Editorial
Front Page - Friday, November 19, 2010
Women’s Council of Realtors retain control as experts
Erica Tuggle
For the November Learning Resources Luncheon for the Women’s Council of Realtors, Mark Hite, who will serve as president elect for the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors in 2011, spoke to the group about the last remaining source of control that Realtors have in the market: interpretation. Super sponsor MaryAnn Page Azambuja from First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation also spoke about the importance of referring clients to a company like hers for the support First American provides the GCAR and the local Women’s Council of Realtors.
- Erica Tuggle
The Women’s Council of Realtors launched their November Resource and Learning Luncheons with a new dining twist as the members were directed to the chic restaurant in the DoubleTree Downtown restaurant called “Eleven.” There the members could choose from a buffet of meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken and a salad bar with no topping missing before digging into learning about how to put the edge on their real estate skills.
As the meeting began, Diane Patty announced all the super sponsors for the year and recognized their support of the local WCR. This month’s super sponsor representative, MaryAnn Page Azambuja, from First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation, then spoke on what being a super sponsor means for her and her company.
First American is the second largest home warranty company and has been recognized as a fortune 500 company. Azambuja has been an area manager for seven years and served as the east Tennessee and North Georgia representative. She lives in Knoxville, but is a former Chattanoogan, and has four children and one on the way.
Since she has built her business on developing long lasting relationships, she asked the audience, wouldn’t they rather have a business partner who supports their local association and their local WCR Chapter? She said that she knew she would, and was very exited because First American and herself have been sponsors every year of the local WCR chapter and the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors and are visible in this community. For this reason, she said she would challenge those in the audience that have not tried the First American Home Warranty Plan for their clients to do so. She says First American also offers free seller coverage for sellers while their home is listed, and also offers very competitive coverage for the buyer, which means they are able to pay more claims for clients.
She said, “And we all know that satisfied clients give referrals.”
Returning to the by-laws of the WCR, the nominations for the nominating committee of 2012 were made so that these individuals can keep an eye out for who might be a good candidate for next year’s officers. Thenominating committee is Mark Hite, Robert Moss, Elaine Boyd-Osby and alternates Frankie Bass and Jan Thompson.
Hite spoke during the luncheon on becoming a market expert. He has a B.S. in marketing from the University of Kentucky, has been in real estate since 2002, will serve as president elect for GCAR in 2011, is serving as the current secretary treasurer of MLS board of directors and is on the board of directors for Chattanooga Cares. He became involved with WCR last year, and is even in their “Men of Real Estate” calendar, too.
Hite said when there was an MLS booklet, it gave Realtors a level of control where clients needed to come to a Realtor for all the information about a house. Upon the arrival of the Internet, that control disappeared, and now sites have access to everything, including tax information and what a home last sold for.
One thing Realtors can still control is interpreting and providing accurate information if they present themselves as a market expert, he says. When someone asks how real estate is, a Realtor should respond in a way to find out their motivation, and whether they are wanting to become a seller or buyer and if that is in their favor at this time. Hite says, right now is a good time for buyers, but not so great for sellers, so if someone doesn’t have to sell, they shouldn’t.
“Do your clients perceive you as an expert so that they will refer people to you for whatever their needs? Do you use the numbers of real estate to your advantage or to your demise?” Hite asked.
Using numbers that the GCAR provides of median prices, the number of days homes are on the market and other statistics to convince sellers to lower a home price so that it will sell or to check the month’s supply of homes to see if you should take a listing at all are some of the ways you can use these numbers to your advantage.
Hite says, “Be sharply priced and prepared to negotiate in order to have homes not on the market for that listed amount of time. It helps us be confident and be able to ask sellers to lower prices.”
Sometimes, in this market, you will have to ask sellers to sell their home lower than they paid for them because that is all they are worth, and Hite said, if Realtors are able to give them the numbers every month, it’s easier to deliver this news. These numbers and the local home sales report are available every Monday.
According to this report, Hite said, Realtors haven’t been listing properties in this area. The four things that cause people to have to move are death, divorce, personal circumstances and job change. Hite said for those who have one of these situations, “let’s talk to them,” and get some homes listed.
Hite suggested the ladies of the council to spend a little time each week getting familiar with the numbers, and the good tools the association provides so that when they go out and talk about the market, they can relate the information to what it means for clients.
“If you communicate with your sphere of influence on a regular basis, then they perceive you as the expert. The last thing we can control is the interpretation so they can see how bad things are or not,” he said.
Next month’s meeting on Dec. 8 will be a Christmas meeting in which everyone is asked to bring an ornament and a toy for Toys for Tots. The Men of Real Estate Calendars will still be on sale and officer installation will takes place during this meeting. The group was also reminded that Jennifer Grayson, the 2011 president for the GCAR, will be sworn in on Dec. 9.
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