Barry's Blog

Assumptions, Expectations, and Taking Responsibility #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:24:59 -0600

You know what happens when you assume something, Right?

Assume = Making an ass out of u and me.

Expectations are enigmatic.

When we expect things, we often close our minds to other possibilities that might exist.

Yet without some level of expectation, what's the standard?

Does ANYTHING go?

Both of these words are extremely powerful pieces when it comes to effective communication and service.

When I am serving you, I might make some assumptions that lead to confusion or conflict.

- I might assume that you know more than you know, therefor creating frustration and fear because I am not explaining things as we go.

- I might assume that I know what your expectations of me are . . . Making it virtually impossible for you to be satisfied with my service.

- I might make assumptions about your financial wherewithal . . .

- or personal family life environment

- or personal background

As long as I am making assumptions, my ability to serve you well is inevitably doomed.

If I don't know your expectations, I might never measure up to your standards.

If you don't know my expectations, you'll be a mushroom (Kept in a dark room and fed S_it!)

Good service is virtually impossible to deliver when expectations are not clear.

What's the "Right way to do things"?

We could have different ideas about what's right and proper.

You don't know what I know,and I don't know what you know.

So . . . How do we fix all of this?

Of course if we all knew all of this and practiced it, life would be blissful, wouldn't it?

It begins with taking responsibility.

In all relationships, We have a burden of responsibility to communicate.

Longstanding, healthy Relationships begin with LOTS of questions.

Every single person on the plaent has a unique story - a personal History that shapes who they are now.

The more we learn of all of that, the better our odds of learning motivation.

The more we know about each, the less we need to assume.

The more we know about each other, the more clear our expectations of each other and the process of life.

Ask LOTS of questions and Pay attention, and you'll find yourself experiencing a lot less conflict and discomfort.

Simple, yet so complex.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

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Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

7 Ways to take advantage of the extended tax deduction - RISMEDIA - #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:03:26 -0600

RIS Media continues to push great news and tips to us daily.

This article is particularly timely . . .

Thought I'd pass it along just in case your focus is blurry.

7 Ways to take advantage of the extended tax deduction

My favorite sentence in the whole thing . . . "So get moving!"

All this is in perfect alignment with my personal campaign to encourage a "TAKE ACTION NOW!" approach to everything we do.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - What's on your list? #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:41:42 -0600

It took me a while to get in the Spirit this year.

I have many "reasons" and justifications . . . most of them having to do with being "Busy, Busy, Busy"

My Bah-humbug ship sank Sunday afternoon when we drove into our driveway and noticed that our next door neighbor had beaten me to the punch with a whole lawn full of Christmas lights.

AAAACK!

Guess what I did last night when I got home from the office?

Yep! Hung Christmas lights.

That helped my Spirit and reminded me what this season is all about.

I think I can figure a way to be less Busy for the next couple of weeks and actually enjoy the holiday with friends and family.

Deb asked me what I want for Christmas . . .

Our children are VERY focused with their lists to Santa . . .

So what do I want?

I was stymied . . . Couldn't think of a THING that I really want for Christmas that I don't already have.

It's not that I have everything I want . . . It's that I feel I have everything I need . . . and have internal strife justifying MORE when LESS keeps things simple :-)

I'd love to have a fancy new "touch" cell phone, but my old flip phone still works great and I know how to use it . . .

A new car (BMW) would be nice . . . but that 1996 Ford Explorer I drive just won't die.

A boat would be WONDERFUL to have . . . but . . .

Perhaps a netbook to replace this 5 year old Dell Inspiron . . . but I know all of the quirks of this machine,and we "go WAY back" - I'll bet I've written 10,000 pages of musings on this machine.

Nostalgia . . .

What I want for Christmas this year is an eclectic mish-mash of wants for others . . .

I want all those folks out there who are suffering in some way with sickness, financial adversity, or other woes to find some respite and discover new-found Spirit to pull them through whatever challenges they face.

I want stagnant careers to take OFF going into 2010!

I want more qualified home Buyers to TAKE ACTION during this season of tremendous opportunity and thereby take advantage of Historically low interest rates and values.

We all know that savvy investors make their money when times are lean - They are investing "at the bottom" and selling "at the top" (Buy low - Sell High) . . . and when money is "cheap"

Potential return on investment (ROI) in real property is THROUGH THE ROOF - I believe there is NO better place to invest in today's economy.

When home Buyers Buy, I get my gift from Santa because when the real estate REALLY begins to sell, many of those financially distressed folks out there will find the relief they so desperately need.

Do you REALLY WANT TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY?

Then . . .

BUY A HOUSE!

I'll buy the fancy phone and the netbook and the car and the boat when the ones I have go kaput . . .

Meanwhile . . . I have found the Chistmas Spirit and will be back out in the front yard adding MORE lights tonight . . . Just to be certain Santa cannot possibly pass without noticing and stopping in on Christmas Eve.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

A gift - What Matters NOW!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:41:38 -0600

3 of my favorite words . . .

What Matters Now

and the 4th

FREE!

Seth Godin has just released a new and FREE ebook that he assembled, and it's a VERY cool book.

Click the link @ the title above to get the download or check out his Squidoo site about it here

http://www.squidoo.com/Whatmattersnowfreeebook

We've all gotta get ourselves into NOW and quit worrying about what has been and fretting about what's gonna be.

It's our NOW in which we have real, solid choices.

More than 70 big thinkers pitched in . . . One page for each.

There are no strings attached . . . Just print it and carry it with you and ENJOY it NOW!

You're gonna thank me later :-)

Page Titles:

Generosity

Fear

Facts

Dignity

Meaning

Ease

Connected

Re-Capitalism

Vision

Enrichment

Speaking

Atoms

Excellence

Most

Strengths

Ripple

Unsustainability

Autonomy

Poker

Momentum

Consequence

Power

Harmony

Tough-mindedness

Evangelism

Compassion

Knowledge

Parsing

Forever

Empathy

Neoteny

Celebrate

DIY (Do It Yourself)

Adventure

Dumb

Nobody

Analog

Independent Diplomacy

THNX

Attention

Context

Change

Passion

Magnetize

Confidence

Slow Capital

Open Source- DNA

Technology

Expertise

Fascination

Difference

World-Healers

Sacrifice

Focus

Leap

Women

Timeless

.eDO

Productivity

Iterative Capital

Willpower

Mesh

Enough

(Dis)Trust

Social Skills

I'm Sorry

SLEEP

Knowing

Government 2.0

You Can't

Gumption

I'm interested in your thoughts,

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Boiling a BIG model down to serve your career best. #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:51:50 -0600

The Millionaire Real Estate Agent (MREA) is a MODEL derived by Gary Keller and a collage of other highly successful people in the Real Estate Industry.

Gary assembled these top producing agents into a series of masterminds to extract "best practices for a highly successful real estate business" and put a lot of thought into distilling all of that information down to an easily understood MODEL which other professionals could adopt and thereby put themselves on a similar path to success.

This model has proven to be applicable to darn near ANY business/Industry on the planet.

The underlying premise was (and is) that Success Leaves Clues, so we serve ourselves well by studying other people who have been successful in any endeavor we wish to pursue and emulate their best practices.

The great enigma is that following such a model does not necessarily guarantee the same results.

or . . .

might not consider the possibility that an individual's goals might not include building a business that results in $1 Million dollars in the bank each year (No aspiration to build a large team - Just wanting to improve quality of life and build a Business worth owning relative to personal goals)

The ONLY shortfall of the MREA (In my humble opinion) is the title itself because it can be intimidating.

Yes, that MREA title is very eye catching and I believe was instrumental in the HUGE success of the book, the model, and the exponential growth of Keller Williams Realty Internationally.

To a degree, I am thinking now that there is another side of this coin.

Don't forget the Mission:

"To build careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living."

Hmmm . . .

Doesn't say: "To build MILLIONAIRE Careers . . . "

It says: "To build careers . . . "

I believe there are people out there who are avoiding MREA and Keller Williams Realty because their personal goals and aspirations are not in alignment with the "Millionaire" aspect of the model.

My wife Deb brought this whole thing to mind for me when she had an idea after a random conversation with another agent in the office who had been VERY stressed and feeling great pressure to perform at a very high level and had just had an awakening . . . She didn't want to work that hard . . . Her goals did not include building a Millionaire Real Estate Agent Business, yet that was the model the curriculum was teaching her.

A few other conversations confirmed this disconnect. People out there actually thought that if they were to join Keller Williams Realty they would HAVE to have goals that large.

and I thought about my coaching and how my first question with any coaching client is:

"What are your personal and financial goals for the next 12 months, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years?"

"Great! Now, Let's get to work taking you THERE!"

"We're going to use the MREA model and scale it to match your goals."

"Capiche?"

I have no interest whatsoever in determining anyone's goals for them . . .

Don't EVER let anyone outside of your own body mandate your goals.

See a business model for what it is (not what it's titled) . . . a proven path to success at any/YOUR level.

So . . . You can be whatever _____________aire you want to be by adopting the MREA model.

and here's delivery of the promise of the title of this monolog:

"Boiling a BIG model down to serve your career best".

Build a Database

Feed it every day (Lead Generate)

Communicate with it in a systematic way (Build Relationships)

Service all the leads that come.

and do all of this on a scale that will take you to your goals . . .

ANYONE can do this at ANY level with this model . . .

THAT'S what we teach at Keller Williams Realty Nashville, TN Green Hills.

"To build careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living."

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Gathering - Sharing - Masterminding - Supporting - Surviving #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:54:50 -0600

When things go weird in the environment most mammals (especially humans) innately head for cover (Safety) in groups because of their belief that there's safety in numbers.

That's no secret to anyone who has read many of my blogs . . .

If I have a mantra, it's: "There's NO problem that cannot be solved with VOLUME!"

If you make LOTS of Lead Generation contacts EVERY day, you'll have LOTS of LEADS and thereby MANY opportunities for transactions . . . and you'll have CHOICES . . . and a healthy level of confidence.

Don't forget that you are in a community . . .

Going this course alone might feel daring and adventuresome as you continue on your own personal hero's journey . . . but if you attempt it solo, I believe you're denying your greatest resource.

I was at a function last night where I heard other REALTORS with trepidation dipping their toe in the water of "What's 2010 going to look like?"

No-one felt good about giving a solid answer.

There wasn't a crystal ball in the room that had any level of clarity whatsoever.

So . . .

Uncertainty abounds, right?

What to do?

Do what comes naturally.

Seek opportunities to take shelter with other professionals in a safe space to discuss issues of the day - issues that affect individuals or firms or the community . . .

It is in these safe havens for open dialog where people can be "transparent" and authentic such that REAL issues and opportunities can surface and REAL solutions can emerge.

There are many ways to do this:

- On a personal level, find yourself a COACH, MENTOR, Peer Partner and meet with each on a regular basis.

- Plug in to your OFFICE and attend any and all events (Training Sessions, Sales Meetings, etc) and go there when you don't know where else to go and find other people to talk to . . . to brainstorm.

- Proactively start a "support group" (Like our daily SPRINTS daily Lead Generation Warm up that we broadcast LIVE each day @ www.stickam.com/barryowen) to get your daily release valve.

- Engage yourself in your local REALTOR association and attend those functions so you can learn how people in other firms are dealing with today's market.

- Join community groups where you can participate in more "holistic" community development pursuits

This is NOT an environment to fly solo!

There are many "Social Network" opportunities to engage and converse (Active Rain is a fabulous platform).

When the market first shifted here in Nashville, I started a "Ning" site initially intended to give the associates in my office an on-line safe space to go to gather, share, mastermind, and support each other.

http://realestatetowncenter.ning.com/

We kept it small intentionally, but now see that (Especially as we enter the cold winter) that we all might benefit by opening this safe place up for others to join and participate.

This is a place where people can post topics (Open dialog) of interest for the group to see and participate in discussion.

We know that the right people will always show up as long as we keep that space safe, so it is a place where you can only join by invitation - Simply contact me if you're interested in coming in.

In that space, we all know that the simple rules are that it is not a platform for "personal agendas" . . . No peddling of wares there . . .

It is ALL about exploring the issues and opportunities we are all facing in our respective markets.

People in this space come without expectations and enter with open minds and know that whatever happens is the only thing that could given the circumstances and people present.

We know when a discussion is over, and we acknowledge that it's over simply by asking the question: "Is it over?" (This saves a LOT time with re-hashing needlessly).

and finally, we adhere to the law of 2 feet which plainly says:

"If at any time you find yourself in a place where you are neither contributing or receiving anything of value, it is YOUR responsibility to use your 2 feet to take yourself to a a place where you CAN contribute and/or receive something of value."

Don't sit ANYWHERE in misery - Life's too short :-)

You are hereby invited in . . .

The concepts noted above come from the practice of Open Space Technology

Open Space Technology is a "Way" for ANY size group to deal very efficiently with ANY emergent issues or opportunities in ANY environment . . . Much of my consulting work with individuals and organizations incorporates these principles.

Open Space is the Safe space we can go when we need to gather, share, mastermind, and support each other . . . and it's infinitely available.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

sorry for the long post today :-)

The Federal Reserve has baffled most all of the "Expert Forecasters" #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:23:55 -0600

Common sense tells us that Mortgage Interest rates cannot stay at their Historic low selves forever . . .

Nearly every professional in the industry cautions customers and clients against waiting to take action on their purchases because surely when rates do begin to rise, they will rise quickly and precipitate somewhat of a frenzy that will quickly erode buying power (Affordability of homes).

There are many Real Estate industry experts with a bit of egg on their faces having sung songs predicting an near and certain end to inexpensive financing.

I believe that we ARE now nearing the end of this low rate party.

I'm not writing this just for the sake of singing doom and gloom . . . Just facing a few realities.

Real Buyers can lock in today's rate with most Lenders for 120-180 days with relatively marginal rate premiums. This softens the potential blow when rates do rise . . . and afford Buyers the opportunity to "Buy Time"

The trick is that you don't get to lock in til you've a contract on a purchase . . .

and many Buyers in Today's market also need to sell their existing home.

Sellers have been reluctant to accept "contingent on sale" contracts - Rightfully so by my judgment.

So . . . my rationale is that rates will likely only go one direction from here . . . UP!

and

I believe that in most markets the values have already taken most of their hit.

Strike while the iron's hot.

If you're one of those "SMART" people who has been watching the market and shopping and have identified 3 or 4 properties that you'd love to buy, I think NOW is a great time to negotiate a great deal and build in enough time to sell your existing home (a 4-6 month contract).

At a minimum, this strategy gets you through the first hurdle of knowing what your financing is going to look like and cues you up to perform.

For a little plain speak about what the Federal Reserve has done (and continues to do) . . . and why I believe that the party of low rates is nearing its end . . .

Below is an excerpt from the December 7 edition of "Mortgage Matters . . ."

"The Federal Reserve and Mortgage Rates

There is another reason why we think saying "I told you so" is a bad idea: It can be thrown back in your face. For the past few months we've been forwarding an argument for rising mortgage rates, and yet they keep moving down. Should we toss in the towel? Not yet. We still think rates are destined to move up. The relationship between the Federal Reserve and the mortgage market might help explain why.

The Federal Reserve has done everything in its power to push mortgage rates down to record lows over the past year, and it has succeeded primarily by purchasing an unprecedented $1.5 trillion worth of mortgage-backed securities. This Fed-created demand has helped drive down mortgage rates. Some economists believe the Fed's purchases have resulted in a full percentage point drop in rates.

But the purchases won't go on forever. Last week the Fed stated that it would begin testing a strategy to shrink its portfolio of mortgage-backed securities. One variant is to taper off its purchases of mortgage backed securities. If that is indeed the case, the wheels toward higher rates will start turning.

We don't expect mortgage rates to spike, as any move will be gradual, but it's worth noting that as private operatives move in to fill the void, their objectives will differ from the Fed's: Their objective won't be to drive down mortgage rates, it will be to make money."

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Why are top performers so darned LUCKY?

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:27:47 -0600

Seems like some people just get ALL the lucky breaks.

They can sometimes make HUGE mistakes and come out smelling like a rose.

While others can make a few mistakes and blow their chances of success altogether.

Wherein lies the difference?

"Lucky people":

Practice . . . a LOT

Coaching . . . Are VERY coachable - Seek the best coaches and ejoy being pushed by them.

Confidence . . . BELIEVE in their own abilities

Resilience . . . Don't see obstacles . . . only learning opportunities - and always land on their feet

Experience . . . Understand that success leaves clues and engage in every experiential opportunity available

Determination . . . Steel resolve to be unstopable . . . NO EXCUSES!

Assume RESPONSIBILITY . . . Own up to moments of low performance and don't beat themselves up and blame others . . . Dust themselves off and dive back into the game.

Teamwork . . . Play well with others - Understand "Success through others" and Together Everyone Achieves More"

FLOW . . . Experience frequent occurrences when everything just seems to click perfectly.

So . . .

For the rest of "us" who grumble and complain about the LUCK of those darned anointed ones, TAKE NOTE!

Unlucky people (Teams) defeat themselves with "Stupid mistakes" and then stew in their own swill.

There's plenty of luck out there for all of us.

Luck is swimming around out there and is equally available for all.

Luck avoids victims!

Luck seeks people who invest in themselves.

Luck shows up when the performer is so well practiced that even the toughest challenges are natural movements.

The more you put yourself out there, the luckier you'll be!

If you don't buy a ticket, you don't have any chance of finding your share of the luck.

Play the game,

Enjoy and celebrate the luck.

No whining allowed . . .

I'm just sayin'

Best,

An Historic intersection of low rates and low prices - Buyers take note. #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:20:29 -0600

Guess what?

This week, Home Mortgage rates hit the lowest number since the beginning of recorded data (1971).

Also . . .

Home prices have now been in decline in many markets around the country for 2+ years, and many "experts" believe that they are nearing the bottom.

This may not feel like good news to those who currently own homes . . . Feeling somewhat "cheated" that their houses are no longer worth what they were a couple of years back.

Let's think this one through . . .

Your "Real Property" is worth SOMETHING, right?

That's a far cry better than many stock investments performed in the past 5 years (Somepeople lost ALL of their investment with no possibility of recouping).

This perfect storm of historically low rates and prices is a HUGE opportunity for ALL home-owners.

If you've EVER considered:

- Buying your first home

- Moving to a larger home

- Down-sizing to a smaller home

- Pursuing your dream home

NOW is the time to begin exploring your options. For many people, the homes of their dreams have come into range for them as "Home Affordability" has improved.

You can get a heck of a lot more house for you money now than EVER in history . . . PERIOD!

So (you might ask) . . . "Why must I do this NOW? Rates have been pretty darned low for a long time, and I've been able to watch values tumble . . . Seems the longer I wait, the better things get for me."

That's a valid observation . . .

Here's the "BUT" . . .

All perfect storms come to an end at some point . . . and when they do, they tend to clear up relatively quickly.

Here's how that'll affect YOU:

The first thing you'll see happening is that rates will begin to creep up . . .

They HAVE to . . . as Inflation begins to kick in . . . The government cannot afford to bail us out forever.

Next . . .

Buyers will swarm because they will guess that the corner has turned so they feel sudden urgency to act before they lose their window of opportunity.

All of this new action will create scarcity in the Real Estate markets and prices (values) will begin to rise.

All the while, income levels will not likely grow commensurately.

and for every ONE PERCENT rise in interest rate, buyers will lose @ ELEVEN percent of their buying power.

Do the math . . .

How could you afford missing this opportunity?

How smart ARE you?

When you hear the news that rates are beginning to climb, you will have missed the "sweet spot".

Clint Eastwood said it best: "Do you feel lucky?" Did he fire 5 or 6 rounds?

Today, I can buy a $500,000 house with a payment of less than $3,000 per month (piti) @ 4.5% . . .

When rates climb to 5.5% (Which could happen in the matter of a few days), that same $3,000/mth gets me @ a $440,000 house.

HMMMM!

Plugin your own numbers.

and quit worrying about how much you can get for your current home . . . Where do you want to live?

There has NEVER in history been a better time to buy real property.

I'm certainly available for those Buyers and Sellers in Middle in Middle Tennessee who want to to test my theory :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

It really IS all about YOUR choices . . . "Choose to go, do, and be . . . Good Fortune!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:32:25 -0600

Lucy Smith is the newly installed President of the Greater Nashville Association of REALTORS GNAR.

Today was the day of the final General Membership 1/4ly luncheon and installation of the President and the officers for the Association. I, Mary-Sue Dietrich, Cindy Stanton Fey, and Brian Taylor were all installed as new members of the Board of Directors . . . Quite an honor, and we are all excited to be working together to tackle whatever comes in 2010.

The focal point of Lucy's speech was a series of pictures of the sun either at sunrise or sunset, and her well-placed message was that we each get to choose - to decide whether we believe the sun is setting . . . or rising.

Let's choose to see the sun as a rising sun in 2010 . . . That this coming year has the same potential that every other year has . . . to be the best year EVER both personally and professionally . . .

Believe it or not, we can "control" our destiny through our choice of perception.

Is your cup half empty?

or half FULL?

My daily email today from "The Universe":

"Should you choose to go, do, and be, . . . at the end of your life, shocked and dismayed, you'll likely exclaim that because of all the uncanny events, wild timing, weird coincidences, and sheer chance encounters, all of your life's good fortune must have been your destiny.

Or, should you choose to wait, wish, and hope, at the end of your life, shocked and dismayed, you'll likely exclaim that because of all the uncanny events, wild timing, weird coincidences, and sheer chance encounters, all of your life's bad luck must have been your destiny.

Do you see what the difference is?

It ain't me,
The Universe"

http://www.tut.com/theclub/

Hmmm . . . Do you think it's coincidence that I would read this email first thing this morning and then hear Lucy's speech this afternoon?

We live in a world and time in which our CHOICES are essential.

Lucy's right that it all begins with our perception and how that shapes our reality.

YOU get to decide!

BUT . . .

You cannot stop there . . . "the Universe" encourages us to "go, do, and be"

Hmmm . . .

So we've gotta choose wisely and optimistically . . .

Keep our expectations enough in check that we remain open to possibilities . . .

EXPECT only to be surprised.

TAKE ACTION!

and BE . . .

There now . . . destiny . . .

LISTEN!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Look out for those little green twigs! Just keep on Lead generating . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:05:59 -0600

As we journey forth deeper into the month of December and closer to the holiday and New Year Season, I am finding more people admitting to a certain level of new-found lethargy.

Yep!

Seems the pulse is slowing down . . .

Eyelids are drooping a bit . . .

Intentional action (Lead Generation) is succumbing to less useful (but more fun) activities . . .

"Because everything is slowed down, I'm taking this opportunity to "catch up" on paperwork and get more organized"

BAH-HUMBUG!

Here's what happens when allow yourself to become distracted - Less alert . . .

Yep!

That's a Praying Mantis hanging from a bird feeder munching on his most recent catch . . . a HUMMINGBIRD who was not paying attention and enjoying the nectar. (Click on the picture to read the accompanying article)

I don't know what you're thinking, but I thought: "HOW COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE?" when I first saw this picture in last month's issue of National Geographic.

You're that hummingbird sipping that sweet nectar of slower activity and pleasant diversion and ignoring the innocuous looking green twig hanging off the feeder . . . Unaware that the green twig very well might sneak up and grab you by the neck and suck the life out of your business.

The green twig represents whatever thoughts are in your head (or other people breaking your flow) that are causing you to do ANYTHING other than your "NORMAL" rhythm of daily lead generation.

Here's what my coaching clients are hearing from me this week:

"I challenge you to get 3-6 listings before you call it quits for 2009!"

AND

"Secure 3 new Buyers and put at LEAST 1 property under contract!"

AND

Use your Lead Generation to FILL YOUR SCHEDULE for January so that when you return to work on the 2nd of January, you will have ZERO "Spool-up lag" . . . You'll be right back in the groove.

Schedule one appointment EVERY day for the month of January . . . That's 20 appointments . . .

Wouldn't that be a wonderful way to start 2010?

Couldn't you REALLY enjoy your holiday break knowing that you already have 20 appointments lined up for January?

Go ahead and let the other REALTORS in your market succumb to the lethargy and ignore that green twig.

No hangin' out at the hummingbird feeder allowed :-)

I'm counting on you to bring in those listings and setting those appointments . . . I figure you've got @ 11 good business days to get it all done.

Best,

PS . . . Very excited to announce that I won a position on the Board of Directors for the Greater Nashville Association of REALTORS

Do you just LOVE your Office?

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:19:29 -0600

Strange as it seems I LOVE my office.

When you really consider it, those of us who are independent contractors as well as many folks in corporate jobs that cen be "Home office based" can opt out of "Going to the office".

Here's what I think they're missing:

I know I'm in the RIGHT place when I look forward to going to the office every day.

I know that the RIGHT office for me contains the environment that best supports my business and my personal goals.

The right office is the one I can find the people who will engage in impromptu training and coaching opportunities as we each navigate the myriad challenges we face in our business.

This is also a place where I can train and support others and can LEARN more myself as I teach others.

The right office is the one in which I can find just enough competition to motivate myself to continue to perform at a high level . . . Where people know my goals and hold me accountable and push to do what I say I'm going to do.

The people in my office have become my family - I trust them.

When I go to the office, I feel safe . . . It's a place I can be transparent about issues and opportunities I face without concern for "security breaches".

It's a place where I can find a sense of community.

The right office for me is the one that contains people with good hearts whose collective efforts are making a positive influence in our larger community and the world.

I think I could ramble on for a long time but will end with the reason for this post:

Yesterday, we had our monthly Team Meeting . . . This time, we had a chili cook-off with 7 entries . . . complete with a cooler of ice cold Corona . . . As I was enjoying my favorite (#1) chili of the batch, I was sitting next to another associate who was just sitting there and not saying much.

Wesat in silence for a few minutes, and then he said:

"I LOVE this office and am SO happy here!"

So there now . . . Do you LOVE your office?

If not, will you engage yourself to help create an office environment you LOVE?

Is it time to go exploring and finding a place that's a better fit.

The Law of 2 feet says that if at any time you are in a place where you feel you are neither giving nor receiving anything of value, it is YOUR responsibility to take yourself to a place where you can contribute or receive.

Life's too short for you to be in an environment that you don't LOVE :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

End of year MIRACLE! DOWN with the naysayers . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:50:13 -0600

With something like 4 1/2 minutes left to play, I declared the Tennessee Titans losers in yesterday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Who was I to judge?

If they had listened to me, they would have quit and headed to the locker room.

Instead, that team pulled together and pulled off the 2nd "Music City Miracle" during which they converted FOUR 4th down long shots against a VERY good Defense which had effectively shut them down for the better part of the afternoon.

Many fans of the Tennessee Titans are tickled pink that Vince Young and "his boys" weren't on my frequency.

They didn't hear me . . . or any of the other (MANY) people who had prophesied the end of their winning streak.

and they WON with their final 4th down conversion at the buzzer IN THE END ZONE!

Don't EVER let ANYONE else predict YOUR future success . . .

"They" have NO clue what you can do . . . What you are capable of handling.

No one can know what you can accomplish when your options boil down to "Sh_t or get off the pot!"

So . . .

Tomorrow is December 1 . . .

You've got @ 3 weeks to orchestrate your own version of the Music City Miracle.

Put on your blinders and set your sights on a HIGH goal for the next 3 weeks.

I'm betting that anyone who really set their mind to it could gather 6 listings in the next 3 weeks ... Including YOU!

Better yet . . . I'm betting that you can complete 3 transactions also.

This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce some new inventory to the market.

I know there are many thirsty Buyers out there looking for some refreshing, new choices.

While you're at it . . . Challenge yourself to gain one additional piece of business from EVERY Listing or Buyer client you sign in the next 3 weeks.

and then?

Have a peaceful and relaxed Christmas.

There now . . . 6 listings and 3 deals to end the year . . . Not a bad miracle, eh?

Don't hear those naysayers!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

The enigmatic Million Dollar REO - Black Sheep of the market or Golden Opportunity?

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:05:40 -0600

Yep!

Even Million dollar houses can become "Real Estate Owned" (REO) properties after foreclosure.

I think many banks are being very short-sighted in their handling of these properties.

These thoughts ran through my head when I was out showing properties in this price range this past week and I ran across a property listed by a local agent who has quite a reputation as being the "Local REO expert" and who typically has a HUGE inventory of "low end" dilapidated properties.

I had a weird feeling when I drove up and saw that agent's name on the sign in the yard.

The house is a beautiful house . . . with a LOT of potential . . . and priced VERY competitively (Low).

The problem?

It showed like a $100,000 REO . . . NOT like a Million Dollar House.

Dirty . . . Winterized . . . Shaggy lawn . . . and had obviously not had any attention since it had been foreclosed 8 months earlier.

The Buyer's first comments were that they would consider it at a deep discount . . . and when pushed . . . They said "$150,000 below the list price" . . . The list price was already @ 10% below the average sold comparables

Methinks this bank is going take a HUGE bath on this property . . .

I learned in the Army that I should never identify a problem without having a proposal for a solution, so here it goes . . .

If I were the bank, I would list said property with a High end specialist in that market . . . Why risk tossing it to a "generalist" when doing so could cost you an additional $150,000 (or more) of missed equity.

Spend the money required to have it show commensurately with other similar properties.

Don't winterize it . . . that Saran wrap over toilets with visible fungal growth inside just doesn't translate into high end value.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Thankful for YOUR contribution to the rest of us . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:12:46 -0600

Yesterday morning during our daily SPRINTS warm up the tone/mood was lighthearted and happy and comfortable and there was a moment of comfortable silence . . . You know those times when a group of people feel at peace and safe enough together to be able to sit in COMPLETE silence without feeling awkward?

We humans seem to have this need to fill all time and space with noise or chatter . . .

Frank broke the silence by sayin' that he had an "AHA" that he is lucky to be in a job from which he cannot be fired . . . and then being the deep thinker he is, he continued his thought . . . and commented how cool it is that we all come in to our SPRINTS sessions every morning at 8:30 to hang out together for our 30 minute warm-up because we WANT to . . . not because we HAVE to :-)

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, and what was running through my mind was that we are FAMILY.

I am thankful for my extended family and am aware that this extended family includes even people I have not actually MET (as in many of the folks who read my blog and/or interact with me through the internet).

Our conversation morphed into more dialog of thankfulness - Health, Happiness . . .

That we each have COMPLETE control over our individual success through our CHOICES.

The truth that we are in an equal opportunity - unequal reward world . . . and that we can get our unfair share simply by taking appropriate action and building supportive relationships.

That all relationships are available and that our only true limitations are those that we place on ourselves.

That life is about what we are going to DO . . . not about what we should not be doing.

Anything you set your sights on is attainable.

and as you journey along, the right people are popping up all around you to help you . . . all you've gotta do is recognize each person's potential . . . gift . . . and yours will expand without boundaries.

Thank you,

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Hope you eat irresponsibly today and have time to enjoy your friends and family and reflect on how lucky and special you really are.

PS - Seth Godin's blog post today is a shorter version and is well worth a read . . .

__________________________________________________________________________________

Seth Godin's Thanksgiving Day Post

The only holiday that really matters

No gifts, no guilt. Universal, even if it's not celebrated on the same day everywhere.

Whenever I sit down at this keyboard, I feel humbled and quite lucky to have the privilege. Every day is Thanksgiving, because without the people we love and depend on, there'd be nothing.

Thanks for being here, for making a difference and for doing work that matters.

Thank you.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Don't let tragedy strike you or another REALTOR - REMIND yourself regularly about SAFETY!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:46:25 -0600

A recent frightening event with one of our associates who was showing (alone) a house reminded me of the importance of regularly reminding our associates about the importance of safety.

Luckily, our incident turned out to be benign.

In the business of Real Estate sales, it is very easy to get reckless with your own personal safety without even giving it a thought.

How often have you taken a random call off a listing and just driven right over to meet the caller without knowing ANYTHING about the person?

There you are all by yourself with a completely unknown person in an empty house.

We all do it . . . Let our guard down, get sloppy, careless . . .

or allow our reactive and trusting nature to put ourselves in harm's way without even thinking.

Not ALL people in the world have good intentions.

I know that's an unpleasant thought because we REALTORS LOVE PEOPLE and are inherently trusting.

We can also be incredibly gullible and stupid.

Most victims of personal crimes (rape, robbery, assault) can very quickly identify how they made themselves vulnerable to the affront . . . AFTER the crime has occurred . . .

and that's when they say:

"If I had only . . . "

Don't be one of these "If I had only . . . " people and find yourself in a treacherous situation.

Be vigilant!

If you are not certain of what to do and/or how to keep yourself safe, you owe it to yourself (and your loved ones) to take the time NOW to hone your awareness.

Waiting for something to happen before you wake up and smell THIS coffee could very well be a life threatening and/or draconian oversight.

OH!

I'm not trying to make you a scaredy-pants . . . I just want you to be safe (and not another statistic).

By the way . . . Didn't Mama tell you not to talk to strangers . . . or accept candy from them . . . or follow them . . . and to always travel in pairs with your friends . . . and to be watchful of other people acting in strange ways . . . ?????

The National Association of REALTORS website www.REALTOR.org has some great resources for safety awareness . . . Do yourself a favor today and explore these.

NAR's REALTOR Safety Website

NAR's Field Guide to Safety

And my favorite . . . a PDF of several FANTASTIC safety tips and ideas.

The Louisiana REALTORs Safety PDF

I'm just sayin'

Best,

How being nice can save your clients THOUSANDS of dollars . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:56:29 -0600

I like nice people.

Nice people do nice things and are easy to work with even in an environment of diverse beliefs/opinions.

Negotiations with nice people tend to find WIN-WIN ...

Nice people look for solutions . . .

Nice people ask lots of questions in search of commonality.

Nice people develop systems around them to absorb the impact of anomalies.

Nice people come from contribution - always looking for a way to GIVE.

Nice people win the lottery and do good things with the money.

I like nice people.

I don't care how crazy the world gets, the value of nice people appreciates with every passing moment.

When I was in High school, I heard more than once that "nice guys finish last" and that seemed to be true . . . during high school . . . but it doesn't hold water any more.

Nice people FINISH!

I witnessed a competition between 2 Buyers for a property over the week end.

One of the Buyer agents was nice . . . the other wasn't.

Both Buyers submitted offers that netted the Seller the same . . .

One of the REALTORS was nice . . . The other wasn't.

The not-nice agent was the first offer . . . the nice one was 2nd.

The Seller asked which one was the better offer . . .

The Listing agent simply responded: "I like the 2nd Buyer"

Guess who got the house?

That's right . . . The nice one . . .

So . . . Perhaps your best negotiating tactic might have something to do with your niceness?

I think so . . .

I think I see people yearning for this warp-speed environment to slow down a bit as more and more people crave genuine contact with others . . . Turn off the computer and simply BE NICE!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

NAR PAC busts another myth - Beware those "viral" emails #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:47:20 -0600

There's a viral email circulating around that has been sent to me by a few of our associates who had received it from clients . . .

The "Freak-out factor" is off the charts because the bill in its original form was far from "user friendly" for real property owners.

Below is a copy of that email - The MYTH . . . and below that is - The MYTH BUSTING - a summary of what actually passed as well as a link to the National Association of REALTORS website where you can find more information:

"H.R.2454: "American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009"

Beginning one year after enactment of H.R. 2454, you won't be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to Comply with its energy and water efficiency standards. The "Cap & Trade" Bill, already passed by the House of Representatives and pending in the Senate, will be the largest tax increase ever. The Congressional Budget
Office estimates that the average cost to every family of four will be $6,800 per year. No one is excluded. Mr. And Mrs. Middleclass America will Pay even more since those with lower incomes can apply for a tax refund
(even if they pay no taxes at all) to offset this new cost.

Under the Act you won't be able to sell Your house without the permission of the EPA administrator. Yes, you read That right. Even if you have enough money to make the required upgrades to Your home, or if your income is low enough that the government subsidizes Your upgrades, you can sell it only if the EPA Administrator approves it. Even pre-fabricated homes are included.

To get this permission, you will have to Have the energy efficiency of your home measured. Then the government will Tell you what the new energy efficiency requirements are and you will be Forced to make modifications to your home under the retrofit provisions of This Act to comply with the new energy and water efficiency requirements. Then you will have to get your home measured again and get a license (called
A "label" in the Act) that must be posted on your property to show what your Efficiency rating is; sort of like the Energy Star Efficiency rating label on your refrigerator or air conditioner. If you Don't get a high enough rating, you can't sell. And, the EPA Administrator. Is authorized to raise the standards every year, even above the automatic Energy efficiency increases built into the Act.

The EPA administrator, appointed by the President, will run the Cap & Trade program (aka the "American Clean
Energy and Security Act of 2009") and is authorized to make any future Changes to the regulations and standards he alone determines to be in The government's best interest. Requirements are set low initially so the
Bill will pass Congress; but thereafter the Act requires that there be Annual increases in energy efficiency for private and commercial residences And buildings.

Sect. 202: Building Retrofit Program
Mandates a national retrofit program to increase the energy efficiency of All existing homes across America . The Act allows the government to give You a grant of several thousand dollars to comply with the retrofit program
Requirements if you will meet certain energy efficiency levels.. Who will Be eligible for these grants? The government will decide who qualifies to Receive the grants. As long as the Obama Administration is enforcing the
Act, you can expect such requirements as "can't have an income of more than $50K per year," or "home selling price can't be more than $125K," etc.

Sect.. 204: Building Energy Performance
Labeling Program requires that "at least 90 percent of the residential Market within 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act" shall be Measured, rehabbed, remeasured and labeled with its energy efficiency
Performance. The EPA administrator will get $50M each year, and the Secretary of the Department of Energy will get an additional $20M each year, To enforce the labeling program. You will be required to post the label in
A conspicuous location in your home and will not be allowed to sell your Home without having this label. The government estimates the cost of Measuring the energy efficiency of your home should cost only $200 each
Time. [Note: When the California auto smog inspections first started, they Were to cost $15. Now they cost $50 and up for the inspection andCertificate.]

Sect. 304: Greater Energy Efficiency in
Building Codes establishes new energy efficiency guidelines for the National Building Code and mandates that 1 year after enactment of this Act, all State and local jurisdictions must adopt the National Building Code energy
Efficiency provisions or must obtain a certification from the federal Government that their state and/or local codes have been brought into full Compliance with the National Building Code energy efficiency standards.

MYTH BUSTING

Here's what actually happened:

The American Clean Energy and Security Act

The U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act by Reps. Waxman (D‐CA) and Markey (D‐MA). Following NAR’s long‐standing policy to only take a position on legislation, or provisions within legislation that have a direct affect on real estate, NAR worked with our Congressional allies to strip the Energy Bill of provisions that would have adversely affected our industry.

After multiple consultations with the NAR Climate Presidential Advisory Group, the NAR Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Committee, and state associations who had dealt with energy audit legislation at the state level, the Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Committee directed NAR staff to concentrate on the real estate provisions in the bill. As a result, NAR issued calls for action and made this a talking point for Capitol Hill visits during its recent Midyear meeting.

Overall, REALTORS® succeeded in making a number of positive changes affecting the real estate provisions of the bill. The House‐approved bill:

Does not create a federal energy audit requirement for real property;
Exempts existing homes and buildings from any federal guidelines for new construction energy efficiency information labels.
Prohibits the implementation of any labeling during a sales transaction.
Leaves the decision to states as to whether to require energy audits, disclosures, etc.
Provides property owners with significant financial incentives, matching grants and tools to make property improvements and reduce their energy bills;
Prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating residential and commercial buildings under the Clean Air Act;
Eliminated an early proposal to allow citizens to sue over minor climate risks under the Clean Air Act; and
Establishes green building incentives for HUD housing, including a loan program for renewable energy, block grants and credit for upgrades in mortgage underwriting.

Follow this link for other documents pertaining to this law.

http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/gapublic/american_clean_energy_security_act?lid=ronav0019

My Point?

Don't believe everything you get in your email in-box.

SUPPORT The National Association of REALTORS Political Action Committee.

If you're a professional in the Real Estate industry, KNOW THIS STUFF so you can respond appropriately to people in your sphere of influence.

We're having enough fun as it is keeping up with the complexities of the market to have viral emails freaking out our clients, right?

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Owning a house is a "Forced Savings Plan"

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:05:50 -0600

Yesterday in our SPRINTS daily warm-up session we talked about Creating Buyer Urgency.

(We broadcast SPRINTS LIVE each morning 8:30-9:00 CST @ www.stickam.com/barryowen)

We know better than to think that we can create motivation, so our focus was on having found motivated Buyers how we can create some urgency to protect them from their own inaction.

If you're a motivated Buyer, and you are not BUYING because you're waiting for "better" ANYTHING (Pricing, rates, etc) You are playing a dangerous game.

We blew the dust off a few archived Gary Keller & Dave Jenks videos and found this golden nugget.

REALTOR to Buyer:

"If you buy a house today, I am willing to GUARANTEE that I will will buy it back from you in ten years at the same price. DEAL?"

The Buyer will say: "NO WAY!"

Why?

Because of the high probability that the house will be worth MORE in 10 years than today.

PLUS . . . Owning a home is an investment that you get to LIVE IN!

Additionally, consider the leveraging power of buying a house.

For relatively very little capital investment (Down-payment), home ownership offers potentially gargantuan gains in ROI over time.

With a taste of careful budgeting, most folks could actually pay OFF most (if not all) of a home mortgage in a 10 year period of time . . . THEN what do you have?

FORCED SAVINGS!

There you sit 10 years from now having made an initial 3.5% investment (FHA financing) - Let's say a $200,000 house = $7,000 . . . You get to live in it and pay your mortgage (You'd be paying to live somewhere anyway) . . . and it appreciates as real estate has historically appreciated over time @ 3% per year . . . and you're sitting on an ASSET worth @ $270,000.

Hmmm . . . Turning a $7,000 investment into $270,000 in 10 years.

Sounds like a great reason to buy a house NOW!

OBTW - That 3% annual appreciation is probably lower than reality when the market turns UP.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Don't let "Interest Rate Denial" bite you in the Butt!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:26:59 -0600

The truth is that interest rates will rise before this chapter in the story of our economy ends.

It is also inevitable that when they do rise, they will rise QUICKLY!

Thus far, the Powers that be have effectively (artificially) been able to enable us all by keeping the rates low . . .

As Gary Keller said: "When the American public stopped spending, SOMEONE had to spend . . . so the Government has stepped in and has been doing the spending for us to keep the economy moving and hold off inflation."

The trick is that eventually even the government will have to decrease spending . . .

This comes to mind for me today as I remember that when I got into this business of selling houses in 1993, the interest rates were for the first time in YEARS just dipping below double digits . . . and there was veritable dancing in the streets.

From then until now, we have all enjoyed hilariously LOW interest rates and have reaped LOTS of rewards . . .

and we have been cruising along "borrowing Buyers from the future" and basking in our gluttony.

I think we are finally at the point where we are going to need teenagers to start buying houses because nearly 70% of all other humans in the USA now own houses . . . The pool of available Buyers HAS shrunk because we created such a "friendly" home buying experience.

So here's my message . . .

Don't let yourself stay in denial . . .

RATES WILL RISE!

and

When they rise, they will rise QUICKLY!

If you're alive and have the ability to buy a house, NOW is the time to do it . . . PERIOD!

And REALTORS . . . If you are not a die-hard believer in this and are not communicating this very real threat of rate increase to your sphere of influence, I recommend some level of therapy to pull yourself out of denial.

A YEAR AGO, Keller Williams Realty published a brochure entitled "What Are You Waiting For?"

Did you know that a 1% increase in rate results in @ an 11% DECREASE in Buying Power?

Here's how that looks:

When that brochure was created, rates were @ 6.04% (Today, they are significantly lower)

$218,900 Selling Price @ 6.04% . . . Payment = $1,054

Add a 1/2 point to the rate @ 6.54% and the selling price drops to $207,955 for the same payment.

Add another 1/2 point to 7.04% and the Buyer power decreases to $197,010 for the same payment

Just imagine what happens when the rates jump SEVERAL points in a relatively short period of time???

Get yourself out of denial and PAY ATTENTION to the probability of this happening.

How will this affect Home Buyers and Sellers?

What will we need to do differently to keep the market flowing?

These are the questions we need to be addressing NOW.

Oh yeah!

and it can't hurt to educate our potential Buyers a bit . . . If they are standing on the sidelines waiting for values to fall further, I believe it would tragic for them if interest rates ROSE while they were waiting.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

The Best Response to a SLOWER market? TURN UP THE VOLUME! #in

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:43:17 -0600

Have you ever been watching TV or listening to the radio when there was a "Network Glitch" that caused the sound to decrease or get garbled and difficult to understand?

How 'bout when you are talking with a person who speaks a different language, and you're having difficulty understanding?

Can't quite make out what that sign says on that blimp flying over?

What's your first gut reaction?

Most people TURN UP THE VOLUME when they begin having difficulties with communication.

or FOCUS more intently to seek understanding.

Listen to your gut also when the economy and the real estate market go weird on ya.

Sure, you could ignore it and plod along in denial and hope for the best.

Denial offers that great opportunity to keep doing the same things (Stay in your comfort zone) all the while expecting the same results in a RADICALLY different environment.

Denial can also lead to certain death of your business.

Pay attention to your gut . . . to how your body responds in times of uncertainty and apply all that to your way of responding to an ever-shifting market environment.

When things get wacky, your adrenaline should start PUMPING.

It's time to TURN UP THE VOLUME!

When your listings are not selling, FOCUS on those listings individually to find understanding as to why they are not selling . . . AND . . .

GET MORE LISTINGS!

Listings attract BUYERS even in markets where you think all of the Buyers have left the roost.

In my coaching appointments this week, I have heard many rationalizations as to why goals are not being met.

"The HomeBuyer Tax credit was extended/expanded, so the Buyers have lost their urgency."

"It's the HOLIDAY season, so I guess I'll just have to accept the fact that business will be slower."

and many more.

I say:

"HOGWASH!"

Get off your duff and find that adrenaline rush for your business . . . The rush that is similar to one you had that day when the train was heading straight for your car which was stalled straddling the tracks :-)

GO OUT THERE AND FIND MORE LISTINGS!

PERIOD!

There is NO better time than NOW to BUY a home . . . (Your new mantra as you move about your target area).

and here are a few great scripts for ya:

Expired Listings

Withdrawn Listings

Holiday parties

Door KNocking in your farm

Host a gathering in your neighborhood

Hold Open Houses at odd times

Do whatever you must do to TURN UP YOUR VOLUME OF LISTINGS!

Hmmm . . . I think I'm yelling now . . .

OK!

Time for me get crackin' on practicing what I'm preaching.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

Change is "ending and new beginning"

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:15:30 -0600

There are only a few things in this world we can all really expect to be able to count on - Death, Taxes, & CHANGE!

These are all equally inevitable and unavoidable, yet many people exert vast amounts of energy evading them.

I "get" the motivation to "cheat Death" . . . That's one cause I'll join without much thought . . . So I try to watch what foods and drink I consume and am careful while driving and how Ilive my life . . . I don't feel ready for that "Ultimate Change" because I think I have a LOT left to do while here.

Some folks get great thrill from cheating taxes . . . That might be fun but stands a good chance of facing the music in the form ultimate clash with the government. I think that if you don't want to pay the taxes you only have a few valid choices . . . Move to a place where the taxes are lower (and likely the services and protection of your way of life will be less secure) or join the politicians and see what you can do about legally decreasing taxes.

Cheating change itself is a complete exercise in futility. We do this in many ways, and it's seldom pretty.

There's disappointment, fear, denial, anger, PAIN, and a whole slew of emotions that emerge at some level with each and every change . . . and the real sentiment is: "Why can't things just stay the way they have ALWAYS been?"

Because in this world if there were no change, the whole system stalls into doldrums and ultimately dies.

Change creates opportunity for GROWTH.

Change offers a chance to move on - TOWARDS better/different things.

Change keeps us entertained.

Change brings new people and relationships into our lives . . .

and

Change removes some people from our lives.

In yesterday's homily, our priest said that change offers the chance to re-set the clock . . . or flip the hour-glass and begin anew.

Keep yourself in POSITIVE FLOW and celebrate change - I find it exciting as I consider the possibilities.

Best,

Who are you? The delicate dance between your personal and professional you . . .

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:36:44 -0600

We are an accumulation of all of our prior relationships, experiences, accomplishments, joys and sorrows.

Some believe they can forsake all of that and be someone different in their professional role than they are in their personal lives . . . That there can a well defined chasm between the two never to intertwine.

Others are "All work, no Play . . . makes a dull life"

or "All play, little work" . . . FUN but not very lucrative . . . Gotta pay the bills somehow.

So, therein lies the enigma for many professionals who have what it takes to achieve high levels of success, but thwart their own success . . . They simply fail to learn this dance.

I believe you are who you are - warts and all . . . and you should be proud of it and DECLARE it to the world.

Don't attempt to change who you are for professional reasons.

AND

Don't sell yourself short when it comes to integrating your professional goals and aspirations into your personal life.

If you aren't reaching your professional goals and you are intentional protecting your personal friends, family, and acquaintances from your professional self . . . QUIT THAT!

I believe they will not take you seriously and will "dismiss" your career as a hobby . . . and will not refer business to you.

They've ALL gotta know that you are a driven professional and that you and your business NEED their support.

You must invite EVERYONE into your life fully.

We are not here to dabble in life . . . Life is too short for that . . . Let's get the most out of it.

It's OK for you to have different presences - Like a personal and a professional page on Facebook . . . or personal on Facebook and professional elsewhere (Linkedin) . . . Just be sure to extend invitations to EVERYONE to both places.

I think you might be surprised to see how many of your personal relationships have a great interest in the success of your professional self . . . and how many of your professional relationships who would be interested in knowing your personal self.

If you shield yourself, you limit your success.

Stop worrying about whether your friends and family "care" about your work . . .

they DO . . .

AND they would be honored to be a part of your success.

Go ahead and invite'm in :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

One sure-fire way to have a successful REALTOR Open House!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:24:23 -0600

Seems like as the market slowed, Broker Open Houses have been swarming.

The up-side is that there's really no excuse for any REALTOR not to enjoy a good lunch on any given day.

The down-side is that if you are the one hosting the luncheon for your Seller, your invitations may get lost in the shuffle . . . and thereby low attendance.

The competition is fierce for attendance . . .for getting other REALTOR's attention.

In my market, I think I see @ 10 email blasted brochures DAILY . . .

I'm very quick to delete . . .

UNLESS . . .

Something REALLY catches my eye . . . Like THIS!

"See 5 Great Houses and WIN A NETBOOK"

Note . . . a FABULOUS PRIZE!

In this case a Netbook which I got for @ $315 ($63 per agent)

FOUR real Estate companies represented (5 agents) for DEEP exposure.

An eye catching brochure.

This Broker Open House has been announced by all 5 agents to their individual offices and the the entire local REALTOR public multiple times.

None of the REALTORS are on the hook for a heavy (expensive) luncheon, and we and our sellers all benefit from a robust attendance,

If you're gonna do something in this market . . . DO IT LARGE!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

PS . . . we invited the general public also :-)

LISTING YOUR HOUSE FOR SALE during the holidays might be the secret ingredient for a successful closing!

Barry Owen (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:05:52 -0600

It's that time of the year (again)!

For many people, the conventional wisdom is that they should pull their OFF the market through the holidays because of myriad "reasons" and wait til the Spring market.

My initial question is: "Has your motivation changed? Don't you want to SELL your home?"

Sure, there can be some inconveniences with showings happening while celebrating . . .

and sure you can listen to the "mass of men who lead lives of quiet desperation" . . .

and you can succomb to the dreary and cold winter weather and allow the Seasonal depression to "talk" you into complacency.

You can CHOOSE to be BOLD and LIVE LARGE and stay IN (or ENTER) the market during this remarkable time.

After all, you would be doing your ultimate Buyer the HUGE favor of simplifying their Christmas Shopping . . .

They can simply buy YOUR house as the"Family Gift".

As other houses LEAVE the market, the adventuresome, motivated Sellers and Listing Agents dive INTO the market with great gusto and enthusiasm.

The choice is yours . . . Below is a list of 11 reasons to list your house during the holidays from Keller Williams Realty's Thriving in a Shifted Market book.

and below that . . . a tip from me for REALTORS who are interested in jump-starting their 2010 year NOW!

Here's my tip:

START WORKING WITHDRAWN LISTINGS!

Begin by previewing all of the houses currently available in your target area.

Now WATCH THEM!

As they withdraw from the market (and many WILL), give the owners a call to find out WHY?

Be armed with this list of reasons and head onover to take a slew of new listings.

The worst thing that could happen is that you could take a lot of listings in the next 60 days.

What would taking a LOT of listings in the next 60 days do for your business next year?

hmmmm

Any Sellers in Middle TN thinking about taking a break from the market?

Just give me a call as soon as your house is withdrawn, and we'll get rolling with getting it SOLD :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,