Working together to get the job done!

Working together to get the job done!

105 E. Bridgewater Ct., Boise, ID 83706  is a beautiful home where I helped the investor on the renovations….

I listed it in September ….  Nothing happened….. After Thanksgiving we reduce the price….  Nothing happened….. I was becoming nervous…. When my other listing at 722 Pearl St., Boise, Idaho 83705 went pending I took more action…. My buyer was settled and I started spending my Sunday afternoons at the home….  I had good traffic….  But still no offers…..  Worse yet my fellow agents didn’t seem to notice my price change…. Gulp….$10,000 off and no change in showings….

My seller and I had a long discussion….I told him even though the comps are there we need to lower the price…  I didn’t want to lower the price a lot before the New Year….So this is what we did….

On Friday we reduced the price by $1000… At the same time I had him sign for a $25 price reduction every 3 days until the New Year…In our MLS 3 days is critical because that seems to be how long the change appears on the status change button….  I had 4 showings in 24 hours…. I also had a low ball offer… Something that we can work with but not accept…..I am delighted for the offer….On Sunday morning I find out my seller didn’t receive my email….Something went wrong with his email and he felt it was too late to call….We already had a 7 AM  telephone appointment.  I emailed it to another address….This was a busy but good day for my seller….He had another early appointment and his Mom’s 94 th birthday party….  This sounded like it could get tight for our 2 PM deadline to respond to the offer… I emailed the other agent to give him a heads up…  He emailed back, thanks…

By 10 AM I decided to go to my office… I hadn’t heard from the client after the early morning phone call… He is real estate savvy and knows that time is of the essence…. The party starts at 11 AM my time and I am sitting in the open house from 1-4 PM…. We spend time preparing the counter offer… Idaho does their counter offers differently then New York so I had to teach a bit…. We don’t rush but it is already past time for Mom’s birthday party…. He does not email scan so I am sitting by the fax machine at the office… After 10 minutes it spits out 3 of 8 pages…. At least the counter offer is on top!…. He tries again… No dice…I don’t know whether it is his machine or mine…. I really have stopped faxing…. I love email scan….  He is in the car 1 hour late to the party….

I email the other other agent what I have and explain about the fax problems….I tell him that my client has signed all the documents…. I have the counter but not the completely signed contract because of the fax problems…I let him know that I gave the client his fax number (in case it was my machine)…  He emails back that he needs a phone call from my client so that he can turn on his fax…He has also forwarded the contract to his buyer…. I call my seller and leave a message…  I get a call that I can’t take from my seller….At 4 PM I get a copy of the signed contract from the other agent….  Not how we usually do things…. 2 hours past the deadline…. But done….

Now my seller and I wait on the buyer… We hope they take the counter offer…. Of course they may counter….or worse let the contract go… We are $7000 apart… We will see…  Another day in the life of Debbie Holmes, Real Estate agent Extraordinaire!

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

To search Boise Homes visit my website

Every so often I throw out a resume for a day job….

I usually love my job…. But I could do other things…. Things that have few night and weekend off…. Where I can know that my time off is time off and I know where my next paycheck is coming from…

I wasn’t planning to put out my resume… I probably wont get the job… But the Amalgamated Sugar factory is looking for a Factory chemist…. My experience in chemistry is old but they want someone who knows laboratory protocol and can calibrate the laboratory machines….. I can do that…. It might be boring… I don’t know what the person will think when one of the parts of your resume is: Candidate for Congress… Yes I was able to debate Congressman Mike Simpson without falling on my face or looking like a fool…. I also have a little bit of laboratory jobs… I have my real estate and property management….Actually I am pretty cool and eclectic.. I take a stand and try to do my best at whatever I do… Do I even want the chemist job? I don’t know… It was never my dream to be a factory chemist but sometimes I am worn down…. When I graduated I wanted to work in an R and D lab and do research….One of the things on my bucket list was to be publish in a professional journal…That wont happen as a factory chemist or selling real estate…

So why apply for the job? Not sure… I worked very hard to get my degrees and then had my kids…. They were my job and my life’s work… They have left the nest… Sometimes I want to remember I really am a scientist… I certainly won’t make a difference at the sugar factory… So what do you do with a resume like mine? Resume is down below for the curious….

Now it is time to go to the office and write the counteroffer and the price reduction….Pick up my client at 3:45 PM for the inspection (figures crossed), submit the other price reduction and check the agent remarks…

I AM A GOOD REAL ESTATE AGENT WHO HAPPENS TO BE A CHEMIST AND TAKES STANDS!

Deborah Holmes

1304 Gourley St., Boise, ID 83705

(208) 751-2551, d5holmes@msn.com

Education:

Boise State University, Fall 2002 – Spring 2005: Recent coursework in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology of Cancer, Biochemistry laboratory, Statistics, Epidemiology, Immunology (graduate level), Cell Biology, Microbiology and Nursing. Computer Science Courses and Education Courses, fall 1993 – fall 1996

Binghamton University, M.A. in Physical Chemistry, 1987

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, B.S. in Chemistry, 1982

Experience:

Candidate for US House of Representatives in Idaho’s 2nd District, March 2008 – November 2008 – Won Democratic primary in May of 2008, carrying 69% of the vote and every county in the district. I lost the general election against 5 term incumbent Congressman Mike Simpson. As a candidate, I received the endorsement of Governors Andrus and Evans, the Idaho AFL-CIO, the Alliance for Retired Americans as well as numerous local unions. I participated in two televised debates (Idaho Public Television and KTVB) with Congressman Simpson, gave speeches across the district, organized policy, wrote press releases , gave television, radio, and newspaper interviews, weighed in on current issues (and had them published in media). I traveled the state for campaign appearances, organized paid and volunteer staff throughout the state, and raised and managed campaign funds. I collaborated with other candidates and groups throughout the state to present a united political coalition.

Real Estate Agent , September 2006 – present – Gold Key Real Estate, Boise Idaho. I work with clients to buy and sell real estate. I market property, negotiate sales, and work as part of a team to get the deal closed favorably for my clients. I specialize in first time home buyers, loan modification, reduction of debt, and bank negotiation for short sales.

Laboratory Research Assistant, February, 2006 – June 2006: Albertson College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho. I designed and performed experiments in molecular biology including. Elisa, western blot, biotynalation on proteoglycans. I assisted and monitored students in laboratory and maintained mammalian cell lines for research and class use. I purchased, ordered, and maintained laboratory equipment and materials.

Property Management, March 2005 –Present: Manages real estate investments in Ada and Canyon County.

Adjunct Lecturer in Chemistry, August, 1991- December 1992: Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. Prepared and taught laboratory sections in introductory chemistry.

Adjunct Lecturer in Mathematics, Spring 1991: Taught pre-calculus at the University of Maryland facility at SHAPE (NATO Headquarters), Mons, Belgium.

Chemical Technician, July, 1988- October, 1988: Manpower Temporary Services, Elmira, New York. Formulated, coated, and tested coatings for an electrostatic master.

Teaching Assistant in Chemistry, August 1983 – June, 1985: Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York. Prepared and taught laboratory and recitation sections in introductory chemistry.

Laboratory Research Technician (co-op student), January, 1983 – June 1983: Pitney Bowes, Inc., Norwalk, Connecticut. Formulated and tested inks for an ink jet array. Formulated and tested coating for thermal paper.

Student Assistant, summer 1982: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York. Designed and constructed a solid-state lead selective electrode for use in the undergraduate laboratory sequence. Chemical stock clerk; responsibilities included inventory control and instrument maintenance.

Volunteer Experience:

Cub Scout Pack 123, 1999 – 2004 : Den leader, coordinator for three successive major fundraisers. Co – chaired and helped organize numerous pack functions.

Temple Ahavath Beth Israel, 1993 – 2001: Led team which reinstated Sisterhood. Vice President in charge of Programming 1994 – 1998. February 1998 – July 2001, gift shop manager, designed a computerized inventory system.

Boise GATE program, summer 1996: Classroom assistant for two summer science classes. Implemented “hands-on” light experiments.

Monroe Elementary School, 1993 – 2002: Classroom volunteer and library assistant – Helped with computers, science, math and reading.

Other Experience:

Extensive experience in the use of spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software.

Offer… Counter offer…Counter offer….

Offer…Counter offer….Counter offer…. (edit/delete)

Well I have a beautiful listing that has been sitting…. We had made some price reductions. We were going to make the next one and I let the interested parties know…. Well I had a lowball offer with closing costs…..At the time of the offer we were about 9 K apart (thinking of new price)….I counter so that we are 3 K off the new price with closing costs…She counters so that we are 6 K off….

This is a broker bidding for her daughter….We will see if we settle this….I sure hope so…The house is great and her kids love it! My seller is sick of owning it but she needs the money to buy the next home….We will see what happens….

Question about price reductions for my fellow Realtors?

Finally my sellers are ready to lower their prices….Maybe I will be able to make their properties move…. 

Question — Should I reduce the price all at once for the maximum drama? Or should I split up the price reduction for a lengthier presentation?  If so how would you split up the reductions?  One  reduction will be $10,000 with the new price at $169,900.  The other reduction will be $5000 with the new price of $144,900.  Thanks for the imput!

In my market the price change shows as a new status change for 3 days.  These listings are getting elderly and I am getting concerned about whether I will sell them. 

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