by Mike Andruff, VancouverPropertyFinder.com

     We recently had our 15th customer party. We generally pick a theme, plan around the concept for several weeks in advance and then arrange enough manpower to pull it off.

     This party was planned as an Ice Cream Social at a local beach. We had roughly 60 participants. So ice cream and hot dogs for at least 60, with games and prizes to make it nice. Prizes by the way ranged from donut holes for the kids to an $1,100 travel credit with Flight Centre for one of our lucky past clients. Oh, it is extra fun if the sunshines like crazy.

     My team of four set up our trademark RE/MAX bolloon, a shade tent, a gas bar-b-que, and served four flavors of ice cream and hot dogs with onions and all the fixings. We had the egg and spoon race, the balloon between the legs race and the water balloon toss. The party really took off once the adults got tossing those water ballons. Our elapsed time from start to finish was approximately 6 hours (the party lasted two hours). The team was pretty wiped at the end. Wasn't sure if it was the sun or the nervous energy - always a part of these events.

     While we make a point of having fun, no business, inevitably two to three folks will take us aside and talk about future plans in real estate. This is a great way to promote rapport with clients and each year it becomes stronger and stronger.

     Here is a brief three minute video of the day:

By Mike Andruff - VancouverPropertyFinder.com

     As all realtors commit to their practice of real estate, they must also commit to the enhancement of the profession of real estate. This is where we engage with our local boards in our service to fellow members.

     The Westside Division of the Vancouver Lower Mainland in BC recently hosted a seminar related to changes to our local strata property legislation. While the legislation is "prescibed", which means passed but not enacted until the Regulations are approved, the pending changes are significant for the strata property ownership and most importantly future values of such properties.

     The prime change is a call for depreciation reports. This is the document which would detail all necessary upgrades and their schedule for future owners. This calls for developers of new properties to stand soundly behind the quality of their work, and for owners of older properties to have to dig deeper into their pockets to revitalize their homes. Clearly this legislation calls for higher standards for strata title ownership.

     Here is a brief video of the seminar:

by Mike Andruff, VancouverPropertyFinder.com

     On May 27^th it was not raining in Bellingham, but seminar leader Ben Kinney was raining down on his audience with hundreds of social media marketing ideas. In addition to the 300 rainmakers in attendance, sponsor hosts included: Jon Washburn, active rain; Galen Ward, Estately.com; Scott Smith, Market Leader; Spencer Rascoff, Zillow; and An Bui, DocuSign. active rainers included: Brad Andersohn, and Bob Stewart.

     A formula offered for building one's ranking went this way:

Content + viral + influence + interaction + communication

     Websites offered in the course of discussion included:

• Wordle.net (for a summation of who we are on the net)
• Wiggio.com (collaboration software)
• Goldmail.com (video email)
• Runpee.com (we were getting silly here)
• Photosynth.com (photo manager)
• Meetordie.com (meeting cost evaluator)
• Slydial.com (for avoiding conversation but getting your message thru)
• Site:www.yourwebsite.com (shows how many pages are indexed)
• Link:www.yourwebsite.com (shows links)
• hitTail.com (shows the long tail ??)
• flowtown.com (convert lead data to social media connects)
• xobni.com (cross ref. for emails)

     Chris Anderson's book The Long Tail was mentioned as suggested reading.

     facebook was addressed as the prime social media platform today. Positioning oneself to engage its massive audience  includes the use of fan pages, ads,  and FBML.

     Ben Kinney promised after the day was done, we would laugh, learn, be shocked with some of the commentary, and cry. He said we would be pumped and excited to be in real estate. Mr. Barry Long provided the humorous and uplifting talk that left us all better for being there. Barry told his story and drew analogies to the challenges we all face in life and real estate. We all left smiling.

     Here is a brief video capturing the day:

by VancouverPropertyFinder.com

     At a recent event sponsored by the Westside Division of the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board, staff from the Vancouver City planning staff explained the numerous changes to city bylaws that were implemented to achieve an "Eco Densification" of Vancouver. This presentation lead one realtor to quip in the question period if the City was contemplating a change in zoning description from single family zoning to triple family zoning. (Under current bylaws, one can have a basement suite within the residence ad a laneway house on the same lot.)

     The following presentation was a video of the event:

by Mike Andruff - VancouverPropertyFinder.com

     Social media, SEO, HTML, widgets, page rank, are all topics we need to know about in contemporary real estate. Why?

     85% of first time buyers use the internet to source their real estate information. 67% of internet users expect a response from realtors within one hour of their enquiry. Interestingly, however, only 1-4% are prepared to buy now! The rest of them will transact in 3-24 months. Are you set up to manage a lead generating system with these characteristics? Traditional techniques are not as viable when your customer is thousands of miles away. Are you wired? Plugged in? Programmed for success?

     Mike Andruff recently attended the RE/MAX Technology workshop in Denver Co. to look for answers. The following video touches on topics addressed at the workshop:

by Mike Andruff, VancouverPropertyFinder

     As a Canadian Sales Associate, I seldom venture to places like the RE/MAX International Headquarters in Denver Colorado. However, a recent invitation to a Technology Workshop interested me. I planned to fly down, stay at a nearby hotel, and take in the latest trends and concepts from the world of RE/MAX trainers. Between my travel agent and EDR Travel in Denver, everything worked out beautifully. While I plan to present a video of my tecnology experience, the Headquarters themslves were so impressive, I've decided to do a separate feature on it. Here then is my video:

     For more videos by Mike Andruff click here.

  by Mike Andruff  - VancouverPropertyFinder.com    

       Back in January I posted a blog introducing the forthcoming Winter Olympics. In the video I highlighted a well know monument in Vancouver, The Terry Fox Memorial. I pointed out that it was fitting that Terry, a real Canadian hero, and his memorial was outside the building that would recognize many countries' heros for winning medals at the Celebration Ceremonies. I had no idea that several weeks later at the Paralympics, Terry would be featured as THE hero of the world's paralympians and we would see his parents bring the flame into the stadium.

       As I sat in the 60,000 seat audience of BC Place at the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony last night in Vancouver, I thought of my departed, disabled father (he lost use of his right arm due to a brain injury - he saved me from being trampled by a racehorse - I was three years old at the time). His indomitable spirit was brought to mind. He could do anything he set his mind to, just like the athletes we were introduced to that evening. We can do anything we set our minds to.

      Vancouver had set its collective mind to delivering Olympic Games. But, we did so much more than that. We've built beautiful transportation systems, wonderful stadiums and plazas for people to enjoy in great numbers, and most important of all, we've created a new spirit of being Canadians. One body, one spirit, one mind. One inspires Many.

      Watch these Paralympic Games. They will teach us our ability as humans to adapt and excel in the face of adversity, they will teach us the grace of those who society treats with absence of thought, and most importantly, they will teach us of the triumph of mind and heart over physical limitations.

      If you thought you needed some inspiration, just watch these athletes.

by Mike Andruff - Vancouver212228

     After the final competition of these winter olympics, we visited ground zero of the celebrations to soak up the LOVE of the Olympics in Vancouver. Here is our presentation:

     For more videos from the series, click here.

by Mike Andruff - Vancouver212228

     We review other pavilions and visit Vancouver's fabled Nine O'clock Gun as we close out Day 16 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Here is our presentation from Day 16:

     For more videos from the series, click here.

by Mike Andruff - Vancouver212228

     On Day 15 we met with visitor host Wayne Hamill. Wayne and his family have been the family image of the highly successful "I Believe" campaign promoted by CTV, the Olympic Broadcaster. His family were among the first to stand up and say, "Welcome" to the world as hosts. His family's hospitality and generousity is a great example to us all. Here is our presentation from Day 15:

     For more videos from the series, click here.