I was talking with my son (a 17-year-old) yesterday, and he was complaining about how quickly time was passing. This amazes me. When I was his age, time CRAWLED by. I couldn't wait until I got older so I could actually DO some stuff. It was torture to have to wait to do anything.
Apparently, it was a different world way back in the DARK ages when I was young.
This weekend, while waiting in a drive through for some food, my nine-year old announced that it was the fourth of November.
I got irritated, groaned, looked at my teenage son (who was driving) and asked him, "How did THAT happen?"
He said, "What, how did it become November and how is it that it's already the fourth?"
"Yeah. THAT." I replied.
"Time is going by so fast!" he tells me, "You know, it seems like this should be August."
"Of what year?" I asked.
Needless to say, these days, time flies by so quickly and so violently that it's somewhat like an all-over, soul-deep rug burn. (My impressions only ... your experience may vary.)
What amazes me is that this year, which should IMHO still be in the late 1900s or VERY early 2001 at the latest, is nearly over. Soon it will be 2008, which really baffles me. My life is getting sucked away at a rate that is frightening, and I seldom get the things done that I want to do. I get up in the morning, I work, I blink, it's night, I do my "family" stuff, and it's time for bed. (Rinse and repeat.)
It's not always been like this. It's been similar for several years, but this year seems to be particularly bad. Having discussed this phenomenon with clients, family and friends, I have discovered that I'm not alone. Every one is having a tough 2007. I can only hope that next year... less than 60 days away now ... is better. MUCH better. More leisurely, more laid-back and slowed down. More. Well, just MORE.
In the meantime, I'm going to attend a Time Management teleseminar on Friday, November 16th in the hope that the organized, enjoyable life I used to have will find the few breadcrumbs I've managed to leave for it and come back home before next year.
This Thursday, October 11th, RemoteProfessionals.com is offering a free "Ask the Specialist" session which may be of interest to Real Estate Agents and those offering services to Real Estate Agents. It is your opportunity to come and ask your questions on how to:
I have several clients who are niching their businesses HARD. I've been preaching "niche, niche, niche!" for years, but there's nothing like a tough market to make that niching come to the surface. For those of you who are still looking for a niche in your own market, I want to share some ideas from my current clients...
Super Senior Services
Diana Beam of SmoothMovesForSeniors.com specializes in helping senior citizens and their children with "RightSizing®” their lives. Her reach goes well beyond the real estate portion of her full line of senior services. This long-time Indiana Realtor has joined her real estate savvy with her over 20 years of work protecting and assisting senior citizens in a variety of capacities.
"This market is growing and needs special attention," says Diana, "and I'm working to build a system to help other real estate agents help seniors in their own geographic areas." The project, SmoothMovesForSeniors.net, is a whole new business model for the real estate industry and is currently in beta-test mode. (She is currently accepting a limited number of beta testers.) Diana's interviews have been an activity flurry lately as the idea of this new niche is beginning to emerge and the media is beginning to take note.
"I work with the families and with the seniors to make sure that the transitions that are needed are what's best for all parties," says Diana, "sometimes this involves reviewing all the options, sometimes it's a matter of helping them to make changes in their existing home to facilitate aging-in-place, and other times it involves a complete lifestyle shift."
Whatever is needed, Diana works "hands-on" through the entire "RightSizing®" process to free up the family and the individual. "I help them to look forward, rather than looking back and so many of my clients are amazed that they enjoy not being tied to their old way of life, and they start branching out to experience more and worry less. The families love that I help them to shoulder the burden of the responsibilities during these times. I love that I can help people and can put the 'service' back into real estate services!"
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Luxury Staging for Sales
Linda Bobski of LuxuryRealEstateStaging.com takes the staging of her homes (and the homes of other listing agents) to a new level. "I prefer to work with builders and vacant properties, since I my services provide the most impact there, but I also work with home owners and other real estate agents," said Linda. "First impressions really make a difference, and I can make that difference a positive one."
Linda isn't merely a Realtor who understands the importance of staging a home for sale -- she is an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) and is a member of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals. In addition to staying abreast of the real estate market in Kansas City (and both Kansas and Missouri), she also takes continuing education classes in staging.
Linda is a full-service staging Realtor and provides as little or as much as each client needs. She will offer consultation services for those who want help in knowing what needs to be done, but who are willing to do some or all of the work themselves. She also offers bids to do the entire project for those people who don't have the time, patience or desire for "do-it-yourself" staging.
"I want to give my clients as much or as little as they need to create an impact in potential buyers. The home, when I'm finished, is staged as a home for the incoming resident. Professional staging makes it easy for an individual to imagine themselves enjoying their own life in a given place. Staging makes a buyer want to wrap themselves in the environment," says Linda, "and I make that happen."
Linda recently launched LuxuryRealEstateStaging.com to help homeowners and other real estate agents learn more about staging and what they can do to improve the odds for individual houses in this tough market and will be adding staging articles on a regular basis to the new site.
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Value-Added Renovation
Jeff Aughey of AlphaHomes.com has discovered a much-needed and even more appreciated niche in the current tough market just outside of Atlanta Georgia (in Alpharetta and Johns Creek). This particular geographic market has twice the inventory now as it had this time last year. While other agents are feeling the pinch, this proactive Realtor rolled up his sleeves and got to work... literally!
“What's not selling right now are the properties that need work or those that are easy to overlook,” says Jeff, “I'm working with my own resource list of area painting, construction, and repair professionals that do great work on renovations. We are enhancing homes so they not only sell, but they sell faster and for more money -- even in this market. We are actually returning money to the seller on their investment.”
In a time when many Realtors are cutting commissions to survive, Jeff is charging a premium and is getting excellent results. "It is unbelievable what I can do with a cooperative seller. The most recent update project has been a joy. I'm not doing the work, but I do coordinate like a real estate renovation "general contractor” from my tried-and-true list of excellent subcontractors."
Jeff always looks for colors that need to be updated and gives special attention to the kitchens and baths. Sometimes he orders the place painted, sometimes there are minor repairs and even some not-so-tiny physical changes.
"The most exciting thing is being able to take a weakness that a house has... for instance a kitchen floor with ivory tile and dark grout (which was really ugly) and make it became an accent, with the proper wall paint and staging," says Jeff, "What was a weakness is turned into a visual positive -- without a tremendous cost to the owner."
Jeff warns that if it's done wrong, it can be a catastrophe. “You have to understand the real estate market, the current design trends and the basics of home construction, renovation and repair. The secret is to find the best people for the job, hire them, pay them well and coordinate the effort to give the owner the best possible outcome.”
Yes, this niche means that Jeff spends more personalized time with each listing and each owner, and he has fewer listings, but moving homes in this market at higher prices means everyone wins!
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So if you find that your own real estate market is in a slump, maybe you should consider niching a particular type or menu of services to help your clients get what they need and want, and insure your success and the quality of your bottom line... even in THIS market!
Were you an early adopter? Upset about having an iPhone now that the announcement was made yesterday that the price is dropping by $200 effective this weekend? Well, I have some info you may want.
In an open letter, Steve Jobs offers early adopters $100 credit toward an Apple or online store purchase for all of us who bought the iPhone early. Read about it here:
I'm loving my iPhone (yes, it's still not "worn off") and I just found a page on the Apple site that is offering $100 off the units (both 8 and 4 gig models).
Some are refurbished, and some are returns or restocks. All come with the standard warranty and the ability to get an extended warranty -- if you do that sort of thing (I don't).
The catch, after much talking back and forth and emails to and from the folks at AT&T, is that they are STILL requiring a two year contract just to use the phone -- even if you have a contract already, even if you are no longer under the weight of a contract, and even if you buy the phone elsewhere.
A more thorough treatment of what I've learned is available on my "other blog".
Ever wondered what it would be like to have someone help you with your overwhelming work load? Have you heard about virtual assistance, about outsourcing professionals, about freelance project services for real estate, but have hesitated to try it out?
How would you like to ask a real estate broker for the real story on working with the offsite service provider? Want to know what works, what doesn't work, what he recommends and what he would recommend you avoid? Just ask!
Miguel Berger, of TechValleyHomes.com (and an Active Rainer himself) has agreed to host an event for all curious real estate professionals through RemoteProfessionals.com and will follow it up with a no-holds barred Q & A on using virtual assistants and outsourcing professionals. Miguel has been "high tech" for years and has used outsourcing services for over six years. (He was the first in his area of New York to adopt the "virtual assistance" concept.)
If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about developing a working relationship with a "virtual" provider, join us. Space will be limited to permit attendees to ask questions of Miguel... so register now!
This is the second free event to help RemoteProfessionals.com celebrate a second birthday.
Pretty cool when YOU get the birthday gift... without having to get a year older, isn't it?
I was poking around here on AR when I found Jeff Turner's Active Rain blog about the iPhone (referenced from another question about "is the iPhone all that" here on AR). This led me to notice his Gizmoz.com answering machine and I was intrigued. It's kinda cool!
So I went over to the Gizmoz site and poked around until I created my own version. It's so much fun -- and so easy -- that I thought I'd recommend others go and burn up all that "extra" time we ALL have -- playing with an animated "mini-me" that you can create online. (Fun, even if it did give me a pretty severe hair-cut!)
RemoteProfessionals.com is celebrating two years as a networking organization for outsourcing specialists, virtual assistants and offsite service providers. We want encourage everyone to join us as we celebrate . . .so we have developed two great events for July and August -- and we are offering them both for free!
(I'm proud to be serving on the panel for Start-Up Virtual Assistant Entrepreneurs.)
Event #1: For Those New to the Virtual Assistant Industry (and those curious about VAs). Let us help you get a jump-start on your outsourcing career!
Our panelists will answer your questions in this special one-hour teleseminar designed for newly established virtual assistants. Comprising the panel will be specialists in:
Accounting/Finance
Website Design
Blogging
Register today to reserve your spot, then come with your list of questions ready and come prepared to walk away with the answers you need. I hope to "see" you there!
If you are a real estate agent, Realtor(r) or broker, you may want to join us for the August event! (More on this as the time gets closer.)
Ok, I wrestled with the decision... but I did it. I broke down and got an iPhone on Friday -- despite the lines and the road-trip required to pick one up. (Maysville, over an hour away, was one of the two locations in KY that didn't sell out in the first hour -- so I made the trip!)
I now have one shiny, new 8 gig baby and after a weekend with it I must say... I LOVE IT!
Before this, I was carrying an old cell phone (because I flat refused to buy a new one until the iPhone came out), a 60 gig video iPod, my digital camera and all the "accessories" to keep all those things charged and working.
I must admit, my purse is quite a bit lighter, more organized and... well, dang it... my phone is amazing! I'll probably not carry my Tablet PC nearly as often as I have been with this little tech pet in my pocket (or purse).
I realize that Apple wasn't (supposedly) going after the business market, but this is one cool little business tool, IMHO. I think it will be especially appealing to real estate agents. Over the next few days, I'll be blogging about my finds over on my "other" blog: WickedBlog.com.
I must say that the mapping with the satellite overlay is much easier to use and renders incredibly well on the little thing. The viewable area is over twice the size of my video iPod for movies/videos. And the image you see to the left is one I took of my daughter Saturday morning, using the iPhone camera. Not bad, eh? I'm working on business apps now -- web-based and sync options. And while I'm typing this, I'm listening to my favorite playlist. It's all pretty sweet, I must say.
My mother, being a doting parent, cruised over to read my blog on a Saturday afternoon. (I have to be soooo careful what I say, since she does occasionally get a wild hair and read my blog). :O)
So, she read the post and then sent me an email. (My mother does NOT comment on posts -- no matter how often I encourage it). She sends emails -- or she calls. Period.
She tells me that 404 pages do not make her feel stupid, they make her angry.
She explained that since she found the website, obviously SHE didn't do anything wrong. She says that the website owner is "jerking her around or something."
She also didn't like my "funny" examples. (She was on a roll at that point). I'm sure that's partly because she's a staunch Republican and I listed one that didn't cast Bush in a positive light (see what I mean about being "careful"?). But she didn't like the other ones because they held her hostage (I guess she didn't want to click away, either. Hmmm.)
Now, please understand, my mother isn't an "angry" person -- so this attitude really surprised me. It was a total breakdown in communication and it took me awhile to understand what caused it.
It was caused because she didn't understand what a 404 page IS and what it DOES.
Once I explained that every webpage on my blog (for example) has it's own address, that starts with my URL -- but then has an extension which identifies the page -- she understood how a missing page would still leave her on my site. I then explained that outside sources may link to my website and since I'd switched content management systems lately, that there was a chance that some of those page names may have changed -- especially if I didn't redirect them all.
She told me I SHOULD redirect them all, otherwise I was being rude to my visitors. *grin* So she gets that part.
I bring up this example because my mother has been using the web nearly as long as I have. She's good at research and she's fairly tech-savvy -- but since she doesn't HAVE a webpage, there are some things she doesn't understand.
Likewise, you may have web-savvy clients and visitors from a USE standpoint who don't quite understand the way things work (like what a 404 error really is and what it means), even though you assume that they do.
It would never have occurred to me that any visitor to my site would consider a 404 error as a personal affront. Now I know better! Personally, I find it annoying and usually try to troubleshoot (I check for typos in the URL and search for another way to get to the page I want on the site). But, that's not my mother's approach at all -- and is probably not your visitor's approach either.
So if you aren't currently using custom 404 pages, you may want to consider that now. And, be sure you use a 301 redirect when you move pages -- otherwise, my mother would think you are rude. And trust me, she's the expert on etiquette!
Parting thoughts for those who have or maintain a business website:
I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey
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.
I was talking with my son (a 17-year-old) yesterday, and he was complaining about how quickly time was passing. This amazes me. When I was his age, time CRAWLED by. I couldn't wait until I got older so I could actually DO some stuff. It was torture to have to wait to do anything. 
Ever wondered what it would be like to have someone help you with your overwhelming work load? Have you heard about virtual assistance, about outsourcing professionals, about freelance project services for real estate, but have hesitated to try it out?
Ok, I wrestled with the decision... but I did it. I broke down and got an iPhone on Friday -- despite the lines and the road-trip required to pick one up. (Maysville, over an hour away, was one of the two locations in KY that didn't sell out in the first hour -- so I made the trip!) 
Today, I wrote an 
;)
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