From Ice Skating to Lifesaving: A Sister’s Impact on My Life

December 23, 2024December 23, 2024 dennisjrathLeave a comment

By Dennis Rath

As I write this on the eve of Thanksgiving 2024, I find myself thinking about the significance of this holiday that is dedicated to gratitude, family, friends, and cherished memories. This year is different for me and my family. It’s the first Thanksgiving without my sister, Traci. Her absence reminds me of how short life can be.

Being the youngest, Traci was my closest sibling, she was six years older than me, and thanks to my parents we shared many memories. One of the oldest was when she “taught” me to ice skate at Winterhurst. Her unique teaching method was to simply ignore me. Despite her strong objections, my parents made her take me with her every weekend to the rink. Every trip was the same; First, she would tie my skates so tightly they numbed my feet, then she would tell me to avoid her and her friends. At the break, she would buy me popcorn and a pop, and re-tie my skates. Years later, whenever I would remind her about her teaching methods, she’d retort, “Look at what a great teacher I was, you turned out to be a fantastic skater!”

I cannot post about Traci without telling you how she saved my life. When I got sick with Guillain-Barré Syndrome she was sent again by my mother to check in on me. When she arrived, she realized that something was seriously wrong. She insisted that we go back to the ER. I explained that I had been there 2 times already, but she insisted. When they were going to send me home again without a real diagnosis, she raised holy hell, reaching out to our family doctor, who showed up and took charge of my case.

He later admitted in all of his years he only had one other case of GBS, and that one did not make it. So since 1994, I’ve had to put up with her constant reminders of how she saved my life. Any time she needed a favor it always started with, “Den, remember when I saved your life…” I never thought I would say this, but I will miss those calls. I am not sure if it’s my age or the loss of my sister, but it’s a stark reminder that time marches on, as does life, but something is different. Traci was a lot like our mom. At her funeral, many of her high school and college friends told me that Traci was always the ‘cruise director’ organizing lunches, parties, and trips just like my mom. Her passing makes me realize how many family events have gone on to the family history books. The way my family was, is not recognizable today and it bothers me that my children will not know my family like I did. A few years ago, my sister Mame was going through some old clothes and found a T-shirt that Traci had printed for the Rath Family Strawberry Festival. That’s correct. My family celebrated strawberries, which is odd seeing none of us are strawberry farmers. Strawberry season was just an excuse to have a party. I don’t know why, maybe it was because my parents, aunts, & uncles were all part of the greatest generation and lost so many friends in World War II, but any reason to have a get-together was a good reason. We had a reunion/party the day after Traci’s wedding, that’s correct, my mom threw a party, on the day after a party before all of my relatives flew off home. This was not a continuation of the reception where we partied through the night. Everyone went to bed, got up, and was at the house by 2 pm the next afternoon. Next thing you know, our house was overflowing with people, we had to borrow chairs from the neighbors just so everyone had a place to sit. This was not just my mom, my dad also had this socializing gene. According to my uncle Jack, when my dad found out that Jack was going to be passing through Guam during World War II, he decided to throw him a 21st birthday party. According to Uncle Jack, it was one hell of a party. The funny thing is I don’t think it was even close to his birthday. This gene was passed on to all of my siblings. The basement of my family home on Harley was the site of many parties for my older brothers. One of the most talked about parties was my brother Tom’s annual Christmas Eve bash. It was ’71 or ’72 and The West Tech marching band showed up. What makes this funnier, is that no one in my family went to school at West Tech. Introducing my wife Jen to my family was a lot of fun. During one of our first Christmases together, we headed to my parents’ house for dinner. After dinner, my mom announced that we were having a family sing-along, handing out song lyrics as my sister Mame got out her guitar. There we were, sitting in the family room singing Christmas carols. Jen sat there, wide-eyed, repeatedly glancing at my brother-in-law Don, who simply nodded as if to say, “Yup, they do this.”

Our family is close-knit, filled with sing-alongs and house parties, but also the occasional argument just like any other family. However, our parents always reminded us that you only get one family, instilling the importance of unity. Even after their passing, we remain a tight bunch, often gathering for lunches, and always capturing the moment with a group photo, thanks to Traci.

I remind my kids that some friends they make in primary and high school may stick around for years. It takes effort, and everyone is busy, but how long does it take to send a Christmas card or make a quick call to say hello? Over my career, I’ve seen many families drift apart after the parents pass away, often due to being “too busy” or minor disagreements, only reuniting at funerals and weddings.

My sister Traci’s death was out of the blue. She came home from work and was sitting in her chair talking with her husband about the day, slumped in her chair mid-sentence and was gone. As we approach this season of gratitude, I encourage you to reach out to family or old friends and check in on someone who might be all alone. Life’s unpredictability makes these connections all the more precious

Thank you for being part of my extended family. Your support and trust mean the world to me. I hope that Santa is good to you!

Thank You!

Dennis Rath

life and experience · Real Estate Sales

Growing Pains

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As I look back at 2023 with all of its ups and downs, I realize that I did not, as my daughter would say, ‘slay’ as a dad last year. The word Slay in teenager speak means to do something spectacularly well.

Back in May before school let out, Charlie wiped out on his bike. He had the usual road rash on his knees and elbows and what looked like a stab wound on his stomach. When he hobbled into the house, Jen did the mom thing of cleaning and bandaging his wounds telling him to take it easy. Thankfully, nothing was serious enough to keep him off his bike, or so we thought. I even saw him later that day taking off down the road. Before seeing him back on his bike I thought he might be afraid to ride again, so I was relieved that I would not have to have the old getting back on your bike speech with him.

Now fast forward all throughout the summer he would complain to me about how his knee or leg felt like it was locking up. I would check it feeling all around and ask where it hurt. His answer was always, “No. It only hurts when I can’t straighten it. After it pops it’s fine.” Not thinking it was anything to be concerned about I told him it was just growing pains and that he’d be fine. After all, that’s what my mom told me every time I had a phantom pain.

This happened periodically throughout the summer and as school approached, I noticed he was limping on occasion. I would ask him if he had a little hitch in his giddy up? He would say, “I told you my knee was locking.” I thought some of his locking leg syndrome was psychological because it seemed to me it was happening around chore time. He basically stopped telling me because by the time I went to check it was fine and he was in no pain, thus I would diagnose it as growing pains.

Then on Halloween he was in school and when the bell rang, he went to get out of his seat and his knee locked up tight. This time however, it didn’t pop and his pain was through the roof as he fell back in his seat, unable to straighten his leg at all. My wife Jen works at the school so the nurse texted her to come to Charlie’s English class ASAP. She ran upstairs to see Charlie scared and in pain.

I was called to take him to Fairview Hospital because I am the pre-diagnosis emergency room parent. This is the parent that sits in the ER for the several hours between check in until test results are in, at that point I am instructed to contact the post diagnosis parent Jen. She handles the conversation with the doctor and the discharge, as if the doctor speaks a foreign language that I am unable to understand. I have been the pre-diagnosis parent for 18 years and I am beginning to think that Jen does not like sitting in the hospital but doesn’t trust me enough to relay information in its entirety.

After waiting for a couple of hours, the x-ray results came in. The diagnosis was a possible fracture near the growth plate at his knee. I said, “Fracture? As in broken bone?” The doctor said, “Yes. You’re going to need to see a pediatric orthopedic surgeon to get this fixed.” Surgeon?! Wait a minute, can’t we just cast it up? Surgery seems a little much!

Within 2 days, we were in Dr. Youngs office. After a physical exam and looking at the x-ray results, he looked at Charlie and said, “You have a pedunculated osteochondroma that has broken away from the stalk.” In unison, Jen and Charlie asked, “What’s that?” My initials being DR, I of course explained, breaking the word down using the ancient Greek origins: “osteo” means bone, “chondro” means cartilage, and “oma” means tumor. Tell me I can’t be the post diagnosis parent now! HAHA! Ok, back to reality- I looked at the doctor and asked him to explain it using less technical terms. He said, “It’s most likely a noncancerous abnormal growth that formed on the surface of his leg bone near the growth plate.” So, technically I was correct about it being a ‘growing pain’.

After talking to Dr. Young, we figured that the pedunculated osteochondroma most likely fractured when he wiped out in May and was flapping around occasionally catching a ligament. Then on Halloween it got stuck, making it impossible for him to straighten his leg without extreme pain. He would need to operate and remove it and file down the bone.

Charlie had to have an MRI rather quickly, because he had an opening in his surgery schedule on the following Wednesday. I walked Charlie to the car and Jen went to schedule the MRI. As we were waiting in the parking lot, she called my cell. She said we have two choices; wait 5 days for the insurance to approve the MRI or sign a financial responsibility form that we would pay it and have it done the following day. Now, as you can imagine after hearing that he would have to have surgery, Charlie was acting brave, but I know he was very concerned and nervous. Making him wait an extra week or two would not have been cool.

I explained to Charlie what an MRI was and what to expect. I told him that the magnets in the machine as they go off and on make a very loud hammering sound so be prepared. I said that I had had two, and I fell asleep both times (being able to sleep most anywhere is just one of my superpowers).

As we checked in, the nurse let us know that one of us could accompany Charlie into the room. I was informed that I would be the one, not because of my experience with the MRI, but as it turns out the MRI falls under the job description of the ER parent, because no diagnosis will be made by the technician.

Charlie and I were escorted to the changing room to put on scrubs and then into the room. As we walked into the room the technician handed us ear plugs and then asked him what type of music he wanted, that’s right he was allowed to wear earphones and listen to music. The nurse offered me a chair and I thought, “Oh no!” Remember my superpower? The truth is, I don’t have full control over it. Sometimes, ok, most times, I fall asleep if I stop moving. I decided I had better stand, at least until he is comfortable. And I did, for the first 10 minutes. After realizing he was as comfortable as you can be in the MRI machine, I sat down in my chair, and with the rhythmic sound of the machine my superpower kicked in and my eyes began to feel heavy, my breathing slowed and I kind of dozed off. So, I jumped up to my feet and stretched a little. As I did the machine began to slow to a stop. I looked at Charlie and I could see the relief and the stress fell from his face. Always the confident dad I said, “See, that wasn’t so bad.” Just as I was beginning to pull the earplugs out of my ear the door opened, in walked a very perturbed technician. I said, “That was a lot faster than the last time I had one.” She shot me a look and said, “It’s not over. You hit the emergency stop.” I guess I was a little too close to the machine during my stretch and my elbow brushed up against the emergency shut off. Turns out its very sensitive. Embarrassed, I tried to make light of the situation and said, “Well, at least we know it’s working.” My attempt fell short. On that day we found out that when the emergency button is pushed on an MRI machine, the test starts over.

I am very happy to say that Charlie had the surgery on the following Wednesday and was fully recovered in a short time. We were quite pleased with Dr. Young. This is actually the second time we were in to see him; he took care of Claire’s knee after a volleyball incident. I enjoy his bedside manner and his dedication to his patients. He spoke directly to Charlie, during the initial exam in his office, at the hospital before surgery, and follow-up appointments, and took the time that was needed to explain everything and put him at ease. Before surgery, the entire team came into the room and introduced themselves, making sure Charlie was as comfortable as possible.

As I watched them wheel him out of the room, we locked eyes, and I did my best to put on the brave confident dad face. I was not worried about the ability of Dr. Young or his team, I was concerned about Charlie and how he was handling being without Jen or myself. I was kidding around with him the night before after prayers about how I could get a knife from the kitchen and take care of it myself (after all my initials are DR).

My concern fell away because to my surprise we received text messages from the operating room; “Charlie did awesome going to sleep. He is so brave! His procedure is started now, and he is doing great!” Wow, what a relief! Then 25 minutes later, another text, “We are in our closing procedure now, Charlie is doing great!” Then the final one, “Charlie is headed into recovery please come to room M20-01”

We were in the recovery room for a while, and as he opened his eyes he sat up and asked for Chick-Fil-A. No kidding. It was the perfect ending. I wish I had recorded it, it would have made a great commercial for the franchise.

During Christmas break I thought more about those text messages and realized that those messages weren’t just updates, they were reassurances during a challenging time. They demonstrated the power of effective client communication.

My experience at the Cleveland Clinic reminded me that effective client communication is not just about sharing information. It’s about providing comfort, reassurance, and empathy. I have strived to be that reassurance to my clients.

Now picture this: I had a conversation with a fellow real estate agent that runs a big team from one of those big box brokerages in town. Imagine my surprise when he told me he let go of his call coordinator. When I asked who now handles his client communications, he nonchalantly said, “Chatbots.” Yes, you heard me right, those computer programs that mimic human conversation.

It’s almost comical that while one of the largest hospitals in the country, the Cleveland Clinic, is ramping up its customer focus, he’s heading in the opposite direction, leaving client communication with computers.

I understand that the roles of a real estate broker and a surgeon are significantly different, and you can’t compare selling a home to saving a life. However, it’s important to acknowledge that for many clients, the sale of their home represents a major financial transaction, filled with strong emotions. The equity from this sale could be their only source of funds for retirement or it can be an inheritance for their children or grandchildren.

In my view, maintaining a personal and human touch in client communication is key. I firmly believe that relying solely on computer programs, such as chatbots, for client interactions is a step in the wrong direction. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s disturbing that technology is replacing the human element in such a significant aspect of our lives. It’s as if the world is going crazy.

If you would like an updated value on your home for taxes just send me an email.

Thank you for trusting me with your real estate needs. I hope you have a happy and healthy 2024.

Sincerely

Dennis Rath

life and experience · Sellers · Selling a home

Dennis Rath Home Sellers Newsletter Dec 2019

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dec-2019-fin Download

During this time of year, I think a lot about a group of people that work 24/7, and
stand ready to do a job that I think is one of the hardest, thankless jobs you could
ever have; hospital employees. These people work in a place that’s surrounded by
injury, illness and death. It’s also not the safest environment to work in. They
run the risk of contracting serious illnesses or diseases, deal with people out of
their minds so high they don’t even know where they are, people carrying
weapons, and the mentally ill. Just imagine working in a place where it’s not
uncommon to hear the heart wrenching screams from a parent who comes
through the door holding a lifeless baby in their arms.

When people think of hospital employees they mostly think about the doctors and
surgeons. However, there is a front line of employees that are almost invisible. I
am talking about all of the other employees that make a hospital run. Nurses,
technicians, environmental staff, laundry staff, transporters, ambulance personnel,
security guards…the list goes on and on. These people are just as exposed to the
dangers, and their hearts break when they hear the screams and see the faces of
sorrow.

At the holidays this hard job becomes even harder. All of the patients are the
sickest of the sick because the hospital will send home everyone that can be sent
home, and the staff is stuck at work away from friends and family. I’m sure you
think that they are compensated for the time, but you’d be surprised how little the
‘behind the scenes’ employees make. I know because I was lucky enough to have
had a part time job that paid for my family’s health care during the great
recession.

Every year around this time as I pass Fairview Hospital, I think about those
people doing their jobs day in and day out, with no accolades or thanks. I am
hyper aware at this time of the year for a couple of reasons; one being that I
started out my life spending Christmas in a hospital. I am the last of six children,
so when I was born on the 23rd, my mom missed being home with her other
children for Christmas that year. Being away from family on Christmas would be
hard for most of us, but for my mom it had to be really bad. You see, my mom
loved everything about Christmas from the decorations to the meal. Growing up,
our home was an experience that you had with all of your senses. Lights inside
the house and out, a regular Christmas tree, a few ceramic ones, animated
figurines, two nativity scenes…and let’s not forget the smells! We had fresh holly,
& pine branches, and mistletoe above the doors. Every Saturday was cleaning
day, bed sheets were changed, floors cleaned, furniture dusted… Growing up, my
mom would wake us up to the sound of what she called cleaning music, and
beginning around Thanksgiving, the Saturday cleaning soundtrack was replaced
with Christmas music.

My mom often told me the story of our first Christmas in Lakewood Hospital. The only decoration she had was a Christmas tree she could see in the window of an apartment across the street. Every evening around six the person would turn the lights on. For that year that was our Christmas tree. She would look forward to that every night. She always would end the story with how she wished she could thank them and let them know how important that tree was to her. My mom also had had a special place in her heart for the nurses that took care of us. She would often say how nice they were to us, and on several occasions they went above and beyond to make her hospital stay bearable. Every year on my birthday I get together with my siblings for pizza and cake. A tradition that my mom started when I was a kid and it continues on to this day with the only difference being that since my parents have died, I pay for the pizza. I don’t know why I do it, because every year during this celebration, I am reminded that mom was not home for Christmas in 1964 because of me. So I guess it’s my way of making amends to them for the year I had mom all to myself.

Now fast forward 29 years and in early December 1994, I came down with some type of bug that I couldn’t seem to shake. I went to the ER to be checked out, was diagnosed with the flu and sent home. Later that day I talked with my mom and she felt something was not right, so the next day she sent my sister over to check on me. When my sister Traci arrived, I was having a hard time walking and I was slurring my words. Realizing something was terribly wrong, she helped me into the car to take me back to the hospital. I was getting worse and very quickly. So quickly that in the middle of all of the tests that Dr. Riley ordered a doctor came in and told me, “Mr. Rath, you have every symptom of ALS, but I have never seen it progress this fast.” As soon as I heard that, I thought I was going to die. Dr. Riley came back in and said, “I think I know what this is, but we need to do a few more tests.” The next day, I was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS). By this time I was almost completely paralyzed. I still thought I was going to die because I never heard of Guillain–Barré syndrome. I was transported from Lakewood Hospital to University Hospital where I was admitted and immediately sent to the intensive care unit.

GBS is an odd thing. I felt normal and could think clear as a bell, but I could not move my body all the way to my mouth. During my stay in the ICU the nurses went above and beyond for me and they literally did a lot of heavy lifting. At the time, I was around 260 pounds of dead weight. Any movement that I did during that time was done by those nurses in the ICU because I had no muscle control. They had to bathe me, change my clothes, change my bed linens, and every other thing necessary. To say I was embarrassed was an understatement and they understood that and did their best to ease my discomfort.

Every day in the I.C.U., I had a treatment called plasmapheresis. It’s a process of removing all of the plasma from the blood by running it through a machine sort of like dialysis, and it took hours to complete. During one of the procedures my arm twitched and the needle in it went through the vein and my blood pressure dropped like a rock. I had tunnel vision and blacked out. When I woke up I was in the Trendelenburg position, my head was near the floor and feet were in the air. My room was full of hospital staff, there were alarms going off everywhere. After that happened along with the A.L.S. comment I was convinced that I was going to die and I slipped into a very dark place. Lying in my room in ICU, unable to move my body, my thoughts consumed with my death, in walked my nurse. I don’t know if she had any formal psychology classes or it was just her experience, but she knew something was not right with me. She engaged me and got me talking and slowly began to pull me out of the darkness. She would say, “You know you’re alright.” and “That happens sometimes, we are ready and prepared for it. Don’t you worry you’re going to be just fine.”

A few weeks ago I was reading that people recover faster, and they think more often from major illnesses when they have faith. After reading that, I have thought what would have happened if my nurse just changed my I.V. and walked out leaving me in that dark place? After all, it’s not in her job description to see that the people in her area are doing well emotionally.

On my 30th birthday I was moved into a regular room, and I was organizing a pity party for myself because I was now 30 and still very dependent on others for every human need. I was unsure about what the future held, and mad as hell about spending my birthday and Christmas in a hospital. As you can see, back then gratitude was not my go to response. It should have been after all, I was out of ICU and on my way to recovery. The hospital staff went all out for me. I can recall thinking they must have had a memo go around informing everyone about my birthday because it seemed to me that every hospital employee from the housekeeper to the phlebotomist came into my room to wish me a happy birthday.

Then later that night my nurse came into my room and gave me one of the best birthday gifts I have ever received. She asked, “Do you have someone that could drive you to your parents’ home for a few hours on Christmas? They would have to get you back here by 7pm.” YES! I do! I called my sister Mame. On Christmas Eve lying in the hospital I had a hard time going to sleep just like when I was a kid. I was so excited to be going home for Christmas even if it was for only a few hours!

I will always remember a few of the things that happened that Christmas day; the first was sitting in the family room alone as everyone was cleaning up the dishes after dinner. The only lights on were on the Nativity scene and two animated angels holding candles. I kept thinking about what my ICU nurse said, “You’re going to be fine.” Maybe she was right. After all, I was in my parents’ home. I did not want to go back, but I resolved that I would do whatever was going to be asked of me.

The next thing was a gift Jen gave me. It was an autographed photo of Zig Ziglar. He is a motivational speaker best known for his first book ‘See You at the Top”. That photo sat by my bed in the hospital to remind me to stay positive. The overnight nurse asked me, “Is that a picture of your daddy? Is your daddy Bob Barker?” The nurse asking me, “Honey, why do you have a picture of Bob Barker next to your bed?”, was the first time I had laughed since the whole thing began. Even today it makes me chuckle.

The other funny thing was a typical mom thing. Before I left to go back to the hospital my mom gave me boxes of candy for the nurses. Her instructions were “This candy is not for you, it’s for your nurses. Don’t eat any of it!” “Ok fine.” I said. Then she said, “Don’t bother them tonight, it’s Christmas.” “Mom,” I said, “I cannot move without assistance, I need their help!” Not paying attention to my last comment her reply was, “I know, just don’t bother them, and don’t be a pest!”

A few days later I was sent by ambulance to Metro hospital for rehab. Metro also had a great staff. They went above and beyond as well. After my normal rehab, the staff made sure I did not just lie in my bed and watch TV. They got me up and they played cards with me and pushed me around the hospital. I was very lucky to have such great people around me. It seemed like they were always up and positive. I was sent home after a few weeks for out-patient rehabilitation, and was back to work around 6 or 7 months later.

Once I recovered, I remembered that my mom always said she wished she could thank the people with the Christmas tree that year I was born, so I went back to thank the nurses. I was hoping to see the ICU nurse that gave me the reassurance, but I did not see her. I have had the opportunity to visit a few people in the hospital that have come down with GBS, and my goal is to give them the hope that was given to me.

The last thing that makes me appreciate hospital workers this time of year is that I have worked at Fairview Hospital and have worked a few holidays including Christmas. I can tell you from my experience that I have never worked with a better group of people. I was blessed to get a job at Fairview during the great recession. The job was part time and it had the healthcare I needed to have for my family. My job was cleaning operating rooms. It was a hard, dirty job, and I had a front row seat at the real inner workings of a very busy hospital. Being in environmental services, every day I could see people going through some of life’s most serious issues and you can’t help but be changed by it. I have watched my fellow employees walk out of a room with tears in their eyes for a patient that has died, and I have seen some with a smile so big they could have eaten a banana sideways. Every day working in a hospital is like a rollercoaster of emotion. Working holidays for me was very difficult. The only operations being performed are emergencies, so I was moved down to clean emergency rooms. At the end of a holiday shift if you were not grateful for your healthy life, you were not paying attention.

The people that work in a hospital all have an extra gene; the gene of compassion. They have our backs and are willing
to help the helpless. When our life has been turned upside down, they stand at the ready to help us put it back together.
So this holiday season when you pass by a hospital, hold a good thought and say a prayer for all of them.

Thank you for the trust you have placed in me, I am very grateful to all of you.

From my family to yours, merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

life and experience · Real Estate Sales · Sellers · Uncategorized

Ohio Real Estate Broker & Author Dennis Rath Celebrates Winning Prestigious Acknowledgment for his Work

July 10, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

Dennis Rath a Real Estate Broker in Rocky River Ohio has been named for the second year in a row to the Cleveland Magazine Top Real Estate Agents list in the June 2019 issue.

July 9, 2019

Rocky River Ohio Real Estate broker Dennis Rath of Dennis Rath Home Sellers is well known for saving his clients’ money, without them sacrificing anything in service. In 2019 this averaged $2,895 a client, a number that is a few steps beyond remarkable in the opinion of most with experience in the real estate world. With over 25 years of experience, and handling each client individually rather than relying on a team, Rath has been able to maintain and replicate this high-level of success in a straight forward and transparent way. In exciting news, this excellence in his field has been recognized for the second year in a row, with Rath being featured on the Cleveland Magazine Top Real Estate Agents List, which was published in the June 2019 issue. He is also the author of two popular real estate related books, “Value-Driven Approach to Sell Real Estate: A Practical Guide to…” and “The Dennis Rath Home Sellers Professional Service Approach to Selling Real Estate”.

Rath commented, “I think my success has been my unique approach to selling real estate most agents are still using a one size fits all approach but charging a commission based on the sales price. So the marketing fee ends up totally disconnected from the actual work.”

“My clients have saved on average $2,895.00 and still received full service,” he continued clearly passionate about his work. “I use a sound approach developed over my 25 year career that’s straight forward and transparent. I don’t have a team so my clients never end up feeling like a hot potato, when a client calls I return the call. A number of my clients are not as comfortable with technology so I don’t force them into it. I still make house calls. I still believe in personal service.”

According to Rath, although technology has re-invented , transformed and revolutionized the selling of a home, the majority of real estate brokerages are still operating on a one size fits all commission-only business model, that has not changed since before the fax machine. The sales culture that is fostered in some of the biggest real estate offices hearkens back to boiler room style high-pressure sales tactics using bait and switch gimmicks like “I will sell your home in 61 days or buy it.” Things that are clearly trickery and not based on delivering value to clients or win-win situations, where all involved benefit.

Rath continued, pointing out while house values along with the average commission for Real estate agents have risen over the last 10 years recent market conditions and modern technology, has actually created a situation where it takes less work and outgoing costs, to sell a home. The industry in turn has not added more value to justify the increase in fees. Client property value has gone up because of economic factors and improvements they have done themselves, not because of the real estate industry. And recognizing that Rath works hard to keep his fees at a reasonable level that recognizes these realities rather than trying to act out of greed and selfishness.

With the real estate industry reaching what may be a pivotal point, pressure is beginning to mount from all sides. Several outsiders have picked up on the perceived vulnerabilities like the Class action lawsuit Moerhl v National Association of Real estate agents (NAR), and the Department of Justice investigating antitrust issues. Forced change may be coming to the industry and it looks like the “commission only model”brokers will be hurt first. Fortunately, this won’t negatively impact the few like Dennis Rath Home Sellers who already realize a new era for real estate demands new thinking, which is exactly what he is doing.

Rath’s reviews reflect his positive approach to realty.

Linked In Recommendation 07/04/2019

My family recently worked with Dennis Rath to buy a home and sell a home on the West side of Cleveland. The experience was fantastic! We were able to buy a home for my mother with the minimum of muss and fuss. Dennis managed all the details flawlessly. My mother’s home sold in less than a week at above the listing price and closed on time and as scheduled. All the advice Dennis Gave us from staging, to repairs to the appropriate list price to which buyer to pick turned out to be accurate and wise. Throughout the entire process he was diligent, organized, calm and just incredibly competent. We could not be more satisfied.

For more information be sure to visit https://dennisrath.blog.

Thinking of selling your home visit: https://www.dennisrath.com/sellmine

Email Dennis@Dennisrath.com Or just call (440) 600-9508

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Education · life and experience · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

7 Factors to Consider When Choosing A Home to Retire In

January 21, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

As more and more baby boomers enter retirement age, the question of whether or not to sell their homes and move will become a hot topic. In today’s housing market climate, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to adapt to your needs in retirement.

According to the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (NAEBA), there are 7 factors that you should consider when choosing your retirement home.

1. Affordability

“It may be easy enough to purchase your home today but think long-term about your monthly costs. Account for property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, utilities – all the things that will be due whether or not you have a mortgage on the property.”

Would moving to a complex with homeowner association fees actually be cheaper than having to hire all the contractors you would need to maintain your home, lawn, etc.? Would your taxes go down significantly if you relocated? What is your monthly income going to be like in retirement?

2. Equity

“If you have equity in your current home, you may be able to apply it to the purchase of your next home. Maintaining a healthy amount of home equity gives you a source of emergency funds to tap, via a home equity loan or reverse mortgage.”

The equity you have in your current home may be enough to purchase your retirement home with little to no mortgage. Homeowners in the US gained an average of over $14,000 in equity last year.

3. Maintenance

“As we age, our tolerance for cleaning gutters, raking leaves and shoveling snow can go right out the window. A condominium with low-maintenance needs can be a literal lifesaver, if your health or physical abilities decline.”

As we mentioned earlier, would a condo with an HOA fee be worth the added peace of mind of not having to do the maintenance work yourself?

4. Security

“Elderly homeowners can be targets for scams or break-ins. Living in a home with security features, such as a manned gate house, resident-only access and a security system can bring peace of mind.”

As scary as that thought may be, any additional security and an extra set of eyes looking out for you always adds to peace of mind.

5. Pets

“Renting won’t do if the dog can’t come too! The companionship of pets can provide emotional and physical benefits.”

Evaluate all of your options when it comes to bringing your ‘furever’ friend with you to a new home. Will there be necessary additional deposits if you are renting or in a condo? Is the backyard fenced in? How far are you from your favorite veterinarian?

6. Mobility

“No one wants to picture themselves in a wheelchair or a walker, but the home layout must be able to accommodate limited mobility.”

Sixty is the new 40, right? People are living longer and are more active in retirement, but that doesn’t mean that down the road you won’t need your home to be more accessible. Installing handrails and making sure your hallways and doorways are wide enough may be a good reason to look for a home that was built to accommodate these needs.

7. Convenience

“Is the new home close to the golf course, or to shopping and dining? Do you have amenities within easy walking distance? This can add to home value!”

How close are you to your children and grandchildren? Would relocating to a new area make visits with family easier or more frequent? Beyond being close to your favorite stores and restaurants, there are a lot of factors to consider.

Bottom Line

When it comes to your forever home, evaluating your current house for its ability to adapt with you as you age can be the first step to guaranteeing your comfort in retirement. If after considering all these factors you find yourself curious about your options, let’s get together to evaluate your ability to sell your house in today’s market and get you into your dream retirement home!

Education · Lessons Learned · life and experience · Maximize Your Profit · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

Maximize Your Profit When Selling Your Home By Avoiding a Fundamental Mistake!

January 18, 2019February 4, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

I was just out to breakfast today with my wife Jen, at Gina’s. (the best place in Fairview Park to eat breakfast) I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation at the table next to us, they said that they were going to wait until spring to sell their house. This made me pause.

That is such a big mistake and I thought you should know why, in case you’re thinking of doing this yourself.

If you wait until springtime to sell your home, and by springtime, I mean April, May, or June, you’re going to be putting your home on the market at a bad time. Typically spring time will have a lot of homes you will need to compete against as well as new construction. When buyers have a lot to choose from they can become anxious and hesitant.

The best way to look at this situation is like supply and demand. Think about housing just like anything else: it’s an asset. In supply and demand, if there are more assets available, the price is going to be less. If there are few assets available, the prices go up. Adding your house to a market already saturated with homes on the “supply” side will only make it harder to sell. The best thing to do is to market your home with less competition on the market.

Our market in the Cleveland area is driven by first time home buyers. They buy a house when they are ready to buy a house. That’s just how it works. They do not normally wait for spring.” They save their money and get at it as soon as they can. Last year in the first few months buyers were willing to get into a bidding war because inventory’s were low, as inventory’s grew they were more likely to just move on to the next one.

So, do them and you a favor and stop waiting until Spring!

We cover all of these things in my book, so if you’d like a copy of it, feel free to send me an email or comment down below. I’d be happy to get it out to you!

Have a great day and I hope you enjoy the weather! It’s hasn’t been too bad lately, at least for January in Cleveland.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Education · Lessons Learned · life and experience · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

The Best Time to List Your House? TODAY!

January 14, 2019February 2, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

You may have heard that the housing market is softening. There is no doubt that buyer traffic has decreased. There are fewer purchasers in the market than there were last month and at this time last year. What you may not have heard, however, is that there is still a severe shortage of listing inventory in many regions of the country.

In a recent interview discussing the housing market, First American’s Chief Economist Mark Fleming put it simply:

“The biggest challenge is really the availability of supply.”

When we look at available inventory numbers released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), we see that the actual number of homes for sale has decreased in each of the last five months.

What does this mean to you as a seller?

The best time to sell is when there is less competition. That guarantees you a better price and fewer hassles in the transaction.

Bottom Line

If you are thinking of selling your house this year, the best time to put it on the market might be right now. Let’s get together to evaluate the demand for your house in our market!

Education · life and experience · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

The Reasons That Homes Fail to Sell Even In A great Market!

January 8, 2019January 8, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

The Reasons That Homes Fail to Sell

I gotta talk to you. I was just out to lunch and I got asked a question for the second time today, so I figured you may be asking it, too.

The question was: Why didn’t my house sell? The market is good, so why didn’t it sell?

Well, they were right. The market is good right now. But that doesn’t mean your house will be automatically sold. There are actually only a few reasons that homes fail to sell, so let’s take a look at them.

Reason #1: Your house isn’t priced to sell.

You may have heard me talk about this before. A real estate agent will list your home at a price way over what it’s worth just to get you to sign a 6-month contract. Then they slowly reduce the price until you’ve missed your honeymoon period. This is called buying the listing and should be avoided at all costs. Also, some agents will show up with a comparative market analysis and price for your home already in mind. If they do this, just run! Or listen and check out, just like my house does when I’m listening.

Reason #2: You hired the wrong agent or brokerage.

This may be one of the biggest mistakes you could make when selling your home. Don’t just hire an agent because you see their signs all over town. What if all those signs don’t mean that they’re good at their job, but have a lot of houses listed that they can’t sell? I used to work exclusively with expired listings when I first started in this business and I saw a lot of things go wrong. If you hired a discount brokerage, or even brokerage who assigned a new agent to your case, it is common to see your home listed wrong on the MLS. I have seen homes listed completely in the wrong area. Make sure to interview multiple agents before you hire one or try to hire a broker directly because they have more education and higher stakes in the game.

Reason #3: You’re not marketing enough.

This isn’t always your fault. Sometimes, larger brokerages have a set pattern that they don’t stray from when it comes to marketing houses. They may not do Facebook ads, share it on social media at all, or keep your listing up to date on all websites where people are looking for houses. I’ve even seen some realtors not use Zillow just because they don’t like it, even though 9 out of 10 people say they use Zillow to look for homes. If you’re having trouble with your home’s marketing, you have to hold the agent’s feet to the floor and make sure they get it done.

Reason #4: You didn’t have professional pictures taken.

You’ve probably heard me say this before, but you NEED to have a professional photographer take pictures of your home. You just do. In today’s market, you can’t afford not to use a professional photographer. You know that if you heard the story about the expired listing of the house over in North Olmstead where the agent took pictures of a $200,000 home with her iPhone. You just can’t do it. Take my word for it.

Reason #5: Your home is not in good condition.

The market is moving right now, but it’s only certain price ranges and only house that are in the top level of that price range. If there are 10 houses on the market, you need your house to better than all 10 in order to sell it. That means beds have to be made, dishes have to be done, and everything should be neat and tidy. You don’t want to have a messy home when trying to sell your house, especially if a viewing is taking place. What potential buyers see can impact their final decisions more than you know.

So, price your house to sell, interview multiple agents, market your home, take professional photos, and make sure it is in good condition if you want your home to sell! Don’t make fundamental mistakes, which you can read more about in my book!

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email.

Good luck and have a great day!

Education · life and experience · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

Pricing Your Home to Maximize Your Profit

December 20, 2018January 2, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

When selling your home, one of the first hurdles that you will face is pricing your home. Naturally, everyone wants to profit as much as they can, but it can be tricky since there are several different ways you can go about pricing your home. Here are some tips to maximize your profit:

Don’t Use a CMA

This will be our little secret. The most common way realtors decide what to price a home is to run a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA. When I started in real estate 24 years ago, they taught us to do a CMA when pricing home by finding what other homes in the area sold for then listing the client’s home a little above that.

Nowadays, that is a mistake. There are too many other factors that matter to pricing a home these days that only looking at just the prices of other listings in the area will not do your home justice.

If a realtor comes into your home with a CMA already in hand, run away. If they have already done a CMA, they already have a price in mind and will not be open to whatever you want to do.

Use a Market Absorption Report

The best report for today’s listings would be a Market Absorption Report. These reports take into account seasonality, staging, pre-inspection, the condition of the home and property, and more. It’s more than just letting the market dictate the price of your home.

For instance, if you are selling a five-bedroom home and another five-bedroom home recently sold two streets over, a Market Absorption Report will note that the home had tremendous pet odor. The odor was reflected in the price and would affect your CMA. But, with the Market Absorption Report, your home will not be lowered to the price of the home with pet odor.

Another thing the Market Absorption Report will do is look back on the history of homes sold during a specific period of time. The report would tell me that last December, there were 26 houses sold in a particular community and we could expect to sell about the same number of houses because the rates are still somewhat the same.

Don’t Let Your Agent Buy the Listing

Another thing an agent will do that you need to stay away from is called buying the listing. When they do this, they start with a price that is way over what you’re really going to get as long as they get your name on the contract. What happens is you’re locked in for six months and they’ll slowly reduce the price of the home until it is a more marketable price. By then, you’ve missed your honeymoon period. Make sure you don’t fall for this.

Get Multiple Opinions

Before you set a price for your home, or even invite an agent in, get a general idea of what you want to get for your house. When you are ready to invite an agent in, don’t invite just one. Invite in three. Even try to invite in a broker instead of an agent. Invite them in, get their opinions, and take a look at their values. Even if you’re going to sell it for sale by owner. It’s your responsibility to get the most amount of money you can for your house.

Once you’ve taken all of these steps, you will be on the right track to maximize your profit from selling your home. Make sure to let me know if you have any questions by commenting or messaging me. I’d be happy to answer them!

Education · life and experience · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

Always Demand That Your Agent Use a Professional Photographer

December 19, 2018January 2, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

Always Demand That Your Agent Use a Professional Photographer

Whether you realize it or not you realize it, photography can make or break a home listing. Bad photos can really turn away potential buyers. The best way to avoid this is to hire a professional photographer to take pictures of your home for the listing- it can make all the difference.

It’s Your Home’s First Showing

Think of it this way: if you were scrolling through dozens of home listings online, would you be more interested in learning more about the home with crystal clear photographs of every room, or the house with blurry photos of just a few rooms when the photographer’s finger can be seen too close to the lens? The first one, right?

The photos on your home’s listing is the first impression your home will make on a lot of people, and you want to make a good first impression if you want all those buyers flocking to your house. Since it’s the first showing your home will get, make sure the photos make people want to buy, or at least learn more, with professional photography.

It Could Lead to Bad Publicity

If you’ve ever searched for a home online, you know that there is a lot of bad photography associated with home listings. In fact, I just came across one in the MLS today where you could literally see the tips of the shoes of the person taking the photo.

There’s a website out there called, something along the lines of, Outrageous Pictures in Real Estate. They feature different pictures of home listings and the lousy photography that people use. Do you think people would want to buy your house if it ended up on this website?

Don’t Skimp Out on Photographs

It may cost you a couple hundred dollars to have a professional take pictures, but when you are potentially making $250,000 from selling your home and paying $14,000 in real estate commissions, it is only a small investment to get the best you can get. There are professional photographers out there that this is all they do and they know how to touch up a photo properly. Not to say that they will photoshop stuff in there, but they will know how to make it pop and catch the eyes of your buyers.

And please, please, please, don’t let your realtor use their iPhone. In fact, ask that they don’t even deal with the photos. Use a reputable photographer whose work you can see and know that it’s good. Get the best pictures that you possibly can to attract more buyers.

The way I see it, professional photography is the ONLY option when listing your home. So, take my advice and make sure you hire one! If you have any questions, please comment or message me! I’d be happy to answer them.