Regina P. Brown's California Coast Real Estate Blog

Real Estate Investors: How to Create Wealth with Apartment Foreclosures

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:49:07 -0500

Attention Real Estate Investors: In the next 12 months, there will be more billionaires made in the U.S. than in the entire history of the world! Will you be one of the up-and-coming billionaires?

Tune in to this FREE real estate training seminar with Karen Hanover, one of the nation's leading experts on commercial real estate: "How to Buy Apartment Foreclosures Made Easy"

Karen Hanover is a highly successful real estate investor and syndicate with over $32 million in personal property ownership. As an active investor, Karen understands the challenges faced by real estate commercial investors.

DATE: TUESDAY June 30, 2009

TIME: 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM CDT (9pm ET, 6pm PT)

Register for the webinar here:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/619580339

Who exactly is Karen Hanover and why listen to her advice? Here's what other real estate investors have to say about Karen:

"Having owned a shopping center for 2 years which now has more than $5 million in equity and roughly
$22,000 per MONTH in positive cash flow, I can tell you that Karen's techniques are by far the most lucrative and usable strategies I've ever seen. These are cutting edge ways to structure your deals without cash, credit or experience to start making IMMEDIATE cash flow. She has helped me immensely!" Jeff Pesis. - Manhattan Beach, CA

"Within 3 weeks after taking Karen's course, I opened escrow on a 92 unit building in Oklahoma City. Using her techniques, I am getting in with no money down and expect over $8,000 per month in positive cash flow!" Marcia Kimura, Los Angeles, CA

"I looked at Trump, John Scheel and a host of others, but you are the first one that is willing to take people as they are and teach them at their level of knowledge. I am totally confident that I will be able to make a lot of money using your system." Cory Mangum - Santa Monica, CA

I'd love to hear your comments about this wonderful webinar!

Regina P. Brown
Broker, Realtor®, e-Pro
Author of eBook "Stop Foreclosure Fast: Solutions to Save your House"
Author of forthcoming book, "Virtual Office Guide for Business Professionals: Work & Profit from Home"
Join & post to my NEW ActiveRain group at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Enjoy my NEW Books:

No More Renters Forced from Homes due to Owner's Foreclosure!

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:09:17 -0500

New Law Gives Renters Protection During Foreclosure, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. I've heard too many stories about homeless families because THEY paid their rent on time BUT the homeowner did not pay the mortgage! I jumped up and down when I read this new law.

An urgent email from the National Low Income Housing Coalition says:

"Important protections for tenants living in foreclosed properties were signed into law by President Obama. The renter protection provisions took effect immediately and expire at the end of 2012. S. 896 contains key renter protections, advocated for by NLIHC and other organizations:

90-day pre-eviction notice to tenants whose homes have gone into foreclosure.
The rights of tenants to remain in their homes for the terms of their leases. (However, if the new owner will live in the home, leases can be terminated subject to the 90 day notice.)
Tenants with Section 8 vouchers able to remain with both their lease and rental assistance payments intact, subject to the rights of the purchaser at foreclosure who wants to occupy the home after 90 days notice.

"Currently, in most states, renters get little or no notice to vacate their homes upon their landlords' foreclosures. The new federal law will not preempt state laws that provide a greater level of renter protections at foreclosure."

Thank you for all your advocacy and support to make sure innocent renters are offered protection against losing their homes without reasonable notice. For more information, visit www.nlihc.org or contact the NLIHC Outreach Team at (202) 662-1530 or at outreach@nlihc.org.

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Rich Levin's Tips on the 4 Skills Needed to Work with Buyers

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:34:49 -0500

Rich Levin, top real estate trainer, sent me a great article that I just had to share! It's called "The Four Required Skills to Work with Buyers" and says "there are four distinct skills you need to develop to take full advantage of this tremendous opportunity with buyer leads:"

Contact the leads
Convert the leads into appointments
Develop and conduct a winning buyer presentation
Stay in touch with the leads until they buy from you or you drop them

First you need the habit and discipline of contacting enough of the leads that you generate to reach your goals. Most Agents generate enough leads to reach their next level of production. What they lack is the habit of following up on all the leads they generate.

When you get a lead, call it that minute. If you can't that minute and most of the time you can. But if you really can't, call it at the next ten minute break you have in your day.

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.richlevin.com/Admin/rich_levins_ArticleInfo.aspx?AID=63&NLID=33

To receive FREE information & articles with Rich Levin's email tips:

		Newsletter with latest ideas, tips, scripts, articles and more.
		Rich's Success Minutes - your weekly motivational boost
		Articles -1st notification and access to the latest informational articles
		Special Discounts, Offers & Pre-Notification of special tele-seminars.
		Blog and Podcast Access

Visit http://www.richlevin.com/rich_levins_registration.aspx

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Realtors: Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:32:45 -0500

The Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) course series is being offered by the The San Diego Association of REALTORS® to help you earn a designation that will set you apart from other agents.

With so many international investors in the U.S. in today's market, this course will propel your business to the next level.

REALTORS® who take this class will:

Join an elite group of less than 1,500 REALTORS® world-wide who hold this designation

Help local buyers invest abroad

Exchange transaction referrals with worldwide agents

Get referrals from the online CIPS Directory

Earn elective credits for ABR, CRS, RPS and receive the NAR "At Home with Diversity" Certification

Course Details:
September 10 & 11
International Real Estate for Local Market ($295)*
* Prerequisite for CIPS Course

September 14 - 18
Europe & International Real Estate, Asia/Pacific & International Real Estate,
The Americas & International Real Estate, Investment & Financial Analysis
($1,295)

Class Times:
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Register by Wednesday, July 15 to receive a 25% discount. To register click here or fill out the fax-back form. For more details and information on payment options, please call (858) 715-8040.

ENJOY!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Tips for Better Presentations with PowerPoint

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:09:05 -0500

"The Art, Science, and Story of PowerPoint Presentation Design" was a sold-out standing-room-only presentation by top writer and business consultant Adele Sommers at a recent STC meeting. She demonstrated the "10 types of design and delivery dilemmas, related mistakes, and a set of corresponding remedies. They can easily apply to any presentations you create with slide software, such as Microsoft® PowerPoint®, Apple® Keynote, or the free Google® Presentations software."

Below are Adele's TOP TIPS:

Tip #1: Text - Display only one basic idea per slide. Place your talking points (your narration script) in your handouts and speaker notes.
Tip #2: Graphics - Let relevant and symbolic photos; drawings; screen captures; and simple maps, charts, graphs, and diagrams do most of the visual "heavy lifting."
Tip #3: Details - Put the intricate image details in the handouts instead of on the slides to avoid overloading your audience's visual processing abilities. Avoid "branding" your slides with your logo, which can be distracting.
Tip #4: Special effects - Use relevant sounds, videos, animations, transitions, and physical props -- in moderation -- to highlight or demonstrate key points.
Tip #5: Focus - Begin by framing your audience's role, perspective, and needs. Then introduce the challenge the audience faces and your solution, and explain the actions that the audience members can take.
Tip #6: Structure - Create a logical sequence and flow based on a scalable hierarchy of detail, starting with an audience orientation.
Tip #7: Scope - "Chunk" all of your material into just 3-4 main topics. Include reviews along the way to summarize your information. Practice extensively beforehand while timing yourself, so you can then "scope" your talk using the scalable 5-, 15- and 45-minute detail hierarchy from your outline.
Tip #8: Remember to face your audience. If you break eye contact with your attendees to read from projected slides, it interrupts the flow and further splits the audience's attention.
Tip #9: Remember to converse with your audience. Not engaging the audience enough during your presentation invites their attention to wander elsewhere.
Tip #10: Remember to respect your audience's time. Running way overtime trying to cover too much information in the time available dilutes your impact and can even cause resentment.

For additional tips, downloads, and resources, please visit Adele's page at http://learnshareprosper.com/newsletter/062509_issue.html

Adele's newsletter, "Learn, Share, & Prosper" is brimming with helpful resources. Sign up today!

Adele Sommers, Ph.D. is the 2002-09 president of the San Luis Obispo STC chapter, and has been an independent business and technical communication consultant for twelve years following a career in the aerospace industry. Adele is president of Business Performance Inc. (LearnShareProsper.com) which specializes in business publications, tools, consulting, workshop facilitation, training, and e-learning. Adele has helped companies of all sizes enhance their results in project and process management, technical communication and information design, instructional design, quality assurance, performance support, and leadership. Contact Adele at Adele@LearnShareProsper.com.

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Want more comments? Get Featured on our "Virtual Office" Group!

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:25:24 -0500

Want more comments (and therefore more blog points)? It's easy! Just get featured on our ActiveRain Virtual Office Blog.

Just join your fellow AR members here in the ‘Rain! I will be happy to feature your blog on our "Virtual Office" group.

If you write a great blog and would like it to be featured on our group, please post it to the group, and then send me an email. I rotate featured blogs several times per week to try to give all group members an opportunity to have a feature here.

The steps are:

Join our AR Virtual Office group: http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice
Post your blog to the group.
Send me an email requesting a "feature" status for your blog.

Thank you for posting your blogs here on our "Virtual Office - Work from Home Office" group! We are wonderful because we help each other keep abreast of our industry!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Add a Twitter Widget to your ActiveRain blog!

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:28:49 -0500

Recently I emailed members of the Active Rain "Virtual Office" group. I asked if anyone needed more comments on their blogs, and how I could help them. I offered to feature blogs in our Virtual Office group.

The response from my fellow AR members was tremendously positive! Some were requests for information, like my friend Karl Peidl.

"I was wondering if you could do me a bit of a favor. Though I love the social media thing, I'm not very tech savy. On your blog post you have great widgets at the bottom for Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Do you have or know where I could get some dummy-proof instructions so I could add these to the bottom of each of my posts?"

Now if you've read Karl's blog, (http://activerain.com/blogs/kpeidl) you know that he's a pretty sharp guy. And offes superior customer service to all of his mortgage loan clients. He's helping home buyers and he's an expert in his community. So why not give a hand to a fellow AR member?

I typed up a tutorial showing step-by-step how to add a Twitter widget to your ActiveRain blog. Then I printed it out in PDF format and emailed it to Karl.

Did the instructions work? I wondered....

"Thank you. The directions worked perfect." Karl wrote back a few minutes later.

I popped over to his blog to take a peek at his new, improved blog:

Ta-da! Success!!

Putting the Twitter widget on your ActiveRain blog is fun -- and simple too.

Anyone else want a copy of the little tutorial I wrote up?

Just post a comment here, and I'll email you my PDF instructions.

You, too, can have a great Twitter Widget on your ActiveRain blog, just like Karl!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Got a Problem? Resolve it in a Professional Manner

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:58:17 -0500

Don't you just hate it when someone posts slander or gossip about you in an online public forum? Well, if they're professionals, they shouldn't. Why?

Because professionals have the courtesy to approach others directly. Professionals, like us ActiveRain members, don't back-bite, gossip, slander, act passive/agressive, be a "sissy" by not confronting people, or whatever you want to call it.

So what do you do when you have an issue with an ActiveRain member or a colleague? How should you vent your complaint?

Go to the person -- phone works best (email is often taken out of context because there's no tone). State your concerns in a non-threating way. Listen, and ask for clarification. You'll be surprised that at least 1/2 the time, the situation was NOT as bad as you thought. And it's a good thing you didn't "go off" because you would have been putting your foot in your mouth!
You can always talk to their manager or supervisor, if the issue is serious enough.
And you can choose to ignore it. After all, who has time for negative energy?
Whatever you do, don't take it personal! Responding in a negative way only adds "fuel to the fire".

What do you do when someone (whether a colleague or client) posts a nasty complaint or rude gossip about you online, specifically here on Active Rain?

You can approach the offender directly, but if they're obnoxiously rude online, they probably won't be any nicer in person.
Flag the AR post as "slander" and send an email alert to the AR blog facilitators.
Again, you can always choose to ignore it. Remember, you don't have to stoop to their level of pettiness. Rise above small-minded twits by NOT responding!

Just because someone says something, doesn't mean it's true. Other readers will be weighing the validity of the information by considering the source. And to be honest, no one likes negative people! So negative people do NOT get their blogs read as often. And if you comment on their negative post, then it just gives their complaint more exposure.

Another Hollywood marketing tip: Sometimes negative publicity is good for business. Just think about Miss California and the publicity she got recently!!!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

What exactly is a Virtual Office? Isn't that the same as a Virtual Assistant?

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:57:40 -0500

No.

A Virtual Office? Is NOT the same as a Virtual Assistant.

I'm writing a guide book, even as we speak. It's called "Virtual Office Guide for Business Professionals: Work & Prosper from your Home or Mobile Office".

When people hear the title of the book, some ask, "You mean it's a book about how to hire a Virtual Assistant?" Or some ask, "Does the book teach you how to work as a Virtual Assistant?"

No, my book has nothing to do with Virtual Assistants (VA's). VA's are professionals who assist other professionals, often from a remote location. Sort of like having an executive assistant, accessible by phone and email and internet.

But a VIRTUAL OFFICE is any office that can be operated without being physically present. For example, a business professional who works from his home office has a virtual office.

But also that business traveler, who works from the train, airplane, motel room, and Starbuck's coffee shop -- she's running a virtual office too.

If you are set up to operate outside the walls of a traditional brick-and-mortar office, then your virtual office is wherever YOU are.

Even if you're just relaxing on the beach. With your BlackBerry, iPod, or NetBook.

The beach is now your virtual office!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

e-Signed docs: DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Signatures?

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:56:27 -0500

Both are great ways to sign documents electronically. Online, that is. We're talking about paperless transactions. Working from your virtual office (which can be your home-based business or your mobile office from anywhere in the world).

The great thing about DocuSign is that YOU, the real estate professional, can sign your docs; then put "sticky notes" for your clients to sign; and THEY can read & sign online too! Without ever printing out a single paper. On the "down" side, you have to pay a monthly or annual fee to continue using the service.

Here's a sample signature from DocuSign:

At the top of the page, the entire document is coded with the date, time, and computer ID of the signature. Note that each signature has a DocuSign code to verify the signer's identity.

The great thing about Adobe Acrobat is that it's FREE to use the e-signature feature once you purchase the Adobe software. There's no recurring fee. The "down" side is that EACH SIGNER must purchase a copy of the software on their computer. So it's not very helpful for getting your clients to sign docs that you send them.

Here's a sample signature from Adobe Acrobat:

Each signature is identified with the date, time, and computer ID of the signer. So it's always safe and secure.

Maybe even more fool-proof than a hand-written signature!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Cool Tool for Homeowners: SafeSlider to Prevent Break-ins

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:54:49 -0500

I've always known that sliding glass doors are the easiest type of door to break into. So easy that many burglars know how to manipulate the doors to open from the outside.

Don't be a target!

"Most homeowners don't realize that even if their sliding door is latched and locked, crooks can still lift the door panel up and over the tracks, remove it and enter the home. We know that there are many "homegrown" solutions to this security issue, but at the price - it really makes sense to take a look at our top rated product.

"This is a simple product that can benefit Homeowners, HOA's, and Property Manangers. Our Double Bolt Lock secures your sliding glass doors and keeps crooks out.

"This lock is so simple, everyone loves it once it's installed, and the added security is welcomed. This simple, easy to install device also is a child proof lock that will prevent young children from wandering outside and getting lost, or into potentially dangerous situations like water hazards (pools, lakes).

"You can close the door on crime with a simple device that costs about 30 dollars! Learn more here:

www.SafeSlider.com

The above was an email I got from Rob June. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet, but I will soon. In the meantime, has anyone else used the Safe Slider? Any comments?

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Excuse me, What's a NEG AM loan? And how does it affect our Economy?

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:39:57 -0500

My favorite client "Kenton", a young college grad and shopping for a first-time buyer home, and I were discussing types of mortage loans.

I advised him to steer clear of the "Pick a Payment" types of mortage loans. What's a Pick-a- Payment??? That's one of those real estate "insider" industry terms.

Well, I explained, Countrywide and other mortgage lenders offer some loans in which the borrower can select their payment every month, and choose between:

Full payment of principal + interest, which is fully amortized and will be paid off in 30 years.
Full payment of principal + interest + extra principal, to pay off in less than 30 years.
Payment of interest only, which does NOT pay down the principal balance at all.
Partial interest payment, which accrues Negative Amortization.

Those last payments are called "Neg Am" loans, I explained. Another industry term, I realized!

Excuse me, but what's a NEG AM loan?

That's when you, the borrower are ADDING to the principal balance of your mortgage loan, rather than paying it down.

For example, I explained, the interest rate on your loan is 5%. But the lender allows you to pay only a 1% rate (often called a "teaser rate"). Although it seems great because your payment is low, the 4% interest that you are NOT paying is still being charged to your loan -- it's silently increasing your loan balance every month.

Isn't that bad? Kenton asked.

YES that's why I advise my clients NOT to get NEG AM loans with low "teaser" interest rates, I explained.

Why in the world would anyone get a neg am loan, he asked, puzzled...

MANY homeowners in California borrowed loans like these a few years ago. They were only meant as short-term loans. Quick fixes. When they thought the real estate market would keep going up and up... and they didn't think about the future. Or the long-term effects of their loan.

And neither did the mortgage lenders!

So hundreds of thousands of these loans are now (or will soon be) in default... which means more foreclosures flooding the market... and the economy will continue its downward spiral...

Buying a house? Questions about what type of loan is best for you and your family? Call a trusted, reliable mortgage broker in your local area.

And remember to plan for the LONG TERM.

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Do you have an "Outlet for Retiring"? My Green Parachute does!

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:16:19 -0500

My Realtor® friend called to tell me some great news. She shared that she just passed her Broker's license a few months ago, and now will be opening her own real estate office!

But, she said, there was a problem with her career. She was depending on her real estate investments as her retirement. Slowly, over the past few years, she has been buying real estate, tucking away her earnings as big downpayments on rental homes.

Well, we all know what happened to the real estate market these past 2 years. And real estate investors are feeling the pinch too. With her income taking a dive -- earning only 1/3 of previous years' incomes -- she had to sell one of her rentals to pay her bills with the equity. And with the ARM mortgage payments skyrocketing, and property values decreasing, she had to sell several properties with short sales and was trying to avoid foreclosure on 2 more.

"This was my retirement income," she lamented. "I don't know what I'm going to do now. I'm going to have to think of something else to fund my retirement."

Several weeks later, I found "something else" and shared it with her. It was the day I met Carolyn Kindley-Single, the innovative visionary entrepreneur who founded MyGreenParachute.

What is it?

My Green Parachute is a system that takes real estate client referrals to a whole new level. Retired and inactive real estate agents pair up with an active Realtor® member, and send their "book of business" to their active real estate agent partner.

With over 120,000 inactive real estate licensees just in the state of CA, wouldn't you like to have them referring business to you? You can, if you're a My Green Parachute member!

And after you retire from your real estate sales career, wouldn't you love to continue getting compensation? You can just by referring your home buyers and sellers to a MyGreenParachute agent!

But don't take my word for it! Just listen to what your fellow Realtors® are saying:

"It's just an idea that is way past due!"
"This concept is great, it teaches, it coaches, and it mentors."
"I was especially pleased to hear your belief in servant leadership, as that is something I truly believe in."
"Adding the benefits of MyGreenParachute.com to my team gives us other options to benefit everyone regardless of market conditions."
"Awesome concept, why didn't I think of it? Really, really great."
"Brilliant, WOW. Standing ovation to you, this is something I very much want to be a part of."
"You have taken the referral process to a whole new level!"
"Nothing is better than personal referral. The structure is great, and the people at MGP are wonderful, professional and thorough,"

And more experiences, here:

http://www.joinmgp.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=30

Want more verification? Just call www.MyGreenParchute.com and speak to Carolyn. She's one of the few CEOs who is accessible and responsive and caring. She's highly respected as an industry leader and is building her company on a solid foundation.

What more could a Realtor® ask for?

What about FREE membership?

And it's ONLY for YOU, the ActiveRain member!!! For a limited time, read this blog and follow the instruction for NO-COST sign up:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1104087/sign-up-free-get-referrals-through-mygreen-parachute-membership

ENJOY! And start building your "Outlet for Retiring" now!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Clarification for Realtors: "I AM" = "WE ARE"

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:37:14 -0500

Last week I posted a blog which started with the title: "I am a Realtor". It also says that I'm a "Homeowner Advocate", "Neighborhood Housing Expert" and "Community Volunteer". Here's a link to the blog if you'd like to review it:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1099911/i-am-a-realtor-a-homeowner-advocate-a-neighborhood-expert-a-community-volunteer

For clarification, this blog is NOT about me or any of the great stuff I do. Because you probably don't care about me or anything I do. So I do all these wonderful things, but yeah, who really cares? Probably only my clients. And I know that.

This blog is about YOU, the professional Realtor®. Being a salesperson is only a PART of your career and the everyday job you perform. Many consumers aren't aware of all the services you perform, and how much time you spend developing your knowledge. Some home buyers, house sellers, and condo property owners don't realize how much you contribute to the housing market, the skill and experience you have because of your research. Because you spend time maintaining professional ethics and submitting legislation to help home owners. And so many other "unpaid" jobs you do!

My hat's off to you, my colleague and fellow Realtor®!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

The Model for Creating an Elite Boutique Real Estate Brokerage

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:52:19 -0500

Thinking about opening your own business? Or a real estate office? Take a look at some of the things outlined by Ray Corbel in this great blog. Very thorough outline that makes it simple!

Via Ray Cobel (Cobel Target Marketing):

Why an Elite Boutique Real Estate Brokerage? Why Now?

Yah, the economy is bad. Sales are down. Prices are down. Loans are harder to get. Unemployment is high. Blah, blah; blah blah.

The truth is that the overwhelming majority of people still has jobs and money to spend. In fact, the tougher things get, the more real estate bargains there are. So people who have money are, and will continue to be, a fantastic market.

Now people who still have "bread" didn't keep it by being slow in the head. They may have been asleep at the wheel for awhile, but this train wreck has got surely got them awake now; and they aren't going back to sleep anytime soon. They're going to be doing their spending with their eyes wide open; and from now on they're going to be looking for people who really know what they are doing to help them.

So pay close attention because this is the exact condition where those who can effectively demonstrate that they are elite boutique brokers will surge to the forefront.

What Do Potential Elite Boutique Brokers Know?

1. It still comes down to relationships.

Who are buyers and sellers gonna trust to help them with the biggest purchases of their lives?

Someone whose name they just saw for the first time? Nope.

Someone who never seems to be available? Nope.

Someone who takes forever to get back to them, if ever? Nope

Someone they've never spoken to? Nope.

Someone who appears to be pretty much like every other agent out there? Nope.

Someone who doesn't seem to be really connected to all the right resources? Nope.

Someone who hasn't fully demonstrated that they really know what they're doing? Nope.

Someone who plays real estate like the lotto; just waiting to hit the lucky score? Nope

The potential Elite Boutique Brokers know that strong relationships are the absolutely necessary foundation for doing transactions. And the potential Elite Boutique Broker knows that striving to build superior credibility, confidence, and trust through consistent demonstrations of significant value and responsiveness is the best and only real way to build strong, productive relationships.

2. Technology is leveling the playing field.

In years past it took an awful lot of money to buy print advertising to promote the office' listings. That's one of the ways big national franchises and large local brokerages, with their big volume advertising discounts, created huge financial barriers to entry for elite boutique brokerages. But now, huge changes are happening very fast.

Consider what's happening to the newspaper industry:

Circulation is dropping like a rock

Advertising revenues are plummeting

Newspaper staffs are shrinking (so their product is getting worse, not better)

Newspapers are closing; even the big flagships are in trouble

Does all this mean that people care less about getting news? On the contrary, they care so much that they're shifting to getting their news online via Web sites, Blogs, email and text messaging. Why? Because it's faster, more comprehensive, more in-depth, more up to the minute and more connected to other resources than print media could ever be.

You've already seen how vitally important Internet listings have become. That phenomenon together with the downward spirals print newspapers are on means that real estate print advertising is becoming less and less important. Before much longer listing print advertising is going to virtually disappear.

And this listing print advertising decline means that the listing advertising volume discount barrier that national franchises and large local brokers previously enjoyed is also coming down.

For Elite Boutique Brokers this sea change calls into question a number of other sacred cows:

Why then pay the high cost of buying into and maintaining a national franchise?

Especially if you know that you're doing all your own rain making anyway?

Why obligate yourself to lease attractive office space large enough to support a critical mass of agents to help pay your rent?

Why pay to furnish and equip said office?

Especially since everybody at least has a computer at home and a mobile phone; and everything that needs to be done in this business can be networked online?

Why continue to pay to keep the lights on, the phones connected and the copier running?

Especially since communications can be totally mobile and electronic; and you need to be out in the field anyway?

Year after year NAR surveys show that franchise affiliation is significant in agent selections less than 7% of the time. Agents and brokers have been far more impressed with these affiliations than the buyers and sellers ever were.

The technology forced decline in newspaper listing advertising is leading to a complete reevaluation of the whole bricks and mortar real estate model. And that's leading the savviest agents and brokers to realize there are huge advantages to be gained by transforming themselves into elite boutique brokerages.

Technology that already exists, plus real estate savvy; equals an exciting new business model, and boundless opportunity.

"If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade."

Tom Peters

"If you don't have a plan for yourself, you'll be part of someone else's."

Here It Is: The Model for Creating an Elite Boutique Real Estate Brokerage

This model is not just a random pile of tactics piled upon tactics; as far too many real estate operations are today.

Instead, this is a comprehensive model for integrating proven strategies, technologies and people into a complete, synergistic organization capable of exceptionally high cost efficiency and productivity.

There are four major sections in this model that fit together like pieces in a puzzle:

Planning

Communications

Systems

Team Work

Each major section contains sub-pieces as outlined below.

"Organizing is what you do before you do something,

so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up."

A. Milne

These are the five pieces within the Planning Section of the Model.

1. Vision

What is your dream? What do you want your organization to become?

As long as you're designing your business, you might as well be clear about how you'd like it to perform.

The most important question to answer is; what kind of Life Style do you want your business to afford you?

On a personal level the issues are income and time spent getting it.

On a business level the issues are largely about how you will spend what percentages of your time.

If you most enjoy working directly with clients, then having a lot of agents working for you isn't the best idea. On the other hand, if you prefer managing people, then lots of agents and administrative help are a good idea.

Think about these issues carefully, before your business takes on a life of its own. A little more thought up front will help ensure it turns out just the way you like it.

2. Targeting

Target marketing works better because:

It gets you away from the "one-size-fits-all" approach that really doesn't impress anyone.

It causes you to delve deeper into the specific wants, needs and solutions for the people in the niche. Consequently you truly become more valuable to the people in that niche.

It causes you to seek out marketing channels that will connect you more directly and cost effectively to prospects in that niche.

It causes you to create marketing communications that speak more directly to the interests of prospects in that niche.

It helps distinguish you as an expert in that niche; which makes you much more attractive to prospects in that niche.

For example, think about some of the possible niches within the buyer segment:

First timers

Single women

Single men

Young couples

Middle aged couples

Old couples

Young families

Families with teens

Soon to be empty nesters

Soon to retire

Job relocators

Investors

Even though they are all potential buyers, the wants, needs and solutions for each of these niches are really quite different.

The channels for reaching the prospects within each of these niches are quite different.

The expertise you need to truly be of great value to the prospects in each of these niches is quite different.

Figure out which niches you are attracted to, know the most about, and can help the most. That's where you're going to find your greatest success.

3. Strategy

What do you need to do to achieve your vision?

With your Vision and Target Niche(s) in mind you'll be in a better position to develop your best strategy for achieving your goals.

This is the piece where you'll figure out:

The best channel(s) for reaching your target prospects:

Web

Email

Social networking

Direct mail

Advertising

Your best offer(s) for attracting responses from your target prospects:

Web site content

Webinar content

Publication content

Meeting content

Email content

Consultation content

Referral content

Your best systems for managing:

Marketing Campaigns

Leads

Sales Follow up

Relationships

Administrative Activities

Your needs for:

Recruiting

Orientation

Training

Team Building

Team Coordination

The right strategy makes any tactic work better. The right strategy puts less pressure on executing your tactics perfectly.

4. Tactics

What do you need to do to achieve your strategy; and when?

This is the piece where the preparation in Visioning, Targeting, and Strategizing really pays off. Now you're in position to choose implementation tactics that work together in a comprehensive and synergistic manner to:

Cover all the necessary bases

Reduce redundancy

Lower costs

Increase efficiency

Increase productivity

Increase return on investment

Consequently you'll be able to make much smarter choices about how and when you will use:

Vendor services

Web technologies

Communication systems

Computer equipment, software and services

Staffing

Carving your turns better is a tactic.

Choosing the right ski area in the first place is a strategy.

Everyone skis better in Utah, it turns out.

Seth Godin

5. Budget

Budgeting will make you realize that planning is not a linear process, but an iterative one. You can and should start with a grand vision, ambitious and multiple target markets, plus comprehensive strategy and tactics capable of delivering your desired results; but don't expect your first pass to be your last. Budgeting will help you revise and tighten your plan, then show you where and how to package your plan into prioritized, bite-sized steps.

Q. What's the best way to eat an elephant?

A. One bite at a time.

Comprehensive planning is vital, because it enables you to make your best, most integrated and therefore cost effective decisions about the rest of your business. It also puts you into a very solid place for creating all of your marketing communications.

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"The two words information' and communication' are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through."

Sydney J. Harris

The goal of all your communications is to start, build and maintain relationships that are strong enough to do repeated business and get referrals.

It's helpful to realize that the business of starting, building and maintaining relationships is very similar to courting. In courting it's almost never productive to start with, "Hi! Will you marry me?" Instead the process follows this natural progression:

Initial meeting

A mutual search for commonality

Agreements to spend more time together (i.e. coffee, lunch, dinner, shared activities, etc.)

Deeper searches for commonality

Making and keeping mutual commitments

Growing credibility, confidence and trust

After enough of that relationship building process has transpired, "Will you marry me?" becomes a much easier question to ask and answer.

As much as we might want the business relationship process to be different, it's really not. We still have to have:

Initial meetings

Searches for commonality

Agreements to spend greater amounts of time together, doing deeper searches for commonality

Making and keeping mutual commitments

Growing enough credibility, confidence and trust to do business

All of your communications should be designed to facilitate the natural relationship building process. They should flow smoothly and seamlessly from initial attraction (i.e. your lead generation offers), through your initial calls and emails, then through your presentations. All along the way all of your communications should be helping you build ever increasing amounts of credibility, confidence and trust.

What you say, where you say it, how you say it, and when you say it all need to be taken into account when you create your marketing communications.

These are the seven pieces within the Communications section of the Model.

1. Web Sites

The Web is a communications content library. Anything you can see on a computer can be organized and hosted on the Web. Once on the Web people can be led to it through search engines, or via links in email and other Web pages.

Never before have agents and brokers been able to make so much high quality marketing communications, available to so many people, at such low cost. You truly are in the Golden Age of Real Estate Marketing.

Elite Boutique Brokers need to move beyond the cookie cutter template sites that so many others have into revealing more of their unique personalities, knowledge and ability.

2. Blogging

One of the very best ways to build a library of unique content that shows who you are, what you know, and how you help.

Your posts can become a key element in your ongoing automated marketing campaigns.

3. Email

Whether custom messages, boilerplate, or mass distributions; email is fast, easy and almost free no matter how many messages you send

A robust email library for both marketing and administrative uses is a must for Elite Boutique Brokers.

4. Direct Mail

Sometimes the only way to reach people, especially initially, is through physical direct mail. Elite Boutique Brokers will still use direct mail to help build their relationship marketing databases.

5. Social Networking

Whether it's in person at clubs, associations, Chambers and other membership organizations; or online through LinkedIn, FaceBook or Twitter; social networking is an important part of the Elite Boutique Broker's marketing mix.

6. Advertising

While traditional newspaper listing advertising is in decline, there will still be opportunities to get targeted visibility for your offers in a wide variety of publications. When combined with Web pages, online forms and email; advertising will help generate productive relationships.

7. Presentations

Presentations are vitally important because they can help you communicate a great deal of complex information quickly and simply. Strong presentations can be a tremendous aid in building the levels of credibility, confidence and trust you need to do business.

Presentations published to the Web make it easy for you to give them anytime from any place; for one person or even hundreds at a time.

"Communication works for those who work at it."

John Powell

Once you have your content created you'll need systems in place systems to automate marketing campaign scheduling and distribution; as well as a host of other things.

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It's truly amazing to see how much technology has leveled the playing field. An entire real estate business can be effectively run (actually, more effectively run) from a laptop, mobile phone and the Web.

Web sites enable you to host more and better content, that is visible to far more people, for much less money than print.

Email enables you to contact more people, faster and easier for practically no money; and it can link directly to all your Web content

Online real estate systems can hold all of your contacts, your schedule, your notes, your correspondence (both outbound and inbound), and complete histories; and make them accessible from your laptop or PDA/phone anytime, from anywhere.

These same online real estate systems can easily and quickly expand from a single agent to dozens of agents and staff; all networked online; all sharing the same database, notes, schedules, correspondence and histories.

These same online real estate systems can automatically capture Web leads as well as schedule and distribute entire, year-long, targeted, custom, marketing campaigns.

Other online systems can be integrated to create documents, obtain signatures, and manage entire transaction processes.

Given all that capability, plus the speed and coordination advantages, at comparatively very low cost; it's increasingly hard to justify the high expense of renting, furnishing, equipping and maintaining a brick and mortar office. That money could be much more productively spent on additional marketing.

Smart systems selection and implementation will give elite boutique brokers a huge competitive edge over the old schoolers.

These are the eight pieces within the Systems section of the Model.

1. Relationship Management

The higher the volume of business you want to do, the more you'll need to automate your starting, building and maintaining of your relationships. If you want to bring additional agents into your operation, you'll definitely want to automate your relationship management.

More and more often your first point of contact will be your Web site. You'll need Web forms that capture visitor contact information, automatically import it to your contact database, and automatically trigger a sequence of email and call follow-up.

After that you'll need additional targeted sequences that distribute appropriate information to niche buyers and sellers.

In addition, you'll need automated follow-up appropriate to newly met people who aren't currently in the market; as well as appropriate continuing communications to your "Mets" and past clients who are not currently in the market either.

The volume and complexity of keeping up with all the various sequences is daunting, unless you have fully automated relationship management systems in place; then it's a snap.

2. Scheduling

Staying on top of your own schedule can be a challenge. Factor in some administrative staff and additional agents and you've got the makings of a three ring circus.

To function as a smooth running team, that doesn't drop any balls, you'll need an integrated scheduling system that all of you can access anytime, from anywhere.

3. Lead Generation

Over the last 50 years homeowners across the U.S. moved at an average rate of 10% per year. Local conditions have made local move rates fluctuate between 5% and 15%. The good news is, no matter what the conditions, homeowners keep moving.

The trick to lead generation is to get them to pick you. "Pick" is the key word, because movers have lots of choices. The trick to getting people to pick you is to offer them something you know they really need and would like to have.

Once they respond to your offer the relationship building clock starts.

The trick after that is to offer the next logical thing that will draw them closer to you; then the next; then the next; and so on.

To generate and follow-up leads effectively you'll first need to use your understanding of your target markets to create compelling Web communications and your email library.

Then you'll need to create a series of automation campaigns for distributing the right content to the right people at the right time.

Enough compelling, targeted offers made to enough of the right people will generate plenty of leads.

4. Presentations

Good presentation production systems will make if fast and easy to create personalized highly professional presentations. These systems should also automatically publish your presentations to the Web so you can do more Webinar like presentations to individuals and groups alike; on the fly.

5. Work Flow

Conceptually, the task is very simple: You want everything, done right, on time.

If you're working alone, and you're doing a pretty good volume of business, meeting that goal can be very challenging at times.

Add a few more people to the mix who can't share the same information and you're in a three ring circus; many, many balls are going to be dropped.

Online systems can enable ever expanding groups of people to easily share information and tasks, thus tightening team coordination and work flow.

6. Listing Management

There are a lot of parts to the job of marketing listings well; staging, photos, virtual tours, Web listings, flyers, agent promotions, showings, etc.

If you do more than one listing at a time you'll have dozens and dozens of balls to keep constantly in the air.

A good, online system will keep you on top of everything and make it easy to delegate and supervise tasks.

7. Closing Management

There are a lot of parts to the job of effectively managing escrows to closing.

If you do more than one escrow at a time you'll have dozens and dozens of critical balls to keep constantly in the air.

A good, online system will help keep you on top of everything and make it easy to delegate and supervise tasks.

8. Reporting

To manage a team effectively you need a way to quickly and easily know the status of just about everything. Who's doing what for whom? When's the deadline? How far along is the project?

You'll need a way to answer these questions across your entire team, and down to the individual situation.

A good, online real estate broker's system will enable you to do that.

At this point you've got a solid Plan, your Communications are ready to go, and you've got your Systems in place to handle everything in the most efficient, productive manner. Now it's time to consider your Team Work.

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"Technology does not run an enterprise, relationships do."

Patricia Fripp

Developing the skills to create and manage a high-performance team is probably the most difficult transition for elite boutique brokers to make.

There is a huge difference between being a star performer and a star manager. In fact, the tendency to just do it yourself, because you can do it better, is what keeps star performers from becoming star managers.

Star Managers are able to find joy in letting go and empowering others to become the best they can be.

If you are starting as a single performer, then building your Planning, Communications and Systems foundations will solidify your high-level performance. At that point you may be having so much fun, and success, that you might want to just stay a single performer.

If you still want to go all the way and build an Elite Boutique Brokerage you'll find that all of the work you've done on this model will give you a great head start.

These are the three pieces within the Team Work section of the Model.

1. Recruiting

"Selecting the right person for the right job is the largest part of coaching."

Philip Crosby

Having those foundations and performance track record in place will make it easier to attract and retain really good people, because they will appreciate, respect and see the personal advantages that what you've built affords them.

If they don't "get it", or aren't ready to help support your model, they certainly don't belong in your boutique.

2. Training

"No coach has ever won a game by what he knows; it's what his players know that counts."

Paul Bryant

One of the great benefits of implementing this Model is that you'll have a comprehensive system of best practices in place for every critical function.

It will be much easier to assimilate new people into your organization, because well planned, efficient, integrated systems will be in place. Learn the system and you've learned how to do the job at a very high level.

Consequently your training curve will be much shorter and easier. Just make sure that everyone on your team understands your Plan, Communications and Systems.

3. Work Flow

"Coaches have to watch for what they don't want to see

and listen to what they don't want to hear."

John Madden

Team coordination is inherently part of your system.

Your systems will enable you to watch and listen, but people will still need coaching to get your team up to a high performance level.

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Conclusion

Everywhere agents and brokers turn they are bombarded with, "Try this!", "Try that!" Free floating tactics piled upon more free floating tactics. It's like preparing for a cross country car trip with this mindset:

"Oooo, let's pack some of these, and some of those too! I bet they will come in handy."

What you get with this approach is a mixed bag of disjointed and incomplete tactical decisions, all made without bothering to:

Check the tires

Check the oil

Get some maps (or a GPS)

Figure out where to stay along the way

Calculating how much you'll need for expenses

Delegating who will help with what

Technology and the economic train wreck are causing massive changes to the real estate industry. Those who cling to the old school methods of print advertising, big franchise fees, bricks and mortar operations, and incomplete technology integration are riding a train to nowhere.

Those who see opportunity in the sea changes and prepare to take advantage of them by thinking through, then implementing their Planning, Communications, Systems and Team Work are going seize the day.

"High achievers spot rich opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly and move into action immediately.

Follow these principles and you can make your dreams come true."

Robert H. Schuller

So, how ready are you to become an Elite Boutique Brokerage?

To have a good shot you'll need to meet these basic requirements:

You've been in the real estate business five or more years

You have a broker's license

You've consistently earned over $100k per year

You consider yourself to be in the top 10% of real estate sales knowledge

You are your own rain maker

You desire more independence

You want to captain your own ship

You have a passion for empowering others

If you meet those criteria, then an Elite Boutique Brokerage Assessment will help you:

See where you are

See where you need to go

Learn how to get there

Click here to schedule your Elite Boutique Brokerage Assessment.

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Thomas Alva Edison

This post is part of a continuing discussion in our ActiveRain Group called:

You are more than welcome to Join Us.

Sign up FREE: Get Referrals through MyGreen Parachute membership

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:56:49 -0500

Realtors® and Real Estate Agents:

Would you like to become a member of the My Green Parachute referral system? It's a special referral program that allows retired real estate agents to refer their past clients to active real estate agents, like you! Once you join, our retired agent members can contact you directly from our membership roster.

FOR A LIMITED TIME, it's free to sign up! The $100 initial enrollment fee will be deferred until you receive your first compensation!

Click here for more info:

http://www.joinmgp.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129&Itemid=31 It's easy to sign up:

Scroll down and enter your name & contact info
Then select "Active Field Agent"
In the "message" field, type in this code: RPB4AR
Click "Submit"

Next go back to this page & sign up for our newsletter on the right side. Select "Active Field Agent". Enter your name & email and click "subscribe". Then mark your calendar for an upcoming webinar:

Active Field Agent Webinars take place every
Wednesday at 2:00 pm (ET) / 11:00 am (PT)
Thursday at 2:00 pm (EST) / 11:00 am (PT)
Friday at 10:00 am (EST)/ 7:00 am (PT)

And that's it! See how easy it is? You receive your account log-in info at the webinar.

BONUS: Do you have a friend or colleague you'd like to recommend? Refer him or her here: https://www.mygreenparachute.com/contact-us/refer-agent.cfm

Questions? Just send me an email.... rpbrown @ Realtor.com

To find out more about this trustworthy company and why I believe in MyGreenParachute, please see my blog about Real Estate Agent exit strategies: http://activerain.com/blogsview/1039528/what-s-your-exit-strategy-do-you-have-a-green-parachute-for-a-great-landing-

THANKS!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Attention INVESTORS: Short Sale Webinar this SUNDAY

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:50:59 -0500

I listened to a real estate investment webinar on TUES night, it had so many great tips that I sent some emails to my friends for THR's webinar... and it was such a popular topic that some of my friends were turned away, the webinar was OVER capacity!

So they added 1 more webinar date: THIS SUNDAY NIGHT

The webinar is FREE and it shows how to capitalize on today's real estate Short Sales. I listened in and learned a LOT of great techniques and tips to profit MORE on transactions. It's geared to real estate investors but Realtors® and mortgage lenders can learn some tips too. I'm already putting a couple of the steps into use right now! Just enter your contact info and the hosts (Randle & Dutch) will send you a link to log on at 6pm tonight. Hope you can make it!

REGISTER HERE:

https://nss.infusionsoft.com/go/ssay07jun/rpbrown/

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

Sunday, June 7th
Sunday 6pm PT / 9pm ET

Funny, I just got an unusual email from Randle Bowling today:

It just doesn't make sense but people are still registering for last night's webinar! The demand is insane, our operators have put in 3 nights that have gone until 3am. I'll tell you what a successful launch is - the late night barista at the local starbucks knows you by first name because of all the coffee runs...

I got up this morning and found another 50 people signed up for the webinar, and more have come in since! My business partner Greg double checked it, they are legit registrations...

So because it was a packed house last night, again, and we killed it, again, I talked with my good friend Jason Gilbert and he is willing to open up his private webinar this Sunday. Register now so you don't get locked out!

This is it, the no joke, bottom line, drop dead last one. I gave my operators the day off so they can play Sunday but I don't care who registers on Monday, we're closing doors on Sunday night.

So please sign on to the webinar EARLY before it fills up. Please let me know how you like Randle's webinar! They do offer a great program that you can sign up for at the end of the webinar, but you don't have to (it's optional). In either case, it's worth listening to the webinar... you may learn something like I did!

ENJOY!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

RIDDLE: How do you know when the REAL ESTATE Market has hit bottom?

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:04:33 -0500

ANSWER: After it starts going back up!

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Lenders: Are you in compliance with the RED FLAG anti-ID-theft Regulations?

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:27:22 -0500

"May 1^st was the deadline for U.S. financial institutions and creditors to comply with the "Red Flag" regulations adopted by the Federal Trade Commission - an extension from the previously announced November 2008 deadline. Every business that furnishes goods or services on a delayed-payment basis is required to develop and implement programs designed to detect, prevent and mitigate the effects of identity theft. Written by Charles H. Kennedy, Of Counsel, Morrison and Foerster LLP, this white paper clarifies requirements of the Red Flag regulations and offers guidance for how impacted businesses can prepare," says Iron Mountain.

For more information, go to Iron Mountain's web site at http://imknowledgecenter.com/detail.asp?cId=148&pid=1&tyId=4&hId=

So Lenders, what's your game plan? How are you keeping your clients' confidential data safe?

I teach a CE accredited course, certified by the California Dept of Real Estate, that shows real estate offices, agents, and lenders HOW to protect their clients' confidential data. If you're interested in some tips, give me a call! I'll be happy to help you.

Enjoy my NEW Books:

$8,000 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Rebate Applied to Purchase for Down Payment?

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:48:46 -0500

I received this email from California Association of Realtors® Newsline today:

"U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan recently announced that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will allow home buyers to apply the administration's new $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit toward the purchase costs of a FHA-insured home. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offers home buyers a tax credit of up to $8,000 for purchasing their first home. Families can only access this credit after filing their tax returns with the IRS. Home buyers using FHA-approved lenders can apply the tax credit to their down payment in excess of 3.5 percent of appraised value or their closing costs, which can help achieve a lower interest rate.

Read the complete HUD article here:

http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr09-072.cfm

Are you still wondering whether you can use it as a downpayment for your first house? The HUD article says:

"Currently, borrowers applying for an FHA-insured mortgage are required to make a minimum 3.5 percent downpayment on the purchase of their home. Current law does not permit approved lenders to monetize the tax credit to meet the required 3.5 percent minimum down payment, but, under the terms of today's announcement, lenders can now monetize the tax credit for use as additional down payment, or for other closing costs, which can help achieve a lower interest rate. Buyers financing through state Housing Finance Agencies and certain non-profits will be able to use the tax credit for their downpayments via secondary financing provided by the HFA or non-profit. In addition to the borrower's own cash investment, FHA allows parents, employers and other governmental entities to contribute towards the downpayment. Today's action permits the first-time homebuyer's anticipated tax credit under the Recovery Act to be applied toward the family's home purchase right away."

Enjoy my NEW Books:

I am a Realtor®, a Homeowner Advocate, a Neighborhood Expert, a Community Volunteer

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:48:10 -0500

Yes I'm a Realtor®, but that is not synonymous with a salesperson. Of course I help families buy their homes, families sell their homes, and families keep their homes. But that is only the paid part of my career. Here are some of the other duties I perform:

I attend City Council meetings and speak out on behalf of home owners.

I volunteer to build houses through Habitat for Humanity for my low-income neighbors.

I answer many questions from prospective home buyers about every aspect of buying a home.

I stay abreast of the ever-changing real estate techniques, rules, and government laws.

Newspapers and magazines interview me for industry articles that educate home owners.

I know the housing stats for local neighborhoods and use those stats to educate home sellers.

I write letters to my congress people to pass legislation that protects the rights of homeowners.

I support new and innovative programs that assist first time homebuyers.

Radio stations invite me to educate home buyers on their weekly shows.

I constantly learn, grow, and educate myself in order to keep up with the market changes.

I contribute funds to the California Assn. of Realtors® Housing Affordability Fund to assist home buyers.

I share my wealth of knowledge and experience with anyone who asks, even if they stop me at the grocery store.

Through my blogs and articles that I write, I educate home buyers, sellers, and owners.

I educate homebuyers through my workshops; also in person, by email, and by phone.

I am a member of the National Association of Realtors® and uphold its high standards of integrity.

I participate in professional industry events and leadership such as seminars and conferences.

I lobby the government to stop undue over-regulation of home sellers.

I can provide referrals to top contractors & vendors whom I've screened.

I have a wealth of resources to which I can refer anyone who asks.

*I have a crystal ball and I can accurately predict future property values and mortgage interest rates. (Ha ha... just kidding! I don't have a crystal ball but sometimes my clients think I do.)

And how much do I earn for being a Homeowner Advocate, a Neighborhood Expert, a Community Volunteer? Nothing; in fact, it probably costs me! But it's all part of my job.

Enjoy my NEW Books:

Open House at Lakeshore Gardens Retirement Community

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:34:42 -0500

Open House SUNDAY May 31st from 2-4 pm! 7221 Santa Barbara Street in Carlsbad, CA 92011

Great corner location with large porch and sunroom! 2 bedroom 2 bath with family room.

Prime location backs up to pond.

Convenient radial kitchen with breakfast bar.

New hardwood-look floors, new carpet, all major appliances included, alarm system, wet bar, large master bathroom with garden tub, plumbing upgraded, new water heater, new roof.

Pool, spa, clubhouse & daily activities.

Lakeshore is the most luxurious retirement community for seniors, one resident must be over 55.

Mobile home purchase does NOT include monthly space rent.

Enjoy my NEW Books:

SELLERS: Choose an ALL-CASH offer instead of FINANCED Purchase

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:47:29 -0500

Sellers, some of you are receiving multiple offers on your property for sale. So what's a seller to do? How to choose the BEST offer?

Well, if the price (and total costs) net the same, select the offer with the most cash financing. For example:

An all-cash offer is better than an offer with a 50% downpayment and 50% financing
A 50% downpayment is better than a 20% downpayment conventional loan
A 20% downpayment is better than a 3.5% downpayment FHA loan

"But why is an all-cash offer better than a financed offer," you may ask? "I'll net the same amount of money in the end, right?"

Yes the NET may be the same BUT there are other issues that Sellers must consider:

1. An all-cash offer can close QUICKLY (assuming the buyer has funds available immediately -- ask for proof of funds). Whereas, a financed purchase usually takes at least 30 days to close, and many times longer. And the faster you get your money, the sooner you can invest it in something else, or simply be relieved of the hassle of selling your house.

2. All-cash offers don't have financing CONTINGENCIES. Will the buyer's loan go through? Won't it? How can you be sure? After many years of real estate sales experience, I can say that a high percentage of purchases fall out of escrow due to financing issues. Such as:

Buyer qualified earlier, but now does not (credit score changed; financial ratios changed; buyer bought a new purchase on credit)
Lender changes their loan requirements (they shouldn't, but some lenders change in the middle of the loan)
Buyer's rate lock expired and loan rates increased
Lender goes out of business (yes, this has happend up to 1 DAY BEFORE close of escrow)

3. With an all-cash offer, the buyer is very confident that he can close escrow, so you the Seller can request a NON-REFUNDABLE earnest money deposit. However, a financed buyer usually insists on a refundable deposit, because they are at the mercy of their lender.

4. No appraisal is needed for an all-cash offer. This is a critical piece of the financing "puzzle". Lenders will require an appraisal to determine the house's value. Appraisals can kill a deal. How?

An appraisal comes in LOWER than the amount agreed between buyer & seller. Now the buyer wants the seller to lower his price, but the seller refuses.
An appraisal notes specific items on the home that are "red flags" for the lender's underwriting department, and they refuse to proceed until certain items are fixed, which the seller refuses to fix at his expense (FHA & VA lenders are notorious for this).
The appraiser is from out of the area, is not familiar with that specific neighborhood, and therefore does a poor appraisal, which is questioned by the lender.
Appraisals can take a long time to get completed, especially with the new HVCC laws, they are delaying escrow closing time-periods.
The lender, for whatever reason, isn't satisfied with the appraisal, and orders a 2nd (or 3rd) appraisal to confirm the 1st one; and then uses the lowest appraisal value.

5. Fannie Mae loans will question certain things, such as "property flipping", and will not lend on a property that has been sold within the previous 90 days. But all-cash buyers don't have to worry about these restrictions.

6. All-cash offers eliminate a huge layer of documents, paperwork, red tape, government rules, and headaches for the Buyers, and save time.

Of course, TERMS and PRICE are not the only things Sellers considers when selling their house. Private sellers (not banks or corporate sellers) may care a lot about their wonderful family home, and may select a Buyer who is going to live in the house and take care of it, rather than an investor who will only rent it out.

But remember, Sellers: to get to CHOOSE the best offer, you must first have multiple offers! And "How to get Multiple Offers" is a topic for another blog!

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REAL ESTATE INVESTING: Speed Learning using the Ultimate Feedback Model

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:27:16 -0500

Scott Whaley, our host of the real estate investment seminar, Real Wealth Investor Expo, shared some excellent training. Starting with his Speed Learning tip:

Take action as quickly as possible, then get intense feedback immediately. This is SPEED Learning using the ultimate feedback model. When you get immediate feedback, your brain learns quicker. Kind of like touching a hot stove!

We have 20,000 thoughts per day, and most of them are the same thoughts as the previous day.
We have a pattern of focus, thinking, and behavior.
Success is a habit and so is failure.
We must use leverage to break a pattern & to install a new one.

Emotional mastery is putting yourself into active in the areas in which you're challenged. "Most of our society majors in minor things," Scott reflected.

ACTION is the practiced skill of making quick, strong decisions. Massive action will pay off. Action is perfected through conditioning, repetition, intensity, and speed.

Our vision must be compelling enough to push us over obstacles. The book "Who Moved My Cheese?" shows that most people are crawling through a maze, following the wrong map, and don't even want the cheese they're pursuing!

But what do we want? Goals must be measurable, specific, and achievable. For a personal assessment to help get what you want, Scott is offering a behavior assessment on September 12th, & 13th, see his web site http://www.realwealthinvestor.com/ for more info.

See the overview of this entire awesome seminar series at: http://activerain.com/blogsview/1090853/real-estate-investing-seminars-for-all-serious-real-estate-professionals

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REAL ESTATE INVESTING: Seminars for all SERIOUS Real Estate Professionals

Regina P. Brown Real Estate on the California Coast — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:58:21 -0500

Recently I was blessed to attend a real estate investment seminar, Real Wealth Investor Expo with Scott Whaley. I highly recommend that ALL serious real estate agents attend investment seminars to educate yourselves. You (hopefully) have clients who are real estate investors, and you should learn their techniques and tools of the trade. So you know what they're talking about and can relate to them. And serve them better by knowing how their industry works.

Scott Whaley at http://www.realwealthinvestor.com/ hosts an annual expo and brings in the best of the BEST speakers:

Robyn Thompson, "Queen of Property Rehab"
Bruce Norris, highly respected real estate investor and trainer
Alan Cowgill, top advisor on private funding
Kaaren Hall, Entrust, experts on self-directed IRAs
Jeff Adams, REO wholesaler on auto-pilot
Kurt DeMeire, County Records Research with foreclosure lists updated daily
Bob Diamond, leader in his field of Loan Mods (done the right way)
Reed Blake, a funding pipeline
Lee Phillips, asset protection expert
Dr. Albert Lowry, a world-renowned wealth mentor
Bill Gatten, trusts and land contracts

Many of these experts have shared the stage with Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki. They are highly-sought-after as TOP experts and trainers in their field; and I feel honored to be able to learn from each of them.

Robyn taught non-stop for nearly 8 hours and I learned so much about buying fixer-upper properties and the types of cosmetic work to be done. Also how to hire a good contractor.

Kaaren opened my eyes to the idea of a self-directed IRAs and its benefits. So many financial tricks of the trade that I didn't know...

And Kurt DeMeire showed exactly how to find foreclosures, in various stages (NOD, NOTS, Auction, REO), with fresh data delivery every day. An even better system than our MLS.

BTW, if you think that get-rich-quick schemes are full of bologna, then I agree with you. And these courses definitely do not offer anything shady or lead you to believe that you can get rich overnight.

As we know, anything successful happens over a period of time, through hard work, education & training, and persistent action.

P.S. Check back later as I'm going to provide links to the speakers above!

Enjoy my NEW Books: