Have you been wondering what's going on with the phones lately?

Clearly we have some challenges and I thought I'd take a moment away from the usual broker stuff to update you on the phones, and other initiatives.

We are working through an internet based phone system (VOIP) and when there is a small internet outage it can cause the routers to malfunction requiring a reset. Our phone issues are not easily solved without spending many thousands of dollars unfortunately.

The solutions include moving to hard lines which would cost thousands more per month, or we can move to a T-1 commercial line also costing many thousands, or perhaps create a site to site VPN connection to ensure more stability in the system with fewer outages.

Bottom line, as the company grows we will have more resources to devote to technological infrastructure and that time hasn't come yet. VOIP systems are getting better every year so look for improvements soon.

Additionally, we are fully engaged in revising the agent orientation and on-boarding process, the website, and our marketing/branding concepts company wide. Look for exciting announcements this summer!

Does the AS IS clause supercede the home inspection contingency clause?

One of our agents was involved in a transaction where the seller (agent) insisted that the AS IS clause superceded the home inspection contingency clause. That is not the case. What you need to be aware of though, is if you want to do an inspection with the "walk away" clause intact - and have it be AS IS - you need to check the "General Inspection" clause, rather than the "Specific Inspection" (the first one). This allows the property to be sold in AS IS condition - but gives your buyer the ability to walk if the inspection turns out to be a major issue.