That AH-HA moment....

Have you ever been walking along and things you really need just fall into your lap, or you just "wing-it" and finish your task with stellar quality and say "man that was a really good job"?   No? yeah, me either.  It seems we all need to work to get the end result we need.

I had a huge AH-HA moment last week that just really made me feel proud from the inside out.

I have been in the process of moving my family's home to a new house.  I had originally planned to take the week off to focus on getting our belongings moved.  But, in the life of a Real Estate Agent, that never fully means you are free from work.  There are always things going on with current contracts that you have to tend to, phone calls to answer, showing requests to confirm, and emails to read.  So when agents say "take time off" we really mean that we just aren't lead generating.  Because afterall - to stay afloat as an agent - lead generation consumes 80% of the work you do.

So mid-week last week I get a call from a neighbor to one of the houses I currently have listed.  On the phone we talked about his situation with he and his 4 other siblings selling his mother's house.  In the midst of the discussion I'm recalling the house he has and realize it is the best house in this highly sought-after neighborhood.  Now, regardless of the size of the house, I would have still made the appointment during my busy week, because, well, at the end of the day, work never stops.  At the end of the phone conversation he informs me that he is interviewing other agents as well.

Competition?  Hmmm, what do I have to show this prospect that others don't?  The wheels start turning.  What do I have that other's don't?

AH -HA!!

I have a marketing plan!   I have an education in marketing!  I have a passion for marketing!

So, I dropped my boxes, jumped in the shower, flew to the office and put my plan to paper.

Selling a house is way more than putting a sign in the yard and punching some quirky words into the MLS....its standing on a platform and shouting to the world "THIS HOUSE IS FOR SALE AND ITS FABULOUS!"

I devised a spectacular plan to market this client's house and I mapped it out for him in a 7 day schedule.  And the entire marketing plan was built to take place before the house even hit the market.

It's called the PRE-Marketing plan. 

I drove over to my client's house feeling nervous, excited, and curious all at the same time.  From the moment I stepped in I felt like I had complete control of the entire situation.  I went over each day's schedule of the Pre-Marketing Plan and let him know exactly what I was going to do to help sell his house quickly.   After all the questions were answered and I felt he understood the importance of things like a Neighbor's Only Open House, a Broker's Only Open House and double Open Houses on the weekend he looked at me and said "I interviewed 3 other agents for this house and it will be my recommendation to the other siblings that you sell our house" 

AH-HA!!!  PRIDE!  I felt proud and confident that I have achieved the one goal I set out when I first decided to get my real estate license.  That goal was to do it better.   And yes, I'm a new agent, and yes I have that new blind ambition, but there really IS a better way to do everything.  There are no rules.  Well, ok yes, there are rules, but there are no limits to creativity within those rules.  When you lack creativity or you tell yourself "that doesn't work" then you end up being the one that doesn't get picked.


Have a plan, have confidence in your plan, believe in your plan and then put the plan to action.

Houses should be sold with a plan.  If you want to see what that plan looks like, LET'S TALK!

The Lender of the Month! Gateway Mortgage

I just wrapped up a closing last week where Gateway Mortgage and their great team did a fantastic job with a client of mine who were using a VA loan to fund their purchase.  They knocked it out of the park for this couple.  As a real estate agent, one of the things that made Gateway stand out to me is that each Thursday Tom would call me and give me an update on the status of our file.  This goes far in my book.  I hate being left out of the loop.  When my client calls me and tells me about the hoops their lender are making them jump through and I don't know about it yet, its frustrating.

I had the chance to interview Tom Rosser at Gateway Mortgage and asked him some questions that I feel most home buyers want to know.

Name: Tom Rosser

Company: Gateway Mortgage Group

Your Team: The Rosser Team – Tom Rosser, Georgia Neil and Kimberly Jackson

How long have you been handling mortgages for home buyers? 31 years of combined mortgage banking experience

What do you love about your job? There are so many reasons I love my job;  I love the problem solving side of it when we are working with homebuyers that may not have ideal credit / income.  I love the competitive side of it when we are working with homebuyers that are comparing us to other mortgage lenders.  My favorite part would have to be the rewarding feeling at the closing table knowing we took excellent care of our clients and they enjoyed working with us through the homebuying process.

What are various types of loans Gateway Mortgage can offer home buyers?  We offer all the residential mortgage programs out there, FHA, VA, Conventional, USDA (Rural Development), 203K Rehabilitation loans, Construction loans, Native American Home Loans and Reverse Mortgages. 

What makes Gateway shine against other mortgage companies? We shine in so many ways - our level of service would be my first answer here.  We are very competitive with low rates and low costs so it comes down how we treat the people we are working with.  Our #1 goal is to WOW people with our service, our communication and with the overall experience they have with Gateway Mortgage Group.  In the Oklahoma market we shine because we are an Oklahoma company as well.  We originate, process, underwrite, close, fund and service our loans right here in Oklahoma. 

One important piece of advice to anyone considering getting a mortgage? Be prepared to document your income, assets and identity.  We are in a market that is highly regulated, in order to stay compliant you may be asked for documents that were not required when you purchased a home a few years or even a few months ago.    

What are today's interests rates?  Today’s rates vary depending on several factors including type of loan, term of loan, down pmt, credit score, etc…  The easy answer would be rates are generally in the 4’s for 30 year mortgages. 

If you could have one superhero power, what would it be?  Flying!  Would love to be able to get from one place to another quicker!

Other great things people should know about Gateway Mortgage?  We are an Oklahoma based mid-sized privately held Private Mortgage Bank.  We are here to help! 

Tom Rosser

OKC Branch Manager

NMLS# 273804

2200 NW 50^th Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73112

405-751-3800 (Office) / 405-445-7728 (Efax)

Thomas.Rosser@gatewayloan.com

www.gatewayokc.com