The feminine touch
For many women agents, real estate is more about people than property
By Joanna Beresford 05/14/2009

The typical American real estate agent is a 52-year-old white woman. She’s attended college, she owns her own home and she’s married. In fact, 60 percent of realtors are women, according to the 2008 National Association of Realtors Member Profile. Women outnumber men in the business in every age group, even among those 60 and older.

Real estate used to be dominated by men, so what happened? Where did all these Rosie-the-real-estate-agents come from and how can they rock so prodigiously, from Pittsburgh to Plano to Pasadena?

In his forward to Ebby Halliday’s recently released biography (“Ebby Halliday: The First Lady of Real Estate”), Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach writes: “Football and real estate have a lot in common. Leadership matters. Ambition counts. Heart energizes. Ebby Halliday might have made a good quarterback.”

Based in Dallas, Ebby Halliday Realtors sells more homes than any other brokerage in Texas and was ranked in 2007 by RealTrends Inc. as the 11th largest brokerage in the country. Halliday graduated from Abilene High School in 1929 and started out by selling hats. The husband of a client visited her shop one day in 1945 and asked her to sell some homes for him. They were ugly cement bungalows and he figured, according to legend, that if Halliday could sell the unlikely millinery concoctions that his wife brought home, she could sell a couple of his houses.

In perhaps the earliest effort at staging a model home, Halliday decorated the concrete residences with draperies, curtains and furniture and sold them all within a year. Inspired by the accomplishment, she began to build her empire.

Maybe that’s what Malcolm Gladwell would call the tipping point, or the point at which a confluence of events causes a significant social or personal upheaval. Women were increasingly and differently empowered throughout the first half of the 20th century. The war lured them from the “sanctuary” of their homes into economic life. The country was on the verge of that proliferation of humanity known as the baby boom and a period of relative wealth and expansion. And, as everybody knows, Texas girls kick ass — on a ranch, in an office and in a living room.

It’s not a Texas trend at this point; it’s a national reality. And while I don’t usually get excited about sociological games or decoding statistics, here’s what I do think is cool: people who are good at what they do.

And there’s another thing I like: When different capabilities come together in one person and make this really vibrant, faceted thing called a successful adult, with nuance and skills that defy expectation.

Irina-the-Tsarina Netchaev, one of Pasadena’s talented real estate agents, doesn’t think that her male clients perceive her any differently than do her female clients, whether they come in singles or pairs. Gender, in terms of her image, seems fairly insignificant to Netchaev. However, she does believe that her identity, or persona, or whatever you call that feminine mystique, serves her and her clients well in the business.

“In my opinion, what gives me an edge is combining my business skills and education with my natural sense of intuition and mothering instinct,” says Netchaev. “It’s an unbeatable combination.”

Instincts and skills don’t entirely drive career choices. Women are nothing if not pragmatic, and many women raise children, want to earn a living and also feel compelled to engage in the public sector. Real estate offers them the flexibility and autonomy that their busy lives require.

“I got into real estate two years ago when both my girls were in school,” says agent Kerri Glotfelty. “It was a tough time to enter the market, but I’ve learned so much from my colleagues and I’ve been able to develop at my own rate.”

Ultimately, real estate is more about people than property, and it’s more practical than political. “The Internet has empowered real estate consumers by providing them with information never before available,” says Netchaev. “I have had to quickly move with changes and incorporate the habits of consumers into my business. By creating real estate blogs and sites I provide information that consumers crave and at the same time market my clients’ homes to millions of potential buyers. Real estate is much more interactive now. Homes are bought and sold on social networks like Twitter and Facebook.”

Good news for women, who are notoriously social. But, for male and female agents alike, technology doesn’t negate Ebby Halliday’s leadership, ambition and heart; it just puts these qualities on the grid.

The original article can  be found at Joanna Beresford’s page at Pasadena Weekly.

READ MORE:

Opportunity Knocks Buyers and sellers have good reason for hope in economic crisis – “Best Of” issue of Pasadena Weekly, October 16, 2008

Barefoot in the park Walking miles without anyone’s shoes is an eye-opening experience – Pasadena Weekly, September 18, 2008

What Price Paradise? Now may be the best time to make that move to a new home – Pasadena Weekly, August 14, 2008

History in the Making Short sales make owning a home a reality for many- Pasadena Weekly, June 22, 1008

Buyers and sellers have good reason for hope in economic crisis

By Joanna Beresford 10/16/2008

“These are the best and worst of times for real estate,” says my favorite real estate agent, Irina-the-Tsarina Netchaev. “The worst is uncertainty. Buyers wonder if it’s the right time to buy.

Sellers don’t know if they should sell, rent or hold. And agents have to keep up with constant changes in the industry, work a lot harder to make the same number of sales and serve their clients in the same way that they did in the past.”

But even during economic tumult, Irina is no pessimist. Her family struggled to reach America, a country that her grandmother had dreamed of for years; when they arrived in the United States, Irina and her parents had left fear and despair behind them in Kiev.

“The best thing about the era we’re in right now is the opportunity!” Irina says. “Opportunity for buyers to get into a home at a more affordable price. Opportunity for sellers who want to move or trade up, to exchange their present home for the home of their dreams. It’s also an opportunity for savvy and creative agents who want to build their business, and position themselves for developments in the market.”

I can’t claim unequivocally that Irina is the best real estate agent in the San Gabriel region, because there are so many realtors in the area. Many of them are terrific, and most of them I’ve never even met. But I do know that Irina is among the best. I know that she delights in the artistry of her craft. I know that she’s learned a great deal from her corporate experience, and also from her experience as mother to teenage children. I know that she’s an avid student of life, real estate and human nature – and I know that she’s not perfect.

“It’s really important to have a consultation before making any decisions or commitments,” says Irina, alluding to the chemistry and compatibility involved in the agent-client relationship. “I can’t help everyone.”

The best Pasadena real estate agent will demonstrate several, fundamental characteristics. Some of these are self evident. Like, if you’re selling a home, you don’t want to hire an agent who’s going to nosh on your leftovers, drink out of the milk carton and indulge in a shower in the master bath during a lull in open house activity.

Second, don’t mistake “top producer” for “best agent.” The truly gifted agent may spend more time, therefore earning less money, to properly serve a client, than the agent who maintains a madcap momentum of million-dollar home sales and massive commissions. Often snubbing other agents in the process, which is another thing you should consider if you want the best agent in the business; find someone who cultivates friendly, supportive relationships within the real estate community.

Now more than ever, we all need each other in the course of buying, selling and living in our homes.
Most experts caution against working with a part-time agent. The full-time agent tends to be more focused, informed and dedicated than the guy who’s still hanging onto his day-job.

Also, among other things, the best agent knows how to take a decent photo, write a decent description and return calls in a decent amount of time. It also helps if your realtor knows how much it costs to replace a 50-year-old furnace or rewire a converted garage.

The best real estate agent will provide you with references and comprehensive market analysis. He will negotiate effectively on your behalf. He will, according to real estate coach, broker and author Jennifer Allan, put your needs above his/her “need for a paycheck.”

Obviously your agent should know the region intimately. And who wouldn’t want to know Pasadena intimately?

“Where else can you find a sunny, 76-degree climate?” asks Irina. “Where can you be an hour away from skiing, 40 minutes from the ocean, surrounded by chic boutiques, theater, museums, culinary schools, academia, upscale restaurants and amazing hole-in-the-wall dives – all within a few mile radius of tree-lined streets and quiet neighborhoods? It’s an amazing place to live and work!”

The thing is, the beauty of Pasadena persists through good times and bad, and the pleasures of living and working here make our community shine among the best-of-the-best idyllic regions in the world. The best real estate agents share our passion for the landscape, climate and community and their passion creates productivity.

“The example of my grandma following her dream,” Irina says, “the courage that it took for my parents to leave their homeland with almost nothing and make a life in this country has instilled in me the idea that anything can be accomplished if you just dedicate yourself and are clear about your goals and passions.”

Contact Joanna Dehn Beresford at truewrite@yahoo.com.

I found the Disney information on a great new website – new to me, but has been around for awhile.  It’s called Fitness for Busy Moms and is run by my Altadena neighbor, personal fitness trainer – Stephen Cooper.  Stephen offers great exercise and relaxation tips that are quick to read and easy to incorporate into our schedule.  Check Fitness For Busy Moms website out.  You’ll be glad you did.

What websites are you reading?  Share them here.  I’d love to hear about them – spread the love!

Absolutely! I thought I’d share my real estate blog’s statistics and personal observations with you to give you a sense of what is going on in the Pasadena real estate market.

This Pasadena real estate blog is barely six months old. It is still visited daily by about 100 readers and gets somewhere around 500 to 800 hits a day. I usually get one to three people each day signing up for the free home search option allowing readers to find Pasadena home listings from the comfort of their home.

Since the announcement of the bail out recovery bill and the volatility that we’ve been experiencing in our economy over the last week or so, I have not had one person register to search for homes.

I have also spoken to some of my colleagues in the real estate industry. Pretty much across the board, I hear the same thing. The phones stopped ringing and the existing home buyers are taking a wait and see approach.

Now… I am not predicting doom and gloom for the state of the real estate market in Pasadena. September’s Pasadena Real Estate Market report shows signs of stagnation in sales which is normal as we start heading into the slowest part of the real estate cycle – fall and winter months. And, I am getting phone calls from cash heavy real estate investors that are recognizing amazing opportunities to pick up Pasadena homes in this buyer’s market.

But, the average Pasadena home buyer is concerned about the bank’s tightening of credit and is feeling a lot of fear and uncertainty at this time. I’d love to hear your opinion on the Pasadena real estate market. If you were thinking of buying a home in Pasadena, are you taking a wait and see approach or are you actively taking advantage of the opportunities that a buyer’s market is offering us?

No longer can a realtor sign a listing, update information on the Pasadena MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and sit back and wait for buyers.  When I first started selling homes, I used to go into the real estate office early each day to be the first one to look at the big (and I mean big – yellow page size) MLS book which held all the new and existing home listings.  That was the only way for a real estate agent to know what was going on in the real estate market.  Review the MLS book daily, visit broker’s open houses‘s and network with other agents.

Boy, how things changed – thank goodness!  Today, Pasadena real estate agents and their clients get automated home notices via email as soon as new properties are listed.  Of course we still visit other broker’s open houses and network with agents.  But, what is new and exciting is the advent of the internet and how the internet is changing the Pasadena real estate market place.

Most of my real estate business personally has come from referrals and repeat clients.  Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls and emails from people that have been referred to me by google, yahoo and msn.  What does this mean? 

Home buyers start their search for Pasadena homes on-line by searching the internet.  They put key terms like “Pasadena homes for sale” or “Pasadena real estate” or “Pasadena home listings” into the search engine of their search and then surf the web.  Once they see something they like, they email or call the real estate agent.

Personally, I have been preparing for this change for the last several years and have built a multitude of websites and blogs like www.pasadenacarealestatehomes.com, www.sanmarinoluxuryrealestate.com, www.montereyhillscarealestate.com, www.pasadenaviews.com , www.activerain.com/blogs/irina4realestate , www.irina4realstate.com,  providing buyers access to the information they crave like market reports and free home search tools.  I have featured homes on realtor.com for Pasadena and San Marino amongst a few others so that the buyers will see my seller’s homes immediately – exposure = more money for the seller.

I also participate extensively in social networks like twitter, facebook, plaxo, utterly, friendfeed, linkedin and many more. 

Why is internet presence important to you as a home seller?

It’s simple… this is the new face of real estate.  Real estate is not about putting your house in a local newspaper anymore!  Any real estate agent worth their salt will tell you that newspaper ads do not bring in home buyers, but they sure pacify the home sellers.  I say that home sellers are very savvy these days and understand the power of exposure via the web, of getting as many “eye balls” on their home as possible – that’s how you sell homes!

So if you are thinking of selling your home, please ask your real estate agent the following questions:

1.  Does your real estate agent have a website that provides timely buyer information and MLS home search tools?

2.  Does your real estate agent have a real estate blog?  A blog is simply an interactive website.  A Pasadena real estate blog like this one allows consumers to interact with a real estate agent in a non-threatening atmosphere, learn and search for homes.  Blogs are the Web 2.0 version of a website.

3.  What kind of traffic does your realtor get on their website or real estate blog?  Remember, traffic = exposure to your home for sale which in turn creates more money for the seller and a quicker home sale.  A good real estate site should drive about 100 unique visitors a day and about 500 – 800 hits.

4.  Does your Pasadena real estate agent create a personal home website for each and every home that they are listing?  Where do they market these websites?  Will they provide you with weekly statistics on how many home buyers visit these personalized home websites. 

5.  Which social networks do they belong to and how do they use them to your “seller’s” advantage to market your home for sale?  How active are they on these networks?

6.  Most importantly GOOGLE your real estate agent.  Do they have a presence on the internet.  For example – see google results for Irina Netchaev.  As you can see, there were close to 8,000 internet pages for Irina Netchaev.  That’s a lot of internet presence!  Of course, my name is pretty unique.  If your realtor’s name is John Smith, you’ll get a lot more pages!  But, for the most part you’ll get a pretty good idea of how active your real estate agent is on-line.

Another cool tool to use is www.searchme.com It is a great site that allows you to put anyone’s names and actually see some of their internet presence.  For an example see Irina Netchaev’s search me results.  Try putting your name in the search and see what comes up.

This post is not to brag about how many social networks I am on or how many websites I sponsor.  It is to bring light to the fact that real estate indeed is changing.  Demand the best of your realtor.  The real estate market is changing and the way the real estate is being marketed has already changed.  It’s just that some real estate agents haven’t figured it out yet.

Connect with Irina on the following networks:

Irina Netchaev on Twitter

Irina Netchaev on Facebook

Irina Netchaev on Flickr 

Irina Netchaev on LinkedIn

Irina Netchaev on Google

Irina Netchaev on Trulia Real Estate Voices

FriendFeed

Irina Netchaev on Utterli

Irina Netchaev on Realtor.com

Irina Netchaev on Plaxo

Irina Netchaev on Technorati

the following networks:

Irina
Netchaev on Twitter

Irina Netchaev on Facebook

Irina Netchaev on Flickr 

Irina Netchaev on LinkedIn

Irina Netchaev on Google

Irina Netchaev on Trulia
Real Estate Voices

FriendFeed

Irina
Netchaev on Utterli

Irina Netchaev on Realtor.com

Irina Netchaev on Plaxo

Irina Netchaev on Technorati

Barefoot in the park

By Joanna Beresford 09/18/2008

Earlier this week I was walking barefoot through the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Backpack over my shoulder and head down, I carried a pair of dilapidated flip-flops in my hand – Corona blue and gold, bought for 99 cents, having traveled many miles on many feet already and deserving their rest.

The outlandish Disney Center erupts on the block between Grand and Hope streets, where the blue plastic thong wrenched itself free from one of those flip-flops. After that, I was barefoot, but I really didn’t mind. The pavement was warm beneath my feet and the view was spectacular. I was looking for something and I may as well have found it with my scummy blistered toes as anywhere else.

Now I just can’t remember exactly what I was looking for, except I do know that I felt sad and worried and angry about a bunch of things, most of which had to do with money and love, naturally. I thought, if I can’t find some answers here, between the Disney Center and the Mark Taper Forum, these two bastions of culture, civilization and good taste, where am I gonna find  them? So I walked all the way around the soaring structure that some call a monstrosity and others call miraculous.

The light and surfaces stimulated me to the point of renewal, and that’s something. But I wanted more, so I headed toward the cathedral. You know, The Cathedral. That Spaniard Jose Rafael Moneo’s vision of heaven – Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Temple Street. I’ve been there pretty often. I attended Sunday morning Mass once, and I bought a coffee and sat under the trees with the sparrows, reading. I love the sunbaked adobe color and the transparent walls and everything. But I should have known that a building famous for its lack of right angles (a design element dedicated to the aura of mystery that Moneo wished to explore) wasn’t exactly going to give me any solid answers. Anyway, it was late in the day, gates were closing, bells were ringing, and I kept walking. Past tourists, city employees and homeless people mostly.

“The first loss is the best loss,” Irina Netchaev says.  She’s a Realtor, but she’s also my friend, so I believe just about every word that comes out of her mouth.

READ BAREFOOT IN THE PARK

If you are looking for a real estate deal, you came to the right place. I will be posting my “Dusty Deals” by area on a monthly basis right here for your review.

What is a “Dusty Deal” list? It is a list of homes for sale in Pasadena including homes, condos and townhomes that have been on the market for over 100 days. Are all of these great deals? Not necessarily. BUT, the seller has been actively marketing their homes for a very long time and is probably ready to deal.

Why are these homes on the market still? The most likely reason is that they were overpriced to begin with. The first few weeks of marketing a home for sale are the most critical weeks for any seller. If the property is overpriced, or not marketed correctly, it gets stale. Local real estate agents ignore these homes and avoid showing them to their buyers. Potential home buyers look these homes up on the internet, but wonder what is wrong with these homes since they didn’t sell.

My take on this is, if you are looking for a deal, these homes are the best place to start. Why? Home sellers are tired of showing their homes and most are ready to NEGOTIATE their price and SELL!

READ MORE:

Dusty Deals list for September 08 – Pasadena, San Marino, Alhambra, Altadena, South Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Monrovia

Dusty Deals List for August 08 – Pasadena, Alhambra, South Pasadena, Monterey Hills, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Monrovia and San Marino

So here’s a list of homes for sale in Pasadena that have been on the market for over 100 days:

Pasadena’s real estate home deals

As you’re going through the list, please look at the last column titled DOM (Days on the Market). This will tell you how many days these homes have been on the market.

Are you looking to buy a home in Pasadena California? We are happy to give you all the information available on any Pasadena homes for sale or you can go ahead and search right now and see all the properties for sale by all real estate companies in the Pasadena MLS.

Information gathered from Pasadena Foothill Association of Realtors (ITEC)

So… here’s this week’s, August 14, 2008, Pasadena Weekly’s real estate article:

What Price is Paradise?

Now may be the best time to make that move to a new home

By Joanna Beresford 08/14/2008

To buy or not to buy? That is the question. Is it better to await the possibilities of further plummeting home values and rock-steady interest rates or, by acting now, avoid the potential effects of world affairs, federal regulations and other cosmic catastrophes? And by acting, perchance, to acquire the home of your dreams …

Well, in a recent Los Angeles Times article, Celia Chen, director of housing economics for Moody’sEconomy.com, contends that housing prices will continue to deflate by as much as 25 percent. In the same story, Los Angeles economist Christopher Thornberg agrees (so emphatically, in fact, that he resorts to using a bad word; can you really write H-E-double toothpicks in the newspaper these days? Wow).

“There’s no way in hell the house you buy now will be more expensive next year,” asserts Mr. Thornberg. Or, asserted. I don’t think he keeps on asserting it after the initial statement, in spite of literary convention, or unless he suffers from some form of Tourette’s syndrome, or something.

Naturally, no absolute realities will provide us with a singular, satisfying response to the question.

Many experts will advise consumers: calm down, don’t rush into anything, but consider MAKING A MOVE before the market turns something worse or different than upside down. So everyone scrambles to seize upon some semblance of a property, sell off the family heirlooms, scrape together a down payment, make an offer, and don’t think about sleeping or eating until you get a response from homeowner or banker.

That’s one way to go. But, then there’s the voice of reason. First of all, the Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley region aren’t equivalent to the country, the state, or even the county of Los Angeles. The region hardly comprises its own cohesive, discreet entity that can be uniformly assessed.

Enter two of my most enterprising, intelligent and doggone cute local resources. First, Martha Shanks, mortgage professional with Vesta Marketing, in Pasadena. Martha never freaks out or jumps to conclusions. Ask her about fluctuating markets and she replies with refreshing candor. “My initial response is this. I’ve always told people, and I’ve been saying until the last 30 days, that really time is on your side. You can buy or not, housing prices will probably continue to tumble. You’re in a perfect position to find the house that really suits your needs.”

Martha says won’t be surprised if home prices in general continue to drop, but she’s more likely, very recently, to consider the undulating landscape of world events, interest rates, etc. as potentially significant factors in the home-buying experience.

“It may make more sense to buy now,” she concedes.

Then there’s Irina Netchaev with Keller Williams Realty. I’m still toying with the idea that Irina is a beautiful Soviet-era spy, sent to the United States to report on our bad grammar, poor hygiene and other slovenly habits. She’s so elegant. But she also really knows her business, so I accept her at agent/face value. Here’s what Irina says about The Question.

“It is always a good time to buy real estate if you are prepared to buy real estate and have consulted with a real estate professional and lender to understand your options. For example, if a buyer has spoken with a lender, was preapproved and has a very clear understanding as to how much they can afford to pay monthly, what their closing costs will be and how much house they can afford, they are ready.”

Irina also expresses some concern about the possibility of rising interest rates: “The interest rates are still very low … If interest rates go up, even if the home prices go down, waiting could be a serious mistake.”

Guess what? When the first Midwestern settlers purchased the land that would become Pasadena in 1873, they bought the property for about $6.30 per acre. Boy, it’s a good thing they didn’t wait for the market to turn around, eh? In spite of the seemingly low-ball price, these Hoosiers (Indiana natives, mostly) believed they had stumbled upon an unlikely expanse of paradise, and that’s one thing that most of us, more than two centuries later, can agree on; so how do you put a price on that?

Joanna Dehn Beresford is a former teacher, nanny, actress, rock star, farm girl, waitress and clerk. She can be reached at truewrite@yahoo.com.

READ MORE: It’s fun to be famous if only for a day!

In case you haven’t read, seen or heard, now is the time to buy a Pasadena home. Prices have fallen and inventory is high. There are bargains to be had all around us. What you may not know, however, is that there are still First Time Home Buyer programs available that make the great deal you’re getting on your Pasadena house or condominium, an even better deal.

You can find many of these programs on your own with a bit of research. The problem with self-research is that there are many “fine-print” guidelines for these first time buyer programs which make it difficult or impossible for the programs to work with each other. Occasionally, the programs aren’t even funded. What you want to do is find a Lender who is an expert on the programs that are available, and will be able to explain how they work with each other.

For the sake of this article, we will be covering the most usable products available through the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). All of these program have Income, Property and Geographic limitations. For more details, you will want to call me at The OCD Group at 800.963.4623.

CalHFA is a State run agency providing secure loans to First Time Home Buyers in California. They offer competitive rates, eased credit restrictions, and up to 102% financing! CalHFA also offers a variety of specialty programs and Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs to qualifying borrowers. These programs can lower your first mortgage and keep your monthly payments LOW. A First Time Pasadena Home Buyer is someone who has not owned a property during the past three years. These programs include, but are not limited to, the following:

1^st Mortgage Products: 30 Year Fixed, 35 Year Fixed with 5 Year Interest Only Period, 40 Year Fixed

• HICAP – 4% of the Purchase Price of your home.
• CHDAP – 3% of the Purchase Price of your home.
• CHAP – 2% of the Purchase Price of your home.
• ECTP – $15,000 towards the Purchase Price of your home for qualifying teachers, and the lowest 30 Year Fixed Rate available through CalHFA.
• Home Choice Program – for homes with a Permanently Disabled Person in the household provides for a 30 Year Fixed Interest Rate of 4%

Keep in mind that ALL programs, even within CalHFA, do *not* work together.

In the coming weeks, we will be covering additional programs that remain funded and available. These programs can provide you thousands of dollars in buying power, while keep your payments deferred. In the meantime, for more information, please call 800.963.4623.

To start your Pasadena home search, click on the Find Your Home button below or call Irina at 626.627.7107.

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