Chuck Urmann!

For Chuck it is a welcome back. He started his real estate career in Chicago with Coldwell Banker. Then moved to Keller Williams Realty in Madison. After real estate he worked as a financial planner with Edward Jones but was ultimately called back to real estate.

Chuck is sharing an office with Kerri Campbell.

He has an awesome wife and kids.

CONTACT INFO:
chuckurmann@kw.com

NEW LISTINGS:

S7551 HWY 12 North Freedom, WI 53951 – Commercial Gas Station – Sammy Kabir

We will always provide Address, City, Price, Bed, Bath, Sq, Agent all hyperlinked back to agent website.

NEW A/OS
Address, City, Price, Bed, Bath, Sq, Agent

SHOWINGS THIS WEEK: 59 SHOWINGS THIS MONTH: 290

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Everyone is doing it…
Hosting an open house on the 20^th and 27^th on the West Side Under $250,000. Don’t miss out on the action and be a part of the OPEN HOUSE BLITZ. Email chariti@kw.com to get a hot listing to host. Email Jessicafox@kw.com to have your listing considered. We are staying west side, single family, fresh listings or massive price drop under $250K!

$500 GIVE-A-WAY & SUMMER PICNIC… Thursday 9/24 4PM – 8PM at East Side Club we will be hosting the Summer Olympics Celebratory Picnic and drawing from the TOP 20 contest winners for the CASH! Must be present to win, have fun, get a boat ride, have a cold one and enjoy the day with your KW Peeps! Please RSVP with an estimated head count to jessicafox@kw.com Bring your family!!!

Need help with technology? Then CLICK HERE! Jessica will convert you into the geek that you have always wanted to be and will bring technology to your real estate business. Watch these 2 minute tech tips that will save you a ton of time! If you have any requests of topics that I cover for you… comment on the blog. J

Are you interested in the Real Trends Top 500 Power Broker info? CLICK HERE for that info.

AGENT TO AGENT:

LEADS GIVEN TO:

Jim Lampe

MORTGAGE TRENDS:
Rates still ROCK! Contact Kathy or Dave for up to the minute rates.

TITLE TALK:

The Clear Title crew have update an information packet for you all with rates, list of their services and best practices for search ‘n holds, etc. That file will be email to you all this week and posted on the intranet.

THIS WEEK TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:

BETTY LOU CRUISE PICTURES:

If you are interested in attending any of our training, I encourage you to contact me direct so we have materials ready for you. All of our trainings are free and open to all licensed Realtors. Call me at 608-831-0800 or jessicafox@kw.com.

Foreclosures are on the rise in Dane County.  Since 2000, there has been a 46% increase in the number of filings.  There are many reasons why this is occurring.  In most cases the family is facing a hardship such as loss of job, an unreasonable mortgage or unforeseen debt.  Many of us know someone in that situation.  Because of this, several of my Agents have completed their Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation and are well prepared to help those in need.

CLICK HERE to connect with one of my CDPE designated Agents.

CDPE Agents:

Each year, Madison area real estate agents get excited for Spring to come.  Not only is it a wonderful time of year, but it is typically a great boost in real estate activity which we refer to as the Madison spring market.  Home owners have spent the winter preparing their homes to sell and buyers have become anxious to shake their winter blues and start shopping for their dream home. 

And for many years this trend has been true.  However, the real estate market shift, first felt in 2007 continues to challenge Madison area real estate agents.  We have seen a dramatic drop in new listing inventory, new sales and for the first time, price.  Below are statistics provided by The SCW-MLS showing the Dane County first quarter market numbers for 2003 to current.

The law of supply and demand is quite apparent when you consider the total number of listings went from 1,865 and peaked at over 5,100 while number of sales has dropped by nearly 50% during the same time period.  There are many reasons for the slowdown in the Madison area real estate sales.  Buyers have become overwhelmed by choice, concerned about the economy, weary of commitment and are having a challenge securing financing after the mortgage crisis.  And although it is clearly one of the very best times to buy, Buyers continue to be reluctant.  Fortunately, with the $8000 Tax Credit incentive and the opportunity to take advantage of foreclosures and short sales, some buyers have decided to “get off the fence”. 

CLICK HERE to view all current short sales and foreclosures. 

To learn more about the $8,000 Tax Credit, CLICK HERE. 

Some of the benefits the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 brought are:

• Anyone who hasn’t owned in the past 3 years may be eligible.
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
• The credit is available for homes purchased before December 1, 2009.

To search all Madison area real estate listings under $250,000, CLICK HERE.

This year we had 23 different Agents nominated for the coveted Keeper of the Culture Award.  I want to share with you who they are and why they were nominated.

Dave Enge – “He is fun to be with, caring of those around him and will do whatever it takes to help a friend in need.  Recently, he took on Karen Skor’s business while she was recovering from back surgery.  He cared for her business to the highest level.  That is nothing new for Dave to do and I think that makes him an awesome fellow KW Agents!”

Jim Hill – “He makes me laugh every time I talk with him!  He is excited to be a part of our office and willing to work hard to prove he has what it takes to be a top agent and leader.”

Jim Lampe – “He is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life.  He would literally give you his shirt off his back and is 100% genuine all the time.  It is hard not to be upbeat if you spend a few minutes with Jim.”

Ronda Lawry – “She helps coordinate Family Reunion every year to ensure that everyone has the best experience possible.  She ROCKS!”

Dasha Shy – “She stays late to make sure my listings are entered, without being asked or begged.  My old office didn’t do that, nor the one before that.”

Stacy McWilliams – “She is a great example why all Agents need to leverage themselves with super star talent assistants BEFORE a buyer agent.  She shares what she does and is willing to give assistance.”

Kara Boeldt - “Kara is willing to show what she is doing to anyone that asks.  She is always learning new technologies.  She is just an all around great agent and example of Keller Williams caliber.”

Joanna Contorno – “I love her laugh, her witty humor and her ability to keep at it.  You can listen to her in her cube working hard everyday, setting a great example to some of us more experienced agents that need to be doing the same.  The girls got GUTS~”

Janet Johnson - “Thanks to Janet for taking time to explain contract issues I have.  Very helpful.”

Dave Grauwels – “Dave is one of my peeps because he gets deals together – and is willing to work his tail off to get hard deals together when other lenders stop trying.” 

Lynn Holley – “A top agent that shares everything she does, takes the time to show up to training events and show off how she did it – without expecting anything in return.  Need I say more?  That doesn’t happen at the company with the balloon or the orange post.  Doubt many others do!”

Barb Brower – “Offers good advice and is willing to listen to you if you just need to be heard.  She is also funny to listen to when she shares her life experiences.”

Jenny Swain – “Jenny has given me several hours of her time since I have started in real estate… to make sure I have had success in real estate.  Pretty cool!  I doubt she understands the effect that has had in my confidence.”

Chariti Gent - “When I was about to quit real estate because I was struggling… Chariti reminded me that she believed in me and then kicked by behind in gear so that I didn’t fail.”

Karen Skor – “She is a ball of energy that walks in the office and spreads good news about what is working for her.  It is exciting to hear that her efforts are working.”

Peter Zarov – “The Clear Title team has put deals together that were falling apart on several occassions for me.  I know Peter has lost a lot of sleep over some of the transactions he has had to put together.  He cares, which makes all the difference.”

Darren Kittelson – “Darren takes his role very seriously – always growing as a leader, always learning and sharing what he knows and making important decisions and adjustments as needed.  These aren’t always easy, but he does the right thing which is a true example of KW CULTURE.”

D-Ann – “D makes everyone feel welcome and a part of the family.  Important when you have recently moved.”

Devery – “He shows me how to use all the KW tools I don’t take advantage of.  His trainings are often my favorite.”

Jody – “Jody showed me how to do some really cool stuff with my website.”

Jon – “Jon is really taking his ALC position to the heart and working hard to make sure Keller Williams Madison West has the best tools around.  It is nice knowing he is on it.”

I guess after reading that list it is easy to understand why I love coming to work everyday!

Every year I hand out a very special award at our Keller Williams Madison West Academy Awards.  “The Keeper of the Culture Award” is given to the Agent in our office that best reflects the KW Culture – WI4C2TS.  This award is decided by the Agents through nominations.

What was exciting about this year in particular is that over 20 Agents were nominated by their peers for this specific award.  Typically we see a handful of Agents name come up over and over.  This year it was different.  And I believe the troubling economy, shifted market and difficult transactions that we have endured this past year has been a big part of it.  As many companies fall apart, these tough times have brought many of us closer than we have ever been before.

KW WEST

In the coming days I will be sharing with you all the nominees and specifically why they were nominated.  I hope it fills you up inside and reminds you the power we have when we reach out to those around us.  If you are struggling right now, consider reaching out to someone else.  You may not feel you have the time or strength to do it – but if you do you will greatly impact yourself and those around you.

This year’s winner of the Keeper of the Culture is Pete Macho.  Pete had several nominations, although the most heartfelt are below:

If Pete saw someone was struggling with something (the fax machine, writing a contract or generally just having one of those days), Pete would not be able to just walk on by.  Because of this I would like him to be nominated.

Pete is so real.  There are times when he is on top of the world and closing deals and others when he is clearly frustrated with transactions or buyers.  I like that about him.  And he doesn’t have to be right all the time and is always learning and growing.  It would be nice if there were more people in the world like Pete.

Pete really cares about the others in our office.  He is committed to make the most as our KWCares ALC representative.  I have had more communication from our ALC this year than any year in the past.  He takes his leadership position seriously and to the heart.  He is perfect for the position he has taken on.

1.  A dominant web presence so that the Seller’s listing is visible on the most popular real estate websites.  Keller Williams web presence is much more vast that the local firms.  CLICK HERE to learn more. 

2.  Curb Appealfrom the street and the internet!  Stagging, tidying the yard, clearing out closets are just part of it.  Your listing needs to look it’s best on line in order to catch the attention of Buyers.  If you aren’t getting showings you have to question if your web appeal is strong enough.  The market is flooded with listings so Seller’s need their home to stand out like a shiny penny.

3.  When internet Buyers surf the web, they are typically on for less than 30 minutes.  Because of this, you need quick response to all internet hits.  Keller Williams Agents receive all internet inquiries directly and in real time.  This isn’t the case for most firms.  CLICK HERE to learn more about our lead router.

If you are curious what your home would sell for in today’s real estate market, CLICK HERE for a free Comparative Price Analysis.