Ryan's Thoughts

This blog has moved!

2010-11-16T11:39:00.001-09:00

Please go to http://www.FairbanksPlaces.com.

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Loyalty

2010-09-22T06:22:00.001-08:00

We all have our favorite places to go, we stay with them because they know us and know how to work with us best. My Doctor, Dr. Sarrimanolis and his nurses know that I don't like needles, and they know how to talk to me about something else and to get it done quickly. For this reason I stay fiercly loyal to them.

Yesterday, at the Hospital, I had to be put under anesthesia for an EGD (where they put a camera down your throat to look at your digestive tract) and I was dreading the part where they put the Iv needle in my arm. As it turns out, rightfully so. There was a nurse at my right (a guy) putting the needle in, and a nurse at my left (a lady) doing the blood pressure thingy. Here's kind of a breakdown of the conversation:

Guy: "Okay, Don't worry about it. I'm just putting the alcohol on your arm. I'm really good at this, and it's a small needle."

Me: "Talking me through it just makes it worse."

Guy: "Okay."

Lady: So you're in Real Estate? What outfit are you in?"

Me: "RE/MAX"

Lady: "I hear they are a good company."

Me: "Yes."

Guy: "Okay... (sticks the needle in) woah, that got messy."

Lady: "You had a real geyser there."

Guy: "What's the matter dude, you're looking pretty pale?"

Lady: "How are you feeling?"

Guy: "I need new gloves, there's blood all over mine."

Me: "Not good."

Guy: "You weren't kidding, you really don't like needles. It's okay, I don't like needles either."

They put me on oxygen, and brought me from the brink of passing out, but I honestly believe they don't really get where it went wrong. To me, and to you reading this it seems obvious. They are used to dealing with lots of new people, and probably don't get to know a whole lot about their customers.

For them, this was a success.

The reason it occurs to me to write this at 5:00 in the morning, is that Real Estate is like that. If you had a good experience with your Realtor, go back! It's easy to get drawn into promises and statistics, but true success is the person who knows how to work with you.

Posted from iPad / iPhone

Location:Eureka Ave,Fairbanks,United States

Okay to disconnect

2010-09-02T23:57:00.001-08:00

Today I almost hit a moose on the Richardson Highway while trying to skip a song on my iPhone, which was sitting in its dashboard cradle, plugged into the car speakers.

As I type this, I'm lying in bed, writing with my iPad and its strange keyboard. Yesterday Apple unveiled its new line-up of iPods, a new Apple TV (only Steve Jobs could get applause for announcing that this new product has a smaller hard drive) and iTunes 10. The new version of iTunes has a small social network built-in. So is this one more place I should have a presence? Does everyone need to know that I listen to Slayer, GWAR, or 聖飢魔Ⅱ? When we connect with some people, we alienate others at the same time. For a few minutes I had a link to my iTunes Ping profile up on my web site, but then I took it down. On Facebook There are some people that post every time they make a sandwich, and others that just want to talk about their baby. Me, I mostly make jokes or wait until I have something to say. Do we need anotherning one, in addition to facebook, myspace, linkedin, twitter, etc..? Is everyone talking and no one listening?

Earlier I asked what is the most stressful part of the homebuying experience because I'm working on a small writing project, and I was looking for some input.

Also, for you GFBR Realtor members I hope to have the video of the leadership summit in Chicago cut and uploaded on the GFBR web site this weekend, so people will have a pretty good idea what it was like, and why we do these things. There's also some footage of just exploring Chicago.

In addition to the moose incident, I was stood up for a showing in Salcha. Things have been busy lately, and I really didn't need that.

One more random thing before I go back to reading Alice Cooper's autobiography: Buying life insurance is really depressing. In some ways I think it's the first day of the end of your life. I keep thinking of "Death of a Salesman". "There comes a point in a man's life when he's worth more dead than alive."

If my weird musings are interesting, follow my blog, and feel free to comment. I'd like to believe more people than just me will read it.

Good night.

OK to disconnect.

Posted from iPad / iPhone

Location:A St,Fairbanks,United States

Open House this Sunday!

2010-08-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

Open House Sunday 8/15/10 fro 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Be there or be square!

This is a super energy-efficient, like new home for sale by the builder. 2BR 1 Bath, beautiful wrap-around deck in a secluded neighborhood that's not too far away from town.

1-Mile Chena Hotsprings Road to right on Bias, right on Beacon. 540 Beacon Road. $212,000.

Leadership Training

2010-08-05T12:48:00.001-08:00

I'm so glad to be here at the Leadership training in Chicago. Thanks GFBR. I'm no longer as scared to be President. Right now is a Keynote Speaker olympic swimmer Dara Torres.

Posted from iPad / iPhone

Location:N Fairbanks Ct,Chicago,United States

Open House This Weekend

2010-06-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

Come check out this house Sunday, 6/6/10 from 1:00 to 4:00. That's right, it's an open house. Normally I don't do open houses, but I feel that this house must be seen from the inside to be appreciated. It was completely remodeled to the studs in 2002, and that also includes a new roof. It's also much bigger than it looks. Almost 2000 Square feet with 4 Bedrooms!

1831 Tamarack. College to Aurora, right on Tamarack, At the end on the left.

See you there!

Overstepping Boundaries

2010-04-15T08:22:00.001-08:00

Something we Realtors have to be careful of, is overstepping our boundaries. Often, in our effort to be helpful we may assume a role that we shouldn't. For instance, I've been to over 100 home inspections / Engineer inspections, and that gives me a little bit of an ability to predict some of the basic things that will come up in an inspection when I look at a new listing. It does not, however, make me a home inspector.

Recently we had a sale that fell through due to a low appraisal. When the Buyer discovered that they are out the pre-paid money for the appraisal ($700.00) The loan originator advised them to get the money back from the Seller. This is mistake #1. This person wants to look like a hero by saving this Buyer's $700.00. This is the first instance of doing my job and interpreting the contract. I re-examined the contract, to see if I had been mistaken, but no.

I called the lender, to find out why she said this. She told me that that's what the contract says. I pointed out paragraph 3A that says any pre-paid monies may be forfeit. She acknowledge her mistake, and told me she would call him and take care of it.

So she called him, and pointed out that spot in the contract to him. When he asked how he could avoid this in the future, she went in to mistake # 2. She basically told him that "There's a special clause that Realtors use to protect Buyers from losing their earnest money, and implied that she didn't know why Ryan didn't use that. When she explained this on the phone, she said, "I don't think he will be working with Ryan anymore, since he didn't protect his appraisal money."

First of all, she was giving the client contract advice. Second, it was bad advice. This magical protection clause she's talking about is written in one of two ways by my colleagues.

1. Should the transaction fail to close due to no fault of the Buyer, Seller will reimburse Buyer for pre-paid appraisal.

Look at this statement objectively, and you'll see how insubstantial it is. "due to no fault of buyer" can be used in anything. In this case, the Buyer would say that it's not his fault that the appraisal came in low, but the Seller would say, it is the Buyer's fault because they were going to buy the house at the agreed upon price, and now they changed their mind. This clause is nonsense, and I always advise Sellers to strike this language from any offer they receive. This offer would have been no different. This language would not have protected the Buyer.

2. Should the transaction fail to close due to seller breach of contract, Seller will reimburse Buyer for pre-paid appraisal.

This language is straight-forward, and is the one I sometimes use. The Seller, however, did not breach their contract, so in this case also, the clause would not have protected the Buyer.

This advice was irresponsible and malicious. Irresponsible because she is practicing Real Estate (badly). Malicious because it is the easy way to deflect conflict with the Borrower (Buyer) who had his hopes up earlier when he thought the Seller might pay him back for the Appraisal. She is the hero for pointing out what she believes to be the Realtor's mistake. She took his negative energy and pointed it at me over a fallacy.

It would be like me saying, "A good lender would still give you the loan anyway, even though the appraised value is low."

Let me know what you think in your comments, (Blogger, Facebook and Twitter). Just don't ask me to tell you who it was.

Perception Vs. Reality

2010-03-31T07:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I decided to leave the pickles on my Hamburger for the first time since I was a toddler. It was pretty good--way better than I remembered.

It's healthy to question everything, especially in Real Estate. After signing at the title company, a seller disconnected the water softener / filtration system and as the Buyer walked through, he pointed out where the system used to live, and how it was now a gap in the plumbing and the water was shut off. The Seller was military, and has brought this system with him to three different houses he had bought in other states, and took it with him to no objections from those respective Buyers. We all made assumptions. The Seller assumed this was okay, and didn't ask me to write it into the contract before-hand. I assumed that these things are part of the house, and we didn't write them into the Chattel List along-side the appliances. The Buyer assumed mechanical and water systems come with the house.

To oppose what I just said above, I find that trust goes a long way toward a smooth transaction, also.

So the question is, should the Buyer have written the water-softener in to the contract? Should the Seller have written it out? If we start putting fixtures, mechanical and water systems in the chattel list, where does it end? We could break the entire house down into its components and systems, until the house is only a sum of its parts, and no longer a home. We don't put value on the nails in the studs. That's not what I'm in this business for.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-18T14:46:00.000-09:00

I'd like to let everyone know that I will be out of town 12/26/09 through 1/12/10 (weird writing the 10 like that), but I will have my cell phone and email with me. Also, if anything comes up with listings, or Buyers want to see a house, Gene Duval's office will be helping me to make arrangements, if necessary.

Renters: I can get most things done by phone, but if not, my Father Mike Danhauser will be ready to help. You can get ahold of him through Mt. McKinley Bank, or through me.

Happy Holidays,

-Ryan Danhauser

New Web Site!

2009-10-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

It's under construction right now, but my new web site should be up and running by early next week. I expect to put some time into customizing it next week. If it pops up, and it looks a little freakish, it's because it's a work in progress.

My old site I made all the changes behind the scenes, but this one everything happens live.

Caveat Constructum

2008-09-04T13:00:00.007-08:00

It's been too long since I've written one of these. To get you up to date, Mariah has now gotten her license, and is now legally allowed to pass on information as well as show properties.

There will be an open house this weekend at 2353 Hawthorne Court , so if you want to see the property, or know anyone that's looking, it's a nice house. The open house will be FROM 1-4 PM, Sunday the 14th of September.

We've started a report to sellers that we're trying to keep up every week. It's a lot of work, but a nice thing to have.

Something important to keep in mind as a Seller, is if you aren't getting any showings, but there have been thousands of viewings on Realtor.com, then it's time to look at lowering the price.

I know buyer beware is caveat emptor, but I'm not up on my latin enough to know Builder Beware. In any case, the State of Alaska is currently enforcing the law that all builders must have a license, down to the 10$ per hour guy nailing the sheetrock to the wall, or putting on the outlet covers. If not, it's a $1000.00 fine to everyone involved. Builders, make sure that everyone you hire is either licensed, or covered by your insurance. This applies whether you plan to sell the house, or if you are building it as a rental.

Speaking of Rentals (was that a pretty smooth segue?), we have 3 rentals either available now or available soon. Check out the rental section of the web site, and give me a call if you know someone that might be interested.

The Fairbanks market isn't too bad, but it's slow for homes upwards of $200,000 sales price.

2007-11-20T15:28:00.000-09:00

Happy Halloween!

It seems like it's times when I don't need my life to be easier that I think about ways to make my life easier. For those of you that know me, you know that I am crazy about Macs and about Apple products. As I write this, OSX 10.5, Leopard is installing on my Assistant's (Mariah's) computer. I'm prepared for the glitches and bugs of early adoption, but usually it's better to wait until Apple has worked them out with an update or two. Apple has a guided tour of Leopard that does a nice job outlining its features. Some in particular that will be really handy for me involve file-sharing over the internet. So if I'm out of town or working from home, I can still access files at work. There's also Time Machine, which is the coolest backup utility I've seen, and a host of other features I'm looking forward to. Plus, with Bootcamp we can set up our home iMac to boot in Windows, so Jennifer can finally set up her Microsoft Flight Simulator. We might need more RAM for that, though. We'll see.

Also, the iPhone can't get to Alaska fast enough for me. My Motorola Razr seems to have a loose connection where it receives its charge, so sometimes it doesn't recognize that it's supposed to charge.

The market is weird right now. Too many people trying to sell their homes. I believe this will even out, though. I'm not just saying that because I want people to buy houses. I have all my money tied into Real Estate.

King Diamond says, Every night, to me, is Halloween. I understand the feeling, and I think until we get the day off from work, that we should all celebrate Halloween a little each night.

I've got a nice array of affordable homes listed right now. Go check it out. I'll wait. There's also a restaurant and a lot in the Cripple Creek area. If you haven't meat or spoken with Mariah, she is my assistant since June. She's done a great job. She's here part time and then the rest of the time she works for the Re/Max reception desk. I've also got a Hermit Crab named Shelley. She demonstrates pride of home-ownership every day.

Don't eat as much candy as I have been, and have a nice Halloween!

So many houses,,,

2007-07-27T15:14:00.000-08:00

Hello again! It's been a long time since I wrote in this thing. Things have been hectic. There are a lot of listings lately, so buyers can be a little choosier. Mariah, my assistant, has been working here since April, and she has been essential in keeping up with all the listings that are coming in.

There's an A-Frame on private property, but accessed through Fort Wainwright. This is a great deal, with motivated sellers. I'll attach a picture. Great for a military family.

We also have a 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath home with a huge fenced yard, double-lot, hot-tub and sauna, This house has had some severe price reductions, and would be great for a big family.

Also, we some great building lots, a brand new duplex, a restaurant and a lot more. Go check out our listings section.

A few of our listings now talk. They have a radio transmitter that broadcasts information about the house to your car radio. I'm not thrilled about hearing my own voice, and I haven't heard any feedback that this has been helpful yet, but we'll see. Maybe I should work on my 300-foot range radio personality.

Happy Holidays... All of them. 2007 is now covered.

2006-12-27T16:06:00.000-09:00

I hope everyone has had a merry Christmas (whether you celebrate it or not, it is still a day of the month and hopefully it was a good one) and happy holidays. 2006 has gone by so quickly, I was just starting to get used to the year, and now it's just about gone.

Just so you know, my office moved... About 10 feet away. my new office is across the hall. It's a little bigger and much more private.

Our trip to Mazatlan Mexico was great! I'll post some pictures on here. I just have to get them from home. I couldn't use my cell phone, which gave me a kind of freedom that made it a real vacation. It's hard not to keep checking in, then making phone calls, then look for a fax machine, etc. Pretty soon it's a working-vacation. That term should be an oxymoron, but the fact that it exists is a testament to our overworked society.

Ha! So I'm digging myself out from the stuff that's piled up, and picked up a few new listings too. Take a look. I can't emphasize enough the view from the property in Salcha on Chickweed. You can see both Harding Lake and the Tanana River. If you know this area, you know that's pretty impressive.

I just got back from the Re/Max Alaska awards ceremony. It was a fun event. Great food, and Jennifer took the time I was learning about Real Estate to go Skiing at Alyeska resort. It's nice to see all those different Realtors from different towns, and hear how they do things differently or the same. Very fun, although I'm not really a drinker.

Lately I've been kicking around the idea of hiring an assistant. It would certainly help me out. It's still just a thought, but maybe someday.

Ups and Downs

2006-10-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

As a Realtor in Fairbanks my livelihood ebbs and flows with the change of the seasons. That's why so many of these posts herald a new season, and so is it with this one. Once again, fall is upon us, and quickly moving to winter. This is a good time to buy. Sellers in the upper range are beginning to lower their prices, and showings on the whole have slowed down a little.

Now having some time to Breathe after the incredibly busy summer, I've added am imbedded movie that previews the current listings I have available, and of course I now have time to post on here. It has been a while.

One final thought: If you are in the home-buying or home-selling process, we all really appreciate it when you let us know if you are already working with a Realtor, or whether or not you want to be represented. Remember, we Realtors only make money if we are working with one or two sides of a transaction if it actually closes. We are not employees of our respective brokerages. We don’t mind helping, but t can’t cut into our business.

Stay Warm!

He who hesitates is lost!

2006-02-23T10:45:00.000-09:00

Either Mother Nature is giving us a false start, or Spring is here. In any case, the Real Estate market is really picking up, and there don't seem to be as many houses out there as there are buyers for them. More and more military are coming back as well.

Something I learned from Pam at Alaska Commercial Properties is a simple lesson, but a very important one. It's bad luck to count your commission before the sale. This makes sense in a very practical way, because a good Realtor focuses on his or her money only after the sale is over, or at least the day before the closing. Up until then we focus on helping our buyers and sellers the best we can, and gathering information for them. Still, we have to fight the perception that we see our clients as dollar signs. In this respect, I sometimes find myself resisting the urge to tell people, "Hey, if you want this house, we need to make an offer now, because it's going fast!" simply because it can make me look greedy, when in actuality it is a seller's market, and It's best to get an offer in there when there are no competing offers to contend with.

So please remember, we work for you. A large percentage of people we work for end up buying nothing, changing their minds, or some variation of those things, and so we end up working for free, but until we reach some sort of conclusion, we are working hard for you. I woulld say if I am guilty of anything, it is of trusting people to always do the right thing.

I've got a few new listings coming up, including another dry cabin, and 4 duplexes, so keep watching my web site, or ask me for more information.

Take care,

-Ryan

Doing the Right Thing

2005-12-13T17:32:00.000-09:00

It's always easy to say, but not always the easiest thing to do. It's been a while since I've posted a new thought, and I'm sorry about that. First of all, my father's surgery became much more complicated than I anticipated. It might have been naive of me to assume that a 4-day weekend would be enough, but I ended up staying in Seattle for three weeks. This was a tough decision for me. I had so many clients and customers here in Fairbanks, and I sincerely tried to do the best I could to be there for everyone. The phrase "lesser of two evils" gets thrown around a lot, but what I struggled with was the greater of two goods. Go to Seattle to be there for my dad emotionally, or stay here and help manage things in Fairbanks, as well as give my clients and customers the customers the service they deserve. So I would like to say a huge thank you, because not only did you not complain, you were all very understanding and encouraging.

I answer the question, "How's your dad doing?" probably ten or fifteen times per day, and I’m happy to do it, because I am always amazed at how many people know him and are genuinely concerned.

Doing the right thing can sometimes have terrible financial repercussions, and at other times make you unpopular with your peers and affiliates, but being able to sleep at night knowing that you did what is best, and that you deal honestly and fairly with everyone is a nice feeling when you go home to sleep at night.

So enough of that theme! The Real Estate market here in Fairbanks has slowed way down for the season. This means that prices are generally lower and there is less competition for you buyers. I've still got three multi-family properties on the market (two duplexes and one triplex) a home in fox and nice little dry cabin at a good price. Take a look at my listings page here and give me a call. If you have any questions or suggestions about my web site or anything at all, don't hesitate to let me know.

Hopefully my next post won't be in two months.

Take care,

Ryan Danhauser

Snow Day

2005-10-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

The weather is the first thing we all think about when we make small talk. So we call it small talk, because it is so impersonal, but the weathr also can have a very profound impact on all of us.

Last night it snowed, and for the first time of the season, the snow stuck. The impact this has on Real Estate is anything but small. Sellers seem to fear the winter and what is signified by the first snow, and buyers want to hurry up and move before it gets to cold. Buyers also be aware that an engineer or home inspector can't look at the roof for you when it is covered with snow.

On the other hand, this is the best time for the homeowner to find a good price. Take a look at the 3000+ square foot home in the Hamilton Acres neighborhood for just $234,500, The downtown duplex for 139,000 and triplex for 129,900. It's always a risk, but it's a good time for the investor.

Also, begrudgingly (it was my first home) I have put up our fourplex for sale. This listing will last until December or so. If it has not sold by then, we wil keep it. In the mean time, take a look if you are interested. It is recently remodelled and in great shape for its age. See the listing page for more detail.

Lastly, I will be out of town for some personal time with family, having to do with medical issues. This will take place October 20th through the 24th, and back into work the 25th.

Take care, and I will talk to you again next month!

-Ryan

Moving into, and out of Fall

2005-09-07T15:10:00.001-08:00

Everyone should take time to look at the fall colors on the Birch trees. We only get this for a week or two, so take advantage now. I feel lucky to spend so much time driving around I get the time to appreaciate this.

On another topic, back when I was a loan officer for Fairbanks Neighborhood Housing, I remember a person who was receiving grant money from two sources. This preson was receiving $80,000 in free money towards a $100,000 house. He looked at the paperwork and then said, "Where is the rest of the money?"

I find this attitude astounding, and have run into it again recently in my professional life as a Realtor. It reminds me of the proverb, "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." I find myself being asked for more fish at the moment.

On a more positive note, Just listed are a spacious home in the Hamilton Acres neighborhood, a nice little downtown duplex that will make a great investment, and a secluded 5-year old home in the hills on Pickering. Give them a look!

That's it for this month!

Back in town!

2005-08-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

Coming back from a vacation as a Realtor can be very difficult. You have to go through everything that happened when you were out of town, and accept the things that were handled differently than you would have done yourself. Jane Russo, here in the RE/MAX office, however did an excellent job of keeping the necessary things moving while I was away. That coupled with my cell phone and laptop being there with me made it a very seamless transition.

The cute little house with a guest cabin on Slater Street has sold, aong with both trailer listings in the Badger Road area. If you are looking for a home in Fox (and they don't come up very often) then check out the new listiing. Remodelling on the Gillam Triplex is moving right along, and the downstairs apartment is very nice. If you haven't seen it with the improvements, see it again!

Keep an eye on the Duplex on Wood River Drive. Two 3 bedroom apartments makes a good investiment.

There is a Rental Vacancy on the Driftwood Court property. This is an immaculate 3 bedroom home on the slough. Must be well cared for.

Take care,

-Ryan

Hello!

2005-07-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is a new area of my web site. Here I plan to publish a kind of editorial newsletter on the Real Estate market in Fairbanks and North Pole areas of Alaska, my opinions, concerns and of course listings and rental vacancies. If you have any ideas for information you would like to see here, please let me know!

-Ryan