Did anyone else notice that a vast majority of first time home buyers disappeared after 2003?  I personally noticed that many of them claimed that after 2003, they just couldn't afford housing here in NJ.  I'm talking about those young people ages 23-29.

So, I guess what was on my mind quickly, was that the upside to this market correction, is that first-time buyers may actually have a screaming chance at getting a home this time around. I feel as though they are gering up for the fallen prices, and that this Spring may be slightly better than the past two years.

God, I can't wait for CNN to come out with that one report that says "Housing went up .5% this month"!

Getting a seller to drop the price to market value is all about whether it is worth the price.
 
First, you have to understand that price is the main adjustment to days on market and success.  Also you must know that any deficiencies in a property are greatly magnified in a tough market.  Therefore, the deduction you might take on a busy street property may be tripled in a tough market because the higher inventory number may mean that the property may never be shown unless the property is a very good value. 
 
Second, you can never stop asking for a price reduction or a value enhancement if that is what it takes to achieve the seller's goals.
 
Third, you must remember that you can not get a price reduction unless you get the listing.
 
Fourth, you can take an overpriced listing if the seller has a real reason to sell.
 
Fifth, you must really know why the seller is selling.
 
You can find out why the seller is selling by asking:  Why are you selling?  Why is that important?  What would happen if that did not happen?  Sorry I am asking so many questions but you are competing against bank owned, foreclosed properties and I want to make sure that the value of a sale will exceed the lower prices that your neighbors are accepting. 
 
Once you have an exact idea of core motivation, you bring it up all the time to remind the seller of the prize.

Remember, if the WHY is great enough and the seller really needs to sell, the HOW of pricing will be a lot easier.

CH

Save time and make money by letting strategically designed marketing materials sell you and your services in your absence!

In this program, top-producing Kansas City agent Char MacCallum reveals how her comprehensive buyer and seller books increase efficiency, keep you in the mind of the customer, and free you up to focus on the profit-producing tasks of your business.

I have copies of these workbooks that I can share if you have an interest.  They are super duper for promoting the most important sales person...YOU!

Staying on top of the latest technology is essential in any business. It's no different for real estate agents, who now have the opportunity to expand their client base and enrich their communications through Internet resources. Unfortunately, most of today's agents are not as technologically advanced and Internet-savvy as the modern consumer. In Terri Murphy's program she will explain, in 12 steps, how to get your business online and start reaping the benefits.

Bill Gates said it best: "If you're not online, you're out of business"

Please contact me if you'd like to hear more about how this program works.

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com

Are your advertising dollars really working for you? Can you track the results you get from money spent on marketing? Are your results immediate? If those questions have ever crossed your mind, it's time to think about direct-response marketing. In this program, Don Hobbs will explain how implementing direct-response programs, along with a consistent image-building campaign, can gain you instant and trackable results to build your business.

I see sales people wasting money on ineffective marketing tactics all the time.  Getting cught up in that drains you faster than anything else.  To learn about getting way more bang for the buck, please contact me:

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com

In this program, Shon Kokoszka will share four of his most successful techniques for getting a buyer's business. You will learn about:

• Easy video presentations that land upper-end buyers.
• Pagers that delight clients and generate referrals for only $8.
• Eliminating buyers' remorse with timely photographs.
• Open House guest passes.

Shon really takes a lot of the pain out of working with buyers.  Please contact me for more informaiton.

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com

While first-time homebuyers may lack the polish of their more seasoned home buying and selling counterparts, one thing is for sure: they will never cease to exist.  As long as new homes are being built and families continue to have children, working with the first-time homebuyer will remain a powerful niche market.  Judy Johns believes that with the right preparation and the proper management of expectations, you can make a powerful first impression on first-time homebuyers, hopefully turning them into lifelong clients.  Contact me about this transcript and learn:

• The noteworthy financial benefits of working within this particular niche.
• Why this can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling niches in the industry.
• How to train first-time homebuyers to properly analyze prospective homes and help them to minimize negative reactions down the road.
• The process by which first-time homebuyers make a decision to buy a home.

The market has never been better than today for first time homebuyers.  These are the buyers that can save our butts in this new economy.

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com

Looking to secure more listings and out-service your competition? Added value services is exactly the ticket, and Allan Asplin has created a unique method in which to do just that. Listen in as Allan Asplin from Manitoba, Canada takes us through the exact steps needed to create and execute a VIP Home Buyer and Seller program, guaranteed to set you a step above the competition.  You'll learn:

• The unique features offered by the VIP Buyer and Seller Programs that garner your customers' loyalty
• Specific marketing copy to run advertising your new program
• The low-cost, high-return results of this program

Adding value is the best way to beat the competition, everyone knows that.  But exactly HOW do you do it? Allan tells in in this lesson. 

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com

New Real Estate Mentor Wayne Cochrane explains his foolproof FSBO lead-generating machine. An agent can generate a lead in a virtually endless variety of ways, but how many of them can: 1) convince FSBO's to create leads for you, and 2) have the FSBO pay you to do it! Wayne Cochrane has created a program that generates dozens and dozens of leads on every single FSBO who decides to use his help. With minimal effort on his part, he receives more leads in a given week than most agents see in 6 months. Check out this week's new success module and learn:

· How to persuade FSBO's to sign a contract with you through benefit-based marketing.

· How to get your FSBO to generate 100's of leads for you, and pay YOU to do it!

· How to use a call capture system to maximize the number of leads you generate for each FSBO.

• How to derive high commissions from FSBO's with minimal effort on your part.

FSBO's are like the forbidden fruit for Realtors.  There are so many goofy programs out there, but this is one of the few that actually gets results

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com

No, Keagle's market isn't Northern California's cutting edge Silicon Valley or downtown metropolitan Seattle, but another location that eventually passes its technology off to hi-tech powerhouses like the Apple's, Hewlett Packard's or Sony's of the world.  While those companies sell primarily to the retail market, Keagle - who admittedly has no real interest in or passion for electronics - canvasses a niche market in her hometown that practically eats and breathes technological sophistication.  As the nation's #1 ERA agent in 2007 for annual number of homes sold, last year Eva closed 270 transactions selling homes to the likes of NASA engineers and Brigadier Generals.  If you aren't a technology wizard, this lesson is meant just for you!  Tune in and learn:

• How to effectively sell homes to a tech-savvy clientele without getting lost in the gadgetry.
• What makes the geek mind tick, and how you can appeal to that personality.
• The supportive team structure required to free you up to properly invest in each prospect.
• A persuasive communication secret that will give you the edge in every client conversation.

Many agents are still intimidated by technology, which needs to change immediately.  However, you can "fudge" your tech knowledge just enough to get by.  Please contact me for this report on how one low-tech agent gained the dominant market share of tech geeks.

challmark@peopleshomemortgagecorp.com