MLS Only Agent!

Hi Everyone,
Today I would like to talk about Sellers wanting to save money and only find an MLS listing agent. meaning that they pay a small flat fee to "STICK" it in the MLS system in hopes that another agent will show the property and write a contract. although that can work, but what happens when you do get a contract? since the agent only stuck it in the MLS and is not getting paid anymore money, more often than not, The seller is stuck with working the contract, building inspections, city inspections, Title company and so on.  So in essence no one is really working for the seller. This is not only a bad idea, but a risk!  The buyers agent works for the buyer, and does not work for the seller. so in that case, the seller is left vulnerable at best.  Trying to save money on the front end will undoubtedly cost more in the end.

its housing suicide with today's real estate to only want your home in the MLS system,  In Most cases a person's home is the biggest investment they have and It baffles me why someone would take that and risk losing money just to think they are saving???  It is better to find a qualified full service real estate agent to get your home sold for the highest amount of money in the shortest amount of time and you will be amazed at the stress, money and time you will save. anyway, that's my thoughts today

Make it a great day!

Blessings
Pam Schroeder


PS. and remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, don't forget to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

The Neighborhood Know it All

Hi Everyone,
Do you have a neighborhood know it all? You know that person that always knows whats going on, the one that tells everyone what they know, Well I have decided to turn that into a Real Estate advantage, Now when I list a home, I ask the sellers, Who is the neighborhood know it all? and then I make sure to stop by their home and personally tell them about my listing, give them flyers and invite them to the Open house, This way, they do know it all and when they are talking to everyone they know, they can give them a flyer, and talk about the house, because they are going to talk about it anyway, so why not give them the correct information and just maybe they will help sell the home.

so a neighborhood know it all is not always a bad thing!

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder


ps. and remember, if you or anyone you know are thinking about buying or selling a home, don't forget to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

How Big it Too Big?

Hi Everyone,
I just finished watching the news and they showcased a home being built in the Ozark Missouri area that when finished it will be 72,000 square feet. (WOW) you read that right 72,000! That is bigger than the white house, the Vanderbilt mansion and just shy of the Buckingham palace! Who needs this much space? the gentleman building it stated that he, his daughter and granddaughter will live there! I think they better put a tracking devise on the granddaughter so they can find her if necessary. The home is built primarily with concrete. My opinion is what happened to the quaint homes that we grew up in. where we all had to be together because there was not many options to escape the family. anyway, look the home up, it's called the Penmore mansion! for now, I think I am going to stick with the traditional home! and another thought, if you had that much money, couldn't you feed the homeless or house some less fortunate? Just sayin'

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder

ps. and remember, If you or anyone you know are considering buying or selling a home, don't forget to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

Avoid Internet Fraud

Hi Everyone
Phishing and Pharming are forms of identity theft.
PHISHING lures consumers into divulging personal financial information to fraudulent ("spoofed") websites.  These sites appear to be real and often imitate legitimate sites like bank web sites.  Once the unsuspecting customer takes the bait and gives personal information to the spoofed site, his identity is compromised and the phisher can use the information to clean out the victim's bank account or commit other forms of theft.

PHARMING is similar but more sophisticated, employing a virus to infect a victim's computer once an email message is opened.  When the consumer attempts to visit an official web site, the pharmer's software virus redirects the browser to a fake version of the web site, stealing information entered.  The latest form of pharming can attack through Microsoft Messenger, tracking a user's keystrokes on legitimate sites and stealing passwords.

Awareness is key to avoid falling prey. Ask your financial institution if they employ software safeguards to thwart identity thieves. also:

* Install anti-phishing programs on your computer
* Be suspicious of email requesting personal financial information
* Avoid email links to any web page
* Use secure web sites when submitting credit card information (look for the "s" in the "https" look for the padlock icon in the browser window)
* Consider installing protection from phishing web sites, and see that security patches are applied.
* Check bank, credit, and debit card accounts and statements.

for more on this and other financial scams to watch out for, visit
http://ago.mo.gov/ConsumerCorner/encyclopedia/phishing.htm

This information came from the Missouri House of Representatives

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder

ps. and remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, don't forget to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

QR CODE TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE EXPOSURE

Hi Everyone,

Today I want to talk about QR codes, Pam Schroeder & Associates use QR Code Technology to increase Exposure of St. Charles and St. Louis homes for sale.

We now have QR (Quick response) codes for all of our homes for sale that allow consumers to scan them with their smart phones and see detailed property information for the listing such as Google Maps with street views and area information, school information and much more right from the Yard Sign, Property Flyers, Postcards and other places where it was never possible before.

Similar to bar codes, QR codes allow people standing in front of a home to use a QR reader on their smartphone to scan a QR code on the yard sign in seconds and access detailed information about the home they are standing in front of.

We are using technology that creates QR codes for all of our listings allowing us to then put them on the yard signs in front of seller's home along with all our other printed marketing materials. This greatly increases the exposure of the property while at the same time giving the consumers the information they want quickly and easily.

The real estate industry is one of the most technology intensive industries.  We are proud to have been able to offer a powerful turnkey solution that allows me to leverage this technology.

Our main goal as real estate professionals is to market our seller's properties to as many people as possible and to give buyers access to that information in as many ways as possible. Using QR codes allows us to achieve both of these goals while reducing the time needed to achieve this.  As one of the first realtors in our area to use this new technology we are also excited to share our expertise with buyers and sellers in our area.

Pam Schroeder & Associates is a leading Realtor specializing in St. Louis and St. Charles county homes for sale. Using the latest technologies and marketing programs to increase the exposure for selling homes provides unparalleled services to both home seller's and buyers.

For more information about QR codes and their use in real estate marketing or for information about our homes for sale, please contact Pam at 314-575-2255 or visit our website at www.pamschroeder.com

Make it a great day!

Blessings

Pam Schroeder

ps. and remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, don't forget to ask yourself, have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

Are Foreclosures a great value?

Hi Everyone,
Today I want to talk about Foreclosures, I have several buyers that call me and say, "I want to buy a Foreclosure" and I ask them is that all you want to look at? and Buyers sometimes think just because it's a foreclosure that it's the best value for their money, Don't get me wrong, some foreclosures are the best value, often times we can go into a foreclosure and find that the home has been trashed, or not maintained at all,  and the money that needs to go into these homes is far more than expected and it's not a value compared to a home that is move in ready. Home prices are at an all time low so many times you can find a move in ready home that is priced a little more than a foreclosure, but if you calculate the cost factor to get the foreclosed home up to living standards it can actually cost you more. so my advise is to find the best home for your dollars in your price range wether that is a foreclosure or not. keep an open mind to house hunting and go for the best value, however don't be married to the word "Foreclosure". If you are working with an experienced Realtor, than you can be sure he/she will know the value and find you the best home for your investment.

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder

ps. and remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, make sure to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

Lining yourself up with Quality Vendors

Hi Everyone,
Today is a great day in St. Charles. I was thinking about the business people in my life and what we have to offer buyers and sellers. It is really important to line yourself up with Quality business people to achieve success in your business. Here at Pam Schroeder & Associates we have three Quality Loan officers to assist buyers on your home purchase. A Top notch title company, One of the best Home Inspectors, we also have Handymen, Pest control, Painters, Carpet Co. and so much more at our disposal. If you need advise, or one of these specialties, please feel free to contact us at pam@pamschroeder.com and we can give you a vendor list of the best in town!

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder


ps. remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, don't forget to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

REAL ESTATE IS ON THE "MOVE"

Hi Everyone,
Today is a great day to buy or sell a home, This past week was crazy in Real Estate, Buyers are out and Sellers are getting showings like crazy. Everyone wonders why it goes in spurts? well the Mortgage rates play a huge part, and they are at an all time low, so buyers can afford more and they are getting great deals on homes, home prices are also lower than they have been in years, so you can buy more home for the money. If you are thinking of purchasing a home, Now is the time.

Make it a great day!
Blessings,

Pam Schroeder

ps. and remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, remember to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

SALES ARE OUT THERE

Hi Everyone,
Holy cow The past couple days have been crazy, I was able to get 5 homes under contract. That just goes to show that the market is still moving, people still need housing. The homes that are selling are the ones that are priced right and look good.  I was able to stop two families from foreclosure last week. that is always a good feeling.  If you or someone you know are having a hard time making their house payments, and are at risk of foreclosure, have them give me a call.  There are several options available.
Our office at Keller Williams Realty West is the top selling office in the county! we sell more homes than any other real estate company in our area! Why? because we work hard for our clients. we have the tools and technology to get homes sold...

Make it a great day!

Blessings
Pam

ps. If you or anyone you know are thinking about buying or selling a home, make sure to ask yourself
have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs.

Courting your Buyer

Hi Everyone,
My thoughts for today are that every seller needs to think along the lines of courting a buyer. If you think about when you or someone you know are getting ready to go out on a date and you get a new outfit, get your hair done, Mani-pedi, etc. basically you get fixed up to the best you can be for your date. Well isn't it the same if you are putting your home on the market? you need to dress your home up, refresh it by possibly painting, new carpet, de-clutter, manicure the lawn etc. you need to have your home looking the best it can be and shine it up. So in essence you are courting a buyer. Buyers have so many choices in today's market, so make sure your home stands out on top, Your home needs to look good, smell good, and be the best it can be. Buyers are out there and looking for move in ready homes. So good luck on your date!

Make it a great day!

Blessings
Pam Schroeder

and remember, If you or anyone you know are thinking about buying or selling a home, make sure to ask yourself, have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

Seller Getting a Contract

Hi Everyone,

I just received an offer on a listing that has been on the market for several months. The sellers have been anxious to get an offer as they are wanting to move closer to their children. So every week I would call them with updates on the market and feedback from showings and they are always asking, where is an offer, why don't we have on offer.  so today we get an offer!!!! I never like to go over an offer over the phone, so I call them, tell them they got an offer and ask what is a good time today for me to come over and discuss this offer. They immediately ask what the offer is. and start saying "I am not selling my house lower that $$$$, and it better be a good one etc.  I said I will discuss all the terms personally when I get there. It always amazes me that sellers are so vulnerable and anxious while waiting for an offer. and the minute they do get one, they become demanding if you will and that they better get what they want, and before they get an offer they are saying "just any offer would be good" anyways. we will see how this goes, and with all offers, buyer these days are coming in low to see what they can get and we just need to adjust the contract to meet the fair market value, not just what buyers are wanting to get a deal.  Real Estate is such a great career because everyday is different. and negotiating contract is one of my favorite thing to do, getting the best price for my sellers is my ultimate goal and now I need to go and negotiate this one.


Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder

and remember, If you or anyone you know is thinking about buying or selling a home, Don't forget to ask yourself, Have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

Relaxing Labor Day

Hi Everyone,
Today is Labor Day and we are going to BBQ with good friends and neighbors, the air is crisp and it feels great outside, what a perfect day to enjoy BBQ and good times. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day and takes time to relax before starting up the work week again tomorrow.
Buyers are out, the interest rate is at an all time low! So don't relax on getting a new home, it's a Hot Buyers market out their.

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder

and remember, If you or anyone you know are interested in buying or selling a home, Don't forget to ask yourself have you "GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs?

SMELLS LIKE FALL

Hi Everyone,
We woke up today in St. Louis to a brisk 67 degrees, yesterday it was in the high 90's. a 30 degree drop in temperature over night. I have the windows open and the crisp air feels great. This makes me think about what I will need to do get the home ready for winter.  first off, we need to close the pool (argh) this always makes me sad because it's a for sure sign that summer is coming to an end. Remember to get your fireplaces cleaned and checked, carbon monoxide detectors ready and check the batteries in your smoke detectors too! Time to think about firewood, we love to sit outside by the fire pit with friends and family! and of course the kids enjoy making smores's. I love the Missouri weather because we get a taste of all four seasons and soon the trees will  turn colors and the drive along the katy trail makes for a great afternoon and wonderful pictures.

Make it a great day!
Blessings
Pam Schroeder

and remember, if you or anyone you know are thinking of buying or selling a home, remember to ask your self, have you "GOT PAM" for your real estate needs?

Always keep in mind about selling your home!

Hi everyone,
My thoughts for today as I clean my own home is that we should always keep in mind resale when we update our home, make changes and of course we should keep up with maintenance issues. I always run in to the situation where I talk with home owners about selling their home and let them know what items need to be freshened up, fixed, painted etc. and most of the time the sellers will say after they do all the items is that they wished they would have done them when they lived in the home. That now the house looks good,  all maintenance issues fixed, update light fixtures etc. and now they have done all the work for the new buyers and they did not get to enjoy it while they lived there, so my thoughts are enjoy your home and keep up with it, and always keep in mind resale wether you are going to sell or not! Love and take care of your home!
Have a wonderful Day
Blessings
Pam Schroeder
and remember: If you or anyone you know may be thinking about buying or selling a home, make sure you
"GOT PAM" for all your real estate needs

Getting Ready for the Fall Market

Hi Everyone,
Today I am thinking about the Fall Market in Real Estate, the last quarter where people start thinking about closing their pools, Putting up Fall Decorations etc. Well if you are going to put your home on the market this fall. Think about getting your home photographed before you close the pool and put up decorations. Fall Decoration will date your home in the photos.  No one wants to see pumpkins and gourds in the photos.  Also make sure to clean up your yards and flower beds. Fall is a great time to sell your home and in most cases your competition is lower as not as many homes are on the market. If you would like other tips, feel free to email me at pam@pamschroeder.com
Have a great day!
Blessings
Pam