Fun, Interactive Crowd @ Greenville, SC

Today was pretty cool, as I got a glimpse of another top shelf Coldwell Banker franchise @CBCaine, in Greenville, SC. As you may know from last night's post, the Coldwell Banker/Realogy brass asked me to attend the company's Recognition Banquet, and share a few things.

The pic above is a quick shot from my vantage point just before hitting the stage. CB had us stashed in the corner, and I was nestled snugly against the wall/rail you see.

I assume we gave the crowd some good meat as to how we 'do' our respective businesses, as there were a good number of questions, and even more laughs. It was very interactive and informal, and a good time seemed to be had by all.

I'd like to type a quick blurb regarding Coldwell Banker - Caine, so here goes... My vibe of this group was that I was with a top flight real estate firm, and all around good/fun Realtors who loved their jobs, and proud of their company. That said, I'm certain that if Jennifer/Finley and I moved to Greenville, SC, this is where I'd want to be. In short, I was impressed.

Thanks to the Coldwell Banker execs and the staff of CBCaine for allowing me to attend and share. I'm proud to have been asked, and flattered beyond this keyboard that someone might be interested in how we do things.

Congratulations to Jacob Mann. Jacob was named the Top Producer for this fine Upstate company. Well done, Jacob. Let's do a deal!

Spending Night/Half Day @Greenville

As you can see it's pretty late, so I can't type too long. I'm a little off routine tonight, as I'm sitting in a hotel room on Main St. in Greenville, SC.

Wednesday morning, Coldwell Banker Caine - Greenville, SC, will hold their awards banquet to recognize their 2011 Top Producers. After all the hardware is handed out, they have a couple other Realtors and me scheduled to take the stage to share how we work our real estate practices. Hmmmm...slight pause..... as earlier in my career I probably would have somehow snuck out of such sharing sessions. While I'm great friends with all the downtown Columbia Realtors, it doesn't mean I'm anxious to share what we do or how we do it. I mean...to put it in perspective, I still don't have any Realtors on my Facebook page.

Fast forwarding a few years, I seem happier to distribute any information they feel might be helpful. Perhaps it's because Greenville is a completely different market from Columbia, perhaps I've learned that no one will do it "our way" anyway, or maybe it's just plain ole' professional growth. Who knows?...but I'm happy to be here, and flattered to have been asked.

I'm anxious to learn a few things from my Coldwell Banker friends @CBCaine.

Two Sides @ Every Real Estate Deal...

The pics above are a quick collage of what Amanda and I presently have Under Contract, in downtown Columbia, SC. Scrolling through, you may be curious as to why I chose these particular homes to blog about. Here's the easy answer.... This collection of homes is a good/quick snapshot of where we represent the BUYER.

No question, we have a lot of signs in Columbia and proud of our market presence. That said, I feel compelled to convey that we represent Buyers, just as hard as Sellers.

"Listing" Realtors get a ton of credit for their listings that pop (sell), but the public never realizes the Realtors that bring Buyer's to a transaction. Sometimes Realtors that prefer to focus on Buyers exclusively don't get the credit they deserve, as drive-by traffic only sees the Listing Realtors sign in the yard, while never realizing who actually brought the qualified Buyer.

I suppose this enigma won't change anytime soon, as if Buyer's agents were interested in personal marketing/PR, they'd focus more on Sellers and market "presence." Neither way is better, BTW, as most Realtors simply find their comfort zone or niche, and go with it. This all typed, given the amount of Sellers we represent, think of all the Buyers this, in theory, morphes into.

I simply posted the pics above to solidify we proudly represent both (Buyers & Sellers), and work ragingly hard no matter what side of the transaction we're charged.

Downtown Columbia's Realty Closings

Columbia, SC's Transactions/MLS: Jan. 16 - Feb. 15

Pretty Funny & Close To Nail On Head!

If you haven't seen this yet, it's a poster that's going around Facebook at a pretty rampant pace. The first occupational poster that crossed my feed was, "Political Operative," which is pretty freekin' spot on for my "statehouse" friends. Tonight, I caught the pic above from a Greenville Realtor's page, which I thought was pretty funny.

First pic - Guilty as charged, admittedly (although, I can't hang out anymore). I'm not sure about pic #2, but I can see where they're coming from. Pic #3 is perfect, as syndication websites force Realtors to pay big money for information they got from us in the first place. Pic #4 is a perception that all Realtors flip. Pic #5 is exactly the type image I cast out for my Sunday open houses.

Ahhh....Pic #6! Some friends and clients recognize what happens behind the scenes, but most of the public doesn't see it. Perhaps this is a good thing.

At present, Amanda and I have scores of listings around Columbia, SC, and X "sides" under contract. Take a peek at pic #6 above, and think of the open house luncheons, open houses, three inspectors for each home under contract and the negotiations for each, pictures, offers, counteroffers, lock boxes, signs, painters, landscapers, boarded dogs, buyers schedules, sellers schedules, seller's baby's nap schedules, insurance quoters, dumbarsers, listing appointments, lender conditions, closing attorney demands, appraisals, contested appraisals, ad folks, phone calls from recruiting brokers, fellow Realtors, Realtor.com/Zillow.com/Homes.com/ColdwellBanker.com/CraigsList/Sign calls, "Will They Rent?" inquires that we field every day. Like the photo suggests, it's a load!!!

This all said, we wouldn't have it any other way. We love our job, and revel in the challenge every day presents. We try our best to be the ultimate hustler/pleaser Realtors that our clients expect.

I'm typing in jest, as the pic above is a fun snapshot of the balance between perception and true effort of what really goes on. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, we wouldn't have it any other way.

Greenville=Showplace, & Getting Better

As most readers of this blog know, it's hard for me to type about places other than Columbia, SC (perhaps because I rarely leave the city limits). After all, as a Realtor, I often feel like it's part of the job to be the front line of recruitment and retention. That said, I have to give credit when I see it.

This weekend Jennifer, Finley and I escaped to the Upstate to subtly celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. Glad we did.

As I was looking for pics to share, I couldn't find any that do Greenville justice. With that, I thought I'd give props to a little part of what makes Greenville a happening place.

Before I do, however, let me be clear. We're big fans of Garibaldi's "Crispy Flounder," and everyone in Columbia knows, any tuna dish or Ribeye Mr. Friendly's brings out, is TOP shelf consuming: #DisclaimerNowTyped. Now, last night we enjoyed what is probably the best room service I've had to date. To be sure, I'm not incredibly well traveled, but you get the idea. The Lazy Goat is awesome!

This morning, the three of us strolled a few steps from our hotel, to High Cotton. Everything was, well, High Cotton... including the venue and service.

I'm proud of what the folks of Greenville, SC have accomplished. As a kid growing up in Anderson, I never in a million years (well, about 20ish) thought Greenville would become what it is today. My eyes have been opened, again.

Blog Love: One More Day For Shady Ln.

Given I hooked this blog post to the Seller's Facebook 'Walls' earlier tonight (Big hit spike, BTW), and since the front pic was switched a few mins ago thanks to a cooperating Thursday sunshine, I'm sticking with this post for another day.

Thank you for your patience, as this is a hot house. #4ShowingsToday. FJ

1442 Shady Lane-Lake Katherine Now On Market
Take a look at the address, and you'll know it's a contender. Click the pics, and you'll know it's a winner.

Given the designer touches, and the location, you're sure to realize that 1442 Shady Lane is all that, and a few bag of chips. At just under 2,000 sf and 3 beds/2 baths, there's not much in town that can compete with this one.

"Shady" features hardwoods, smooth ceilings, granite slab, designer lighting/paint throughout, a huge master, and a brand new deck that floats into a perfectly flat backyard. #BeatThatForTheMoney

Adding to all of this, 1442 Shady Lane is zoned for Brennen Elementary. Further still, the owner of this home has the option to join Quail Lane Racquet Club (pool w/lifeguard and 3 tennis courts), which is just down the street/around the corner. #Winner

Please call or email fjones@cbunited.com or amandaqpayne@live.com if you'd like more information, or to schedule a showing of this sharp, move-in ready home on Shady Lane. In the meantime, click the link for a few pics. Combining location w/ price, I think you'll be pleased with what you see.