I know I promised some thoughts on the recent Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors report in my next post, but I've come across something else that I'm really excited about.

Every year, RISMedia and REAL Trends release two of the real estate's most comprehensive surveys: the RISMedia Power Broker Report and the REAL Trends 500. Both surveys rank the largest residential real estate brokerages in the U.S. based on both transaction sides and sales-dollar volume, and these reports are frequently used as referral tools and are referenced by thousands. This year, Keller Williams stormed onto the lists with a very strong showing.

KW offices dominated the Power Broker Report - with more offices listed in their top 700 list than any other franchise brand.  The survey also named Keller Williams Realty as the industry leader in terms of number of agent teams.  And, 102 KW offices were listed in the Companies to Watch section - making up 55% of the total list!  Our offices here in the Lehigh Valley were part of the Companies to Watch section a year ago.  This year our 7 office group has cracked the TOP 100 real estate companies in the US!

As for the Real Trends 500, which lists the top 500 brokerages in the nation, Keller Williams Realty had the second highest amount of offices listed both transaction sides and sales volume, among the top franchise brands.

Even further proof that it's always a great day at Keller Williams!

The latest facts and figures on Lehigh Valley home sales are in from the Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors, and the numbers are better than they've been in quite a while.  While I always caution people against putting too much faith in the banner headlines on CNN, USA Today, or the Morning Call (I'll explain why in a minute), many of the national columnists are starting to say that we've reached the bottom of the cycle in real estate and we'll be in a stable state before a gradual rise in the key indicators.  The reason I caution against such pronouncements is that real estate is and always will be a local business.  You can no more talk about the national real estate market than you can talk about the national weather forecast.  It can be hot in Allentown and cold in Fargo on the same day.  The same is true in real estate; try telling homeowners in parts of Texas about the booming real estate market in 2005.  They'll know you weren't in Austin at the time because 2005 sure wasn't the best time to sell a house in the Texas capital. 

That said, let's take a look at the April numbers in our local market.  The number of homes sold was 496 which was 52 more than March, an increase of almost 12%.  The average sale price was also up 10% from March (208,000 to $229,000), and the time it took the average home to sell fell from 73 days to 67.  All good indicators, right?  They are an improvement, but maybe not as much as you might think.  In almost every year the numbers improve as the weather gets warmer, usually peaking in May and June.  To find the real story you have to dig a little deeper into the numbers.  I'll run my analysis and provide some comments in my next post.

You've watched the news and read about it in the papers. You know, the "credit crisis" and how buyers need 20 percent down in order to buy a home? And even if you found a buyer with 20 percent down, lenders aren't making loans anyway. So, why bother, right? Wrong!

We're right smack in the middle of what just might be the biggest disservice ever perpetrated on potential home buyers.  It seems the press just can't get enough of all the gloom and doom in the housing industry.  The fact is that mortgage money is as available today as it was a year ago and loans are being made this very moment with little or no money down. And, no, platinum credit isn't required.  You just need to know where to look.  Who are these lenders? They're right down the street.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are exploding onto the mortgage scene; recent estimates are that one out of five mortgages are FHA loans. FHA loans never went away, their reemergence is a result of the collapse of the sub-prime market. FHA doesn't technically have a minimum credit score, although, in practice, lenders won't approve an FHA loan with a credit score below 500. But that's a far cry from the notion that an 800 score is the only thing lenders care about.

The best part?  FHA only requires 3 percent down. 3 percent. And that 3 percent can come in the form of a gift or grant.  FHA borrowers only need to have $500 in a transaction.  All the while, FHA mortgage rates are as good or better than their conventional counterparts.

Low or no down payment, extremely competitive rates and easier qualifying.  No wonder FHA is moving up the charts!

Please contact me if you would like more information about FHA loans or help getting into your first home.

I had intended to share some coaching ideas the next time I wrote, but I found something so incredibly powerful that I wanted to share it right away.  I was browsing through the bookstore last week when I noticed Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul) had a new paperback in release called "The Success Principles"  I've never read "Chicken Soup for the Soul", somehow the title never really grabbed me.  It sounded a little too 'touchy-feely' for me.  But I became interested in Mr. Canfield after seeing him in the "The Secret" DVD.  Okay, I guess I'll have to admit that now I'm getting a little more in tune with my 'touchy-feely' side!  I was intrigued by the title of this book and decided to see where this whole thing was headed.  You know the old proverb that says, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear"?  I guess I must be ready! 

Canfield's writing style and ability to relate the material has me looking forward to every opportunity to see down with this incredible book.  This is powerful stuff, and if you're not ready for it you may blow it off as I did with "Chicken Soup".  The very first chapter of the book is entitled "Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life".  I wasn't quite sure at first if I was ready for that much responsibility!  A section of that first chapter states, "You either create or allow everything that happens to you."  This is all in the first few pages!  Canfield mixes sections like this with quotes and philosophies from many of the speakers and great thinkers he's come across to present a great case for thinking big, having a plan, and taking action.  Pick up this book today and get started on the plan that will take you to your wildest dreams! 

 "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." - Abraham Lincoln

I have to admit that I avoid trendy things like the plague.  For example, I've never seen "ET".  My feeling is that something that gets that much hype could never live up to it.  Right or wrong, that's my philosophy and I usually stick to it.  I made an exception this week when one of the agents in our office headed up a discussion on "The Secret" as part of our monthly book club.  We talked about the book and then watched the DVD and I realized that the ideas discussed matched a lot of the same things I had been learning in other venues.  In my last post I talked about some of the things I had learned from hearing Terry Watson; he also discussed "The Secret" when I saw him.  He relayed the lesson of 'target fixation', whatever you focus on is where you'll end up.  Motorcyclists and skiers know this lesson all too well.  "I don't wanna hit that tree, I don't want to hit that tree...I can't believe I hit that tree!"  We were focused on it the whole time.  We were so consumed with avoiding that tree that on the entire mountain it was the only thing we saw.  We aimed right for it.  We really shouldn't be surprised! 

So how does this relate to "The Secret" and specifically your business?  Sometimes we direct so much energy to not failing that we become obsessed with it.  We're not planning for success; it's not even on our radar.  We're too concerned with not failing.  Terry asked us to think about the two words that when used together are the most powerful in the English language: I am.  Whatever follows "I am" is true or will soon become true.  I used to always say "I am terrible at remembering names".  Of course this gave my mind complete permission to be bad at remembering names.  I was off the hook, I was bad at names.  Now however, 'I am really great at remembering names'.  Am I there yet?  No, but I am getting to be really good at remembering names.  Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day!  The story behing "The Secret" and so much of the great things I've been learning, is that we really need to unleash the power of our minds.  Think positively, and good things will happen.  Wake up every morning saying "I am..." followed by several positive statements about what you want to be and what you want to achieve.  Never allow negative thoughts to follow 'I am'.  It's too powerful a statement to misuse it!

I had the great opportunity to hear Terry Watson speak at the PAR District One conference last week and I was blown away.  I'd never heard of Terry before, but he's got quite a resume and he's a very gifted speaker; the type of person who takes control of a room and really lights it up.  Terry talked a lot about the importance of learning, which we all know and appreciate, but said something so profound the entire room erupted in nervous laughter.  He told the story of conducting a class at a competing firm in his native Chicago and during the class he was asked why he was willing to share his knowledge with the competition.  Terry replied, "Because they're paying me a lot of money and you're not going to do what I tell you anyway!" 

How many times have you gone to a class or seminar, gathered some incredible information you thought would completely change your business, and then put the book on the bookshelf or your desk and never opened it again?  I've done this experiment many times, hoping osmosis or something would make the information seep through the desk, up into my keyboard, and into my fingers and brain by some kind of magic and exclusive phenomenon!  It doesn't, which is why I've pulled out my notes from Terry's talk today so that I can put them into action.  Get in the habit of putting some time aside to work 'on' your business.  Yes, the day after you come back from a class you've got 75 e-mails and 30 phone messages, so take the time to get caught up.  But put some time in your schedule later in the day or the next morning to review your notes and the materials you've been given and figure out the two or three things that you learned that will make it worth the time (and money!)you spent to attend. 

Remember, Education without coaching and implementation is entertainment!

A new venture is born!  I 've thought about blogging in the past but never really knew what I would write about.  What did I have to share?  Then I realized that I was fortunate enough to have a lot to share with other real estate agents that we're trying to build a business that would provide for them and their families.  The business that would allow them the freedom to meet their dreams; the one that would put their kids through school, and pay for great family vacations.  My goal is to help others to achieve their goals.  I always welcome your feedback and comments.

Joe