Hawaii Randy's Real Estate Opinions: April 2009

In the last month or so, I have seen usually reliable lenders getting stacked up and unable to handle the recent surge of business with the same level of customer service as in the past.

Last year things were slow and the banks were cutting back on staff.  Many brokers closed their doors and now things are picking up again.  There are fewer players to compete today for that business.  A couple of lenders in our area who have been steady as the rock of Gibraltar are now stumbling.  They have also tightened up with more than normal conditions on loans before funding.  That was expected with the environment that they are working under.

I am not sure they really want my advice, but here it is anyway.

• Remember who brought you to the dance.  Real estate agents like me bring you steady business, without compensation.  My only vested interest is to get my clients good service.
• Make me look good.
• Communicate with me and my clients.
• Give us realistic timelines that you can meet.
• Take Care of my Clients!

I depend on repeat and referrals.  Clients that are dissatisfied or merely satisfied will not refer their friends to me.  They need to be wowed by the experience of buying their home that includes your part of the process.  When I recommend a vender to my client they grade me on your performance also.

I keep a list of venders that I and my clients have had good experiences with.  It takes a lot to get on that list.  I know many loan officers and lenders and only a small select group makes my list.  That is the same with the other types of venders.  You can however be knocked off my list in an instant.  That is true of the rest of the real estate agents in our area.

Banks may be busy today with refinancing, but that will not always be the case.  When the surge of refis flush through the system, will you still be getting the home buyers through us?  If you drop the ball today, you will be back on the street trying to replace that lost future business.

That is Hawaii Randy's tip for the day.

For Immediate Release

April 6, 2009

Hawaii Chess Federation

P.O. Box 893636 • Mililani, HI  96789

• Contact:  Randy L. Prothero
• President
• (808) 384-5645
• gambit7@hawaii.rr.com
• www.HawaiiChess.org

Hawaii Chess Kids Do Well at SuperNationals Tournament

A small group of youngsters representing Hawaii performed extraordinarily well.  Over 5,000 youngsters gathered this weekend, representing 47 states, for the Super Nationals, grades K-12 (all Nationals combined) in Nashville.  Even though there are lower rated divisions, all Hawaii players competed in their respective Championship Division, the highest available for their respective age/grade group.

Here are the results and awards.

Championship (Open) Divisions (Game/2 hours):

• K-5, Ford Nakagawa, NATIONAL CO-CHAMPION! (State Elementary K-6 Champ, The Children's House and Mililani Chess Club):  http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K5
• K-12, Robert Lau, 3^rd Place (High School State Champion, 2-time National Champion, Mililani High School & Mililani Chess Club) http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K12
• K-8, Eldon Nakagawa, 5^th Place (State K-8 Co-Champ, Our Savior Lutheran, Mililani Chess Club) http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K12
• Team, K-9, Kamehameha Schools, 5^th  Place http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=TEAM&xsection=K9
• K-9 Unrated:  Lucas Beddow, 1^{st Place}  (Kamehameha Schools),
• K-1:  Patrick Perry, (Aikahi Elementary), 5-2 Score:  http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K1
• K-9 Tristan Kaonohi, Kamehameha Schools & Mililani Chess Club) 4.5-2.5 score: http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K9
• K-9 Likeke Aipa, Kamehameha Schools 4-3 score http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K9

Blitz (Game/5 mins):

• K-12:  Robert Lau, (High School State Champion), Mililani High, 9-3 score: http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=BLITZ12
• K-9:  Tristan Kaonohi, (Kamehameha Schools), 9-3 score:  http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=BLITZ9
• K-9:  Likeke Aipa, (Kamehameha Schools), 8.5-3.5 score
• K-9, Eldon Nakagawa, (Our Savior Lutheran) 8-4 score
• K-6:  Ford Nakagawa, (Elementary State Champion), The Children's House, 10-2 score:  ^{http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=BLITZ6}  
• Team, K-9, Kamehameha, (State Middle School Team Champions; Tristan Kaonohi, Likeke Aipa, Jakob White, Nathaniel Brown, Lucas Beddow), tied for 3^rd & 4^th:  http://www.alchess.com/chess/09/super/?page=TEAM&xsection=BLITZ9
• K-9:  Lucas Beddow, Kamehameha, Unrated, 2^nd

A special "Thank You" to Guy Ontai our state scholastic director for traveling with the team and reporting back on their progress.

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This last year has been an amazing one.  I knew that the market and the rules would be changing.  Changes would be coming and they would be dramatic.  Those expecting them are not disappointed.  Those doing business the same way they did in years past are probably not doing so well or may have already left the business.

In my market, sales activity has cooled over the record sales volume of a couple years ago.  Sellers are seeing homes sit on the market for months instead of days.  They are looking for the best agent they can find and no longer just looking for the cheapest.  Buyers are on the internet and loaded with data.  They have a better knowledge of the market and the numbers.  They are also prescreening agents online before contacting them.  Real estate agents without a strong internet presence can't are not doing so well these days.

We went from having a website to have a blog like on Active Rain to now being on social networks and having multiple websites with IDX engines and multiple blogs.  Our listings a few years ago were posted on the MLS.  Today we post them on dozens of websites, have virtual tours and create a website for each and every listing with its own domain name.

Listing presentations went from tax records and comparable sales to now adding satellite photos, demographics, maps, charts, detailed marketing plans and computer demonstrations.  In this information age what we did a couple of years ago is no longer even the bare minimum.  You need to take it to a much higher level and you need to incorporate technology.

You also need to take your personal marketing to a much higher level.  Clients are looking at your personal marketing.  If you are not doing a good job of that, what message are you sending about the kind of job you will do for them?  Many of the new clients I picked up the last two years specifically mentioned my personal marketing as a reason.

Clients are looking at your bio.  Have you invested in your career?  Do you have professional development and designations?  I hear the argument that those are just alphabets and the public has no idea what they are.  WRONG!  They are on the internet and they are reading.  Even if they do not know what they mean, they know they need them.  While taking a class a couple of years ago the instructor made that very point.  When he had to have oral surgery, he had no idea what the designations after his surgeons name were; he just knew he needed them.  He did not want the surgeon without them.  I am sure in today's world he will Google^TM them.

So if you do not feel the need to utilize technology in your real estate business, not to worry.  The world need ditch diggers.  If you are looking to buy or sell residential real estate in Hawaii, please check me out.  You will receive the VIP treatment.

I have to run.  I am meeting today with a new client who met me through my website:  www.HawaiiRandy.com