Category: Personal Reflection

Is What I Do Legal?

This is a blog post I’ve wanted to write for years, but haven’t had the audacity to do so…until now! Thanks in advance for reading it all the way through and please share your thoughts if you’d like.

Illegal

Working simultaneously as a mortgage professional and REALTOR over the last 12 years, I’ve often been asked by folks unfamiliar with my business model,
“Can you really be both a mortgage broker and real estate agent?”
“Is that legal?”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

To be frank, most of us are uncomfortable with what is unfamiliar, and my business model of offering both mortgage and real estate services certainly is unconventional in the industry. As a result, some naysayers assume it is uncommon because it’s unlawful. While this may be true for certain federally regulated bank employees, nothing could be farther from the truth for California mortgage brokers. In fact, I firmly believe our holistic approach to real estate services is a better way to serve a client’s needs than if their mortgage and real estate services were being handled by separate companies. Let me try to explain with an analogy…

My wife and I have considered putting a pool in our backyard. We love being outdoors, so its critical we have a pool that complements the rest of our backyard’s landscape design features. As a result, we want to find a pool contractor who knows not only how to build a beautiful pool, but who also is very familiar with landscape architecture and design. It just makes sense (right?) to have a single, capable, trustworthy consultant who is a master of both aspects to create the perfect outdoor living area. Wouldn’t that be awesome?!

To us, a pool should be a complementary feature to the rest of its surroundings, similar to the mortgage services received when buying a home
To us, a pool should be a complementary feature to the rest of its surroundings, similar to mortgage services given to a client when buying a home

Well, guess how many contractors we’ve found that fit that description? Zip. Zilch. Nada. If you know of one please let me know!  Much like mortgage and real estate companies, pool contractors will often partner with landscape architects, but not one I’ve investigated is a master at both crafts.

Why?

There’s certainly nothing illegal about it. I just think certain folks are inclined to work with concrete and pools, and others with dirt and plants. They are two very different disciplines, yet so incredibly complementary to the final product.

This same paradox is true of offering services to find a home and obtain a mortgage; they require very different skills and inclinations, yet the service of one is interdependent on the other. And yet, very few real estate practitioners recognize the synergistic relationship, and even fewer have what it takes to deliver this type of bold, comprehensive service. Its not a matter of legality; just willingness and competence.

My incredible teammates and I are some of these few who are willing and able to be both your mortgage broker and REALTOR, and I can confidently say it is the best thing we can do for our clients. Perhaps that’s the reason 94% of my home buying clients also utilized us for their financing needs as well.  And of those clients who completed a survey, 89% of them were “completely satisfied” with our services (the other 11% were “mostly satisfied”), and 100% of them indicated our one-stop-shop model is a strength of our services.  Bottom line, clients take advantage of our multi-faceted services and are extremely happy.  Just like Mary’s and my vision for a beautiful backyard, our client’s transactions are well planned, executed, and cognizant of the many needs of a successful home purchase.

In short, what The Blue Waters Group does is perfectly legal. More importantly, our services are in the best interest of our clients to assure they have the best possible experiences and outcomes in their real estate transactions. Its not easy working a weekday mortgage operation that requires a high degree of analytic skill and a nights & weekends real estate outfit that requires interpersonal and negotiating skills. Ultimately, our model isn’t about doing what’s easy; its about doing what’s right, both in the eyes of the law and our valued clients.

Thoughts From a 3-year Old Entrepreneur

Its hard to believe, but The Blue Waters Group turned 3 this month.  I’ve learned so much in this evolution of starting, operating, and growing a successful small business.   My thoughts are best summed up by a recent Facebook post made by a dear friend of mine: “…having a small business is extremely rewarding, but a lot of work. We are the hardest and most tireless workers you will ever know. We sacrifice everything for our successes; money, time, blood, sweat, tears, and sometimes even our bodies. You’ll do almost anything to not fail. So when you see a small business owner, give them a big hug. But most importantly, give them your business and respect.”

Now that I am a 3-yr old entrepreneur, I echo my friend’s post. Owning and operating a business is not easy. My client’s needs and transactions can keep me up at night. My own need to set an inspiring example for our team members keeps me logging long hours. And I do my best to balance that with my priorities at home with our young family. Again, this is not easy, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Serving our family of clients with my own business is an incredibly gratifying way to earn a living, and to earn trust and respect from those I care for.

We all know the statistics…most new businesses fail, and I’d be lying if my little voice (and some of my peers!) didn’t remind me of that from time to time the last few years. Hitting our 3-year anniversary helps us shed that initial infancy insecurity, and this maturation was made possible by your love and loyalty of our company. I can’t thank you enough for choosing to do business with us. Our successes are owed to you.

Thank you for the continued opportunity to run a small business. It truly is one of the greatest gifts and honors in my life.

2014 Blog Stats in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,200 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 20 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

You Helped Me Become #1 in Folsom!

In the last year, 1,014 homes and condos sold in Folsom.
691 different agents represented the buyers of those homes.
I represented the most Folsom buyers of these 691 agents.
In other words, I currently am Folsom’s #1 Buyer’s Agent!

Word has clearly spread that The Blue Waters Group is one of the best at not just helping you with financing your home, but also buying and selling too. This is solely thanks to you as all of my Folsom-buying clients were referral or repeat clients.

I can’t emphasize this enough; my business growth is thanks to you.
I don’t have a multi-media advertising campaign; I have your referrals to those you care about.
I don’t have a marketing department conjuring up catchy radio commercial jingles; I have your endorsement.
And I don’t have clever Facebook ads getting in the way of your News Feed; I have your repeat business.

Thank you for your trust to refer me to your loved ones. I have always worked hard at earning and keeping that trust, and I hope this latest distinction as Folsom’s #1 Buyer’s Agent is validation of your trust in me and of my faith in you to keep our business thriving through your referrals.

Mia Hamm, arguably the world’s greatest female soccer player ever, once said “it is more difficult to stay on top than it is to get there.” Now is not the time for me to hit cruise control.   My goal is to continue increasing our market share via word-of-mouth so The Blue Waters Group becomes one of the most recognizable real estate names in Folsom and beyond. Would you continue to help me spread the word about our comprehensive buying, selling, and financing services?

Please keep up the great referrals to your friends, family and neighbors. Consider adding a review to Yelp, Google, Facebook, or even a video testimonial here to help us reach more and more new clients.

My Hat’s Off To You!

This past Spring my wife and I made a huge decision. I actually hinted at it in this prior blog post.  After spending the last 10 years in our first home, we decided to move.  Oddly, our new home was only 2 houses down the street from our old home, but it was a perfect opportunity to move up to a larger home without leaving the neighborhood and friends we’ve come to adore.  After all, real estate is all about location, and we feel we have a pretty awesome location.

The transaction was a piece of cake. After all, I do it every day. The inspections, the loan approval, the paperwork all came naturally.  But when it came time to actually move, I was not prepared for the physical toll and time commitment it would take to settle in.

On the first day of moving we had our 3 kids “helping.” Within the first hour our 1-year old, Ollie, had wandered off, shattered a light bulb on the dining room floor, and scraped himself up walking into unfamiliar rose bushes. It was in those first moments we knew things were going to be tough.  We’ve been in our new home for 3 months now, and the garage is still a disaster.  We keep moving furniture around to find the right place for everything.  We have half a dozen boxes still sitting at the bottom of the stairs.  And we simply moved down the street!!

If you’ve ever moved, my hat’s off to you!

 

The funny thing about all of this is I’m an expert at every step of the home buying process, right up until I hand you the keys and say “congratulations!” I equate it to an OBGYN doctor who delivers a newborn to first time parents.  The doctor works a seeming miracle bringing a new life into the world, but unless they have kids of their own the doctor has no idea the sacrifices and adjustments new parents will make on behalf of their new baby.

So my hat is off to you. I have a whole new level of respect and awareness for my clients who willingly cross the battlefield of moving on the road to homeownership.  From now on, my congratulations will come with much more understanding of what’s to come.  As such, I’d like to help with your next move.

One of the most time-consuming things we dealt with in our move was assessing and repairing sprinklers. Sprinkler systems are not checked in a routine home inspection, yet they are an important piece to your landscaping health and appearance.  When you buy a home with me in the Folsom or surrounding area, I’ll provide a sprinkler assessment inspection from the Sprinkler Repair Guys, a locally owned and operated company that I personally know and work with.  Having a knowledgeable resource for a system that will inevitably need some tweaking will be a small way to help you make your next move just a bit easier.

Are Most of Your Friends in Real Estate Too?

Last month I received one of the highest compliments I can receive from a dear client; I felt I had to share the story with you.  Ironically, I’m not sure if he even meant it as a direct compliment, but I took it as such and it made my day.  Here’s how it transpired:

On the Fourth of July, I was working with some long-time clients who wanted to purchase a home they saw earlier in the week.  They have been living in a 2-story and it is simply time for them to downsize.  With that said, however, they haven’t moved in nearly twenty years and a lot of anxiety and complexity began to set in.  Should we sell first? Buy first?  What furniture are we going to get rid of?  In talking about the logistics of selling their current home, I advised him to tell all of his friends that they were selling to help market the property.  His casual response was, “you know Matt, most of my friends are in real estate.”  He meant it as a good idea to effectively spread the word, but I heard a much more significant statement, one that meant the world to me.

You see, Brian is a wonderful man.  He is well-known and well-liked in the community.  It comes as no surprise to me that he has an abundance of friends, many of whom are in real estate.  The fact he has chosen me and The Blue Waters Group to help him navigate a very delicate transition in his family’s life speakes volumes to the amount of trust and respect he has in our team.  As a business where we feel earning one’s trust is more important than simply getting their business, this indirect compliment is one of the highest we can receive.

As I reflected more on this, I realized we receive this compliment every single time someone chooses to do business with us.  You, too, undoubtedly have other friends, family, and acquaintances who are real estate professionals.  Recent estimates figure there are more than 500,000 licensed real estate agents in California.  Some know more than others, but the simple fact is you probably didn’t choose to do business with us due to a lack of alternative options.  It takes more than being your friend or acquaintance to earn your business and trust in real estate.  Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest, scariest, most important financial decisions most of us make in our lives.  You don’t want just anyone helping you through that.

A big thanks to Brian and all of our clients who choose to do business with The Blue Waters Group. We know you choose to do so not simply because you know us, but because you trust us.  Please know we will steward your trust reverently and cherish it always.

Don’t Do It For The Trophy

Last month marked the end of basketball season for my daughter’s 2nd grade team. League rules request we nominate Most Valuable and Most Inspirational Players, and those are the only two players who receive trophies. Many of the players, including Maddison, were disappointed at not receiving trophies and I can say I understood where they were coming from. Many moments in children’s lives include awards, praise, and ceremonies for rather ordinary milestones (kindergarten “graduation,” for example). My words to the disgruntled players were, “we don’t play basketball for a trophy. We play because we love the game.” I’m not sure if my words sunk deep with them but they did so with me the very next day. Ironically enough, I was in their exact shoes at a work luncheon and was reminded why we don’t do things to get trophies.

Every year, the Sacramento Association of REALTORS recognizes Masters Club members, agents who close more than $3.5 million in transaction volume in a calendar year. This is a distinction many agents wear proudly and I was honored to be a part of the 2013 Class. An awards luncheon at the Hyatt downtown sounded like a great date opportunity for my wife and me. We purchased two tickets and looked forward to receiving my plaque. We arrived on-time but the place was already packed with well over 500 people. We ran into many colleagues and friends but no open seats; it was impossible to find two spots together. Everyone sat down as the program commenced; Mary and I stood in the corner peering for chairs. It became clear to me that instead of getting a trophy today I was going to get standing-room only treatment.  After a few minutes of circling the perimeter of the room I looked at Mary and suggested, “Ella?”

photo 2
The Hyatt was a popular place that day!

We abandoned the luncheon just after the pledge of allegiance. We walked a couple of blocks and had an amazing lunch at Ella under the warm spring sun and spoke of some rather important life-changing decisions (more on that in a future post). It was an absolutely perfect day, a day that reminded me of what are the real fruits of my labor. I don’t love my career for the trophies and accolades, but rather working with people I care about, helping clients who value my service and the opportunity every now and then to have a date with Mary in the middle of the day.

photo 1
Enjoying a quiet, private lunch outside at Ella Dining Room!!!

I’m sure my Masters Club plaque is waiting for me at the association’s office, but I’m in no rush to go pick it up. After all, I didn’t do it for the trophy.  

131,001 Reasons To Read This Post

131000 flag

Next Thursday March 13th, we hope you will join us in the 2nd Annual 131,000 Challenge at Folsom Connections Business Expo.  As you may recall, this is a campaign The Blue Waters Group launched last year that raises funds and awareness for our nation’s 131,000 homeless veterans.  As you would surely agree, this is a staggeringly high number and one we can’t sweep under the rug.

 

The Challenge addresses this issue in a fun & inspiring fashion.  Willing attendees will do push-ups or sit-ups at Folsom Connections, and pledging businesses and individuals will give funds for each completed repetition.  It will be one of the more energetic things going on at the biz expo; be sure to stop by and give your muscles or money.  You can read more about The 131,000 Challenge here, and info about donating to this cause here.

 

If our country’s 131,000 homeless veterans are not enough reasons to come visit us at Folsom Connections next week, let me give you one more…free food! 12 area restaurants will be serving lunch samplings during the event.  This is our region’s largest business expo & admission is free!  Stop by on your lunch break, work up an appetite cranking out some push-ups for homeless vets, then grab some grub!  We’ll see you next Thursday!

 

131,000 Challenge at Folsom Connections Business Expo
Folsom Sports Complex (66 Clarksville Road, behind Home Depot)
Thursday March 13th 10 AM – 2 PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Got Accountability?

What do house cleaners and business coaches have in common?  For me, they both provide accountability, but in very different ways.  Let me share with you my thoughts on the matter, and how accountability will help you keep your goals in ‘14.

Last Thursday was our family’s ritual clean-up night.  We tidy up the house in preparation for our house cleaner’s bi-weekly Friday visits.  Seems crazy, right?  Clean up the house for the house cleaner, especially the day after Christmas when the house is ransacked?!?  Actually, it makes good sense.  While our house cleaner, Marcy, is a wonder and does more in hours than we can do in days, she can’t do it amongst clutter.  So, we get the house in order ahead of time so she can help keep our home cleaner than we ever could on our own.

In an indirect way, Marcy is a great accountability partner.  Before she comes, we clean the house so her time (and our money) is spent efficiently while she is there.  After she comes, the house is so sparkly that we want to keep it that way.  Marcy’s brief, hard work improves the cleanliness of our home even when she is not around because we want to stay accountable to her high-caliber work.

In a much more direct manner, I have an amazing business coach as a professional accountability partner.  Just like Marcy, I have an appointment with Brian every two weeks.  I know that in order to make the most of our time together I must have my “house in order” so we can spend time on the important tasks at hand.  For me, hiring help is not so much about having someone do it all for me, but rather help me achieve things at a greater level by keeping me accountable.

You don’t need to hire someone for accountability (although paying for help is a great accountability inducer).  A friend, co-worker, or spouse can be there for you, either directly calling you out (like my business coach) or indirectly inspiring you towards improvement (like a house cleaner).  Both approaches lead to effective accountability.

When you sit down to write (yes, write them down) your goals for 2014, think of who you can openly, honestly share them with and discuss them periodically through the year.  Anyone can make goals, but it takes accountability and inspiration to keep goals.

Here’s to a wonderful New Year.  If you’d like to share your 2014 goals with me, I would love to receive them.  And don’t be surprised if I follow up with you every now and then and see how you’re coming along.  If you’re looking for that kind of accountability, then I look forward to hearing from you.

Help Us Raise Awareness & Funds for Homeless Veterans at Folsom Connections Biz Expo

On Thursday, March 14th, The Blue Waters Group will be attending the region’s largest business expo, Folsom Connections.  The event is free to the public and will have over 150 area businesses and restaurants showcasing their services.  In addition to our normal participation as a vendor, we are also orchestrating a campaign called “The 131,000 Challenge” to raise money and awareness for our nation’s 131,000 homeless veterans.  We are asking the community to come to the business expo and perform push-ups or sit-ups.  In turn, we’ll have businesses and individuals pledge a donation for every repitition that is completed at the expo.

Inspired and created by our dear friend and retired Army Ranger Captain Phil Williams, The 131,000 Challenge is a small way to show gratitude to all our nation’s veterans, and remind our community there are 131,000 heros out there that need our help.  As Phil boldly states, “The 131,000 Challenge is an effort to draw a line in the sand to say ‘no more homeless vets. None.”

All funds raised at this event will go to the Sacramento Veterans Resource Center.  Check out this video to hear from SVRC’s site director DJ Phaneuf of the amazing programs they offer to Sacramento area homeless Veterans.  They are an incredible organization that we are proud to support.

131,000 Challenge by The Blue Waters Group
131,000 Challenge by The Blue Waters Group

We hope you rise to the 131,000 Challenge with your muscles or your money on Thursday March 14th.  For full details about the campaign and how to pledge funds, please visit our web site www.TheBlueWatersGroup.com and click on the 131,000 Challenge link.  We look forward to seeing you at Folsom Connections Biz Expo on the 14th!