing to other Realtors. If another Realtor has a client looking in your price point, this is a valuable way for them to see the home without having to drag the client there, also known as a 'preview'.
Public Open Houses, the topic of this post, are intended to showcase the listing to the public. This might include neighbors, buyers, or just someone that was driving by and noticed the open house sign.

Do Public Open Houses Sell the Listing?

Ask the National Association of Realtors, which reported that, in 2014, only 9% of buyers found the home they eventually purchased at an open house. That’s down from 16% in 2004. To put that in perspective, if your home is a hotly desired listing, and you have, say 10 people come through the home for the open house (which is a LOT), that means that there is a chance that 1 of those buyers actually purchases the home. Again, the assumption here is that 10 visit.
Now, let me be clear, this blog post is not intended to stop homeowners from giving the keys to a Realtor to host an open house. Clearly there is some value, albeit a small amount.
So, what's your point?
Let's back up: When you first list your home, immediately it is marketed all over the place, ideally creating some level of Organic Growth. This immediate pop of activity quickly subsides, say about two weeks later. The real benefit to hosting this open house, and hopefully strategically scheduling it so it isn't immediate, is to reinvigorate the activity on the Internet for buyers who are seeking something similar to your listing/home.
The case I am making here is simple, let your Realtor host an open house, but make sure it coincides with something substantial, such as a new listing, or a price reduction.

How do I get the most out of the open house?

Depending on your local laws, some of these strategies might help get MORE out of the open house (and set you up to counter your real estate agent when they request hosting an open house).
It goes to show that there is always some way to help generate more buzz for anything a Realtor does. If leveraging multiple marketing strategies for your home, the open houses can have a more desirable effect on their listings.
  • Hang up door knockers in the neighborhood in advance of the open house (on the door or mailbox);
  • Send a local radius mailing to the neighborhood to advertise the open house (at least a week in advance);
  • Leverage ad dollars on Facebook that target buyers in the local market advertising the open house;
  • Promote the home on other sites, in my local market Listingbook.
  • It goes without saying, that 90% of buyers that are visiting open houses are finding them on Zillow, Trulia, Listingbook and other real estate websites (but mostly those three). If a Realtor is not specifically going on these sites and promoting the open house, then these sites might get missed;
  • Offer some incentive to visitors to come by, such as a raffle; this tends to be more effective at a Broker Open House, but it still might be a barrier to forcing open houses down your throat by a Realtor.

Why does my Realtor want to continue doing these open houses then?

Realtors use open houses as a tool to acquire new buyers and new business. There are a few reasons why doing an open house is a good idea for a Realtor. It shows they are busy. They can pick up new clients. They can further market themselves through their town, through signage.
Realtors thrive when their face is continually in the public. This tends to lead to an insistence to host an open house for every listing, sometimes as often as every two weeks. This frequency can be beneficial once the additional marketing is considered, but only if it is done the right way.

Ultimately, as the homeowner, you decide who shows your house, and when. If you aren't home on Sundays, and an open house is not an inconvenience, then let the Realtor host it. But make sure they implement some supplemental marketing in order to increase the efficacy of the open house. Otherwise, you leave the house for nothing.
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10 Things Realtors Say That Are Misleading

3/15/2016

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I may get some backlash for the secrets I will be uncovering about the real estate business, but I think full-disclosure is warranted in a business that is shrouded by misconceptions, many of which may be intentional. Here are some statements you might hear from your Realtor and the things you should look for:
"Your home isn't selling, we have to reduce the price"
This might be true in some cases, but how can a seller understand why a price reduction is requested? In 9 out of 10 cases when this happens, the seller just hears the words,  "We need a price reduction." Instead, imagine if the seller heard, "We need a price reduction, here are the numbers and feedback, all in one place." All of a sudden, this request becomes more manageable and understandable.
"I cannot price your home at the price you want"
The Realtor may not want to sell the home at your price, but they can do anything you want. Taking a straightforward and open approach avoids running into a lie. Just tell the truth people! Try this instead, "I understand you want this higher price, but I do not take listings that are overpriced. I would rather disappoint you now, than in 6 months."
"Zillow and Trulia are the best places to find real estate"
A lazy Realtor will say this. There are better tools out there to seek real estate, and the MLS is only the beginning. You Realtor should have other ways to find you homes to look at, otherwise they are neglecting a part of the market where opportunity abounds.
"I cannot take a cut on commission"
This is typically a false statement. There may be restrictions because of the company, but if a manager is going to lose a listing because of a lower commission, they will accept it. This does not address the fact that a Realtor willing to take a lower commission will likely put a fraction of the effort required because the payout decreases, and with it the tools and money spent decreases, but that is another topic.
"I cannot spend money on marketing on the internet"
Having the know-how to market listings effectively is something lost by many Realtors. Instead, they opt to say they cannot, when really they mean to say they don't know how. Marketing through the Internet is a skill that is honed by few, but those that can use their money to effectively target buyers will get ahead of the pack, quickly.
"Listing your home in the newspaper and through direct mail will get it sold"
Physical advertising is dead. Newspaper and direct mail advertising are for the benefit of the Realtor, not the seller, in most cases. According to NAR, in 2014 92% of buyers used the internet in some way in their home search process. The Internet is IN.
"Open houses are for the benefit of the homeowner and getting the home sold"
A minute percentage of buyers purchase the home they see at an open house (According to NAR, in 2014 only 9% of buyers found the home at an open house that they purchased). Most buyers prefer to search the internet and see inventory with their Realtor. The open house is a branding tool for Realtors and to recruit clients. However, there ARE benefits to an open house for the seller, though they are not discussed often enough. When a Realtor markets the open house, if they are doing it right, they should be promoting the open house in ways that they might only be able to do for an open house, such as an Open House Promotion. This is where the seller sees benefit, specifically through these additional promotional means.
"I can only show you homes within X miles of my office"
Real estate has become a much less location-restricted business. Realtors can now sell and buy across town, county, and state lines. If you get this line from Realtors, they are being deceptive. The better way to convey this, is, "I can only show you homes within X miles of my office because my knowledge of that area is minimal. You would be better served using a Realtor with expertise in that location."
"I can take the photos that are better than a photographer"
A photographer should always be able to take better pictures than a Realtor, but that's not to say a Realtor can't take great pictures. Basically, they want to spend as little money as possible, and this would add to the expenses. As a seller, I would ask if the Realtor uses a DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens, and if they touch up the photos before putting them on the Internet. If they cannot do these things, demand a photographer.
"I am marketing the home on Zillow/Trulia/Realtor/major brokerage sites"
Inherently, when a home is put into MLS, your home will most likely be put on these major websites, no matter what. A decent Realtor should go far beyond these means of marketing. Ask questions about which other websites they are promoting your property to.

Assisting buyers and sellers in real estate is not easy. According to the National Association of Realtors, there are 1.167 million Realtors, or about 1 Realtor for every 300 people in the country. That is a LOT of Realtors. 80% of the Realtors get into the business thinking it is easy, unaware that there is a huge amount of necessary skill to be successful. If your Realtor says any of these things, find someone else. After all, there are so many Realtors, you should have no issues finding one!
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The Listing Process - 5 Things You Shouldn't Hide (But Others Do)

3/7/2016

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As a Realtor, listing real estate is the ideal way to earn your money in this business. With this, understanding what real estate defects that could be hidden is essential for your listings. As a seller, understanding every aspect of the process employed by your hired Realtor is essential, and being able to give educated input is also important. More importantly, knowing what other Realtors hide and what should be made public and clear is also important. In essence, the more information that is given to the buyer, the more qualified, interested, and market-educated they will be when entering the home.

What Information Do You Give?

Most real estate law says that hiding material defects is illegal. This is not something we suggest, nor would be able to be fixed inexpensively if issues arise - make sure to disclose those things. Also, if it can be found online (i.e. public records), there is no reason to make it clear to a buyer, with the location or proximity to an obsolescence being a perfect example. If a buyer/agent does his/her due diligence before looking at a property, this is something that will be found with today's technology before showing the property.

What Information Do Other Real Estate Agents Hide?

Every property on the market is unique. Sometimes agents go out of their way to hide important aspects of a home, thinking they are negative. Let the buyer make that determination, it is not your job to make assumptions on their behalf. Here are five features that are more realistic to be hidden by agents:

Room Sizes

Small bedroom - I have sold homes that have the 3rd or 4th bedroom that is so small there is no closet and a twin bed does not fit.
Large, square living rooms - A buyer is searching specifically for a home that has a large square living room (or any room size really). Imagine if their agent were able to actually know the dimensions of every living room and save the time it takes bringing to a home with a living room described as 'large' in the property description.
Fix: Give room dimensions

Poor Condition

Is the solution to a home with poor condition to avoid putting pictures of the interior? Absolutely not. Some buyers are looking for something in poor condition. Some buyers want a move-in condition home. If the kitchen is in poor condition but the rest of the home in great condition, and you refrain from putting the picture of the kitchen, you risk bringing buyers in looking for move-in condition by not being forward about it. In most cases, your best bet is to put all the pictures up, just make them look great.
Fix: Put a picture of each main room wherever you market the property

Quality of Materials

Some multiple listing services allow the listing agent to include details about materials used in each room. Use this feature, because if pictures show quality looking hardwood floors, but they end up being a laminate alternative, that might negatively surprise a visiting buyer. If they know what kind of floors there are before going there, they won't have expectation for the wrong material.
Fix: Include lots of details if possible

Odd layout

Sometimes the layout of a home is incredibly unique. Unique could be a good thing, but sometimes is bad. Floor plans solve this problem very well, so consider investing in software or a service that helps make this happen. A perfect example is this App.
Fix: Give room levels, and/or include floor plans

Parking is uncovered

Most MLS services will give you the option of describing what type of parking is included with the home or property, and the number of spaces. Just giving the number of spaces is not enough, especially if a buyer wants covered parking, or a garage that is attached as opposed to detached.
Fix: If the field has specific options, use it; e.g. parking type and not just quantity of spaces

The bottom line: Don't make the choice for buyers; give them the information so they are more educated about your listing than not (within reason).
Read more about the Listing Process. 
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Real Life Real Estate - Off-market Short Sale Closing

2/26/2016

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It was the winter of 2014, and my buyer David was struggling to find the perfect condo to purchase that would fit his needs. This often happens in this business, and tends to lead to the loss of a client for a Realtor. In my case, I knew there must be more to do in order to get him something he would love.
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His focus seemed to keep coming back to a condominium complex in Norwalk where we had seen multiple properties. We placed some offers, and even had an inspection on a unit, that ended up falling through because of the price we had placed -  the bank was not interested in what we (homeowner included) considered a good offer. Ultimately, there were no good options remaining there, and it was either wait, or take action.
The great thing about this market, is there are other transactions that don't get completed, called 'expired listings'. In this case, I recognized a unit that was on the market, that didn't get sold for reasons I couldn't comprehend (considering the price wasn't too high). Through a complex process, I was able to get in touch with the homeowner, Eliana. Eliana and her family were in dire straights, holding a mortgage they couldn't afford. They hadn't been able to sell because of the inability to get the money back that they had lost in a purchase when prices were higher. At times like this, my first thought is, 'How can we help this family?' There is no reason why a family should be held hostage by a liability like real estate, especially when there were options on the table.
Immediately I knew there was a solution that would get her and her family out, and get David a property in a complex he was very interested in. I approached David with this option, and we immediately placed an offer, off-market, that would get sent to the bank. I signed papers with Eliana and Dave, and we were off to the short-sale-races!
This transaction was not as easy as making a phone call, signing some papers, and sitting back - it was a difficult short sale that required negotiations with a bank that was difficult last time around (when Eliana had the home on the market previously). The first thing I needed to do was find Eliana an attorney that would make sure this came to fruition, and with some suggestion and seeking, I found the perfect firm. Now Eliana was well-represented, and just needed to make sure she did everything the attorney asked.
After several months of difficult work with the bank, as sometimes happens, we ran into an additional problem. Because this transaction was more difficult than others the law firm had dealt with, the attorney was requesting more money than the bank was offering. Of course, the seller had no money to give her. So there were options, but asking David to pitch in wouldn't have been fair. I knew I needed to step up - because this was a short sale, with no Realtor representation for the seller, I was going to get the whole commission (and a higher one at that), instead of the half I usually get during a transaction. So, to make up for the attorney's loss, I sacrificed part of my commission, knowing this was the last piece of the puzzle, to get it closed. This is not something I can do under normal circumstances, but in this case, it was feasible.
Ultimately, we closed the property successfully, and Eliana and her family were able to move on, and David was now situated in a condo, at a lower price than market value, where he was happy.

I come across many different scenarios in this business, and I never give up. Had I just said, 'let's wait' to David, we might have not found something for a long while. This type of complacency causes buyers to leave, and find the Realtor that will work for them. Instead, we got creative, and were rewarded for this unique strategy.
It's stories like this that make my time in this business worth every minute. I hope to continue to share these stories, as it gives a great example of what can be done with a Realtor that goes the extra mile. But, it also shows what pitfalls you might encounter in a purchase or sale, and how you can overcome those hurdles.
-Joe Balestriere

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    We (Joe and Chris Balestriere) are Realtors in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Our blog is meant to educate buyers and sellers and equip them with tools to get the most out of their Realtor, whether it is us or someone else. We focus on technology and how it enhances the work we do for our clients--we are not top CT Realtors by accident.

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