Barry's Blog

Thankful for YOUR contribution to the rest of us . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:12:46 -0600

Yesterday morning during our daily SPRINTS warm up the tone/mood was lighthearted and happy and comfortable and there was a moment of comfortable silence . . . You know those times when a group of people feel at peace and safe enough together to be able to sit in COMPLETE silence without feeling awkward?

We humans seem to have this need to fill all time and space with noise or chatter . . .

Frank broke the silence by sayin' that he had an "AHA" that he is lucky to be in a job from which he cannot be fired . . . and then being the deep thinker he is, he continued his thought . . . and commented how cool it is that we all come in to our SPRINTS sessions every morning at 8:30 to hang out together for our 30 minute warm-up because we WANT to . . . not because we HAVE to :-)

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, and what was running through my mind was that we are FAMILY.

I am thankful for my extended family and am aware that this extended family includes even people I have not actually MET (as in many of the folks who read my blog and/or interact with me through the internet).

Our conversation morphed into more dialog of thankfulness - Health, Happiness . . .

That we each have COMPLETE control over our individual success through our CHOICES.

The truth that we are in an equal opportunity - unequal reward world . . . and that we can get our unfair share simply by taking appropriate action and building supportive relationships.

That all relationships are available and that our only true limitations are those that we place on ourselves.

That life is about what we are going to DO . . . not about what we should not be doing.

Anything you set your sights on is attainable.

and as you journey along, the right people are popping up all around you to help you . . . all you've gotta do is recognize each person's potential . . . gift . . . and yours will expand without boundaries.

Thank you,

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Hope you eat irresponsibly today and have time to enjoy your friends and family and reflect on how lucky and special you really are.

PS - Seth Godin's blog post today is a shorter version and is well worth a read . . .

__________________________________________________________________________________

Seth Godin's Thanksgiving Day Post

The only holiday that really matters

No gifts, no guilt. Universal, even if it's not celebrated on the same day everywhere.

Whenever I sit down at this keyboard, I feel humbled and quite lucky to have the privilege. Every day is Thanksgiving, because without the people we love and depend on, there'd be nothing.

Thanks for being here, for making a difference and for doing work that matters.

Thank you.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

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Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

Don't let tragedy strike you or another REALTOR - REMIND yourself regularly about SAFETY!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:46:25 -0600

A recent frightening event with one of our associates who was showing (alone) a house reminded me of the importance of regularly reminding our associates about the importance of safety.

Luckily, our incident turned out to be benign.

In the business of Real Estate sales, it is very easy to get reckless with your own personal safety without even giving it a thought.

How often have you taken a random call off a listing and just driven right over to meet the caller without knowing ANYTHING about the person?

There you are all by yourself with a completely unknown person in an empty house.

We all do it . . . Let our guard down, get sloppy, careless . . .

or allow our reactive and trusting nature to put ourselves in harm's way without even thinking.

Not ALL people in the world have good intentions.

I know that's an unpleasant thought because we REALTORS LOVE PEOPLE and are inherently trusting.

We can also be incredibly gullible and stupid.

Most victims of personal crimes (rape, robbery, assault) can very quickly identify how they made themselves vulnerable to the affront . . . AFTER the crime has occurred . . .

and that's when they say:

"If I had only . . . "

Don't be one of these "If I had only . . . " people and find yourself in a treacherous situation.

Be vigilant!

If you are not certain of what to do and/or how to keep yourself safe, you owe it to yourself (and your loved ones) to take the time NOW to hone your awareness.

Waiting for something to happen before you wake up and smell THIS coffee could very well be a life threatening and/or draconian oversight.

OH!

I'm not trying to make you a scaredy-pants . . . I just want you to be safe (and not another statistic).

By the way . . . Didn't Mama tell you not to talk to strangers . . . or accept candy from them . . . or follow them . . . and to always travel in pairs with your friends . . . and to be watchful of other people acting in strange ways . . . ?????

The National Association of REALTORS website www.REALTOR.org has some great resources for safety awareness . . . Do yourself a favor today and explore these.

NAR's REALTOR Safety Website

NAR's Field Guide to Safety

And my favorite . . . a PDF of several FANTASTIC safety tips and ideas.

The Louisiana REALTORs Safety PDF

I'm just sayin'

Best,

How being nice can save your clients THOUSANDS of dollars . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:56:29 -0600

I like nice people.

Nice people do nice things and are easy to work with even in an environment of diverse beliefs/opinions.

Negotiations with nice people tend to find WIN-WIN ...

Nice people look for solutions . . .

Nice people ask lots of questions in search of commonality.

Nice people develop systems around them to absorb the impact of anomalies.

Nice people come from contribution - always looking for a way to GIVE.

Nice people win the lottery and do good things with the money.

I like nice people.

I don't care how crazy the world gets, the value of nice people appreciates with every passing moment.

When I was in High school, I heard more than once that "nice guys finish last" and that seemed to be true . . . during high school . . . but it doesn't hold water any more.

Nice people FINISH!

I witnessed a competition between 2 Buyers for a property over the week end.

One of the Buyer agents was nice . . . the other wasn't.

Both Buyers submitted offers that netted the Seller the same . . .

One of the REALTORS was nice . . . The other wasn't.

The not-nice agent was the first offer . . . the nice one was 2nd.

The Seller asked which one was the better offer . . .

The Listing agent simply responded: "I like the 2nd Buyer"

Guess who got the house?

That's right . . . The nice one . . .

So . . . Perhaps your best negotiating tactic might have something to do with your niceness?

I think so . . .

I think I see people yearning for this warp-speed environment to slow down a bit as more and more people crave genuine contact with others . . . Turn off the computer and simply BE NICE!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

NAR PAC busts another myth - Beware those "viral" emails #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:47:20 -0600

There's a viral email circulating around that has been sent to me by a few of our associates who had received it from clients . . .

The "Freak-out factor" is off the charts because the bill in its original form was far from "user friendly" for real property owners.

Below is a copy of that email - The MYTH . . . and below that is - The MYTH BUSTING - a summary of what actually passed as well as a link to the National Association of REALTORS website where you can find more information:

"H.R.2454: "American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009"

Beginning one year after enactment of H.R. 2454, you won't be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to Comply with its energy and water efficiency standards. The "Cap & Trade" Bill, already passed by the House of Representatives and pending in the Senate, will be the largest tax increase ever. The Congressional Budget
Office estimates that the average cost to every family of four will be $6,800 per year. No one is excluded. Mr. And Mrs. Middleclass America will Pay even more since those with lower incomes can apply for a tax refund
(even if they pay no taxes at all) to offset this new cost.

Under the Act you won't be able to sell Your house without the permission of the EPA administrator. Yes, you read That right. Even if you have enough money to make the required upgrades to Your home, or if your income is low enough that the government subsidizes Your upgrades, you can sell it only if the EPA Administrator approves it. Even pre-fabricated homes are included.

To get this permission, you will have to Have the energy efficiency of your home measured. Then the government will Tell you what the new energy efficiency requirements are and you will be Forced to make modifications to your home under the retrofit provisions of This Act to comply with the new energy and water efficiency requirements. Then you will have to get your home measured again and get a license (called
A "label" in the Act) that must be posted on your property to show what your Efficiency rating is; sort of like the Energy Star Efficiency rating label on your refrigerator or air conditioner. If you Don't get a high enough rating, you can't sell. And, the EPA Administrator. Is authorized to raise the standards every year, even above the automatic Energy efficiency increases built into the Act.

The EPA administrator, appointed by the President, will run the Cap & Trade program (aka the "American Clean
Energy and Security Act of 2009") and is authorized to make any future Changes to the regulations and standards he alone determines to be in The government's best interest. Requirements are set low initially so the
Bill will pass Congress; but thereafter the Act requires that there be Annual increases in energy efficiency for private and commercial residences And buildings.

Sect. 202: Building Retrofit Program
Mandates a national retrofit program to increase the energy efficiency of All existing homes across America . The Act allows the government to give You a grant of several thousand dollars to comply with the retrofit program
Requirements if you will meet certain energy efficiency levels.. Who will Be eligible for these grants? The government will decide who qualifies to Receive the grants. As long as the Obama Administration is enforcing the
Act, you can expect such requirements as "can't have an income of more than $50K per year," or "home selling price can't be more than $125K," etc.

Sect.. 204: Building Energy Performance
Labeling Program requires that "at least 90 percent of the residential Market within 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act" shall be Measured, rehabbed, remeasured and labeled with its energy efficiency
Performance. The EPA administrator will get $50M each year, and the Secretary of the Department of Energy will get an additional $20M each year, To enforce the labeling program. You will be required to post the label in
A conspicuous location in your home and will not be allowed to sell your Home without having this label. The government estimates the cost of Measuring the energy efficiency of your home should cost only $200 each
Time. [Note: When the California auto smog inspections first started, they Were to cost $15. Now they cost $50 and up for the inspection andCertificate.]

Sect. 304: Greater Energy Efficiency in
Building Codes establishes new energy efficiency guidelines for the National Building Code and mandates that 1 year after enactment of this Act, all State and local jurisdictions must adopt the National Building Code energy
Efficiency provisions or must obtain a certification from the federal Government that their state and/or local codes have been brought into full Compliance with the National Building Code energy efficiency standards.

MYTH BUSTING

Here's what actually happened:

The American Clean Energy and Security Act

The U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act by Reps. Waxman (D‐CA) and Markey (D‐MA). Following NAR’s long‐standing policy to only take a position on legislation, or provisions within legislation that have a direct affect on real estate, NAR worked with our Congressional allies to strip the Energy Bill of provisions that would have adversely affected our industry.

After multiple consultations with the NAR Climate Presidential Advisory Group, the NAR Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Committee, and state associations who had dealt with energy audit legislation at the state level, the Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Committee directed NAR staff to concentrate on the real estate provisions in the bill. As a result, NAR issued calls for action and made this a talking point for Capitol Hill visits during its recent Midyear meeting.

Overall, REALTORS® succeeded in making a number of positive changes affecting the real estate provisions of the bill. The House‐approved bill:

Does not create a federal energy audit requirement for real property;
Exempts existing homes and buildings from any federal guidelines for new construction energy efficiency information labels.
Prohibits the implementation of any labeling during a sales transaction.
Leaves the decision to states as to whether to require energy audits, disclosures, etc.
Provides property owners with significant financial incentives, matching grants and tools to make property improvements and reduce their energy bills;
Prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating residential and commercial buildings under the Clean Air Act;
Eliminated an early proposal to allow citizens to sue over minor climate risks under the Clean Air Act; and
Establishes green building incentives for HUD housing, including a loan program for renewable energy, block grants and credit for upgrades in mortgage underwriting.

Follow this link for other documents pertaining to this law.

http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/gapublic/american_clean_energy_security_act?lid=ronav0019

My Point?

Don't believe everything you get in your email in-box.

SUPPORT The National Association of REALTORS Political Action Committee.

If you're a professional in the Real Estate industry, KNOW THIS STUFF so you can respond appropriately to people in your sphere of influence.

We're having enough fun as it is keeping up with the complexities of the market to have viral emails freaking out our clients, right?

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Owning a house is a "Forced Savings Plan"

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:05:50 -0600

Yesterday in our SPRINTS daily warm-up session we talked about Creating Buyer Urgency.

(We broadcast SPRINTS LIVE each morning 8:30-9:00 CST @ www.stickam.com/barryowen)

We know better than to think that we can create motivation, so our focus was on having found motivated Buyers how we can create some urgency to protect them from their own inaction.

If you're a motivated Buyer, and you are not BUYING because you're waiting for "better" ANYTHING (Pricing, rates, etc) You are playing a dangerous game.

We blew the dust off a few archived Gary Keller & Dave Jenks videos and found this golden nugget.

REALTOR to Buyer:

"If you buy a house today, I am willing to GUARANTEE that I will will buy it back from you in ten years at the same price. DEAL?"

The Buyer will say: "NO WAY!"

Why?

Because of the high probability that the house will be worth MORE in 10 years than today.

PLUS . . . Owning a home is an investment that you get to LIVE IN!

Additionally, consider the leveraging power of buying a house.

For relatively very little capital investment (Down-payment), home ownership offers potentially gargantuan gains in ROI over time.

With a taste of careful budgeting, most folks could actually pay OFF most (if not all) of a home mortgage in a 10 year period of time . . . THEN what do you have?

FORCED SAVINGS!

There you sit 10 years from now having made an initial 3.5% investment (FHA financing) - Let's say a $200,000 house = $7,000 . . . You get to live in it and pay your mortgage (You'd be paying to live somewhere anyway) . . . and it appreciates as real estate has historically appreciated over time @ 3% per year . . . and you're sitting on an ASSET worth @ $270,000.

Hmmm . . . Turning a $7,000 investment into $270,000 in 10 years.

Sounds like a great reason to buy a house NOW!

OBTW - That 3% annual appreciation is probably lower than reality when the market turns UP.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Don't let "Interest Rate Denial" bite you in the Butt!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:26:59 -0600

The truth is that interest rates will rise before this chapter in the story of our economy ends.

It is also inevitable that when they do rise, they will rise QUICKLY!

Thus far, the Powers that be have effectively (artificially) been able to enable us all by keeping the rates low . . .

As Gary Keller said: "When the American public stopped spending, SOMEONE had to spend . . . so the Government has stepped in and has been doing the spending for us to keep the economy moving and hold off inflation."

The trick is that eventually even the government will have to decrease spending . . .

This comes to mind for me today as I remember that when I got into this business of selling houses in 1993, the interest rates were for the first time in YEARS just dipping below double digits . . . and there was veritable dancing in the streets.

From then until now, we have all enjoyed hilariously LOW interest rates and have reaped LOTS of rewards . . .

and we have been cruising along "borrowing Buyers from the future" and basking in our gluttony.

I think we are finally at the point where we are going to need teenagers to start buying houses because nearly 70% of all other humans in the USA now own houses . . . The pool of available Buyers HAS shrunk because we created such a "friendly" home buying experience.

So here's my message . . .

Don't let yourself stay in denial . . .

RATES WILL RISE!

and

When they rise, they will rise QUICKLY!

If you're alive and have the ability to buy a house, NOW is the time to do it . . . PERIOD!

And REALTORS . . . If you are not a die-hard believer in this and are not communicating this very real threat of rate increase to your sphere of influence, I recommend some level of therapy to pull yourself out of denial.

A YEAR AGO, Keller Williams Realty published a brochure entitled "What Are You Waiting For?"

Did you know that a 1% increase in rate results in @ an 11% DECREASE in Buying Power?

Here's how that looks:

When that brochure was created, rates were @ 6.04% (Today, they are significantly lower)

$218,900 Selling Price @ 6.04% . . . Payment = $1,054

Add a 1/2 point to the rate @ 6.54% and the selling price drops to $207,955 for the same payment.

Add another 1/2 point to 7.04% and the Buyer power decreases to $197,010 for the same payment

Just imagine what happens when the rates jump SEVERAL points in a relatively short period of time???

Get yourself out of denial and PAY ATTENTION to the probability of this happening.

How will this affect Home Buyers and Sellers?

What will we need to do differently to keep the market flowing?

These are the questions we need to be addressing NOW.

Oh yeah!

and it can't hurt to educate our potential Buyers a bit . . . If they are standing on the sidelines waiting for values to fall further, I believe it would tragic for them if interest rates ROSE while they were waiting.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

The Best Response to a SLOWER market? TURN UP THE VOLUME! #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:43:17 -0600

Have you ever been watching TV or listening to the radio when there was a "Network Glitch" that caused the sound to decrease or get garbled and difficult to understand?

How 'bout when you are talking with a person who speaks a different language, and you're having difficulty understanding?

Can't quite make out what that sign says on that blimp flying over?

What's your first gut reaction?

Most people TURN UP THE VOLUME when they begin having difficulties with communication.

or FOCUS more intently to seek understanding.

Listen to your gut also when the economy and the real estate market go weird on ya.

Sure, you could ignore it and plod along in denial and hope for the best.

Denial offers that great opportunity to keep doing the same things (Stay in your comfort zone) all the while expecting the same results in a RADICALLY different environment.

Denial can also lead to certain death of your business.

Pay attention to your gut . . . to how your body responds in times of uncertainty and apply all that to your way of responding to an ever-shifting market environment.

When things get wacky, your adrenaline should start PUMPING.

It's time to TURN UP THE VOLUME!

When your listings are not selling, FOCUS on those listings individually to find understanding as to why they are not selling . . . AND . . .

GET MORE LISTINGS!

Listings attract BUYERS even in markets where you think all of the Buyers have left the roost.

In my coaching appointments this week, I have heard many rationalizations as to why goals are not being met.

"The HomeBuyer Tax credit was extended/expanded, so the Buyers have lost their urgency."

"It's the HOLIDAY season, so I guess I'll just have to accept the fact that business will be slower."

and many more.

I say:

"HOGWASH!"

Get off your duff and find that adrenaline rush for your business . . . The rush that is similar to one you had that day when the train was heading straight for your car which was stalled straddling the tracks :-)

GO OUT THERE AND FIND MORE LISTINGS!

PERIOD!

There is NO better time than NOW to BUY a home . . . (Your new mantra as you move about your target area).

and here are a few great scripts for ya:

Expired Listings

Withdrawn Listings

Holiday parties

Door KNocking in your farm

Host a gathering in your neighborhood

Hold Open Houses at odd times

Do whatever you must do to TURN UP YOUR VOLUME OF LISTINGS!

Hmmm . . . I think I'm yelling now . . .

OK!

Time for me get crackin' on practicing what I'm preaching.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Change is "ending and new beginning"

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:15:30 -0600

There are only a few things in this world we can all really expect to be able to count on - Death, Taxes, & CHANGE!

These are all equally inevitable and unavoidable, yet many people exert vast amounts of energy evading them.

I "get" the motivation to "cheat Death" . . . That's one cause I'll join without much thought . . . So I try to watch what foods and drink I consume and am careful while driving and how Ilive my life . . . I don't feel ready for that "Ultimate Change" because I think I have a LOT left to do while here.

Some folks get great thrill from cheating taxes . . . That might be fun but stands a good chance of facing the music in the form ultimate clash with the government. I think that if you don't want to pay the taxes you only have a few valid choices . . . Move to a place where the taxes are lower (and likely the services and protection of your way of life will be less secure) or join the politicians and see what you can do about legally decreasing taxes.

Cheating change itself is a complete exercise in futility. We do this in many ways, and it's seldom pretty.

There's disappointment, fear, denial, anger, PAIN, and a whole slew of emotions that emerge at some level with each and every change . . . and the real sentiment is: "Why can't things just stay the way they have ALWAYS been?"

Because in this world if there were no change, the whole system stalls into doldrums and ultimately dies.

Change creates opportunity for GROWTH.

Change offers a chance to move on - TOWARDS better/different things.

Change keeps us entertained.

Change brings new people and relationships into our lives . . .

and

Change removes some people from our lives.

In yesterday's homily, our priest said that change offers the chance to re-set the clock . . . or flip the hour-glass and begin anew.

Keep yourself in POSITIVE FLOW and celebrate change - I find it exciting as I consider the possibilities.

Best,

Who are you? The delicate dance between your personal and professional you . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:36:44 -0600

We are an accumulation of all of our prior relationships, experiences, accomplishments, joys and sorrows.

Some believe they can forsake all of that and be someone different in their professional role than they are in their personal lives . . . That there can a well defined chasm between the two never to intertwine.

Others are "All work, no Play . . . makes a dull life"

or "All play, little work" . . . FUN but not very lucrative . . . Gotta pay the bills somehow.

So, therein lies the enigma for many professionals who have what it takes to achieve high levels of success, but thwart their own success . . . They simply fail to learn this dance.

I believe you are who you are - warts and all . . . and you should be proud of it and DECLARE it to the world.

Don't attempt to change who you are for professional reasons.

AND

Don't sell yourself short when it comes to integrating your professional goals and aspirations into your personal life.

If you aren't reaching your professional goals and you are intentional protecting your personal friends, family, and acquaintances from your professional self . . . QUIT THAT!

I believe they will not take you seriously and will "dismiss" your career as a hobby . . . and will not refer business to you.

They've ALL gotta know that you are a driven professional and that you and your business NEED their support.

You must invite EVERYONE into your life fully.

We are not here to dabble in life . . . Life is too short for that . . . Let's get the most out of it.

It's OK for you to have different presences - Like a personal and a professional page on Facebook . . . or personal on Facebook and professional elsewhere (Linkedin) . . . Just be sure to extend invitations to EVERYONE to both places.

I think you might be surprised to see how many of your personal relationships have a great interest in the success of your professional self . . . and how many of your professional relationships who would be interested in knowing your personal self.

If you shield yourself, you limit your success.

Stop worrying about whether your friends and family "care" about your work . . .

they DO . . .

AND they would be honored to be a part of your success.

Go ahead and invite'm in :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

One sure-fire way to have a successful REALTOR Open House!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:24:23 -0600

Seems like as the market slowed, Broker Open Houses have been swarming.

The up-side is that there's really no excuse for any REALTOR not to enjoy a good lunch on any given day.

The down-side is that if you are the one hosting the luncheon for your Seller, your invitations may get lost in the shuffle . . . and thereby low attendance.

The competition is fierce for attendance . . .for getting other REALTOR's attention.

In my market, I think I see @ 10 email blasted brochures DAILY . . .

I'm very quick to delete . . .

UNLESS . . .

Something REALLY catches my eye . . . Like THIS!

"See 5 Great Houses and WIN A NETBOOK"

Note . . . a FABULOUS PRIZE!

In this case a Netbook which I got for @ $315 ($63 per agent)

FOUR real Estate companies represented (5 agents) for DEEP exposure.

An eye catching brochure.

This Broker Open House has been announced by all 5 agents to their individual offices and the the entire local REALTOR public multiple times.

None of the REALTORS are on the hook for a heavy (expensive) luncheon, and we and our sellers all benefit from a robust attendance,

If you're gonna do something in this market . . . DO IT LARGE!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

PS . . . we invited the general public also :-)

LISTING YOUR HOUSE FOR SALE during the holidays might be the secret ingredient for a successful closing!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:05:52 -0600

It's that time of the year (again)!

For many people, the conventional wisdom is that they should pull their OFF the market through the holidays because of myriad "reasons" and wait til the Spring market.

My initial question is: "Has your motivation changed? Don't you want to SELL your home?"

Sure, there can be some inconveniences with showings happening while celebrating . . .

and sure you can listen to the "mass of men who lead lives of quiet desperation" . . .

and you can succomb to the dreary and cold winter weather and allow the Seasonal depression to "talk" you into complacency.

You can CHOOSE to be BOLD and LIVE LARGE and stay IN (or ENTER) the market during this remarkable time.

After all, you would be doing your ultimate Buyer the HUGE favor of simplifying their Christmas Shopping . . .

They can simply buy YOUR house as the"Family Gift".

As other houses LEAVE the market, the adventuresome, motivated Sellers and Listing Agents dive INTO the market with great gusto and enthusiasm.

The choice is yours . . . Below is a list of 11 reasons to list your house during the holidays from Keller Williams Realty's Thriving in a Shifted Market book.

and below that . . . a tip from me for REALTORS who are interested in jump-starting their 2010 year NOW!

Here's my tip:

START WORKING WITHDRAWN LISTINGS!

Begin by previewing all of the houses currently available in your target area.

Now WATCH THEM!

As they withdraw from the market (and many WILL), give the owners a call to find out WHY?

Be armed with this list of reasons and head onover to take a slew of new listings.

The worst thing that could happen is that you could take a lot of listings in the next 60 days.

What would taking a LOT of listings in the next 60 days do for your business next year?

hmmmm

Any Sellers in Middle TN thinking about taking a break from the market?

Just give me a call as soon as your house is withdrawn, and we'll get rolling with getting it SOLD :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

A "Limited Service" lesson from my local Starbucks

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:06:27 -0600

Sunday morning, Deb and I both simultaneously said that we would LOVE a robust cup of Starbucks coffee instead of our usual (Less robust and less tasty) home brewed java . . .

We knew that our local Starbucks Opens @ 5:30 AM and the time was @ 6:45, so I grabbed my wallet and keys and drove the mile and a half to get the goods.

While driving there, I could almost smell and taste that fresh brewed coffee.

Strange but true, I was anticipating that first sip . . .with boyish excitement :-)

When I turned into the parking lot of the strip mall, I sensed that something was wrong . . .

I saw a cluster of "things" at the front door of the Starbucks.

My heart sank as I drove closer certain that there had been some sort of coffee catastrophe . . . and that I would not be able to get what I came to get.

When I got close enough to see clearly (Eyes still "morning Blurry"), I saw a SHOCKING display of "limited Service"

Instead of opening the store, they had decided to fill a few cambros with coffee and put them on a folding table and had a single employee serving coffee from those over-grown thermos's.

Unbelievable!

Perhaps I'm going over the top here, but 9/10 of the appeal of Starbucks is the ambiance of walking into the place and getting the sensation and warmth and the smell . . . and having a FRESHLY BREWED cup of coffee.

Luckily, there's another Starbucks 3 miles down the road . . . I went there and enjoyed the full experience.

Call me crazy, but there is NO WAY I'm buying my coffee from a cambro on a sidewalk when I can get the full experience 5 minutes away.

Next time you think about cutting your level of service for your clients, think again.

Your clients won't tolerate it . . . They'll go to your competitor.

Cut expenses? YES!

but not at the cost of reducing your level of service.

There are customers who will happily pay less for less service and/or quality, and that's OK!

If you say you're the BEST, you've gotta BE the best.

No compromising allowed!

I would have rather driven up and found that Starbucks CLOSED then to experience "less"

Consumers these days want ALL . . . or nothing . . . There's not much tolerance for "in-between"

I'm Just sayin'

Best,

Out of the box thinking creates a level of service your clients will RAVE about.

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:37:53 -0600

Your client's listing is sitting listless in a sea of other similar listings.

To the Buying public, they are all starting to look the same.

You find it difficult to distinguish much differentiation for YOUR client's house to get more attention from the others.

You've convinced the Seller to take the price as low as they can go . . .

You've tried ALL of the conventional stuff.

Open Houses with a bajillion pointer signs and balloons . . .

A Broker Luncheon . . .

Brochures and BLAST emails to everyone on the planet . . .

You might have even gone door knocking through the neighborhood in search of a prospect.

All to no avail.

The Seller is getting anxious and is beginning to call you more frequently . . .

and you can sense that they are starting to lose confidence in YOU . . .

After all, isn't EVERYTHING that happens (Good or Bad) the fault of the REALTOR?

You might be falling out of love with the listing (and the Seller), yet you continue to hang on because you have so much time, energy, and money already invested . . . At a MINIMUM, you have committed yourself to be there when the right Buyer DOES eventually walk through the door.

When will that be?

How much longer can you dance the same old dance and continue to humor the Seller without anything new and exciting happening (like an offer)?

I'd say that unless you can get yourself thinking outside the box, you're on a path towards that call from the Seller informing you that they are going to "go with a different REALTOR"

While that might be a relief in some cases, it never feels good.

What's "out of the box"?

Could the property be RENTED for a while?

Perhaps there's a Property Management company you could align with to handle that side of things.

If the Seller is wanting to move to a different area, they can certainly rent something there . . . Rent their house out here . . . and go ahead and make their move.

How about something like a "long range purchase" . . . Lease-purchase?

Could you leave the ski boat in the garage for the Buyer?

How 'bout an annual membership to the local gym?

or . . . mounted TVs throughout the house that remain.

We are now at the point in our respective markets that "average same ole" ain't cuttin' the mustard for many of the listings out there.

I thinks it's worth getting a LOT creative with our listings if for no other reason than to PRESERVE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CLIENTS.

Our most valuable business asset is our relationships with our clients . . . and these clients expect us to demonstrate determination and drive and sticktoitiveness and creativity and innovation when things go quiet.

I don't think you can gracefully get away with saying:

"OH! Well! The whole MARKET is SLOW! THAT"S why you're not getting showings. We'll just have to have PATIENCE and wait this out."

While a strong dose of patience is absolutely necessary, that simply CANNOT be your strategy because just as a river erodes the banks - the passage of time erodes your client relationships, and . . .

All relationships are available.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Holding to your OWN standards is long term strategy - "Easy Route" toples in a storm

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:58:59 -0600

Seth Godin has this uncanny knack of taking ideas out of my head and writing them in the simplest of ways.

For example: When I think in paragraphs about little things that bother me, Seth writes blog posts like THIS:

Take What you can Get

Where he says:

"Like bending a sapling a hundred years before the tree is fully grown and mature, the gigs you take early will almost certainly impact the way your career looks later on. If you want to build a law practice in the music industry, you'll need to take on musicians as clients, even if the early ones can't pay enough. If you want to do work for Fortune 500 companies, you'll need to do work for Fortune 500 companies, sooner better than later.
The definition of "can get" is essential. Maybe it seems like this gig or that gig is the best you can get because that's all you're exposing yourself to. Almost always, the best gig I could get is shorthand for the easiest gig I could get."

Stay true to your personal standards!

Know your WORTH!

COMMAND the respect that you DESERVE!

Move with confidence about YOUR marketplace and don't wander too far from "home".

I know all of this can be difficult especially when you're presented with "Logical Justifications" for violating your own standards,

Things like:

"Will you cut your commission for me on this deal . . . If you don't, I'll buy from someone who will and you'll get NOTHING . . . Wouldn't you rather have some than none?"

Don't do it . . . See Seth's Number 1. above . . .Do you identify yourself as a "discounter"?

Your personal standards and adherence to them is what shapes the future of your career.

or . . .

"Will you list my over-priced and under-maintained home right smack in the heart of your area of expertise - It'll give you GREAT exposure!"

or will it? . . . Do you REALLY want your sign on a dilapidated house for a long period of time where your entire sphere of influence will see it and drive by wondering why you cannot seem to be able to sell it?

or . . .

"Will you work with me to buy a house in that little burb @ 40 miles from here?"

If you don't have a lot going on, you might be inclined to jump at one of these opportunities because SOMETHING is MUCH better than NOTHING, right?

WRONG!

Don't go with "Easy" unless "Easy" aligns with your goals . . .

Otherwise, you're sapling may just grow into quite an ugly and mis-directed tree that'll fall over in a storm.

Follow what has heart and meaning for you and beware the distractors in your world.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Bartering makes a great come-back as Business people learn leverage

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:25:43 -0600

NO ONE Succeeds alone!

Every business relies on LEADS to bring new "Listings" (Customers/Clients) and must develop appropriate LEVERAGE in order to sufficiently navigate the intricacies of the business and serve the needs of the clients.

We build LEVERAGE through:

- adoption of sound MODELS (Success Leads Clues - follow a business model that is working for other professionals in your field - MREA)

- Innovative creation of SYSTEMS which enable EFFICIENCY and FLOW so that the mechanical aspects of our business happen automatically in a uniform and consistent manner

- Our relationships with and THROUGH PEOPLE

Many folks understand LEVERAGE in theory, but have great difficulty when it comes to implementation because of those darned LIMITING BELIEFS swimming around in their heads and coming from other people in their environment.

A few of those limiting beliefs might be:

"It's costly and I don't have enough MONEY to sufficiently leverage my business."

"If I have to HIRE someone, I'll have to TRAIN & MANAGE them, I don't have TIME for that!"

"I don't know HOW!"

Done right, Leveraging your business does not have to cost a bunch of money or time and is not all that difficult.

Consider the power of BARTERING . . . Wikipedia defines Bartering as:

"Bartering is a medium in which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods and/or services without a common unit of exchange (without the use of money).^[1] It can be bilateral or multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a very limited extent. Barter usually replaces money as the method of exchange in times of monetary crisis, when the currency is unstable and devalued by hyperinflation. Bartering is still common in the present, usually used within the Internet on sites like Craigslist.^{[2] "}

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

My favorite termite inspector leverages my time by handling the termite inspection without me having to meet him by dealing directly with my Sellers . . . He gets a LOT of business from me because I tell ALL of my REALTOR friends how great he is. He's leveraging my time while I leverage his Lead generation.

My favorite home inspector does the same . . . and is a very reliable resource when I need home maintenance advice and/or referrals for sub-contractors.

My favorite home maintenance company bids any work I might need within 24 hours of my call ALWAYS and has NEVER failed to complete the work on time . . .and he handles the details directly with the client.

My favorite Title Company handles virtually ALL of my contract to close details by maintaining contact with all parties to the transaction and solving issues as they arrise . . . They call me weekly to up-date me.

A tech savvy newly licensed agent can barter with a seasoned veteran . . . "I'll spool you on the current technology and set up your leverage SYSTEMS while you MENTOR me to develop my business"

NONE of this costs extra MONEY or TIME!

Where do YOU need leverage?

What do you have in your "bag of tricks" that you can trade for what you need?

"Get this" bartering/leverage thingie, and you'll find yourself with plenty of time for generating ample leads to fuel an extremely lucrative career.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

You've got a LOT of work to do the next 5 1/2 Months

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:22:21 -0600

A little birdie told me a rumor yesterday.

She said that the Senate passed the bill to extend and expand the tax credit for home buyers . . . Now, it'll go back to the House of Representatives and then to the President's desk for signature.

My internet research for validation of the rumor netted nil, so I am still a tad hesitant to sing out victorious yet.

BECAUSE . . . I don't trust politicians :-)

Anything could change in the bill, and there's still a chance it could stall in the house . . .

Let's just hallucinate together for a few minutes and imagine that it's true (Pinch yourself).

Last I saw (Excerpted from the Tennessee Association of REALTORS weekly news digest), the bill under consideration looks something like this:

Credit available for purchases before May 1, 2010. Prospective purchasers with binding contracts in place as of April 30, 2010 will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete the transaction.
Credit remains at $8000 for first-time purchasers. No change to definition of first-time purchaser.
New $6500 tax credit for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009 and May 1, 2010. Repeat buyers must have lived in their homes consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years.
Income limits are expanded to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return. Current law $20,000 phase-out retained.
New anti-fraud limitations are imposed.

We (Professional Real Estate Experts) all have until April 30 to help the general public understand the new rules well enough to perform quickly enough to be able to take advantage of this.

I'm assuming that most of these "repeat Buyers" will need to sell a house before being able to buy another . . . and most markets are typically darned slow (seasonally) between now and April 30.

A possible "silver lining" is that there's an extra 60 days built in for the closing - thus actually adding @ 30 days extra marketing time - thereby leaving 30 days for loan approvals (cutting it tight).

Just for kicks, what kind of new purchases might start happening as a result of this new legislation?

Who will potentially start buying as a result of this?

Who do we need to educate about the benefits of listing their house TODAY so as to be able to sell it soon enough to take advantage of this tax credit?

We research and find those who have owned a home for 5 consecutive years within the past 8 years.

Let's just say they've all got great credit, and they can qualify for a mortgage of @ 1/3 of their income . . .

$125,000 income limit for single return - $10,417/mth x .33 = $3437.50 Mortgage payment ... This takes them in range for a $300,000-$500,000 home purchase.

$225,000 Income limit on a joint return - $18,750/mth x .33 = $$6187.5 Mortgage payment . . .

HOLY COW!

So a couple filing jointly can potentially (in my market assuming 5.5% interest rate) buy up to nearly a MILLION dollar home and be eligible for this $6,500 tax credit.

What segments of your market are stagnant these days?

In ours, it's that middle range and high end from @ $300,000 and up.

Many of the repeat Buyers who are interested in moving are frustrated with the inventory out there because much of it is "old and stale" . . . an influx of new listings might just start a little fire.

so . . .

Don't wait!

NOW is the time to LIST HOUSES because 5 1/2 months is NOT much time considering it includes ALL of the holidays AND the Winter ...

List them - Get them under contract - and find a new home for the Sellers by April 30, 2010.

As we sometimes say here in the South: "THAT dog'll HUNT!"

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Riviving "Real Estate Dead Spots" in your market.

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:02:08 -0600

Whether the economy is rolling along swimmingly or bucking like an angry Bull, some areas in your community always seem to "perform" better than others.

Values hold relatively steady and sales continue to happen.

These are the areas in which folks want to work and live especially when times get tough.

What of the other, less fortunate areas of your town?

Some "fickle" pockets were doing quite well in the good times, and screeched to a sudden HALT with the market shift . . . while other "Problem" areas just never seem to gain much traction in any economic environment.

Business people (REALTORS) tend to migrate towards the resilient areas because, after all, we DO have to eat therefore we go to work in the areas where inventory is selling (or get out of the business).

The issue with this as a business strategy is that those "stronger" markets get crowded, and this scenario quickly creates an ever-increasing gap from the increasingly depressed areas.

Why should the average REALTOR CARE about the depressed market areas in the marketplace?

Wouldn't it be easier to put on the blinders and stay on the path of least resistance . . . in a market segment where the work is more enjoyable and ALIVE?

I can think of a few good reasons to pay attention to these depressed pockets:

Great business people effect CHANGE in their communities and CREATE markets in Dead Zones. This is a HIGHLY LEVERAGED strategy for HUGE success. It requires high risk tolerance and patience and HARD WORK, but pays off in the long run with HUGE financial gains and a better place for everyone to live.

The depressed pockets in your market "bring down" the overall market success ... and may ultimately negatively affect the popularity of your city or community for incoming family and business relocation.

I believe that REALTORS and other business people are quintessentially positioned to be powerful influencers when it comes to creating stability in their cities.

We ALL have the capacity to build our communities.

Our community is our collective legacy.

How do we do this?

Instead of putting on the blinders and running AWAY from the problem, how 'bout running TOWARDS it with the sole purpose of discovering wherein lies the real root of the problem?

ACTIVELY and INTENTIONALLY engage yourself in being a part of the solution.

You can do this at any level from working on the streets with people in poverty to joining Boards of Directors of organizations which have the potential for effective positive change.

If you don't know of any organizations doing the "right stuff", start one!

I think if you really want to do this right your first move should be a visit with Principal and Parent Teacher Association Leader (If there is a PTA) of the local Elementary School . . . then the Middle School . . . then the High School . . . and ask them questions about their student body . . . LOTS of questions.

This is where you will learn what is REALLY going on the community. You'll learn more about the socio-economic make-up of the area and what the real root problems are.

Identify the SINGLE issue (opportunity) you discover in those meetings that tugs on your passion strings and commit yourself to CHANGING it in a positive way.

Move in concentric circles out from the school and work your magic.

Create a stir within the larger city to bring awareness to the issue and passionately advocate to the community leaders to join you in your effort.

Find Corporate sponsorship and support.

Make the SCHOOLS the focal point of everything you do - The gathering place . . . The "Safe Place" in the community.

All of this will result in a better market . . . a better city . . . and a REAL legacy.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

How many leads will be enough?

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:09:54 -0600

The short answer is that you probably cannot ever have too many leads.

Gary Keller emphasizes this with the "Over-kill ALL the time" approach.

If you're not reaching your goals each month and you have high anxiety that you don't have enough prospects in your pipeline, you are going to need to DO something about it and quit fretting.

We are entering that part of the year when NOW income is especially desireable, right?

I am coaching with several folks who brag of a "full pipeline" of leads for "after the first of the year" and are approaching panic when they think about the next 2 months.

When I wrote about "REALTOR Holiday" a while back, my challenge was for you to continue to lead generate CONSISTENTLY . . . ALWAYS!

If you are anxiety laden, you don't have enough of something . . . leads, prospects, clients . . . What is it?

Here's what I often hear:

"I have PLENTY of leads . . . I just don't have many prospects for the next few months, and I need money NOW!"

Here's how I respond:

"Quit whining! Your problem is that you do not have enough leads!"

So . . .

It's time to step out of your comfortable little zone and start doing some DIFFERENT things to generate MORE leads.

Oh yeah! . . . LOW COST ideas . . .

Knock on doors in your Target Area of Expertise.

Hang out with the "Natives" by hosting a Pot-Luck party for your target area on a random afternoon - Do this BEFORE the "normal" holiday parties commence. This takes very little coordination effort and is a very low cost way to come into contact with your sphere.

Announce your "Holiday Potluck Party" by going door-to-door with a flyer for it . . . Encourage everyone to bring their whole families.

Invite your "Mets" database to the party (through Facebook or email invitation).

Oh! . . . Be sure you've got a few of your "For Sale" signs strategically placed to stimulate random discoveries by the attendees that might lead to conversations about real estate,

Host Open Houses in your Target area during the week when people are coming home from work (4-6 or 5-7) . . . Use reflective pointer signs (It's getting dark EARLY).

Talk to strangers!

Attend every function you hear about in your community.

Don't be bashful . . . Be BOLD!

ASK for appointments!

ASK for Referrals!

OK!

Now quit stewing about things and get out there and DO this. There's no time for procrastination whatsoever . . . I figure you've 2 good weeks to get this ball rolling.

I'm rootin' for ya!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Is April 1, 2010 on your mind? Methinks it should be . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:18:44 -0500

Today is October 30 . . .

The day before Halloween

Wikipedia tells me Halloween "celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half" . . . has some elements of a festival of the dead. . . . Some believe that the border between this world and the Otherworld becomes thin on Halloween, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.

Halloween is "also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.^[10] Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.

Another common practise was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink."

Hmmm . . . I believe Halloween is a pivotal day in the definition of your success in the coming year (2010).

Each Halloween marks the "right" time for you to cast your vision for APRIL 1 - 5 months away . . . and to prepare yourself and your business to maintain your momentum through this "Darker Half" of the year.

Ward off those evil Spirits who would try to distract you . . . Spirits that might invoke:

Seasonal Depression

Loss of focus on key Business habits

Offering you permission to party in lieu of keeping your eye on your goals

Providing limitless opportunities to over-spend, over-eat, and drink excessively.

Have fun, but tame those Spirits beginning NOW.

The last thing I want for you is for you to "wake up" some time in January and realize that you are deeply in debt with few (if any) viable leads for your business . . . in a cold sweat of fear.

So . . .

Go ahead and set yourself a BIG GOAL for the month of April 2010 . . . and then set a goal for March - Then February - Then January - Then December - Then November . . .

And beginning TODAY, set your sights on that April goal and GET MOVING!

That BIG April goal will pull your through your "way-points" of the other months and the "Darker Half" of the year.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

"Offering Buyers the opportunity to Establish the Purchase Price ... "

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:19:32 -0500

My news feed from the Nashville Business Journal yesterday had this title:

Terrazzo To Slash Prices, Auction Condos

Terrazzo is a high end Luxury high-rise condominium building in the heart of Nashville and is one of several which are struggling to find buyers willing to pay their prices.

Below are a few excerpts from the article . . .

"Facing sluggish sales of its 117 luxury units, up to 30 units in The Gulch’s $68 million Terrazzo will be sold at auction next month.

Bill Barkley, president of Crosland’s Tennessee division, which developed Terrazzo, said the event “offers Terrazzo the opportunity to sell a significant number of condominium homes and instantly build the growing community at Terrazzo — all in a single day.”

Since sales began this spring, 13 Terrazzo units have sold.

Minimum offering bids will range between 40 percent and 50 percent of list price . . .

' . . . the event is designed “to offer buyers the opportunity to establish the purchase prices for these selected residencies.”

In a market where there is virtually nothing to hang your hat on with respect to "Basis of Value", your choices are:

to hold'm and wait for a better day . . .

Fold'm . . . Throw in the towel and file for bankruptcy or step aside for foreclosure

or get creative to find the price that'll actually get the job done.

This is not an issue that faces only high end condo buildings in Nashville, TN.

We have several market slices in which ALL of the available inventory of available homes are priced above what the Buyers are even willing to entertain . . .

And all the Sellers are sitting on the market at those prices because to them "It's not fair that I paid $400,000 for this house 3 years ago, and the Buyers keep offering $360,000. Don't they understand?"

Hello Sellers!

It's not the Buyers who are failing to understand, it's YOU!

There's no level of fancy incentives or schmancy staging (although Staging helps) or marketing or secret voodoo that will overcome pricing objections in a market that has no established basis of value.

Several months ago, I called such a market a "Zero Basis" market ... meaning that there have not been enough sales to justify ANY price. The only thing we know in such markets is that the Buyer's opinion of value is significantly lower than the average Seller's opinion.

What's the magic number?

This move by Terrazzo is an effort not only to reduce their inventory and add some liquidity to their coffers but also to find the new value basis for future sales.

My rants months ago were a pleading for Sellers to "Get" this concept.

Terrazzo understands that they've gotta set the bar pretty low (40-50% of current pricing) to generate enough attention to get some real action.

They are already getting some REAL action ... I heard about this auction through my REALTOR network a long time before the story went to print.

Whether it's a true auction or not . . .

a "zero basis market" calls for drastic action . . .something that will cause an "auction effect"

It's the sellers who are ready, willing and able to plunge their prices 25-50% who will provide the "buyers the opportunity to establish the Purchase Price".

The risk is high . . . What if you drop the price 25% and nothing happens?

You will have learned something . . .

You can't create Buyer motivation . . .

You can only FIND MOTIVATED BUYERS!

and they are crafty little fellas who know how to hide in an inventory laden market . . .

The Terrazzo is banking on their strategy to bring the Buyers out of the woodwork and woo them into fessing up to their REAL opinions of value.

Like it or not . . . This is what needs to happen right now to move some of this inventory.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

The evolution of the database

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:24:35 -0500

Did cave man write all the people he knew on the wall of the cave?

Then stone tablets . . .

Papyrus . . .

Paper . . .

Index cards . . .

Computers with spreadsheets . . .

CMS - Conatact Management Software . . .

Now, Social Networking sites - Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter etc

and now it seems to be melding into a hodgepodge of most of the above - excluding the cave wall, stone tablets, and papyrus.

Efficiencies have been changing over time.

"The Why of having a database" hasn't changed in all of this time - To create a "book of business" for your business. The database is where the value of your business lies.

The database appears to be not much more than an amalgamation of names and contact information, but what it really is is a shorthand version of all of the relationships in your personal and professional worlds.

The challenge throughout time for most business people is the organization of all of these people they know.

The truth is, the database and organization and utility thereof is a way of expanding your personal "Span of Influence" . . . Because it offers you a way to systematically communicate with all those folks who contribute or receive VALUE to/from YOU.

Of all of the iterations of the database, I am intrigued by the simplist form . . . Just moving about your personal sphere of influence on a regular basis results in the "touching" of the people of the database.

In large part, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter check this box for many folks . . . whereas as recently as 12 months ago, the conventional wisdom of communicating by direct snail mail and direct email was the "way".

Now, we are learning from those Generation Y "kids" who are ultra connected to each other because they have electronic devices of every type graphed onto their bodies at all times and live in a world of incessant communication through texting and gaming . . . Electronic interaction.

The exhasperating part of this change for all of us "Old Farts" is that these young Bucks seem to be literally ROCKIN' with their businesses.

How do they keep in touch with everyone without any apparent organization or system?

The answer (I think) is that they are ALWAYS connected . . . Hmmm . . . I'm not sure I buy that as a long term strategy for success because I am still relatively attached to the concept that we need periods of FOCUS to be most effective.

So . . .

My Database is morphing into a different thing than it was just months ago . . .

It has become an assemblage of all of the people I have connections with in Gmail, Plaxo, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter . . . I now see "categorization" of all of these folks as being essential . . . so that I can systematize my communication with the folks who are "most important" to my personal and business relationships.

My Inner Circle of @ 275 folks will still get my intentional 33 touch (Managed with Task Lists on Gmail).

My targetted geographic Sphere will get the 12 Direct by Post . . .

Everyone else is in this swirling cacophony of social networks.

Next week, it'll probably all change again :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Don't allow Halloween to scare your business into hibernation . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:22:40 -0500

As we approach the end of the first third of the last third of 2009 officially marked by Halloween, BEWARE!

Many folks begin conjuring up many reasons to take their "eye off the ball" of their business thereby putting it to sleep for a long, winter nap.

This lack of activity is especially easy to justify this year.

After all, it HAS been a very challenging year, and I know everyone is TIRED, TIRED, TIRED.

"Seasonal depression" offers a good solid reason (The best antidote for that is to get out there and stay busy)

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are all just around the corner, and these all provide myriad distractive opportunities . . .

I call this "REALTOR Holiday" because independent contractors seem to be the WORST at shutting down their businesses in the "off season".

This is lunacy for anyone who intends to make a career out of this business because it stop the train, the momentum . . . and your financial obligations actually INCREASE during these 2 months.

I have children and "get" the real truth that they will be out of school for over 2 weeks in December and January.

I also understand that there will be many parties and details to attend to . . . Carving pumpkins, decorating the house THREE times (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas), Celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of the travel to visit with friends and family that may ensue during this time.

I ain't no Scrooge . . . I know because I live in the same world that you do.

so . . .

There's ONE thing you are NOT off the hook with . . . LEAD GENERATION!

No matter how busy or distracted you are with the holiday activities, you MUST continue with your goal to have 15 conversations EVERY day (5 days each week) about real estate.

Doesn't matter to me who these people are . . . as long as at the end of the conversation, they are more aware of how YOU can best serve them, their friends, family, and work associates in your business capacity.

The holidays are THE NUMBER ONE opportunity for the year to build your database and initiate communication with every person in it . . . after which, you simply must continue to communicate with these folks in a systematic way throughout 2010.

So . . .

no excuses . . .

While the other bears are sleeping, you'll be raking in the relationships (Because ALL relationships are available to the folks who stay in touch) . . .

and when Spring springs and the others are working feverishly attempting to awaken their businesses and whining and complaining about the mountain of debt they now have after 2-3 months of excessive spending and nominal income, you'll be chugging along completing deals right and left.

Business really IS simpler than most folks make it . . .

Gary Keller put it into a VERY short "list"

Know your BIG WHY!

LEADS, LISTINGS, & LEVERAGE

Lead Generate EVERY day - Set Appointments, get referrals, & Build relationships that lead to business

Build a database.

Feed the database every day

Communicate with the people in that database in a systematic way.

Service all leads that come.

Lead with REVENUE! You'll "win" the financial part by keeping costs low.

and Mo adds:

"BE NICE!"

I'm Just sayin'

Best,

Your time deadline might not be your friend in a negotiation.

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:38:24 -0500

When you make an offer on something - ANYTHING, I understand your desire to KNOW an answer ASAP.

After all, you want it or you would not have gone to the trouble to make the offer.

Instant gratification seems to be an often expected result these days.

So we have this little "instrument" we call the "Time Dead-line", and it goes something like this:

"Here's my offer ... RESPOND to this offer no later than 3:00 tomorrow, OR ELSE!"

My first question is:

What's the "OR ELSE"?

Are you going to send Guido over to break my knees if I don't respond in time?

Will you scream and yell at me and call me bad names and question my professionalism?

Will you rant and rave and tell me I'm not following the rules?

Are you gonna "Tell on" me? (To the Manager - or Mommy)

Here's my take on this,

Time deadlines have their place as what I would call "creating inherent Urgency".

They often do what they are supposed to by adding a measure of urgency that might not otherwise be present.

The down side is that some folks don't RESPOND to tight time deadlines . . .

They REACT!

Do you really want to rush through a negotiation fueled by a series of reactions?

What will you really have at the end other than a bundle of nerves on both sides of the negotiation?

Some folks get REALLY ticked off when the offer they get isn't what they're looking for and to add insult to injury, there's this time deadline gun pointed at them . . .

They come out of the corner FIGHTING!

or they refuse to respond at ALL.

Think carefully before you impose your time-line on other people (unless you really DO have an emergency).

In case you haven't figured this out yet, other folks aren't particularly tethered to YOUR schedule.

I've figured out there's this interesting breed of Buyers out there I call "One hit wonders".

They shoot a LOW offer with a 6 hour deadline for response . . . If they don't get what they want, they RUN!

Hmmm . . . Go ahead and send Guido . . . I think I'm going to take the time I need to respond intelligently.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Delusions of grandeur are the bane of "Motivated" Sellers

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:25:34 -0500

There's a Swine flu of sorts hitting "Motivated" Property owners these days.

My suspicion is that this particular strain is as dangerous to the successful completion of a sale as H1N1 is to an immunity deficient child.

When the entire market is over-priced, the ONLY way to win is with price . . . PERIOD!

A bit of research yesterday on Lots available in a section of my market shows @ 150 MONTHS of inventory.

HOLY SHIMOLI!

What's that . . . about 13 YEARS worth of inventory at todays' rate of sales?

So . . . not surprisingly, many of these properties are owned by banks and are listed on the market at "fair Market Value."

When questioned as to how they determined this "Fair Market value", the asset managers have replied that they have "Recent appraisals" that support these prices.

So I go back to my computer to see how this could be.

Ah Yes!

300 properties available - 3 Pendings - 21 closed in the past 12 months . . . The closed ones "support" the value.

This is delusional thinking if I've ever seen it.

Here's what wikipedia says about Delusions of grandeur.

"Megalomania denotes an obsession with having and/or obtaining, grandiosity and extravagance (especially in the form of great fame and popularity, material wealth, social influence or political power, or more than one or even all of the aforesaid). It may be a symptom of manic or paranoid disorders.^{[citation needed]} However it is not considered a distinct mental disorder of itself according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Delusions of grandeur, commonly seen in psychosis, may be seen as distinct from megalomania: a megalomaniac's overwhelming and excessive preoccupation with his or her own importance, though it may be considered pathological, is not necessarily delusional. A delusion of grandeur, if it is a true delusion, must meet the psychiatric criteria for delusion."

It's a wee stretch, but their motivation to recoup their initial investment is pure denial.

It simply makes no rational sense whatsoever to imagine that in this sea of available properties, theirs will magically rise to the top of the 150 choice heap for Buyers.

Just had the same conversation with a Seller who was very adamant about what he NEEDS for his property,and that he not accept a penny less . . . and what he NEEDS is @ 8% more than the market has demonstrated a willingness to pay.

hmmm . . .

Guess what folks!

(and shame on you banks who don't "get" this - YOU should know better)

If you want it SOLD, you don't get to put on your blinders and/or hermetically seal yourself in your own little hallucinized fantasy world in which you can create your own market just because of what you think you NEED.

You cannot ignore the reality.

You have 2 choices . . . Find the price point that will actually get the attention of the Buyers . . . or hold on to your property and wait for better weather,

A little tough love this morning, eh?

I'm just sayin'

Best,

One score begets another & another & another - a few lessons from watching 5th grade girls soccer

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:33:51 -0500

Our daughters (8 & 10) play soccer, and they play well.

Both have lots of talent and speed and work VERY hard on the field - The right ingredients for success.

This Fall we had what we thought was great misfortune - The teams they had played with for 3+ years disbanded.

We have learned that change is good :-)

Both of our "Soccer team orphans" were adopted into teams that had been together for years - coached by the same coach.

The players on these teams were slightly more "evolved" WRT soccer . . . they knew the value of TEAMWORK.

We learned that consistency in building a team has great value.

These teams understand the importance of their assigned positions.

The play has metamorphosized from a pack of girls in a huddle chasing the ball around the field to an even distribution of players on the field PASSING the ball . . . TALKING to each other . . . and SCORING.

We have learned that communication is essential.

These teams LOVE to SCORE . . . and therefore they have won every game.

Throughout the season, their goal has been to work as a team to position EVERY player on the team to score . . . the positions rotate continually, and whoever the Forwards are consciously play selflessly to "feed" the ball to the player designated to score . . . no "Ball Hogs"

We have learned that no-one succeeds alone . . . Success through others.

When a team member scores a goal, there is raucous celebration.

Every "First" seemed to lead to a "second" . . .

We learned that Success begets more success.

Every so often, a player on the field suffers an injury.

Doesn't matter which team the injured team is on, all the players cease play immediately (without being told to do so) and those closest to the injured player run to assist and assess and care for her while the others "take a knee"

We have learned the value of Leadership and good sportsmanship.

Because these teams have learned to work so well together, they have become formidable opponents and have won every game (sometimes with almost embarrassing margins). These girls win with grace and honor their opponents.

We have learned to respect others on the field.

I could go on and on and on . . .

My true hope is that these players never forget the lessons they have learned on the soccer field.

and that the silly adults have learned from watching them learn.

Many of the priniciples above are "Secrets of Success" for us adults.

We knew these when we played on sports teams . . .

How many have we forgotten through our years of experience?

If you don't have children, I recommend finding the athletic fields near your home and watching a few games of 8-12 year olds . . . Seems to me, those are the ages when it all seems to "click"

There's a LOT of learning going on - ON and OFF the field of play.

I'm just sayin'

Best,