Why Choosing the Right Real Estate Broker Matters More Than Ever.

September 13, 2024September 13, 2024 dennisjrathLeave a comment

Why Choosing the Right Real Estate Broker Matters More Than Ever

The real estate landscape is evolving, and recent changes in agent compensation have added complexity to the home buying and selling process. If you’re thinking about selling your home, it’s crucial to select a real estate professional who will not only represent you but also navigate these changes effectively. That’s why choosing Dennis Rath Home Sellers is one of the best decisions you can make. Here’s why.

Understanding the Role of the Broker—It’s Not Just the Agent

Many people assume that real estate agents and brokers are the same, but they’re not. When you sign a real estate contract in Ohio, you’re not just dealing with an agent; you’re actually entering into an agreement with the primary broker of the company. This means that the broker holds the ultimate authority in your contract.

A vital question to ask is: Who is the broker, and where are they located? At some firms, the broker may be miles away in a different city, like Cleveland or Columbus, or even out of state, creating a disconnect between you and the person who holds the authority over your contract. At Dennis Rath Home Sellers, you’ll deal directly with me, Dennis Rath—the primary broker—ensuring personal, attentive service throughout the process.

Personalized Service and Unmatched Dedication

At Dennis Rath Home Sellers, you’re not just another listing on a board—you’re my top priority. Unlike large firms where homes can get lost in the shuffle, I focus all my energy and expertise on your unique needs. From the initial consultation to the final closing, I ensure your home gets the attention it deserves. My goal is to maximize its market potential and secure the best outcome for you.

Navigating New Compensation Rules with Expertise

The real estate industry has changed, especially regarding how agent compensation can be advertised and negotiated. While these changes offer more flexibility, they also introduce new complexities into transactions. With 30 years of experience, I’m well-equipped to guide you through these changes. I’ll help you keep costs low, protect your interests, and secure the best possible results.

What You Need to Know About Broker Dynamics

A recent study from the National Association of Realtors indicates that 72% of real estate agents primarily represent home buyers, and 1 in 4 agents may leave the industry in the next two years due to financial pressure. Large brokerages, in particular, are facing shrinking revenue as they manage the overhead of dozens of offices. These pressures are pushing some brokers toward dual agency, where the same broker represents both the buyer and seller—a situation that can create conflicts of interest.

At Dennis Rath Home Sellers, I avoid dual agency to ensure my sole focus is on representing you, the seller. My commitment is to your best interests, without any divided loyalties.

Modern Marketing Without Unnecessary Overhead

After spending 25 years with the Realogy Franchise system, I’ve learned that high overhead doesn’t always translate to better results for clients. Thanks to the internet, I can market your home on the same platforms used by large franchises—without the unnecessary expenses. My MLS agreements ensure your property appears on all the major real estate websites, giving you a competitive edge.

Instead of maintaining multiple offices, I efficiently cover all of northeastern Ohio from my office on Lorain Rd in Fairview Park. I also partner with experienced professionals, such as title companies and mortgage services, to provide you with the best services, including top-tier professional photography to showcase your home in its best light.

Now Is the Time to Act

As the real estate market continues to adapt, now is the perfect time to leverage the personalized service and market exposure that Dennis Rath Home Sellers offers. With me, you’ll have direct access to the person in charge, ensuring transparency and quick responses to your concerns.

Ready to get started? Call me today at 440-490-7284. Let’s navigate this changing landscape together and achieve the best outcome for your home sale.

Education · Maximize Your Profit · Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Sellers · Selling a home

The National Association of REALTORS Settlement

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I assume you have read headlines about the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) agreement to end litigation in the Sitzer-Burnett lawsuit because it’s been all over the news. If by chance you haven’t heard, let me give you some background what the lawsuit was about.

The Sitzer-Burnett is a class-action suit that was filed in Sept. of 2021 in federal court by a group of home sellers in the state of Missouri against the National Association of REALTORS (NAR), along with several other defendants including Anywhere, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Keller Williams, and RE/MAX.

The plaintiff’s case stated real estate commission rates are too high, buyers’ representatives are paid too much, and NAR’s Code of Ethics and MLS Handbook, along with the corporate defendants’ practices of forced compensation have led to inflated commission rates for the sellers. The jury in this case agreed with the plaintiffs. As soon as the verdict came in, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs filed a nationwide lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors, Compass, eXp, Redfin, Howard Hanna Real Estate, United Real Estate, Douglas Elliman, and Weichert Realtors. Instead of appealing the Sitzer-Burnett case and litigating all of the others, the NAR decided to consolidate the cases and proposed a settlement, and as I understand it, it is now up to the court to accept the settlements.

The issue at the heart of the lawsuits is why home sellers are paying commissions of brokers representing home buyers. This

issue is like an onion, as it has many layers, and the industry has done a poor job of informing our clients what the truth is and many agents in the industry do not understand it themselves well enough to articulate it. I understand it completely because I have been selling real estate through the changes.

The compensation, whether it is a flat fee or a commission, is outlined in the contract between the client and the primary broker of the real estate company. Most home sellers or buyers never talk to the primary broker unless something goes wrong. Agents are employed by the brokers, and in most cases may not deviate from the broker’s decisions regarding compensation.

Brokers inform real estate agents what they need to charge, and that fee is split between the broker and the agent. All compensation is negotiable and has always been, nothing in this settlement changes that.

The way it works now is that the real estate compensation is paid to the listing broker, and the listing broker pays the cooperating (buyer’s) broker.

The reason this practice is in effect now is because that was the way it was long before buyers’ agency was a law. When I was first licensed in 1994, cooperating agents (agents who work with buyers) acted as subagents of the listing agent. After the Federal Trade Commission released a study showing that most buyers thought they were being represented, Ohio passed a law that required agents to disclose whom they represented. Thus, the buyers’ agency was born. Compensation did not change after the buyers’ agency because the mortgage laws were never updated and that is how we ended up with this antiquated compensation model.

That brings us up to today. Today there is no easy way for a buyer to pay their agent fees outside of the way it has always been because mortgage rules cap the amount of fees that can get added to a loan, and with VA loans buyers are forbidden to pay any cost. Lawmakers did this to ensure fees do not deplete borrower equity.

So, what has changed as a result of the settlement and how will it affect the way real estate is sold? Good question. No one knows all of the details yet, but here is what we do know; As of mid-July 2024, compensation will be de-coupled from the listing contract and no buyer’s agent compensation will be listed on the Multiple Listing Service. This means that sellers will pay their broker and buyers will be responsible for paying their broker.

The internet is full of people making predictions. Max Besbris, an associate professor, and author wrote, “It will prompt one of the biggest transformations to the housing market since New Deal-era regulations were put in place.” No disrespect to Mr. Besbris, but I don’t think you can compare the NAR lawsuit settlement to the time that followed the Great Depression, but I may be wrong.

This issue is like an onion, as it has many layers, and the industry has done a poor job of informing our clients what the truth is and many agents in the industry do not understand it themselves well enough to articulate it. I understand it completely because I have been selling real estate through the changes.

The way it works now is that the real estate compensation is paid to the listing broker, and the listing broker pays the cooperating (buyer’s) broker.

The upside is the cost of selling will come down in the long run once the mortgage rules are updated, allowing buyers to pay for a buyer’s agent or to be able to finance the cost.

The downside has some significant issues as well with removing the compensation of any type from the MLS. The biggest one I can see is how it will affect first-time home buyers. First-time home buyers as a general rule rely more on agent services to help them through the sometimes complicated and always emotional process of buying a home. A home is the biggest piece to their financial future.

Throughout my career, I’ve dealt with a lot of issues like this one. The concept of sellers and buyers paying for their representation and removing it from the MLS is simple and understandable, but how the execution happens will depend on a wide range of human behavior.

Some people are predicting housing prices will decline along with commissions. I don’t think that’s true because home prices are primarily determined by the supply and demand for housing units. I can’t see how the cost of brokers’ fees will factor in.

I am very happy with the changes. As you know I have been advocating for this for quite some time. As a person who has made his living over the last 30 years in the real estate industry, I am glad to see more transparency in the transaction.

I developed my fee structure of giving sellers options more than 9 years ago. Since then, I have been able to save sellers several thousand on their side of the transaction. Because of the current compensation model, my hands have been tied to save money on the buyer’s side, this should go a long way to correct that.

Thank you for your friendship and your referrals.

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

Education · Real Estate Sales · Sellers · Selling a home

Unlock the Hidden Power of Real Estate Brokers – Your Home Sale Depends on It!

January 31, 2024 dennisjrath

Opting for a real estate broker might provide you with safer assistance compared to working with a sales agent or team. Selling your home goes beyond being a transaction; it’s a voyage filled with both anticipation and uncertainty. Whether you’re new to selling or an experienced real estate pro, the journey toward a sale can be complicated and unpredictable. Among the decisions you’ll have to make one choice that stands out as crucial – is selecting the professional to guide you through this process.

Imagine this journey as an adventure, where your home’s the ship navigating through the ever-changing currents of the real estate market. Whom would you trust as your captain steering you towards a haven of success? Would you put your faith in a navigator who knows every intricacy of these waters? Would you entrust your vessel to a sailor hoping they’ll find their way?

In this blog post we delve into the importance of making the choice when it comes to selling your home. We’ll explore the distinction between a real estate agent and a principal broker shedding light on their roles and responsibilities.

As we navigate the intricacies of this decision you will come to realize the impact that your choice of a real estate professional can have. So, raise the anchor embark on this journey alongside us and uncover the key to a home sale guided by expertise.

Principal Broker

A principal broker is a real estate expert who has completed all the real estate courses along with educational requirements mandated by state laws. In Ohio a broker must successfully complete courses such as Ohio Real Estate Law (40 hours) Ohio Real Estate Principles & Practices (40 hours) Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours) Real Estate Finance (20 hours) a Financial Management course a Human Resources or Personnel Management course an Applied Business Economics course and two years of post secondary education or equivalent ninety quarter hours. They must also pass the brokers exam. Fulfill 36 hours of continuing education every two years.

The principal broker serves as the representative of the brokerage firm. Holds authority to enter into agency contracts with both home sellers and buyers. Additionally they are responsible for supervising real estate agents employed by the agency. The principal broker oversees transactions, between buyers and sellers while providing guidance to agents.

A principal broker also holds a trust or escrow account to ensure the handling of the money deposit and any funds owed to the brokerage firm. The principal broker is held to the standard of accountability and responsibility.

Sales Agent

In Ohio a real estate salesperson is a professional in the industry who has successfully completed all licensing real estate courses. These courses encompass Real Estate Principles and Practices (40 hours) Ohio Real Estate Law which covers rights, housing discrimination and desegregation issues (40 hours) Real Estate Appraisal (20 hours) Real Estate Finance (20 hours). Additionally, they must pass the real estate licensing exam. Sales agents are also required to complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years.

In Ohio real estate agents cannot work independently; they must be affiliated with a brokerage firm because they are not legally permitted to enter into agency contracts with home sellers or buyers. When you engage with a real estate agent you are entering into a contract with the broker while the agent acts as an intermediary. In Ohio any sales or purchase contract for estate is, between the principal and the broker.

What exactly constitutes a team?

According to a paper published by the Ohio Board of Realtors titled “Teams; Is Your Team Violating Ohio License Law?”. Copyrighted in August 2017 by Ohio REALTORS®, the license law, in Ohio defines a team as a group of two or more real estate licensees associated with the same brokerage. Additionally it can include licensed professionals such as administrative assistants and other experts in real estate related fields who advertise together. In order to be considered a team there must be two licensees who advertise together. It’s important to note that teams are not licensed entities recognized by the Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. Although the license law allows multiple licensees to work together and advertise under a team name each individual member of the team is still required to hold their agent or broker license. The concept of teams is quite common in this market, where agents form groups and conduct transactions under the name of their team leader. It’s worth mentioning that even if agents work as part of a team it does not relieve the broker from their obligations under Ohio license law; they are still responsible, for overseeing the activities of all affiliated licensees within their brokerage. This also includes individuals and other intermediaries who work as a team.)

In a nutshell deciding to sell your home is a step. You want the process to go smoothly, efficiently and securely. Opting for a real estate broker can make all the difference. Let’s delve into the reasons why selecting a broker’s your best bet.

1. Direct Communication; One of the advantages of working with a primary broker is that you communicate directly with the person you have signed an agreement with. It’s, like having a one on one conversation with the head. This direct line of communication ensures that your concerns are promptly heard and addressed.

2.. Expertise; Primary brokers typically possess knowledge and experience in the real estate industry. They have been in this field for quite some time which means they can effortlessly guide you through the intricate transactions. Their expertise proves invaluable when it comes to negotiations ensuring that you secure the deal.

3. Extensive Network; Primary brokers often boast a network of buyers and professionals within the industry. This means that more people who are genuinely interested in your property will be exposed to it. They can tap into their connections to find a match, for your home significantly increasing its chances of selling

4. Ensuring legal compliance is crucial, in real estate transactions as they involve a web of laws and regulations. Primary brokers shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that every aspect of the transaction aligns with Ohios real estate laws. This helps mitigate the risk of facing complications in the future safeguarding your interests. On the hand sellers without the guidance of a broker may find it challenging to ensure compliance with Ohios real estate laws.

One advantage of working with a broker’s increased flexibility in negotiating terms and conditions for the sale. It’s akin to having a line to the decision maker allowing you to tailor the deal according to your needs and preferences.

In contrast salespeople may possess experience and knowledge compared to brokers. Their limited expertise can potentially impact the level of service you receive. By choosing to work with a broker you can rest assured that you have access to top notch expertise.

To conclude, when selling your home and considering your equity at stake partnering with a real estate broker is highly recommended. You stand to benefit from their experience, network, legal expertise flexibility, in negotiations and direct communication channels.

FAQ 1; What qualities should I consider when choosing a real estate agent?

Answer; When selecting a real estate agent it is important to take into account their experience, knowledge of the market track record and client reviews. It is crucial to assess their expertise and reputation within the industry.

FAQ 2; Is commission split the factor in choosing a broker?

Answer; Although commission split is an aspect to consider it should not be the determining factor. Other factors such as presence, support system, training opportunities and overall culture within the brokerage also play a role in making your decision.

FAQ 3; How can I ensure that I am selecting the real estate brokerage?

Answer; Prior to joining a brokerage real estate agents should ask questions to evaluate whether it aligns with their needs. These questions may relate to commission structure, training programs, support provided by the brokerage team and the reputation of the brokerage, in the market.

FAQ 4; What distinguishes a real estate broker from an agent?

Answer;

A real estate broker possesses a level of qualification. Can work independently or oversee a brokerage firm. On the hand agents typically operate under the supervision of a broker. Do not have the authority to enter into agency contracts on their own.

FAQ 5; What inquiries should I make during an interview, with a real estate broker?

Answer; When interviewing a real estate broker it is essential to ask about the support they provide training programs available commission structure, company culture and the resources they offer to assist agents in achieving success. These asked questions (FAQs) and their corresponding answers are based on information obtained from search results. They aim to provide guidance, for individuals seeking to select the real estate agent or brokerage.

(*1) It’s important to note that real estate brokers are not attorneys and are not permitted to engage in practice.

Education · Real Estate Sales · Sellers · Selling a home

Unlock the Power to Sell Your Home After a Decade.

January 18, 2024January 18, 2024 dennisjrathLeave a comment

You are now entering the world of real estate.

You are now entering the world of real estate. Those who have not dealt with realty for over 10 years will be surprised to find how much it has changed. The technological revolution has changed the world. Home seller workshop to keep you up-to-date on market trends and best practices in today’s real estate sector. Basically, a home seller workshop is important for you. Why? Let’s explore.

Understanding Today’s Real Estate Market

Many changes have occurred in the estate market during the past ten years. The market’s dynamics, the preferences of buyers and pricing strategies and all changed. Understanding these shifts is vital for a sale to occur.

The Impact of Technology on Real Estate

Technology has utterly changed the way property is marketed and sold. It is important to understand how you can use these tools for everything from marketing a home to conducting virtual home tours.

The Significance of Home Seller Workshops

Gaining Valuable Market Insights. Workshops provide a window into what is happening in the marketplace, letting you benefit from knowledge of price and volume trends.

Preparing Your Home to Sell

Present Your Home with Potential Strategies. The first impression truly is crucial; how can we enhance this benefit?.

Repairs and renovations to your home are always essentialWorkshops can put it in terms you will understand better: —

Marketing Your Property The media is also a way to attract potential buyers in addition to traditional methods.

Marketing Properties

Reduce Your Property Listing Costs To Nothing With This Cost-Effective Techniques Advertising Techniques. Learn how to create captivating listings and advertisements that will attract the buyers.

Use Social Media and Online Platforms: Strategies for Real Estate. Marketing Your Property The media is also a way to attract potential buyers in addition to traditional methods.

Do You Want to Be an Effective Social Media Using It’s important to have a presence today. Learn how you can use social media platforms to effectively market your property.

Negotiation Tactics and Sealing the Deal

Closing the Sale: Sell it Right! Obviously these kinds of things take skill—no one is born with them all acquired only hard work. This section looks at the tips and tactics for successful negotiations, and offers some insight into how negotiations are made.

Objections Buyers Raise

Overcoming Objections: Justify Your Price Learn how to address objections, from buyers in order to overcome them successfully.

Agents and Real Estate: What Are Their Roles?

Types of Real Estate Agents: A Guide to Their Functions in Need to understand these complex issues in a simple, straightforward way that gets results!

The Right Agent for You, and Comparing Agents against Selling for Sale by Owner

Look at the pros and cons of selling through an agent, compared with doing it yourself.

The Role of Technology in Home Selling

Use advanced technology, such as virtual tours and video showings, to extend your property’s impact and bring it to a larger public.

Strategies for Online Listings

Let people know your property by introducing special ways of presenting listings.

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Selling

Getting the Price Right in Your Own Home. Pricing your home is very difficult. Find out how to avoid mistakes in pricing.

Timing Your Sale

Knowing when is the best time to list your home is vital for those practicing real estate. Get to know strategies for timing.

The Emotional Aspect of Selling Your Home

Overcoming Sentimental Attachments. Selling a home can be a whole array of stumbling blocks. Learn how to manage and move forward in a positive way.

What life is like after the sale

Learn to or prepare yourself for the changes that will come with the sale of your home and the new chapter in your life.

Overcoming Sales Challenges

There are challenges that present themselves in every sale. Take some examples to see what people have gone through.

Upcoming Real Estate Industry Trends

A ten-year forecast. Take in the lessons of the past decade. Finding out what trends can be projected in estate for years to come today in order to outperform competitors later on.

Adapting to Changing Circumstances

Adaptability is key. Understand how to be flexible and cope with market changes.

In Summary

In summary, if you haven’t sold a property in over a decade you would do well to attend a home sellers workshop. It gives you the knowledge and skills to manage the current market for real estate sales effectively. If you would like to have any questions answered or attend a home seller workshop, please don’t hesitate and contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of a home seller’s workshop?

Home sellers can attend a workshop for inspiration and know-how, plus also reap the benefits of networking and specialized expertise. This combination makes for a home selling experience that is more successful (and confidence-building.

Real estate market has been through the ten years of development.

To sum up U.S. real estate market during the last decade, first it grew, then it recessed, and finally it rebounded. It was mainly determined by economics over the past ten years. Large changes have occurred in the market and housing prices have not followed a regular pattern.

What can we learn about some trends in home staging and marketing houses?

When you stage a home, it’s worth a lot more money. Nowadays, there are trends in staging homes such as virtual and luxury.

How important do you think technology is for selling a house today?

The importance of technology has gone up, changing how today’s homes are sold. In terms of property transactions in the age of modern conveniences, technology affects all these elements: virtual open houses, digital marketing strategies for exposure, buyer engagement techniques–it is in this manner that the real estate industry has been revamped.

What financial considerations should be on my mind in selling a house?

In selling a house, there are such matters to weigh as listing price, agent commissions, closing costs, repairs, and potential capital gains tax. And for a really successful sale, this is what you need to know; all these factors are fundamental to getting the most for your money.

The technological revolution has changed the world. Home seller workshop to keep you up-to-date on market trends and best practices in today’s real estate sector. Basically, a home seller workshop is important for you. Why? Let’s explore.

Understanding Today’s Real Estate Market

The Impact of Technology on Real Estate

Technology has utterly changed the way property is marketed and sold. It is important to understand how you can use these tools for everything from marketing a home to conducting virtual home tours.

The Significance of Home Seller Workshops

Gaining Valuable Market Insights. Workshops provide a window into what is happening in the marketplace, letting you benefit from knowledge of price and volume trends.

Preparing Your Home to Sell

Present Your Home with Potential Strategies. The first impression truly is crucial; how can we enhance this benefit?.

Repairs and renovations to your home are always essentialWorkshops can put it in terms you will understand better: —

Marketing Your Property The media is also a way to attract potential buyers in addition to traditional methods.

Marketing Properties

Reduce Your Property Listing Costs To Nothing With This Cost-Effective Techniques Advertising Techniques. Learn how to create captivating listings and advertisements that will attract the buyers.

Use Social Media and Online Platforms: Strategies for Real Estate. Marketing Your Property The media is also a way to attract potential buyers in addition to traditional methods.

Do You Want to Be an Effective Social Media Using It’s important to have a presence today. Learn how you can use social media platforms to effectively market your property.

Negotiation Tactics and Sealing the Deal

Objections Buyers Raise

Overcoming Objections: Justify Your Price Learn how to address objections, from buyers in order to overcome them successfully.

Agents and Real Estate: What Are Their Roles?

Types of Real Estate Agents: A Guide to Their Functions in Need to understand these complex issues in a simple, straightforward way that gets results!

The Right Agent for You, and Comparing Agents against Selling for Sale by Owner

Look at the pros and cons of selling through an agent, compared with doing it yourself.

The Role of Technology in Home Selling

Use advanced technology, such as virtual tours and video showings, to extend your property’s impact and bring it to a larger public.

Strategies for Online Listings

Let people know your property by introducing special ways of presenting listings.

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Selling

Getting the Price Right in Your Own Home. Pricing your home is very difficult. Find out how to avoid mistakes in pricing.

Timing Your Sale

Knowing when is the best time to list your home is vital for those practicing real estate. Get to know strategies for timing.

The Emotional Aspect of Selling Your Home

Overcoming Sentimental Attachments. Selling a home can be a whole array of stumbling blocks. Learn how to manage and move forward in a positive way.

What life is like after the sale

Learn to or prepare yourself for the changes that will come with the sale of your home and the new chapter in your life.

Overcoming Sales Challenges

There are challenges that present themselves in every sale. Take some examples to see what people have gone through.

Upcoming Real Estate Industry Trends

A ten-year forecast. Take in the lessons of the past decade. Finding out what trends can be projected in estate for years to come today in order to outperform competitors later on.

Adapting to Changing Circumstances

Adaptability is key. Understand how to be flexible and cope with market changes.

In Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of a home seller’s workshop?

Real estate market has been through the ten years of development.

To sum up U.S. real estate market during the last decade, first it grew, then it recessed, and finally it rebounded. It was mainly determined by economics over the past ten years. Large changes have occurred in market and housing prices have not followed a regular pattern.

What can we learn about some trends in home staging and marketing houses?

When you stage a home, it’s worth a lot more money. Nowadays, there are trends in staging homes such as virtual and luxury.

How important do you think technology is for selling a house today?

What financial considerations should be on my mind in selling a house?

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!

Lessons Learned · Sellers

August 21, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

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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Maximize Your Profit · Real Estate Sales · Sellers · Selling a home

Would an Economic Slowdown Impact Home Values?

April 12, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

Don’t let fear of an economic slowdown prevent you from buying or selling a home! Let’s get together to talk about the changes in the market so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

Education · Real Estate Sales · Selling a home

4300 Butterfly Circle, Medina, OH 44256

March 29, 2019 dennisjrathLeave a comment

Welcome to your new home! A well maintained colonial, located in a newer quiet cul-de-sac neighborhood called Fox Village. This home has many upgrades; wood floors and recessed lighting to name just a few. The kitchen has counter space as far as the eye can see! You will love the quiet solitude that the deck provides, it’s just perfect for having coffee in the mornings, or as a place to decompress after a long day. The basement is partially finished and is being used as a workout area, and playroom. The location provides easy access to shopping, restaurants, highways, and parks.