First Day of Spring Fishing

Well, It's spring here in the Cedar Valley.  This weekend, I might go ahead and get my first day of fishing in for the year.  Some people love to sit on buckets on the ice, I manage to control my passion for the water until slightly warmer weather rolls around.

This crappie and I may have a brief meeting in the future.

Fishing is therapy for me, and therapy for the fish.  The fish says, "Hmm I really feel like a fish out of water", So I let him back in .  Then the fish is off and happy having a swimming good time. 

At the end of the day I'll put the boat away and hope to see that fish again soon.

 See you on the water......Make Things Happen!

Grant

Decluttering for the big move, and the QUICK SALE!

In modern life we all tend to lean towards the hectic side.  Kids' soccer games, work, grocery shopping, laundry...we all do it.

When we are choosing to sell a home, all that clutter of life tends to get in the way of what buyers want to imagine themselves living in.  My suggestion?  Mobile mini storage!  Self storage units can be a pain for those without a pickup, and the fuel to make multiple trips there can be a bear alone these days.

Mobile mini storage units are an excellent way to de-clutter cost effectively.  Give them a shot, you'll be glad you did!

Many companies use a similar system

 MiBox

www.mibox.com

A quick link to PODS:

http://www.pods.com/

I am not exclusively endorsing these systems, but it gives you a good idea of the options available.  Check out what is available in your area, and like I always say.......Make Things Happen!!

Voicemail Anxiety, and how to treat it!

VA, Voicemail Anxiety.  CPRA, Cell Phone Ring Anxiety.  I said it.  It exists from time to time.  I know I'm not the only one.

Some experts consider the frequency of inbound phone calls the most visible metric of prosperity for agents.  That is to say, the more people who call you, the more interest there is in your listings, and that subsequently you are selling more homes and making more commisions!$$$$$

Being a successful top producer is a great feeling.  Wherever I turn, someone else is there asking me to sell their house for them.  More business is good....to a point.  I tend to micro-manage, so putting all of my duties into a full time assistant's hands is not an option for me.  So......some days I have what's come to be known as CPRA:  cell phone ring anxiety.

 CPRA can be immediately treated by avoidance.  This can be two hours at the gym, or a week in Europe.  The thing is, eventually one must face the dreaded.....VA:  Voicemail Anxiety.   (Calling voicemail) "Hello Grant, you have 14 new messages.  To listen to new messages, press 1"   Arrgghh!  I put the phone down for 2 hours!

So, how exactly did being wildly successful turn into an anxiety causing experience?

How do we turn anxiousness about voicemail back into an even bigger boost for your business?

My answer has been simple:  Mentor a new agent/assistant/auctioneer in your team.  There are so many talented young people these days who have great skillsets, they just haven't been on the planet long enough to have all of the clients that veterans do!

Keep your sanity, help others, and build your business, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!

It's a win-win-win.  Your clients win, your team wins, and YOU WIN!

MENTOR A NEW MEMBER TO YOUR TEAM!

DO IT!

Make things Happen!

Grant Schultz

Broker

Luxuron Group

Pets....and why they're family members

Pets.  Dogs, cats, fish and guinea pigs just to name a few.  They all quickly become members of our families, with all of their qualities.  Some family members leave socks around the house, some of our pets leave chew toys and catnip.

It is undeniable that pets have all of the personality characteristics of human beings.  They are happy and sad, young and old, slow and sprightly.

I have a pet German Shepherd whose name happens to be Boomer.  He has become a mascot of my company for many of our customers.

Who else has pets that play active roles in not only their home lives, but also their business?

Mentors...they impact us all

We have all had mentors in this business.  Those that influenced us, taught us things, and made us think about how and what we want to be in life.  My first sponsoring broker taught me how important time management is in real estate.  I had a 20 credit semester courseload, and was out selling real estate the spring semester of my Junior year of college.....and I made it work through time management.  Thank you Anne, will never forget you.

 Another major influence on my career as a real estate practitioner....and auctioneer was Rich Haas.  I will post a quick Bio of Rich:

	Rich Haas, of Mankato, Minnesota is president of Continental Real Estate & Auctioneers. The company does primarily real estate auctions on a regional level, but because of the nature of the auction business, Haas said the company "gets involved with all types of auctions." He is also president of Continental Auctioneers School in Mankato.  Prior to becoming an auctioneer and real estate broker, Haas is a United States Marine Corps Veteran and worked as  national sales manager for Bellanca Aircraft Corporation in Alexandria, Minnesota..  Haas is a member of the National Auctioneers Association, the National Association of Realtors, several state auctioneer associations, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and The Marine Corps league. Rich Haas is a member of the Auctioneers Hall of Fame.
What a fellow!   Who are your mentors? What made them have a major influence on your life and career?

Luxuron Group and the NAA's Code of Ethics

Every Member of the National Auctioneers Association Pledges to Abide by the Following Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice:

MISSION

To promote, increase and build the trustworthiness of the competitive bidding method of marketing, including: live, Internet and sealed bid auctions, and enhance the professionalism of its practitioners.

VISION

Competitive bidding will be increasingly utilized as a method to sell all types of goods in all segments of the economy. The National Auctioneers Association (NAA) will unify and lead the competitive bidding industry to fulfill this vision.

PREAMBLE

The National Auctioneers Association is the professional organization for practicing auctioneers, their associates, affiliated businesses and other related professionals. Membership in the NAA although voluntary, carries with it a requirement of professional commitment to other professionals, clients, customers and the public at large that extends beyond that of laws and professional regulations. Members of the NAA accept this obligation to conduct themselves and their businesses in a manner that serves the public interest, protects the public trust and furthers the goals of their profession.

This Code of Ethics of the National Auctioneers Association and the accompanying Standards of Practice guides the members in the performance of their professional responsibilities and duties. While this Code may establish obligations higher than those mandated by law, in any instance where the Code and the law conflict, the obligations of the law must take precedence.

2008....going to be another record year

The Luxuron Group works closely with Fusion Realtors, www.fusionrealtorsiowa.com

 Fusion Realtors are REO specialists throughout eastern Iowa.  They have broken records two years in a row for quickly and effectively selling bank-owned property for very solid values.  Every agent wishes they were as hard working as Zach Beschorner and the rest of the Fusion Realtors team in Waterloo, Iowa!

With offices in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Fusion Realtors has found ways to maximize exposure for REO properties.  Selling to first time homebuyers, investors, and everyone in-between, Fusion Realtors runs an absolutely tip top battleship of a real estate brokerage.

 The one thing I found that differentiates Fusion Realtors from other brokerages is that they are not trying to 'give away' bank owned properties.  They are cleaning them up, highlighting their strong points, and marketing the living daylights out of them to maximize their value.

Yet another example of the old Zig Ziglar principal, "If you help enough people get what they want, you can get everything that YOU want".  Maximizing value for buyers, sellers, and yes......their own commisions.

 Keep being hard workers in 2008!

Vacation Homes, Auction or Listing?

Vacation Homes, Auction or Listing?

The decision to sell your vacation property, whether it's a lake home in Okoboji, a hunting cabin in the Loess hills, or a weekend retreat overlooking the Mississippi, is a heartfelt undertaking.

A vacation home brings joy to hearts of all ages.  I remember spending time as a child walking back to a cabin in the woods my Uncle had built on my Grandfather's farm.  He had wallpapered the inside with old newspapers, I'll never forget.  A modified 55 gal drum for a woodstove, the place was just enough to get away for a while.

The home you may think of when someone says ‘vacation home' may be a far cry from that ramshackle cabin that my uncle had built when he was a teen, but it holds a place in your heart just the same.

A question many clients ask me when deciding to list their vacation home with me for an auction is, "When is the best time of the year to have the auction?"

I tell them, "When people are looking to buy!"  That time period is roughly April to September for most of the northern United States.

The most likely buyer of any vacation property is a neighboring landowner looking to upgrade (or downsize), or someone who vacations or has friends or relatives in the area and would like to buy a home there as well.  These people begin to frequent vacation spots in May.  The first advertising they would see of an upcoming auction is then.

It is the opinion of the Luxuron Group that the peak season for real estate auctions of recreational properties in the Midwest is May 15-Sept 15, with advertising for every sale beginning as far ahead of the sale as possible, typically 45-90 days.

The more buyers that are aware of your auction, the more buyers that attend the auction, hoping to BUY!

Think spring.......we will all be lakeside in no time!

Regards,

Grant Schultz

Real Estate Auctioneer

Why choose an NAA accredited Auctioneer?

The NAA is the National Association of Auctioneers.  Outstanding members of the NAA have sworn to hold themselves to a higher code.  An NAA Auctioneer vows to conduct themselves with adherence to an ironclad code of ethics.  The Auctioneers of the Luxuron Group represent sellers.  Their duty is to represent a seller of real estate to the utmost of their ability.  The Luxuron Groups mission is to bring as many qualified buyers as possible to an auction, and make them compete to pay the HIGHEST amount for the auctioned real estate.

Convential real estate agents are often brought into a 'dual agency' relationship, where they 'represent' the interests of both buyers and sellers.  It is a fundamental ethical conflict to represent both sides of a transaction when PRICE NEGOTIATION is involved. 

A buyer wants to pay as little as possible for a property, while a seller wants to sell for the highest price.  A 'dual agent' is paid a commision based upon the sales price of a property.  If an agent seeks to be truly ethical in a dual agency relationship, then they must provide absolutely no advice to either party on the issue of price, and in the process they are failing to work in the best interests of one or both clients. 

So.....one agent cannot represent both parties and be both ethical and effective at the same time.  Dual agency is a poor concept.  It's like asking one attorney to represent both sides in a courtroom.  If they work hard for one side, they are only hurting themselves on the other.

The Luxuron Group represents SELLERS.  We sell YOUR real estate for the highest value possible.

The two thousand year old method of auctioning property to create true value is combined with 21st century technology.