Thank You Home Ownership

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is drawing near and I can already taste the food.  It is unfortunate though, that surrounding this wonderful holiday, there is much hardship and despair.  Many families have lost their homes, lost their jobs, and or any combination thereof.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), home owners are happier, healthier, and do better in school.  They are also endowed with certain rights to renovate, decorate, save on taxes, and much more.  NAR also cites that housing accounts for 15% of national gross domestic product (NGDP), and that every home purchased pumps $60,000 into the economy, as a result of home improvements. 

So as we remember what we are thankful for this holiday season, I hope that we all take the time to recognize the importance of home ownership and the number of benefits that owning a home provides to ourselves, the public, and our country.  Let us be thankful for our family, friends, health, the roof over our heads, and other individual blessings, but lets not forget those that are helping restore our wonderful nation by helping people save their homes or find new ones.

Change Orders

I apologize for the inconsistent posts, but I have been battling computer issues; my computer has decided to flat-line on me.
 
Anyway, I recently came across an article by Realty Times: HOA Pocket Change Orders

by Richard Thompson (http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20101117_pocket.htm) 

 
The article touches on a key piece of contractual wording to protect the customer; "every project should include a contingency of 10-20% of the total bid for unforeseen circumstances. A contingency gives the [HOA] board/ customer the option to add items during the course of construction. The contingency is not intended to cover major changes to the scope of work that should have been accounted for during the design phase.
 
Two Requirements: To control excessive change orders, your agreement with the contractor should state that:

1. The price of a base bid item will be renegotiated when its quantity increases by more than 10% above what was specified in the original bid document.
2. All change orders are to be put in writing and signed by the board or manager before the additional work is undertaken.

To avoid unnecessary cost overruns, make sure to prepare a well investigated and comprehensive scope of work and never pay for any changes not approved in writing."
 
Also, the article does a wonderful job highlighting a common blunder by many people across multiple industries, the lack of quality control.  Many times minor details can be overlooked, dismissed, or completely ignored, and this is unacceptable!  I feel that there is a disconnect between people and the work that they do, there is no pride of ownership. Tied very close to this very same concept is followup, and follow through. 
 
As a service oriented nation, customer service should be a top priority, and this service does not stop once there is an exchange of services and money.  Good customer service continues days, weeks, months, and years after the initial transaction.  How did the customer feel about the service they received before the exchange?  How did the customer feel during the exchange?  Did everything meet the customers' expectations?  How does the customer feel after the exchange?  Would the customer want to conduct another exchange?  Would the customer refer their friends and family?  These are questions that companies should be asking themselves and that sales staff should have at the forefront of their minds when dealing with customers. 
 

Do you feel the same way?  Are you asking yourself these questions?

Realty Times - Short Sale Disclosure Ruling Goes Far Off Base

Realty Times - Short Sale Disclosure Ruling Goes Far Off Base

This is an interesting case going through our court system that could affect the real estate industry and its brokerages...

Tell me what you think/ please share your comments.