All Forum Posts by: Irene Nash

@Jonathan Greene Appreciate those suggestions, had not heard of some of those books.

@Ben Morand Yes, that makes total sense, and I think you're right, I believe it helps the learning process to hear, read and write separately. Full disclosure I haven't taken notes on the paper versions I bought after listening to a few of these books but you're reminding me it's a good idea. :)

Hi @Ben Morand,

For negotiating I think these three are very good and better than some of the negotiating books more commonly recommended.

- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss - if you have an Audible account (free for 1st month including a free book like this one) I recommend listening to this one seeing as voice tone is part of what he teaches.

- Secrets of Power Negotiating  by Richard Dawson - I can't remember who on here recommended it but that's why I picked it up and I'm glad I did. Not a fan of the author's penny-pinching mindset (i.e. always get a deal even if it's pretty much a steal) but the techniques he teaches are IMO legit and also even if you don't use them it's super helpful to be able to recognize if someone is using them on you. Have used the 'flinch' in an email negotiation since reading the book and it did work. Also easy to read, with a very short chapter on each teaching. Not sure if there's an Audible version but I'm guessing the print version like what I have is best for reference.

- Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff - also probably best on Audible. Kind of weird in some ways but has some helpful concepts, including an interesting argument on how to start a presentation (i.e. not by saying thanks).

Business Marketing:

The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib. Very practical.

Actually getting stuff done rather than just thought about:

Atomic Habits by James Clear (also good on Audible, he has a good voice).

Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done (and also good on Audible, the author narrates and is funny).

BTW I think Audible is a great business tool if you don't already have it, you'll spend a lot of time driving (plus good for time spent working out, etc.) and can be listening to highly useful and/or motivational books at the same time. Best of luck in your new career!

And in answer to your question, things to know are if for any given rate the buyer is paying points, is there a pre-payment penalty (this is unlikely but worth noting), get a good estimate of the total of closing costs and prepaids. If you have trouble comparing loans because rate and closing costs are both different, try holding one variable constant, i.e. at 'x' rate how much will this loan cost at closing? And then make sure to factor in if the various estimates are using the same number of months for prepaids, i.e. a loan with 6 months of taxes up front may look more expensive than one with 2 months of taxes up front even though it's not necessarily the more expensive loan if all the estimates were looked at with the same number of months for prepaids. PS. I'm not a lender or financial expert, please take this as layperson's advice. ;) 

Hey there, it may be helpful to also have your client be pre-approved and get a loan estimate with one or two other lenders not affiliated with the builder, preferably lenders/mortgage brokers who you know will be reasonable, so that you can compare those estimates with what's offered by the builder's preferred lender. 

I don't do a ton of new construction so I think others on here will have more advice, but essentially I think sometimes it can work out for your client if the lender is able to offer incentives because they're getting a good volume of business by being the preferred lender for a plat or new construction condo building. 

There may also be situations, i.e. with a condo building that's not finished enough to have a high owner occupancy rate, in which the builder's lender is up to speed and has made allowances for that, whereas a typical lender would want the building to conform to established guidelines already. 

If the builder's lender is offering a decent deal then going with them can help things move more smoothly, but definitely not worth it if the buyer has to take a significantly worse loan scenario. Hopefully others who do more new construction deals will chime in on here as well. Good luck!

@Drayden Morgan You could try Kevin Ward's 'Book of Yes' which has ton of good scripts (IMO), just a caveat that with all the scripts in the world the key is to have the knowledge to back up how you're marketing yourself in the script, and I realize that takes time and you probably know that already, but my point is that gaining the competence is a completely different area of study that is often not as heavily emphasized in the training world. But thumbs up on wanting to learn scripts and not sound scripted, a lot of agents poo poo them but done correctly they are simply a great way to present ideas to people in a way that's fits how humans naturally think and interpret information. And just a tip that you probably also know but just in case, it's really tempting to add stuff or leave stuff out but a good script is built like an airplane engine, the stuff that's in there is there for a reason and throwing extra nuts and bolts in can ruin it. Good luck!

You will almost always recoup your investment by replacing it, if going with carpet I recommend choosing a nice neutral lighter color (no grey /peach / etc. undertones, compare swatches side by side and see how they reflect in both light and shade - sometimes colors look similar but side by side and in shade one reflects light well and the other one looks dirty). 8 lb rather than 6 lb pad doesn't cost much more and makes the carpet feel more luxurious.

I agree with @JD Martin about the vinyl plank floors, just choose a color that's not trendy and a pattern that's not too busy - I think gray has been overdone and is on its way down the ladder although still popular, and a warm neutral that has a touch of gray may be better. But carpet will probably be faster. Either way, we almost always recommend replacement for older carpet because it can be done in two hours, is usually not a huge expense and from what we've seen helps the home sell faster and for a better price. 

It's not at all unusual for a buyer to sleep on it, unless you're in a competitive market where homes go fast and buyers are aware they have to move quickly. On the one hand sleeping on it may mean that the house is not a 'no brainer' for them, on the other hand it may mean that they're the type of person who thinks over decisions carefully, which is good. People who are careful about making decisions are more likely to stick to what they ultimately decide on. Obviously if someone has already done all their research or seen a lot of homes or has made a few offers and lost out in previous bidding wars then a quick decision would be easier for them.

So I got the cities reversed. :) My point was, market to your far away people to build a position of expertise with them for when you move back there, while working actively with your nearby people (and of course market to them as well).

Hi @Ben Morand, 

How about working in Orlando while you're in college, but at the same time start gently marketing to your sphere of influence in Gainesville, providing them with information on a once a month business that helps them get more value, safety or enjoyment out of their homes, or updates them on the market?

This positions you as an expert without you having to feel 'salesly', and builds your name with your future clients in a way that's genuinely helpful.

(Not everyone is always interested in market updates, and possibly even fewer will be over the next few years, but I don't think anyone has ever said "no, I'm not interested in free info that would help my property be worth more, or be more safe or more enjoyable". So those are good topics that are truly helpful to your client base.) 

I don't think it's realistic to concentrate on clients who are two hours away. I would focus on the clients who are near you, wherever you are, you can send them the same material you're sending your Gainesville people. And if you do decide it's worth working with someone in Gainesville you can, but you could also find a great agent to refer those people to for now and get a referral fee. 

Just a tip, interview agents first and don't assume someone's good just because people say someone is "great" or they've "been in the business for x number of decades". (The more agents say this about themselves in an "and therefore I know what I'm doing" context, typically the smaller the number of minutes before they do something really boneheaded - and that goes for all of us IMO.) Good luck!