by Anne Hartman | May 25, 2020 | Real Estate, Real Estate Ethics, Uncategorized
Throw a pebble in a pond and ripples roll out. Throw several pebbles in and more ripples roll out and collide and form new patterns. Close a business down and people not associated with the business are affected. The restaurant is closed. Power use age goes down,...
by Anne Hartman | May 12, 2020 | Real Estate Education, Real Estate School, Washington State Department of Licensing
Most of us remember Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare. In business and in life some of us are hares – first to respond to the latest trend, first to have the latest gadget. And some of us are tortoises. But we keep on ‘keeping on’ and get there in...
by Anne Hartman | Jun 9, 2018 | Real Estate Ethics
I taught a class yesterday on Ethics and several of the agents in the class shared a new trend that seems to be happening. The trend certainly points to low ethical standards if not outright misrepresentation. It seems agents are ‘virtual staging’ houses. That is...
by Anne Hartman | Jun 5, 2018 | Clock Hour Certificates, Real Estate, Real Estate School
The real estate market is turning and we are seeing an uptick in folks taking the pre-license exam. Is a real estate career a good choice for you? We recommend you do some careful study before rushing in to take the required courses and exams. First, interview a...
by Anne Hartman | Jun 5, 2018 | Licensing Law, Washington State Department of Licensing
A lot of folks would say yes. I hear many complaints from agents who think the licensing requirements need to be raised as they are fed up with dealing with untrained and unprofessional agents. Changing the requirements would be a challenge as the wheels of change...
by Anne Hartman | Jun 5, 2018 | Real Estate
How skilled are you as a real estate agent? Do you take all your Continuing Education classes online? Do you go to live classes? What is your goal in taking the classes? Is it just to get the 30 hour requirement out of your hair? Or is it to learn something? Would...
by Anne Hartman | May 19, 2018 | Licensing Law, Real Estate, Real Estate Education
The offer was $10k low asking for $9k in closing costs. The lender letter said that was all the buyers were approved for. The seller was going to reject it. After all the property had only been on the market for 5 days and was located in a very rural area where 30...
by Anne Hartman | Apr 9, 2018 | Washington State Department of Licensing
Once again I heard an agent complain about the lack of integrity and professionalism in the real estate industry and ‘why doesn’t the DOL (Dept of Licensing) do something about it?”. So I asked my usual question, “Did you file a complaint with the DOL?”. Well, of...
by Anne Hartman | Mar 20, 2018 | Real Estate, Uncategorized
Appraisal came in low. Listing agent protested. Loan officer asked for the comps the agent had that justified the purchase price. Listing agent said, ‘I don’t have any’. Loan officer tried again. ‘Do you have your CMA from when you listed the property?’ ‘I don’t...
by Anne Hartman | Feb 28, 2018 | Real Estate, Real Estate Education, Real Estate Scams
An LPO had a recent unsavory experience. The elderly buyers were in Texas; their son was in Seattle. The son called the LPO angry because she hadn’t ‘kept him in the loop’ as promised. It seems his folks had called concerned because they were at the bank ready to...
