The McAllister Team Blog

February 28, 2011

Why I Work With a Team

Why I Work With a Team

“Frank Sinatra never moved pianos.”

That in a nutshell is why I prefer to work with a team. The number one goal at my real estate services company is each member of The McAllister Team doing what they do best at all times.

Frank Sinatra was a great singer, but I’m pretty sure he would have been the first to tell you, he wasn’t much of a piano mover.

Chris’s Unique Ability

My unique ability is creating business opportunities and strategies designed to support and add value to the lives of real estate professionals and clients.  In other words, I enjoy assessing situations, identifying problems, creating solutions, and working with my clients (including agents) in implementing those solutions.  This for me is ‘more fun than fun’.  I enjoy designing workflow systems, writing job descriptions, creating marketing plans, researching, negotiating, writing and communicating. 

I LOVE putting deals together, I LOVE seeing my clients get what they want.

All the rest?  The day to day administrative things that have to happen to keep the business running and serve our clients such as entering MLS information, uploading contracts, creating listing packages, scanning, faxing, emailing, writing checks, putting up signs, scheduling appointments and a myriad of other things – I am simply not equipped to do.  Ok, I can do it, but it literally sucks the life out of me. 

The Traditional Model Does Not Work For Me

I was never happy with the single-agent, go-it-alone model.  When I first earned my real estate license in 2001, I tried to do everything myself.  I did it, and enjoyed ‘success’ quickly, earning sales awards and Rookie of the Year accolades, but I was miserable.  I am simply not wired to work that way and I thought my clients deserved better.

As time went on and I opened my own brokerages, I was slowly able to build a team around me that complemented what I am good at.  I learned to hire people to ‘fill in my blanks’, people who enjoyed doing the things I did not.  This freed me up to focus 99% of my time on the things I enjoy, and am good at.    

Every agent has a team whether they realize it or not.  Their broker, the office support staff, their lending partners, title people, and fellow agents all work together to get transactions completed.  I simply decided to be more intentional about it and take it to the next level.

The McAllister Team

 

All together we have 12 people on our team.  6 are licensed and 6 are hourly employees.  The size of our team is dependent on the type of real estate work we do.  Not only do we work with buyers and sellers, we do commercial sales, property management, and work with over 20 different banks and asset management clients marketing their foreclosed property in Dayton, Springfield and seven surrounding counties.  Consequently, each of our team members has a specific specialty that they like, and are better at than anyone else. 

If it was not for the individual team members we are so fortunate to have, we would never be able to do the volume or be able to serve our clients the way we do.  Most days my job is to point the way, lay the tracks, and stay out of the way of the on-coming train.  That makes me happy and keeps me motivated.    

If you need the services of a real estate professional, or know someone who does, I hope you will think of The McAllister Team.  Call 937-390-3715 or email me at Chris@RealEstate2.com.

We are NEVER too busy for your referrals!

February 23, 2011

Our Book is Now an Amazon Kindle Download!

Our book is now available as an Amazon Kindle Download! (edit/delete)

We Lost $1,000,000 in Real Estate In Less Than 5 Years by Brad Zitzner and Chris McAllister is now available for Kindle download for $4.96. 

Our personal story of navigating the real estate downturn. This is a how-to guide of everything that worked for us, and everything that did not. Lots of case studies and personal experience. If you are thinking of investing in real estate – you will want to read this book.  The paperback edition is available on Amazon.com also for $9.96.  Buy or sell a house and get one free!

http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Real-Estate-Years-ebook/dp/B004OYTMZM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1298465726&sr=8-1

February 22, 2011

Clark and Champaign County Real Estate Sales 2010

WRIST MLS Sales Stats – 2010 Compared to 2009

Below please find a summary of our key sales statistics as compiled by WRIST, our MLS.  WRIST covers Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Logan, Mercer, Miami, and Shelby Counties.  The information is set up to compare the full year 2010 against the full year 2009.  If you open the link below, you will see the same twelve month period going back to 2003. 

http://www.wristinc.com/February2010/2009%20Stats%20by%20County.pdf

For the entire WRIST sales area:

All Counties                                       2009                       2010                       % Change to 2009

Number Sold:                                    3618                       3829                       +5.83%                                

Average Sold Price:                         $103,838              $98,715 -4.93%

Total Sold Volume:                          $375,685,099      $377,979,443      +.61%

Average Days on Market:             145                        135                         -10

Average Original List Price:           $115,994              $110,690              -4.57%

Average List/Sale Price Ratio:     89.52%                  89.18%                  -.34%

Clark Only                                           2009                       2010                       % Change to 2009

Number Sold:                                    1005                       1028                       +2.29

Average Sold Price:                         $93,528 $88,274 -5.6%

Total Sold Volume:                          $93,996,023        $90,745,486        -3.46%

Average Days on Market:             130                         124                         -6

Average Original List Price:           $103,164              $98,158 -4.85%

Average List / Sales Price Ratio: 90.66                     89.93                     -.73%

For Champaign County:

Champaign Only                              2009                       2010                       % Change to 2009

Number Sold:                                    272                         288                         +5.88%

Average Sold Price:                         $89,668 $94,256 +5.12%

Total Sold Volume:                          $24,389,573        $27,145,755        +11.30%

Average Days on Market:             137                         144                         +7

Average Original List Price:           $102,119              $107,367              +2.13%

Average List / Sales Price Ratio: 87.81                     87.79                     -.02

As shown above we are seeing more homes sold this year compared to last year.  The total value of the homes sold (Total Sold Volume) was flat across the MLS area, down in Clark and up in Champaign County.  Sadly however, individual home values continue to deteriorate with the happy exception of Champaign County which enjoyed a 5% increase.  From a pricing perspective, homes are selling for roughly 90% of their original list prices. 

When you dig deeper into the sales figures we are working in a bifurcated market.  The low end, meaning distressed or discounted reo properties priced below $80k is strong, as is the higher end, houses listed at $225k and higher.  This trend became more obvious in the 4th quarter. 

An alternative way to look at this is to drill down to individual MLS areas.  Areas that have been less affected by foreclosures and vacancies are holding their own.  Areas that have been on a down trend for years continue to deteriorate.  Urbana, the far northeast area of Springfield, German and Moorefield Townships for instance appear to be improving.  Springfield Township’s numbers are affected by lower priced home price deterioration in areas such as Limecrest and Sunnyland.

We appear to be in somewhat better shape this year than last year as we move through the first quarter of 2011.  Even against last year’s tax credit driven / influenced market, we appear to be holding our own – and that is good news for buyers and sellers.  It is important to remember that we continue to see well priced, well presented, and well maintained houses attracting very good offers, and in some cases, even multiple offers.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.  If you know of anyone thinking of buying or selling a home, call me, I promise to take great care of them.

Chris McAllister  www.TheMcAllisterTeam.com  937-390-3715  chris@realestate2.com

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