Melbourne Real Estate News, Brevard County FL Real Estate by Sandy Shores REALTOR®

12 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 22 2009 10:18AM

I Don't Care for Upfront Deals with Tenants Prior to Move In

This morning I went out and met a prospective tenant at one of my rental houses. They were are a very nice family and their parents came to look at the house also. They had a lot of good questions for me. We have agreed that they are going to rent the home.

The tenant of 7 years moved out of the home a couple of weeks ago. They left the home in impeccable condition, just normal wear and tear. Since my husband had been out of town on business, he hasn't gotten over to the house to take an inventory of what needs to be done prior to a new tenant move in. There are a couple of rooms that could use a quick coat of paint.

The prospective tenant asked if they could paint the home prior to move in. I know alot of landlords that allow this. I prefer to give a tenant a property upon move in, in the condition that we expect to get it the property back in.

We expect tenants of a couple of years to return a property in nearly move in condition. As time progresses, and they've been with us for an extended period of time, I know there are going to be items that need to be addressed by us, plus there is normal wear and tear on the property. I like to turn the key over to a new tenant with the house 100% complete upon move in.

I don't like to make arraangements with new tenants for them to paint or do any type of work before they move in. I really just don't care for this. I have seen landlords get their house back a year or two years later, without the paint ever being touched or the agreed upon repair work having been done. My feeling is that let's make sure we get started on the right foot on day one.

Now, after they've been there for a couple of years and they ask if they can paint, I am more than happy to go ahead and supply the paint to the tenant and let them paint to their heart's content.

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13 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 21 2009 07:33PM

Would it Take A Brick to Get your Attention?

My mother in law sent this to me a couple of months ago. It touched me deeply when I first read it, as it touched me again today as I read it again.

Would it take a brick to get your attention A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was blindly racing down the residential street, not paying much attention, as he car stereo blared. He was oblivious to everything around him. Until something smashed into the side of his Jag.

He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?'

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

The oblivious driver was taken aback. He peeked around the corner to the sight of the rumpled boy tumbled over in his wheelchair. The Jag driver tried to swallow the lump in his throat.. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver took much time before he bothered to repair the dented side door. The dented door sent a message.

'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'

Sometimes, someone whispers in our souls and speaks to our heart.

Sometimes when we don't have time to listen....

Sometimes we have to have someone throw a brick at us to get our attention.

It's our choice to listen or not.

-Author Unknown

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14 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 21 2009 07:04PM

We Become So Attached to these Furry Little Guys

A friend of ours called this morning to tell us the tragic news. Their golden retriever passed away yesterday, as he was hit by a car. The family is absolutely heartbroken. This is another reminder of how much we love our pets and become attached to them.

Our pets become like a member of the family. I know after the loss of our last dog, Nute, a doberman - great dane mix, it was 10 years before we decided to get another pet.

Having a dog is wonderful, as we become so accustomed to having them in our lives.

Everyday our dog, Bailey the Boxer brings a smile to my face. He is a wonderful family pet, loving, supportive, friendly and protective at the same time.

Bailey can hear a cottage cheese container or a yogurt container open a mile away.

He loves them both. He loves to lick the bottom of the container, even though his stubby little nose hinders him a bit.

Bailey the Boxer

It's funny if you've never watched a boxer before, they use their paws just like cats do. They hold things with their feet.

Bailey the Boxer

And you can see, he winds up with cottage cheese all over himself. But, he will clean up every last bit of it.

My heart goes out to our friends that lost their beautiful family friend.

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8 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 21 2009 02:48PM

Service With A Smile, and Another Smile and Yet Another Smile ... I Love it!

service with a smile and another and yet another I just came back from shopping at Home Depot. This is my husband's home away from home, his favorite store, his big toy store. My husband lives in Home Depot, at least 6 days a week, since he's in the remodeling business.

Well, I usually give him my list for Home Depot, because it's easier for him to just pick up the couple of things that I occasionally need there. But, today he's in Tampa, so I thought I would run in myself.

There were three employees standing by the door. In unison they welcomed me into the store and all of them asked if I needed any help. For me, it's just easier to ask where exactly what I am looking is, then I won't get lost. "Here let me show you, M'am," the cordial employee responded. I love the politeness, but I hate the M'am thing - it means I'm over 40 - ugh. I tell all of my teenagers friends, please don't call me M'am. I know...it's a sign of respect, but it makes me feel old.

Sorry, regressing there for a moment...anyway, the employee took me straight to the product, took it off the shelf for me and asked what else he could help me with. I told him, and he said he would show me where it was, "that's alright, just head me in the right direction," I responded.

On my way to Aisle 11, there were 3 different Home Depot employees that asked me how I was, and asked if I needed help. I love it. I felt like a queen! I love excellent customer service! And customer service with a smile is the best! Do they have to take some kind of personality test to be hired? Because every employee I met was happy, energetic and jovial.

My red carpet took me to aisle 11 and I found the product I was looking for. I had the 2 items I needed. Before I left that aisle, another employee walked up to me, "What can I help you with today, little lady?" Now, that's more like it, I'd rather be a little lady, than a M'am. "Well, I think I've got everything I need." "Are you sure I can't help you with anything else?" Now this was great! We chatted for a couple of minutes, I took him back to my product and comparison shopped it with him, and I was on my way.

On the way to the cashier one more employee approached me. "You all set for today?" "I believe that I am." We chatted for a few minutes.

As I approached the cashier, "I can help you here at the self serve check out." "Oh now," I joked, "my 13 year old daughter loves to be with me when I go to places with the self serve checkouts, she's the pro." "Let me do this for you," he insisted.

"You have a wonderful day, you hear?"

WOW!

I walked out of Home Depot with a smile from ear to ear this morning.

GREAT PEOPLE! GREAT EXPERIENCE! GREAT SERVICE! I LOVE HOME DEPOT!

I think that great customer service should be commended today, and had I am putting a call into the the manager of the store, to tell him/her about my wonderful experience!

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8 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 21 2009 12:03PM

What are Buyers Waiting For? Well They Can't Wait Anymore

what are buyers waiting for The real estate market seems to be ever changing. Buyers have been taking their time in making decisions on whether they should buy or wait. That's something that's been around for a while now. We take them out, show them some houses, and then they wait and wait and wait and wait some more.

Are they concerned about the market? The economy? Their job? Everyone has a different situation.

It seems that in the past buyers could wait around forever, no big deal, because the houses that they looked at would linger on the market.

But, I have begun to see a shift in our current market. Houses that a buyer looked at two to three weeks ago, are not staying on the market. They are going under contract. I have seen these in the under $200,000 range.

I have had situations with 3 different buyers that I have been working with, where this has happened in the past month.

I looked at several homes with a buyer 3 weeks ago, and she wants to look a second time, well 3 of the 6 properties she wants to see again, are under contract.

I have a buyer that I e mail new listings to everyday. We have gone out a couple of times viewing properties. He has waited a week or two to get back to me on some of the listings I sent him, only to find out that 2 of the homes he thought would be "perfect" had gone under contract. He was not very happy.

I went out with a young couple, first time homebuyers and we looked at 7 properties just over 2 weeks ago. 2 of the homes suited them perfectly. They called me yesterday to look at one of the homes again, to write an offer. The home is under contract. They were absolutely heartbroken. I felt bad for them.

I have been in contact with all of these buyers.

Our market here in Brevard County appears to be picking up. The well priced homes in good condition are moving quickly.

Today, buyers must be cautious in waiting for too long, especially if they see that house that they really have to have. It may not be there when they're ready to write that offer.

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56 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 20 2009 02:22PM

Such A Dilemma...

such a dilemma Well, I've always tried to make an effort to take care of myself. You know the saying, Healthy body, healthy mind. I have always been pretty good about exercising. But, now I have officially cut all junk food out of my diet. No chips, cookies, cakes, candy, fast food. No white bread or rolls (this kills me) - nothing out of a box. No red meat ( I didn't eat it anyway). Only whole foods, fresh fruits, nuts, soy, fish, chicken, turkey.

It's really not too bad. I really haven't found anything that I can't live without - YET. (Give it time, right?)

I have added fresh ginger and fresh cut garlic to my diet. You know they say that garlic is good for your heart. Now, I'm all for that!

BUT, the garlic is becoming a problem.

My teenage daughters tell me that I smell like garlic.

My husband tells me that I smell like garlic.

I know I smell like garlic.

So what do I do?

I usually add the cut garlic cloves to my tea in the morning.

But, 2 days ago I had a 9:00 AM appointment -right after I finished eating my garlic. I went to shake hands with the perspective tenants and I knew I smelled like garlic. No, I mean I really smelled like garlic!

"A new scent," I explained, "guaranteed to ward off vampires. Do you like it?"

All three of them quickly scurried to a different corner of the room, and raised their hands to their faces. In the blink of an eye they were gone.

So, do I focus on having a healthy heart or do I focus on not driving my customers off? If I continue on with the garlic, this could be bad for business. I'm afraid the garlic is gonna have to go.

Such a dilemma...

FOOTNOTE: This tenant actually ended up renting this house and as I apologized for the scent of garlic on my breath, the wife told me she hadn't noticed. I think she was being nice - LOL.

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8 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 20 2009 11:42AM

Coincidence or Just a Weird Twist of Fate?

coincidence or weird twist of fate

I was recently in Wal Mart, and I ran into an across the street neighbor of a rental house that my husband and I owned for over 10 years. The neighbor asked me if I had heard the news.

In 2005 we decided it was time to sell this rental house. It has served it's purpose for the time we owned it. We had one tenant in it for nearly 8 years and it had been a steady stream of income for us. However, it was a large home, over 1600 square feet of living. As properties values increased over the years, so did the taxes and the insurance on this home. We decided to sell this large rental in order to use the money to purchase two much smaller houses, in the under 1000 square foot range, as we know that smaller rentals bring in more money per square foot than larger ones do.

We sold to a wonderful family that was thrilled to get the home.

As I mentioned... the neighbor asked me if I had heard the news. She wondered if I knew that the military couple that had purchased this rental house from us had a tragedy. She told me that the husband (only about 50 years old) had died about 3 months ago. I was shocked. I hadn't heard this. "Was the wife going to be able to keep the house?" I asked. She said, "yes." I couldn't believe that this terrific man had passed.

The news was overwhelming. I always hate to hear stories of good people passing at such a young age. Previously...

In 2001, my husband and I sold our primary residence of 10 years to a great family that had rented a house from us for nearly 3 years. They were nice people and they loved their new home. A couple of years ago, I got a call from the wife. She told me that her husband had died at 53 years old from Diabetes. I couldn't believe that. I was shocked.

Now I was beginning to wonder... Just what is going on here? This was the second house of mine that I had sold, where the new owner - the husband, in each case, died a couple of years later. In both instances, I was told that both of the men had been seriously ill for an extended period of time.

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7 comments • Sandy Shores- Melbourne Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate, M & M Real Estate • March 20 2009 11:16AM

RAW Powerlifting Meet this Weekend

This weekend we are heading over to Tampa, Florida for another RAW United Powerlifting Meet. My 13 year old daughter, Sam Shores will be competing again. She has been lifting for almost 2 years now. She loves it. Three mornings a week she gets up at 5:20 and is at the gym with my husband at 5:45. She said that she wishes she could lift everyday because it makes her feel so energized. Okay, I'll admit it, I'm not a morning person, so I'm glad that my husband is happy to get up with her and lift that early. I'm still sound asleep at that time of morning.

Sam will be representing the West Shore Wildcats Powerlifting Team from Melbourne Florida.

She will be attempting to break her own World's Records.

She has broken 15 World's Records in her weight class and she currently holds 7 World's Records.

Sam Shores RAW Powerlifting World Record Holder

Sam will be attempting a 245 lb. deadlift this weekend.

Sam Shores RAW Powerlifting World Record Holder

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