Sally Peyton, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate

02/23/2022

So, I just have to say, I'm 2 days-down into a teaching a broker pre-license class of 19 people. The largest class I've ever taught for this particular type of class. It's a 48 hour class, so we have 4 days to go. You get pretty close to the students in that time. WOW, oh WOW! I'm pretty blown away by this group! They really get it and are (IMO) a dedicated group of professionals!

10/20/2021

Here's a real good one. Just went on the market!

Sale at: 4618 Seibert Avenue | BHHS Alliance Real Estate

10/19/2021

Here's just a little preview of a listing that should go active by Wednesday (available to show Friday).
2 beds/1.5 baths, and WAIT FOR IT: features you wouldn't expect at this price point/location. Main floor laundry, full, partially finished basement, two car attached garage, vaulted ceiling; killer fenced yard, fireplace, updates....I could go on! Stone's throw from City limits, but in St. Louis County. So cute! More pics to come. $234,900. Ima gonna be busy this weekend!

07/25/2021

I’m so excited! Just learned that I can have a lucrative career as an auto mechanic in just eighteen weeks!! Not only that, I may qualify for federal grant $. Fancy that! Not sure what algorithm from my search history targeted me for this particular tidbit, but seriously, I can’t decide whether I should be depressed that the profession I’ve been proud to practice takes a fraction of the time and money to get into, or if I should be kicking myself for not becoming an auto mechanic before I was incapable of getting out from under a car without assistance.

06/24/2021

Ok, closing is scheduled for Monday, 6/28. I actually have final figures from Alliance Title Company!!! Yup, working with a great lender, amazing buyers, and title company! Worth it's weight in gold!!! Trust me when I say this could have been a nightmare deal if we hadn't had pros on all sides. Knock-on-wood, all continues to go well.

06/16/2021

“We just bought our dream home!” or, “We just sold our home for top dollar!” How about “the buyers couldn’t find a thing wrong on the building inspection.” Comments that all sound very positive, but be very wary of your comments during the buying and selling process! I’ve seen several comments today that make me cringe for the parties! Best practice, if you must post something, do it once you’re closed!

04/15/2021

In my last post, I mentioned “back-up contracts,” and I got a few messages and questions. In a nutshell, here’s the deal:
If you’re the seller: If your property is under-contract, you can accept another offer as a back-up. This DOES NOT mean you can tell buyer #1 to go pound sand because you like the back-up more. It does, however mean that if something goes south and buyer #1 either can’t perform, or chooses not to go forward because a contingency is not resolved (be that a building inspection, financing, or home sale contingency), you have a second buyer in position to become primary.
If you’re the buyer: It doesn’t mean you have to put your life on hold and wait until your back-up becomes primary. Structured correctly, you can continue to shop for a home and rescind your back-up if you find another home.
One of my pet peeves in teaching other agents is I feel they are, for the most part, very well-meaning and caring, but don’t always educate their clients on the ins and outs of transactions. I am passionate about making sure I have well-informed buyers and sellers. After all, knowledge is power!
As always, hugs to all, and let me know if you have any questions, or if I can help in any way!

04/08/2021

Wow! Sellers' are sure sensing that the water is warm, and are wanting to jump in to the rapids....but many are doing so with no raft, paddle, life vest or guide. Here are just a few of the topics we need to touch on if you're thinking of selling in the current hot market. It's a great time to sell, but many are getting burned without the proper guidance.
1)What IS top dollar, and how do I know I haven't left money on the table?
2) How can I protect myself if the appraisal comes in lower than the offers?
3.)What happens when buyers, who feel they are paying top-dollar nit-pick on inspections?
4.)How can an "all cash" deal go south in a hurry, and how do you make sure you're protected?
5.)What are back-up offers and how do they work?

There are quite a few more issues, and y'all are welcome to pick my brain. Just give me a call or PM me! Hugs!

03/29/2021

You’ve probably heard that this is kind of a crazy market. True! I thought it might be helpful to post just a couple of quick tips for folks who may be considering making a move. It’s true, prices are through the roof, which makes it a great time to be a seller but can also be extremely frustrating for buyers. Here are just a few quick thoughts if you’re thinking of purchasing a new home:
1)Make sure you’re working with a Realtor who really knows the market in your area, as well as someone who knows the ins and outs of navigating multiple offer situations. Talk to them about a negotiating strategy, up front. This is critical for a myriad of reasons.
2)It is not legal in Missouri for an agent to represent you in a transaction without a written agreement. They’re not asking you to sign a Buyer’s Agency agreement to “get a commission.” They’re giving you an option: do you want them to represent you, or not? If you don’t, fine. They can choose to show you property…but don’t ask them for advice, opinions or information on the sellers’ price, terms or motivation. They’re not representing you, and in fact, MAY be working as a subagent to the seller.
3)In this age of technology, you must assume that everything you say or do when viewing a home in person is seen and/or heard. Your agent really wants to hear your opinions, questions, and objections…but it’s probably best not to voice these on-site. Their lack of questions or asking what you like or don’t like has more to do with protecting your privacy than a lack of curiosity.
4)Understand that while licensed Realtors are bound by both License Law and the Code of Ethics, sellers often aren’t. Because agents representing sellers are obligated to obey their client’s legal instructions, a seller can direct the agent to act in a way that the agent would not or could not do on their own. For example, a SELLER could (I didn’t say would, I said could), direct an agent to “shop” your offer. This means revealing to other potentially interested parties the existence of your offer, and in fact even the specific price and terms of your offer! (I did not say this was a good idea, but that is a topic for another post.) That does not mean they can direct the agent to do things that are NOT legal, like fail to disclose a known defect, or lie and say there are other offers when there aren’t.
Those are just a few points…want to hear a bunch more? I’d be happy to help!

03/31/2020

"Trust Funds" is just one of many tools we're implementing to adjust to this rapidly changing environment. It ensures your earnest money deposits are safely and timely deposited. I am spending a great deal of time these days learning about new protocols, best practices, compliance concerns (ie: ways to minimize client risk) and many other issues. The ways we, as an industry, are adjusting business models to handle virtual showings vs. actual showings; Zoom virtual consultations and meetings; electronic earnest money; changes in inspections, appraisals, municipal compliance; settlement services and a host of other issues is pretty monumental. I am working hard to ensure that I am staying on top of all these issues, so that you receive the very best and most current information and guidance! If you'd like to talk by phone or virtual meeting about some of these changes and how they might impact you as a potential buyer or seller, please let me know!

Stay safe, healthy and lonesome!😏

The TrustFunds tool will have your buyers buzzing with excitement about the ability to electronically deposit their Earnest Money!
🐝💻💵🏠

07/10/2019

Sorry to say, I've listed one of these a time or two!

Do you think staging costs too much? Keep in mind your market return on investment.

07/02/2019

This is not a rant against fellow agents. Nor it is a rant against buyers or sellers. Rather it is a rant about how the industry as a whole doesn’t educate the public—those we are supposed to protect—well enough.
I got a FB message from a friend who forwarded a post from a friend of her’s who had just closed on what sounded like a very evil transaction. Please note, the transaction closed. The forwarded post noted that the evil buyer’s agent (or evil buyers: take your pick. The poster was unhappy with everyone,) was terrible, and that she(the seller) was going to lodge a formal complaint against this evil buyers’ agent. My friend wanted to know if I had advice for her friend. I did not. It would be very inappropriate to comment on a transaction to which I only had third party knowledge. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion given the information I was given.
One of the first complaints was that there was apparently a meeting of the minds on the inspection, and all was documented appropriately, within the timeframes. Subsequently, the buyers came back with more demands, and further expressed their unhappiness with the quality of the work.
The transaction started to go further south—and I gather the sellers tried to bend over backwards to satisfy increasing demands. Ultimately, according to the seller/poster, the buyer’s agent told the listing agent, “They’re lucky they found someone to buy their crappy house.”
Did I mention the deal closed?
No, I’m not saying the buyer’s agent acted appropriately. Nor am I saying the seller (who wants blood from this buyers’ agent) doesn’t have an axe to grind. But, one of the most important things we as agents are supposed to do is act in the best interest of our clients, be they buyer or seller. In other words, we are paid to be advocates for our clients.
My first question to myself was where was the sellers’ agent when the first out-of-deadline request was made? My second question: Why, if the request was unreasonable did they respond to the request instead of just saying, “we had an agreement. See y’all at closing.”
Rant done. Thoughts?