I closed a short sale in Sacramento County last week in which I had never met the sellers. I had never seen the home, either. If you can believe that. I drove out to Elk Grove to pick up my lockbox and realized this was a home I had not put the lockbox on. I didn't put the lockbox on it because I didn't shoot the photos, and I didn't inspect it. One of my team members did it for me. That's rare, because I am very much a "hands-on" agent.
Being a hands-on agent means I will probably never make a million dollars in any given year. But so what? Money is not the most important thing in life. Taking care of my clients myself is. The day I have to farm out everything to a third party to boost my business is a day I would turn into some corporate monster, like some banks we won't talk about.
I did not meet with the sellers of this Elk Grove short sale because we had discussed everything to their satisfaction over the phone. I was not available when they wanted to list their short sale, which usually does not happen. But I wanted to meet their schedule, so I asked my trusted team member to shoot photos. I uploaded the listing paperwork to an online digital signing service for them. And, of course, I personally handled their marketing, buyer's offer selection and short sale negotiation.
As a Sacramento short sale agent, I pride myself on giving my clients individual attention. I assess their particular short sales based on their own situation and circumstances. I tackle the most serious cases first and schedule the sellers who are not quite ready to list yet down the road. Clients sometimes wonder how I can treat them like they are my only client when I'm closing such a volume of short sales. I'm extremely organized. I prioritize.
I sell short sales all over Sacramento. You need that short sale sold? I'll sell it for you. Over the last few weeks, I've taken listings in Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Natomas, Cameron Park, Roseville, Granite Bay, Carmichael, and this one in East Sacramento:
4832 Q Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, is offered exclusively by Lyon Real Estate as a short sale at $240,000. If you're hoping to find 1922 charm married to modern updates, this home is for you. Crown molding, hardwood floors, giant master, remodeled kitchen and bath, central heat and air, plus a 2-car garage. For more information, call your East Sacramento short sale agent, Elizabeth Weintraub, 916 233 6759. For a private showing, call Barbara Dow at 916 761 7398.
Photo: Elizabeth Weintraub
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Certified HAFA Specialist
My Sacramento Real Estate Listings
Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available at Amazon.com.
Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice. It could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.
Have lots of sales based solely on a real estate video, not slide show where don't meet the buyer at all. Or sometimes just prior to the closing. One home, land, whatever real estate focused on, seen, no quibbling with price. No bank, cash easy and quick.
Knowing your passion for attention to detail, I'm sure it never bothered the sellers you hadn't seen the house. You kept them updated, made sure they understood the process, and helped them during the whole process. Taking photos and hanging the lockbox aren't the key to your success. Your attention to detail and your clients matters far more.
Wow - that would be a first for me. The sellers certainly felt comfortable never meeting you, that tells a lot about your exceptional communication skills.
Hi Andrew: I can see not meeting with a buyer to sell the buyer land but generally listing agents need to meet with the seller.
Hi Dave: I like to think I shoot pretty good photos. Actually, in all honesty, this home pretty much sold itself. Lots of buyers wanted it.
Hi Cynthia: I usually go to closings when I can, but I had too many closings last month to attend this one. And it wasn't a complicated closing, pretty straight forward for a Wells Fargo short sale.
Since you are so well known and well-trusted, I'm sure the sellers didn't blink for a single second by entrusting you to handle their short sale.
Now...when someone as knowledgeable as you, and who can pick and choose clients to work with, are doing short sales because of your passion to help people...then perhaps others will be motivated to start learning how ro do short sales.
Short sale is becoming so commonplace that God help the agent who has no clue..