Near or Far, ALWAYS use a local Realtor: How Micro-Markets add to the dynamic of home pricing

Using an out of area agent could cost you a fortune!

Not long ago, a veteran Realtor and fellow blogger remarked on one of my posts.  He politely reminded me that the trends that I was sharing applied to my local market, but in the micro-climates of his area trends applied to some but not to others.  

This is absolutely and always the case.  Our nation has trends as a whole, and trends within geographic locations.  Our state of California certainly has trends, and micro-markets. But even our local markets also have sub markets; some even within the very same development.  

Why does this matter to you?  Well whether you're buying in Brentwood, Alamo, or Timbuktu, you could lose a fortune if your agent doesn't have intimate knowledge of the market that you're buying or selling in.  

I strongly recommend doing your homework and finding a Realtor you trust with local area expertise. 

For some light hearted but serious information on finding an excellent agent

enjoy these posts:  part 1, part 2

 Home prices are a function of the following variables:

• Demand or number of buyers with the ability and willingness to buy.
• The supply of properties on the market, including homes that our builders are selling prior to completed construction
• Interest rates - If a buyer can afford $2,000/mo....@ 3.5% interest, he/she may be able to purchase a home for $375k, but if interest rates go up to 5.5% the purchase price would have to drop to $290k or so.
• Speculated future values of specific properties and real estate in general
• Consumer Confidence Level
• Other less impacting factors

Let's look at the table below and compare the 1st two properties:  

• They are both in Brentwood
• Both +/- 3,800 square feet
• Both 4 bedrooms
• Build in the mid 2000's.  
• Lot sizes are within 20% of each other. 
• Both WERE in highly sought after areas

...but, for several reasons, one area held held it's value better than the other when the market turned.  An outside agent looking at these two properties might think that the discrepancy is not valid. That misinformation can and will cost you...weather buyer  or selling.

Look at the bottom two properties listed above:
You'll see the same thing.  Similar homes, but the one with only two bedrooms is listed $90,000 higher than the 3 bedroom?  In this area, and in virtually all areas throughout the world, this is common.  These local market tendencies and trends will often differentiate home values for something as seemingly benign as being on opposite sides of the same street!  Using a local area expert  is your best bet, whether you're looking to buy or sell.

If you have questions about an area you are looking to sell in, or to buy it, please click here to e-mail me.

I'll leave you with this little taste of wisdom:

" Character is the ability to follow through on a resolution long after the emotion with which it was made has passed."

 ~ Various Speakers

Until next time, and thank you in advance for remembering me when the topic of real estate arises.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.
DRE# 01826135

www.andyblasquez.com

Email me at andy.blasquez@gmail.com
Click here to reach Macky Hensel.

Please Follow me on Twitter and Re-Tweet these blogs.
Please Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Finally, please comment or ask questions.  Other readers may be wondering the same thing.  I love the feedback, critical or otherwise, and love the interaction: I love this job.

Thank you always for your support.

25 Billion Dollar Mortgage Settlement: Will you get the help you need?

Definitely maybe!

In February of 2012, the US government and 49 states agreed on a National Mortgage Settlement. So how does that affect you?  Well, if you're a tax payer, one way or another...it affects you. But let's dig a little deeper.

Now I'm not a financial analyst, a legislator, etc. so I needed to do some digging to see how this settlement might be able to provide some desperately needed relief to folks in my family, my friends, and my clients. At first, after about 30 minutes of digging, I realized how hard it is to actually learn what the National Mortgage Settlement really is! Well, that's not entirely true, as I still don't know exactly what it is, where the funds go, and how!

It appears as though this state/federal agreement applies only if you borrowed from the big 5 lenders: Ally, Bank of America, Citi, Chase, and Wells Fargo. That only leaves about 150 or so other lenders that aren't included.  But $25 Billion is a huge number, right?  Sure, if you're talking personal income, but in terms of relief for the entire nation...we're not even scratching the proverbial surface. The best number I could find for total mortgage debt in the US is $14 Trillion. (the image below was copied from the Federal Reserve site)  

So that means that if all $25 Billion went immediately to the borrowers who are underwater...we'd owe $13,341,278,000,000.  That's a 1.7 percent break!  Forgive my sarcasm, but WOOOO HOOO!!! Finally I can sleep better, knowing we'll all be OK!

Then I read that the settlement sets aside $3 Billion to go toward refinancing relief for borrowers that are current but upside-down on their mortgages. Let's break out the abacus again.  Approximately 30% of all mortgages in the US are "Upside down".  Call that $4 Trillion for simple math.  So the $3 Billion going to those who continue to pay on time is less than .1% relief.  Don't miss the little point before the one: one tenth of 1 percent! I mean, if you're passing out billions, I'll be the first in line, but that's not what's actually going to happen on September 24th, 2012. when this thing gets rolling.

Click here to read more from the California Department of Justice.  It starts to explain how, when, and where the funds are going.

Then click here to learn that...of the 49 states participating, many are setting aside funds for their general funds.  For example, California setting aside nearly a half a Billion dollars to pay toward the state's debt.

Now I could be mistaken.  It has happened before!  But this smells an awful lot like a 25 Billion dollar media stunt.

On a very serious note, if you've been foreclosed on; if you're buried in your mortgage, please look into this program anyway.  It is real money.  Although it's not going to change the world, it could change yours.  Maybe you'll be one of the lucky few.

As I personally struggle having much faith in our government, I'll leave you with this little taste of wisdom:

" What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying" 

 ~ Henry Adams

Until next time, and thank you in advance for remembering me when the topic of real estate arises.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.
DRE# 01826135

www.andyblasquez.com

Email me at andy.blasquez@gmail.com
Click here to reach Macky Hensel.

Please Follow me on Twitter and Re-Tweet these blogs.
Please Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Finally, please comment or ask questions.  Other readers may be wondering the same thing.  I love the feedback, critical or otherwise, and love the interaction: I love this job.

Thank you always for your support.

Brentwood Real Estate Trends: Available homes in Brentwood and Oakley

G'day friends!  This is a simple post, sharing links to "available"  Homes for sale in Brentwood and Oakley as of 10:45AM, September 20th, 2012.  I wrote "available" in quotes in an effort to reiterate how complicated our market is right now.

Click here to see HOMES FOR SALE IN BRENTWOOD

Click here to see HOMES FOR SALE IN OAKLEY

Featured Brentwood Property 

Our stunning Tahoe Cabin styled home on 1.41 acres in the heart of Brentwood is located at 530 Saddle Creek, Ct., in Brentwood.  Offered at $399,900

I can't stress enough the hurdles that buyers face in today's market.  Here are a few key points to help you rise above them. 

*** Make sure that your Realtor is YOUR Realtor.  Many, many agents are "double-ending" deals (representing the seller and the buyer at the same time).  If true synergies are leveraged to a truly happy end, fantastic. That's a win-win.  That's just typically not what happens.  Typically, a listing agent holds an open house, buyers walk in.  He/she tells the buyer the asking price and writes it up.  Not a lot of advocating going on on behalf of the buyers!  Negotiation is not about meeting in the middle either.  Anyone with a pulse can do that.  Negotiation is about listening and learning what is truly important to each party.  More often that you'd think price is not the 1st priority, but it's the one hurdle that most deals stumble over.  Is the seller's motivation time? Is it avoiding a foreclosure? Are they being pressured somehow, or are they listing the property just hoping someone will pay top dollar with little or no motivating factor other than that? Ultimately, searching for a Realtor who will advocate solely for you before you look at your first listing ensures that regardless of the seller's status you have someone watching your back...exclusively.  Click here to learn how to find a great agent!

*** Don't be afraid of Short-Sales.  Be afraid of listing agents without experience negotiating short sales!

*** BE READY!  Being almost ready is like being almost pregnant.  In today's market, you're either ready to write a competetive offer and close it...or you're not. Bring your check book, and your "A" game.

*** Ask your Realtor if they're willing to work for you.  By work for you, I mean really work.  For most Realtors a home listed as "Active" actually means that the property is listed as:

• ACTV - Active
• BOMK - Back on Market
• AC - Contingent
• NEW - New
• PCH - Price Change

The list of properties I link to at the top of this blog also include: 

• PSB - Pending, Show for Backup
• PSLA - Pending, Subject to Lender's Approval

If that doesn't get the job done, I turn my Tall coffee into a Venti and get on the phone, calling (not to be confused with pestering) any listing agent that has a property that I KNOW would be a perfect fit for my buyers.  As long as you're agent is courteous, most listing agents aren't going to mind politely responding. 

I recently sold a home in Brentwood to a couple who's agent called me after this listing was "Pending". The agent was polite and professional. The buyers actually wrote a letter to the seller's explaining why it was important for them to get into this house.  We agreed to let his clients see the property and to write a backup offer.  The day we received his offer our buyer in contract cancelled!  We closed with the new buyers less than three weeks later.  The buyers' agent didn't find anything "Active" but was willing to do the legwork to get the job done.  This is uncommon, but in today's market, it's one more way opportunity, slim or otherwise, to get into contract.  

If, as a buyer, you choose to call the number on the sign; the agent who's property you're interested in, PLEASE ask him or her the following: "How are you going to effectively advocate for your sellers and advocate for me as well?"  If he or she stumbles over the answer...walk away...run away and call another Realtor; one who will work solely for you.  Heck...call me.  Even if you're out of the area I can almost guarantee I know a Realtor in your area; a Realtor I respect.  

All for now, but more to come!

I'll leave you with this Taste of Wisdom, 

" Place a higher priority on discovering what a win looks like for the other person." 

 ~ Harvey Robbins

Until next time, and thank you in advance for remembering me when the topic of real estate arises.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.
DRE# 01826135

www.andyblasquez.com

Email me at andy.blasquez@gmail.com
Click here to reach Macky Hensel.

Please Follow me on Twitter and Re-Tweet these blogs.
Please Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Finally, please comment or ask questions.  Other readers may be wondering the same thing.  I love the feedback, critical or otherwise, and love the interaction: I love this job.

Thank you always for your support.

Buyers AND Sellers Beware: One ugly day in Real Estate

This is not a post about the values of homes in Brentwood or Oakley.  It's not about property in Alamo receiving 14 offers, ultimately selling to a cash buyer well above an already optimistic list price.  It's about the behavior of a few, several, ..OK way too many agents' unprofessional and unethical behavior.  It's just ugly. At this point in my real estate career I've been around the block a few times and I understand that we're going to see this behavior, however, we don't need to sit back and take it.

How is your Realtor treating you?  If they're not treating you the way you ought to be; if they're not treating the 'other side' with respect, honestly, and integrity...FIRE THEM!  If they are unethical with the 'other side', how will they treat you when you are the 'other side'?

If you're a Realtor, like me, who works very hard for your clients; who actually reads and follows the details on a listing; who spends 80% of your week doing 80% of the 'other sides' work so that your client doesn't suffer...let your broker or your board know!

Today alone...
Today I read a Facebook posting from a fellow agent about another agent who told this colleague's buyers to "Go eat S##t".  He then went on to double end the deal (a practice that I still don't condone).  Not four minutes after I saw this I received a call from one of my clients who said, "I have removed my door knob and pulled the lock-box inside."  "What happened?" I asked.  He went on to explain how over the weekend, and into Monday, agents had harassed the couple; had rudely pushed for appointments to suit their own schedules then didn't show up at all; who never schedule an appointment to view and showed up at 6pm, 8pm, 9pm with their own clients in the car, complaining about how hard it is to show property.  Another agent remarked that the sellers had no right to prevent a showing regardless of the time because it was a short-sale.  Several agents simply showed up, walking in on the family dog who was recovering from surgery.  The list of offences seems to be endless!  This is just ONE of my clients.  This was less just three days.

Friday I was told by one of my new sellers that his previous agent put a sign up in front of the wrong house.  This house happened to be owned by the seller, and had a renter in it whom immediately stopped paying rent out of fear that the home they were living in was going to be sold without any notification.

This may sound like a rant, and trust me...and I could go on, but it's no rant.  It's really, truly, proactively, a call to action.  When my wife recently went to IKEA to return an item and was 43rd in line, and that seemed OK to everyone...I realized that America seems to have rolled over.  It's every day; service people not showing up on time; clerks text messaging their friends and appearing bothered to have to ring you up; restaurants serving you the wrong food or serving it other than the way it was ordered, etc. Sure these are irritations.  But for most of us, buying and selling real estate is a massive, stressful, and highly impactful decision. Please don't settle. Don't roll over. If you're uncomfortable, voice your concern.  Remember, we work for you! If you're not getting the service you deserve in this arena, fire your Realtor.

Home Buyers:
Right now we are in a very, very competitive market. You're going to have to jump fast.  You're going to have to put your best foot, your best offer forward immediately.  BUT...don't rush beyond the offer.  Don't let your agent or the seller's agent force you into a position that you aren't comfortable with.  Don't put yourself at risk because someone else is choosing not to do an inspection or has no contingencies at all.  These inspection periods, the disclosure statements, the preliminary title and natural hazard reports, etc. are put in place to protect you.  Don't be hasty.  Yes, you absolutely better bring your "A" game at the time of offer, but don't write an offer that leaves you exposed to risk, unless you can truly afford that risk.

• Make sure that you're truly in a position to buy and have the following items ready:
• Earnest Money Deposit
• Pre-Approval from a lender you have faith in
• Funds for inspections; typically Pest, Home, Roof, Pool, Well, etc.
• Funds to close (closing costs, remainder of downpayment, etc.)
• Funds after close to ensure that the property is the way you intend it to be when you move in (or shortly there after)
• A Realtor your trust
• Make sure that your list of needs and your list of wants are clearly established. They are different.
• Make sure that you stay on budget.
• Make sure if you are submitting an offer on more than one property that you disclose that to the sellers.
• Make sure to check any special assessments/melo roos, etc. as they can drastically change your PITI (Principle, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance).

Home Sellers:
You truly are in the driver's seat today. But with that in mind, be realistic.  Don't puff out your chest and scare away that ideal buyer! You may receive multiple offers; some may be well above your asking price.  But will the property appraise at a price that high?  If it won't, did you just pass on a buyer who could actually get the deal closed because you were playing 'hardball'?

• Have a plan and stick to it.
• Determine the terms that you'll accept (Cash/Conventional/FHA/VA) and why.
• List your property on the high end of comps as values continue to climb in most areas.
• Review offers only after at least one full weekend has passed, but disclose this to all prospective buyers. Most offers stipulate that the prospective buyer needs a response within 72 hours, but that can be addressed. 
• Counter all offers as you don't know what a particular buyer's motivation is: don't tell them "no" by not countering...give all of your prospects a opportunity to respond.
• Know in advance when you'll do a price reduction, and by how much.
• Ask your prospective buyers if they've written offers on multiple properties.
• Understand that your first offer may be your best even if you received it the 1st day. Stalling or sand-bagging to wait for a better offer might cost you the one you've got in hand.

Fellow agents:
I know you're busy...so I'll keep this part short.  If you're not reading the confidential remarks, then you're calling me to do it for you...you're being a complete tool!  Contrary to what you  may think, you're time is NOT more valuable than mine.  You do your job and I'll do mine and our clients will be happy.  If you are one of the many, many agent that love your job and love the smile on your clients faces when you close...and really do sleep well when your head hits the pillow, please remember that we have to police ourselves.  Nobody else is going to do it.  Call an agent; call a broker; call a local board of Realtors if you have to. Don't just roll over (finger pointing at myself right now!) In time the lazy and unethical will realize that being a Realtor is hard work, then they can run off to try their hand at some get-rich-quick scheme and leave us to best serve our clients.

Then of course...I could be wrong.

I'll leave you with this Taste of Wisdom, 

" Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." 

 ~ Henry Ford

Until next time, and thank you in advance for remembering me when the topic of real estate arises.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.
DRE# 01826135

www.andyblasquez.com

Email me at andy.blasquez@gmail.com
Click here to reach Macky Hensel.

Please Follow me on Twitter and Re-Tweet these blogs.
Please Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Finally, please comment or ask questions.  Other readers may be wondering the same thing.  I love the feedback, critical or otherwise, and love the interaction: I love this job.

Thank you always for your support.

Available Homes in Brentwood, CA: There's no doubt we've turned around. Will it last?

East county's inventory continues to dwindle, further driving up active home prices.

Click here to see available homes in Brentwood as of September 12th, 2012.

Since January of this year there's been a 72% decrease in active homes in Brentwood, CA.  This chart clearly illustrates that trend.  What it doesn't show is that we have only 60 homes active as of today.

The table below demonstrates similar trends to what I posted last week with regard to homes for sale in Oakley.  Looking at the last row, median home prices, you can see that in January the median price of a home sold in Brentwood was $279,000 while in August that rose to $330,000.  That's averaging an increase of nearly 2.5% per month: Staggering!

What does that mean for you if you want to buy a home in Brentwood?
If you're looking to buy, it's really time to get going.  "Well, I was thinking about maybe calling a lender to see if I might qualify..." Nope!  Call!  If you'd like to buy in this market, get your pre-approval in hand, get your earnest money deposit funds into your checking account, find an excellent buyer's agent who will represent you fairly and effectively...then get in the car and go!  By the way, bring your pen.  As a buyer, the best news you can hear other than "Here are your keys!" is "Your earnest money is going to be deposited into escrow!"

What does that mean if you want to sell a home in Brentwood?
If you are thinking about selling your home in Brentwood, have someone (I'm very happy to do so) provide you with a professional CMA, or Comprehensive Market Analysis.  From this, you can get a strong understanding of what your Net Proceeds (what you can anticipate walking away with after the close of escrow) will be. 

Will this market last?
This is a simple question to answer honestly.  The answer is..."Who knows?"

What's going to happen to interest rates?  What's going to happen to the real estate market before the election?  What's going to happen afterward?  What happens when the banks release this mythical (in my opinion, there is no inventory that banks are holding on to) sea of foreclosures to be sold?  If I had a crystal ball I'd be sailing around the world looking for great surfing waves with my family rather than sitting at my desk. The market is what it is, and it always will be.

If you would like a CMA, please drop me a line; email, text, call, etc.  I just need your address and a way to reach you.  If you know someone else who'd like one done, even outside of the areas I service; Alamo, Walnut Creek, Brentwood, and Oakley, please forward on my contact information. I will put them in contact with an local area specialist form their area.

As always, I'm here for your questions, comments and concerns.

I'll leave you with this Taste of Wisdom, 

"But until a person can say deeply and honestly, "I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday," that person cannot say, "I choose otherwise." 

 ~ Stephen R Covey

Until next time, and thank you in advance for remembering me when the topic of real estate arises.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.
DRE# 01826135

www.andyblasquez.com

Email me at andy.blasquez@gmail.com
Click here to reach Macky Hensel.

Please Follow me on Twitter and Re-Tweet these blogs.
Please Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Finally, please comment or ask questions.  Other readers may be wondering the same thing.  I love the feedback, critical or otherwise, and love the interaction: I love this job.

Thank you always for your support.

What's the difference between a Short Sale and a Foreclosure from a homeowner's point of view?

Like everything real estate related, this is a complicated question, but the answers don't need to be. 

Let me very, very briefly explain the differences; the practical differences between a short sale and a foreclosure from various points of view. This information comes from several years of practical experience, seminars with title companies and bank executives, and processing short sales.  My clients repeatedly tell me that what they really want most is the truth.  Well, sometimes the truth is hard to hear, but hear it goes. Oh yea.  I know we're a bit litigious so here's my disclaimer... clearly expressed:  If you have a tax question, as a CPA.  I'm a Realtor.  I know home values, marketing strategies, and C.A.R. contracts. I can tell you what your home is worth, and I'm usually right...but I'm not a CPA or an attorney, so when I'm stating my opinion, it's my opinion.

From a home owner's point of view:

Foreclosure:

MANY, many people find or have found themselves in a situation that is horrible to be in; unable to make their mortgage payments.  It really is one of the most stressful circumstances I've ever experienced or witnessed as a professional.  What the government doesn't see, and the banks don't care about is the devastation that the mortgage crisis has left in it's wake.  The fallout from these stresses causes problems far beyond and more serious than a poor credit score.  I've seen couples and families fall apart, people lose self respect, resort to drugs and/or alcohol to escape the inescapable.  I've watched business owners walk away from their homes as well as their businesses because they're just spent!  "No matter how hard I work, there's no way out.  Screw it!"   Homeowners were giving the proverbial finger to the banks.

Sadly, even with help and information out there, with laws in place to protect our citizens, some still feel it's easier to simply bury their heads in the sand and deal with the consequences as they come.  The truth is, foreclosing is virtually never the best option.  There are VERY few, if any benefits to foreclosing.  "But my uncle's cousin Jethro stayed in his house for 7 years without making a payment!" Good for him!  That never happened and  ship has sailed.  Banks work much more swiftly now!

When the bubble burst, banks did not have the infrastructure to handle the volume of defaults that were being thrown at them.  Not long after that (and trillions of dollars in bail-out money) banks "merged" and again couldn't handle the load.  Now how long can someone stay in home before being "thrown out"?  Each circumstance is different.  Could be 90 days after your first missed payment that an auction date is scheduled.  After that, you've got 21 days.  Could be more, but when it comes to that pesky little question like, "Where are my loved ones and I going to live?" I tend to lean toward the conservative side.  If you miss a payment, your in default.  If you miss 3 in a row, your property can go to Trustee Sale (auction). At that point it can be purchased on the court house steps.  Then...it is simply somebody else's house!

What about a short sale?
A short sale, although it is a bit more work, is 180% from a foreclosure.  It means that you're going to work with the bank; to provide information; to ask "how high" when they say jump!  It means that you're going to be a part of the solution.  Later, I'll discuss the benefits of your cooperation and how that's seen from others' points of view:

• From a lender's point of view
• From a landlord/employer's point of view
• From a home buyer's point of view

In a short sale, you are almost un-qualifying for your mortgage.  Some circumstance (hardship) has occurred and we simply want to share that with the bank; asking them to allow us to sell you (their) property for a price "SHORT" of what's owed.  You may have a financial hardship (job loss, curtailment of income, etc) or it may be physical (job relocation or transfer, change in family circumstances, change in healthy, etc.) After you provide the needed documents to the bank and secure an offer on the property, the bank determines if they will accept the offer. (it is paramount that you work with an effective Realtor in the process) then your house is sold.

Looking at the bullet list above,  imagine how the 'behavior' of foreclosing versus the "behavior" of working together with a bank to find a solution would be received by each of them.

From a future lender's point of view:
Foreclosure - This new loan applicant already walked away once! What's going to prevent them from doing that again?
Short Sale - It appears as though this applicant has gone through quite a bit. That's unfortunate. Where do they stand now?

From a prospective landlord and/or employer's point of view:
Foreclosure - They gave up.  When things got hard, they gave up rather than trying to work toward a solution.
Short Sale - Seems like today almost everybody has lost a home.  That's unfortunate.

From someone who may be looking to buy your home:
Foreclosure - So this house was foreclosed?  I wonder how well it was cared for?  I wonder if it was maintained the way it was supposed to be?
Short Sale - Short sale?  They're never short!  They take forever, but we may be able to close this one at a price a little below market value.  PLUS...if our offer is accepted and we have to wait 3 or 4 months, in this market it's only going to be worth more!

Now I KNOW that people were foreclosed on when the debt relief act and the senate bills weren't in place. That's a real shame.  I know people that were misguided as well.  I know personally that when banks weren't equipped to handle the volume of defaults...they simply foreclosed without even processing pending short sales.  Ok...yea...Bank of America REALLY dropped the ball a couple years back.  That said, they've gone from zero to hero.  Again, the infrastructure is there!

If you have questions or a unique circumstance to share, please give me a ring.  I haven't seen it all; nobody has.  But I've seen most of it, and continue to work through these deals smoothly and effectively as my clients have stated.

I'll leave you with this Taste of Wisdom, 

" Set your goals so big that you cannot achieve them until you grow into someone who can!" 

 ~ Unknown

Until next time, and thank you in advance for remembering me when the topic of real estate arises.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.

DRE# 01826135

www.andyblasquez.com

Email me at andy.blasquez@gmail.com
Click here to reach Macky Hensel.

Please Follow me on Twitter and Re-Tweet these blogs.
Please Add me as a friend on Facebook 
Finally, please comment or ask questions.  Other readers may be wondering the same thing.  I love the feedback, critical or otherwise, and love the interaction: I love this job.

Thank you always for your support.