Hello Everyone!

I hope that you are healthy and staying busy.  I had been racking my brain trying to figure out a way to make a steady stream of income in this market.  Then it dawned on me ----property management.  I have been doing it for friends and family for many years and established a nice little stream for myself.  So, I decided to start mentioning my services to everyone.  In as little as 3 months, I've gotten about another 15 properties to manage.  Now that may not sound like alot, but do the math.  The average rent down here is about $1200/month.  I charge 10% for doing everything from collections to notices to coordinating repairs.  $1200 x 10% = $120 x 15 = $1800 PER MONTH!!!!  Every month!!!  Imagine having 30,40, or 50 of them!  Most all of out real estate associations have the forms and agreements needed to start with.  There are systems out there that you can purchase if you really want to get into it like me.  But, the basics are available through the boards. 

In this market, with need to think of other income streams.  Property management has lead to listings also.  I am now working on trying to find investors to purchase properties and then let me manage them.  Believe me, I know how tough it is right now.  Persistence!!!  The strong will survive!  We just need to hang in there and find other ways to make money in this market.  Once this makret is behind us, not only will we have less competition from other realtors, but we will have a nice steady flow of money from things like property management.

Anyway, I said my piece.  I don't want to bore anyone.  GOOD LUCK! Let me know if anyone needs anything!

I have just recieved a list of categories from Petra Norris.  She is kind enough to share this list with all of us and with her permission, I am posting it here for everyone to benefit.  I really think that will help us think of those people that we forget about.  I know I am changing my marketing to try and attract more of these people.  Here is the list and enjoy and Good Luck!  Thanks again Petra Norris-----you're the sweetheart!

Accountants                             Agriculture                    American Legion                      Apartment Managers

Appraisers                                Architects                     Attorney's                                Auto Maintenance

Auto Sales                                Baby Sitter                   Board Members                       Car Club

Car Rentals                              Catering Services          Cellular Phones             Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce          Childrens Activities         Childrens Friends Parents         Chiropractor

Civic Organizations                   Civic Panels                  College Friends                        Community Boards

Computer Repairs                    Computer Sales            Conference Attendees              ConstructionlBuilding

Consultants                               Copy Machines            Counselors                               Country Clubs

Credit Advisors                        Day Care                     Dentist                                      Doctor's

Driving School              Drug Stores                  Economic Panels                      Engineers

Entertainment Industry  Equipment Sales           Escrow Officers                        Family

Federal Express                        Financial Institutions      Financial Planner                       Firewood

Fishing Friends             Flower Shops               Friends of Parents                     Friends of Spouse

Funeral Homes             Furniture Stores            Garden Club                             Gardners

Gas Station Owners                  Golf, Club, Friends       Government Services                Grocery Stores

Hair Dresser                             Hardware Stores          Health Club                              Health Insurance

Hearing Services                       Heat-A/C. Comp.        Highschools                              Highway Patrol Local

Hobby's                                   Home Owners Assoc   Hotels, Motels                          House Cleaning

House Painter                           Insurance Agent's         Internet Services                       Investigators

Jewelers                                   Limousine Service         Local Business Owners Manufacturing Sales

Martial Arts                              Military             Motor Home Rentals                Motorcycle's

Moving Companies                   Music Lessons              Neighbor's                               Newspapers

Office Supplies             Optometrist                  Paging Systems             Paralegals

Parent Teacher Assoc.              Party Services              Past Buyers/Sellers                   Pawn Brokers 

Pediatrician                               Personnel Consultant    Pharmacy                                 Photography

Physical Therapy                      Piano Lessons              Pizza Shops, Svc.                     Planning Commission

Police Local                             Post Office                   Postman                                   Printers

Probate Services                      Public Storage              Real Estate Management           Religious Leaders

Religious Members                   Restaurant (Owners)     Retail & Service Business         Retirement Homes

Roofers                                    Rotary Club                  School Administrators   School Teachers

School, Other                           Scientists                      Scouting                                   Secretarial Services

Self-Improvement                     Seminar Attendee's      Service Organizations               Skiing

Sports Clubs                            Sports Teams               Stocks, Mutual             Swim Clubs

Tax Preparers                           Telephone Company     Television Repair                      Television Sales

Temporary Help                       Tennis Clubs                 Tire Service                              Towing Servce

Transportation                          Travel Service              Veterans Foreign Wars Veterinarian

Video Rental                            Water Company           Website Services                      Wedding Services

Wholesale Suppliers                 YMCA I YWCA         Funds Sales

Hello all!

I hope that everyone is well and healthy.  I have been in real estate for a few years now.  I understand the idea behind the "Sphere of influence" and I think it's great.  But, I have been busy enough until the last 6 months and then it just hit a brick wall.  I have been think about the Sphere of Influence and I was wondering if anyone has a list of the categories.  I now that I saw it a few years ago, but I am unsuccessful in locating it now.  I think that it is great we share our ideas.  I really believe that we need to help each other.  I have been farming these neighborhoods for a few years now and still NOTHING!  You know what they say " insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."  It is time to have a different course of action.

So, if anyone has anything that they can contribute---please do so.  We will all benefit from it.

Thanks everyone & Have a great day!

I recently was visiting a realtor friend of mine at another office.  The phone is not exactly ringing off the hook....you know!  So I decided to visit friends that used to be in the same office as I was. 

My friend is the type of person who is the first one in the office in the morning and last one to go to bed at night.  While we were speaking, another realtor in the room was complaining about the lack of sales and on the condition of the market in general.  Still another realtor in the room, says that she has so many listings that it is more than she can handle and offers to have this realtor complaining work with her on some of them.  What happened next almost made my head explode!  He said, "No, thanks.  What I need are sales, not listings."  I asked "What is the difference?"  He just couldn't understand what I was getting at. 

Some people have the blinders on.  They don't see the link between the two.  This isn't 2005 or 2006.  We need to work harder and smarter to get the sales.  I am a firm believer that .....he who has the most listings....makes the money.  If 3 years ago it took 10 listings to make 2-3 sales a month, then now we need 25-30 listings to make maybe 2 sales.  Point is the more inventory we have as listing agents, the greater the chance of something getting sold.

In this challanging market we need to get as creative as possible.  But, having many listings increases the chance that another realtor, or a buyer, will see something they like for themselves or their buyers.  Having more listings, I think is a no brainer.  I have been working the expireds alot lately.  A little at a time I am getting more calls.

Listen, I don't pretend to be a know it all or the"best" realtor.  I'm just saying that we all need a different outlook.  If listings is what you have,  them by all means.....tell everyone that you have them. It cost nothing to tell and e-mail.  Start with the people in your own office.  E-mail them to your friends, co-workers, and other real estate professional you know.  You never know when someone might know someone who just happens to be looking for that house you just happen to have listed.

This is time for, and should always be, unification!  Let us unite and help eachother.  We are in this rocking boat together....no matter where you live!

I just got done reading some articles on the internet and I all read is the same old stuff!  Blah, blah, blah!  As real estate professionals, we should already be used to the ups and downs.

One article I read says "...there are over 1 million properties in foreclosures from nearly 2,500 counties across the nation".   Another says "The market has changed over the last 18 months."  We already know this! Where have the authors of these articles been living?  Under a rock!

Instead of focusing on the negative, real estate professionals should be looking for opportunities to make more money.  Hence this blog!  I have a friend who just turned me on the "Broker Price Opinions" (BPO).  For those of you not currently doing them, you are missing the boat.

Most of the BPO companies have some sort of training.  A BPO is nothing more than a CMA, which most of us already do for free!  The companies pay from $50-$75 per BPO order.  They all require photos.  Therefore there is some driving to do.  But, so what!  What else do have to do right now?  The money is there to be made.  My friend is currently making $5,000 - $6,000 a month doing BPO's.  In Florida the average commission is about that!

It takes some time to get set-up with the BPO companies.  In some cases, it can take as long as 30 minutes.  After you set-up with them, keep calling them until you get orders.  I don't mean call them everyday or every hour, but every few days.  Call them and remind them that you are still here.

Most all of us have a mortgage payment(s).  Call your own mortgage company and ask them to direct you to their BPO/REO department.  Remember that these can lead to REOs.  This is an opportunity to make more money.

And it doesn't stop there.  Sometimes BPOs require that the location be trashed out and re-keyed.  Most of the time, they will ask the person who has the REO (usually the person who performed the BPO) to perform that task, and you get paid to do it.

I am not saying that this is fast or easy money.  I am saying that in times like this we need to stop and re-evaluate the amount of current income that we are getting. 

So, instead of hearing the same story about how "bad" the market is, listen to the opportunities can be presented from this.

Below I have included a small list of companies that you can sign up with.  Just follow their directions and don't get frustrated.  It takes time and patience.  But you can make great money doing it.

SO, GOOD LUCK!  I hope that this help put more money in your pocket!

Remember it cost you nothing to sign-up!

Asset Valuation & Marketing - www.assetval.com/Register.aspx

Asset Foreclosure Services - http://www.assetforeclosure.com/

BPO Direct - http://www.bpodirect.com/

Clear Capital - www.clearcapital.com/join/join_terms.cfm

Go BPO - http://www.gobpo.com/

Mainstreet - http://www.mibank.com/

Nationwide BPOs - www.nationwidebpos.com/index.php

This is a response from  the DBPR regarding what assistants can do.  I thought it would be helpful to all Real Estate Professionals.  I hope you all have a great week!

Joe Pistone

Keller Williams Elite Properties

Direct: (954) 243-5188

Fax: (954) 272-7095

Thank you for contacting the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

The following should be helpful to you.
Unlicensed Activity

At the December 4, 1991 and January 22, 1992, meetings, the FREC determined that the following activities may be performed by an unlicensed employee or assistant in a real estate office.

1.      Answer the phone and forward calls.

2.      Fill out and submit listings and changes to any multiple listing service.

3.      Follow up on loan commitments after a contract has been negotiated and generally secure status reports on the loan progress.

4.      Assemble documents for closing.

5.      Secure documents (public information) from courthouse, utility district, etc.

6.      Have keys made for company listings.

7.      Write ads for approval of licensee and supervising broker, and place advertising (newspaper ads, etc.)

8.      Receive, record, and deposit earnest money, security deposits and advance rents.

9.      Type contract forms for approval by licensee and supervising broker.

10.     Monitor licenses and personnel files.

11.     Compute commission checks.

12.     Place signs on property.

13.     Order items of repair as directed by the licensee.

14.     Prepare flyers and promotional information for approval by licensee and supervising broker.

15.     Act as a courier service to deliver documents, pick up keys.

16.     Place routine telephone calls on late rent payments.

17.     Schedule appointments for licensee to show listed property.

18.     Be at open house for:  (a) security purposes; (b) hand out materials [brochures]; (c) respond to questions which may be answered with objective information and is from pre-printed information.

19.     Answer verbal questions concerning a listing from which the answer may be obtained from pre-printed information and is objective in nature (not subjective comments).

20.     Gather information for a CMA.

21.     Gather information for an appraisal.

22.     Hand out objective, written information in a listing or rental.

23.     Drive a customer or client to a listing or rental.

24.     Give a key to a prospect.

This response prepared by
R Strickland