Sad News

On Tuesday, June 26th, my mom lost her battle with liver cancer. She passed away peacefully at home with her family around her, which is what she wanted. In lieu of flowers, mom requested donations be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Battered Womens Shelter or Hospice of Dayton.

Thursday

Sorry I haven't posted a little more frequently, but those of you close to me know that my mother is very ill and is getting Hospice care.

Thanks for all the calls and emails from everyone out there. My family and I appreciate it very much.

Frampton Rocks!

Say whatever you want about this guy, so long as you remember to say he's one of the best guitar players out there.

Dana and I and some friends of ours went to The Fraze Friday night and saw Peter Frampton with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. What a show, and what a showman! Talk about someone having the best job in the world, this guy has it. He has fun on stage, and you can tell his band has a great time as well. One of the nice things about Frampton is that he gives everyone in his band the chance to perform in the spotlight.

Whoever was responsible for writing the parts for the Cincinnati Pops to play along with did a great job and deserves a lot of credit. It was a great evening filled with great music.

Get A Free Home Listing Kit!

Are you interested in listing your home for sale and not sure where to start? My new home listing kit is for you, and it's FREE!

This listing kit is filled with helpful information that every home owner should review before putting their home on the market. It's a buyers market out there, and I can help you get your home sold if you follow the advice and tips in this packet, along with my unique Digital Marketing Solution.

It also contains my updated Interactive Business Card on CD that has become so popular. You can view it from any computer that has a web browser. You can also search for properties right from the Interactive Business Card if you are connected to the Internet while viewing it. How cool is that?

And remember, a lot of Realtors talk about all the technology they use, but how is that putting money in your pocket? I'm the only agent I know that is offering a maximum commission of 4.75% when listing a home or single family investment property. I also offer commissions as low as 2% (see the packet for details and see which of these full service options fits your needs). I can do this because I have used technology to lower my costs and provide superior service so I pass this savings along to my clients. Let me put The Power of Technology to work for you!

Call or email me and I'll send one to you immediately. I can also email you the packet in PDF format so you don't have to wait.

Market Comment

Mortgage bond prices fell last week pushing mortgage interest rates considerably higher. The weakness followed Fed Chairman Bernanke’s remarks indicating inflation risks are on the upside. Global economic growth, inflation fears, and the European Central Bank rate hike resulted in a diminished appetite for US backed securities from foreign central banks. This initial selling pressure snowballed resulting in US based fixed income securities taking a beating. For the week, interest rates on government and conventional loans rose by about 1 full discount point.

The consumer price index Friday will be the most important event this week. The Treasury auction, retail sales, Fed “Beige Book”, producer price index, industrial production, capacity use, and consumer sentiment data will also be important.

Bad News For Realtors Charging High Commissions

I came across this article on The New York Times website and thought I would share it. Click here to read the story. Yes, if you are a Realtor charging 6 or 7 percent (some are even higher in this market, can you believe that?) you are in for a very rude awakening, and a lot sooner than you think.

I leave it up to you out there in cyberspace to make up your own mind. My business model of charging a maximum commission of 4.75% seems to be making more and more sense. But, you'll never get other Realtors to agree. They have to protect their 'Turf' and keep charging those high commissions.

Look at what the Internet has done for Amazon.com, E-Trade, and Geico. These are terrific examples of what technology can do. They have lowered their costs by using technology and pass the savings along to the consumer. That is my business model as well. You hear a lot of Realtors bragging about all the technology they use (sorry folks, searching the MLS isn't exactly something to brag about, my 12 year old can do a lot better than most of you) but how is it saving you money on a real estate transaction? That's the real question.

I'm a Citizen Journalist!

Happy Friday everyone!

For those readers of this BLOG, I wanted to let you know that I'm now a Citizen Journalist for The Register Herald in Preble County. Click here to see my articles section. I just posted my first article and anxiously await it to come up on their site.

If you have anything you would like to share with the members of the Preble Lifestyle community, let me know so it can be presented here. I seem to always have a camera with me and love to post pictures.

Have a great week-end!

Dana asked me to post these...

...and I always do what she asks me to do, well, usually.

4.75% Maximum Commission

Good morning and happy Tuesday!

I am pleased to announce that I am now able to offer all of my clients the ability to list their homes for sale with me with an absolute cap of 4.75% on the listing commission. Because of my extensive use of technology to operate my business, I have been able to dramatically cut my costs and I am passing the savings on to the consumers in the form of lower commissions.

Here's a quick breakdown of my services and fees:

• Option 1 - 2% + $500.00 (1% goes to the buyers brokerage)
• Option 2 - 3% + $500.00 (2% goes to the buyers brokerage)
• Option 3 - 4% + $500.00 (3% goes to the buyers brokerage)
• Option 4 - 4.75% (3% goes to the buyers brokerage)

These options are all FULL SERVICE PLANS. I will personally place the yard sign, then photograph and color correct each photo to make it stand out on the Internet. Your home will be listed in the Dayton Area Board of Realtors MLS system, along with Realtor.com as well as my personal website. But that's just the start. I also advertise your home on a multitude of other websites, giving your property greater exposure on the Internet. I use websites that are proven to attract buyers. My unique digital marketing campaign will reach a larger audience of qualified buyers, not just mass marketing to uninterested, unqualified buyers.

Don't let another agent try to tell you why you should work with them and pay a 7% (or higher) commission, or believe they can do more to promote and sell your home. I provide full service with lower prices. Other agents just don't have the technology skills required to be able to pass this savings along to their clients.

Call me today to schedule a personal consultation at (937) 609-5388.

Realtor Open Houses

A new agent in our office was sponsoring a Realtors only open house today in Clayton. I stopped by for a while and chatted with her and got a tour of a rather impressive house with over 4,000 sq. ft. of living space, not including the basement. Shortly after I arrived, another member of my firm stopped by as well.

The question I have is if Open Houses really work? I have sold one home that came from a Sunday Open House in the entire time I have had my license. I have attended a few Realtor only open houses and didn't see a huge turn out. But, for some strange reason, the public is under the impression that an open house will get a home sold quickly. My personal observation is that you usually get the nosey neighbors that want to see inside your home and your possessions. They are so reluctant to sign the register, a lot of times, they never come through, afraid you will know they were walking through your home.

I hold precious few open houses. If a client asks me to, I will, but I will explain the realities of an open house and they usually agree not to have it open. Most times, open houses are held for the benefit of the Realtor, not the clients selling the home.

Proof you don't need Windows!

MLS on my MacBook
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison

Here is the photographic proof of my MacBook running the MLS software without installing Windows. If you're a Realtor in the Dayton Ohio area and are interested in getting a Mac for your business, don't buy Windows just to access the MLS. I can help you get this running in about 5 minutes.

MLS on my MacBook!!!

OK, deep down, I know I'm a geek. It's been quite a few years now since I was paid to write software for a living, but since I write a lot of my own code still for my real estate business, I guess I will never lose my passion for technology.

Cut to may 29th, 2007. I was on the verge of having to break down and install (UGH!) Windows on my new MacBook. The thoughts of doing so were almost unbearable. I bought the Mac because of all the problems I have seen in our office with Vista, and the MLS only supports MS Internet Explorer. After getting the same old song from the local MLS, I contacted the software vendor directly in California to complain. Well, it seems that the good people in California like the Mac as much as I do, and also support using a Citrix Client that I can use with OS X! Oh happy day! After about 10 minutes on the phone, my Mac was running the Citrix Client and I was logged into the MLS without issue.

Now if we can just get them to support FireFox and not have to run through Citrix, all will be right in the world. But for now, Citrix is working great and I didn't have to dumb-down my Mac by installing Windows!

Happy Birthday Dana!

Today is my wife's birthday and I am very grateful to have such a wonderful woman for my wife.

I Love You Sweetie!

Happy Birthday!!!!

New Lead!

New Lead!
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

I'm always smiling when I get a good qualified lead. I was working the phones at home after spending the morning at the office when I took this photo from my MacBook.

I have a new marketing campaign coming out late next week so be sure to check my website for some news that could save you thousands of dollars when you list your home with me!

Why Join Exit Realty?

I've had several agents over the past few days talk to me about making a move to Exit Realty Partners. I thought this video might help answer some of your questions.

Tuesday Ramblings

Well, Dana is safely in Phoenix for our niece's graduation. I miss her already, but am glad she is there, visiting and having fun.

Lots of stuff going on this week. It's Kyle's last week of school and he can hardly wait for it to be finished. I was the same way at his age, didn't really like school until I went to college. But, when you're 12 like Kyle is, you can't wait for summer to get here.

Real estate is keeping my busy. Working on a new marketing campaign and will start rolling it out next week. Would love to share some of it now, but just can't. Sorry.

Well, back to the grindstone. Have a great day!

60 Minutes & Realtors

Just got home a short while ago and I am exhausted. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Being the good Realtor I am, I came downstairs to my home office to check email and check on tomorrows schedule before heading to bed, and I had yet another email concerning the 60 Minutes piece on Realtors & real estate commissions.

Let me first start by saying that I honestly believe a big part of this problem falls on the NAR (National Association of Realtors) and the lack of advertising that promotes the benefits of using Realtors services. Good Realtors earn every dime of their commission. Unfortunately, we are also in an industry with high turn over that gives consumers legitimate cause for concern. Couple that with the part timers who have a hobby business in real estate and you can see why so many people have a low opinion of Realtors.

A bigger part of the blame falls on Realtors that don't keep up with technology. Yes, I am lucky to have come into this industry after spending almost 2 decades working for technology companies, but there is no excuse for not knowing how to cut and paste! If you can't get the digital pictures out of your camera and into the MLS, maybe this isn't the career for you (and a camera phone is NOT an acceptable means of photographing a property). Ours is a very personal business, but technology is quickly making it a tech business, not touch business. This is going to be a vastly different industry in 5 years. Realtors don't want to admit this, but the technology skills are going to be much more important as it gets more competitive.

The biggest part of the blame falls directly on consumers. How can I say that? Because the majority of people out there never interview an agent to find one that's right for them and their needs. They think we all do things the same way. It's just not true. Most people out there think that properties advertised as "For Sale By Owner" are simply trying to avoid paying a commission. I talk to these people all the time, and by far, the number one reason is that they have had such a bad experience previously with Realtors they would rather try to sell it themselves than have to deal with all the hassles of a bad agent.

Just this past Tuesday, I called on an expired property that had been off the market about a week to see if they might be interested in letting me list their property. It had been through 2 different agents previously. Both agents talked about all the wonderful updates the home had, but the first agent took just one photo from the outside. The second agent simply copied the same photo when they got the listing!!! They didn't even take the time to put a new picture in. Then, I was told by the property owner that they had re-listed the home the past Thursday, even though it still hadn't been placed into the MLS the following Tuesday. Chances are, that agent will use the same outdoor photo that two other agents already used. Did the consumer question the tactics of their agent and request changes? Probably not. They weren't even aware that their home was off the market until I brought it to their attention. So yes, consumers have some responsibility here as well.

Our industry is a dynamic thing, and as a full time agent, I look forward to these changes. If I can use technology to lower my operating costs and can pass that savings along to the consumer, I don't see that as a bad thing. I'm sure most of my fellow Realtors don't share that point of view, especially the part timers.

Thursday Morning Emails

David Emailing
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

Good morning!

Couldn't resist the chance to try out the Photo Booth software and my iSight camera that comes built into my MacBook. Yes, I'm a Realtor and I get up before noon each day to work, imagine that. On a typical day, we are usually up and running around 5:30 am in the Davison household. Oh, for those of you who saw the 60 Minutes story about Realtors, I have to confess, I didn't see it, but it has a lot of people fired up about it. I read the story online, but haven't had much time to think and comment about it. I think the lazy Realtors (yes, there are a lot of them) and the part-timers (again, a lot of them) are the ones most upset about this. Full timers like myself who can actually provide value for our services will have to react to changes, but I welcome change, and using technology just makes it better for those of us who know how to utilize it and can make a difference for our clients.

I have to confess, I have not had the chance to play with a lot of the iLife software that came with my Mac (too bad for me). Dana is heading to Phoenix on Monday for our Niece's high school graduation so maybe I will get in a few late night session on the machine while she is gone. I can't wait to hook my guitar into Garage Band and try it out.

Have a happy Thursday, and every day!

Mac Daddy!

Hi everyone! Wow, what a week it has been. Seems like Dana and I have 100 things all going on at the same time and get hit face first with one when we try to take a minute to rest. We are finally making some progress on our yard work and getting our poor, neglected gardens back into shape. We trimmed shrubs last night and I had to dig one out that had been killed in the last cold snap we had. It was a chore.

I have to tell you, I now understand why people LOVE their Macs! This machine has really been a pleasure to work on. I have plugged every peripheral into it that I own, and they just work, no drivers, no blue screen of death. And the help screens are great (I'm still working on how to do things differently than on a PC) and easy to understand.

Well, it's Mothers Day Week-end, so to all the moms, stepmothers, foster moms, and mothers of our four legged friends out there, I salute you! You certainly deserve more than just one day a year for all your efforts!

Mac & Windows PC Peacefully Coexisting

Mac & Windows PC Peacefully Coexisting
Originally uploaded by David A. Davison.

I can just hear all the Mac users out there gasping that I got my new MacBook so close to a Windows PC, but hey, they get along very well and play quite nicely together. I guess It's because I haven't put Vista on the PC (and have no plans to ever move to it).

So far the Mac has been pleasure to work with. I'm still getting used to how it does things vs. how I have always done them on Windows. NeoOffice is working great as is FireFox.