Sequim real estate agents are wondering what Chuck Marunde is doing to sell so many homes and get so many qualified leads.  Neighbors of a home Chuck has listed in Sunland on the golf course are seeing the sign and the activity and wondering who this broker is.  They’re used to seeing the familiar franchise signs for sale on homes in Sunland.  So who is Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate, LLC, and what’s all the hullabaloo?

“Back in 1995 I realized the Internet was going to be a major player in real estate, and I started a website then, but in the past two years the Internet has become the dominant tool buyers use to find a home,” says Chuck.  “So I built the largest Internet brokerage in all of Sequim and Port Angeles, and the results are stunning, but other brokers and many homeowners who are not paying attention to this Internet trend are still in the dark.  I don’t advertise in the local newspaper, because that is NOT where buyers from California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Montana are looking!  And it’s not Sequim homeowners who are the buyers.  I am reaching out directly to the buyers from out of state.  It just makes sense, but many people haven’t thought this through, including local real estate brokers.”

In the biggest real estate recession the country has seen in decades, and the worst real estate market in memory for Sequim and Port Angeles, many real estate agents have left the business, and some have not sold anything in over a year.  Many are working other jobs, including washing dishes (literally) just to survive.  Not Chuck Marunde.

“I feel very blessed.  I sold a home in January, one in March, one in May, and I have two pending transactions in June already, and I’m submitting another offer today or tomorrow.  Here’s the amazing thing.  I don’t waste my money or my client’s money on things that don’t work, advertising that produces no results.  My Internet presence is producing buyers who are delighted to work with a Realtor who gets it.  Clients tell me they appreciate the fact that I was a real estate attorney, and tthe articles I post for them at no cost so they can make intelligent choices when they move here.  I would just call this basic customer service.”

“I’m so fortunate that the pieces of my chaotic life seem to have come together at this time and place.  I spent a lifetime in real estate transactions and law, marketing and sales, and technology.  I also love to write, so all of this somehow uniquely fits me, but most importantly it fits clients who are buying and selling.”

Most real state brokerages are operating under a 20 year old business model, but they are being left behind by the Internet.  Selling homes in Sequim or Port Angeles is no longer a simple matter of putting it in the MLS, running an ad once every six weeks in the local paper or the home sales magazine.  Agents who are sitting at the desk staring at the phone while it does not ring and waiting for buyers to walk into their brick and mortar offices are getting nervous, but more importantly, they are not producing sales for their listing clients and they are not connecting with buyers.

“Don’t be fooled by agents who tell you they have your listing all over the Internet.  There is much much more to the story about what works and what doesn’t work.  While I prefer not to reveal secrets that have taken me years and a wheel barrel of money to learn, I will share those with my clients.”

Sharp buyers and sellers are not just using the Internet–they are using it intelligently.  They know how to filter through the garbage to find a good agent, how to search for property, and they are discerning the  difference between agents who are blowing smoke and the agents who have real experience and professional knowledge.

So this real estate blog continues to help buyers and sellers to buy and sell in this market, but this blog also continues to be a source of professional education for real estate agents.  Everyone is welcome here.

At least one agent in Sequim and Port Angeles is having fun.  Chuck Marunde can be reached at his email, which is chuckmarunde@gmail.com or his direct phone, which is 360-775-5424.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

A buyer makes a huge mistake, but he has no idea he is making it.  He’s in a very respected profession, and he’s a mature and intelligent man.  He has a good friend, and his good friend’s wife is a real estate agent.  So when he wants to buy a house, he automatically hires his friend’s wife.  After all, she is a real estate agent.  Notice that word “automatically.”

This is a true story.  As it turns out, his friend’s wife is not so competent and not so ethical or professional.  The details don’t matter for purposes of this brief story, but the bottom line is that Mr. Professional gets less than royal treatment, and that is the understatement of the century.  I’m being polite here.  At the time Mr. Professional had no idea how his own agent sabotaged his transaction with her incompetence and unprofessionalism. He never knew, that is, until much later, when he subsequently finds out, and later tells me the whole story.

What’s the moral of this story?  Just because your friend’s wife is a real estate agent does NOT mean she is a great agent who will do such a great job for you.  Why in the world would someone assume they must hire their friend’s wife or sister or friend?  I’ll tell you why, and when you think about it, it just seems dumb.  They hire that person simply because of that relationship.  Period.  That is the ONLY reason.  It’s hard to believe, but this happens regularly, and I hear the nightmare stories.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with hiring a friend’s wife as your Realtor, if she is truly competent, experienced, professional, and ethical, but for goodness sake, do some due diligence first.  Go out and interview at least three agents, and choose those three carefully by filtering through the Internet to first read about them and find the one with the best education PLUS experience PLUS a powerful Internet presence.  The first two should be obvious, but don’t forget that 85% of all home buyers start their search on the Internet today according to a national survey by the National Association of Realtors, so if your agent doesn’t have a powerful Internet presence, go somewhere else.

Honestly, I have heard so many stories from good people who hired a housewife as their agent because she was a sister of someone or a brother’s aunt’s daughter, and after they have made the same big mistake that so many before have innocently made, they shake their head in disbelief as they talk about it.

Why would I be so blunt and honest in this article?  Because I have seen this same scenario so many times as a real estate attorney and again as a real estate broker that I think I’ll scream it out–All real estate agents are NOT the same.  Hire a good one, not just someone who has a license and is your friend’s wife.  Many of these agents have no business background, no degree in marketing or sales, no real estate knowledge, other than the little online courses required to pass the test, and virtually no experience in hard negotiating or legal documents, and you’re hiring this person to spend your $300,000?  Eghad!

Okay.  I’ve said it.  Now you have some choices to make.  Hire someone who is bold and honest and has the experience like me, someone who will assertively represent you, or . . . hire Tom, Sally, or Jane who just happens to be a friend of a friend and got his or her license.

Not sure who to hire?  Call me and ask me anything under the sun, and I’ll answer your questions honestly.  Do the same with two other Realtors.  Then judge for yourself.  If you don’t think I’m the man for the job, then hire someone else, but don’t you deserve the opportunity to find out for yourself before you hire Jane or Sally automatically?

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

There’s a new Internet search engine in town, and it’s Microsoft’s search tool called, “Bing.” It’s easy to find on the Net, because it is simply bing.com. How does it stack up to the number one search engine, Google, which has about 64% of the search engine market? It is amazingly similar to Google.

Microsoft is struggling with only 8% of the market. Even thought Microsoft has been around a lot longer than Google, Google clearly figured out what consumers wanted, and Google continues to tweak and build to meet the cutting edge of consumer preferences. Microsoft has not done so well in this area, but their new search engine looks amazingly similar to Google’s.

Even the results are quite similar, although not precisely the same. Of course the results will not be exactly the same with different algorithms. But if you’re using Google already, you might wonder why you should shift to Bing. Other than a moment of “something new,” I can’t answer that.

“Nearly 98 percent of the traffic at Live.com is passive (coming from MSN, etc.) and Bing will be an attempt by Microsoft to establish its search offering as a destination Web site with high active traffic,” Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Agarwal said in a research note on Monday. “In our view, though Microsoft’s search technologies are ready for prime time, making a call on the success of Bing now will be premature.”

Most Microsoft searches have been the result of using MSN with toolbars and other methods, while just 1 or 2 percent come from people actually typing Live.com into their browser’s address bar. The rumor is that Miscrosoft plans to spend $80 to $100 million dollars to advertise and promote Bing.

Well, that wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft tried to buy its way into a market. We’ll see how it goes, but this author predicts that Google will remain dominant and Google fans like me will continue to favor Google.

For an example of the same search in Google and in Bing, take a look at these results with the search phrase “sequim and port angeles real estate news” without the quotes:

Bing search results for sequim and port angeles real estate news

Google search results for sequim and port angeles real estate news

Or have a little fun yourself and type in phrases like, “find an honest realtor in sequim,” or “port angeles homes price per square foot.”

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

Sequim real estate brokers and Port Angeles real estate brokers are certainly facing many of the same struggles that brokers are facing all over the country, and Traditional Real Estate Brokerage is rapidly becoming a business model of the past. Why?

Let’s face it, and we all know this, everyone is moving to the Internet for almost everything.  Real estate agents can’t afford the expensive advertising of print newspapers, but print advertising just isn’t pulling in the clients anymore either.  Because consumers no longer want to read stale news, pay newspaper subscriptions, and because businesses are not paying for expensive and ineffective advertising, print newspapers are going out of business across the United States.  And brick and mortar real estate offices are not what impresses clients.

This tidal wave of change that has been sweeping the nation is literally forcing real estate brokers to ditch the old business model, because they are getting sucked into a black hole of financial disaster.

Imagine being forced to close 11 real estate offices!  That’s exactly what RE/MAX Dolphin Real Estate did. “This is not a geo-centric business anymore. The office has become less of a focus,’ said Allan Bernardi, broker and chief executive officer of RE/MAX Dolphin. ‘Technology has reduced the need to get the client into the office. You need to go where your clients are.’”  Read Mobilizing the Real Estate Office.

Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate, LLC has been on the cutting edge of technology and the Internet, and we are pleased to announce that we are the largest real estate Internet brokerage in the county.  We’re not sure, but we may be the largest private solely owned Internet broker in the State of Washington.  All that would not mean much, except we are also built on a foundation of professional competence, knowledge, and integrity.  Chuck Marunde started in real estate 30 years ago, spent 20 years as a real estate lawyer, and now focuses that experience on real estate for buyers and sellers in Sequim and Port Angeles.  “We give clients more free information on the Internet than any other competing broker on subjects like buying and selling, the specifics of a transaction, negotiating the best price, building your own home, market prices and charts, analysis, MLS information, and much more–all free for our clients and all those who just need the information,” says Chuck Marunde, broker and founder.

Check out our sites:  SequimPortAngeles.com and SequimRealEstateNews.com.

For the hottest new online newspaper in the area, see Sequim-News.com.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

As a real estate broker I’m part of a national network of professionals in the real estate business, and I have the privilege of conversing with these professionals about the real estate business, brokerage, the market, sales techniques, and trends.  I learn a lot from these colleagues, all of whom live and work outside my market.

Here’s a story I’ve heard more than once.  An agent worked for a broker who promised everything under the sun, including a vast educational network, training and mentoring, opportunity for growth and income, office support, tools, supplies, and affiliations that could help the agent build his business.  The agent wasn’t new to the business.  As a matter of fact, the agent had years of precious experience that the broker insisted would be helpful to the brokerage and help them finally get moving in the right direction and get some momentum going.  There were even hints of partnership or management that would involve substantial compensation.  It all sounded so good to the agent that he signed up enthusiastically with the broker.

Unfortunately, after a year of no office meetings, no “vast educational network,” no helpful affiliations, no marketing systems, no business planning, . . . and virtually no office support with any value, the agent decided he had no choice but to move on.  He realized after pouring his heart out and working long hours to be successful at the brokerage, and after undying loyalty and faithfulness to the broker and the broker’s wife and the entire staff, the broker had in fact misrepresented his services and benefits.

It turns out this is a common story told in nearly every region of the country.  Real estate agents have a hard time finding a good home, and that’s the rule rather than the exception.  The exception is the agent who has been working with the same broker for a dozen or more years.  That’s rare.

It’s a tough business. Brokers are trying to make money off every agent, and agent’s are trying to keep as much of their money as they can.  If an agent felt he was getting great value for the substantial portion of the commission he gave his broker out of each transaction, that would be one thing, but many agents are finding out they don’t get all that was promised, and some argue they don’t get anything.

With the real estate market down so far, and deals few and far between, it has become dog-eat-dog out there.  If you’re a Realtor trying to find a broker who understands how to run a profitable business and take care of his agents with generous compensation and mentoring, don’t give up hope.  They’re out there.  They’re just hard to find.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

In Sequim and Port Angeles, there is one complaint I hear over and over again from people who had their property listed for sale with an agent at some point in the past.  I’m hesitant to share this, but I hear it so often, I don’t think this is any kind of secret.  In fact, it seems to be something that many homeowners have experienced in the school of hard knocks.  Here is what many have told me, almost verbatim:

“I had my property listed, but all my agent did was put it in the MLS.  I never heard from ‘him/her’.  Nothing happened.  No showings.  For six months.”

It’s a shame that such things happen, but this is not unusual around the country.  Getting a real estate license is not much harder than getting a driver’s license.  Sure you have to take an online course and take a test, but let’s fact it, just because someone has a license doesn’t mean they have knowledge and experience to handle your biggest investment.  I’m part of a large nationwide network of professional Realtors, and this is a common theme around the U.S.

I had some clients recently who took a very intelligent approach to searching for property.  First, they did their due diligence to find an agent they thought had the requisite knowledge and experience to help them find their ideal property and negotiate the best price.  Second, only then did they start looking at properties.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?  I think it does.  Of course, I am a Realtor, but I’m willing to be interviewed, and you’re welcome to do your due diligence in looking at my background to see if I can help you sell or buy your next property.   I love helping people buy and sell real estate, and everything I have learned in 30 years of real estate (including 20 as a real estate attorney) is yours for the asking.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

A majority of buyers now start their home search with an Internet MLS search for Sequim and Port Angeles properties. This is true all over the United States.

Did you know that not all real estate brokers and not all agents are necessarily members of your local MLS (multiple listing service), wherever you may live in the U.S.? What does it mean if a broker is not? Let’s consider the implications.

Most people know that the MLS is where real estate agents post their listings. This is the first step in marketing a property. Putting the listing in the MLS gives other agents who are members of the MLS the ability to view the details of that listing and share the listing with their potential buyer clients. All of this exposes the listed property to more potential buyers.

So why wouldn’t a broker be a member of a local MLS? There are three logical reasons. First, it is too expensive. That is not likely, since it is not an expensive service. In fact, it is the least expensive marketing an agent will ever do. The second possible reason is that the broker has a better marketing plan. That could be, but this also not likely, since the best marketing plan would include first listing it in the local MLS. The third possible reason would be that the broker’s membership was suspended or revoked by the local MLS board. If that is what happened, we don’t even want to discuss going further with that broker. Anyone who list with such a broker either does not know about the suspension or revocation or they are on Ritalin.

For the consumer, there are several more important considerations in deciding to list with a non-MLS participating broker.

1. What is the broker’s plan to market your property? Does he or she even have a plan?
2. How are the listings exposed to the rest of the world, or are they at all?
3. Does the broker depend almost entirely on just hanging poor photos of your listing in the window at his or her office? How many buyers will that expose your property to?
4. Is the broker’s effort at marketing focused only on local buyers in a limited marketing effort, or is there any national exposure to the many out-of-state buyers?
5. With no exposure to all the other local brokers and agents, how does the broker intend to expose your listing to all potential buyers, or even many of them? Most buyers will be working through other agents, right?
6. What is the broker’s relationship with other local agents? Good? Bad? Non-existent?
7. If the broker is not part of the local broker network, understand that it is highly unlikely that other local agents will ever tell their clients about the broker’s listings. Why should they, they don’t get paid.
8. A non-MLS broker will not have an IDX (public) search capacity from their website and your listing won’t show up in other agents’ websites through their IDX public property search tool.
9. Does the broker have many other agents who will help market your property, or is the broker a loner?
10. A non-MLS broker may try to entice customers with discounted commission rates. One question here. Would you pay a discounted price for a burnt steak, a rotten potato, and freezer burnt vegetables? What’s a discount if you don’t get the service, can’t sell your home, or don’t get the best price?
11. Last question. What is the broker’s relationship with past clients? I don’t mean just 2 or 3, I mean many of them. Anyone can end up with a few happy clients, but what about dozens or 100’s of clients? Are there a lot of burned bridges? Don’t you want to know?

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

How would you find a good experienced and professional real estate agent in Sequim or Port Angeles? Someone you could be sure was both competent and trustworthy? Who is the best Realtor in Sequim or Port Angeles?

The following are true stories from somewhere in the U.S. Only the names have been changed to shield the guilty.

True Story #1. An out of town couple hire a real estate agent to find their dream home. Their agent shows them a number of homes. They purchase and close on one they love. Later they discover the home is infested with pests, and the wood under the house in the crawl space is rotting because of excessive moisture and standing water. Their agent knew about this but did not disclose it. The buyers paid for the repairs out of their own pockets.

True Story #2. A widow purchases a home that turns out to have asbestos, but she has no recourse against her own real estate agent nor against the inspector.

True Story #3. A couple listed their land with an agent they found through a popular advertisement. Their land was listed for over a year but never sold. Out of frustration the couple did not renew the listing and decided to sell it themselves.

True Story #4. A couple listed their home with an agent, but months passed by and they didn’t hear from their agent, didn’t have any activity on their home, and didn’t see any advertisements. They withdrew the listing, listed with another agent and sold the home within a matter of weeks.

What are you looking for in a Realtor? Do you know how to identify what you want in a Realtor? Or will you end up disillusioned with your agent?

By the way, the photo above is me . . . many years ago. Wow, I look so young. Looking for a competent and trustworthy Realtor? Interview me and ask me anything you want, and you decide. I don’t have all the hair I had in that photo, but I do have the experience you might be looking for.

Email me at chuckmarunde@gmail.com or simply call me anytime at (360) 775-5424.
Website: SequimPortAngeles.com
Blog: SequimRealEstateNews.com or
PortAngelesRealEstateNews.com

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

I was reminded this week that in every profession, there are those who are competent, those who are mediocre, and those who are simply unprofessional. Think of the Dentists you’ve seen in your life. The really great Dentists make it almost pleasant. Or consider plumbers, contractors, CPA’s, insurance agents, or financial advisers. Some are great, and those are the ones to keep for a lifetime. But . . . this week I had a client who tried to work with a mortgage rep to get their home loan. There are some great mortgage reps out there, but this person was not one of them. No phone calls, no communication, lack of coordination among my clients and me, and ultimately this rep drops my clients with nothing more than, “Can’t do the loan.” No purpose is served here by going into detail, because my main point is this:

When you need the services of a professional, seek out someone who is really good, and that normally means someone who has knowledge and experience, and it certainly helps if they have a good reputation for 1.) doing good work, and 2.) communicating with their clients.

I’m a Realtor, and we all know that everyone and their brother has a real estate license. That alone should be a red flag for anyone considering working with a Realtor. Real estate agents are a dime a dozen. Having been in real estate for about 30 years now, I can tell you from personal experience that this profession is like all others. We have the competent, the mediocre, and those who are . . . well, let’s just say not your best choice. This certainly isn’t front page news, right?

So the next time you are looking for a Realtor, please, for you own sake, do your homework and seek a Realtor who really is competent, trustworthy, experienced, and professional. You’ll be so happy you did.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.

It is funny how every once in a while spending a lazy evening in front of the television actually pays of with some good advice. After spending Independence Day devouring shrimp and chicken sausage kabobs, last night became a great night to relax.To top it all off, the History Channel was showing its great series The Revolution which highlighted the great leadership of the gentleman farmer, general, and president George Washington.

A comment about Washington brought me back to a discussion I’d had with a potential buyer last week:

“There are so many real estate agents out there, how do I know a good one?”

How does real estate tie with the father of our country? Well, that will be the goal of this post as we look at what made Washington great and how those qualities transfer to a strong real estate agent.

What made Washington great? A lot of things, but to point out a few:

• Experience
• Leadership
• Knowledge
• Humble
• Resiliency
• Excellent Negotiator
• Answered the Call

A great agent will have many of the same qualities, and while that may not make her the next “father of our nation” it could make the difference between you having a smooth and successful real estate transaction or becoming a statistic.

• Experience – Remember this goes well beyond “how long have you been in the business” to the number of deals. According to a study of the Top 100 real estate firms by REALTOR Magazine, the average agent at a top 100 firm will do just over 8 transactions a year. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a “newer” agent averaging 12 transactions than a seasoned-vet averaging three.
• Leadership – I was talking to an agent one afternoon during an open house. He had the softest handshake I’ve ever experienced and was mumbling to his client. I don’t know much about his knowledge as a Realtor, but my perception wasn’t that he was a great leader. Do you want an agent that will lead you through the battles of the real estate field? Or the one that will sit back and wait for the challenges to arise?
• Knowledge – I’d hope that this goes beyond saying, but it doesn’t. How much knowledge does your agent have not only in real estate but also in your market?
• Humble – One of Washington’s greatest assets was his ability to listen to others and realize when they had better ideas than his own. The British Evacuation of Boston is a great example of this, where Washington listened to his advisors and succeeded. Your agent needs to have that same desire to get the deal done – not caring who get the credit - just making sure that you are best represented in this transaction.
• Resiliency – “No.” I’m sure it is the most common response to a question ever and if your real estate agent is going to take “no” for an answer, then you are receiving a disservice. Objections are part of the job; it is how the agent responds and addresses these objections that make great agents great.
• Excellent Negotiator – when General Charles Lee attempted to over-throw Washington as the commander of the Continental Congress militia, Washington didn’t throw a fit. Rather he quietly acknowledged his knowledge of the plan, which
• Answered the Call – Washington attempted to go home to Mt. Vernon on several occasions, but he knew that this young country needed him. Your agent should be busy, but not “too busy” that they can never take or return your call. Remember you have employed them to either find or sell your next home. And your agent needs to treat this as their job.

The statistics say that 80 percent of the public will choose the first perceived competent agent they come across for their transaction.

It isn’t very likely that you’ll find an agent that matches up to the greatness of President Washington, but by finding one that embodies his spirit and work ethic, you can expect a smooth transaction in buying or selling your home.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed.