Notes From A Naples Real Estate Conference Call
Good Day, Naples Friends! Here are just a few notes I took during my Naples real estate conference call yesterday. Much more was discussed so if you’d like to know some other details, hit me up directly!
Who Was On The Call?
It’s important to note this attorney sent out sixty invites to join the call. 9,000 REALTORS exist in Naples, and 60 agents received the invitation. In other words, .006% of the Collier County REALTOR population was welcomed to listen. There were 75 RSVPs, and while those additional 15 did so, only 60 people were on the call. LOL! Do you see what I’m saying? When this man talks, people listen! No invite = No link to join. His messages are easily a top 1% most important Naples real estate event of the year. I remember the first time I received an invite twenty years ago. I was so nervous as I entered the conference room. LOL! I took my seat, glanced around the room, and thought, good grief, if a bomb were to drop on this room, 99% of all Naples real estate sales would fail. Many believe 20% handle 80% of the business…not in Naples.
4 Points Discussed
NAR Settlement Details and Possible Effects. He spent a fair amount of time discussing what he’s hearing across the State and possible outcomes once these new rules take effect. The bottom line is that while we are only 60 days out, there is no clean solution to handle our business, and the results will likely resemble an unorganized circus. Please bear with us while we try to guess what the DOJ is trying to accomplish. While on the topic, why are so many people in everybody else’s business about their income? Pardon me. It’s not just us REALTORS who are in the crosshairs. The State of Delaware told Elon Musk he couldn’t have his raise after he hit his performance targets. Lucky for him, his shareholders told Delaware to pound sand (sort of) and reinstated his raise. I sure wish the NAR had protected us REALTORS a little better than they did.
Yesterday, Senator Richard Blumenthal broiled the CEO of Boeing about his salary. I usually like Senator Blumenthal, but yesterday’s hearing was about the safety shenanigans going on at Boeing, NOT about the amount the CEO of Boeing was getting paid. Judging other people’s income is becoming a gross trend of overreach and misdirection. This company is publicly traded! Boeing’s shareholders and board should be asking those questions. Am I wrong?! But let’s pretend some members of Congress aren’t involved in insider trading…ok. We are veering further off the road of consumer protection! How is making it harder for buyers and sellers to trade real estate a good idea? How has nobody considered that the buyers requiring a loan will be the most affected?! Unbelievable!
- More Insurance BS. While we’re on the topic of stuff that isn’t right…Sellers will now be required to provide additional disclosure about Flood Insurance. Specifically, flood insurance is separate from your homeowner’s insurance policy. That part is excellent and essential. Unsuspecting buyers should be alerted. But it may be difficult or impossible for you to obtain insurance. Well done, insurance companies! You will want to make sure you can get insurance (if you need it) because you do not automatically have an out on the contract if you can’t obtain it. Ask me more about how I can protect and prevent you from losing your deposit.
- The Magic Eight Condo Questions. He also gave us eight questions we should help Buyers ask when buying a condo, especially if you’re buying close to the beach in areas like Bay Colony, Park Shore, Moorings, Coquina Sands and Vanderbilt Beach. These questions are brilliant and SO incredibly important to protect a buyer. Also, knowing those questions in advance will help our Sellers prepare. TRUE STORY: Yesterday, I called an agent about one of his listings. My Buyer wanted to know a few things about the HOA before proceeding. His response sounded like: Are you asking because you have a client? Because I get used all the time by other agents just wanting information for themselves. I thought to myself, are you kidding right now? Does your Seller know you talk to people like this? Instead, I just said, No, I have a client asking, and I have the same manager’s number you do. I just assumed you would have already had that information in your file. Now that I know he didn’t also tips me off that he hasn’t had any serious buyers. See what happened there? Good grief.
- Hire an Idiot, Pay an Idiot! For those of you who think all REALTORS are dumb and we’re all cut from the same cloth, we aren’t. We ALL can’t stand working with idiots, not even the guy who orchestrated his conference call yesterday. Quit hiring morons. Buyers will soon be required to sign a freaking contract promising to pay a Buyer’s agent BEFORE they see their first house! Is that not the stupidest thing you’ve ever heard? That’s like asking for a wedding ring before your first date. What a joke. At least 60 agents in this town have an insane edge due to the vast knowledge gathered over decades of providing exceptional service. Our attendance at these “Masters of the Universe” powwows, like the one I attended yesterday, magnifies our business acumen and helps us provide even a higher level of value and protection. Buyers will have the choice to work with agents who charge less. Don’t cry to the rest of us when you lose your $500,000 deposit or have to pay up on that Buyer’s agent contract after they sucked all the way through your transaction.
I recognize my post sounds uncustomarily snarky today. Please consider my attitude an illustration of my passion for my career and my industry. That passion is part of what makes me an exceptional REALTOR. Helping people like you make sound business decisions and helping them accomplish their real estate objectives has been a fulfilling career so far. If you are in search of a REALTOR who can handle their business and yours, you should call me.
Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!
239-595-6223