re/max

Got a plan?

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As you start to think about business planning this year I put together a few thoughts for you to review before our session begins.  Imagine starting a business – which you all have done by becoming independent contractors  – with only a vague idea of what kind of product or service you would sell or provide to clients.  You meet with potential investors and you say, we may sell IPad skins in Europe or set up a mobile dog washing service in the Mid-West, and let’s just see what happens.  How would they respond?  Not very favorably is my thought, how about you?  You should never start a business without a clearly defined business plan, set of goals, a plan of action to accomplish the goals, and numbers for you to track to keep you on target to get you where you need to go.  This is our objective today.  Help you assemble the framework to get you down the right road to the success you desire.

As we work through today, think about the following questions:

  • What are your goals as a Realtor?   Is it money?  Is it the number of satisfied clients you want to have by the end of the year?  Is it starting a team to get you more balance in life?  Whatever the goals are yours but they must be written out, reviewed and then acted upon.
  • Do you have what it takes to reach the goals you have set for yourself?  Do you have the knowledge, expertise, sphere of influence, time and/or desire?  Think hard before you write them – just don’t write something down because it looks good or you think it could happen.  Be realistic.
  • How will your goals be achieved?  What is your plan of action?  How will your day be structured to achieve these goals?  Are you in the right frame of mind to make it happen?  Your attitude is extremely important in this endeavor.  As Zig Ziglar says, stinkin’ thinkin’ doesn’t work.
  • Are you willing to be held accountable to tracking your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)?  Will you participate in Jason’s monthly review classes?  Will you meet with me one on one to review your progress?
  • Are you willing to put together a Gap Analysis being honest about where you are today, where you want to be next year this same time and what it will take to get you there?  As you do this, don’t compare yourself to others, compare yourself to you and who you are. 
  • Are you willing to make adjustments to make your goals a reality?  As we all know, the market changes, financing changes, regulations change – will you adjust your original plan to adapt?  Be open to constructive criticism about your plan?  And, be open to change?
  • As you go through today, think strategically.  Stephen Covey says, you must begin with the end in mind.  Write down you goals, then work backwards to make it happen.  Think of the people, tasks, time, and the number of communications it will take to make your goal a reality.  Then put it on paper to solidify it in your mind.

Are you ready to be all you can be and stop making excuses?  Then let’s get started!

Now, if you aren’t ready, perhaps you should consider a different career or continue to do the same things you have always done and continue to get the same results.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!

Market, market, market!

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How’s the market – this is a question so many people want to know the answer to on a regular basis. My answer is, it depends.

Are you a buyer? If so, the answer is definitely yes. Interest rates remain at historically low levels, prices are stable in most areas and increasing in others. If houses are on the market now, the sellers are serious and you can negotiate a good deal. The monthly expense of renting is equivalent to owning in many cases, if not higher. In addition, each payment made for the home owner goes towards the loan balance giving the owner equity over time adding to the owner’s personal wealth. Renting only goes to making landlords wealthy. Other reasons to buy include pride in ownership, sense of community, stability and the ability to improve the property without permission from a landlord – just to name a few.

If you are a seller, what is the price range of your property and where is it located? Every market is different and each property should be looked at individually. There are pockets throughout Northern Virginia where prices are escalating but further out, it isn’t the case. In Centreville as an example, the average sales price of detached homes has dropped every month since July. In South Riding, houses priced between $550,000-650,000 have not had a sale in nearly 70 days. This is not the case closer in towards Vienna, Falls Church and Arlington. Houses are selling quickly and for top dollar. However, in these areas higher priced condos – especially one bedroom units are staying on the market much longer.

In all of these markets, houses and town houses that have compelling prices, not necessarily the ones that are priced right or priced at market values, are the ones that are attracting multiple offers. For houses to sell quickly in today’s market, price is the leading indicator followed by staging, condition and location. Luckily, our distressed property inventory remains low relative to the rest of the country. We are not seeing the influx of foreclosed properties which definitely affects values.

Our unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the country in Northern Virginia – 4.9%, our wages are amongst the highest in the country and consumer confidence is higher here than elsewhere so we are anticipating a strong 2012 in the housing market.

As you can see, it is not a simple question to answer. Each person’s situation is different and therefore you should ask a Gateway professional for detailed information specifically about you. If someone answers, “unbelievable” or “great” be wary. Get it? Got it? Good!

Oh what a night…

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We had another great real estate exchange last night.   There was a lot of banter back and forth about our free trip to Vegas for the RE/MAX Convention in March and who was going to win the trip and how.  Great team building and networking as usual before the event.

Topics that were discussed:

  • Virginia home sales report published quarterly by VAR and the great information available through this report
  • Information on rental rates
  • The lobbying effort upcoming in the House on raising the high loan limits back up to pre-October 1st deadlines
  • Refinance activity
  • Home ownership rates
  • Appreciation rates nationally and locally – we are way ahead of the curve year over year but are down month over month, a trend we need to watch
  • The Bank of America penalties to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and why
  • Fannie Mae’s quarterly losses and the combination of losses between Freddie and Fannie and why were bonuses paid
  • Foreclosures on the rise nationally but so far, we don’t see it here and the indicators of why we don’t see them yet
  • Bechtel is relocating 625 jobs to Reston and they are leasing nearly 200,000 square feet
  • 4 ways to reduce your taxes and a reminder we have accountants coming to Chantilly to discuss tax planning for 2012 on November 18th at 10AM
  • And lastly, the National Enquirer portion of the show – celebrity purchases and sales plus incomes of the top CEO’s in the Washington Metro Area
  • Pat Cunningham updated us on HARP, the Italian debt crisis and what that means to mortgage interest rates and the value of HUD homes.

Enjoy the video but better yet – attend the next one in Ashburn at Clyde’s on the 16th from 1-3PM.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!

Our donation dollars at work!

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Our Visit to Children's Hospital 
There are times in your life when you feel fortunate and humbled at the same time.  Our visit to The National Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC was one of those occasions.  We are fortunate that our children are healthy and not undergoing treatments that many of the children at the hospital have to endure.  We are fortunate to have experienced the hospital as visitors and not as parents or friends of a patient staying at the hospital.  As a result of our contributions to the Children’s Miracle Network we were able to have a VIP tour of the hospital.  It is an amazing facility that provides unbelievable care to children for any reason regardless if they have insurance or not. 

What immediately struck me was the kindness of the staff from the valet parker to our tour guide Milton to our liaison, Kimberly Lane.  They all truly appear to love their job.  Next was the color scheme and design features of the floors we visited.  The design feature input was made by the families and children who had to have a stay at the hospital.  Bright colors, balloons, and vibrantly colored floors and walls highlighted each floor and gave the appearance of no other hospital. 

The art room is another aspect that helped bring a new appreciation of what the children who stay at the hospital have to endure make this facility a special one.  The children can do art projects  to help them escape their current situation and help aid them in their healing process.  In addition to the art room are the playrooms they make available to the children so they can seek solace and “get away” from the hospital staff in a fun environment.

The hospital rooms offer as much privacy as possible and are designed with three separate sections – medical, patient and family areas.  They are designed to make the stay more comfortable for all involved.  There are also separate “family” areas as well as laundry facilities available so parents can remain close to their children while allowing them to get some time out of the hospital room.

The wall of encouragement is what had the biggest impact on me.  The wall features photos of former patients that told their story, what impacted them most about their stay at the hospital, what the current patients can do stay positive and lastly, who is their inspiration and why.  It was a very moving experience to read how these children coped with their conditions and made their stay a success to help the others become success stories as well.

All in all, it was a great experience and one that I am proud to be a part of by contributing a portion of each sale to CMN and encouraging our agents to do the same.  We highly encourage doing all that you can by helping support us in this cause – one visit to the hospital will get you hooked.  As discussed at our Quarterly Meeting in December, all of our Chili Cook-off donations will go to support CMN as well.  As we expand offices, we will be doing soup cook-offs, barbeque cook-offs and other cooking competitions to support this cause so please let us know your thoughts on how we can make these events even better and well attended.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something – so you can make a contribution!

You’ve got to do more to get more!

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Sales is a tough job, no doubt about it, especially today in real estate.  You hear, read and talk about with others that in the real estate business, it is a numbers game.  If you want more results, you have to do more activities, talk with more people, hold more open houses, make more calls, and basically, just do more to get more business.  While this is true, it is only partially true. 

You need to have quality contacts to truly have an impact on your bottom line.  You need to provide value to those you speak with and earn the business or else your bottom line won’t change.  You must engage others buy asking about them, their families, their business, etc. and take an interest in them before you talk about you – basic relationship building. 

In addition, it is not just enough to say you are in real estate and business is unbelievable, you need to have an “elevator speech” about the services you provide, the information you share, and how you are different than others in the business.  If you don’t, why would your business increase?  Holding more open houses, knocking on doors, calling more FSBO’s or expired listings won’t get it done – you need to build relationships.  You need to add value to those you speak with to earn their trust and in turn, you will get the opportunity to grow your business through referrals. 

You need to know what is impacting our business and how that is impacting both buyers and sellers today.  Yes, today because the real estate market changes virtually daily.  How are property values and why is now a good time to buy and conversely, why it is a good time to sell.  How do the low rates effect payments at loan amounts of $250,000, $300,000 or $500,000 and what is the difference if rates go up 1%?  What are house values in your neighborhood, your town, and county for all categories of houses – condos, townhouses, and single family homes?  How many properties are for sale?  What are the month’s supply of houses and what does this mean?  Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market?   What price ranges are hot, who is buying in those price ranges and why?  How is the rental market locally?  How are their prices?  What is their month’s supply?  If you had the answers to these questions, do you believe you would be perceived as an expert by those you encountered and hence, obtain more business? 

You have to know the real estate business, the numbers and the trends.  Where is the market headed and why?  Give your opinion and be able to back it up with facts.  Watch videos, read blogs, read newsletters, network with others in our industry and absorb what they are saying and develop your conversation strategy based upon what you have learned to earn more business.

As previously mentioned, you need to increase your activities but you also need to improve the quality of your conversations.  You need to become an expert in the business.  If you only increase your activities or only gain knowledge and don’t share it with others, you won’t have the same business building results if you do them in concert with each other.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!

Control your destiny or someone else will!

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You are in control of yourself, your life and all that you do in it.  How do you move past the current situation you are in today?  Get educated – learn all you can about your industry or one you want be a part of and become the expert.   It doesn’t take much.  Read for one hour per day in the field you wish to learn.  One hour per day turns into one book per week.  One book per week becomes 52 in one year.  You tell me if you read 52 books on one subject and can’t become an expert, I will tell you, you are wrong.  Most people don’t read one book in a year.  Learn what you have read and apply it to the real world situations you encounter.

Those who know and do more than others in any walk of life earn more respect, get more recognition and go further in their careers.  And, guess what?  They earn more money.  If you want to change where you are in life, you need to change your attitude and regain control of your thoughts, desires and where you want to be.  As the saying goes, “if it is to be, it is up to me”.   So become positive and optimistic.  There are so many negative people in the world and there is so much negative press on the television, in newspapers, etc. and they all want company.  My advice is to avoid these people.  Look at every opportunity as a learning experience and as an opportunity.  Not a problem.  Become solution oriented and you will get results and become even more optimistic and positive.  If you smile more – this too will help you so start with this simple task!  Hang around positive forward thinking people and learn how they handle situations and remain optimistic.  It is a learned skill – teach it to yourself.

Stop blaming others, the economy, the industry you are in, the government or any other excuse.  You determine where you end up in life.  There are countless numbers of people whom have come from every walk in life with every opportunity presented to them and it is the ones who take advantage of what is presented and makes the most of the experiences that gains the most from them.

Other people get tired of hearing negative responses to everything said or about everything that happens around them.  Take the time to figure it out for yourself.  Do something about your current situation.  Don’t be a victim and become a success story and share your story with others.  Life is a contact sport, become a part of it and direct yourself to where you want to go and reap the rewards.

Again, you control your destiny.  Make the most of your time – do what makes you the most productive, consistently and you will get results.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!

What’s up with Gateway? News from our Quarterly Meeting

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The Lorton office is progressing quite nicely – we should be officially open the week of the 10th along with the help of the county.  Feel free to stop by anytime for a visit as we are getting settled in with the technology, and finishing touches.  Hope to see you there soon!  Since this time, we have received our Occupancy Permit – great job to Brett for seeing this difficult process all the way to fruition – it was extremely frustrating and tenuous.

We have a great opportunity to potentially sublease some of our space in Chantilly.  The landlord has a need for the space coupled with KHov’s desire to give up some space so if you see activity over the next month or so, you will know what is happening.  In addition to relinquishing some space, we will be extending our lease for an additional 10 years.

For those of you unfamiliar with the changes at RE/MAX, RE/MAX has changed their name to RE/MAX, LLC.  What does this mean to you?  It puts our Independent Contract Agreements out of date.  In addition, it refers to RSN which is now RE/MAX University, it references Web Roster which is now on Mainstreet and some other minor changes.  Therefore, we have a 3 page revised agreement that we need you to sign to bring us into compliance with the headquarter company.  Kate will be sending out the agreements for you to sign – please do so at your earliest convenience.  Thanks!

The free trip to Vegas is moving along nicely for some – not so much for others!  Joe Doman is in the point standings lead as he has participated in the most trainings, charity events, etc. so far.  You still have time to catch up as the contest doesn’t end until the end of the year.  For more details on how you can get to Vegas on us, please let me know!

Please remember to sign your paperwork on listings and buyer agreements!!  As is the case every quarter, we need to discuss paperwork.  Please be compliant so we don’t need to have this covered next meeting!

We are putting together bowling teams for RPAC for each of the offices.  Please let us know if you can make it out on the 16th of June to Bowl America at Fairfax Circle. We’d love to see you there!

Gary Plaag of Couragio Consulting helped us all tremendously with our presentations thanks to Kathy Worek giving Gary her listing presentation.  We were all amused and educated at the same time.  For more details on how Gary can help you get better results, call him at 703-858-6162.

Now, go sell something!

 

Who really knows if the price is right?

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Price 

If you follow real estate at all, you know that there are 3 pricing indexes that get quoted fairly regularly – S&P Case Shiller, FHFA, and Corelogic HPI.  Are they good for tracking home prices as a buyer or seller?  My belief is no – a professional Realtor is your best option.  All of these indices are flawed from what they track, to the timeframe in which they use to track data, to what their data sources encompass, to how much weight is given to price points and to what areas are used to gain their pricing policies.  Why is this important to know you may ask?  Well, it is where your clients, sphere, and potential clients hear in the media about housing prices.  You need to be able to speak intelligently about them and convey the true story about housing prices.  By doing so, you will position yourself as a trusted resource in real estate by providing value to those whom you know.  Now, let’s take a closer look at each pricing model so you can give the right advice when you are helping a client buy or sell a house.

Here is what you may not realize about the S&P/Case Shiller Home Price Index:

  • The index was developed for Wall Street to hedge the housing market, not as a monthly consumer metric
  • Based on a 3 month moving window of closed sales which washes out the annual seasons in housing
  • Lags contract signing dates by 5-7 months
    • Translation:  Q1 2011 report = Q3 2010 Contracts
    • Based on prices, not sales activity where sales activity may be trending
    • Comprised on single family sales only.  Excludes: condos, co-ops and new development sales
    • Only represents 20 cities nationwide
    • Washington DC covers a large area of which includes:
      • Calvert, MD
      • Charles, MD;
      • Frederick, MD
      • Clarke, VA
      • But these areas also included:
        • Warren, VA
        • Jefferson, WV

This is NOT what most readers of the Washington, DC data understand the coverage area to be.

The CSI reported with a two-month lag and is based on three months of data.

  • For example, data released in January 2011 was for the three months ended November 2010 (November, October, and September 2010).

 Understanding the FHFA HPI:

  • The House Price Index is based on transactions involving conforming, conventional mortgages purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac – only. All mortgage transactions on single-family properties are included – refinances included but no condos, coops or multifamily are considered.
  • Conventional mortgages are those that are neither insured nor guaranteed by the FHA, VA or other federal government entities.
  • The HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancing on the same properties.
  • A full release is provided every three months – not exactly timely.
  • The HPI includes indexes for all nine Census Divisions, the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The best of the rest – CoreLogic.

The CoreLogic HPI provides a multi-tier market evaluation based on price, time between sales, property type, loan type (conforming vs. nonconforming), and distressed sales.  The CoreLogic HPI is a repeat-sales index that tracks increases and decreases in sales prices for the same homes over time, which provides a more accurate “constant-quality” view of pricing trends than basing analysis on all home sales. The CoreLogic HPI provides the most comprehensive set of a monthly home price indices and median sales prices available covering

  • 6,507 ZIP codes -  58 percent of total U.S. population
  • 611 Core Based Statistical Areas -  86 percent of total U.S. population
  • 1,119 counties -  83 percent of total U.S. population and
  • Located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

 The CoreLogic HPI is published on approximately a 5 week lag from the end of the data collection period.

How does the FHFA HPI differ from the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price indexes?

  • The S&P/Case-Shiller indexes only use purchase prices in index calibration, while the all-transactions FHFA HPI also includes refinance appraisals.
  • FHFA’s valuation data are derived from conforming, conventional mortgages provided by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The S&P/Case-Shiller indexes use information obtained from county assessor and recorder offices.
  • The S&P/Case-Shiller indexes are value-weighted, meaning that price trends for more expensive homes have greater influence on estimated price changes than other homes. FHA’s index weights price trends equally for all properties.
  • The geographic coverage of the indexes differs. The S&P/Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, for example, does not have valuation data from 13 states. FHA’s U.S. index is calculated using data from all states.

As you can see, it is nowhere near how we value properties but it is where most of Americans get the idea of housing values.  We have more accurate, up-to-date information that we can provide clients.  Let your clients know why these indexes are made available – CSI, for Wall Street and hedge funds;  FHFA HPI, to track valuations on Freddie and Fannie products to assess risk;  and lastly, CoreLogic’s HPI, for banks to assess risk when lending money.  None of them are used to determine the value of a home when selling or buying – let others know the facts and become a source for valuable real estate information.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!

Watch out for scams!

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Agents, title companies and sellers beware.  There is a scam that is out there that is hurting our industry.  If you receive a contract from, hear or read about buyers from out of the country that are looking to pay cash for a house, that want to settle quickly, want to use your “reputable” settlement company and have never seen the house, run fast as you can from this situation.  They will promise to wire the funds to your title company or the real estate company once the contract is ratified – usually late on Thursday or on a Friday – conduct a home inspection through a friend or relative over the weekend, then void the contract and request their funds be wired to their account by Monday or Tuesday at the latest.  What is the problem you ask?  The wire transfer is counterfeit and everyone gets caught in the middle and the buyer receives money that was never theirs from the title company or real estate office.  In some scenarios, they will say their country won’t allow them to wire the funds but will have their friend or relative drop off a certified check.  These funds too are counterfeit and the funds should not be released to the buyer unless verified they are valid funds.

What can you do to prevent this you ask?  First, make sure they have seen the house – not just pictures on the internet.  You wouldn’t buy a house this way and only a very few select people would – military or investors being ones that come to mind.  Also, do as we do, Google the buyer, the buyer’s agent and the lender on every case.  See what you can find out about them.  See if they are on social media sites like Facebook or Linkedin.  Learn all you can about them.  In addition, check DPOR and see if there are any outstanding violations with the agent at the state level as they too may be in on the scam.  Conduct your due diligence – ask to see “proof of funds” from a reputable source and Google the source if you are not familiar with them.  And lastly, don’t accept the contract until the funds prove to be valid which can typically take 3 to 4 days of deposit into an account.

Here are examples of what other agents are receiving from the web.  They may take on different forms of these emails so be on the alert.  Some agents believe this to be a scam to sign up for Docusign but it is really a scam to get money.

One agent received a lead through Realtor.com

Att. Please i will need an offer on this,

Thank you very much for the email, I would like to purchase this property MLS # 4214263, located at 15380 Little Stone Way Alpharetta.  The indicated price is $613,000.00 Please note my offering price is $600,000.00 Please send me the contract for this property and the following phrase should be added on the contract.

1. I will want to close on 12th June, 2011

2. I want to put down $30,000.00 Earnest money

3. I want to put contingency on inspection on the contract.

I and my wife will be buying the property and the buyers name should be. Leo Thang and Jiao Thang. Our address is 4645 Jane Street, Toronto Ontario Canada M3N 2K9

Please forward me a purchase contract agreement via docusign format, their website is http://www.docusign.com/ or any other electronic document I don't have access to a printer or scanner here therefore I can not sign and send it back in PDF format I am in a remote area now and i will like to do the signing myself on behalf of my wife.

I would also like to use a reliable title company for the closing. Kindly advise regarding this issue.

Thanks for your understanding. I await the purchase contract agreement as soon as possible.

Regards,
Leo Thang
Tel;003463236828

And some just receive leads through email…

Larry Sabo – Realtor in California

Dear Larry Sabo,

Att. Please i will need an offer on this,

Thank you very much for the email, I would like to purchase this property MLS # 116400, located at 3403 Beaver Brae Dr South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.The indicated price is $659,000.00 Please note my offering price is $640,000.00 Please send me the contract for this property and the following phrase should be added on the contract.

1. I will want to close on 13th June, 2011

2. I want to put down $30,000.00 Earnest money

3. I want to put contingency on inspection on the contract.

I and my wife will be buying the property and the buyers name should be. Leo Thang and Jiao Thang. Our address is 4645 Jane Street, Toronto Ontario Canada M3N 2K9

Please forward me a purchase contract agreement via docusign format, their website is http://www.docusign.com/ or any other electronic document I don't have access to a printer or scanner here therefore I can not sign and send it back in PDF format I am in a remote area now and i will like to do the signing myself on behalf of my wife.

I would also like to use a reliable title company for the closing. Kindly advise regarding this issue.

Thanks for your understanding. I await the purchase contract agreement as soon as possible.
Regards, Leo Thang

As you can see, Leo Thang is just one person attempting this across the country – there are sure to be others.  Become educated on the red flags, stay on alert for anything unusual similar to this situation, and keep yourself and your sellers from becoming victims of a scam.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something – legitimately!

 

Don’t just survive…thrive!

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Here are some strategies to help you not only survive but thrive in today’s market as shared by RISMedia panel members.

Provide a newsletter that has helpful tips whether you do it or you pay for a service, get a monthly, informative newsletter or market update to send to your sphere of influence.  Don’t let someone else be the buzz in your client’s ear.

Explain the numbers, your knowledge of the market and get the business – you have to educate yourself on market trends so you know what to say so you can differentiate yourself from other Realtors.

How do you answer the question, “how is the market?” – What’s your answer?  Think about this, become an access point for relevant up-to-date information to everyone you encounter.  Don’t just respond – it’s unbelievable or I’ve never been busier or it’s great and I’m never too busy for your referrals.  Provide them with information.

For sellers

Ask questions and listen when you are on listing presentations:

  1. What is it you want to do?
  2. Why is this move happening?
  3. How soon do you want to act?
  4. Who is responsible for making decisions?
  5. What has to happen to make this happen?
  6. What is plan B if the house doesn’t sell?
  7. What is the worst case scenario?
  8. What is the best case scenario?
  9. Tell them, we want to get you the highest, most realistic price.

The market is not reacting to your price so we are now getting closer to your plan b – is this ok with you?

Take professional pictures and use full screen photos on the internet.  Buyers go to the internet first so you have to make the best first impression on line.

Position yourself differently in the market place.  When listing the house you will be merchandising, staging, and pricing the property to sell.

For buyers

When working with buyers, use the housing affordability index to motivate buyers to buy.  Housing affordability is at its highest point since 1979.  If you are working with Millennia’s state, there has never been a better time to buy a home since your parents bought their first home.

Only work with committed people

Don’t do it for the money…Educate the buyer or seller and focus on their goals and the money will follow…

Commit to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Excellent tips to build urgency in buyers:

Remember, it is always about the consumer:

  • Convert wants to needs
  • Lifestyle marketing – appeal to the lifestyle of the buyer you are looking to sell to.
  • Ask “right” questions to learn more about them, their needs and to better serve them.  Schedule a buyer interview to set yourself apart.
  • Younger Consumers want Community – build urgency through the ability to be in their community – bike to work, coffee shops, environmentally friendly buildings, free Wi-Fi, etc.

Know why your people buy.  In a recent survey of home buyers and their Realtors – look how they answered these question of why they bought.  85% of Buyers bought for appreciation.  89% of Agents who sold them their houses said appreciation wasn’t a reason why they bought.  Get to know your buyers and their reasons for buying and the referrals will follow.  Don’t and they won’t.

For you to think about

You set the temperature for your future – don’t be a thermometer and respond to the temperature.

If you are not already on Linkedin – here are some reasons why should be:

Seven Reasons for utilizing Linkedin:

  1. Highest household income of any social site
  2. 45% are household decision makers
  3. Can import/export contacts
  4. Professionals involved in this site, not kids, college students, etc.
  5. Social way of contacting professionals
  6. Target “groups”
  7. It can be automated

Continually ask yourself and assess yourself by asking:

On a scale of 1 – 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest, how would you rate yourself on the…

  • Use of technology
  • Prospecting
  • Sales skills
  • Negotiations
  • Average sales price

Get with a coach or mentor and work on the areas you need the most improvement.

Important things to keep in mind to grow your business

  • Build Your Skills
  • Shift your mindset
  • Agents cause their own market
  • Show up and use what we provide
  • Hold up a mirror and ask – are you doing all you can?
  • Become intentional about leads

Now that you are armed with a few additional pieces of information, take the time to implement one or two at a time to make yourself a better listing agent, buyer agent or business person.  Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Now, go sell something!