Good afternoon and thank you for reading my blog. Today I will tell you more about PalmerHouse Properties--my new real estate brokerage--the Real Trends 500 Report and how we compare. I’ll also pass along guidance we just received from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) on COVID-19.
As I mentioned last week, I am now working for PalmerHouse Properties in Nokomis, FL, but I’ll continue to sell homes throughout Sarasota, Siesta Key, Nokomis, and Venice. In this business, it’s not uncommon for agents to move our licenses to another brokerage. We’ll do this for a variety of reasons: income, more attractive business model, communication, and for me--referrals. PalmerHouse Properties exceeded my expectations in all areas. My income will increase because PalmerHouse Properties has a different business model and low overhead. I’ll be doing my own admin work, and using a different marketing team, and that’s a big change. But I’ll keep 100% of my commission and since I’m a senior citizen, that’s huge.
Over the past four years, I watched as PalmerHouse Properties expanded in Sarasota, Venice, and Nokomis, and knew that one day I would join this very successful real estate brokerage.
Today, our CEO and Founder, Kevin Palmer, shared some good news. The latest Real Trends 500 report, based on closed sales and volume, was just released. In sales, PalmerHouse Properties is NUMBER 63 of the top 500 real estate companies. The 2019 sales were up 12.5% from 2018.
Last year, PalmerHouse Properties sold almost $2.4 billion, an increase of 11.5% from 2018. We are NUMBER 100 out of 500 real estate companies in terms of closed volume.
If you need to sell your home, REGARDLESS of where you live, I’m happy to help. I’ll do my own independent research and find you a great real estate professional who has a good track record and advanced training. Much of my business is done by referral – because my clients and customers are pleased with the service that I provided to them. Just ask, and I’ll be your resource to find the best person in your area who will satisfy your needs. A recent customer asked me to find a family member an agent in Jacksonville, FL, who was just like me – experienced, professional, and not pushy. Since I spent 32 years as an analyst with Department of Defense (DoD), I found these buyers an agent in Jacksonville who is retired from the U.S. Air Force. I felt that our former career paths with DoD and U.S. Air Force created professionals who are very straight forward, matter-of-fact, well trained but not pushy.
As a civilian employee with DoD, one element of my annual performance appraisals was “candor.” This attribute served U.S. DoD well, and seems to be a trait that my customers and clients enjoy most about working with me. I've said more than once, "Don't buy this house, let's keep looking." Please go to my home page, www.LindaHRealtor.com and see my Testimonials.
I'm here to help you with all of your real estate needs. Please be safe, stay home if you are advised, and know that we will get through this. Don’t forget my chicken soup on my March 6 blog. If you are in or coming to Florida from New York, please self-isolate! Folks from Louisiana will be quarantined, according to our Governor's news conference today.
COVID-19: See below Q&A’s from National Association of Realtors®.
Most sincerely yours,
Linda Holley, Realtor, GRI, PalmerHouse Properties
Nokomis, FL
941-914-4914
From National Association of Realtors®during COVID-19:
Q: If a “Shelter-In-Place” Order is in effect in my geographic area, can a broker require its agents to stop holding open houses and conducting other in-person real estate activities?
A: Yes. Brokers can and should enforce existing Executive Orders with their independent contractor agents.
A: You are never required to put yourself at risk in servicing a client. Have an open and honest conversation with your client about your concerns with holding an open house at this time, including whether doing so would contradict current government recommendations or mandates, particularly in geographic areas with “shelter in place” mandates. If after discussing these issues, you and your client mutually agree to hold an open house, advise your client about necessary precautions to minimize exposure to, and the spread of, COVID-19.
A: In accordance with guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the President (link is external), ensure that less than ten people are touring the home at any given time, and consider only allowing one buyer group to tour the home at a time. Be sure that guests maintain social distancing of six or more feet apart--and require potential buyers to wash their hands or to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer immediately upon entry; remove shoes/cover footwear with booties. Also, be sure to check with your client before using any cleaning products, and recommend that your client disinfect their home after the open house, especially commonly touched areas like doorknobs and faucet handles.
A: Yes, you are never required to put yourself at risk in servicing a client, and it is reasonable to ask whether they are currently sick or have recently traveled. To avoid fair housing concerns, be sure to direct such questions to all potential buyers on an equal basis.
A: Now is a great time to leverage the many available alternative marketing opportunities. Let your clients know that you will continue to service them and can continue to market their home using an incredible array of available technology. Offer your clients three-dimensional interactive property scans (via Matterport, Cupix, EyeSpy360); host a virtual tour or help your seller conduct a live tour using Skype or Facebook; and use virtual staging to showcase a property.
Companies like Kleard(link is external) offer on demand open houses, Immoviewer(link is external) offers video tours, and BombBomb(link is external) offers video check-ins. If you use any of this technology in your MLS listings, make sure that you have secured the proper permissions for the scans or videos before uploading to the MLS. Some companies are making their technologies even more accessible, including these NAR REACH Companies:
Immoviewer(link is external) has removed tour limits for members of their Association/MLS partners, like BeachesMLS in Florida and SmartMLS in Connecticut. Their tour platform provides a “Live Tour” feature that allows agents to share tour links with potential clients and control movement through the tour, or to give tour control to the consumer to create a virtual showing.
FloorPlanOnline(link is external) helps you hold virtual showings anytime through an easy to use point & click FloorPlan Tour with an exclusive 3D space designer or a more robust 360 WalkThrough Tour in select markets. Visit FloorPlanOnline for special discounts.
A: Yes, however, a recent NAR survey showed that a large percentage of REALTORS® have suspended holding open houses. In the “2020 NAR Flash Survey: Economic Pulse”, conducted March 16-17, 2020, 40% of members nationally reported they suspended holding open houses. In geographic areas experiencing a significant COVID-19 outbreak, that number increased to 45% of members. Members have reported temporarily ceasing open houses in order to restrict traffic into listed homes, to practice social distancing, and to ensure potential buyers are taking recommended precautions. Members also reported limiting home tours to serious buyers only, leveraging a variety of technology tools at their disposal to continue conducting business.
A: A number of MLSs are promoting the use of virtual tours in open house fields, while some have disabled the use of open house fields all together. Northwest Multiple Listing Service(link is external) recently disabled a participant’s ability to add, search or view public or broker open houses, and others have added warning messages advising of governmental restrictions on public gatherings.
Do you have a question? We can help. Simply fill out the form below and we'll contact you with the answer, with no obligation to you. We guarantee your privacy.