Thursday, February 25, 2016

The Art of Negotiation


 I began negotiating at age 10. My goal was to get spending money. I prepared to take over part of my brother's newspaper route for a fee. He made me an offer and I negotiated for 25% more. This early experience taught me to ask for what I wanted. 
 Fast forward to my current negotiating experience, I am a Real Estate Agent. My livelyhood depends on my ability to negotiate. I share what I have learned with my clients during our negotiating period.
My Top 5 Tips to the Art of Negotiation:
 Set a Goal
 Look at what you want to spend and stick to a budget. Decide on what is most important and what you can live without.
Be Prepared
Arm yourself with sales statics, market trends and recent sales of similar properties. Compare properties in your local market to see what the properties look like and what you get for the price.
Check Your Emotions
Negotiations are financial decisions. My best advice to achieve your goals is to check your emotions and use your head instead of your heart. You may have to take a moment to keep your emotions in check, take your time.
Understand the Other Side's Objectives
 Understanding the other side's goals is one of the best tools to a successful negotiation. Negotiations are a two way street. To get what you want you have to be willing to give something in exchange. Understanding what the other side wants will help you achieve your goals.
Listen and Ask Questions
During the process of negotiation listen and ask questions to gain insight. You may find out where you have an advantage and how to use the information you receive to help achieve your goals.
Walk Away
Prepare yourself to walk away from negotiations. This tool can help you get back on track if things are not going the way you expected. You will find out if the other side wants to sell. 

 My advise to clients is you'll never know unless you try. Let me know how I can be of assistance to you in the Tucson Real Estate Market. I am here to answer questions and be of service to you.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

My Love of Tucson


My love of Tucson starts with the weather. I am a desert gardener and I love to spend time outdoors tending to my garden. It is a passion and a place to relax. I am blessed to have 284 days of sunshine to enjoy my garden.
 The desert has the most unusual blooms. My garden  attracts hummingbirds and finches. I enjoy each bird that flies through my yard. The celebration of each bloom is an event to be anticipated. I marvel in the textures, the rocks make a dramatic backdrop to some fierce plants.

 I foster a desert tortoise and have created an environment for the tortoise. The tortoise enclosure has plants for the tortoise to eat. There are rocks the tortoise can climb on or over to explore. The tortoise can create a burrow or retreat to the shade of an adobe burrow we provided to escape the heat of the day.

  Tucson offers other benefits for those who like to be outdoors. We have golf, hiking and biking available year round. It is best to enjoy the outdoors early in the summertime. The weather is conducive to outdoor festivals and music all year long. It is a destination to discover.

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/annual-days-of-sunshine.php

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Home Selling Savvy

  Think about selling your home as a celebration. Celebrations are special moments in life. Special events take time to organize.  When you celebrate a birthday or anniversary there is preparation involved. 
  Similarly you need to prepare your home for Buyers's to tour. Look at your home from the eyes of a Buyer. They are guests of your home. Make them feel welcome. Put out fresh flowers, add a new welcome mat at the front door. Set the stage to reach the Buyer's emotions.
  Look at the windows as the eyes of the home.  Are the windows letting in all the available light? Light affects mood. Help to boost the buyers mood with lighting. Let the light in by having the windows cleaned, open the window coverings and remove window screens.
 Organize your home. Look through every drawer and closet, get rid of things you don't need or use. This will make your home appear clutter free. You will benefit from not having to move things that you don't need now instead of later. 
 Remove furniture from walkways. Open up the space to allow a Buyer to see room for their belongings. Less furniture equals more room. A Buyer will pay for more for space in a home.
 Deep clean your home. Nothing looks as good as a clean fresh home. The Buyer will see your home as a place they can be comfortable.
  Store your family pictures to take to your next home and allow the Buyer to see your home without YOU in it. 
 Remove items from countertops to make your home less distracting to Buyers. Buyers are easily overwhelmed. 
 Look at your home from the eyes of a Buyer. If you need any help seeing through the buyer's eyes ask a local real estate agent for advice.
  I am a listing agent with Realty Executives Tucson Elite. The best advice I have for clients wanting to sell their property is to prepare it. Sell your home for more money in fewer days by putting together a plan of action.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Veronica's Desert Garden

    My friend Veronica has a spectacular cactus garden. The harsh environment of a Tucson garden cultivates her creativity. Veronica fills the spaces with form and texture like a piece of artwork. The combination of rough textures and fragile flowers is dramatic. She is a passionate desert gardener and has shared her love of the desert with me. I have had the opportunity to view Veronica's garden during the height of the season. I wanted to share images of this quiet gem of a garden with you as an inspiration to what is possible in a desert garden. Enjoy the cactus blooms!