corcoran coaching: All Leads Are Not Created Equal! - 04/30/09 06:31 AM
All leads are not created equal.  The people may be wonderful.  They may love what you show them. They may be committed to buy from you.
But if they aren't ready to buy now or can't get financing, they are not in today's top group of leads.
You want to assign your leads into one of three categories. "A" leads are ready to buy or sell now. "B" leads plan to buy or sell in the next month or two. "C" leads might buy or sell in the next three to six months.
Develop an action plan for each kind of … (0 comments)

corcoran coaching: Reacting to Swine Flu and Lesser Crises - 04/29/09 05:39 AM
Ninety one cases of swine flu and one death have raised concerns that an epidemic is waiting in the wings.  The World Health Organization, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state health departments, school districts, worried parents are already in crisis mode, perhaps for good reason.  Hopefully, the crisis won't materialize. How the crisis was managed will remain long after the fears subside.
Have you ever had a crisis in your career? Maybe we should ask how many have you had today? Let's face it, a great Client Care Coordinator is first and foremost a problem solver, and … (3 comments)

corcoran coaching: I Told You the Sky Wasn't Falling - 04/27/09 05:35 AM
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling... " Chicken Little
Anyone who follows my blog knows I am an optimist.  Even when others have lamented that the real estate industry was all about bad news, I have pointed out the many opportunities that continue to exist for hard working agents. 
Now Department of Commerce figures indicate that new U.S. home sales appear to be bottoming out after a 74% decline since July, 2005.  Home sales hit a record low in January, jumped a bit in February, and then fell flat in March. New home inventories dropped 5% from February levels.  … (4 comments)

corcoran coaching: Successfully Working with Younger Buyers - 04/20/09 02:09 PM
Now that the first time homebuyer's tax credit is a reality, younger buyers make up the clientele of many agents these days. For some agents, this means approaching your clients in a slightly different way.
Are you ready to help them?
You might be saying no, simply because of your age. NAR reports the median age of Realtors® is 52, but the median age of buyers is 39. NAR also reports first-timer buyers accounted for 39 percent of the home purchases in 2007 and 68 percent of these buyers were under 35 and 89 percent were under 45.
So you older … (3 comments)

corcoran coaching: Spreading Your Positive Attitude Can Outweigh the Facts - 04/19/09 04:02 AM
In real estate today, as in life, it is easy to be negative.  Facts make it easy, too.  Recent foreclosure news from Realtrac still shows that Nevada, Arizona, California, and Florida, states where speculation took housing prices to insane levels, lead the nation in foreclosures.  Also on the list are states like Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Oregon where high unemployment has been a factor.  Can we change the facts or minimize or erase the news?  Nope.  Regardless of circumstances, no one in Nevada or Oregon wants to hear "It's not that bad" when they have lost their home.
On the other … (3 comments)

corcoran coaching: Keeping Positive in a Slowing Market - 04/16/09 01:50 PM
"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." Helen Keller
Chances are good that if you're reading this, given the title, you are not feeling positive about today's real estate market or have other associates that are not being positive. Well, let me relieve some stress. The market has been abnormally strong over the last four years, so the market is not a down market, it's a traditional market. Anyone who's been in real estate more than four years knows this. The market is doing … (7 comments)

corcoran coaching: Work That Website - 04/15/09 03:43 PM
There's a million real estate websites out there. Whether they are barebones or agency created, they should provide you with a steady source of leads.
If you are creating leads from your website and yet you are not converting them into closed transactions you are probably not following up in the most efficient and effective way. If your internet leads are not producing the results that you want, ask yourself the following questions:
 1.     Are you contacting internet leads within a maximum of two hours?
2.      Does your website require certain information from your visitors?
3.      Are you marketing your … (8 comments)

corcoran coaching: The Internet Opens Doors to Close More Business - 04/13/09 09:14 AM
Recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) figures suggest that nearly half of all agents have websites while over half do not respond to Internet requests. 
In the old days of print advertising, people sometimes let their response cards sit in a drawer - a waste of money as some respondents would eventually buy the product.  Today, when agents ignore leads from their website or email, the results are more dramatic. Often, agents are overlooking buyers who are ready to go.
About 75% of real estate shoppers are Internet savvy.  This disconnect means that most agents are lagging behind their customers. Agents … (0 comments)

corcoran coaching: Top Agents Are Always On the Job - 04/10/09 10:03 AM
This weekend, many of us, along with our clients. are celebrating Easter or Passover.  While this holiday does not result in a major work slowdown that often occurs around Christmas, many offices tend to be closed on Good Friday or people leave early to prepare for Seder dinners.  Once we get past the weekend, we have holidays every other month until October, plus traditional vacation times.
For you, as a broker or agent, there will be times when you too will be vacationing or celebrating.  Other times, the slowdown will be a great time to learn more about the technology that … (9 comments)

corcoran coaching: Ways That People Invade Your Boundaries - Have a Minute? - 04/09/09 12:27 PM
"Have a minute?" they ask.
"Sure," you say, though you are  really in the middle of something.
Thirty minutes later, the conversation ends.
Number 1 on the list of ways people invade your boundaries: Requests for time or assistance that ignore refusals, or that, once acquiesced to, go on to require far more time or effort than was originally agreed to.
Some boundary invasion is very clear. Other forms are subtle enough that we may not recognize them for what they are and wonder why we feel irritated when they occur, or if we even have the right to feel irritated. All … (0 comments)

corcoran coaching: Understanding the Real Estate Market - 04/08/09 02:45 AM
Correct pricing often makes the difference in bringing real estate transactions to a successful close.
If our house is not being shown, it means agents think our price is too high for that neighborhood. Recommendation: A significant price adjustment. If our house is being shown, but not getting any offers, it means the buyers are finding nicer homes for the money. Recommendation: A moderate price adjustment. If our house is in the running, but the buyers buy something else or if the buyers view the house a second time, but buy something else, it means that the pricing is close to … (2 comments)

corcoran coaching: Developing an "It's My Pleasure Attitude" - 04/07/09 12:55 PM
A great way to make sure that your customers have an excellent experience working with you is to develop an attitude of "It is My Pleasure" to serve you. You need to establish a habit whereby you say "It is My Pleasure" at every opportunity; this will let your customers know that servicing their needs is of the utmost importance to you.
The only item needed to accomplish the goal of having an attitude of "It is My Pleasure" is a great attitude!
For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled "Developing … (6 comments)

corcoran coaching: Staying Warm in a Cooling Market - 03/31/09 11:17 AM
"Nothing endures but change." Heraclitus
Bubble, schmubble. There's been a lot of gabbing about a real estate bubble. Yes, the market has cooled. Yes, interest rates have risen, but honestly, I don't see a bubble. What I do see is a leveling in the market with a shift from a seller's market to a buyer's market.
If we look at this change in context - the last two years have been scorching - a cooling is natural. Nevertheless, it is a change and to stay warm in a cooling market, you must adjust to keep revenue flowing
For additional information and … (1 comments)

corcoran coaching: Corcoran Coaching Techniques Turns Dialing Into Dollars - 03/30/09 10:35 AM
Bob Corcoran was in Casper, WY this week, working with Lisa Burridge and her team.
During Team Prospecting Night at the Lisa Burridge & Associates office this week, her team set 11 appointments in 90 minutes generating a sales volume potential of $2,310,000 and a commission potential of $69,300.  They went with the assumption that an "A" buyer appointment will write an offer in the next 7 days!! Not bad for 90 minutes of focused prospecting by 4 agents! 
That shows you a few things. Scripts work. People who follow them with confidence are successful.
We hope that next we will hear … (0 comments)

corcoran coaching: Setting Work and Life Boundaries - 03/27/09 09:16 AM
Just in time for the weekend...
Does your job or business demand that you be accessible 24/7? In an era of ubiquitous cell phones, pagers, Blackberrys and WiFi internet access, it is easy to keep in touch with the office from anywhere. No doubt, many of you find that this is a mixed blessing at best.
While technology gives increased mobility and connectivity, it can also erode the boundary between your professional and personal life. That's why it is increasingly more important to set reasonable boundaries and stick to them. For most of us there is a constant pressure to work … (2 comments)

corcoran coaching: VOTE FOR Chris Sanders of Sanders & Associates! He is a finalist for this year's 30 under 30 through REALTOR Magazine! - 03/26/09 09:58 AM
Chris Sanders, CEO of the # 1 Keller Williams Team Internationally is coached by Bob Corcoran.  We are excited and proud of his acheivements!
REALTOR® Magazine announced a new addition to our annual "30 Under 30" feature.  While pouring through hundreds of applications, as usual they were lamenting the fact that we have way more worthy candidates than space to profile them. So this year, for the first time, they are asking for readers to vote on their top 50 semi-finalists.  Users will be able to visit REALTOR® Magazine online and see a short profile along with your submitted photograph and … (2 comments)

corcoran coaching: Flourishing in a Slow Market - 03/23/09 02:44 AM
Home sales have begun a slowdown in many markets throughout the country. As a real estate agent, you must contemplate your future actions very carefully. Rather than be afraid of a slowing real estate economy, in order to be successful, you should view these changes in your market as an opportunity.
History dictates the best agents will continue to succeed, and many will even increase their production in such difficult times. While this may seem hard to believe at first, consider that in a strong market just about anyone can sell real estate. When homes are selling fast, inferior competitors may … (2 comments)

corcoran coaching: Crisis Management 101 - 03/20/09 06:04 AM
Have you ever had a crisis in your career? Maybe we should ask how many have you had today? Let's face it, a great Client Care Coordinator is first and foremost a problem solver, and because of this, the front desk will often become a crisis management center. This center is where all problems arrive and are expected to be solved within a short period of time.
How can we become better at crisis management? Before we can begin to answer this question, we need to start by admitting that most of us deep down are cowards at heart. Yes, we … (0 comments)

corcoran coaching: Do you have goals? - 03/17/09 12:01 AM
In the real estate business, agents with written goals make 50% more money. This information came from a recent survey of Remax and Long and Foster agents, whch showed that  realtors with written goals closed 50-100% more transactions than Realtors without written goals. The key is setting teh goals, writing them down, and reading them daily!
Do you have goals? Are they written down?  Have you shared them with anyone else? Listen as Bob Corcoran talks about the importance of goal setting and what pitfalls to watch out for.  Post your commitment below on when you will have your goals determined, written, and … (4 comments)

corcoran coaching: Getting a Jump Start on REO Marketing - 03/16/09 06:29 AM
REO marketing is where it's at in 2009, but getting started is challenging and time consuming.  Now that banks are willing to use real estate agents to sell their large stock of homes, you must carefully follow procedures to get on bank lists and work with distressed properties.
There are four steps to successful REO marketing:
Applying to be a REO Agent - Every bank has a slightly different procedure.
Securing REO Listings -.Once you are the bank list of approved agents, you must systematically call and email the proper contact.  When you finally reach the right person, you must maximize … (3 comments)