Tag Archives: Sales

A day in the life…

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So Friday was a little insane! Many think the life of a real estate agent is showing homes and collecting a big check…I thought you might enjoy hearing about how crazy our days get sometimes!

Friday was closing day for a wonderful young couple for whom I sold their first home earlier this year and they built their “forever” home. We had final walk through at 9:45 and closing at 10:30 in Franklin (45 minute drive south of my home thanks to traffic), from there I went to my office… on the NORTH side of Indy to turn in paperwork and thanks to traffic, another 50 minutes of windshield time!  While on my way to the office, I received the Seller’s inspection response for a listing and a call for a listing appointment on Saturday and please oh please could I work them in…OF COURSE I could!  Great option for a buyer hit the market, can we see it today…OF COURSE we can!  Get to the office and prepare the inspection response, send off to the seller to sign, then send to the Buyer’s agent, pull reports and prepare my listing presentation for Saturday, schedule the showing for my buyer, then meet the movers for clients at 3:00 in the Fountain Square area,then as I start to head to the WEST SIDE to show my buyer the house, Buyer had driven by the house and decided she didn’t like the area so I was able to cancel, however in the mean time I am also working on inspection issues for 2 other listings, talking to vendors and agents, lenders and title companies,  I was fortunate to be headed to a friends on the West side to go to a play in Greencastle.  Finally got home around midnight I think!

Long day…totally worth it!  I love what I do and the insane days are fun to me!  Who do you know that I can help buy, sell or invest in Real Estate…I’m here for you!

Vicki

How long is the Christmas Season?????

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Today we are one week away from Thanksgiving!  My family will be celebrating on Saturday as is our custom with lots of family and friends, made even better by the addition of 2 new husbands, 1 step son and 1 little baby girl!  It’s been quite the year for our family!

There was a time that the Christmas season started AFTER Thanksgiving now the commercials start in October, the Hallmark Channels started running nothing but Christmas movies the weekend BEFORE Halloween, and stores have been advertising “black Friday” deals all month!

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t Christmas shop all through-out the year, but let’s be real…time is passing too fast as it is, let’s take one holiday at a time and focus on enjoying each as it comes and stop rushing through the years…enjoy each season as it comes.  Let’s enjoy Thanksgiving for now!  Me?  I’m looking forward to celebrating THANKSGIVING!

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Vicki Reed

 

Get out and VOTE!

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It is finally ELECTION DAY!  I’m sure that, like me, you are not only grateful for the RIGHT TO VOTE, but that the television commercials, yard signs, news reports about who will win…are going to be over today!  It seems this has been the longest election ever!  I’m tired of the bashing, the Facebook posts and the sponsored Facebook election posts…I have Election Exhaustion!

I don’t care who you voted for, only that you exercised your right to VOTE.  Today is going to be a very long day…at the end, we will have a new President…and the next round of media will commence through the inaguation before the next President can get down to work.  I suspect this will be the most scrutinized President in history…I, for one, will live with the decision of the people…and pray for our Country.

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Vicki Reed

100 Days…

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It’s 100 days until the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 and if the celebration doesn’t reach most corners of this community, it won’t be for a lack of effort. Or events, it seems.

The fun started Thursday night at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where fans were invited to a community celebration that began at 9:30 p.m. in the IMS pavilion. Just before midnight, attendees gathered at the Yard of Bricks for a special countdown moment.  And the fun continues today…IMS President Doug Boles, Verizon IndyCar Series drivers Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden, Ed Carpenter and Matthew Brabham will join Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson for a proclamation ceremony at the Indiana Statehouse.

This afternoon kicks off with a media event celebrating 50 years of Team Penske in racing and the opening of a special exhibit running through November at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum. Four-time Indy 500 champion Rick Mears will be on hand with fellow Team Penske driver and three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves to mark the occasion.

At 4 p.m., attention will shift to the financial capital of the world, with a special countdown event at the New York Stock Exchange. Hulman & Company CEO Mark Miles and BorgWarner CEO James Verrier will take part in closing bell ceremonies alongside the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy.

Celebrations will come to a close Friday evening at the Crane Bay in downtown Indianapolis with a gathering celebrating the “Pursuit of Progress.” The event will be hosted by ESPN SportsCenter anchor Lindsay Czarniak and will feature four-time Indy 500 champion Rick Mears, Verizon IndyCar Series Driver Marco Andretti and a full roster of guests from the wider sporting world and beyond.

There is a lot more to come in the next 100 days…

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Vicki Reed

The Plan…

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Hello class, today’s BOLD Law is…Focus on the Plan, not the Problem…What do you think when you hear this?

We all have plans, not just for our careers, but for our lives…for entreprenuer’s those plans likely look different than for most of the population.  What are your plans?  Your dreams?  Is your plan to change jobs in 2016?  Follow your passion into something new?  Take the family on an amazing vacation?  Do something just for you?

For a REALTOR® like myself, I create and follow a detailed business plan every year and I am fortunate to have a business coach to keep me on track.  2014…I hit my goal and basically stopped following my plan and 2015, while good, did not culminate in my reaching my goal and I learned…that I am the problem!  I know what to do, I know what it takes, I just didn’t do it!

My biggest issue is keeping my energy level high enough to continue to work as hard as I do for my clients – I forgot about myself.  I know I need time off…to spend with my family, my friends and frankly, myself, to read and relax.  I built that time off into my plan for this year and it will be amazing!  (Bonus, read the book The Power of Full Engagement to understand a little more)

2016 is about following my plan…things are a little behind, but I fully expect to catch up in the next 3 months.  I need only 1 listing or 1 buyer appointment each week – that doesn’t seem so difficult does it?  So remember me when if 2016 is about buying or selling a home for you!

What are your 2016 plans…remember, focus on that plan and the problems you feel are in the way will not be insurmountable.

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Vicki Reed

2016 Indy Home Show…

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Ends Sunday!  Have you been out yet?  One of the perks of being a Realtor® in Indy is the opportunity to preview the centerpiece home at the Indianapolis Home Show and Fischer Homes has built a beauty this year.  If you want to see it, you have to get there by Sunday!

Fischer Homes is the designer and builder of the Centerpiece Home — a fully-constructed, decorated and landscaped home built entirely inside Exposition Hall. Always a popular attraction at the show, the Centerpiece Home is a look at the hottest new lifestyle and home building trends. This year, Fischer Homes debuts the Allerton home design, a European Romantic elevation with soaring rooflines and a painted brick exterior.  With four bedrooms and 3½ baths spread across a 4,010 square feet and was designed for the modern on-the-go family.

Here is the schedule for today, Saturday and Sunday…

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29

  • Noon and 3:00 p.m. Designer-blogger Liz Henderson – Giving new budget-friendly life to homes
  • 2:00 John Gidding – Get more “Curb Appeal” with HGTV Host John Gidding, presented by Xfinity, with tips for giving your home a facelift

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30

  • 11:00 Fischer Homes and Touch of Class – The builders and designers of the Centerpiece Home reveal an inside look into the making of the home
  • Noon and 2:00 p.m. John Gidding – Get more “Curb Appeal” with HGTV Host John Gidding, presented by Xfinity, with tips for giving your home a facelift.
  • 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.  “Two Chicks and a Hammer” – Mother and daughter duo is revitalizing their hometown of Indianapolis one property at a time
  • 4:00 Pottery Barn Kids – Creating a Perfect Nursery 5:00 Heather Tallman – Basilmomma – A busy mom who likes to cook, Heather Tallman helps you find balance in life and in the kitchen
  • 6:00 Pottery Barn – Creating a Perfect Living Room
  • 7:00 Heather Tallman – Basilmomma – A busy mom who likes to cook, Heather Tallman helps you find balance in life and in the kitchen

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31

  • 10:00 Williams Sonoma – Super Bowl Party Ideas
  • 11:00 Fischer Homes and Touch of Class – The builders and designers of the Centerpiece Home reveal an inside look into the making of the home
  • Noon and 2:00 p.m. “Two Chicks and a Hammer” – Mother and daughter duo is revitalizing their hometown of Indianapolis one property at a time
  • 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Designer-blogger Liz Henderson – Giving new budget-friendly life to homes – Plus, Liz gives away a living room!
  • 4:00 Heather Tallman – Basilmomma – A busy mom who likes to cook, Heather Tallman helps you find balance in life and in the kitchen

The weather is going to be warm this weekend so get out and check out the Indianapolis Home Show before it is gone…then call me to get a new home of your very own!

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Vicki Reed

How do you keep your faith?

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I struggle with my faith.  No, I don’t go to church, but I do believe in God, that things are truly in his hands and everything happens for a reason.  At 45 I made a decision that has changed my life – I became a licensed realtor and ultimately went into business for myself…you see, my dream has always been to be a CEO and I figured out that I wasn’t going to get there unless I went into business for myself!

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, the BOLD Laws are great and really keep me focused on what is important.  The one that leapt from the page today is “Fear or Faith…You Choose” and it inspired this post.  I have faith in my abilities, however, blind faith is a challenge I face everyday.  One of my Facebook friends posted this and I felt it really spoke to me:

Sometimes God will ask you to do things that you’re afraid of. Just because you’re afraid doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to do it. You have to get out of your comfort zone and do it afraid. If you play it safe all your life, you’ll never reach your full potential. That’s what faith is all about.

My biggest challenge every day is overcoming my fear of failure, however, I am grateful and thankful every day that I am a part of a company which gives me the tools, training and opportunities to grow as well as family and friends who have blind faith in me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.  How can I fail with all of this on my side.  My goals for this year are big and I get up every morning and work through my affirmations, my gratitude and start my day in faith…how about you?

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Vicki Reed

What inspires you EVERYDAY?

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Reading the news online (I refuse to watch it and allow it to take up a lot of my time, but I like to know what’s happening around me), our schools are being threatened, our stores are being robbed, homes are being invaded and people are being murdered…not only in the Indy area, but around the country and around the world.  How do you get up everyday and continue living your life in a POSITIVE fashion against such negativity?

For me?  Well, limiting my news intake helps!  As I mentioned in a post last week, I have big goals this year and at the end of the year took a class that helped me bring clarity to my goals and my life and Clarity is Power!

Today as I sit in my attic office, staying out of the cold and snow, I am pondering how to get the best out of this year, the first BOLD Law that jumped out at me this morning is Come from Contribution – what do you contribute to others?  Not necessarily monitarily, but of your time, your experiences…

In 2015, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Michael J. Maher, author of The 7 Levels of Communication, and through him, introduced to the Generosity Generation (Gen-Gen for short).  Between the book, written about a real estate agent and mortgage lender, the concepts can be used in many sales driven fields.  It takes us back to getting off the computer and back out into meeting people face to face and the joy of writing (yes writing…not typing) hand written notes!  It really is nice to get the mail and get something that isn’t bills or junk mail.  I encourage you to pick up the book (click here to link straight to the page on Amazon!) and think about how you live your life and run your business.

Here is to a successful 2016!

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Vicki L. Reed

Okay…so let’s FLOAT!

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Have you ever heard of “float therapy”  Indy got it’s first float therapy center on the Westside in November and I understand that Irvington will be getting one early in 2015.  As a resident of Irvington, I’m excited and intrigued by this new business!

What is it you ask?  Well…the Better Being Float Center offers the experience of near-total sensory deprivation and from what I’ve read, once you’ve done it, nothing compares.  Shiny white fiberglass Float Pods are filled with approximately 10 inches of water and about 900 pounds of dissolved Epsom salts, the saltwater environment makes it difficult for germs to live in the water, but the tanks and water are cleaned and sanitized in between uses with hydrogen peroxide, UV, ozone, and filters.

Before you get into the float pod, a shower is required, and it’s recommended to apply petroleum jelly (provided) to any cuts or scrapes because salt can sting. For that same reason, it’s recommended to not shave prior to a float. Earplugs are provided to prevent water from entering the ears and an iPod dock is available to pipe music through speakers inside the pod. There are also controls to adjust sound and the light inside. The lights outside the pod are on a motion sensor, turning off shortly after one settles in the pod and back on upon exiting.

What does one wear to a “float” ?  Sure you can wear a swimsuit, but since the room is completely private and locked, why not go au natural!

Again, I haven’t experienced this…yet, but I hear that getting into the tank is like getting into a shallow bathtub and the temperature of the water adjusts, along with the air inside the tank, to match your body’s internal temperature. You simply step into the tub, pull the lid closed, lay down and, well, float.

I’m a little concerned about claustrophobia and I would guess that I’m not the only one!  If it’s an issue, you can leave the lid open or open it whenever you want!  The pods are designed to make a smooth and pleasant experience. They also recommend avoiding caffeine, nicotine and heavy meals prior to a float session.

The sessions are 90 minutes and $59, in addition to the relaxation for mind and body that floatation therapy offers, there are reported physical benefits including recovery from workouts and injuries, and provides relief from Fibromyalgia, arthritis, joint and back pain.

Try it and decide you like it?  Float tanks are sold for residential use. Royal Spa sells commercial and residential float tanks, including economy tanks and float rooms made in Indiana. Prices start at $6,950 for an economy tank and range up to $11,000 for a custom float room set-up.  Want to try it?  Visit the Better Being Float Center at 3065 Salt Lake Road on Indy’s Westside and watch for news of a location in Irvington early next year!

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Vicki Reed

This life is hard enough…

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First, let me qualify this post by saying that I chose to be a REALTOR®…I love my job, I love “Turning your dreams into an Address…”, it’s more than a tagline, I truly love working with buyers and sellers, my clients have become friends and this means so much, however, several things have happened this year that I would like to address…

1.  A fellow agent called, he had received a call from someone who saw his sign in front of a house.  The potential buyer told him that he was not represented and the agent, who was out of town, contacted me to show the property.  I arranged to show him the property and during our meeting, I again asked if he was working with an agent and he said that he was, but he “didn’t want to bother him to show him the home“.  My advice to buyers – BOTHER US!  Commit to working with one Realtor, showing you homes is what we are paid for, to show you homes and represent your BEST interests in YOUR home purchase, please do not lie to other agents, we will eventually find out.

2.  Realtors… treat each other with respect and kindness, we are all trying to do what is best for our clients. During the course of a recent transaction, the Seller’s agent maligned my clients character during the course of a number of delays, was hateful and demanding of me, including trying to get me to give up part of my commission.  I’m sorry, I work really hard for my clients, I am upfront and honest with other agents during the course of every transaction.  Regarding delays…sometimes things happen and we do the best we can, but please, be patient, be kind and just talk to each other with some modicum of respect.  The end result is someone wants to sell a house, someone wants to buy that house and its up to us to make it happen and make both our clients happy.

3.  Last week I received a call from an agent showing one of my listings.  The home is unoccupied, yet when she arrived, the lockbox was open, the key in the door, door wide open, lights on…and no one there!  What if there hadn’t been another showing scheduled that day?  How long would it have stayed that way?  I called the agent who had shown it earlier and left a voicemail asking how he left the home, just to find out if someone showed the home and wasn’t scheduled (they still haven’t called me back!).  Agents, please leave the home secured when you leave and if you did it, own up to it.  My favorite thing an agent did at another unoccupied listing was leave the gas fireplace burning…it was over 4 days before the home was viewed again, next agent came into a 95 degree temp…in February!  Buyers, help us make certain the homes you are viewing are locked up tight and it was as you found it when you leave!

4.  Buying a home?  During a recent transaction for a client selling a home, we were on the way to closing and received a call from the Buyer’s agent...there was a large spot on the master bedroom carpet and they hadn’t seen it before…it had been there all along, never hidden, but apparently never seen by the buyer or their agent.  Now, the seller was getting money back from the sale of the home, a reward for home ownership if you will, and had already agreed to pay $3,000 toward the Buyer’s closing costs as well as pay for a home warranty of $400.  The Buyer’s agent screams at me that they wanted $500 to replace the carpet or they would be pulling out of the transaction.  First, there is no reason to scream at me, second, just  because you can see on the HUD statement that my client is receiving money doesn’t mean your client “deserves” money for something you hadn’t asked for previously.  My client was using this money in the purchase of their next home, it was not the Buyers to take.  We did close, but what should have been a joyful day for both parties turned contentious and stressful.

5.  Selling your home?  Pay attention to the terms of your contract.  When  are you to turn over possession of the home?  What items are to remain with the home?  Realtors, communicate with them on how the home should be left for the new owners and remind them of what appliances, etc. are to remain.  In addition to my own experience, I hear a lot from other agents about washers and dryers being taken when they were clearly on the Purchase Agreement, what about that fridge in the garage?  Sellers, don’t take the light fixtures and replace them with the builder grade brass one that was there when you moved in UNLESS you disclosed that you were taking the fixture.  During a recent transaction, we arrived to do a final walk-through 30 minutes before closing and they were still moving out!  This is the first time the Sellers had sold a home and they had no idea that this was unacceptable.  Sellers, your home needs to be “broom clean” when you leave, you should also make certain that you aren’t still trying to move as you are headed to the closing table and Agents…communicate with your Sellers!

Okay, enough of my rants/life lessons or whatever you would like to call this, but truly, life is tough, the key is to treat one another with RESPECT…in negotiations, in delays, in closings and even in follow-ups after the fact.  It doesn’t just apply to real estate transactions, but our everyday lives.  I strive to be a Realtor® that other agents want to work with and that my clients want to refer their friends to…it’s working so far and I look forward to a long prosperous career!  Now…if you are ready to buy or sell a home…CALL ME!

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Vicki Reed