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2010 IS HALF WAY OVER. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FINISH THE YEAR OUT STRONG? - 06/29/10 09:34 PM
July 4th is this weekend. Where did the year go?
Before I let my thoughts drift to our upcoming family vacation, I find myself thinking...
"The year is half way over. How is my business coming?"
I write down my production goals each year and post them on Active Rain.
I have had a solid start to 2010, but I am not on pace to achieve my production goals this year...
That is OK. I fall short of my production goals every year. This business is way harder than I expected, and it continues to surprise me year after year...
You can't control your results. … (12 comments)
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THERE ARE NO MAGIC WORDS. THE KEY TO MARKETING IS CONSISTENCY... - 06/29/10 09:30 AM
I read an interesting post this morning...
It was titled "Finally!!! I Found A Door Drop Flier That Worked!" and written by Karen Fiddler out in Mission Viejo California.
It was featured on Active Rain. After reading it, I found myself somewhat torn...
In the post, Karen writes that she had apparently found a marketing piece that worked. It was a list of what Karen brings to the table as an agent. She shares the words in her post...
While I am pleased that she found success in her marketing and am happy she may have inspired a few more Realtors to give print marketing a try...
I … (11 comments)
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REALTORS GET PAID TO SELL HOMES. NOT TO SHOW HOMES... - 06/28/10 03:30 PM
I read a post on Active Rain that really surprised me...
The gist of the post was how real estate agents need to "stand up for their profession" and begin charging our clients an up front retainer fee...
There were tons of comments on the post from other agents, and a large percentage were supportive...
There has been a lot of a buzz on this subject the last couple months...
Look, I understand...
The real estate market is tough right now. It is not easy being an agent.
But a retainer fee? Are you kidding?
Realtors get paid to sell homes. Not to show homes...
… (11 comments)
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REAL ESTATE SALES TIP #1: NEVER TELL THEM WHAT YOU DO... - 06/27/10 04:50 PM
I guess I shouldn't say never...
But they have to ask. They almost always do.
My Mom used to say it was "passive aggressive". I just say it works...
I just met a nice couple outside my home...
Sean and Pam.
I had seen them move in a few days prior.
Their moving van pulled up just after a tornado siren went off here in Naperville, Illinois.
I warned them of the threat, and we both retreated to the relative safety of our homes.
I saw them again today. I was chipping golf balls in my front yard and they pulled up in their car.
Since we … (8 comments)
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3 KEYS TO WRITING SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORTS - 06/25/10 06:54 PM
I am a simple man. I like to keep my marketing simple, too.
When I began writing my real estate market reports, I knew I would want to keep them pretty simple.
I started posting the market reports on Active Rain in January. I knew there was a demand for real estate information online, and I was determined to be the one providing it...
It didn't take me long to see results. I received my first call from the market reports 4 days after writing my first post. I thought it was a fluke...
I was wrong.
The market reports continue to be … (10 comments)
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NAPERVILLE RENTALS. ARE YOU LOOKING TO RENT A HOME IN NAPERVILLE? DON'T FORGET TO CALL AN AGENT... - 06/25/10 10:35 AM
Naperville Illinois is a wonderful city. A western suburb of Chicago, Naperville is a city that can stand on it's own...
Consistently ranked as one of the top cities to live by Money Magazine, Naperville has plenty to offer:
The top ranked Naperville school system The award winning Naperville Libraries Naperville's downtown and river walk Naperville's beautiful neighborhoods
With approximately 150,000 residents, Naperville's real estate market is one of the most active in the state...
And Naperville's rental market is hotter than ever...
There are over 170 rental listings available in Naperville on the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
With today's economy … (2 comments)
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A QUARTER MILLION POINTS ON ACTIVE RAIN. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? - 06/24/10 11:16 AM
I passed 250,000 points on the real estate website Active Rain the other day...
It makes me laugh. Sounds like a lot of points. A quarter million...
Wow.
The point system is the genius behind the success of Active Rain. Without the points, I may have never gotten hooked on blogging and social media...
Who doesn't like to have a little competition? And that competition created involvement. It created dedicated writers. Thousands of writers...
Writers like me. People with things to say...
250,000 points. I have heard points don't matter...
I say they do:
I am Active Rain's … (53 comments)
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WHAT WOULD YOU SELL YOUR HOME FOR TODAY? - 06/23/10 10:12 AM
What would you sell your home for today?
Usually the third question I ask when I meet with a potential seller...
#1 How is it going? #2 So what is going on?
As I scan through my local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), I flip through page after page of homes that have been on the market 60, 90, 120 days or more...
Whole subdivisions I watch have 5, 10, even 15 homes on the market without a single a contract.
If I could ask these sellers one simple question...
What would you sell your home for today?
If the number is … (8 comments)
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HOUSING MARKET GOT YOU DOWN? DON'T IGNORE RENTALS... - 06/18/10 12:55 PM
Almost two months have passed since the home buyer tax credit has ended. The real estate market today is like a boat without a rudder....
Many would-be buyers can't afford to buy. Many would-be sellers can't afford to sell...
So where is the growth sector in the real estate business in this economy?
Rentals.
That is right, rentals...
I was originally hesitant. I wasn't sure the work would be worth the smaller paychecks that come from closing rentals...
I was wrong.
Just one month ago I wrote a post titled, "Every check counts. Closing my first rental."
Since that time, I have been … (6 comments)
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DO YOU WANT TO BE A GOOD REAL ESTATE BLOGGER? GRAB A CAMERA AND GO TAKE SOME PICTURES... - 06/09/10 11:45 PM
Wow things have changed.
Two years ago people said I was wasting my time writing a real estate blog...
Now they are asking me to teach classes on how to write blogs. Things have changed, indeed...
Do you want to be a good real estate blogger? If so, grab your digital camera and go take some pictures...
One of the common excuses for not writing a real estate blog is "What would I write about?"
Everyone gets writer's block from time to time, but nothing loosens it up like taking some pictures...
You say you aren't good at taking pictures? Take … (23 comments)
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NAPERVILLE OPEN HOUSE. SATURDAY JUNE 12TH, 2010. 2548 CARROLWOOD. 2 BEDROOM 2.5 BATH TOWNHOME... - 06/09/10 03:50 PM
2548 Carrolwood, NapervilleSaturday 1-4 PM
LARGEST MODEL IN CARROLWOOD. 2 BEDROOM+LOFT. 2 1/2 BATH. OPEN FLOOR PLAN. KITCHEN W/ BAR OVERLOOKING FAMILY ROOM. 2ND FLOOR WASHER AND DRYER.
$182,500
The Carrolwood Townhomes in Naperville currently have 6 homes for sale ranging for $179,500 to $199,500.
If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Naperville, call me anytime at 630-697-0536 or go to my website at www.KensFeaturedHomes.com.
… (2 comments)
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TWO KEYS TO MAKING EVERY OPEN HOUSE A SUCCESS - 06/08/10 06:39 PM
Open houses.
Do they work? Do they really sell houses?
Or are they a waste of time? Just an opportunity for nosy neighbors to snoop...
I read a post on Active Rain this morning. It was an agent's post about her disappointing Sunday spent at a fruitless open house...
It made me think...
I host open houses for three reasons:
Sellers like them. They offer lots of marketing opportunities for myself and my listings. I will be meeting new people/prospects/neighbors. I have discovered that there are...
Two keys to making every open house a success:
Be realisticIt is very rare to sell a home at … (53 comments)
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SHOWING HOMES IN THE RAIN... - 06/05/10 02:56 PM
The sky was dark. The air wet.
It was Saturday morning, and I was showing homes.
Showing homes in the rain...
The raindrops pelted my windshield as I started my car...
"Whir, whir, whir" went the wiper blades as I backed out of the driveway.
The weather matched my enthusiasm this morning. I don't know why...
Perhaps the up and down world of real estate...
The last few months have been hectic.
First, the excitement of the expiring tax credit...
Frantic buyer and seller activity.
Buyers hoping to find that perfect home in time...
Sellers desperate to find a seller while the "carrot" of the … (12 comments)
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LA GRANGE OPEN HOUSE. SUNDAY JUNE 6TH, 2010. 420 BURLINGTON #205. 2 BEDROOM 2 BATH W/ BALCONY... - 06/02/10 06:36 PM
Sunday 1 to 4 PM
LA GRANGE 2 BEDROOM CONDO. ACROSS THE STREET FROM METRA. STEPS TO SHOPPING AND DOWNTOWN. 2 FULL BATHS. OPEN KITCHEN WITH BREAKFAST BAR. HARDWOOD. BALCONY OVER QUIET STREET. NEAT, CLEAN AND READY TO MOVE IN. GARAGE PARKING WITH EXTRA STORAGE SPACE, ELEVATOR BUILDING WITH SECURITY ENTRANCE.
$274,900(lowest priced 2 Bedroom in building)
If you are looking to buy or sell a home in La Grange, call me anytime at 630-697-0536 or go to my website at www.KensFeaturedHomes.com.
… (4 comments)
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"BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE A REALLY NICE BLOG..." - 06/01/10 09:55 PM
As I approached the table, I noticed the stylish couple I was meeting already were drinking their coffees. Two large iced lattees...
"You were early. You were supposed to let me buy the coffee!" I joked.
Although we were meeting for the first time, I felt very comfortable with them right away...
We met at Starbucks. It is my favorite place to meet customers. Who doesn't like a cup of coffee?
-AP Photo/David Zalubowski
They had called me a few days before. They began the search for an agent on Google and quickly came across my blog...
They read my local market reports that were posted on Active Rain and wanted to meet with … (14 comments)
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IT'S OK TO LOSE A CLIENT. YOU CAN NEVER LOSE YOUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE... - 06/01/10 03:39 PM
I lost a client this weekend.
After almost a year of working together, our relationship had grown strained. It was time for a change...
One could easily become jaded in this business. There is lots of time spent working for clients who will never buy or sell a home with us. It can be frustrating. However...
It's OK to lose a client. You can never lose your positive attitude...
Your attitude sustains you. With a bad one, you are lost in this business. There are too many challenges to overcome without having a positive spirit...
A good attitude attracts business. A bad attitude repels … (8 comments)
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Ken Tracy Naperville Illinois Real Estate
Naperville,
IL
More about me…
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Naperville
Address: Naperville, Lisle, Plainfield, Aurora, Downers Grove, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn
Cell Phone: (630) 697-0536
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