Mike's Blog

Print, Baby, Print !

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:04:51 -0500

I just read that the government is considering taking ownership interests in U.S. Banks. That made me excited. I already LOVE the way government runs everything else. Socilaism rocks! As I am getting closer to retirement age, it always seemed further away. But NOW, I know the government will take care of me and bail me out too. If the U.S. Government had taken over the real estate industry, we could have suppressed prices when they got too high, and regulated THEM! We would never have had this mess if they had acted responsibly, and with force.

Never mind that government has no competition to make it better. The best thing about the government owning everything is this- if one gov't sector "goes under", they can just print more money! Instant bailout! That way they can keep paying us, too!

I suggest that Sarah Palin (who should have the government hunt her moose for her) change her motto from "Drill, Baby Drill" to "Print Baby, Print!".

Do You Need A Coach?

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:59:03 -0500

After watching an inspirational video featuring a football coach encouraging his player, it got me thinking. What if I had a coach by MY side, challenging me, pushing me, and sometimes barking at me? Would I be more productive? Would I be more accountable? Don't get me wrong, I know what to do, but if I knew my efforts were being monitored, judged and critiqued, perhaps I would make 20% extra calls. Perhaps I would be more focused on getting more appointments, turned to settlements. Maybe all of my price reductions would be proactively generated, as opposed to my client calling me and asking me if it were time to reduce. While most agents are trying to find areas to cut expenses, maybe we should even cut more, in order to budget $500 monthly for a great coach. If that is out of the question, then consider a weekly meeting with your manager, or get an "accountability partner" where you meet weekly, so you can push and encourage each other. An accountability partner should have similar goals to yours, and a desire to increase their business.

New Listing: 31 Tekening Way, Hamilton Twp., NJ

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:31:11 -0500

Great Starter in the Steinert district in need of some TLC, but priced thousands below the neighborhood average sales price. Convenient Hamilton Square location, close to the Hamilton Train Station. This 3 bedroom Miry Brook area home is in a great location, and offers a fast closing. Buyer to assume Hamilton Twp. violations. Call Mike Elliott for your private appointment or the open house schedule. (609) 851-6971.

Taxes: $4901

Schools: Sayen (K-5), Reynolds (6-8), Steinert (9-12)

Service versus Results

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:38:06 -0500

Service is a perception. It is about how we make someone feel. It is centered around the client's expectations, and how we meet or exceed or fall short of them. Service is an intangible and not always measurable.

Results are very different. The are tangible and measurable and mostly black and white. Results are there for the world to see. Did it sell? How fast? What price? What % of the sales price?

Results are what keep good agents in the business.

March 2008 Market Reports: Mercer and Burlington, New Jersey

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:37:26 -0500

	2007	2008
Hamilton Township	91	54
Robbinsville Township	30	5
City of Trenton	65	31
Burlington County	491	309
Mercer County	372	205

So, what does this all mean? This data represents sold properties for March 2007 and 2008. Robbinsville's numbers are confounding, yet when I did deeper research, most of the units in 2007 were condos, with NONE closed in 2008. High taxes? Strong condo competition in Hamilton? Afraid of the name change? My advice to sellers: Price it right, stage it right, make it easily accessible for showings. Then it will sell. If you ignore your (good) agent's advice, it will not sell.

My Promise When You Send Me a Referral in NJ

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:19:00 -0500

As a full time agent in my 24th year, I am never too busy for your referrals! I proudly serve the Mercer and Burlington markets, where I have lived my entire life. When sending me a referral, I promise to always call the client immediately, and call you back the same day with feedback. My honest and direct, yet consultative approach will always put the client's needs first. if you are an agent, I will always put our referral agreement in writing or in an email.

Towns I serve:

Mercer County: Hamilton Township, Robbinsville Township, City of Trenton, Ewing Township, Lawrence Township.

Burlington County: Bordentown, Burlington, Florence, Mansfield, Springfield, North Hanover and surrounding areas.

Ocean County: Plumsted / New Egypt

The Greatest Staging Post in the History of Active Rain

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:05:58 -0500

Well, not really. But is it just me, or are you tired of what seems to be an endless stream of posts regrading staging, it's importance, it's value, and how it's going to lead our country out of recession and Iraq? As an ASP myself (I have been thru Barb Schwarz's class, and I highly recommend it) I see the value. But enough already. It's been done. It's been said. It's been beaten. It's been dragged thru the mud, and if I hear about one more up-lamp, etc., I might lose my breakfast. Price it right. Clean it up. De-clutter. And make it look as close to a model home or what that pic on your magazine cover looks like. End of story.

Why You Should Not List with the "High End" Out of Town Broker

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:49:44 -0500

For the first time in years, I have noticed a few listings in my primary market of Hamilton Township, New Jersey by a "high end" broker, who traditionally sells or lists no more than than 4-5 homes annually in Hamilton, out of over 2,000 units. Maybe I have noticed them more because they are on main roads, and they tend to be remembered or "jump out". While I am not threatened by this activity (I have always felt that there is a big enough pie, regardless of market conditions) I do think most sellers who hire the out of town, high end broker do so because they feel this agent or company can get them a higher sales price than the local broker. here are some things to consider before hiring such an agent:

1. Have they EVER sold a home in your town? While this may not seem significant, it always pays to have a local agent who understands the local market, the c.o process for your town, and who understands the "pulse" for your locale.

2. Will your agent work hard on selling your $280,000 home, when their average sale price in Princeton is $850,000?

3. Will OTHER agents in that office wish to make the 30 minute drive to Hamilton to do the same? Or will they dismiss the buyer lead, hoping they don't bother them again?

4. How will they market the property, if all their marketing is focused on high end properties?

5. As a home buyer, you will always compare the subject property to other properties in the same neighborhood or town. Not the listing broker's "high end" market.

6. Of the 50 licensees who work in your office, how many live in the subject property town? Any?

Before listing with an out of town broker, especially a "high end" one, call that office and pretend to be a buyer. Interview the agent who answers the phone about their knowledge of your town. Ask them about the schools, and how they feel about homes in your area. Ask them how they feel about your town.

Goodbye, Nora

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:03:06 -0500

Goodbye, Nora

This is my 5^th attempt at writing this post. It has not been easy, and knowing Nora, she would be bothered that I spent so much time on this. Nora Schaffener, my client turned friend, passed away this week after a battle with cancer. Tonight is her viewing. She was 54.

Nora was one of the very nicest, sweetest, and most down to Earth people you could ever meet. "She's an angel now", my Mom said, who never met Nora, but listened to my story about her yesterday after I got the news. Mom is right. If anyone was ever meant to be an angel, it's Nora.

Nora and I got along right from the start, yet she seemed too good to be true. I liked her enough, but it is rare that you meet anyone like her, who is so real, kind, sweet, yet without an ounce of b.s. She was the real deal, but it took a few meetings with her to really "get that" about her. After I sold her house, she referred several clients to me. I even sold her Mom's house. It was the house Nora grew up in, and her Mom, Betty, moved in with Nora and Nora's husband Bob. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and you find the same qualities in Betty which make you love Nora.

Nora and Bob moved into a pretty 55+ community, not far from their old home in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. . What followed is rather interesting. After they bought there, so did my clients the Mostrangeli's, then the Corso's, the Phillips, the Russo's, the Bruhn's, and the Angeline's. That's a lot of clients in one neighborhood. And all super-nice people. Coincidence? I'm not so sure.

Maria, my former co-worker and I took Nora to lunch as a thank you for all she had done for us. Maria called Nora to confirm our lunch, and Nora asked her if she had to get "dressed up". Maria, always tactful and great with clients, told her to be comfortable and to wear what she wanted. Nora obliged. She always looked nice, always comfortable. But she was not going to go out of her way to "impress" anyone. What you saw was what you got. We had a lot of fun at lunch, which was no surprise. Nora told us she was going to return the favor, which she did the next month. It was the last time I saw Nora healthy.

Just before Thanksgiving, I paid Nora a surprise visit. Betty answered the door. "Nora's sick", Betty said. The way Betty said it, I knew it wasn't the flu. Nora was home recovering from cancer treatments. I was stunned. As always, Nora had a great attitude. She had a smile on her face. She told me she was going to be okay. The attitude you would expect from an angel. "I love you", I told Nora before I left. It was the first time I ever said that to a client. Before I reached my car, I cried.

God has blessed me with drive. He has blessed me with ability. But at times, I have been short sighted in the relationship department. Make a sale, then make another. In the end, sales awards, earnings, toys and achievements really don't stack up to the truly meaningful relationships that we can build. That's how we are measured. Plaques become history as the calendar turns. Money gets spent. But in our business, we get to meet so many nice people. And once in awhile, we might just meet an angel like Nora.

Let's Stop Blaming the Media

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 06:57:33 -0500

It's time. Let's turn off our anger switch. Let's get into the "acceptance" stage of this grieving process. Other than watching scores to see if my teams won, catching some weather news, or catching an occasional news story, I don't rely upon the media for much. I cannot stand their style, their slant, and neither can most of you in this market. But it's time to move on. Forget about them. We all know that they are behind the times when it comes to reporting change. We all know they are there to sensationalize. Let's pick up our phones, and stay in touch with our past business and ask --yes, ask-- for referrals. There are a million of us in the NAR and it's time we remind folks that real estate has proven to be one of the greatest investments in history. Let's stop feeling sorry for ourselves or being angry. The market is here, there is money to be made, and homes to be bought and sold. A lot of them.

Serenity Prayer - Perfect for this Market !

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:20:40 -0500

I first heard this "saying" years ago, little did I know that it is part of the Serenity Prayer. I think it speaks voulmes about what our mindset must be in this market, and in life as well. Hope you enjoy it, feel free to share your connection to it, as always.

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Songs Connected with Houses

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:33:30 -0500

As a little boy when I visited my grandmother, I always begged her to play checkers or for her to play the piano for us. We would all sing a few songs together, including Puff the Magic Dragon and Redwing. Redwing always stuck out in my mind, because it's a pretty song and I never heard it anywhere else. When my grandmother died, I helped my Mom and Dad clean out the house. It seemed to take forever, especially to an 8 year old. Dad brought a radio to the house to keep us company, and the song that played every hour was Philadelphia Freedom. I grew to hate that song, it played so much, even though I love Elton John. Now when I hear it, it brings back good memories of being with my Dad and helping him, and memories of my grandmothers house.

Other songs that have a connection for me:

Edelweiss- My childhood home

The Way It Is- My first home

It's the End of the World as We Know it- My 2nd Home

Witches theme from Wizard of Oz- My mother-in-laws house

Corduroy- My current home

Songs trigger powerful memories for all of us. Share yours. (Just kiding about my mother-in-law!)

Do you want to be one of the 900 ?

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:55:20 -0500

As then Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino told his team not long after taking over, "Larry Bird is not walking through that door". A cold dose of reality for his team was needed, and he dumped a bucket of ice water. As I talk with sellers, agents and even read posts here on AR, many folks still long for the old market. Guess what? It ain't walking though those doors. And if we get a couple weeks of great activity, don't think this slowdown isn't over. It's a process. There is no ON/OFF switch that can be thrown. Here is the reality for me: In Hamilton Township New Jersey, there will be so much real estate sold this year. probably about 900 houses. And I'm going to get my fair share. I will work harder, smarter, follow up more, market better and have a positive attitude. The same attributes can work for a seller. I ask my sellers every day, "Do you wan't to be one of the 900? This is what we have to do."

Adopting a Child

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:42:03 -0500

I wanted to make this post last week, when my son, Jack turned 10 years old. Jack is from Guatemala, and he has been with us since he was 11 months old. Most of my posts roll right off my tongue, but this one is special, and it has taken me a while to put my thoughts together. Turning 10 is special too, as we all remember, but this post has special meaning. My wife, Colleen and I also have a daughter, Amanda, who is 14. Jack and Amanda could n ot be more different. Amanda is blonde. Jack has coarse dark hair. Amanda is left handed. Jack is a righty. amanda has blue eyes, jack dark brown. Amanda is fair, Jack tans a beautiful dark brown. Amanda is usually quiet and thoguhtful, Jack just blurts out anything in his head. Repeatedly. Amanda is competitive, Jack not.

About 10 years ago, after many attempts and disappointments, my wife and I decided that adoption was a great idea. We looked at many different options, and international adoption, specifically through Guatemala, made sense for us. An local agency helped us with the process, and they were a blessing.

The day we met Jack was amazing. we flew to Guatemala City, via Philly and then Houston. Many children were at the airport, begging for money. The host family who housed us in Guatemala picked us up at the airport. They were a large family, warm and friendly people. We waited for what seemed to be an eternity for the foster family to bring Jack. They were, in typical Guatemala fashion, very late to meet us. Just like the ride from the airport. I coaxed my wife outside to wait for Jack's arrival. Being in a strange and unfamiliar city, she was cautious to be outside, but I insisted. It's a still frame in my mind which I will never forget. The foster family arrived. Actually I think they had been outside in the car, and waited to come in with Jack. (By the way, Jack is named after my Dad, who passed away in 1994. I wanted my son to know that he is special, so we gave him a special family name) When jack arrived, we were sitting outside on the sidewalk/curb. I stood up to greet him, and his eyes met mine. "There he is!", I said. I was so excited. he was just as beautiful as his pictures. Funny, I never referred to a boy as "beautiful" before. But if you have adopted, you know what I mean. he is beautiful.

The foster family left, and to my surprise (I must not have read the instruction manual) they left him with us for the night...for good, even though the adoption was not yhet official, which needed formalization in the court the next day. The first night with us, Jack was very quiet. (unlike now...he never shuts up!) he woke once, cried, and Colleen draped her arm into his crib, and he felt back to sleep immediately.

Fast forward. One of the cool things about having an adopted child is that his genes are unique to our house. Unlike me, he does not like sports. Unlike me, he can sing and make friends in nanoseconds. He is very different from me in many ways. He forgives almost immediately. He has a heart as big as my house. Unlike me, he is disorganized, sloppy and forgetful. He likes many things that I have never had any interest in, like Dinosaurs, certain music and viewpoints. He makes me view the world differently. I used to think I wanted a son just like me. But then I wouldn't have Jack.

Interested in adoption? Feel free to ask me about any part of the process or experience.

Get it in Writing or Get Screwed

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:25:35 -0500

You would think I would know this by now. But I guess not. I sold my own listing recently and the buyer agreed to take the property with certain "violations". After all, he was (is? was?) a friend of the family. Well, it seems like he forgot about the agreement, and now he is holding the sellers feet to the fire and taking advantage of a certain situation. "He smells blood", said the seller's attorney. Though I cannot get into detail, in the end it will do no harm, and maybe that's why I did not get it in writing, but I can promise you--guarantee you-- I will from now on. People forget. people change their mind. They get cold feet, and they get coached by too many people who only know half the story.

Who is Forcing Realtors to Switch Lockboxes?

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:22:00 -0500

It has come to my attention that some Boards of Realtors are forcing their agents to switch to "more secure" electronic lockboxes. In other words, the use of non electronic LB's are going to be prohibited. I have some mixed feelings about this. While I completely recognize the fact that electronic versions are better, I have yet to have a problem with my old dial or numeric combo lockboxes which I have used for 23+ years. So, help me out. I have a few questions.

1. Is this happening in your Board?

2. Who is requiring it?

3. Is it enforceable?

4. Is there a penalty for non-compliance?

5. Is the requirement legal?

If I am missing something here, please tell me. I would like to understand it. I don't want to get ready for a fight if my viewpoint is wrong, due to a lack of info. Thanks!

Brotherhood on Active Rain

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:54:54 -0500

I joined Active Rain late last year after having blogged on Wordpress. It took me a long time to get what AR was all about. Lots of posts, lots of comments. Some good, some bad, some great, some ugly. But recently I have made some friends from other places. Before I closed my real estate office on 12/31/07 and joined Keller Williams, I was able to email KW agents from around the USA what they thought about KW. KW agents from California, Pennsylvania and especially Colorado (thanks, Wendy Bibeau!) were fabulous about helping me with info which has had a huge impact on my life. (Joining KW has been a perfect fir for me!) We have shared, traded ideas, and helped each other. While I have been in real estate for 23+ years, I have learned some tech things and mortgage things from agents who are relatively new to the industry. I have learned some things about attitude, some which I have needed to re-learn to make personal adjustments in this not so easy market. I have helped others as well, as I managed for 15 plus years. I was a strong recruiter, and a good manager. I have watched people open up here and express themselves and ask for help. And they get it. Sometimes in buckets full. I have been amazed, quite honestly. Strangers helping strangers, a true brotherhood. Competitors helping competitors. Just the other day a stranger emailed some info which helped me. Just today I faxed something to an agent to help her. In this crazy, busy, competitive woirld, is it possible that the internet has broken down barriers or race, religion and competition in the true spirit of helping others? Think about that. I love it. I'm hooked. and I'm addicted. I can't wait to sign on tomorrow. Happy Easter.

Politics on Active Rain

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 08:28:15 -0500

Recently I created a political post on ACTIVE RAIN. While many agreed with my viewpoint, many were angry. It got a bit heated. I decided to not write political posts anymore. I mean, what's the point, and who really cares if I lean left, right or stand in the middle? I mean, I am a REALTOR. Then a few days ago I saw someone else's VERY political post, screaming of conspiracy and witch hunts. I was blown away by their opinion. So I commented. I opened a can of worms the size of Rhode Island. I called the post "liberal". Many folks agreed with me. Many bashed me. some made fun of me and told me to "go pray to my Lord". It got a bit heated. One called me a liar, as he misread my post. Many comments spun what I said. It got way off track, mentioning Nixon, even. (Nixon!) I kept my cool the best I could, but many of the opposing viewpoint (most of them were from the same State, many from the same office) were a bit hostile over my opinion. I was accused iof name-calling ( called the poster liberal). Many of the other comments were done with bold, underlined etc, in order to punctuate their anger for me. It got ridiculous. The poster said my comments were rude, even though I was called a liar and made fun of for mentioning the Lord. Then the poster said my comments would be deleted if I kept it up. I took a deep breath and thought long and hard. I had never been deleted before anywhere. Ironically, the poster said in her comments that she was recently kicked out of an AR Group. Hmmm. Anyway, I did what I thought was best on this 50+ comment post. I deleted my comments. Now if you find her post, it doesn't really make any sense, as their answers are to my deleted comments. And I learned another life's lesson. If your comments really don't do anyone any good, keep them to yourself. Save the energy for someone who needs it, or wants it. They people in that office did not want my opinion. In the end, we all need to focus on the solution, not the problem. While they are focusing on the problem, I am going to focus on lead generation, and carefully monitoring my time spent in places that have no positive impact on myself or others.

There are Two Different Markets, Like Night and Day

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 07:32:49 -0500

Within each local real estate market, there are two markets:

1. The market for nice listings priced right.

2. A market of overpriced listings.

The first market is doing pretty well. I have a new listing, two weeks old, in which the sellers followed my price and staging strategy. It has a lockbox and is easy to show, and we have 3 offers, one of which was just accepted. I have several other listings which have recently sold which are similar. These sellers have accepted the current market reality in Hamilton Township, Mercer County New Jersey.

The second market sucks. These sellers are priced unrealistically. some of their homes show ok, or not so ok. Some of these sellers are asking for "more advertising" and when they call me to get out of their contract with their current broker, they are very angry. When I ask them why the home has not sold, price, condition and market issues rarely are mentioned. Most of these listings will expire. many of these sellers, some rightfully so, will have bad things to say about their agent.

I am having a good time in the first market. I refuse to participate in the second market. Have a Happy Easter!

100% Financing for Buyers Still Exists

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:56:19 -0500

While I am not a mortgage expert (I leave that up to the mortgage folks) I do know that the FHA 203ks has some great features. Check with your own mortgage specialist for details, but here is how I understand it to work:

The deposit and closing costs can be gifted. Even by the seller. A third party company, for a $750 fee (Genesis) handles this. It is all legit.
Just a 2.25% down-payment. Again, can be gifted by a family member or the seller.
The lender can then allow up to $35,000 in extra funding for home improvements, i.e. new kitchen, new carpet, etc. So a $300,000 purchase can be financed for $335,000, minus the down-payment.
Marginal credit scores, as I am told.

This is NOT the old 203k loan. In Mercer County, the FHA loan limit is $440,000. In Burlington County, the limit is $420,000.

Check with your local FHA expert for accuracy and details. This program sounds like a home run!

Are Your Home Warranty Claims Denied?

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:34:33 -0500

When I owned my own company from 2003-2007, I attached a home warranty to most listings. Even in a fast market, I saw the benefit. I used 2 different companies, one very large and one smaller one. I "sold" about 80 warranties a year. I loved them and believed in them. Then, out of the blue, they began to deny claims. They discouraged, quite strongly, my buyers from even making claims. They were rude. So i changed companies. and the new one began to do the same thing. Next thing I know, my account rep quits the big company. The complaints I had from clients were extensive, and all the same---the customer service peoploe were all using the same exact dialogue, as is they were coached to discourage claims! One day, I had enough. After many calls to customer service and management, I got the owner of the smaller company on the phone. He threatened me. I gave it right back. He didn't know me very well. Long story short, without naming and companies in a good or bad way, have you had problems with claims being denied? If you have, perhaps we can exchange info to see if there is something deeper to this.

Avoid the Chaos: How to Determine What Marketing REALLY Works

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:26:48 -0500

Some agents do so much to market a house, including:

For sale sales, sign lights, directional signs, MLS, Realtor.com, Showcase listings on Realtor.com, Featured homes on Realtor.com, their own website, extra websites, like Homes.com, Trulia, Google, Craigslist, property flyers, brochure boxes, virtual tours, just listed postcards, open houses, caravan, broker open houses, Talking Houses, those stupid, awful E Flyers, toll free numbers, Harmon Homes magazines, newspapers, direct mail, and you name it.

Not only is most of this stuff an incredible waste of money, but it also is a tremendous waste of time and energy. Some of this stuff we are approached with is very tempting. I know. I used to use alot of it. All it does is spend our money, waste our time, and create more chaos for us. So, what works? If you list a lot of property, begin doing this at the next closing. Simply ask the buyer: "By the way, how did you find out about the property". You will be amazed at how 95% of the time the answers fall in 2 0r 3 buckets. Then just do those 3. I know which 3. Will you?

An Old Story with a Powerful Message

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:30:58 -0500

The Hot Dog Vendor

This is an old story, with a powerful message.

There was this elderly man who had a profitable little business selling hot dogs on a busy street corner in a major city. He wasn't particularly well educated, but he sold great hot dogs and his customers loved him.

During the early morning rush hour, he'd wheel his mobile hot dog stand to position it near the exit of the central railway station in town. A year ago he'd added a bacon and egg roll to his range and sold scores of them to this breakfast crowd every day. At lunchtime, he'd move his stand to a popular park where he had lines of regulars.

In the afternoon he'd be back at the station entrance and then later most nights he knew a great spot near a nightclub where young patrons rushed him off his feet. He had even installed special lighting and a flashing neon sign. Even people driving by would stop.

He'd worked hard for years and done well enough to put his only son through university who later became an accountant with a large accounting firm.

One day his son warned him that a recession was on the way. The old man asked his son what this meant. Being an educated man his son gave a very detailed explanation of how the recession would severely impact everyone in the community, particularly small business people like his father. There would be enormous unemployment; people would not be able to afford to spend money as they did now. He painted a gloomy picture of the future and warned his father that it would be wise to cut back on his expenses and "tighten his belt" financially and prepare for the worst. The old man didn't know much about the economy or interest rates, but he trusted his son. After all, he was an educated man. Recession mentality kicked in...

The old man began to cut back on the quantity of sausages and bread rolls he bought. He didn't want to get caught with stale rolls as business began to drop off. But it was hard to judge and some days he actually ran out of sausages and rolls earlier than he normally would. So he went home early and spent more time worrying about this recession that was coming.

Soon he knew that what his son had said was right. He noticed that his takings were indeed falling. This depressed him more and so he tended to get out of bed later each day. After all, why get to the station so early when obviously more people would be eating at home rather than spending money on breakfast in the city. He decided that his bacon
and egg rolls were too expensive for most people now. After all, they were twice the price of a hot dog, so he cut them from his menu and his sales continued to plummet.

Wow, his son was right, this recession was hitting hard!

He decided to save more money and not replace the batteries that powered his neon sign and lights at night. Now because he was in the dark, fewer people bought from him and soon he decided that it wasn't even worth his time setting up at night. Eventually he decided to sell off his equipment and his trolley. He was in luck though because the young woman who bought his trolley didn't seem to know how bad business was, or how severe the recession was going to be. He managed to unload the trolley for more than he thought he would get. Now day after day he stayed at home, depressed, and occasionally his son would visit him and they would discuss how bad the recession was, and how lucky the old man had been to have an educated son who had warned him in advance about this terrible recession.

So what's the moral of this story?

Recession mentality starts in one's own head. If you believe that a recession is coming and that times will soon be tough, then they will be for you. Like the old man in the story, you'll start to change your successful behaviour patterns and replace them with less resourceful habits. You'll sleep in later. You'll take longer lunch breaks, make less phone calls and go home earlier.

But it needn't be that way...

Why Can't You Just Return My Call?

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:12:38 -0500

It's common courtesy. Same with emails. If you have a phone, return the call. If you have an email account, check it. If you're too busy, tell me so, and we can chat another time. It's cool. But to not return 2,3 or 4 calls is rude. I have found that many part time agents, those who have other full time jobs are the worst at returning calls. Most full timers pick up the phone. Some "older" folks say it's a generational thing. I'm not so sure. My Dad, God rest his soul, taught me alot. He taught me how to play baseball. He taught me how to visualize success. The why and how to be on time for events. And why I should return calls promptly. He was a great Dad. For me to not return a friend or client's call, IMO, says alot about my character.

I promise my next couple posts won't sound so darn grouchy!

Why I Hate Your E Flyers

Mike Elliott, Keller Williams Realty — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:17:20 -0500

1. They are spam.

2. I didn't ask for them.

3. I have all that stuff in the MLS ! if I wanted to know what a property was selling for, or to see it's pics, I would use the MLS! How would you feel if I kept sending you all my listings from the MLS, as a "reminder" about how anxious my sellers are? Why pay to send me something I already have??

4. Most of your E Flyers are for properties like 10 markets away. I don't even work those markets.

5. It seems like I get 5 a day. Way to much. It clutters up my mailbox.

Please folks, take me off the list. I keep clicking and clicking that I am not interested, to no avail! I hope you don't spend alot of money on this stuff. Technolody is great, but you must measure the effectiveness.