At the end of a very long open house I had just finished securing all the windows and doors and was headed toward the door. The seller had requested all shoes off before entering the home. I went to the spot where my shoes were and they were gone. I looked everywhere and no shoes, I couldn????t imagine where they were. I left bewildered.

When I got home I received a call from someone who had attended the open house with her son. As they left their car, the son called to his mother to ask if she would like him to bring in her shoes. “WHAAAAT shoes, honey?” It seems he had retrieved my shoes for his mother. Some people judge you by your shoes, if you have no shoes, who are you?

Recently I was asked what was one of the more?”interesting real estate disclosures sellers on the central coast are required? to make. I know all disclosures do have their purpose but one of my most favorites is the Morro Shoulder Band Snail. Living on the beautiful Central Coast we have endangered species due to the wide open coastal spaces that still exist here. Responding to a court order, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?announced that it is designating about 2,566 acres of mostly state-owned land in western San Luis Obispo County, California, as critical habitat for the endangered Morro shoulder band snail, a native California species commonly known as the banded dune snail. The Service has also released the final economic analysis for the snail.
“As an endangered species, the Morro shoulder band snail is already protected wherever it occurs,” said Michael J. Spear, manager(at the time)?of the Service’s California-Nevada Operations Office. “The critical habitat designation will inform both the public and other Federal agencies about the snail’s habitat needs and ensure that proper consultation occurs before actions have a detrimental impact on essential habitat.”
Critical habitat identifies specific geographic areas that are essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations. However a designation does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other special conservation area. It does not allow government or public access to private lands and does not close areas to all access or use.
Critical habitat for the snail is contained in three units. They are:

Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, left no doubt Thursday that the nation’s central bank will continue to ease credit conditions to fight a slowdown in economic growth

Top Fed officials, in recent statements and minutes of Fed meetings, have disagreed on the urgency for more cuts in interest rates. But after Bernanke’s speech in Washington, the decision seemed clear.

“In light of changes in the outlook for and the risks to growth, additional policy easing may well be necessary,” he said. “We stand ready to take substantive additional action as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks.”

1. At 11 pm on the eve of the signing of your listing, your seller calls you with an epiphany about marketing their property

2. Client tells you he will close as soon as he receives his settlement. You ask the nature of the settlement. He replies: ???Disability??? you ask: ???How long have you been waiting???? he replies: ???Just a little over ten years.???

3. When your seller requests that every Saturday you pass out flyers at the local grocery store for 4 hours (confident this will sell the house)

4. You recommend your client paint the house a neutral color and they ask ???Are you available next week???

5. Your client entertains you with anecdotes about realtors he has sued.

6. Just after the signing of the listing your client mentions they will be leaving the country for the next 60 days.

7. A neighbor suggests you check the Megan????s Law Data Base concerning ???Creepy Pete.???

8. As the prospective buyer is leaving your vehicle you notice a recording device in his back pocket.

9. Your client can only meet with your prior to 6:30 am or after 10pm

10. Client assures you escrow will close just as soon as he is out of jail.

1. Require a minimum of 72 hour written notice for all showings

2. During showings have all family members present and if possible neighbors.

3. Have all windows and draperies closed

4. Make sure at least 2 rooms are dead-bolted to prevent access.

5. Invite all friends and family to help price your home and determine that your property is worth at least 35% more than the last sale in the neighborhood (because Zillow.com said so)

6. For tenant occupied homes be sure tenants are present with a list of all malfunctioning items and grievances

7. Improve the atmosphere by have frequent “Fish-Fries” the night before showings

8. Demand no internet exposure, yard signs or advertising of any kind

9. Allowing teenagers to sleep in during showings and open houses

10. Have all pets present (You have 6 cats, but they smell like 4) and if possible 3 wet dogs.

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Sellers want to know is it bad timing if they put their properties on the market during the holidays. Are buyers even looking? ?The answer is yes they are out there ?The reasons for the buyers being out there this time of year are sometimes due to career change ?job transfer, retirement, some boomers looking now for a second home to retire to later and in some cases unfortunately illness can force a sale or probate . There are ?investors and exchangers who have a definite time-line to adhere to to avoid taxes or penalties and require them to close a property this year.

?Timing is important and equally important and to help you net more from the sale of a home is to have the pest and property inspections done before you find a buyer. The advantage is that if there are problems it allows you time to correct them. You can control costs up to 50% by doing your own work, or select the contractor or handyman you want to use and use the materials you want to. The inspection report can minimizes the ???Surprises??? the buyer may uncover during their discovery period and reduces the contingency time. This may help eliminate the need to re-negotiate the contract or have the buyer cancel the escrow. Finally don????t forget your success or failure at the negotiating table requires a home that has a competitive position in the market it place and pricing is the key. Be sure that your home is priced right in this market it can make or brake the deal!