WestWord - July 2023

I AM BUD CAREY

I AM LOYAL

I AM KNOWLEDGEABLE

I AM PERSONABLE

I AM COMPASSIONATE

I AM PERSISTENT

I AM WEST USA

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Bud Carey has been a trusted friend for over 30 years. He has never once given me a reason to doubt his integrity. He is always ready to handle any difficult real estate issue. Bud’s easy-going temperament makes him easy to talk to and communicate with. So, I would not trust my real estate transactions to any other agent.

Bud is a top-notch agent. He was very proactive and listened to our needs. One of his best strengths was his communication, both with his client and the other agent. He is great with people and an all-around good guy!

I've been working with Bud Carey for a little over 13 years now. He's helped my family and I find 40 properties, helped us through acquisition, rehabilitation, renting, managing and

much more. My favorite thing about Bud is his ability to listen and hear me, not only through my words but also through my sentiment for each specific instance. Bud has an ability to adapt to every situation. He is multi-faceted, dynamic and he actually cares. His property management style goes unrivaled. It's a mix of nothing is impossible, time is of the essence and has little fingerprints of being emotionally invested in all aspects of the task at-hand. We've come to know Bud Carey very well and have recommended him to many friends and family. I have the utmost trust in Bud and I consider him an extension of my family. He is all business but makes you feel like family. I'm grateful to have met Bud and look forward to the lifelong bond we've created through all of our experiences!

BLOG FROM DEAN BECKER

REAL ESTATE PITFALLS FOR SELLERS

Here are some potential pitfalls that sellers should be aware of when selling a property:

1. OVERPRICING

One of the most common mistakes that sellers make is overpricing their property. This can lead to a lack of interest from buyers and a longer time on the market, which can ultimately result in a lower sale price.

2. POOR CONDITION

If a property is in poor condition, it may be difficult to attract potential buyers. Sellers should consider investing in repairs and upgrades to make the property more attractive to buyers.

3. LACK OF STAGING

Staging a property can help buyers envision themselves living in the space and can lead to a faster sale. A property that is not staged or is poorly staged may not generate as much interest from potential buyers.

4. INADEQUATE MARKETING

Sellers need to ensure that their property is marketed effectively in order to generate interest from potential buyers. This may include online listings, open houses, and other forms of advertising.

5. LIMITED AVAILABILITY

If a seller is not available to show the property or respond to inquiries from potential buyers, it can lead to missed opportunities and a longer time on the market.

6. INFLEXIBILITY

Buyers may request repairs, changes to the closing date, or other accommodations. Sellers who are inflexible may miss out on potential sales.

7. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

Sellers who have unrealistic expectations about the sale price or the time it will take to sell the property may be disappointed with the outcome. It's important to set realistic goals and work with a real estate agent who can provide guidance based on market conditions.

Overall, sellers should be aware of these potential pitfalls and work with a real estate agent who can help them navigate the selling process and maximize the sale price of their property.

BUSINESS

BY WISE AGENT

Sending text messages is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get in touch with existing clients and prospective leads. Our members even report that texting is their clients' preferred mode of communication. So it is not surprising when we hear agents say that texting is their favorite method to nurture new incoming leads as it generates much higher engagement than other forms of communication, such as emails or phone calls.

Another thing that makes texting your database more straightforward than ever: it's included in your CRM! We've made it easy for you to view and continue your text conversations from any page of your CRM and will continuously save your text messages. You can refer back at any time to texting conversations and see detailed notes of when messages were sent and received. And if you prefer working while you're on the go, you're also able to link your personal mobile number to your texting number so that you can receive text messages and reply right from your mobile device.

Are you already utilizing texting? Try these four methods and see how texting can assist you in your day-to-day business:

BULK TEXTING: If you need to send text messages to a large group of people, your CRM's mass text messaging feature is the perfect tool for you. Bulk texts will go out to each of your contacts individually, never in a group text where everyone replies.

DRIP CAMPAIGNS: You can incorporate text messages and video text into your automated

drip campaigns. This lets you send out texts on a specific date and time or choose to have them "drip" on your contacts over a period of time. A mix of emails, text messages, and phone calls will allow you to stay in touch with your database and maximize your marketing efforts.

AUTO-RESPONDERS: With our Lead Management feature, you can set up an autoresponse text for any leads coming into your CRM. After set-up, it will automatically send an SMS text message to all new real estate leads. Have you ever heard the phrase 'speed to lead'? With this feature, you can get in touch with new leads immediately.

AI BOT: Another fantastic tool you can use with our texting feature is our Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bot. The AI Bot uses industry-proven real estate scripts to engage incoming leads and nurture existing ones. The AI Bot is your assistant that can help you save time when following up with and qualifying new leads.

Last but not least: Don't feel limited to just plain texts. You can send videos and images in texts as well! You can send files right from your phone or incorporate videos you already have created from our partners at Dubb or BombBomb.

When you set up your number, you'll also be able to customize your text message signature, which will go out on the first text message sent to a contact, along with all the required opt-out language.

This allows you to personalize your messaging, give your messages a creative touch,and help your business to stand out!

HOME WARRANTY TERMS EXPLAINED PT.1

BY DEREK RILEY

If your clients are shopping for a home warranty to protect their home investment, they might come across some terminology that they need more clarification on. Make their search easier with our complete list of home warranty terms, which are explained in detail, so they know exactly what to expect from American Home Shield®.

Here are some common home warranty phrases:

ADD-ONS

With add-on coverage, your clients can customize their AHS home warranty plan—because we realize that every household has different needs. Available add-ons:

• Well pump

• Septic pump

• Pool or spa components

• Roof leak repair

• Guest or rental units <750 sq. ft.

• Home electronics, like laptops, TVs, printers, headphones, and more

APPLIANCE HOME WARRANTY COVERAGE

This type of coverage is included in our ShieldPlus and ShieldComplete plans and covers kitchen and laundry appliances such as:

• Dishwashers

• Refrigerators

• Ovens, ranges, and cooktops

CODE VIOLATIONS

• Built-in microwaves

• Garbage disposals

• Washers and dryers

Making sure your client’s house is up to code can be a rigorous and often expensive process—and sometimes they don’t know something is in violation unless they get a system or appliance repaired. Under the ShieldComplete plan, if a Pro is sent to your client’s house and realizes certain covered equipment needs to be relocated or modified to bring them up to code, they’ll get up to $1,000 per contract term for fixing the violation, permit fees, and modification costs.

COVERAGE LIMITS

Coverage limits refer to the cap on the dollar amount each plan will pay out for covered repairs or replacements per contract term. This home warranty terminology is very important to understand each specific plan. With appliances, coverage limits vary. The ShieldPlus plan allows for $4,000 per covered appliance to repair or replace it. With the ShieldComplete plan, members can enjoy $7,000 per covered appliance.

All plans include $15,000 in coverage per HVAC system. ShieldComplete includes $1,000 for roof leak repair and one free pre-season HVAC tune-up.

Most home warranty companies have coverage limits in place.

American Home Shield keeps coverage limits competitive and reasonable in the current market.

DUPLICATE COVERAGE

Does your client have an extra fridge in their fully enclosed garage or two A/C units? If they are under the same roof, the ShieldPlus or ShieldComplete plan will cover both items.

HOME WARRANTY

A home warranty is a year-long home service plan that helps cover the cost to repair or replace covered parts of home systems and appliances that malfunction due to normal, everyday use.

What is a home warranty from American Home Shield?

We offer coverage for parts of up to 23 home systems and appliances, as well as discounted maintenance services for seasonal HVAC tune-ups and air filters. Each home warranty policy provides one year of coverage, with the option of a home warranty renewal once the contract ends. We also have add-on coverage to help your clients customize their plan to fit their household needs.

HOME SYSTEMS COVERAGE

This type of coverage spans all three American Home Shield home warranty plans. The following are the types of home systems we cover:

• Heating systems, including heat pumps, geothermal systems, wall-mounted heaters, and forced-air systems

• Air conditioning systems, including wall air conditioners, geothermal units, mini-splits, and ducted central electric split and package units

HOME WARRANTY PLANS

• Electrical systems, including interior electrical lines, doorbells, ceiling fans, garage door openers, and the fuse panel box and main breaker

• Plumbing system, including conventional and tankless water heaters, toilets, valves, and faucets

Home warranty plans summarize the levels of protection your clients can choose from. Plans include three tiers of coverage:

• ShieldEssential Plan: This is our most basic plan, which covers parts of 14 major systems in the heating and cooling, electrical, and plumbing categories.

• ShieldPlus Plan: This is our everyday plan, which offers all the benefits of the ShieldEssential plan but adds coverage for parts of 9 different laundry and kitchen appliances.

• ShieldComplete Plan: This plan offers the ultimate protection. Your client gets coverage for parts of 23 systems and appliances, as well as perks like roof leak repair, a complimentary HVAC tune-up per contract term, unlimited refrigerant, increased appliance limits, and coverage for modifications, code requirements, and permits. It’s the best investment we offer to protect your client’s home.

Stay on the lookout for ‘Home Warranty Terms Explained, part 2’ coming in August!

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