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Monday, June 20, 2016
Week 2: Reno for Real
Week 2 of our home renovation included more demo, but also some of the re-build. The floors had to be removed in the kitchen and laundry, and floor joists replaced in the crawl space. The previous owners allowed a water leak in the kitchen from the dishwasher and a leak in the laundry room at the washing machine hook-up, to be ignored and the problem got worse over time. By the time we bought the house, it was a mess.
During this week, the house is a total wreck, with boards, nails, dust, debris.....everywhere. But I see progress everywhere I look. After the walls were knocked out, and before the new sheet rock went up, we wrote our favorite Bible verses on the frame, to keep us enclosed in blessings!
We want to help, but don't want to get in the way. So me, my husband and son are focusing on doing what we can do. Outside, there is a lot of yard to maintain and clean up, so we spent a lot of time outdoors. This was also the time I needed to start picking out fixtures: lighting, ceiling fans, faucets, sinks, tubs, tile, cabinets, paint....you name it, I picked it out. And then I changed my mind, and picked out something else. And then I would get a second opinion. And then I would go back with my original choices. It is hard to envision everything coming together when so many choices are available! One thing that is really important to start with is the budget. You need to know how much your contractor has in the budget for these items, and if you go over budget, you pay the difference. I kept my notebook with me, and carried it with me everywhere I went, and that helped keep me organized. Since I had written down every single item we needed in every room, I had a great way to keep everything straight.
I love the selections I made, and hope it all looks as good as I think it will! We shall see!
Click to view Week 2 video
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Week 1: Reno for Real!
Week 1 of our Fixer Upper was all about "out with the old"!
We knocked out walls, pulled up carpet, tore out bathtubs, sinks and toilets, pulled off wallpaper...You name it, we removed it!
Our contractor and his crew came in like gang busters, and we saw immediate change. I loved seeing the changes each day, but I have to admit, when I walked in to what was to be our master bedroom one day, and saw no walls, no ceiling and no floors, I had a moment of panic----"WHAT HAVE WE DONE?!?!?" But once past the point on no return, we had no choice: This party had officially started!
As I mentioned in a previous post, it is important to have a vision, a plan, a budget and a timeline, so everyone knows what to expect. So far, so good!
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Before the Reno: Renovation for Real!
We bought the house, have met with the contractor, and are ready to get started. Before we start the week-by-week progress, here is what we are working with!
Before the Reno!
(Click for video)
Next post, we will start the process!
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Before the Reno!
(Click for video)
Next post, we will start the process!
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
The Notebook: Renovation for Real!
So you have decided to go for it. Now what?
Start with the inspection report. Looking over our report and the extensive
list of repairs (not including the renovations and improvements we wanted to
make), I felt a huge sense of overwhelm. But wait!
NO! This is exciting! But wait!
NO! WHAT HAVE WE JUST DONE?!? Emotions ranged from excitement to
overwhelm to panic to deep breathing to ok…. "There is no turning back. You bought the house….now get busy and do
it!”
I started with a notebook and an Excel spreadsheet. I created a page for each room in the house,
and listed every item on the inspection report, as well as the projects,
improvements and upgrades we wanted to complete. I prioritized by number, the order the items
needed to be completed. When we looked
at the list, we decided the project would need to be broken down into 5 phases. Phase 1 items being those that were covered
with the renovation loan (“The NEEDS”), then moving down through the list, when
we could afford the “WANTS”.
I sectioned off the notebook by room, adding a plastic
sleeve for each section to hold paint chips, fabrics, paperwork, etc. I also printed out inspiration and design
pictures from my Pinterest board, and added those to the appropriate sections
of the notebook. Since I carried the
notebook with me everywhere I went, I was able to use the photos to help pick
out everything from light fixtures to paint to faucets to pillows! Standing in the middle of the showrooms I
visited, again, I was overwhelmed with the vast selections around me.
The notebook was a great place to keep track of item
numbers, prices, dates ordered, dates delivered, etc. I highlighted each task as it was
complete, making it easier to see where I needed follow up with our contractor. The plastic sleeve was a
perfect place to keep the receipts in case I needed to refer back to them. It was also a great place to keep business
cards of the vendors I worked with.
In my next post, we will take a look, week-by-week, how the project actually evolved!
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Are You Gonna Go For It? Renovation for Real!
After you get the estimates back from the contractor, compare
it with the renovation budget your lender has approved. Your lender will likely add a 5% reserve to
the loan, just in case there is an overage, but don’t rely on that. Pretend like it isn’t even there for now. Use the original figure when planning the
project.
As a caution, (and don’t make me say, “I told you so”) I
would suggest that you have additional funds reserved for unexpected expenses
that may arise as you start the project. Ideally, I would suggest you have
10-20% of the renovation budget as a “cush” fund to fall back on. Once demolition begins, you never know what
might be lurking behind the walls that may have been missed during the inspection.
And once you start picking out fixtures, appliances, etc., you may want to choose
more upgrades than you originally planned.
The original budget may or may not be high enough to allow for the
higher end selections. And unless you
have a really good idea what materials and supplies cost, you may have more
than a little stress when you go to pick out your favorite bathroom faucet and
find out that it is $468 and you need two of them for the master bathroom and three for the other bathrooms. Or that the super cool farm sink you pinned
on your Pinterest “Dream Home” board is $1,368.
And who pays $468 for a toilet? YOU DO!
Because you want to impress your guests when they use your brand new
guest bathroom. They are going to think
you are a pretty big deal when they see that you have (in not one, but all four
bathrooms) comfort-height, low- noise, super-duper-non-cling-pooper-removers. Ok, so give me a break----At least I didn’t
pick out a $1,500 throne that washes and dries ones hind end with the push of a
button or two. I have rugs and throw
pillows to buy, too, you know.
Oh, and something else to think about….What if you aren’t in
the house by the pre-determined date, and need to pay for housing while it is
being completed? We weren’t in by the
deadline, and stayed in a hotel for 3 weeks before it was ready for us to move
in.
As we started our renovation, we ran into a couple snags
along the way. (Like I mentioned in the
beginning of this blog series:
Renovation has good, bad and ugly sides!) We had originally planned to do the kitchen
during a later phase so we could go crazy and go top of the line with
everything. We were going to go ahead
and have the floors done and the walls painted, but put the old cabinets back
in until we could afford to do a kitchen that was off the chain. (I have my eye on an unbelievable gas range that
costs more than my first car.) Unfortunately,
when the cabinets were removed, we discovered many of them were damaged on the
back side, due to a water leak under the dishwasher. So we had to go ahead and replace the
cabinets now, instead of later. If you
have ever priced custom cabinets, you know they are not cheap. This was an expense we had not prepared for
in the original budget. We had to either
come up with more money, or shave some off other areas of the project. We got the cabinets, but the range will probably come after my youngest graduates from
college, gets married and has three kids!
Surprise Number 2:
The few leaks in the roof were more extensive than we thought. We thought we could patch the roof for now,
then replace the whole roof as part of Phase 2.
The inspection revealed a couple areas of concern, but it wasn’t noted
as needing immediate replacement. In
order for the roofer to guarantee the repair, the whole roof had to be
replaced. We didn’t want to spend the
time and money putting together a beautiful home only to have it at risk of getting
damaged by a random roof leak. So….surprise
expense #2? A total roof replacement.
Surprise Number 3:
The HVAC worked fairly well during the home inspection, but it was
recommended we consider replacement more sooner than later. When we had the HVAC checked as we were
getting close to our move-in date, they found that the air would cool for a
couple hours, then it would quit. If you
have ever spent a summer in Charleston, SC, you know that a two-hour cooling
session and then nothing, might as well be nothing at all. And if you know anything about 50+ year old
women, you know it doesn’t have to be summer in Charleston, SC to know that you
need a high-functioning, highly efficient air conditioning system no matter
what time of the year. So to keep mamma
happy so everyone else in the house is happy?
Enter surprise expense #3: A
total HVAC replacement.
These are just a few examples, but as you can see, we are
already getting up in numbers.
As you are looking at whether or not this is going to be a
good idea, have your Realtor run the comps to see what other move-in ready homes
in the neighborhood are selling for. If
the numbers are higher than what you will be paying for the house plus the cost
of the renovation, then you are in good shape.
The bigger the spread the better.
Using the example from before:
Purchase Price: $225k
+ Renovation Budget: $75k + Personal Reserves: (10-20%) $7,500-15,000 (Let’s
use the higher figure of $15,000 for this example.)= $315,000
Neighborhood Comps: $375,000
- $315,000 = $60,000 Net equity
Is this a good value?
YES!
NOTE: When you move
forward with the purchase, the appraiser is going to use the comps in the
neighborhood and determine the value of YOUR property based on the total loan,
which is the purchase price PLUS the renovation funds. He will value the property based on what your
contractor proposal states will be completed.
Next week, we will look at how to stay organized and sane
throughout the process. In the meantime,
give me a call at 478-973-2684, text, email me at Janie.pugh@carolinaone.com or
comment on these posts if you have any questions or would like to discuss
purchasing a home to renovate.
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Doing Your Due Diligence: Renovation for Real!
You are pre-qualified and know what you can afford. After scouring the listings and looking at properties, you have found the perfect
house! When you write an offer on the
desired property, be sure to include a period of due diligence of two weeks or
so. This will give you the opportunity
to take care of several necessary steps to ensure you want to move forward with
the purchase. Due diligence is important
whether you are buying a property to rehab or one that is move-in ready.
The first two things you need to address are getting a home
inspection and a termite inspection. In a hot market, inspectors are extremely busy, and availability is limited. You have to get the inspection completed
during the due diligence, so start calling inspectors immediately. The home inspection is a great way to find
out what NEEDS to be done as well as providing a “punch list” of things that
SHOULD be done, but could possibly wait until later. The termite inspection will determine if there is any recent or active termite infestation, and if there is a need to address those concerns. A termite inspector can also determine if there is a presence of mold that needs to be further evaluation for potential remediation. Mold can be a deal-killer if it is extensive, as it can be costly to remove. And since the property is being sold "AS IS", the seller is not likely to step in to pay for any repairs or removal.
Soon after the inspection, you need to meet with a
contractor to get estimates. And just as
the home inspectors are slammed right now, so are the contractors. If you haven’t already found a contractor,
you need to get busy finding one now! Ideally,
you should have a contractor at the ready before you even start the home search.
After you get your inspection report, you need to go through
it and prioritize the items. We listed
our items in 5 Phases: “HAVE to HAVES”, “NEED
to HAVE” (but could wait a bit, if necessary) “Would LIKE to Have”, “ENHANCEMENTS”, and “ICING THE CAKE!”
Once you have an itemized list of what you need/want to have done, schedule a meeting with the contractor to get estimates for the work. It is a good idea to get a couple estimates so you can make sure you are getting the best value and quality of work you can afford. The best way to find a good contractor is word of mouth/referral!
“HAVE TO HAVES” are
things such as electrical, plumbing, roof, HVAC, structural, basic flooring, systems
and environmental/hazardous conditions.
If you are getting FHA 203(K) financing, these are items that will be
required by the lender.
“NEED to HAVES” are things such as re-finishing the floors, upgrade to tile shower, new tub, vanities, painting interior, replacing door hardware, replacing light fixtures, gutters, etc.
“Would LIKE to Have” would be things such as a second
oven/microwave combo, upgraded appliances, adding laundry cabinets and mud sink, butler’s pantry, bathroom
additions, crown molding, painting exterior, exterior lighting upgrades, gas line to outside lights, etc.
“ENHANCEMENTS” would be crown molding, custom window treatments, room additions, adding gas to replace current stove with gas range, landscape improvements,etc.
“THE ICING ON THE CAKE!” would be room additions, wet-bar, extensive landscape improvements, etc.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Not only do you need the contractor to give you estimates for cost, you
need timeline estimates, as well. What
is their anticipated date of completion?
Are you planning for the entire project to be completed right away, or
are you doing it in phases over time? If
the renovation is for a home that you will be moving into, what is your target
move-in date and does it mesh with the contractor’s estimated date of
completion? Always allow extra time for completion, as
delays are inevitable.
Based on the estimates as compared to your renovation budget, you can determine how much of the itemized list the contractors can complete up-front, and which items need to wait until a later date.
Tomorrow, we will cover estimates, comps, value and re-negotiation: Is it worth the investment?
Lovin' Life in the Low Country,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Financing Options: Renovation for Real!
If you are buying an “AS IS” home that requires extensive restoration, you will not be able to get traditional financing such as a straight FHA or VA loan. Depending on the amount of repairs that are necessary, you may not be able to get a conventional loan, either. Don’t get discouraged thinking your only option in buying a fixer upper is to pay cash. You have other options: Renovation Loans.
When shopping for a lender, be aware that not all lenders offer renovations loans. If you have a preferred lender that does NOT do them, they can refer you out to someone who does. Gateway Mortgage is one company that does them. They know the process and do it well. Gracen Watts is the Charleston-area contact that I work with. Get in touch with her here: http://www.gatewayloan.com/officers/gracen-watts/
Renovation loans are added to the purchase price of the house, and financed into your mortgage. FHA offers a renovation loan called a 203(k) loan. This type loan requires a minimum down payment of 3.5% of the total loan-to-value. The lender will require you to get a home inspection by a 203(k) certified inspector, (which costs 2-3 times more than a regular home inspection), and you will have to get a 203(k) certified contractor to will do the work. These inspectors and contractors are hard to find, so going FHA 203(k) may not be the easiest route to take.
Another, more cost-efficient, less stressful renovation loan is a conventional renovation loan, called HomeStyle. This loan requires a minimum 5% loan-to-value down payment. Your home inspection can be any licensed home inspector, and your contractor must be licensed and approved by the lender. What if you are purchasing the property as an investment that you plan to “flip”? Your required down payment is 15% loan to value.
Let’s take a look at an example: Your lender pre-qualifies you for $300,000. You find a house you want to purchase that your Realtor® has negotiated down to a price of $225,000. This leaves you with the option to use $75,000 for your renovation budget. The house will show up as a sale price of $225,000 in the tax records, but your mortgage will be for $300,000 minus your 5% down payment. The total loan amount you will finance is $285,000. Once you get the A-OK, thumbs-up, pre-qualification letter from your lender, you are good to go make an offer! Once your Realtor® negotiates your best deal, all terms are agreed upon, the contract is ratified, and you've performed your due diligence, your lender will order an appraisal. As long as the post-construction value of the home is $300,000 (the total mortgage, which is $300,000 for this example), or more, you are good to go!
Tomorrow, we will cover what needs to happen during your period of due diligence, prior to the appraisal being ordered.
For more information about renovation loans and pre-qualification, give me a call and I will put you in touch with a lender in your area that can best serve your needs. Or contact your preferred lender and they can refer you to someone that services renovation loans. And of course, if you are interested in pursuing the purchase or sale of real estate in the greater-Charleston area, give me a call!
For more information about renovation loans and pre-qualification, give me a call and I will put you in touch with a lender in your area that can best serve your needs. Or contact your preferred lender and they can refer you to someone that services renovation loans. And of course, if you are interested in pursuing the purchase or sale of real estate in the greater-Charleston area, give me a call!
Lovin' Life in the Lowcountry,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Renovation for Real: Getting Started
Enter HGTV and all its fixer-upper, flip or flop, property
brother shows that make it look so easy and effortless. Just turn it over to the pros and they will
move walls and pipes to turn that Pepto pink, mint green, purple carpeted shack
into your dream castle. Piece of cake,
right?
Not so fast. While
HGTV has a lot of great reality shows, it IS still entertainment media. And, as in any renovation project, large or
small, there are steps, details, and a lot of “behind the scenes” activity
that has to happen to pull off a successful renovation. The activity you don't always see on tv is the non-glamorous, hard work and stressful details that go into pulling it off.
Now don’t get me wrong: I LOVE HGTV.
I personally know the creator of the network that launched in the
mid-90’s, and admire his brilliant vision that has since become a household acronym. And by the way...I love me some Property Brothers! (This was taken at the NAR Annual Conference in San Diego, November 2015. Too bad I didn't know I was going to buy a fixer upper when I got to meet them!) But reality tv and REALITY are
not the same thing. HGTV is for stimulating vision to share with the
experts you will hire to do the jobs you aren’t qualified to do yourself.
One of the experts you need to start with would be me. Or, a Realtor you know, like and trust…(And
preferably, someone experienced with buying and selling distressed properties). I am a licensed Realtor. An expert in real estate. I am NOT a contractor. I am NOT a plumber. I am NOT an electrician. I am NOT a carpenter. I don’t lay tile. I don’t replace roofs or HVAC units. When you want something done right, you hire
an expert. I can’t tell you how many
houses I have walked into that were DIY disasters that could have been avoided
had the right professional been hired from the start.
So let’s get started with the process. You have decided you want to buy a
fixer-upper. You hire someone like me to
represent you as your Realtor, to make sure the purchase goes smoothly from
start to finish. What comes next?
Financing!
How do you plan to finance the
purchase of the home? Are you paying
cash or will you need to get financing from a lender? When you plan to purchase a home, whether it
is a fixer-upper or move-in ready, financing must be addressed before you get
started. Knowing your options will help
you determine what to look for.
Lovin' Life in the Lowcountry,
Janie
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Flip, Flop, Fix, Up...Renovation for Real!
Now that the real estate market is heating up, it seems
people are getting excited about buying and selling homes again. The problem with a hot market is the lack of
supply to meet the needs of the people that are looking to buy. Depending on which market you live, you may
find yourself challenged to find that perfect home that fits into your budget. As a Realtor, I work with clients every day
that are frustrated when they can’t find that perfect home. As a consumer, I recently joined the
thousands of other folks in the greater Charleston market in trying to find
that perfect home for me and my family. And
we, too, became frustrated. Homes would
come on the market and within days (and sometimes hours) had ratified contracts
on them.
When you move from one market to another (and in our case,
from one state to another), you will likely find a big difference is home
styles and prices. In some cases, it
will work to your advantage. In others,
if might make it harder to afford what you previously had. Before getting disappointed, it is important
to look at all factors that will affect the ultimate affordability of your new
home. For instance, tax rates vary from
state to state, so what may seem like an unobtainable goal is simply a matter
of how your monthly payment breaks down.
In our case, we moved from an area where the tax rate was almost three
times what it is in our new market. So
we were able to afford a higher purchase price since our annual taxes were so
much less. In order to find out what
price you can afford in your particular area, you have to start by getting
pre-qualified. (We will go over that in
more detail in the next post.)
So what about a fixer-upper? Would we be able to get what we wanted if we went that route? Hmmmm.....
Several years ago, before moving to Charleston, my husband and I started talking about a career goal to expand my real estate business into a family business of buying and selling fixer uppers. Since I have the real estate expertise, my daughter is an interior designer and my husband has man-power forecasting and project management experience, it seemed like a natural progression for my career. Little did we know, our first “project” would be our own home that just so happened as the result of a random drive through a neighborhood and seeing a crooked “For Sale By Owner” sign on a house with broken, cobweb-covered porch lights, overgrown ivy-covered brick exterior, but an amazing park-like yard.
Several years ago, before moving to Charleston, my husband and I started talking about a career goal to expand my real estate business into a family business of buying and selling fixer uppers. Since I have the real estate expertise, my daughter is an interior designer and my husband has man-power forecasting and project management experience, it seemed like a natural progression for my career. Little did we know, our first “project” would be our own home that just so happened as the result of a random drive through a neighborhood and seeing a crooked “For Sale By Owner” sign on a house with broken, cobweb-covered porch lights, overgrown ivy-covered brick exterior, but an amazing park-like yard.
Join me for this daily blog-series as we walk through the process
of buying a fixer-upper, from start to finish.
Starting with the pre-qualification process, we will move through the
day-to-day expectations to celebrating the final product!
Lovin' Life in the Lowcountry,
Janie
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Handicapped-Accessible Home For Sale in Charleston (Summerville), SC
Listing Price: $169,500
Just listed, this 1,593 square foot, all-brick, single-story home sits toward the back of a quiet cul-de-sac. The home is handicapped accessible, including walk-in shower, walk-in jetted bathtub/spa, safety bars and ramps. Enjoy 2 separate living areas, one with a wood-burning fireplace. The family room looks out to the large sun room with new vinyl windows and hot tub. Easily access the large privacy-fenced back yard that has an extra parking pad large enough for boats, an RV, etc. Spacious workshop built onto the back of the house, and storage shed in back yard are a great place for tools and lawn equipment. The garage has been converted to heated/cooled living space that is a perfect playroom, media or game room. The 2-car carport is large enough to hold over-sized vehicles. Large laundry room with cabinets and room for extra storage shelves.
Call me at 843-410-9906 for more information or to schedule a tour of this conveniently located home.
Lovin' Life in the Lowcountry,
Janie
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Dreaming Big and Leaving a Little Sparkle Wherever You Go!
Three weeks into the New Year....How are you holding up on your "Resolutions"? I decided not to use the "R" word, and instead, am working to keep my GOALS in check.
As I sat down with my notes to plan for this week, I started by looking at what happened last week to define my focus for the upcoming week. At the beginning of the year, I decided my motivation would get momentum if I wrote down and celebrated the good things that happen along the way to achieving the big goals. But not only do I celebrate getting to check things off on my "Ta-Da" list, but I love it when I get to be a part of someone else's celebration and leave a little sparkle along the way!
So this week, the sparkle was left......
1. At the house I just listed. I hired a professional home stager to come out to prepare for the home for photos. The transformation was amazing, and my client/home owner was absolutely thrilled!
2. At the class I taught my fellow agents. I had the privilege to teach some of the newer agents in my office, (as well as some of the more seasoned), about keeping business models, plans and goals at the forefront of their minds. I love to share things I have learned over the years, but also to interact with others to brainstorm ideas. We all need to stay open to learning from each other every day.
3. At the business lunch I attended with a new referring partner. After attending a networking event week before last, I had lunch with someone I had met along with another potential referring partner in his office. Business is so much more productive when you have a strong referring partnership with those you know.
4. At my Carolina One awards night. Confetti, glitz, sparkle and glam was everywhere on Saturday night when my brokerage hosted its annual awards night at the Charleston Music Hall, recognizing leaders in all phases of our company, and their contributions and hard work in our industry. A night to celebrate accomplishments of so many goals!
5. On the football field. I love that both teams I was pulling for to go to the Super Bowl, won! LOTS of sparkle on those fields!
6. At my church. My church is in growth mode, and we just had our first contemporary service to add a new dimension to the choice of worship within the same church: traditional or contemporary. The service was wonderful and it is a pleasure to see the vision and dreams of the church being realized!
Keeping goals in sight, let's see how much sparkle we can leave this week!
"It's about dreaming big and doing whatever is necessary, day after day, to make those dreams come true." -Peyton Manning
Lovin' Life in the Lowcountry,
Janie
As I sat down with my notes to plan for this week, I started by looking at what happened last week to define my focus for the upcoming week. At the beginning of the year, I decided my motivation would get momentum if I wrote down and celebrated the good things that happen along the way to achieving the big goals. But not only do I celebrate getting to check things off on my "Ta-Da" list, but I love it when I get to be a part of someone else's celebration and leave a little sparkle along the way!
So this week, the sparkle was left......
1. At the house I just listed. I hired a professional home stager to come out to prepare for the home for photos. The transformation was amazing, and my client/home owner was absolutely thrilled!
2. At the class I taught my fellow agents. I had the privilege to teach some of the newer agents in my office, (as well as some of the more seasoned), about keeping business models, plans and goals at the forefront of their minds. I love to share things I have learned over the years, but also to interact with others to brainstorm ideas. We all need to stay open to learning from each other every day.
3. At the business lunch I attended with a new referring partner. After attending a networking event week before last, I had lunch with someone I had met along with another potential referring partner in his office. Business is so much more productive when you have a strong referring partnership with those you know.
4. At my Carolina One awards night. Confetti, glitz, sparkle and glam was everywhere on Saturday night when my brokerage hosted its annual awards night at the Charleston Music Hall, recognizing leaders in all phases of our company, and their contributions and hard work in our industry. A night to celebrate accomplishments of so many goals!
5. On the football field. I love that both teams I was pulling for to go to the Super Bowl, won! LOTS of sparkle on those fields!
6. At my church. My church is in growth mode, and we just had our first contemporary service to add a new dimension to the choice of worship within the same church: traditional or contemporary. The service was wonderful and it is a pleasure to see the vision and dreams of the church being realized!
Keeping goals in sight, let's see how much sparkle we can leave this week!
"It's about dreaming big and doing whatever is necessary, day after day, to make those dreams come true." -Peyton Manning
Lovin' Life in the Lowcountry,
Janie
My mission statement: To live each day to the fullest, with excitement, enthusiasm and a strong desire to build a successful and highly respected real estate business, earned by developing relationships through consistent and predictably high work ethic of always going above and beyond, and always doing so with a creative surprise up my sleeve.
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