I drove 68 miles round-trip yesterday to remove a lockbox, and I learned something new. I finally figured out why I sometimes get communication error messages on my Supra display key. It's not because the display key malfunctions. It's because the lockbox is in the sun. That little red rectangle communicates with the display key via infrared. If it's sitting directly in the sun for a long period of time, the infrared rays from the sun knock out communication with the display key. Who knew? Makes perfect sense, though.
So, the thing to do is block the light to the lockbox by shading it, wait a few minutes. Voila, the display key will communicate. Well, it also helps if an agent doesn't press enter on the display key until the antenna is pointing directly at the infrared spot. Just a tip for you in case you're out with your Sacramento short sale agent and the darned lockbox won't open. It's not Supra's fault nor the agent's fault. It's the sun.
We have plenty of sun in Sacramento. As my clients say, it's why our real estate in Sacramento isn't priced like the homes in Mendocino. Our market is affordable. And it's becoming even more affordable with the rapid rise in inventory and the gigantic proportions of short sales coming on the market. My stack of potential short sales is growing, too. I tell all my callers to let me know when they are ready to sell, and I will get that home sold for them. I don't pressure them. Then, I put their paperwork into a stack.
I just hope they don't all call at the same time, which is why I am hiring an experienced real estate agent to help me with some of my other business. I'll introduce you to her tomorrow. Like me, she is also a veteran real estate broker and not just a salesperson. It's important to me that I continue to provide superior service to my clients, regardless of how busy I get. Let's just say I'm plenty busy. You can look at my Lyon website to see Elizabeth Weintraub's short sale listings and closings for 2010, and that should give you an idea of just how many I personally close. I've been selling short sales for 5 years, and I've been in real estate, oh, since Eric Clapton shot the sheriff.
However, I am always ready to focus on closing that next Sacramento short sale. I am never too busy to answer my phone. And that's the way I will continue to run my short sale business. My clients will always get personal attention from me.
Photo: Big Stock Photo
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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 Sacramento. 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 through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.
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.
Hey thanks a lot for the tips.I will pass this along to some of my clients.
Thanks for the tip. It makes perfect sense. Sometimes have problems with them when it is 30 below. Any tips for that?
Congrats on all your success.
Elizabeth - I gotta say when I think of Short sales I always think of you. Great branding.
And as to the supra, the supra key is the same. I got to the car to tend to my charging key and the display said it stopped charging due to the heat. I have had to wait for sometime to open a box because I left it in direct sun. And I knew.
Hi Don: Yeah, stay home. Don't go outside when it's 30 below. LOL. Or better yet, move to Sacramento like I did.
Hi Ken: I never leave my laptop or camera in the car for that very reason.
Can't wait to read about your new addition to your business. And I couldn't agree more. The best way to find a Short Sale agent is to find the agent that is SELLING this listings. Not the ones that just take the listings.
Elizabeth: Another great tip. The things that on can learn on AR.... ~ Doug
Congrats on finding the right person to bring aboard. I know you are busy, busy, busy working on those successful short sales.