Nilton's Blog

Free Foreclosure Prevention Seminar

Nilton Lisboa (Weichert Realtors - Ernie Houde Associates) — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:00:13 -0500

Seminar...Have you heard that its a "good" idea too?

Well, here is my recent experience...

Over 2 months ago I started to design the seminar. I was pumped and even went to class to get my MA Loss Mitigation Certification. The headline on my ads, website, and press release was "foreclosure prevention seminar". It listed 7 different ways of avoiding foreclosures and I partnered with and attorney for free consultation to anyone attending on the spot. By the way, I also mailed out 1,000 flyers to people who had received notices from their lender and followed up with 1,000 telephone calls. In other words, I thought I had something big and I worked hard to make sure the advertising was done (direct marketing, print ads and my website...4,000 hits per month).

Do you know how many people I had attend? 2

So I hope I will have more attendees next time. I refuse to believe that only 2 people in metrowest saw my marketing and needs help. For the next 2 Saturdays i will continue to hold the seminar. Am I crazy to think that I will have more people next time around? Is it worth all the effort, money, and resources? I'll find out because if I quit now, I willl never know :-) Wish me luck please.

Nilton Lisboa

Mr. Real Estate ... getting there!!

Weichert Realtors - Ernie Houde Associates in Marlborough MA

Not easy..."by referral only"

Nilton Lisboa (Weichert Realtors - Ernie Houde Associates) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:29:06 -0500

Most of us understand that we are in the referral business.

Most of us work really hard for our clients (when we have them)...most of us work hard if we are just given direction.

I just finished the CRS "by referral only" course. WOW I have truly gained direction from those instructors. Its hard to use the "by referral only" business model because you have to have lots of patience (versus the traditional model of working the pipeline...big funnel concept). I am an introvert by nature and being friendly friendly with people ALL THE TIME is a true effort for me. I don't know about you but its often "Show Time" when I am meeting with clients and it sucks the energy out of me. Don't get me wrong, I am good at it but its hard work.

Today I was introduced to a concept of only really caring for 50 people at a time. This means dropping my other business models (expired, cancelled, open houses, geographi farming, etc). The model means that you take really good care of contacting, cultivating, and maintaining 50 people past customers for 1 year and you will be reward with your 2 deals per month after 8-10 months. This will pay the bills and allow for more "manageable" real estate time flexibility.

Valid points were made in not working with strangers...this is against all I have been doing (successfully I may add). In todays market condition, we have to be focused on a few different money making activities. I am all about systems and the by referral system is a great one. I am thinking about moving there and dedicating my "working" hours to building that model...any thoughts?

Be good and Do What You Say You Are Going To Do!!

Nilton Lisboa

Weichert Realtors - Ernie Houde Associates

Marlboro, MA

508-667-1439

nlisboa@weichert.com

Open Houses

Nilton Lisboa (Weichert Realtors - Ernie Houde Associates) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:14:53 -0500

I LOVE OPEN HOUSES!!!

Sometimes its for all of the extra cookies and soda that I always bring hahaha. But mostly its for the chance to talk to people.

Our Open House program takes a lot of time to conduct... I mean, we have to find 40 "target" people to send a personal invitation to. We have to call the 40 peole we mailed post cards to get them to come. Most of these calls are actually fun because you catch them by surprise. Usually I get a few older folks who are just happy to talk to me hahaha. We have to put a rider on the yard sign in the middle of the week stating when the open house is going to be and time. We have to input on 3-4 different websites manually. I know that once we list on our MLS it auto feeds to other postings but I have found that if we do it manually, it gets more exposure and the content is controled by me.

Blowing up the balloons and driving with 16 in your car is a lot of fun too...I was stopped once by the police because he said it was blocking my view...I admit, it was, but it was a great way to talk to the cop because he actually gave me his address and I did a CMA on his property 3 days later!!! He did not want to sell but I did add him to my database and we still talk about the way we met :-)

At the open house, I rarely get less then 3-4 people because of all the work required to do prior to hosting the house open. If you think about it, that is 9-12 more people that I get to talk to a month that I would never had done so. Over a 6 month period, I get 1-2 actually closed transactions from Open Houses. Its 1 piece of the prospecting pie for my business. If you work it, it will work for you too.

So, for the naysayers, it takes work and then you get results. If you don't "work" the plan in getting people there, that is what you get. Listen, the least you will get is a cop pulling you over or a neighbor who is going to like your style.

Good luck in your Open House...

Prospective Buyers...say thank you for those agents who are there for you.

More to come soon...

Nilton Lisboa

Spring Market Opportunity

Nilton Lisboa (Weichert Realtors - Ernie Houde Associates) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:07:28 -0500

Yes...We are in the Spring market and YES...we will have more transactions this year. We'll do just about the same as last year here in our office for 2008 if we don't change HOW we are conducting business.

I have always preached to our associates that the definition of crazy person was "do the same thing you did and expect a different result." I expect a different result from last year (more sales), therefore what are we doing different? Well, the only segment of the market that is growing is the REO sector. Therefore...I have to spend lots of money, resources, and time to get in front of banks.

How do you get in front of banks? The same way we get in front of buyers and sellers in the old days (hahaha). Write, call, write, call, call. Wish me luck and once I achieve success, I'll share my story some more. I was able to do it with buyers and sellers so I WILL do it with lenders. If you can help and/or would like to be helped, let me know.

Until next time,

Nilton Lisboa, Marlboro MA Realtor