Help Wanted Buyers!

Well it has happened.  I sold all my listings!  Well one is pending!

Now I need your help… If you want to sell in the Treasure Valley of Idaho call me! The Treasure Valley includes:  Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Idaho City, Nampa, Caldwell and middleton.  This really great real estate agent will take you through the process of selling the home from start to finish…

1) Advice you on market conditions.

2) Perform a real market analysis.

3) Help you prepare your house for the market.  I have a list of different types of workmen and stagers who will make your home shine.

4) Hire a photographer for a virtual tour.

5) I will put a nice sign in your yard.

6) Keep the flyer box full.

7) Market your home on the Internet including but not limited to Zillow, Realtor.com, trulia, multiple listing service, activerain, facebook and google.

8) I blog and I will blog about your home to create a bigger Internet presence.

9) I have line ads every weekend in the Idaho Statesman every Friday through Sunday.

10) I will open your home at least once a month (if you want me to).

11) I will keep you informed on the activity and interest in your home.

12) I will present all offers and advice you on how to handle the offer.

13) I will prepare a net sheet for you for all the offers.

14) I will negotiate your offers.

15) I will be in contact with the buyers agent and their lender to facilitate the closing.

16) I will advice you on the inspection contingency form.

17) I will be in contact with the title officer.

18) I will read and examine the HUD1 and settlement form for accuracy.

19) If you are in the Treasure Valley I will come to your closing.

20) I will answer any questions you have (if I don’t know the answer I will find it).

21) I can find you your next home or your next agent if you are moving out of the area.

21) I will listen and do my best to get your home SOLD and CLOSED.

Working together we will get your home sold!  I also do short sales and I will write that up in a diffenent post!

So please let me help you get your Treasure Valley home sold!  You won’t be sorry!

My dog might live and I will take it easy….

If you  have been following my blogs you know that my old Collie, Jolly, is very sick.  Last night I thought she was going to die.  I was definetly regretting not having her put down on Tuesday.  I slept in the living room with her last night so she wouldn’t be alone.  When I went to sleep at 2 AM she hadn’t moved or opened her eyes in 5 hours…. I was sure that this was it.   At 6:30 AM I woke up to a bit of coughing and she was awake… I offered her water (something she has refused since Tuesday (we had been using a syringe to get water in her)) and she drank it.  I tried food and no dice…. I told my housemate about the water and was more hopeful.   I gave her the antibiotic and let her be….I carried her outside (she has lost weight but is still 64 pounds) and she did her business and she got herself back in 🙂  She rested and we kept trying to tempt her.  She is at least interested in the food and the other people and pets.  Then she ate a few tablespoons of scrambled eggs and tuna on her own.  I now gave her the arthritis medicine so her old bones should stop hurting…. This is what I have done for the last 20 hours….

Now I could try to take the rest of the day off.  The dog would be well tended but I think I will make a few phone calls and work on my data and holiday card list.  I really am tired…I never thought I would be a nurse to a dog but she is a sweet old thing…My challange will be met by my card writing and dealing with the data base.  I have worked on page 1 of 8.  Maybe I can get through page 2 and 3.  Later I will go my office and get my rent check and then drive to Caldwell, Idaho to get my son at the College of Idaho…

P.S.  When I got home she wanted food.  She ate it without any coaxing…. Nice to have the old girl back!

  Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate    

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Hard day….Sick dog….2011 December blog challange

 

My old dog, Jolly, has been sick for a very long time.   Actually she was my mother’s old dog who waited for her by the door for months after she died.   My father kept her but she was sort of ignored in favor of smaller yappy (some might say cuter) dogs.  So eventually after I took a dog sitting stint I agreed to keep the dog.  She was very happy.  My housemate spoiled her and reminded her she was a dog.  She enjoyed chewing bones and loved to bark at the other dogs playing.  

She has had a bad cough and a lot of mucus since September.  She has had three courses of antibiotics.  She seemed somewhat better but snotty until yesterday.  Yesterday she took a serious turn for the worse.  She was fine in the morning she took her pain pill and her benedryl and ate breakfast. We bug bombed the house (of course we put the pets outside).  It was necessary we had a serious fruit fly invasion.  They were doubling every day.  The pets all ran in as soon as my husband opened the doors to air out the house.  By the time I arrived home from my appointment (coaching session) the old dog was coughing again.  I put her out in the fresh air but it was a cold day. round bedtime she seemed much worse so I decided I would give her another benedryl to dry her up and stop any inflammation.  She wouldn’t take the meat the pill was wrapped in.  She wouldn’t drink water.  Her breathing was labored.  She slept in my room (she usually chooses to sleep in the middle of the house where she can keep an eye on all her pack).   Actually I am not sure she slept….  I tried to give her more medicine in the morning and again she wouldn’t take any treats (and I was getting very generous) nor would she drink water.  I was definitely concerned.  But today was the great lockbox switch and I had a designated time to be at the fairgrounds to exchange lock-boxes.  I figured I would see what my housemate had to say when she woke up and I left for the switch.

I went an took my lock-boxes off my listings.  Then I went to fairgrounds to exchange them and then went back to the listings to put them back on.  While I was at the first listing a man asked me about the home.  I invited him in and proudly showed my listing.  We talked for a while and I have his details.  He can’t really afford my home but he can afford a nice smaller home in West Boise.  We talked about the details and about the section 8 housing he is on.  About 1/2 hour into the call I got the call from my housemate that she was very worried about the dog.  She must go to the vet.    I had the information I needed and gave him a homework assignment and explained about my sick dog.  That is my progress on the 2010 challenge… Back to the dog story….

On my way back one of my tenants called me with a leak under the sink.  I first dealt with the warranty company and arranged the plumber then I  called the vet.  I told them she was suddenly worse.  She had stopped eating and drinking and she was having trouble breathing.  They told me to bring her right away.  I also called my dad (because technically she is his dog).  At first he (dad is a  retired people doctor) wanted to give her more antibiotics but I explained I couldn’t get her to eat the treats I hid them in.  Poor Jolly lost 4 more pounds since late October.  The vet thinks she might have a cancer.  Jolly is 12 which is definitely old for a collie.   I am worried that the bug bombing had something to do with her illness or maybe she has an infection that could be treated.  Dad and the vet are both thinking her time had come.  I don’t want heroics I just didn’t want to put her down if she has bronchitis or something.  I ask the vet if she could give her a shot of antibiotics and I would try to care for her overnight and see if I could get her to drink water… The vet is not hopeful…. I tell her if she is not drinking by tomorrow I will bring her back to be put down.  I know dad thinks I am prolonging her agony but I want to make sure we can’t make her better first.  Death is permanent. The vet tech tought me how to give a dog who wouldn’t eat a pill.

I spent the money and have a prescription to fill in the morning (if I am not putting her down).  I have dogie cough pills and the old standby benedryl.  My housemate and I went to the store and bought a humidifier and a syringe (to give  her water with).  My housemate told me she has been feeling wheezy since the but bombing.  I got some water into her with the syringe and I put some turkey in her mouth.  She probably swallowed an teaspoon full.  Then I went to get my son at the College of Idaho (we found out he had one more paper to write so we left him there until he is done).  When I got home I got about a cup of water in her with the syringe and another dogie cough pill.  I could not get her to eat.  Her breathing is quieter.  Maybe she will be a bit better in the morning and eat.  Somehow it seems like a little bit of my mother will die when she does.  I know that it silly.  My mom has been dead for 7 and half years….Not much real estate today.

 

 

 

  Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate    

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Kids are home….price reductions complete…offer in….turkey defrosting….watching star wars….

Today the offer was rejected.  The clients were onto the next one with a low offer.  I think I must be frustrated with them….When they told me the price I smiled and said “lets write the 9th offer that will be rejected”.  Maybe I am wrong but I don’t think it will be accepted.  People don’t usually go $10K lower in the first few days of a listing…. We gave them until Saturday.  They still don’t understand that rushing the last clients during Thanksgiving weekend wasn’t wise.  I told them that they probably could get their price in a week or so….Just not today… The whole time I wrote the offer I talked about the real virtues of the other home and counseled waiting a week and resubmitting the offer.   Well by 1:30 PM the  frustration was over…The offer was signed and delivered. 

I also made small price reductions on my listings to put them forward for anyone searching the mls after the turkey.

 

Next to get my kid from the College of Idaho…I got stuck in traffic (very unusual in Boise) and went to Caldwell.  While in Caldwell I had a telephone call thanking me for my article (letter to the editor) that was published.  Yeah!  That was convenient.  I could pick up a print copy while in Canyon County.  Then I went to check on a rental of mine.  The windows were so clean that they shined!  I went up and peeked in and the floors looked gorgeous (I traded a deposit for floor refinishing) and the walls had a beautiful neutral color on them.  I was so happy that I found my business partner (who works part time in the local hardware store) to tell him.  I showed him my letter to the editor.  Turned out his co-workers had read it earlier and liked it.  I was feeling pretty good as I took my son (who seemed to be ill) home. 

We got home and cleaned a little then went to get my middle son from the airport.  It is so good to see him for Thanksgiving!  We went home and I made a cheese fondue and we ate one of the two pumkin pies….It seems that I forgot to put the sugar in the pie…oops….Well we sprinkled sugar on the pie like it was cereal.   My Dad and Step-mom showed up after dinner and we had a nice conversation.  Then I skyped (video called) my oldest son and girlfriend in China.  It was almost like they were here.  The family felt complete.  Even the dog contributed.  

Now my turkey is having its bath in water to defrost… And the guys are watching Star Wars and I am blogging.

The day started out tense but it is turned nice as I was able to turn inward towards my family.

Tomorrow I hope to have a real estate free day….I really like Thanksgiving…

 

 

  Debbie Holmes

Gold Key Real Estate    

(208)761-2551 Email: d5holmes@msn.com

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Volunteerism… Frusteration with a customer…

Some people volunteer at the soup kitchen…. Others at the homeless shelter, etc.  I help individuals save their homes or at least ease them out gently.  I am very good at this and most people appreaciate my help.  I gained my knowledge through  my early entry into the short sale market (2007)  I have learned how to reach the correct people at banks.   I have taken my knowledge and I try to put the client and the lender together to work a loan modification out for my customer.  I never take money and I choose my cases.  I always sort of figured as long as I am selling a home a month I can afford this work which is also important.  Once in a while I am just helping them lose their home with dignity (not a shortsale).

 

In early June a woman called on a rental.  I was on vacation but she had recieved foreclosure notices on her home.  She is on SSI disability and she swears she paid them.  I talked to her for about 20 minutes and suggested she stay in her home until the foreclosure.  I also volunteered to work with her and try to prevent the foreclosure.  I asked her to call me on Monday when I would be home from vacation and we would set up a time.  Time passed and she didn’t call.

Fast forward to Tuesday (7/19) and she called me and wanted help.  She lives in Caldwell, a town 30 minutes away from where I live.  I ask her if she can come to Boise and she says she can’t because she doesn’t drive.  I ask her if she has email and she doesn’t.  I ask if any of her friends have email and they don’t.  I take a deep breath and volunteer to go to her and bring my printer/copier.  I ask her to find reciepts and we agree to meet at her home on Thursday 7/21/2011.   I pull all the deeds, foreclosure notices, etc…. Anything Title- One can give me and drive to Caldwell.  I am five minutes late because the exact entrance to her street is hard to get to.

It is a property surrounded by busy streets and very near the railroad tracks.  The yard has trash and furnature strewn all over it.  I knock on the door and she is NOT HOME.   I call her and she doesn’t answer her cell.  About 10 minutes later she calls me back and rudly asks who this is.  She says she couldn’t find the papers I wanted so she went out.  I suggested that we meet anyway because I could get started without the receipts.  The phone rang and I needed to take it so I asked if I could call her back in a few minutes.  She said yes.  I called her back and she didn’t answer.  I left a message saying I would stay in Caldwell for 30 minutes please call me back.  I went to the gas station then a cafe for a meal.  I read over the deads and realized that whether or not she had paid the bills I could help her.  It was a small second mortage and at most she owed $800.  She was upside down in the first.  This would actually be easy (even without the money order receipts).  I make busy work in Caldwell by visiting an apartment complex I manage for my step mother.  I visit with 3 of the tenants then at 12:30 PM I get into my car and drive towards Boise.  Just as I am leaving town she calls.  I tell her I have read her documents and know I can help her can we meet while we I am still in town. I remind her I don’t charge for this.  I also tell her if we set up another meeting  (after I leave Caldwell) she will have to come to Boise.  She tells me she is at her mothers home.  I suggest I go to her mothers home.  She tells me she is too busy baking pies…. At this point I inform her that I have done  several hours of work on her behalf and drove to Caldwell to meet her.  I will only meet her on my terms in Boise.  She says she might give me a call.

 

I think I just had to vent…..  If pie baking is more important then saving her home perhaps she doesn’t deserve to be a homeowner….Also she knew I was driving in to meet her and she should have been there.  I just don’t get it.  Hopefully, my next pro-bono case will want my services.  I also had put off paying clients a half day to handle her case.