I was sitting at a dining room table at a builder model the other day… My clients, the builder representative and myself, each equally spread out around the table, e-signing documents for my buyers to purchase a new home. I commented that it all seemed a little too “normal.” And then, the builder rep walked away and came back, announcing, “I’ve got the sanitizer!” Ahhh… Yes! The econo-sized sanitizer bottle brought us all back to the realities of the “new normal” that we are learning to expect-not only in real estate but in all of life. As we practice social distancing, sanitizing, sheltering in place, and connecting online, as much as we are able, we have realized that everyone has their own thoughts around what “normal” is today and what they expect it to be. As a Realtor, I have learned that my clients still need homes and I am still happy to serve them in whatever way they feel most comfortable. This looks different in every case. So what is the best practice for real estate related activities for OUR team? For us, it is completely dependent on the unique perspectives of our clients. We want to be sensitive to every need of our clients. Therefore, we have created Zoom listing appointments, Zoom buyer consultations, virtual showing opportunities, private showings with only one buyer group at a time, and we continue to expand the idea of “normal,” where real estate is concerned. Whereas some see change as an inconvenience, we have found our clients enjoy the ease with which we are able to adjust to the “new normal” and pivot to online consultations where they can meet with me from the comfort of their own computer. There are times we meet in person, as described above, yet much of the pre-listing and pre-buyer work can be done without any contact at all. Are you considering a move? If so, give me a call and we can discuss your preferred way of connecting, and customize a plan that takes your safety and comfortability concerns to heart. We are always happy to help!
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Hello All, from the Angela Sadat Group! We are praying for you and your families every day, as we navigate this “new normal” that we are experiencing in light of the COVID-19 crisis our country is facing. Thankfully, we have the privilege of communicating through many online platforms these days, and though we are disconnected physically, we will never be completely disconnected.
As you may know, the real estate industry has been deemed “essential,” so we are still working (safely and per CDC guidelines) to help those who are in a “must move” scenario. As for the rest of our clients, we are encouraging them to hang out for a little while until we are able to get a handle on things. Please give me a call if you need help right now or just want to talk about your future plans, as they have likely been put on hold. Our hope is that once things open up a bit, our market will come back to normal, even if a slightly “new normal.” Therefore, this is a good time to plan and prepare so that you are ready when the timing is right. I trust you all are hunkered down for a while, so we will continue doing what we can to help those who need help now, and preparing for the day when all of this settles down and our real estate market can get back to really moving (pun intended;)). As for ways to connect and how you can support us during this time, we would LOVE it if you would “like” our Facebook page: Angela Sadat Group-Keller Williams Realty. I will be doing updates via Facebook Live and keeping you all up to date on the latest news in real estate, our local economy and changes that we are experiencing as they occur. Please, also follow us on Instagram: angelasadatgrp where we will also post updates and uplifting messages. In times of uncertainty, we can encourage one another by coming together, even if online, to inspire, uplift and reassure others and ourselves that this too shall pass. In the meantime, let us not waste this unique opportunity to find joy in some of the simple pleasure we still have, and to spread joy by whatever means we are able. Blessings to you and yours; hope to see you soon! Each year, as the market shifts and market dynamics change, we observe changes in the types of clients we generally see emerging to brave the market of the moment. As we are still finding the Twin Cities to be a market that is low on inventory, with houses being snapped up within the first few hours on the market, we have also noticed a shift in our client base. Here are the 3 of the most common reasons the buyers and sellers are calling us for help these days:
It’s here! Spring is here!! Now... these sorts of exclamations may have you thinking, “Angela, you need to get your head examined." Yes, I realize there is snow on the ground, it is 20 degrees outside, and we are all hoping and praying the groundhog is correct. Yet, in the Real Estate World, these are the facts:
-We still have a shortage of inventory -We still have buyers looking for homes -We still have crazy low interest rates -Buyers like to be settled in their new homes before summer, so they can play! -Spring market does not wait for the weather to warm up! Spring Market? I think so! Get ready for some fun-The Parade of Homes starts March7th, which will bring even more buyers into the market. If you’re moving; you better get moving! Call today for a free home analysis to determine whether this year is YOUR year to make a move. Also, please don't hesitate to pass this offer of free help along to you brother, sister, co-worker or best friend-we are always happy to help! We are so excited to meet with clients who are already preparing for their move in 2020. It is a wise decision to get started early, if you are planning your future move. We can make things so much easier when we have a little bit of prep time to make your listing sparkle. Sometimes, just small updates such as paint, a new fixture or two, cabinet hardware and the like can help your home to capture the feeling that buyers can’t resist. Another technique that seems obvious, but not all real estate teams engage, is staging. As you know from working with the Angela Sadat Group to prepare your home for sale: We are full of ideas and happy to help! Just a little help with furniture placement, the addition of some artwork, and a few well-positioned chachkies can help buyers to feel at home in your listing… and when more buyers fall in love, more offers cross my desk, thereby netting you more money. Not every home needs staging help, yet we are ready and able to step in and do a quick “spruce up,” to help you get top dollar for your home. Call us first, and let us help-we have ideas, we have “stuff” and we love to help you to get the most out of your home! We love November! Cold as it may be, we are reminded by this month that even though the winter is upon us here in Minnesota, we can rejoice and be grateful for all of our blessings as we look forward to an entire day devoted to Thanksgiving. As I write this, I have to ask myself… “Are you acting as though you are grateful for all of your blessings?” It is one thing to consider gratitude and to say I am an overall grateful person, yet it is an entirely different thing to actually live each day in gratitude. I have to be honest, as I woke up this morning, I was grateful for the Smartwool socks that came in the mail-joyful, even! About a half an hour later, I started thinking of all of the tasks and “to-do’s” that I am behind on right now, and I nearly (perhaps literally…) had a meltdown. And then… I had to write this article… And I realized that if I am going to say that I have gratitude in my life, my life should reflect that belief, even in the smallest of struggles. I have to say, as I consider these things, that I am grateful for the struggles. The struggles refine us, grow us, give us purpose… and if we can weave our way back to gratitude, we realize that there is great joy in the journey. We at the Angela Sadat Group are so grateful for all of YOU who touch our lives, support our business and encourage us to stay grateful for each and every client we are privileged to help. We are grateful for the times this business is easy, and also grateful for when we struggle-the struggles have only served to make us better and more joyful as we seek to serve with excellence! May you have a beautiful November, full of thanksgiving for each and every blessing, and even for the struggles along the way. Happy Thanksgiving! We love marketing homes! Why? Because this is where strategy and creativity come together. Marketing stretches us, as a team, to keep up with the latest trends and to continually add, change and perfect the customized marketing strategy employed for each one of our listings. This is really fun stuff and we take marketing seriously, as this is how we have been able to net our clients more money than the average agent in our market year after year. Here are a few ways momentum marketing helps you as a seller:
Many of our clients call us each year asking about small to large projects that they are considering in their homes. A bathroom remodel, a basement finish, a kitchen “face lift…” All kinds of ideas. Often, we can advise over the phone, because we sold them the house and remember the spaces; yet many times this requires a visit. We are happy to help, as this is part of our “Realtor for life” opportunity and we simply love to be involved in helping our clients and prospective clients to discern the best route in home focused decision making. Often, this conversation turns to something like this: “Well, we have always thought that a different floor plan would fit us better, so would it be better to just move?” And guess what the answer is? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Of course! When deciding to move, there are a few considerations we discuss.
We talk to a lot of buyers and sellers each year and the home warranty discussion often comes up. Do you need or want a home warranty on your house? Is this a good use of funds as a seller? As a buyer? Great question! Let’s talk sellers first. As a seller, if you do a mental scan of your home, especially the major mechanicals and appliances, and you are thinking, “you know, my mechanicals and appliances are starting to get old, yet I don’t think they necessarily need to be replaced yet,” you might like to add a home warranty to the marketing of your listing. This can help buyers to overlook the older systems, as they are assured tat if anything fails in the first year, they are not all on their own to replace these high ticket items. What about buyers? As a buyer, you may want to wait until your inspection is complete to make this determination. If it seems that one or more appliance is on its “last leg,” or the furnace is pretty old and you would like to avoid handling the entire cost of repair or replacement in your first year of ownership, you might consider adding a home warranty or having us negotiate for the seller to purchase one. Home warranties can take a lot of the anxiety out of the transfer of a property to a new owner (for both buyer and seller), yet you will want to be sure you choose the company that is right for you and the coverage that fits your home’s needs. Also, note that many of them do not cover every issue that each system or appliance may have and most do not cover preexisting conditions. If you would like to discuss home warranties in further detail, we are happy to help and can point you to a few companies our clients have used in the past!
Join us as we visit “In Bloom” at the Keg and Case market in St. Paul. We show you why it has been awarded the best new restaurant in St Paul by so many!
Have you been to In Bloom? We would love to hear what you thought about it below.
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