It started last Saturday.  I got a call from someone who "found me on the internet."  He Googled "Auto Broker - Conejo Valley and found not my Milestone Motoring Website, but my last Activerain Blog "Top Ten Most Fuel Efficient Sedans 2008" which led him to my Activerain profile, which led him to me.

The irony was that he is a Real Estate Agent who...dare I say it...had never heard of Active Rain.  Perhaps I should have been telling him why the Lexus RX400 Hybrid was the perfect car for a busy Real Estate Agent, but instead I spent the next 20 minutes preaching the WONDERS OF ACTIVERAIN.

I told him all about blogging and SEO and the warm community of colleagues.  I told him about Localism and people like Broker Bryant, Sally Cheeseman and Neal Bloom.   I told him about the wealth of information that's available free of charge.  I implored him to join and to fully participate in the Activerain experience.  I said "give it three months of active participation and I can all but promise you'll see results." At one point he asked if I was really an Auto Broker, or PR person for Activerain???

Eventually I got around to talking about his new Lexus which I'm happy to say was delivered this morning to his office.  I know he thinks my services as an Auto Broker made his experience stress free and easy, but I hope he realizes that the information I provided him about Activerain has just as much value. 

He definitely looks successful driving his beautiful new Hybrid. 

If he listens to my advice and joins Activerain I know the car won't be what he thanks me for in the future.

                                                  This morning I filled my SUV with gas.  I had a 1/4 of a tank left and at $75.00 the pump automatically stopped (I'm grateful the pump cut me off at $75.00).  I'm in the car business and I'm as annoyed as everyone else!  As a California Auto Broker in Los Angeles and the San Fernando and Conejo Valley, I have dealt with both wealthy celebrities and people just like me, trying to support their kids and make ends meet.  And I will tell you, it doesn't matter how much money you have, NO ONE WANTS TO PAY THE RIDICULOUS GAS PRICES WE ARE SEEING.

There are no easy answers but in an effort to initiate wise decision making below are the TOP TEN MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT SEDANS OF 2008 based on the EPA's combined fuel economy formula.

THE TOP TEN MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT SEDANS OF 2008

1.  Toyota Prius - 48/45 (48 miles per gallon city/45 miles per gallon highway)

     This hybrid is in hot demand! 

2.  Honda Civic Hybrid - 40/45

3.  Nissan Altime Hybrid - 35/33

4.  Toyota Camry Hybrid - 33/34

5.  Toyota Yaris - 29/36

     First of the group that's not a hybrid

6.  Honda Fit -  28/34

7.  Toyota Corolla - 28 /37

8.  Honda Civic - 25/36

9.  Nissan Versa - 27/33

10.  Kia Rio - 25/35

Toyota(4)  and Honda(3) have the market cornered on fuel effeciency with seven of the top ten belonging to them.

As Real Estate Professionals you spend a great deal of time in your car.  If "you are what you drive" is true, I think owning one of the above cars tells your clients that what you are is SMART.

photo courtesy of flickr

I've always prided myself on being a responsible human being.  As a mother, I'm a role model to my children.  The thought of someone drinking and driving makes me cringe...I would NEVER do that...and yet, how many times have I been talking away on my cell phone with BOTH children in the car???  Probably every single time I'm in the car with them.

An interesting study at the University of Utah questioned the difference between Drunk Drivers, and those who spoke on a cell phone while driving.    The results are nothing short of terrifying.  The conclusion:

      "When driving conditions and time on task were controlled for, the impair-

      ments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be as profound

      as those associated with driving while drunk"   

                            www.hfes.org/web/pubpages/celldrunk.pdf

As California Auto Broker, I'm constantly on the phone in my car (talking about cars)  Our cars have become our mini, mobile offices. As Realtors, it can be even a bigger problem.  What is the potential liability if you're in a cell phone related accident with a client in your car?

And,as bad as we are, I'd venture to say our children are worse.  My fifteen year old is nothing short of obsessed with her cell phone.  Between talking on it and text messaging, I'm lucky if she even glances in my direction.

Which is why, I'm relieved that effective July 1, 2008, California state law will change dramatically.  California is becoming "hands-free"

Drivers 18 and Over.

*Drivers 18 and over must use a hands-free device to talk on their wireless telephones while driving.
*The new law does not prohibit dialing, but drivers are strongly urged not to dial while driving.
*The driver, while driving, may use a telephone without a hands free device in an emergency situation to call police, fire, medical providers or other emergency services.
*It is legal to use a Blue Tooth or other earpiece as long as one ear is uncovered.
*Speakerphone is acceptable to use while driving.  The law does not specifically prohibit its use, but an officer can pull over the vehicle and issue a citation to a driver of any age if, in the officer's opinion, the driver was distracted and not operating the vehicle safely.  Text messaging and emailing while driving is unsafe at any speed and is strongly discouraged.

 
Drivers Under 18

*No drivers under the age of 18 may use a wireless telephone, pager, laptop or any other electronic communication or mobile service device to speak or text while driving in any manner, even hands free.
*The driver may use a wireless telephone in an emergency situation to call police, fire, medical providers or other emergency services.
*Statistics show that teen drivers are more likely than older drivers to be involved in accidents because they lack driving experience and tend to take greater risks.  Teen drivers are vulnerable to driving distractions such as talking with passengers, eating, drinking or texting on the wireless phones, which increase the chance of getting involved in several crashes.
*Parents cannot grant permission to allow the use of wireless devices while driving.
*For drivers under the age of 18, this is considered a SECONDARY violation meaning that a law enforcement officer may cite you for using a hands-free device if you were pulled over for another violation.

 
Fines

*First Offense base fine is $20.00 with the additional penalty assessment, a first offense is $76.
*Second Offense base fine is $50.00 with the additional penalty assessment, a second offense is $190.

As a mother, I'm relieved that it will be against the law for my daughter to be on her cell phone while driving.  For me, it's a good thing as well because I too am guilty of being distracted while driving. 

The thing about clichés is that they are usually true...and as my mother would say, "it's better to be safe, than sorry."

*photo courtesy of flickr 

As an Auto Broker in Los Angeles California, I'm keenly aware of the negative impact  gasoline prices have had on consumers.  Because of this and for other environmental reasons, many of our clients are inquiring about buying or leasing a hybrid automobile.

With gas prices over $4.00 a gallon here in Los Angeles this holiday weekend, it's no wonder clients are looking at their huge SUV's which have dominated the automobile industry for several years and "rethinking" what best suits their needs.  In Los Angeles, were everyone is so status conscious, a new leader has emerged. Hybrids are now the hip/chic/green auto to be driving.  

But it seems, being hip, chic and green comes with a price.

The increase in sales among hybrid cars has created a shortage of nickel hydride batteries in the manufacturer marketplace.  For example, the Toyota Prius will be on backorder through 2009 for 2008/2009/2010 models with the nickel hydride battery packs.  The delivery of the Prius is expected to drop 70% and the factory MSRP of the car is increasing. 

This creates a classic case of supply and demand.  Supply is low, demand is high and prices will go sky high. 

Ultimately, the question to ask is, how much are you willing to overpay in order to save money and help the enviornment?  It's a question that contradicts itself.  You buy a hybrid to save money and help the enviornment, but you totally overpay for the hybrid.  I think Kermit was right...it's not easy being green.

Several months ago Jonathan Mitchell wrote a post entitled, "Good Looking People Succeed More Often."  Surprisingly, despite the politically incorrect nature of his post, most of the comments he received agreed with him wholeheartedly.  The truth is, we are a society who, as my mother would say, "judges books by their covers."  In plain English it means, we form assumptions about people and react to them based on how they look.

What about our cars?  Do we form assumptions about people and react to them based on the automobiles they drive?  I think once again, the answer is yes. 

Now I'm not saying you have to drive a Bentley.  I'd even argue that such an ostentatious car might put some people off.  I do, however, believe that it is extremely common for people to measure your level of success by the car you drive.  Furthermore, the reality is that as realtor there is a high likelihood that many of your clients will actually be a passenger in your car. 

With that in mind, the questions become:

•1.        How important is the kind of car a real estate professional drives?

•2.       What does your car say about you?

•3.       Can you increase your business by upgrading your car?

Let's explore this a bit...

What do you think clients are looking for when they choose to do business with you?

I'd argue they undoubtedly want someone who is professional and more importantly, knowledgeable in all aspects of real estate.  If you, as a realtor, drive what is perceived as a "nice" car, the assumption is that you are successful and therefore must be very competent and knowledgeable in your field.

I know this line of thinking isn't necessarily true, but I do think it's accurate.

In a way, your car is just another way of marketing yourself.  It is your own personal advertisement that says "I'm successful and it's because I'm good at what I do...therefore you should do business with me."

Let's face it, we all want to do business with people who know what they're doing and are successful at it.

Can what your drive, drive your business towards more success?

The saying goes, "You are what you drive"............ Are you driven to succeed?

As a Wholesale Hard Money Lender, every day is filled with sad stories of people whose homes are in foreclosure.  Mortgage Brokers contact me, the lender, on behalf of their clients hoping for a foreclosure bailout.  Together we try to find a solution for these people who are desperately trying to save their homes.

Sadly, even with my ability to offer a 70% LTV (loan to value) with a below 500 FICO score (which is generous in today's market), many times it isn't enough.  The sadness is compounded by the fact that there is usually some very credible story as to how they got into such a bad position in the first place.  It's not just "irresponsible people who don't pay their bills" which seems to be the opinion of some of the less compassionate people I've met.

Broker Bryant wrote a post last week entitled "Broker Bryant Needs A Hug" and I know exactly how he felt.  He experienced a foreclosure from a realtor's side and I've experienced foreclosures from a lenders side, but in the end, the result is the same..... and it's painful.

Which is why...

I get thoroughly irritated by the whiners of this world who clearly have nothing to whine about.

What has caused Melody (aka Pollyanna) who can find the good in everything to rant you ask? I'll tell you.

Last week I was at my local PF Changs in Woodland Hills with one of my oldest friends whom I hadn't seen in a very long time.  Sitting through dinner I had two recurring thoughts:

1. "Now I remember why I haven't seen her in so long."
2. "I'm really happy I ordered this Martini."

She is one of those "doom and gloom, the sky is falling" people.  I refer to people like her as "always on the exhale", meaning I ask a question, and preceding every answer is a long heavy sigh. 

"Wow" I said, "it's been such a long time, how are you?" HEAVY SIGH..."I hate my life."

Even my Martini didn't dull the pain of sitting through the next two hours of "I hate my husband, I hate my job, my kids drive me crazy, the neighbor next door is a witch whose out to get me, I'm fat," etc, etc, etc.  She hated just about everyone and everything and took no responsibility for any of it.  It was all the fault of someone else and she is merely the poor victim.

Now let's face it, we all have our tale of woe.  More than a few people have told me that I could write a book about some of the experiences in my life.  The question however, becomes what do I choose to focus on and what is the life I want to live?

By dessert I was hoping an antidepressant was on the menu because she was a serious buzz kill.  Here's the irony in this story.  They bring our fortune cookies and hers says "Happiness is just around the corner."  To which her reply is, HEAVY SIGH, "yeah, right."

Now here's why I shouldn't have had that Martini. My response to her "yeah, right" was "I agree, there's no way happiness is around the corner for you because in the 25 years I've known you, I've yet to see you happy."

I look up to see her glaring at me with one of those "I can't believe you just said that" looks.  Uh Oh, I guess she was wasn't looking for me to agree with her.

The little voice inside Melody's head....

Okay Mel, do you blame it on the vodka or do you risk a 25 year friendship and tell her what you really think? ...........You blame it on the vodka......no wait Melody...take a deep breath and be a real friend.

"Look" I said, "obviously your approach to life isn't working because if it were, you'd be happier.  The way I see it, you have a choice.  You can spend your energy complaining about everyone and everything and continue to be miserable, or you can take control of your life, stop being a victim and CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT. It's just my opinion so you can take it or leave it, but I believe it boils down to a mindset based on both a willingness to change and a desire to achieve your goals."

And then I stared at my plate, afraid to look her in the eye and wondering if I still had a friend. 

I believe what followed was a heartfelt exchange between old friends. The truth is, she doesn't want to be unhappy, does anybody? She just doesn't know how to shift her "pattern of negativity." I won't share my advice to her because I'm not a shrink, I'm merely a friend who cares.  She can take it for what it's worth but the point is, she wants to be happy and perhaps my Martini driven honesty will somehow be a catalyst for change.

I do believe we make choices in life and my choices are simple. 

• I choose to be happy.  Maybe I don't make that choice every single day, we all have our moments, but on the whole, I prefer being happy to being miserable...call me crazy. 
•  I choose to look at half a glass of water as a half full glass of water. 
•  I choose to believe I'll be a success rather than a failure in all I attempt to do. 
•  I choose to surround myself with people I care about and who care about me. 
•  I choose to find the rainbow through the clouds.
•  I choose to focus on the good instead of the bad.
•  I choose to create my destiny. 

•    I choose to walk around the corner and  meet happiness head on.

I was all ready to write my next blog .  It was about how my best ideas come to me while I'm blow-drying my hair.  Maybe it's because it's just me and the hot air.  If the kids are fighting, I don't hear them.  If the phone is ringing, I don't hear it.  If chaos is all around me, I'm clueless.  It's just me, the hot air and my thoughts.  And that is usually where inspiration comes to me.  Ideas just pop into my head and the next blog subject is born. UNTIL TODAY......

Today, something remarkable happened....

Let me back up a little. George Tallabas who I've only recently met but am proud to call my friend, called me last week to thank me for mentioning him in my Week In Review 4/29/07 - 5/6/07.  In the spirit of reciprocation, he offered me some advice on how to improve both my profile and my blogs in an effort to increase my SEO (Search Engine Optimization).  He credited Karen George,whom he speaks very highly of, with helping him and now he wanted to "pay it forward."  Under both my profile and my blogs it merely said my name Melody Young.  George told me to add -  "Hard Money Wholesale Lender"

It seemed like only a few hours later that he called me very excided to tell me that he Googled Melody Young, hard money, Woodland Hills and there I was, first page. WOW. I was amazed.  That simple change put me on page one.  I was thrilled that if someone Googled my name, hard money and Woodland Hills, they could find me...right there on the first page.

BUT THEN...........

I got a call. It was a Washington Lender who Googled "Wholesale hard money - Florida" ...and got ME.  Licensed in 10 states, I started Googling all of them just as with Florida.  Wholesale hard money - Colorado, Arizona, California, Idaho, Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Hawaii.            

Guess what???????????

To my complete amazement, Melody Young, Capital Six Funding is on page one for every single state I am licensed in.  I don't even have a personal web page, just my Active Rain Profile.  Thank you George Tallabas for your kindness and generosity, you're awesome!

If there are any skeptics out there, I'm here to tell you Active Rain is a powerful networking and SEO site.  My first blog was written on March 29^th and in less than two months, a person searching just my name, just my company, or just wholesale hard money and a state in which I'm licensed can find me on the first page of Google.  THAT IS AMAZING!

TODAY MY INSPIRATION CAME FROM RESULTS!!!

My life is a constant juggling act and I have to admit, I'm not that great at keeping all my balls in the air.  I'm a single mother with two children, I have a very busy career, I have a life outside of children and work (okay, that one's not true), but I would LIKE to have a life outside of children and work, there just isn't enough time.  I see all my Active Rain idols like Neal Bloom, Jeff Turner, George Tallabas, Broker Bryant, TLW, and Jeff Belonger, just to name a few.  They blog, they post, they comment, and I'm assuming they also work and take care of their families.  I think to myself "how do they fit it all in?"

Last week I attended a seminar on Priority Management.  Just committing to attend almost caused me to hyperventilate.  Are they crazy, a seminar on a Monday morning?  I realized how desperately I needed the seminar because my time management skills are non-existent.  The speaker was the President of United Pacific Mortgage, Daryl Wizelman.  Although I practically went kicking and screaming,  I have to say, the seminar was WELL WORTH MY TIME.

Much of the focus was on time blocking.  While it's way too much information to go into depth here, there were some key points that I think are of great value. 

WHAT'S YOUR HOURLY WAGE?

Did you ever calculate your hourly wage?  Daryl's calculation was as follows:  Assuming you take 4 weeks vacation a year (is he kidding?) and you work 40 hours a week (he must be talking about a 3 day work week) the formula is;

Annual Pre-Tax Income ÷ 1,920 hours (48 weeks, 40 hours per week)

Example:

$300,000 ÷ 1,920 hours = $156.25 per hour (his figure, not mine)

LETTING GO

Now, how do we work in a way that warrants our hourly wage?  One thing Daryl strongly believes is "we must do less to earn more."  In a nutshell this means delegate. Why is it we have such problems with "letting go?" Is it:

• Ego----No one can do it better than me.
• Insecurity----If somebody does it better than me I will look bad.
• Loner----I'm fine by myself, I don't want to manage other people.
• Temperament----Working with others is too complicated.

If we delegate some of our low pay off (LPO) activities, we allow ourselves time and space to maximize our high pay off (HPO) activities.  LPO activities can be categorized as those things that need to be done but don't necessarily generate value in either money or personal satisfaction.  They can include things such as faxing, copying, opening mail, or chores.

High pay off (HPO) activities are those that directly affect our income or personal satisfaction.  They would include things such as networking, meeting with clients, listing appointment, loan submissions or family time.

SCHEDULE YOUR DAY

"If you don't schedule your priorities, everyone and everything else around you will."  It's understood that if we need to see a doctor, we make an appointment.  Just as a doctor's day is scheduled, so should ours be.  Scheduling our day and making others aware that our day is scheduled, keeps up focused and on track.  We learn to be "proactive with our time, rather than reactive."

TIME BLOCKING---"an art, not a science"

This was the core piece of information at the seminar. Daryl believes that adopting a time blocking mentality can create a paradigm shift.

Time blocking in its simplest form is essentially separating our work day into hour long blocks with one of the following activities represented in every hour of the day.

• Growth time: Selling---This is your money making time to grow your business.  It would include prospecting, taking loan applications or listing appointments, cold calling, referral calling etc.
• In time:  Administrative---Making sure everyone is getting excellent service.  Trouble shooting, emails, making and returning phone calls.
• On time:  Planning/improving--- Networking, blogging, observing and working on improving productivity and business
• Off time: Set it all Aside---Recharge/decompression time
• White Space Time---Emergencies---trumps everything else.  The challenge is using it only for "true" emergencies
• Family time:  Time spent focused and devoted to family...work is left behind

There is also Margin Time.  This means leaving a little room within the blocks.  For example, if a meeting is scheduled from 10:00 until 11:00, finish at 10:50 and give yourself 10 minutes of margin time.

Now, I've known Daryl personally for many years.  He's a very disciplined person and I believe a great deal of his success is because he is so disciplined.  I've witnessed his time management skills first hand and there's no question the system works for him.  Not being quite as disciplined myself, I probably need it even more than he does.  I don't know if I can do it on the same level but there are certainly many key elements I can incorporate into my day.

The one thing I think I'll have the biggest problem with is delegating.

Oh, I could try to delegate.  The problem is, no one ever listens to me........ except my dog.........

I wonder if she knows how to fax.                                                      

                                                                                                                 Prima...my new assistant

We all know that a persons FICO score is one of the determining factors of "worthiness" for credit.  Payment history, indebtedness, type of credit, length of credit history and new credit are evaluated by a mathematical equation and assigned a number.

That number is very important in the material world.  The credit extended based on a FICO score allows us to buy homes, cars, jewelry, our children's education...you get the picture.  The higher the FICO score, the better the "deal" we get on the money we use to pay for those things.

In our world, the world of Real Estate, high FICO scores qualify for conventional loans...they are "A paper" scores.  Lower FICO scores qualify for Sub-prime loans. When someone has a sub-500 FICO score that's when a mortgage broker   calls me and says, "Melody, I need a Hard Money Loan."

What if...

The way we live our lives was scored like a FICO score and our "worthiness" depended on that number?  What are the areas in our life that would be outstanding, and where would we "take a hit"?

What if...

People had the option of viewing our life FICO score before deciding to extend their friendship to us?

What if...

Colleagues could see our life FICO score before deciding to refer business to us?

What if...we could see the life FICO scores of:

• The teachers who educate our children

• The people we allow to care for our children

• The doctors we trust to heal

• The people we date and marry

• The politicians we elect into office

Would it be a different world?

And if...

Our life FICO score was less than "A paper",

What if...

We could repair it?

What if...

We could work to increase the number... what would it take?  Good deeds?  Working every day to be a better person?  Random acts of kindness? Compassion? Empathy? Charity?

I'm not sure what my life FICO score would be, but I think the way I want to live my life is as if it fell into the Sub-prime or Hard Money bracket. 

If my life FICO score is perfect, there's no room for improvement.  If my life FICO score is less than perfect, it creates the opportunity for repair, which creates the opportunity for growth.

What's your life FICO score?

                                                     Okay, I think I've intimidated myself.  When I wrote my little blog "The Wrong Reason Why Blogging's Right For Me" last week, never in my wildest imagination did I think it would become an Active Rain Featured Post.  As if that weren't enough, I had the incredible honor of being included in the great Neal Bloom's "My Favorite Top 25 Blogs For The Week.  I mean really, it's just too much.  I'm so excited, I'm so grateful, I'm so elated, I'm so......TERRIFIED!!!

I've come down with a severe case of BLOG BLOCK.  I mean the pressure is enormous.  I don't want to be the "one hit wonder of Active Rain."  I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't concentrate............okay Melody........just breathe..........

The little voice inside Melody's head...

"Melody, get a grip!  You're forgetting the reason you love blogging in the first place.  It's a STRESS RELIEVER...remember???  It's not about features and accolades, it's about self expression and adding value to those who read about the things that inspire you.  So, come back down to earth sister and get with the program!

 ...That little voice inside Melody's head is pretty tough on her sometimes.

The little voice, however, is right.  I actually wrote most of my next blog last night after attending a seminar yesterday on Priority Management and Time Blocking.  It was in the middle of that blog that the panic set in.  It's an informational piece.  It's not filled with nail biting suspense or subject matter that will change the world.  I do believe, however, that along with my other blogs, it has its place and its value.

It doesn't matter if tons of people don't read it because the reality is, if it helps, motivates or inspires even one person, my blog on managing my time, will have been worth my time......stay tuned.