real estate professionals: We Quit Doing It Because It Worked
- 12/17/07 07:07 PM
I once asked a sales manager if our company had considered a particular advertising strategy. His response in his inimitable Georgia drawl was, "Darlin' we just quit doin' that cause it worked." I've never forgotten that day or his words. It was one of the most powerful statements I've ever heard. It causes me to often ask myself, "What have I quit doing because it worked?" We've had a bit of a respite from phones ringing off the hook and faxes burning up with offers. So, what have we been doing with that extra time? Well, if since we're still in this business of … (22 comments)
real estate professionals: Adventures in Real Estate
- 12/17/07 02:13 PM
This weekend was great. I'm currently working with several couples who are ready to buy a home. On Saturday I met with a lovely couple and we were scheduled to see 10 homes. While we were in the car, I received a call from a courteous agent who let me know that one of the homes we had scheduled to see had just accepted an offer and would be going into escrow. Nice agent, very professional. Most of the homes on our list are short sales. There seem to be a lot hitting the market in this particular price range ($450,000-550,000). So, off we went … (18 comments)
real estate professionals: Do You Mastermind?
- 06/15/07 05:35 PM
Mastermind groups can be a valuable resource for any business professional. Next month will mark the seventh year I have been a member of a real estate related mastermind group. Originally, our common interest was belonging to a coaching group called By Referral Only. That common thread drew a group of like-minded individuals together and it's still growing strong. We have people who are part of the core group that actually formed about ten years ago and continue to invite others to join us. Our attendance is typically 15-20 people each month. What we do is meet to discuss a topic that … (40 comments)
real estate professionals: Selling Broker Commission $1
- 05/17/07 08:05 PM
What do you do when you see the commission offered is $1? Let's say you've been sending listings to a prospective buyer for months. They've finally gotten pre-approved and want to start going to look at houses. They give you a list of the homes they want to see. By chance, while checking availability, you notice that the commission offered to the Selling Office is $1. This presents quite a dilemma. How can anyone honestly work for $1? That won't even buy more than a few miles worth of gasoline. So, how do you handle it? _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Marlene Bridges, REALTOR® 800 777-1775 South Orange … (15 comments)
real estate professionals: Allstate Will No Longer Write Homeowner's Policies in California
- 05/11/07 02:36 PM
Today, during a conversation with a South Orange County Allstate agent he told me that Allstate has opted to write no more homeowner's insurance policies in California. I asked what would happen to the existing policyholders. He said they'd be okay. He said it actually will be good for him because as an Allstate agent, he would actually be able to choose from several insurance carriers that Allstate has approved for the agents to use. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner's responded to Allstate's announcement with some very strong language: "Allstate's actions in California mirror its recent retreat in other markets such as Florida and New York, … (10 comments)
real estate professionals: Relocation Company Affiliation - Blessing or Curse?
- 05/10/07 06:30 PM
Like most agents, I'm always working to broaden my referral base. I've wondered if working with relocation companies is really worth the effort. I've read some interesting posts here in the rain on the subject. Gerhard Ade's post in August 2006 was pretty clearly con on relo companies. It was appropriately titled "Are Relocation Companies Relocating a Chunk of Your Commission?" Dave Rosenmarkles November 2006 article was not positive either---The title read, " Reclocation Companies-Necessary Evil". Jim Lee's March 2007 article gave a positive spin "How to Win the Relocation Game". The Active Rain community represents literally thousands of years of … (6 comments)
real estate professionals: IRS ~ DIRTY TRICK
- 05/02/07 04:59 AM
Late Friday afternoon, I found out that the IRS had placed a levy on my earnings. I frantically called my CPA. No answer. So, I thought, "What the heck, I'll call the 800# for IRS and see if by some slim chance there's somebody I can talk with". I was surprised that once I had waited on cue for about 5 minutes, a live person answered my call. We were able to resolve the matter quickly and agree that the IRS actually owes me money, not the other way around. Well, that's the good news. I was able to reach someone and … (20 comments)
real estate professionals: The Dash
- 04/30/07 07:46 AM
A couple of years ago, I attended an event where Howard Brinton was a speaker. He shared a poem that was so powerful, I wanted to pass it along. The poem is simply titled, The Dash. It refers to the hyphen between the dates on a tombstone. It encourages each of us to make the most of "the dash" we live out each day. Here's the link to where you can read, hear, and purchase a copy for yourself. http://www.lindaslyrics.com/thedashpoem.html Encouraging you to consider today, what you can be doing to improve your dash.
Marlene Bridges, REALTOR® 800 777-1775 South Orange County Real Estate … (7 comments)
real estate professionals: Clear As Mud
- 04/28/07 05:26 AM
On a recent trip to another state to shop for investment possibilities, I was reminded how important it is that we are clear in the way we communicate the information on our listings. We enjoy some differences in the way we communicate from state to state. Not only are our speaking styles different, so is our vocabulary. This can cause confusion for the visiting prospective buyer. For example, I made an offer on a property that was located on a type of street I'd never heard of before. I've heard of streets, lanes, highways, avenues, etc. Well, this was called a trace. What the … (8 comments)
real estate professionals: ARE YOU THE PHANTOM AGENT?
- 04/26/07 05:38 AM
Each month I host a small group of young women in my home. They are all in their late thirties and early forties. I'm older and supposedly wiser, but they constantly teach me. Last night, one of the gals was sharing her experience in having her home on the market for about a year. She brought up a point that I found pretty unbelievable. She said one of the most frustrating things in this process has been agents who call, set an appointment to show their property, then never show up or call to cancel their appointment. My friend has two small … (9 comments)
real estate professionals: CAN A LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT GET A GOOD BUY ON INVESTMENT PROPERTY?
- 04/22/07 02:45 AM
Jennifer Steck's post on How Does A Realtor Buy A House? Was a great step-by-step, how-to-article. One of the points I'd like to explore is how as licensed agents can we actually get a good buy on a house? The market I work in is in Southern California. I'm currently in another state looking to buy some investment property. I made an offer on a property earlier this week. And, of course I had to disclose that I'm a licensed real estate agent. The question I have for all of you on AR is---Do you think that as a licensed agents we have the same chance … (0 comments)
I once asked a sales manager if our company had considered a particular advertising strategy. His response in his inimitable Georgia drawl was, "Darlin' we just quit doin' that cause it worked." I've never forgotten that day or his words. It was one of the most powerful statements I've ever heard. It causes me to often ask myself, "What have I quit doing because it worked?"
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