Scott 's Blog

Gas Experts Everywhere

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:04:36 -0500

Here in Shreveport and Bossier City, it is like 2005...everyone is all of a sudden a expert! I remember back to 2005 when everyone was an expert on the real estate market. It seemed like everyone either had a real estate license, previously had a real estate license or was getting a real estate license! Remember those days? I call that the Hay day of real estate in Shreveport. Homes were selling in one day for full price, FSBO's were just as successful as agents and support companies like mortgage, title and home inspection companies were opening up at an alarming rate!

Now that Chesapeake Energy has declared Shreveport and Bossier a hot spot for natural gas, named the "Haynesville Shale" we are beginning to see "experts" everywhere. Everyone seems to be land men these days, and those who do not want the title land man, they are starting companies that claim to help others get more money from the oil companies. My favorite hoax is struggling real estate agents claiming to be experts in leasing of sub-surface rights, AKA mineral rights. It has gotten so bad in Shreveport that even one agent has self published a book on how not to get ripped off on lease agreements, as if real estate agents have to graduate Law School these days or have any business giving legal advice.

Whatever happened to the day that we learned a trade, got really good at it and stuck it out during the good and bad. I have come to realize that some people are just attracted to being pretenders in an effort to take advantage of the general public ignorance. It makes sense on the surface that Real Estate agents would be experts in Oil and Gas leases...wouldn't it?

If you are reading this and you are in the business of Real Estate, let me encourage you to learn all you can about your trade and get real good at it. If you are the general public and looking for advice on leasing sub-surface rights, I suggest hiring a competent attorney and run from the fly by night experts that are asking you to give them money for information you can read in the local paper.

If you are looking for an awesome Real Estate Company...look no further! www.FriestadRealty.com

Scott

North Louisiana Pregnant with Opportunites

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:23:10 -0500

Due to a few unusual factors in Shreveport and Bossier City, I believe this is one of the best times ever to purchase investment/rental properties in our area. First and foremost, the mortgage industry has made it more complex for people with marginal credit to purchase a home, so vacancy rates in the area are very low. With all the chatter of Barksdale Air Force Base beefing up and the possibilities of part of Cyber Command, housing on base will fill up quickly. Not all Airman are willing to purchase homes on what could be short assignments.

Thirdly, all the talk and excitement of the Haynesville Shale in Shreveport and Bossier City, if and when drilling for this massive gas find will bring in thousands of workers, and of course, they will all need places to either buy or rent!

Home values are stable, rental prices are high as ever, apartments are full and we are in somewhat of a buyers market.

If ever you were looking to purchase investment/rental properties, Shreveport and Bossier City are ripe for the picking. This is one of the areas that you can purchase property with as little as 10% down, and be very cash positive even after figuring in taxes, insurance and repairs.

We would love to help you explore the possibilities of purchasing investment property in our area. Our company, Friestad Realty, not only will help you stay abreast of the market, but we will help you find the right property, and then manage it for you! We are your one stop real estate shop. Check us out at www.friestadrealty.com or call Scott at 318-210-8216.

What is HOT in Shreveport Louisiana

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:09:58 -0500

Shreveport Louisiana is a large city in Northwest Louisiana. Shreveport and Bossier City are two cities divided by the Red River, so most real estate agents work both large cities. So, what is HOT this summer in Shreveport Louisiana?

1. A fair amount of people are consumed with learning about sub-surface (mineral) rights. The Haynesville Shale was announced to be under all of us here in Shreveport and Bossier City, and land men are all over the place trying to lease sub-surface rights. I have heard of people getting up to $15,000 in bonus money per acre and as little as $250 per acre.

2. The rental business is really heating up. Barksdale AFB looks like it is getting some new units, the workers that will be brought in for all the drilling of gas, and the troubled mortgage market has kept vacancies down and landlord profits up!

3. The purchase of Rental Property are on FIRE. Shrevport and Bossier City are one of the few cities left in America where finding CASH Positive properties is very easy!

4. Friestad Realty is heating up rather quickly! Friestad Realty has just added a property management division and an REO division to keep up with the trends in the real estate market here in Shreveport.

Let us help you with any real estate needs!

www.FriestadRealty.com

Friestad Realty is now open

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:59:38 -0500

Friestad Realty, the premire real estate company in Northwest Louisiana that has three distinct divisions is now open for business. Our first division is the first rate service of providing buyers and sellers the ultimate experience of home buying and selling. Our years of service and expertise places us heads and shoulders above the crowd in this competitive market. Unlike other "great" agents in Shreveport and Bossier City, we do not charge transactions fee's and other "junk" fees. Plain and simple real estate with an awesome staff that will help "bring you home."

Our second divison is our property management division. We have owned and managed rental property in Shreveport Louisiana for many years and have learned so much about managing residential homes. We would love to help owners of rental property find that perfect tenant! For folks looking for rental property...look no further.

Announcing the latest addition to our company, our REO division. We have joined forces with one of the largest REO companies in the World, Benham REO and are really excited about helping asset managers and large banks sell REO properties.

You can find us online at www.FriestadRealty.com or email Scott at Scott@FriestadRealty.com

Our office phone is 318-210-8216.

We look forward to help "Bring You Home"

Scott Friestad

Mortgage situation in Shreveport Louisiana

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:15:26 -0500

This is the most amazing time to be a home buyer in Shreveport Louisiana. Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana and the www.shreveportagents.com team are here to help you through all the confusion of the mortgage industry and help you find the best deal, with the best mortgage rate, with the lowest fees in the least amount of time. That is more than a long sentence, it is our mission, to help you get into the house fast and for the lowest amount.

In the past three weeks, our team has been meeting with different lenders on a daily basis really learning the different programs each lender offers and understanding what is really happening in the mortgage world today. Just recently we met with a few men from Aulds, Horne and White, a local "lender" in the Shreveport area, and learned that they actually are lenders and not just brokers. Wow, we at www.shreveportagents.com were really shocked to hear that they do everything right here in Shreveport Louisiana! Most of the other people we have been meeting with are simply "brokers" and do not lend money on houses. If you did not already know, that means that when something goes wrong with your loan, your purchase, your dream...they get to point the finger to the real lender. What we have heard more than 10 times this year alone is "it is in underwriting". The truth on all those blown deals is that the loan could not get approved and it is easy to point the finger at "underwriting" instead of tell the agent and the client the truth.

This is a great time to buy a home in Shreveport and Bossier City Louisiana. Rates are low, prices are stable, time on market has been getting longer and the number of houses on the market seem to be growing. Take advantage of the market conditions and contact one of well trained team members at www.shreveportagents.com today.

Oak Alley Bossier City

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:32:26 -0600

Oak Alley is a beautiful gated subdivision in Bossier City right off of I-220. This up-scale, perfectly designed gated subdivision is located directly behind one of the major hospitals in Bossier City. Convient to just about everything in Bossier City, and minutes away from Shreveport, Oak Alley had become a very popular gated community. Home prices in Oak Alley range from $350,000 to well over $1 Million. The average price per square foot in Oak Alley is $185 a foot. All of the homes in Oak Alley have the latest in everything.

On a sunny sprind day a drive through quiet Oak Alley may reveal wild rabbits living with the residence. My children and I love to drive through Oak Alley on a Sunday afternoons and watch the rabbits play! Probably the most luxurious gated communtiy in Bossier City, Oak Alley is proven to provide what people are looking for in a communtiy. We here at Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana think that the developers of Oak Alley did an amazing job! If you would like to view all the homes for sale in Oak Alley, please contact Scott Friestad at 318-210-8216, or simply visit the awesome website, www.shreveportagents.com

Oak Alley is an awesome place to raise a family, and housing values look to remain strong in this amazing gated subdivision.

Welcome Ann Tew to Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:09:17 -0600

Ann Tew, a long time resident of Shreveport Louisiana has recently joined the office of Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport Louisiana. Ann, who is no stranger to real estate or business recently decided to use her years of experience in business and her love of real estate to become a real estate agent. Ann Tew can be reached on her cell phone at 318-208-0651 or at the Keller Williams Realty office at 318-213-1555.

Ann is going to specialize in helping builders get spec and custom homes sold. For the past few years she has lived very close to Cross Lake, so she can assist buyers looking at lake homes. Ann has tremendous talent in staging and decorating homes as well. Ann can assist anyone in the Shreveport and Bossier City area buy or sell a home.

We welcome Ann Tew to real estate and to Keller Williams Northwest Louisiana.

Welcome Michelle Reliford to Keller Williams Northwest Louisiana

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:51:52 -0600

Welcome Michelle Reliford to the office of Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport Louisiana. Michelle has been in real estate for a couple of years and loves to help buyers find the home of their dreams and take care of all the details of becoming home owners. Michelle also loves to help sellers in Shreveport and Bossier City get top dollar for the home they are selling and sell in a short time period! Michelle comes to Keller Williams from Century 21 Stan Cole and Associates. Michelle moved to Keller Williams Northwest Louisiana because she was starving for training and decided it was time to join the premiere real estate training company in North America. Michelle would love to bring her drive, determination and passion to your life and help you in your next real estate transaction. Michelle can be reached on her cell phone 318-799-7569 or at the Keller Williams office in Shreveport 318-213-1555.

We are so excited to have Michelle Reliford on the Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana team!

The secret to lead generating!

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:18:50 -0600

While speaking with friends and business partners the other day I asked a question of HOW do agents keep lead generating. You know, how does the real estate agent push through all the distractions of real estate and do the one thing that "makes it rain", lead generate? My good friend Jonathan Newton told me that in his opinion that accountability was the magic pill. Another friend of mine, Chris Hayes told me that he was going to start getting new agents to watch him while he lead generates which in his words will have him showing off for them, but sounding so much more professional on the phone. Wow, what amazing ideas these two great guys shared with me. So I asked Jonathan Newton to explain the whole "accountability" deal to me. Check this out...

Commit to X amount of time or people that you will contact daily. Once you have committed to it, write a check for say $50 to another agent in the office conditional on you not meeting your daily goal. So, if you do not lead generate for X amount of time every day this week, the agent can cash the check! Now that is real accountability. If money is not your gig...just have another agent ask you daily if you hit your goal! Thanks Jonathan Newton for that advice.

Now we all know how hard it is to daily do the one thing that brings us clients...lead generate...and our awesome company Keller Williams Realty suggest we lead generate 3 hours a day, so now the ball is in your court. Are you going to go grab that new agent and show off like Chris Hayes suggests or set up a high level of accountability like Jonathan Newton suggest?

What ever you do, just do it.

Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:45:54 -0600

Now that some time has passed since Bossier City dumped a bunch of money into the Louisiana Boardwalk, we can all look back on the planning and should give great credits to the planners and approval board of this awesome project. For those of you that do not know, Shreveport and Bossier City has some very large and beautiful casinos. When the casinos came to town, many food establishments went out of business and the entire entertainment industry suffered great lose. For years, all entertainment took place within the walls of these beautiful casinos. A few years ago Shreveport tried to establish a downtown entertainment district and compete with the casinos, with no success. The city lost millions and private businesses that took the risk with the city went bankrupt. The project failed in the worst way. A year or two passed and just across the Red River, blocks away where Shreveport tried to establish an entertainment district, Bossier City built what I would call an outdoor mall. This Boardwalk is filled with neat shops, lots of franchise shops and some great food establishments. Early on the Boardwalk suffered, however, today the Louisiana Boardwalk is a very popular destination for movies, shopping, food and fun! Congratulations to the city officials and citizens of Bossier City for staying out of judgement of what happened in Shreveport and pushing forward with the fresh new idea of a boardwalk in North Louisiana.

If you are in the market to move to Shreveport or Bossier City, visit www.shreveportagents.com for the latest on housing in both cities.

Getting organized on Sunday Afternoon

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 07:46:15 -0600

Years ago, a great man shared a Sunday secret with me that has helped my personal and business life over the past few years. He told me to spend one hour on Sundays planning out my week, but do not spend anytime planning till after attending church and taking a nap. His logic was that I would be motivated, feeling free, and fresh. Wow, to this day I spend most Sunday's doing exactly that. On this Sunday I will be attending church with my three boys (my wife is showig homes to an out of time buyer this morning) then I will make lunch, take about a two hour nap and then spend this evening planning out my week. I have added to this routine to read a leadership or motivational book for an hour later in the evening. When I wake up on Monday morning I am ready to be the best I can be! I probably get more done on Monday from 8am till Noon then I get done all week.

Another secret someone share with me years ago was to release everything from the previous week on Sunday afternoons. When you lay down to take the nap, release every negative thought, every word that offended you, the memory of a deal dying, you know, the junk from the previous week. When you wake up, embrace the thought that yesterday is gone and the future is bright, so go toward the light!

Here it is again. Attend Church, take a nap, spend some time planning next week. Great formula for an awesome week.

Letting Go! Let it go

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:22:18 -0600

Let it go, whatever might be holding you back today, do the easy thing and Let it go. Let me explain for those of us that have trouble with simple things. Everything that happened prior to you reading this of which could be bothering you, that which causes pain, that what is stopping you from being the very best you can be...Let It Go. I can hear you now telling me you don't want to let it go...but what you are really saying is you want to be far less than your best. Abused as a child, been in and out of relationships, divorced a couple of times, failed businesses, fallen down a bunch, people let you down, you let people down...so what...move on...let it go.

As long as those images of failure and let down are taking up space in your brain, no new great sucessful ideas can be created. Really, holding on to what happened stops us from making something new happen. We only have room for so much stuff and if we are filled with garbage we cannot fit the sweet nectar of of beautiful flower into our life! Let it Go. Start over, try again, move ahead, win

Real Estate is one of those industries that we have to learn to let it go. As Maxwell says, "Yesterday ended at Midnight". If we can learn to let it go, we might just wake up tomorrow to a great market, lots of motivated sellers and tons of motivated buyers that need our help. When CNN or Gannet lie about how bad the real estate market is, let it go and go sell a home. Go list a home and watch it sell quickly for full price. Live each day to prove the naysayers wrong, but let it go and go let something beautiful begin in your life.

No matter what life has dealt...let it go.

Something I recently read in the book, "Work Like You're Showing Off", Columbus did not sit around arguing if the earth was flat or round, nope, he let it go, got in the boat and here we are!

Let it Go

Cyber Command

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:03:52 -0600

Another great announcement came from the US Department of the Air Force this week in regards to Cyber Command! The base where it will be headquartered will not be announced for a while and no longer are only a few cities being considered, but over 15 are being looked at. My favorite announcement...They are going to put a plan in place to select which city will get the home of Cyber Command!

For everyone that thought Bossier City and Barksdale AFB had it all along...Keep the hope alive. Shreveport and Bossier City would be a great home for Cyber Command, and Cyber Command would be a great thing for Shreveport and Bossier City. Just in case anyone that has any power in the decision making process reads this blog, Shreveport and Bossier City have great houses at very low prices. We never experienced the "high" of 2004 and 2005 like most other major cities, so the housing low will never really hit us. Affordability when it comes to housing is perfect in our great city. In my humble opinion, we are the next Atlanta with one exception...we have a river and plenty of water.

Bring on the Cyber, bring on the command and bring clients that need affordable housing.

Contact Scott or Kerry Friestad at www.shreveportagents.com for all of your housing needs in Shreveport and Bossier City.

It hits us all the same!

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:45:03 -0600

Recently I was at the annual convention for Keller Williams Realty listening to the founder, Gary Keller talk about the ups and downs that he has seen in the Real Estate market in the last 20 years. In one of his many "self talks" he shared a couple of quotes that hit me really hard. I cannot take credit for any of the quotes that you are about to read, however, I hope to one day put them all together and start living them!

It hits us all the same is a way of thinking. As you think about it, think back to 9-11. It really hit most of us the same. If you lived in South Louisiana during the storm, it hit us all the same. If you watched American Idol this week, it hit us all the same. I have been told that life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond! If it hits us all the same, then how we respond will determine how it affects us. You see if it hits us all the same, it is easy to see that we are not all the same and we do not all have the same stuff, so how we respond has so much more to do with it.

If how we respond to it is really what matters, I would say do not let your reaction be you're response! Most of us have horrible reactions! What I have seen in great people is that they do not respond with their reaction. Imagine this for one moment...if we all responded with our reactions, how would language be at our offices? Really, no matter how religious or snooty your are, when you hit your finger with a hammer, the same three or four words come to mind! But some people have learned that their mind might think it but their mouth will not speak it. Wow, life might be 10% what happens and 90% how we respond.

In Real Estate, when that client we have driven around for 12 weeks and shown 700 homes to goes and calls a sign and buys the home with another agent, what is your reaction? What is your response?

It hits us all the same, none of us are excluded. Good and bad are a part of this world, how we deal with each will determine how we rise and fall. The next time it hits, think that how you respond will determine your future. Your life, the lives or your family and your business is cheering you on hoping you will not let your reaction be your response. In an up or down market, do not let your reaction be you're response! Only 10% of your life is the market, 90% of your life is how your respond to it!

Let it go...it hits us all the same.

The best is yet to come...

Work like you're showing off

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:53:14 -0600

Warning, this blog is written to give my opinion and suggest that everyone read the book, "Work Like You're Showing Off!" by Joe Calloway.

I recently read the awesome book "Work Like You're Showing Off" by Joe Calloway after the owner of the real estate franchise I am an owner of, Gary Keller, suggested I read the book. This book is one of the most profound, in your face, real, powerful books I have ever read. Joe takes no time with frills or long drawn out stories or examples, he just tells it like it is. Showing off is not something this world suggest, however, after reading this awesome book, I would suggest all of us in the real estate community learn how to show off while serving our clients. Joe is so full of wisdom in the area of being the best in the world at what you do. Check out this list of some of the three and four page chapters in the book:

3. All Hat and No Cattle

6. Get in the Damn Boat and Go

8. We See Things as We Are

14. Going All In

19. What You Think of Me Is None of My Business

21. Guess What I Want and Other Stupid Mind Games

If you are looking for a book that will cost you money...one that is so good you will find yourself buying it by the case to give to your friends, co-workers and clients, I would suggest going to your favorite book store and picking up this amazing book. Once you read it, write me and tell me you favorite chapter.

To all the real estate agents that want to be the best..."Work Like You're Showing Off"

Keller Williams Northwest Louisana on the Grow

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:40:31 -0600

What an amazing week the leadership of Keller Williams Northwest Louisiana had in New Orleans this week at the Agent leadership Council Clinic with Mo Anderson. Mo Adnerson is probably the most inspirational real estate professional I have ever had the great privilage to hear. She is almost 71 years old and she is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Keller Williams Realty International. In one word, Mo is "Amazing".

This week our leadership learned how to servant lead, how to become leaders in our city, how to conduct ourselves as real estate agents, and most importantly, how to be keepers of the strong culture Keller Williams Realty is founded upon.

Chris Hayes, our top producer for 2007 was interviewed by Mo on what it takes to make it to the top!

Jonathan Newton was interview by Mo on why he would move from Realty Executives and lose 21 listings to come to Keller Williams. He told her it was "a no brainer", "Keller Williams is an Agent Centered business where agents care for one another", unlike the last company he was at.

The highlight of the week was Jennifer Gibson with the Shreveport group addressing the entire room and calling Keller Williams "A Powerful Movement" and telling the room that agents are "crazy" not to be with this awesome company!

I so look forward to seeing the culture of Real Estate in Shreveport Louisiana change as agents move to Keller Williams and learn how to be servant leaders, how to serve the client and not be self-serving, and to see our agents treat the co-op agents like Kings and Queens! The future is bright for Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana!

Market showing signs of strength

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:23:45 -0600

Today is March 1st and the housing market in Shreveport and Bossier City seems to be as strong as ever. My wife, Kerry Friestad and I are both very active real estate agents in the area and she has had at least 5 offers in the past 3 weeks not get accepted because the sellers had multiple offers to look at. Just yesterday, a bank owned property that has been on the market for over 100 days, multiple offers in the $150,000 were presented! Kerry's client really wants the house so offering full price and asking for no closing costs should do the trick! I was thinking this morning, what if the housing market returns to the 2004-2005 level in Shreveport and Bossier? Wow, multiple offers...and great offers non the less on many homes and during a time in which lending standards are higher than every...What an awesome business to be in.

For those of you that are not seeing a great real estate market...I would suggest changing what you are looking at every day. Focus on the reality of the market and see some amazing things happen.

My wife and I love real estate, we love Keller Williams, and we love Shreveport Louisiana!

Strong Local Market

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:16:10 -0600

Our local market in Shreveport and Bossier City is very strong. As a whole, we are off 4.1% from a year ago. I know most of the press is leading people to believe the sky is falling, but here in Shreveport and Bossier City, the time is good to buy or sell real estate. If you would like to see all 2500 homes for sale in our area you can visit http://www.shreveportagents.com/ and search all the homes for sale.

For Real Estate professionals, I would say that what you focus on is so important. In our maket, sales are off by almost 5% yet most agents are focused on the fall of 5% rather than the potential of helping the 95%! If you focus on what is not working...things tend to not work. Our team and our company is seeing tremendous growth while other agents are singing the blues. If the market is down where you are...imagine all the agents getting out of the business. Now with that said, imagine the opportunities you have to help the people that are looking to buy or sell a home right now. Focus on what is working, not what is not working. One way to keep your mind out of the gutter is to not allow it to go there in the first place. The press will focus on the negative, so do not allow yourself to watch the press...Keep your mind out of the gutter in the first place. I have always thought the newspaper was good...for the dog to make a mess on! :)

Happy holidays and welcome Cyber Command to Bossier City! Go Tigers

Strong Local Market

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:16:00 -0600

Happy holidays and welcome Cyber Command to Bossier City! Go Tigers

Local market is strong

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:32:11 -0600

Our local market in Shreveport and Bossier City is very strong. As a whole, we are off 4.1% from a year ago. I know most of the press is leading people to believe the sky is falling, but here in Shreveport and Bossier City, the time is good to buy or sell real estate. If you would like to see all 2500 homes for sale in our area you can visit www.shreveportagents.com and search all the homes for sale.

Happy holidays and welcome Cyber Command to Bossier City!

Cyber Command in Bossier City

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:18:12 -0600

This week thousands will visit Bossier City and Shreveport to look at and talk about what Cyber Command will look like in years to come. According the press, over 200 companies will be in Shreveport and Bossier City for a meeting and meet and great in the next few days. Cyber Command, which is scheduled to be built pretty close to Barksdale Air Force Base will have a big impact on the way this country deals with terror in the future, and it will have a major impact on the economy of Shreveport and Bossier City.

As a Real Estate Agent our team can help anyone that is looking to relocate to Shreveport and Bossier City. We have over 20 agents all working together as a team to help the transition as smooth as possible for all the families that will be relocating to Bossier City and Shreveport over the next few years. You can find us on the Web and search all homes that are for sale right now by going to http://www.shreveportagents.com

We look forward to Cyber Command coming to Bossier City and hope that we can help you and your family make a smooth move.

This week will be exciting and major companies get a closer look at Shreveport and Bossier City Louisiana. We see that Microsoft, Dell and other technology companies are already buying land and buildings near the projected home of Cyber Command. Now is a great time to purchase a home as well

Clients for life

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:46:51 -0600

I was reading a book the other day called "The Seven Secrets" by John Hagee and on page 48 he gives reasons why people quit going to business establishments. I thought this could also be true of why people use a differnt real estate agent everytime they buy or sell a home. Rate yourself in these areas.

1% Die

3% Move away (should be using you to move)

5% Develop other friendships (meaning you did not stay close)

9% leave because someone beats your price (meaning you did not offer enough value for the money)

14% are dissatisfied with the product (meaning your were looking at for your commission not their good)

68% Don't like the attitude of the service provider (you did not share geninue concern for them)

Want to keep clients for life? Don't die or let them die and treat them like they are family! Plain and simply.

Who is listening

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:22:03 -0600

We are real estate agents...which means we help people buy and sell homes. What we really do is have conversations with people all day long that are looking to buy or sell real estate. So, what do we really do? I believe the real estae business is made up of a group of Leaders that help lead and guide people to make decsission about Real Property. We are Leaders!

In one of Maxwell's latest books, John poses the following question: If we are leaders, is anyone listening to you?

If you find yourself without business, work on your leadership skills. If you have found 99 reasons why business is not as good as it once was...take a leadership course, buy a leadership book, have a leadership thought. We are only as good as the people that are listening to us.

John Maxwell has over 30 books on becoming a great Real Estate Agent...I mean a great leader.

Who is listening to you???

Best time of the year

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 09:07:30 -0600

From today through the end of the year is the best time for working real estate agents to thrive! Traditionally, agents have been led to believe that the holiday season is a bad time to sell real estate or a great time to take the rest of the year off! To the large portion of agents that are going to take the rest of the year off...We wish you a happy holiday season. To the working agents...Let the games begin!

People are buying and selling right now and are looking for a hard working, caring agent to work with them while they are off work and have time to shop for that new home. Just yesterday one of our clients said, "I have to find a home this weekend so that we can be in our new home by Christmas".

As John Maxwell says; "Today is worth two tomorrows". That is true of everyday, no matter what season we are in.

I do not recall who coined this phrase, however I think it applies to this season as well. "Whether you think you can or cannot, your right." So, to all the hard working, caring agents that want to put the exclamation mark on another great year, here is what I can offer. Work hard! Set a goal to close 3,4,5 more transactions this year and go do it! When you feel like taking the day off because school is out, change your mind and call 30 people out of your have met database. They are at home taking the day off dreaming of a new home for Christmas. Imagine selling 5 more homes this year...how will that make you feel?

Remember, people you know want to buy or sell a home right now. How you respond to that truth could set you free to become all that you have dreamed of becoming.

Happy Holidays!

Shreveport and Bossier Markets are great!

Scott Friestad (Friestad Realty) — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 08:55:46 -0600

The news would have Real Estate agents believing that the market here has gone to the pot! The best advice I can give to agents in Northwest Louisiana is to turn the news off and stop reading the newspaper. After pulling all the numbers from the past three years, here is what is really going on in our market. Comparing Jan 1st through October 31st 2006 to the same months of 2007 we have seen a 4.1% decrease in closed transactions. That means that there has been almost no change in our market. Buyers are buying and sellers are selling. Over 8000 transactions have closed in our little market in both 2006 and 2007. With the average sales price of $140,000 for both years, that is a lot of business that someone is closing! If you are listening to the media and believing that our market has dropped, you are probably missing out on your fair share of income.

To every agent in the Shreveport and Bossier City area: If you or your brokerage is not thriving in this market, it may be time to call our office and begin again! You can find me at www.shreveportagents.com

Here is to another great real estate year!