Below is a message that I received from Tom Antal. He is a Home Theater Designer & Installer that used to work for Tweeter Home Entertainment. Unfortunately, he lost his job, but is now striking out on his own. If you are looking for Home Theater Designer or someone to install that brandy new flat panel TV, give Tom a call.
***************************
Hi,
I wanted to offer my services to those in need of consumer home electronics.
I myself am a victim of this economy having lost a terrific job with TWEETER Home Entertainment in Marlton NJ. I was their In-Home Installation Crew Chief for many years.
So if you come by anyone that needs Flat Panel TV's installed or a Home Theater System designed and installed, please do not hesitate to refer them to me. I'd be happy to give them a free consultation.
Tom Antal
Sound Connections A/V LLC
609-261-4096 or 609-923-3581 (cell)
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
I had someone contact me the other day. The bottom line was that they disliked the job that their Realtor was doing. The first thing I was told was that the Realtor had done a poor job of staying in contact. Long periods of time had passed without any contact from the Realtor.
Lesson #1 - Stay in Constant Contact with Your Clients. Even a quick call, email or text message to say "Here's what's going on or I haven't forgotten you" is better than no contact. Real Estate clients are nervous by nature. When they don't hear anything, they assume the worse. So do your clients a favor and stay in touch.
Lesson #2 - Once A Client Loses Confidence, It Is Rarely Regained. The listed home had been on the market for over six months and only had a couple of showings. The homeowner said that the Realtor mentioned something about lowering the price of the home and he was not opposed to that. However, he just didn't feel confident in the Realtor.
Lesson #3 - Develop a Marketing Strategy and Discuss Price Drops Up Front. We can all be Monday morning quarterbacks and tell someone else what they did wrong. I negotiate price drops before the listing agreement is signed. I add a statement of when at least three price reductions will occur. It's automatic and it doesn't come as a surprise to my client. Because I stay in contact, it is easy to say to my client "the property has been on the market for X weeks and we are coming up on our first price reduction".
Lessson #4 - Do Your Homework. The worst thing you can do for your client is try to "wing it". Being a successful Real Estate consultant is work. It takes time and effort. But then again, isn't that what we are paid for? Before I call the homeowner back after his initial contact, I did some work. I looked up the history of the home. I researched the selling history of the town. I looked up the recorded mortgages on the property. I had some idea of the seller's situation before I spoke to him.
Lesson#5 - Ask for Help. Realize when you need help. It was clear to me that this home was a prime candidate for a short sale. Short sale was never discussed with the homeowner. It was never suggested that the homeowner contact the lender. I am not a short sale specialist. My buddy Sal Poliandro is. Sal works in North Jersey, I work in South Jersey. Whenever I have short sale questions or issues, my first phone cal is to Sal. Rome wasn't built in a day and successful Realtors are not groomed overnight. If you are out of your league, do your clients a favor and get assistance. There is no shame in admitting that you don't know. I have gained more respect by saying I don't know, but I will find out.
I hope these words of advice were helpful to someone. If nothing else, maybe they made you think about some things you can do better in your real estate practice.
Have a Great Day
Make This YOUR Best Year Ever
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
I have found another business that is worthy of praise. I have a rental house in the southern end of NJ. Being a Realtor that focuses on Burlington and Camden County, NJ.....it's tough at times to get to that end of the state.
Recently, I needed to have some work done on the property and I had to get it done in a short period of time. Some recommended that I call Vince's Roofing & Remodeling. I spoke to Vince and he went to the property the same day, explained my options and gave me several estimates. Within 2 days, he had started the work and was finished when he said he was going to be done.
I will be calling Vince for my future needs.
Thanks Vince
Vince's Roofing & Remodeling, Carneys Point, NJ 08069
"No Job is Too Small"
856-628-6378
Tell Vince that Leander recommended him.
Have a great day
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
Mini Health Fair / Health Information Community Event
On Saturday, June 27h, Grassroots4change will be hosting a Health Care fair / information meeting to talk about the actions we'll all take in the coming weeks and months to make health care reform a reality. Check out our website (see below) for more details
When: Saturday, June 27th
Where: Church of the Good Shepherd - United Methodist Church 110 Buckingham Drive Willingboro, NJ 08046
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Services: Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Screening
Information Session
Speaker: Dr Vernon Daly Topic: Disease Prevention
Speaker: Dr Herb Conaway Topic: Update on Swine Flu (H1N1)
Speaker: Dr D'Silva Topic: Overview current Healthcare Legislation
Speaker: Dr Odette Cohen Topic: New Jersey Family Care and SCHIP Eligibility
Please RSVP to: Angelina Stith at angie2john@msn..com or call 609-505-4088 or sign up directly here :
Members are asked to bring a non-perishable healthy food item to the event for donation to community food bank.
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
My grandmother taught me to always say Please and Thank You. Saying and meaning those magic words has gotten me far in life. I would like to publicly say thank you to my new friend Karla at Barbs Harley-Davidson in W. Collingswood Heights, NJ. Below is a copy of a thank you letter that I sent to Barb, the owner of the dealership.
Thank You Karla
*****************************************
Dear Barb:
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude and publicly thank your staff. I filled out an online form indicating that I was interested in purchasing a Harley-Davidson. I was contacted via email by Karla. I had previously visited another dealership and no one even asked if they could help me. When I was contacted by Karla, I was skeptical. In my mind, I wondered if I really wanted to be a part of the Harley family if this is how I was to be treated every time I walked into the dealership.
I gave Karla my information and she called me. I thought I knew what I wanted to buy. Karla spent time and talked to me and asked if I had ridden the bike I wanted to buy. When I told her no, she suggested that I come in and ride several different models. She told me that I needed to absolutely love whatever bike I purchased.
When my wife and I came to the dealership, we were greeted at the front door and asked if we needed help. I was directed to Karla. She was just as nice and sweet in person as she was on the phone. We looked as many bikes and I picked out one I liked. She introduced me to Blake and he took me out on a test ride. Blake was cool, nice and knowledgeable.
We left that night without purchasing a bike. We never felt pressured and your staff was not disappointed or upset that we did not buy. I called Karla later in the week and told her that I thought I needed a larger bike. She told me to come back and ride as many bikes as needed until I found "the one". Eventually, I settled on a 2008 Anniversary Edition Superglide Custom. Lisa was my salesperson and she helped complete the purchase. Lisa was very nice and even remembered my name.
I completed the transaction and rode home on my new bike on 5/30/09. In the future, I will always return to Barbs for all of my Harley needs. I have told several people who are interested in purchasing that there is only one place they need to go, Barb's. Thank you and your staff for making this such a pleasurable experience.
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
CAMDEN -- An open house for those interested in pursuing a master of business administration (MBA) degree from the Rutgers School of Business–Camden through courses offered in Burlington County will be held at PHH Mortgage in Mount Laurel from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.
Prospective students will learn about the academic program, career options, admissions process and financial aid opportunities available through the Rutgers MBA program.
Hosted at PHH Mortgage in Mount Laurel, Rutgers MBA classes are offered by the Rutgers School of Business–Camden, the first institution in southern New Jersey to earn accreditation by the respected AACSB-The International Association for Management Education.
The Rutgers MBA offers concentrations in accounting, finance, marketing, management, international business, health-care management, and e-commerce technology.
A joint MBA/JD program, offered with the Rutgers School of Law–Camden, is available for students wishing to earn two professional degrees on an accelerated schedule.
The Rutgers MBA Open House will be held at PHH Mortgage, located in Bishop’s Gate Building #1 on Route 38 East, in Mount Laurel.
For more information, call (856) 225-6452 or send email. Directions and registration are available online.
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
Talk to anyone who knows me or spend some time reading my blog and you will soon know that I know that I am the best Realtor & Real Estate Consultant in Burlington & Camden County, NJ. This is not to say that I am big headed. On the contrary. I believe that I do a wonderful job for my clients. My clients also believe this because they constantly refer their family, friend and people they love to me.
As a top notch Realtor, I am not afraid to recommend my colleagues who will also do a great job for you. Recently, I needed to hire a Realtor. There are times when it makes sense to hire someone else to negotiate deals for you. As a Realtor, this keeps you at arms length from the transaction. It also helps to give the impression of fairness.
I hired Valerie Belardo from RE/MAX Tri County. One of the things I was looking for in a Realtor was someone who had an online presence, experience and someone who was a reasonable person. After completing my first phone call with Valerie, i knew that I had my Realtor.
Valerie was always professional. There were times in the negotiation where I was just totally fed up and angry. Valerie was always calm and worked to negotiate the deal. Her team was also just as professional and knowledgeable. To top it all off, Valerie is a very nice person. She is someone who I am proud to call my colleague and now....friend.
Even though we don't work for the same company and even though we compete for business in some of the same areas, I am proud to recommend Valerie Belardo for your consideration.
Thank you Valerie.....you did a great job for me and I would not hesitate to hire you again.
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
Keller Williams Realty Brokerages Dominate Annual Industry Surveys 3rd largest company in U.S. the only major franchise to show growth
"According to two of the industry's most comprehensive annual surveys, Keller Williams Realty brokerages continue to defy the pervasive downturn in the industry by growing and expanding."
"RISMedia's Power Broker Report and REAL Trends' REAL Trends 500 rank the largest residential real estate brokerages in the U.S. based on transaction sides and sales volume. This year, Keller Williams Realty had more brokerages on both lists than any other real estate brand."
"In the REAL Trends 500 report, Keller Williams Realty dominated, with its offices comprising more than a quarter of the entire list. Of all the major brands represented in the report, Keller Williams was the only company to boast growth in both number of agents added to its ranks and in total transactions closed."
I recently joined Keller Williams and I can tell you that I think it is a great company for both new and experienced agents. IMHO, recently licensed agents will not find a more supportive company to begin their career with. One of the things that I like is that there is a flat fee per month. For me, it is approx $67.00/month. For that fee, I have access to a wealth of training and technology tools....websites with IDX (very simple to build), contact management, publications, postcards, online training, etc.
If your current company is working well for you, congratulations. If you are unhappy or just getting into real estate, I invite you to talk to me about KW. If you are in the Burlington/Camden County, NJ area, we can discuss over a cup of coffee.
This is going to be an exciting year in real estate for me.
What Kind of Year Will YOU Have?
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
I recently purchased a motorcycle. Most people say, "I didn't know you were a biker". I have to admit that I love the open road. This is an affair that started about 40 years ago. Let me tell you a story.
When I was a kid, new neighbors moved in two doors away. They had a daughter and to my glee two sons; Billy and David Powell. As it turned out, they became like family. I spent countless hours at their house. One year for Christmas, they received Big Wheels. Oh boy, the neighborhood was in trouble. You see the Powell's driveway sloped upward and had a level area at the top. This was GREAT for us. We would see how fast we could ride down the driveway. Oh I forgot to say that the driveway ended abruptly, so we had to jam the steering wheel to the left or right to make a quick turn onto the sidewalk. If you have ever ridden a Big Wheel, you know that this motion will make the rear end spin around. Oh we had fun. We wore out more than one Big Wheel doing that for hours and hours, day in and day out. I always dreamed of having a Big Wheel, but never did.....but my neighbors always let me ride theirs. Thanks Rob & David. I'll never forget the fun times we had.
One Christmas, I received a bicycle. It wasn't the Schwinn Apple Crate that I had my eye on, but it was mine. The boys in the neighborhood spent countless hours riding on our bikes. There was Antwan Bullock, Alonzo Bullock, Abernathy Brown, Dennis Brown, Huey Brown and Jeff Howard. We would leave early on Saturday morning and might not show up at home until evening (unless we got hungry....but we rarely did). We lived close to Port Elizabeth. At that time, the port was very quiet on the weekend. So we rode & explored and went many places that we probably shouldn't have been, but we were boys....free from moms glare...on our bikes. Life couldn't get better.
In my teenage years, I finally talked my mom into letting me buy a mini bike. Man was I happy. Powered by a 3.5HP Briggs & Stratton motor, I was in heaven. I never had the new mini bike that I used to drool over in the Sears catalogue. Most came from police impound auctions or were assembled from various parts scavenged around the neighborhood. I was still very happy. My last mini bike limped home with a broken fork and broken riders (might have had something to do with those railroad tracks we decided to ride down behind an active warehouse.....lol). The fork let go in the middle of Dowd Avenue and left myself and Antwan in a pile on the side of the road...ouch that hurt.
Many years later, Antwan brought a used motorcycle ($200 - what a bargain). I told him that he was crazy and was going to kill himself. Soon after, he taught me how to ride and I was hooked. I was off on a search for my own bike. Antwan and I scoured the state. He would often get a call from me saying we had to go to a town 200 miles away tonight...to look at a bike (you see Antwan was my test pilot because I could not ride too good at that point). He never complained. That's a friend for you. Thanks Antwan....I never forgot.
Finally, I brought a 1980 Honda CM400T. Purchased while in college from a guy we called "Death Wish Dave".....that's a story for another day J. I rode that for a number of years and then purchased a bike that I have always loved....a 1982 Honda V45 Magna. You see at this time, Jeff had a V65 Magna. I always thought he was going to kill himself as he came by me on the highway doing 80 on 1 wheel. Jeff was crazy, but he loved riding that bike. As it turns out, the bike wasn't the thing killed him. Miss you Jeff....I never forgot all of the good times we had.
When I decided that I wanted a new bike, I was going to get a sport bike. My nephew Chad brought me back down to earth when he said "Pops, you are old. Get a Harley, sit back and chill out". I have to admit that he was right (not about being old J). So this week, I brought a new bike. A Harley-Davidson Super Glide. She is pretty, she is shiny and new. Once again, I am happy. I am like that little boy I once was when I got the new bike for Christmas. I can't wait to get outside and ride.
I plan to ride many, many miles. I will remember the journey and my friends that help me along the way. I will never forget my childhood friends. You see without them and the experiences we had, I would not be who I am today. I love all you guys. Thank You.
I Live To Ride
I Ride To Live
Leander McClain, Burlington /Camden County, NJ Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 856-685-1677 Direct
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Below is a message that I received from Tom Antal. He is a Home Theater Designer & Installer that used to work for Tweeter Home Entertainment. Unfortunately, he lost his job, but is now striking out on his own. If you are looking for Home Theater Designer or someone to install that brandy new flat panel TV, give Tom a call.
I had someone contact me the other day. The bottom line was that they disliked the job that their Realtor was doing. The first thing I was told was that the Realtor had done a poor job of staying in contact. Long periods of time had passed without any contact from the Realtor.
Posted by 
Keller Williams Realty Brokerages Dominate Annual Industry Surveys
y glee two sons; Billy and David Powell. As it turned out, they became like family. I spent countless hours at their house. One year for Christmas, they received Big Wheels. Oh boy, the neighborhood was in trouble. You see the Powell's driveway sloped upward and had a level area at the top. This was GREAT for us. We would see how fast we could ride down the driveway. Oh I forgot to say that the driveway ended abruptly, so we had to jam the steering wheel to the left or right to make a quick turn onto the sidewalk. If you have ever ridden a Big Wheel, you know that this motion will make the rear end spin around. Oh we had fun. We wore out more than one Big Wheel doing that for hours and hours, day in and day out. I always dreamed of having a Big Wheel, but never did.....but my neighbors always let me ride theirs. Thanks Rob & David. I'll never forget the fun times we had. 
One Christmas, I received a bicycle. It wasn't the Schwinn Apple Crate that I had my eye on, but it was mine. The boys in the neighborhood spent countless hours riding on our bikes. There was Antwan Bullock, Alonzo Bullock, Abernathy Brown, Dennis Brown, Huey Brown and Jeff Howard. We would leave early on Saturday morning and might not show up at home until evening (unless we got hungry....but we rarely did). We lived close to Port Elizabeth. At that time, the port was very quiet on the weekend. So we rode & explored and went many places that we probably shouldn't have been, but we were boys....free from moms glare...on our bikes. Life couldn't get better. 
Powered by a 3.5HP Briggs & Stratton motor, I was in heaven. I never had the new mini bike that I used to drool over in the Sears catalogue. Most came from police impound auctions or were assembled from various parts scavenged around the neighborhood. I was still very happy. My last mini bike limped home with a broken fork and broken riders (might have had something to do with those railroad tracks we decided to ride down behind an active warehouse.....lol). The fork let go in the middle of Dowd Avenue and left myself and Antwan in a pile on the side of the road...ouch that hurt.
He never complained. That's a friend for you. Thanks Antwan....I never forgot.
When I decided that I wanted a new bike, I was going to get a sport bike. My nephew Chad brought me back down to earth when he said "Pops, you are old. Get a Harley, sit back and chill out". I have to admit that he was right (not about being old J). So this week, I brought a new bike. A Harley-Davidson Super Glide. She is pretty, she is shiny and new. Once again, I am happy. I am like that little boy I once was when I got the new bike for Christmas. I can't wait to get outside and ride.
;)
;)
