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Who is Your Sacramento Real Estate Authority on the Internet?
Ocicats Pica and Tessa (sleeping) keep Realtor Elizabeth Weintraub company while she works.
Do you know the best way to search for Sacramento real estate information online? I suspect most people just stick a few keywords into Google and then click on the first link that pops up. I know for example that I receive a lot of phone calls from buyers, sellers and appraisers and even ordinary people trying to find owners of properties for a variety of odd reasons, because they find my website on Google. They call me because I am listed as a person, and it often looks like I could be the listing agent. They don’t realize that because I sell hundreds of homes as a top Sacramento Realtor, they’ll find me everywhere — and I can help and I do help so they lucked out in that event. Still, they often find this Realtor because it is confusing. That’s disconcerting.
It’s confusing to go to any of the popular online for-profit websites for homes in Sacramento and to try to find the listing agent. In many cases, it’s impossible. What you get are a list of agents who pay a lot of money to advertise on that website, many of whom are brand new to the business and, by advertising on Zillow and Trulia, for example, they hope to find buyers. They are not the listing agent, and they don’t know anything about the homes on whose pages they appear. And everybody knows you don’t know that but you.
Yet, unsuspecting buyers and sellers spot these agent’s photos and are able with a click of the mouse to send one or all an email, so they do. Most of the time, if the viewer is a seller, that seller will do more research; not so with buyers, though. The sellers often will check the California Bureau of Real Estate website to find out when the agent they are thinking about hiring obtained a California real estate license. You’d be amazed at how many agents on those websites have not held a real estate license longer than, say, 5 years.
Then, they will check out a Sacramento Realtor’s website. If it’s nothing but property searches, a templated website, they tend to pass it by. These potential clients are trying to conduct research, and they put more credence in Sacramento agent reviews on a third-party website than they do on the agent’s very own website, so this tells you what they think about the credibility of individuals. Incredulously, they will still click to email an agent who doesn’t know anything about the property.
It’s a good idea to look for authority when searching for a Sacramento Realtor, just as you would searching for medical advice, which I’m sure doctors love these days. I know you prescribed bed rest, but I read online that juju beans and jumping jacks will save me. There is so much bad information online along with the good. Why would anybody take medical advice from Joe’s Garage when they could visit the Mayo Clinic? When I ask my cats that question, who often sit on my desk while I’m working just to keep me company, they just give me that quizzical glance and go back to sleep. That’s their photo above.
When you search for Elizabeth Weintraub on Google, you’ll find almost 500,000 entries. Part of that is due to the fact that real estate agents all over the country take stuff I have written and they put this real estate information on their websites and they link back to my website. I don’t think your Sacramento real estate authority gets any better than that. You can betcha you’re not gonna find that kind of authority from any other Realtor in Sacramento.
Top 40 Sacramento Real Estate Agents Names Elizabeth Weintraub
Homes sold by Elizabeth Weintraub over the past 5 years in Sacramento
The Homelight Top 40 Sacramento Real Estate Agents for 2015 was released on Friday and I’m waiting for the crap to hit the fan. This is a website that showcases agents in Sacramento by 5 different categories and exposes statistics. Of course, this Sacramento Realtor, namely Elizabeth Weintraub, appears in all 5 categories. The categories are: Sacramento Agents Who Sell at Top Dollar, and the stats for Elizabeth Weintraub are 100%. Number of Sacramento Buyer Transactions for the past 12 months, Sacramento Buyer Sales Volume for the past 12 months, number of Sacramento listings, and Sacramento listing sales volume for the past 12 months.
I talked with a representative at Homelight yesterday about my statistics being actually much higher than Homelight shows on its website. The rep had called me as I did not seek her out. I thought about calling Homelight to get the stats corrected but then the thought occurred to me, just how fabulous do I have to appear anyway? Does it really matter if they showed my 2014 production was 63 homes when I closed almost double that number? Do I seriously care if the public thinks I sold only 63 homes? Compared to most agents, I mean. Isn’t that splitting hairs? Pettiness?
I asked the rep where they pulled the stats from for the Top 40 Sacramento real estate agents because, for example, MLS shows my sales for 2014 at 106, a far cry from 63. But it makes me wonder why they are so far off on the numbers. My 2012 sales show 144 homes, and that’s low, too. The overall stats on Homelight show my sales from 2010 to present much lower than my actual 540 sales, so they are way short for me, no matter how you look at it.
Still, here I go whining when most agents are happy if they close 8 sales a year. It’s the principle, though, if you’re going to expose an agent’s real estate production, at least get the numbers right.
Other companies have tried to rank agents and got blasted for it. That’s because out of the 6,000 or so agents in Sacramento, very few, as you can see, rank at the top. But does it mean an agent isn’t any good if she or he does not appear on any of those lists for the Top 40 Sacramento real estate agents? Not at all. And that’s why agents will get upset.
On top of this, Homelight holds a real estate broker’s license, and therefore is allowed to tap MLS for stats, but I imagine the Sacramento Board of Realtors and MetroList will not see it that way. They are very protective of the data, and rightfully so.
I’ve closed a referral from Homelight, and it was a wonderful experience. I love to receive referrals. Other agents, I have to admit, will complain about that aspect, too, and say that Homelight is selling our own leads back to us when it is not. Although, I did run into a situation where I had written a purchase offer for a buyer and was in escrow with this buyer when, for some reason, she accidentally signed up on Homelight. This action generated an agent referral, which tells me that the public isn’t sure how Homelight works or else they are filling out applications after a few bourbons.
On the other hand, I’ve discovered that when I’m signed in to my account at Homelight, my agent photo floats to the very top of the list. Pretty smart, Homelight.
Map Photo of sales for Elizabeth Weintraub Homelight
East Sacramento Home and Josh Amolsch on FOX 40 News
And to think that some agents pooh-pooh open houses in Sacramento, yet my open house at an East Sacramento home got a little bit more exposure than expected. The FOX 40 news reporter Doug Johnson asked me yesterday what time we hold open houses in Sacramento. It sorta depends. I held open four of my listings yesterday, and the customary time for me is typically 2 to 4 PM. But sometimes we’ll throw in an extra hour and do a time slot of 1 to 4 PM, especially during Lyon Real Estate’s Extravaganza Open House weekend, which is company-wide once a month and yesterday.
Too late, the reporter said. He needed footage for the 4 PM broadcast and into the night. Oh, wait, we have an early open house at the affordable remodeled home in East Sacramento at 1732 51st Street. That home is $330,000, and it was open from 11 AM to 1 PM. My team member Josh Amolsch was scheduled to host that open house. I quickly called Josh.
Yeah, he got 20 minutes’ notice. But that’s how it goes in this business. I often get interviewed by the media due to my reputation and exposure in Sacramento. Sound bites, Josh, think about sound bites. We discussed a few things he could say. Short, sweet, informational, pithy, that’s what news reporters want. I figured they were probably piggybacking off the Sacramento Bee’s article yesterday on the front page about how first-time home buyers are getting squeezed out of the marketplace.
It’s true, if you’re thinking about buying a home in Sacramento, you better hurry up. Once interest rates start to rise, it will be much more difficult to find an affordable home due to our higher prices achieved during recovery.
Very important, try to stand near our For Sale sign in the yard, I suggested to Josh. If people are interested in buying that home in East Sacramento, we need to make sure they know how to get in touch with us. Well, they weren’t filming near the sign but Josh did ask them to capture the sign with their cameras, and sure enough, that For Sale sign with the phone numbers for Elizabeth Weintraub and Josh Amolsch in front of the East Sacramento home is what starts off the video: Owning a Home is Becoming More Difficult in Sacramento.
We also captured a few interested home buyers for that East Sacramento home. Gosh, I hope one of them makes an offer today!!
Open Houses in Sacramento and Elk Grove
If you’re looking for open houses in Sacramento and Elk Grove today, I have a very nice selection for you — homes that are pretty much guaranteed to impress for a variety of reasons. The good part is if you’re out and about anyway, why not stop by? If you’re looking at homes in the area with your agent, ask your agent to bring you over. You’ve got nothing to lose, and you just might fall in love with the home of your dreams:
3892 Exmoor Circle, Sacramento, CA
Stately Pool Home in Wilhaggin
This beautiful stunner is a gracious one-story with an open floor plan in the entertainment area. The kitchen has been updated, featuring a wrap-around granite counter and gleaming hardwood flooring, plus a dining space, which overlooks the pool. This 1962 home has 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, with roughly 2,700 square feet. Oversized family room shares space with the kitchen and the same fabulous view of the pool. The professionally landscaped yard, more than 1/3 of an acre, was once featured in the Sacramento Bee Lifestyle.
3892 Exmoor Circle, Sacramento, CA 95864. Offered by Elizabeth Weintraub at Lyon Real Estate, $750,000. Open 2 to 4 PM.
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6209 Jefjen Way, Elk Grove, CA
Desirable Quail Ridge in Elk Grove
If you’re the kind of person who does not want to be surrounded on all four sides by other houses, this 4 bedroom home in Elk Grove is for you. It features that hard-to-find first floor bedroom, too. The other three are upstairs. The back yard has no homes behind it, which lends an open and airy feel, almost like you’re in the country, and it’s unlikely that anything will ever change behind this home.
The kitchen has an island, granite counters and is open to the family room with a fireplace. It has 3 baths and 2549 square feet, built by Morrison Homes in 2003.
6209 Jefjen Way, Elk Grove, CA 95757. Offered by Elizabeth Weintraub at Lyon Real Estate, $359,000. Open 2 to 5 PM.
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9688 Bovill Dr, Elk Grove, CA 95624
5 Bedroom Lennar Home in Elk Grove
For people who need a minimum of 5 bedrooms and 3 baths, look no further. This home built in 2004 has the space and amenities you want. It is located on the corner of a cul-de-sac in the heart of Elk Grove, south of Elk Grove Boulevard and East of Waterman. Soaring vaults give the illusion of additional space to its 2491 square feet. You’ll find newer carpeting and wood-like flooring.
Of course, the kitchen is open to the family room, the latter features a fireplace. It’s move-in ready as well and can close quickly. Back yard is perfect for a pool. Priced right.
9688 Bovill Drive, Elk Grove, CA 95624. Offered by Elizabeth Weintraub at Lyon Real Estate, $369,000. Open 11 AM to 4 PM.
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260 Aldeburgh Cir, Sacramento, CA 95834
North Natomas Single Level
Today is the first open house for this four bedroom, with 2 1/2 baths and almost 2300 square feet on one level in Cambay West Village, a community of homes built in 2004 in North Natomas. Beautiful front porch lends curb appeal, and the three-car garage will surely delight those who own more than two vehicles. Spacious living and dining areas lead toward the open kitchen with an island and huge pantry closet, plus a family room with a fireplace.
Large back yard with a fruit tree and uncovered patio. Located near Arena and Duckhorn.
260 Aldebaugh Circle, Sacramento, CA 95834. Offered by Elizabeth Weintraub at Lyon Real Estate, $359,000. Open 2 to 4 PM.
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1732 51st St, Sacramento, CA 95819
East Sacramento Cottage Remodeled
Perfect starter home for first-time home buyers or investors. Simply cute as a bug’s ear, this two bedroom home has been remodeled for you. You will note trendy dark-finished hardwood floors throughout and appreciate the cork flooring in the kitchen if you have to stand cooking on your feet for any length of time. Stainless appliances have been purchased and installed for you. You will love the formal dining room and with an indoor laundry room; you won’t miss using?coined washers one little bit.
Wraparound driveway, gated yard and a big garage in back. Hurry, if you want to buy an affordable home in East Sacramento, this might be the one!
1732 51st Street, Sacramento 95819. Offered by Elizabeth Weintraub at Lyon Real Estate, $340,000. Open 2 to 4 PM.
Why Other Curtis Park Agents Gave This Seller a Higher Price
A seller in Curtis Park wants to put her home on the market next year and is looking for a Sacramento real estate agent now. She is calling agents to find out how how much her home is worth today. Listing now or waiting for spring is a hot discussion for many sellers at the moment, but the fact remains the price an agent names today is not the price the home will be worth next spring. That home in Curtis Park could be worth more or it could be worth less.
Plus, if it’s a Curtis Park home that few people want to buy due to location, condition or the seller insists on an over-the-top-of-market price, it could not sell at all. That’s always a very real possibility that few want to face.
I am always happy to talk with sellers who have future plans and are not ready to act right now. For one thing, if they are calling a bunch of other real estate agents, it’s probable many of those agents won’t still be in the real estate business by the time the seller is ready, which certainly decreases my competition — day after day I receive notifications via LinkedIn of agents who used to work in real estate and have since taken jobs in other industries. But I also want to remain in sellers’ minds when they are ready to list a home.
If they forget my last name, they can do something simple like go to Goggle and put in Elizabeth and Sacramento Real Estate, and out of the top 5 hits, four will be me. Or, they can just search on the keywords “Elizabeth Sacramento,” and in the middle of links for the incredibly delectable Ginger Elizabeth chocolate store in Midtown, they’ll find my website. It’s easy to find Elizabeth Weintraub on Google.
This particular seller remembered my name, though, because she contacted me a second time. By now, she has talked to other real estate agents, and she says two of them gave her a higher price than I did, and they both outbid each other. It’s so frustrating when this happens because I don’t want to say anything bad about another real estate agent, and I understand why they feel the need to falsify information to the seller, but to intentionally lie is considered unethical.
They don’t see it as lying. Because that would make them bad people. They see it as being overly optimistic. They hope if it doesn’t sell at the price they name, well, the seller will be willing to lower the price.
The seller doesn’t see it as lying because she just wants the top price and doesn’t really understand, I suspect, that she sets the price, not the agent. The price has to be based on something, though, such as comparable sales, what similar homes have sold at and not plucked from thin air simply to try to win a listing.
I suggested the seller call a couple more Curtis Park agents to see if she can’t push the price up. Get a couple more bidding against each other to try to win the listing. I was kidding with her, of course, because the price is really whatever the buyer will pay. I don’t choose the sales price. I give sellers enough information as to why I believe a certain home sales price will work, and I substantiate it by identifying homes within a 1/2 mile radius that are the same condition, location, type and age, and similar square footage.
The seller chooses the price and the market takes it from there. Buyers for a home in Curtis Park have the final word.
Remember, the seller has the first word, the agent second. The seller always picks the price. Sellers should choose an agent they like and trust and not the agent who pops up waving her bidding fan sporting the highest number, like at an auction.
