For the last week, the four of us have been visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.  I thought that a list of what went well and what didn’t would help both myself and others.

I hope that this information will also help others planning vacations both to WDW and to other places.

What went well

Spending five solid days at the parks

We only visited Walt Disney World itself and avoided other attractions such as Universal Studios.  For just WDW, this time proved to be exactly what we needed.  Had the weather been warmer and we were visiting Blizzard Beach, we would have wanted an additional day.  Given the size of the parks and how much there is to do, five days was just right.

The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan

Disney food prices are quite expensive.  In particular their sit down restaurants are quite pricy.  Breakfast each morning for the four of us was $60.  Lunch varied from $70 to $110 and dinner varied from $90-$180.  These prices do not include tips.  Given these prices, the dining plan enabled us to save significantly.  It also provided us a good break to get away from the chaos of the parks and experience some very interesting restaurants.

Making dining a big part of the planning

In addition to spending a great deal of time figuring out how much time we needed at the parks and in which order we wanted to see them, I also spent a great deal of time planning which restaurants to visit.  A number of the restaurants – particularly Coral Reef, Citricos, and Sci-Fi Diner, have their own characteristics and provided as much enjoyment as the rides.  For future vacations, I will also spend time looking for interesting places to eat.

Planning what rides to go on and when

The parks were a lot more crowded than we expected, but by using the strategy of visiting popular rides early in the morning combined with FastPass, we rarely had to wait.  We did have access to the tour plans mentioned in the Unofficial Guide to WDW mentioned below – but they were basically worthless.  They either did not contain the rides we were interested in, did not factor in eating meals, or assumed we could get our kids up at the crack of dawn to get to the parks before they open.

Filling our days solid with entertainment, combined with resting intervals

In the past, we often felt that we spent too much time at some locations.  At other times, things just moved at too frantic of a pace and we became tired too quickly.  During this trip, we were quite busy while we went on ride after ride, but we had about an hour each for lunch and dinner that we used to relax.  This worked out quite well – allowing us to move at a fast pace but buffer it with relaxation periods.

Taking the kids at ages 5 and 6

We saw a lot of babies and younger children at the parks and many of their parents looked quite miserable.  While WDW rides are in general tame, there are a number of them that will terrify younger children.  Our older son was still scared by many of the rides while the younger one had absolutely no problems.  There are also height restrictions on some of the rides that in a few cases did not allow our five year old to ride.  From this experience five years old is probably the bare minimum I would want my child to be to take them to the parks.  Younger than that and the trip becomes more for the parents than for the kids.

What went OK

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

We stayed here for the entire trip in a room with a savannah view.  The idea was for the kids to see animals from the room when they wake up and this worked well on one occasion.  While the hotel definitely caters to kids, we were so busy at the resorts that we made little use of it.  In addition, the rooms were quite small and the bed was among the least comfortable we have ever slept on.  I had originally planned to stay at the Grand Floridian but decided against it because I was worried the kids would not find it as interesting.  We visited the Grand Floridian to eat at Citricos and for the hotel itself this assumption was accurate.  Therefore, while I was not very impressed by the Animal Kingdom Jambo House resort, it was probably a decent choice.

The Weather

Of course it is impossible to predict the weather and how was I to know that Seattle would be on average twenty degrees warmer than Orlando while we were there.  On the other hand, except for our last day it hardly rained there.  We were able to do all of the rides except for the water related ones, so it wasn’t that bad.

Going in the 2nd week of January

The guide book listed below stated that the second week in January – after New Years when all of the kids have gone back to school – is the best time to go.  Instead, the parks were quite crowded and we needed to strategize how to see things in order to not spend too much time in the lines.  Luckily, we did not spend much time in the lines do to careful planning – though some rides reached wait times as long as 120 minutes.

What didn’t go well

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World

This book should be renamed – “The whiner’s guide to WDW”.  Most of this book was completely unhelpful and often completely false.  The reviews of restaurants were not accurate and the descriptions of the rides – in particular how appropriate they are for kids – was not correct.  I just really had the impression that the authors have never been anywhere outside of Disney World and have no concept of the outside world.

Disney’s vaunted customer service

When I visited the parks fourteen years ago, I marveled at how happy everyone at the resorts was and the degree to which people (called “cast members”) would go through to make sure you had the best trip possible.  This is no longer the case and I even found the service to be rude on occasion.  In general I would give their customer service an “OK” rating.

The day after Christmas,  I receive the following call

Buyer: Hello, could you please show me your listing at 123 Main St?

Me: I can arrange to have an agent show you this property, but are you currently working with an agent?

Buyer: I do not want to use an agent.  I want you to write the contract for me.  I will tell you the terms.  Agents aren’t worth the commissions they receive.

Me: I’m sorry, but I do not do dual agency.  You will need to find an agent to write the offer up.

Buyer: I will dictate the terms.  I just need you to write it up.  The seller does not need to know that you wrote it.

Me: That is fraud and I cannot do that.  If you’re worried about the commission, why don’t you find a discount agent to write it up.

Buyer: I’ll go to Redfin!

Me: That is fine.  I do not care who writes up the offer.  I just told you I cannot do it myself.  Redfin, by the way, charges one and a half percent and has a minimum amount they need to make.

Buyer: I know that… You just don’t want to leave nice cozy Bellevue.

Me: No.  I cannot write contracts for buyers for my own properties.  It is in your own best interest to find someone to represent you.

Buyer: It’s not worth it to pay any commission for just filling in the blanks on a piece of paper for what I tell you!

At this point I proceeded to lecture him on all the work it takes to actually close a property these days.  Unfortunately it was wasted breath as he did not hear a word I said.  I honestly do not care who writes up the contract for him.  I do not do dual agency and even if I wanted to this particular seller forbids me from doing so. 

From his perspective, this is one example where you can argue that ignorance is bliss.

Why is it the holidays seem to bring out the worst in people?  On Christmas Eve, I receive a call from a buyer interested in a property located next to a property I just sold.  This property is of course listed by another agent.

First the buyer asks me a number of questions about the property.  While I had been in it to do comps I obviously knew little else about it.  She then stated that she is looking for a home for her parents and that I must show it to her that night.

Do they have an agent?, I asked.

She replied that she didn’t know, but that she just wanted someone to open the door for her.  I replied that any agent would want to get paid for showing a listing and that we are not paid unless the listing closes.  I suggested that she use the agent they are working with to open the door.

She then got rather huffy and insisted I show her the house the next day (Christmas Day).  While we do not celebrate Christmas, we do get together with family that day and I did not feel like driving across town that day to open a door so another agent can get paid.

When I refused, she got quite upset, told me off, and then stated she would just call the listing agent herself.

How’s that for holiday cheer?

As most of you know, I deal with several bank owned properties at the same time.  These properties are typically in high demand and therefore I receive quite a few calls a day on them.  I can deal with serious questions, but the following conversation (which on some days occurs every few minutes) really can be frustrating.

Caller: Hello, I am calling about your listing on 33rd Street.

Me: What can I do for you?

Caller: What’s the story behind this property?

Me: Well, what do you need to know?

Caller: Is it vacant? (note that vacancy status is on MLS)

Me: Yes, it is.

Caller: Is this a short sale?

Me: No, it is bank owned. (this is also on MLS . I also explicitly say it is ‘not a short sale’ in the agent remarks.)

Caller: Do you have any offers? (If I have multiple offers, this is also on MLS)

Me: Yes, we have multiple offers.

Caller: Where do we need to be to get it?

Me: I cannot disclose this.

Two minutes later, I receive another call and it starts all over again, and again, and again.

I have tried changing my voice mail to state that all MLS information is current and intentionally do not answer my phone.  I then receive a message stating “this is so and so.  Please call me.’”  When I return the call, the above conversation happens all over again.

Certainly I have noticed that most agents lack attention to details.  If you want the listing agent to be on your good side, calling her with questions she has already answered on MLS is not a good way to start.

Keep in mind that while I am answering these calls I am dealing with distressed homeowners, trying to close transactions, putting out hourly fires, and trying to prevent myself from going insane.

So the next time you call on a listing, please read the information on MLS first as it is current and up to date.

Check out this book!

You may know that my husband is into photography and likely do not know that he is a member of the Microsoft Photography Club. This year Photography Club Members from around the world spent five months assembling and publishing a world-class, fine art photo book. The time and talent that went into this project makes every copy of the book a gift to its owner. We even put a full book preview online (160 pages of preview!) 100% of the profit from sales goes directly to the United Way and you get a valued and timeless reminder of how you too make a difference for those in need.

You can preview the book, or order the book, from your desk. Not only does this book make a wonderful addition to any collection, and a thoughtful gift, each copy you purchase contributes directly to the ongoing, important work of United Way. This book is offered for purchase at the cost of printing plus $25.00. This additional amount is contributed directly to United Way in your name and is fully tax deductable as a charitable contribution.

Even if you don’t think you’ll buy a copy of the book, go take a look at the online preview anyway. It really is amazing!

BTW, my husband’s photo is this one.

Recently I have seen several foreclosed homes caused by the previous owners spending too much on remodeling.  The stories are all very similar.  The owners decide to fix up the place and spend a great deal of time and effort making their home look perfect.  In the meantime they run their cash reserves so low that they can no longer afford to make house payments.  Around the time that work on their home is almost complete, the bank forecloses.

This is a really a shame and in many cases entirely avoidable.  During one recent foreclosure the previous owner was almost in tears.  I could see him visibly upset and he asked that I wait until he left to take pictures.  He had put a great deal of time and effort into that home and never really had the chance to enjoy it.

While the case is sad, this is just another example of keeping your finances in order.  Always be prepared for that rainy day and make sure you only spend what you truly have.

While I am sure that I can sell these homes very quickly given their prices and condition, I would far prefer to sell beat up old homes that I know will find a better owner.

Keeping with the monthly tradition of examining housing prices in Bellevue based on the area defined on the different high schools, here are the results for July.  Data was obtained using this method and consists of the median house price sold. By the way, you can see a map of the high school boundaries here.  This will be the last month that I show all data in a chart.  Starting next month I will include just the last two months and a graph. High School January 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 July -August Change Interlake $467,000 $445,000 $435,000 $435,000 $432,000   Sammamish $496,000 $414,900 $415,000 $418,500 $418,500   Bellevue $957,000 $850,000 $850,000 $930,000 $915,000   Newport $585,000 $480,000 $505,000 $510,000 $535,000     This shows that Bellevue continues to be relatively stable.  On average prices haven’t fallen here since June.  I cannot say what will happen in the future, but from this data it looks to be a relatively safe time to buy.  The chances are decent that you can buy a house in Bellevue and not have it drop significantly in value a few months after purchasing it. High School Median Activate Home Price May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 Interlake $625,000 $645,000 $675,000 $650,000 Sammamish $550,000 $529,990 $574,950 $585,000 Bellevue $1,299,999 $1,395,000 $1,350,000 $1,475,000 Newport $815,000 $795,000 $815,000 $790,000     High School Number of Homes May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 Interlake 52 26 54 55 Sammamish 176 159 161 149 Bellevue 338 340 336 319 Newport 96 103 120 124   Inventory has basically stayed the same.  What I am seeing in the market is that homes are selling.  Overpriced homes sit on the market, but if a house is priced decently it will sell and may sell quickly. While the market is certainly not thriving, it is slowly reaching a healthy state.  Prices have remained the same for three months now and inventory has not increased.  What will be interesting to see is how this trend continues.

Currently there is an agent with three properties for sale in my neighborhood.  These three properties are killing the resale values in my area.  The interesting thing about these properties is they are neither bank owned nor are they short sales.  Property values in my city as a whole are staying roughly the same.  However, if I were to sell my home today I would have to accept approximately ten percent less than a few months ago simply because this agent is a moron.

All of the homes are below market value and I’m not entirely sure why they are not selling.  All of them are in poor shape.  Two of them were not fixed up or staged at all and are literally pigsties.  I recently took a buyer to one and he walked straight out after seeing the mess.  The houses themselves are not that bad.  They just need a good cleaning.  The third house was remodeled but poorly.  The kitchen island is about two feet tall.

Even more interesting, I have noticed that most of this agents listings are sold through dual agency.  You would think that given the low prices other agents would offer, wouldn’t you?  I toured all three properties – one of them twice – and never received a call or e-mail about any of them.  While I cannot say for sure, things certainly look suspicious.

I do not mind that other agents have listings right next to my own house.  This is just how it happens in the business.  What I cannot stand is when – due to a combination of greed and stupidity – an agent causes my house price to fall.  If you’re going to sell in my neighborhood, then please do that – sell!

Recently while driving down my street I saw something interesting.  A house that had been for sale for some time at $425,000 had a “sold” sign on it.  That was moderately interesting, but what I found far more interesting was that it had a new sign advertising the price now as $475,000!

I was quite stunned at this.  After all, when the property was first listed it started out at $450,000 and slowly made it to $425,000 during several months on the market.  I looked up the property on the MLS and it was pending inspection.  Who the heck puts up a sold sign when the house still hasn’t gone through the inspection!

Sure enough, the home failed inspection and went back on the market.  The sign now states $425,000.

While there exists the chance that there were multiple offers on the property, the more likely case (especially given this agent has a poor reputation) is that the agent deliberately misrepresented the sold price in order to attract more listings.

I considered taking a picture of the sign and send it to the MLS, but did not have the chance before the home went on the market.  However, what would have really happened here?  From looking at the list of MLS fines, at the most he would have received a fine for $100 or $200.  More likely he would have just received a warning.

It is no wonder people distrust agents when this is all that can happen to you for deliberately trying to mislead people!  Going through the list of MLS fines is quite comical, because in many cases these fines are for completely unethical and in some cases illegal behavior.  While I can see someone accidentally including a disallowed phrase such as “walking distance to Microsoft” (assumes the buyer can walk), I cannot see someone accidentally listing a home as twice the size that it actually is.

If an agent repeatedly does these things, he or she should no longer be allowed to practice real estate.  Even with lawyers this is the case.  If a lawyer is found to have practiced unethically, he or she can be barred from practicing law in that state.  While technically this is possible with real estate, in practice it is rarely carried out.

Until we start weeding out the bad apples, public trust in real estate agents will continue to be at an all time low.

All I can say for those of you that missed it, well…  it was a lot of fun. Here is my son Nathan having fun at the lake. I think by far this is the best shot of Nathan EVER!!! Because he doesn’t like taking pictures

This one is also shot of my two boys. Eitan and Nathan

That would be my mentor Denny Buck who didn’t want to show his face

Our wonderful Chris. I am not sure who is next to her

Holly is always here to help.

 

Here is Kathy and Chris our brokers. They were nice enough to grill for us. Yummy!!!