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I didn't RSVP for the class, but I'm here... it's full? - 05/27/10 01:26 PM
I just had to share a funny experience I had this morning at my office. I am hosting a contract class that is open to all local agents. On the flyer and email it clearly asks everyone to RSVP to ensure a spot in the class. The class was taught by a local expert so you know the class will sell out. I had 51 confirmed people signed up for the class, and the classroom was full.
So this morning, we had almost 20 people who were not signed up for the class show up and say that they called/emailed/talked … (6 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday - Twins! Two baby deer, Saratoga CA - 05/26/10 03:36 PM
I see deer all the time, and when spring rolls around you get to see baby deer. This lucky gal had twins!
This photo is where they are a few days old. Just learning how to run and hop. They chased ahead, and behind and were having so much fun on their legs for the first time.
This picture is about one week old. Now, alot more stable walking, and not hopping everywhere. A little more relaxed as opposed to being erratic.
Hope you enjoyed these! :) Chris
… (3 comments)
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Sometimes "listening" helps avoid conflicts... - 05/26/10 03:20 PM
It seems that a lot of arguments occur when someone thinks that the other person is not listening to their side of the story. Two people just keep raising their voices to validate their own point over and over and over... Sometimes just getting more and more upset in the process... It seems that each side is arguing to validate their side of the story.
However, if one (or both) side were to repeat back what the other persons position was, it sometimes diffuses the increased tension. It demonstrates to the other side, that you are listening, and understand their … (1 comments)
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Three weeks behind on your lead generation? What now? - 05/25/10 08:02 PM
It seems that we all get into a funk every now and then. We know that we need to make that call, we need to send those note cards, we need to update our facebook, we need to reach out and make those special touches. We know we need to do these things, but something less important is always more important sometimes...
When we are doing these things on a regular basis, it is easier to continue doing them regularly. However when we stop doing them, it seems that just getting the first item done seems to be a challenge.
… (9 comments)
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The Big Rocks and the Jar - 05/14/10 08:59 PM
(Just read this again, and thought I would share!)
The Big Rocks and the Jar
After talking to his students about scheduling all their activities, a high school science
teacher takes a large-mouth jar and places several large rocks in it. He then asks the
class, "Is it full?"
Unanimously, the class replies, "Yes!"
The teacher then takes a bucket of gravel and pours it into the jar. Th e small rocks settle into the spaces between the big rocks.
He then asks the class "Is the jar full now?"
Most of the students reply, "Yes." Some were reluctant to … (2 comments)
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RED Day (Renew Energize Donate). A day of giving back... TODAY! - 05/13/10 01:37 PM
I wanted to share about a special day for my office today (and across North America)! 70 of my agents here in Cupertino are working with the Emergency Housing Consortium today to volunteer our time. One day a year where we give back to our community!
We hare helping fix up a housing complex for those that were previously homeless. We will be painting, washing, trimming, picking up trash, light construction and doing our part to give back to the community!
If you are participating in Red Day, what are you doing to give back?
So if you see any … (4 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday - California Academy of Sciences Roof - 05/12/10 01:55 PM
So I was one of the first (million or so) to get over to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco CA.
So of course, we made our way up to the roof to check it out. I saw the documentary on the making of the building, so I had to see what it was all about. And you could see the heat coming from the roof windows when they were open. It was really cool!
I recommend going! It was alot of fun.
… (7 comments)
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Just 10 minutes a day, will keep the doctor away? I mean... um... - 05/12/10 12:28 PM
Feeling bogged down with technology? Does it seem to evolve quicker than you can adapt? Thinking that in time it just might go away? OR thinking that technology or social media just doesn't matter and you don't need it anyways?
Well, you're not alone. Many agents feel the same way you do. They think of twitter and want to shoot the dang bird. They look at Facebook and can't think of what to talk about daily, so they just add friends once a week when they log in because that happen to remember to log in. Or they look at … (4 comments)
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Prelisting packet... Do you use one? - 05/11/10 12:59 PM
Hmmm... Do I use a prelisting packet or not...
I was teaching a class last week on the listing presentation and shared with the students a quick story about using a prelisting packet. It is essentially items explaining the listing process that you send/drop off/deliver to the seller prior to going to your listing appt. It can include a DVD, or marketing materials, answers to objections, things about you, expectations, etc...
If you were going to hire a contractor to do some remodeling in your kitchen, and you contacted three contractors to give you bids... AND they all are coming … (4 comments)
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Can you catch a fish with no hook and/or bait? - 05/10/10 04:43 PM
I wouldn't want to go fishing if all I had was a lead weight at the end of the line I was casting... I could cast out pretty far and not fear it getting tangled, however I probably would not catch a thing. It's easier to just put a weight at the end and throw it over, since you do not have to get a hook, or a fly, or a lure. And you will never have to think about how you are reeling it in.
Do we ever practice real estate without any bait at the end of our … (4 comments)
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They described the master bath as "and here is the master bath..." - 05/07/10 05:43 PM
Kind of funny when an agent describes a feature to a house as the actual feature... Like when they are showing a home and when they get to the master bedroom they describe it as a master bedroom then they describe the master bathroom as the master bathroom...
Seems like the right way to describe a room, but most likely the buyer knows what each of those rooms are for.
A master bathroom or fireplaces are features that will improve the buyer's life... You don't really add that much value if you just describe what they may already know. In … (2 comments)
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Buyer getting cold feet? What can you do? 10 things you can do. - 05/07/10 01:19 PM
You get your buyer into contract on the house of their dreams. You did you buyer consultation which took over an hour. You dug deeper to find out what their wants and needs are in their next home. You unlocked the reasons why they wanted to buy. You sold them on benefits rather than features of the home they can see themselves living in.
You spend countless hours, and days helping them make a decision on the place to hang their hat. Happiness right?
Hmmm... What do you do when the buyer starts getting cold feet? I mean, that they … (1 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday - Where am I? - 05/05/10 01:11 PM
I took these pictures in February... Where am I
Getting warmer? Seems that these guests like to be above ground!
Rows and rows... Who is in here? Somebody knows!
I bet you all got it right! Happy Wednesday! The cemetary tour was amazing, and I suggest it!
New Orleans! :)
-Chris
… (2 comments)
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I asked my lender partner for REO's referrals... He didn't have any? - 05/05/10 12:13 PM
Alot of agents run to their lenders and ask them to please please please give them REO leads... Is that really going to work? Not really...
It seems that agents are trying to do whatever they can to get into the crazy and often lucrative business of REO's... An REO is a property that the bank foreclosed on and it is now part of their non-performing assets, and needs to be sold using an M&M company, at auction or with an agent...
The lenders that we work with on a daily basis may not have that type of contact out there … (4 comments)
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A Short Sale Approval in 4 days? With a counter-offer from the bank? - 05/04/10 05:21 PM
I know things are getting fast, and getting faster... But this was the first time I heard this! One of my agents in the office came to me and said they submitted an offer to the seller on Friday... Was accepted by the seller that day and have a response from the lender today (tuesday) with a 10K increase in the purchase on a counter... Wow!
I thought I would share the news! Seems like banks were serious when they stated that they were wanting to streamline the process.
What are you seeing out there in regards to short sales? Things getting … (9 comments)
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Chris Alston (Silicon Valley, California)
Cupertino,
CA
More about me…
Chris Alston (Keller Williams Realty, Cupertino California)
Address: 20230 Stevens Creek Blvd. , Suite E, Cupertino, CA, 95014
Office Phone: (408) 850-6955
Cell Phone: (408) 921-4711
Email Me
Helping Real Estate Professionals learn new ideas and thought to help them in their business... At the same time, comments from our community help me in my classroom setting.
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