In my best "Dr. Phil" voice, I'm asking "... so how's that workin' for ya?"   I called an agent 3 days ago and after many rings I rolled over to a phone message that identified herself as "Hi, I'm Jane Realtor's assistant, Denise,... please leave me a message so I can call you back".   Ok, I didn't get to the agent's actual phone message, I got to the assistant's ... but that's the way they've set up their phone, so that has to work for them, right?"

Apparently not.  I left a message, "Hi, I'm Judith Sinnard and I'm interested in your property in Name of Gated community, on address and street name.  I'd like to talk to you about this property and would appreciate it if you could please call me back."  Never happened.

OK, so I'm not an agent, nor am I buying a house --- so what did I want? Well, I'm training new artists to draw SMARTePLANS and this $175,000 home has been on the market for 162 days and is vacant and is around the corner from me. I wanted to ask them if they would allow me to conduct a training class on the premises (ie show someone how to measure/draw a property) and in return they would get the full-blown marketing package for free. NO charge. I'd complete it and upload it onto MLS for them, as well as provide the files to them so they can cut and paste them into their other marketing materials.  FREE (MY favorite four-letter word). For those that read my blog you know that SMARTePLANS are usually used for multi-million dollar homes (and usually not in this price range, as the cost for the pull-out-all-the-stops full package -- including virtual furniture moving online ---- hovers around $1000)

I intentionally did not identify myself as a vendor as I've learned a long time ago ... THAT ... is the kiss of death ... you'll never get a phone call back if you say that. But I thought this was a decent deal, a win-win-win for all of us and thought I'd take a shot.  Well, after 3 days, I called someone else .. again I got the voicemail .. but this time they called me back within 20 minutes ... and agreed ... so we're set.

But you just have to shake your head and wonder ... "So how's that workin' for ya?"

Judith, The Floor Plan Lady

www.smarteplans.com

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SMARTePLANS have photos embedded inside the floor plan that launch with a mouse click .... each photo arrow is positioned in the plan where the photographer was standing --- so you can see where he was and what he was aiming at when he took the shot ... in relationship to the drawing. Beneath the photo is a description of that room. Once the photo launches you have a choice to link back to the floor plan and choose another photo, or read the amenities text for the WHOLE property (not just that particular room).  All the files are inter-linked so you can seamlessly click around this property, viewing the photos and reading the descriptions.  This is not a video ... you choose what you want to view ... or not

[NOTE: SMARTePLANS are PDF files so they magnify to over 100%. When the file launches, click "View" on the top toolbar and make sure there is a checkmark next to the toolbar named "Select and Zoom". Every time you tap the plus key inside the circle the view screen enlarges (the minus key shrinks the magnification); and the magnifying glass with the plus sign in it marquee selects a specfic area of the drawings to be enlarged. Using the hand key and the scroll bars, its easy to move around inside the file, and then magnifying the features you want to see.]