Site Data

2000 REALTOR OF THE YEAR

Steve Freeman
Broker-Owner

CountyRealty
1790 N 180 E
Brownstown
812-358-8635
812-528-0976

By Appointment Only

Diversions

This page is meant to be the "everything else" page.  There are (or will be) links here related to CountyRealty, some related to real estate in general, some links go to noteworthy sites, and still others go to some wacky places on the net.

Location, Location, Location:  Is it really important?  Maybe  

Stupid Agent Tricks:  The buyer "assumed" the agent was working for him. The agent thought otherwise, but didn't bother clearing that up with the buyer.  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated problem.  (NEW! Spring 2006)

An Interesting Read: 2005 Home Buyer & Seller Survey Shows Rising Use of Internet, Reliance on Agents.  Click here for enlightenment. 

Buy a Home Online:  I wouldn't recommend it.  Some agree and others disagree.  

Home Values:  Free Home Valuation?  It might be worth what you pay for it; maybe even less!  Score one for the professional appraiser and Realtor!

^$555 Seller Promotion: This is a new marketing strategy for sellers that are serious about selling their homes at realistic prices.  Please read this link for information, and if you have questions, by all means ask me!  Is what I am proposing a good thing?  I think so, and here are several reasons why. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, )  I think it's high time to give smart sellers some economical alternatives to the "typical commission" fee imposed by old-school brokers.

Regarding Appraisers:  Professional and licensed appraisers are not "deal killers" but extremely valuable contributors to the entire buying and, by extension, selling process.  Professional appraisers provide an unbiased opinion of value. The preparation of an appraisal involves research into appropriate market areas; the assembly and analysis of information pertinent to a property; and the knowledge, experience and professional judgment of the appraiser. (more)

Regarding Competitors:  Unlike my competitors, I stick to real life real estate situations.  I think it's absurd that some of my competitors market their brokerages with commercials that highlight unrealistic, if not fantasy, scenarios.  In the spring of 2005, there are several examples of this insanity.  There is a radio commercial featuring a phone caller talking to city hall to get a school constructed nearby to increase the value of the home they are selling.  In another, (featuring the same brokerage, spring 2005) has a seller calling the airport authority; the seller wants to stop flights "this Sunday" because they are having an open house.  In yet another radio commercial, (same brokerage) the seller wants to stop the stock market to announce that his home is for sale.  Unbelievable!!  Two not-so-old tv commercials I'll mention briefly involve a buyer showing up with a briefcase full of cash asking if the full price cash offer is high enough.  Also, the ad where everyone hits a homerun and wins a home, or moves in and is surprised one of the most famous baseball players of all time lives right next door.  (Okay, baseball players have to live SOMEWHERE, but do you think that if Kyle Ripken or Sammy Sosa lived right next door to a house for sale, that the REALTOR showing the property DIDN'T emphasize this tiny bit of information before writing the offer or closing?)  In my humble opinion, these ads are just stupid, kind of funny sometimes, but basically very stupid and in no way reflect the reality of real estate.  "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with ....."  lol