1 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM Share this: June 2014 President, Gina Grah, CRS A Word From The President The Tennessee CRS Chapter was well represented at NAR and CRS Midyear meetings. CRS Midyear allowed our current and future leaders the opportunity to participate in valuable leadership training and educational opportunities. NAR governance meetings in Washington DC provided opportunities for our legislators and Realtor leaders to meet and discuss progress and concerns within our industry. These meetings are such a great avenue for knowledge, service and growth. There was a terrific Appy Hour in Washington DC. Here are some of the apps I received information on and am looking forward to downloading and implementing: One Note - note taking and file cabinet, exceed Evernote; enables you to become truly paperless. Go Connect - free app for Realtors, to manage and tract leads and transactions. Home Savvy - a customized home maintenance schedule. Realtor Action Center - to get your calls for action and also to store your NRDS #, which I always forget! Easily Do - connects everything, social media, etc. Now my challenge is to check all of these out and start using some! Spread the word CRS Week is scheduled for September 8-12. Let's say you have a high end buyer who has some financing issues, avoid using terms like "afford." Instead talk
2 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM You will have the opportunity to attend complimentary webinars. Follow the event on Twitter #CRSWEEK. There are CRS education classes scheduled across the State. Don t let an opportunity to learn and network pass you by. Check out the education section of the newsletter for details. Enjoy your summer, Gina Grah about cashflow. "You have the ability to purchase the home. As most wealthy buyers find, cash flow often delays a closing. Once cashflow changes, we can certainly see this home to the closing table." A Lot Going On With Tennessee CRS! We now have an app to find a CRS. September 8-12 is CRS Week. We have 915 CRSs in Tennessee. Check with TREC and see how many agents there are. Probably only about ½ % are CRS. EDUCATION: In Clarksville: CRS 201: Listing Strategies for Residential Specialists by Mike Selvaggio on September 22-23 for $199 At CWTAR in Jackson, TN on September 24th is Silver Bullet Solutions by Mike Selvaggio Hiring and Delegation Strategies for Building a Team on August 26 is being taught by Mike Selvaggio. Win-Win Negotiation on October 29th in Nashville will be taught by Chandra Hall. No locations yet. Mike Selaggio: Mike Selvaggio has been in the real estate Tips From Pillar To Post JUNE 2014 Pre-sale Tips for Added Value Many home sellers often overlook easy and relatively inexpensive fixes that not only increase visual appeal, but may add real value to a home s selling price. While major remodeling is costly and may not address the needs and tastes of prospective buyers, these repairs and maintenance suggestions have universal appeal and may help a home sell more quickly and for a better price.
3 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM business since 1975. He is a licensed broker and REALTOR in Delaware and Pennsylvania. He actively markets new-home communities, sells and lists resale homes, develops land and is a broker owner of Delaware Homes, Inc. Selvaggio was named REALTOR of the Year in 1990 for the state of Delaware. Also he has served as President of the Delaware Association of Realtors and his local board. He has published several articles and authored many courses for REALTORS throughout the United States and in the Caribbean. As a Life Director for the Home Builder s Association of Delaware, Selvaggio has been able to bring sales and marketing ideas that not only work, but have been field tested, to students. His two most exciting professional accomplishments were earning the CRS and CCIM Designations. He thoroughly enjoys educational sessions while teaching as a Certified CRS Instructor and a master Ninja Selling Instructor. Serving as the 2008 National President of the Council of Residential Specialists has given him a great opportunity for national insight into the real estate profession. He is available to help REALTORS and his clients with a goal of Exceeding Expectations. Staying In Touch With Your Sphere Matters! By Gwen Lilley, 2014 President-elect As CRS agents, we learned early on that staying in contact with our past and present clients is ultra important for several reasons: One, we want our clients to remember us when they are ready to sell or buy, at any given time. (Clients for life, right?) INTERIOR Bathrooms and the kitchen must get a deep cleaning. Sellers should consider having a cleaning company that offers move in / move out cleaning services to do the job. If kitchen cabinet exteriors are in bad shape, refacing may be an option. Far less expensive than new cabinetry, refacing can give old and worn cabinets new life and can visually update a kitchen. Consider replacing kitchen or bathroom counters with a neutral colored laminate surface if the current material is badly worn or stained. This gives everything a fresh look and prevents potential buyers from focusing on an eyesore.
4 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM Two, we want our clients to recommend us to their friends and family when they are asked. (Our business is all about repeats and referrals!) Three, it helps us to engage in our community and make contacts and friends. Four, it helps me remember my clients! Some clients go as far back as 15 years! I wanted to share about a client appreciation event that I just had that may be a good idea for you in the future. I have been sending out calendars for years in October and always get positive comments, thank-you notes and emails from that. Then, in November around Thanksgiving, I was sending out pie letters to all my past clients which worked really well also. My problem was, sending two items of value within two months and then the rest of the year was bare. So this year, instead of pie letters, I threw a Spring Fling in April. I bought Girl Scout cookies for each family (got this idea at Sell-a-bration!) and had a hot dog cook out at the park. I sent out invitations and asked all my clients to bring food for the food bank or spare change for Relay for Life. Labeled as a Pay it Forward event. The clients that could not come received a box of cookies with a note that I missed them at the party and would still be collecting food and donations at my office for two weeks. Of course I couldn t deliver to everyone but of those that I could get delivered, I received an overwhelming response. This event was very reasonable monetarily, helped three organizations in the community and touched all my clients in one way or another. As a direct result from this event, I have listed two properties and have two more in the works already. Bottom line, client contact is important for our business so make sure you are touching your clients repeatedly so they don t forget you! Just a side note I delivered lots of cookies to my client s mail boxes because of course I didn t have time to knock and chat Fresh paint on the walls and ceilings will do wonders for all rooms in the house. Stick to neutral colors so that buyers aren t distracted by colors that make a statement. They ll be able to imagine themselves and their furniture in the space much more easily. If carpet covers up hardwood floors, consider having it removed to expose the hardwood flooring. Hardwood floors are desirable, so they should be shown off. If carpet is to remain, it should be thoroughly cleaned. EXTERIOR If the home s exterior needs painting, do it. Buyers notice if paint is faded and peeling. If the paint is in good shape overall, renew the doors and trim with a fresh coat.
5 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM with everyone. Got a little note from the mail man that this was not allowed-of course I knew that but I m a rebel. Needless to say, I delivered the rest in a gift bag hanging from their mail box flag. Clarksville Event Join the Tennessee CRS Chapter, Castle Rock Mortgage, American Home Shield and Pillar To Post as they present the VA Foreclosure Panel Lunch And Learn on June 19, 2014 from 11 am to 1:30 pm. The panel is absolutely free. Tamara Fox simply asks that your RSVP to her at tfox@realtracs.com. It will be held at Center Pointe Hall at the Clarksville Association of REALTORS at 115 Center Pointe Drive. Panelists include Katie Owen, Mary McCooley, Eric Boyd, Kayla LeVan and Larry Harless. This course carries no CE credit. To obtain CRS Officer/Leadership information visit www.tncrs.com. Tennessee CRS Referral Ads Are Just $50 Annually How would you like for your ad to appear in this newsletter every month with a clickable link to your website? It's easy! Just send your check for $50 to Randy Worcester, Treasurer, 2680 Trenton Rd., Suite 400, Clarksville, TN 37040 and email your business card sized ad to brian@nashvilleandbeyond.com or gina@ginagrah.com Clean the windows inside and out so they sparkle. It s amazing what a difference this can make in a home s appearance. Hiring a professional window cleaning company is the easiest and safest way to get the job done on a multi-story home. Clear clutter from the yard, keep the lawn mowed, and trim any overgrown shrubs that are detracting from the home s appearance. The home should look well maintained even at first glance. Place pots of bright, colorful flowers along an entry path and near the doors to add a cheery, welcoming touch. Homeowners should save major remodeling projects and the budget required for their new home, not
6 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM the one they are about to sell. But implementing some of the steps above can increase the appeal to prospective buyers without a huge investment in time or money.
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8 of 8 7/30/2014 2:53 PM www.tncrs.com 865-984-1111 brian@nashvilleandbeyond.com Add contact information here 2680 Trenton Rd Clarksville, TN 37040 US