Real Estate Relish

Do you want to receive my Marketing Tip of the Week?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:22:47 -0500

I've been doing some interesting programs that you might want to try. I've been sending them out weekly as my Tip of the Week. Maybe they can help you bring in more business, convert more to sales...and try some new things in social media.

If you're interested, just send me your email address here, and I'll put you on my list. There's always an opt-out on the bottom of the email, if you want to stop receiving it.

Why keep a real estate customer, after the sale?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:57:15 -0500

     They bought the house, and you cashed your commission check. "Bye, Bye”?

     Not of you have a DM brain. All successful businesses – even real estate agencies – are based on long term relationships. People know people, meet new people and can refer you. They can even become friends. Here’s a recent example.

     Pepper, our art director, bought a home from a lady named Christy. He's been happy there, and she's kept in touch with him. Last Christmas, she dropped by with a holiday plant. He invited her in, and remembered that his neighbor across the street had mentioned they were relocating to California.

     So, he called up the neighbor and made the introduction on the spot. She got the listing, and sold the home quickly.

     How many sales do we all lose because we forget to follow up with past customers? We're always on a quest for new customers, and those old ones – people who know us already - are right under our noses.

     Let’s all take a look at our databases and get back in touch with some of those past friends, and see what develops. Good luck and let me know what happens.

All the best,
Lois
loisgeller@loisgellermarketinggroup.com

The Samuel Hough House (circa 1819) - A historic landmark.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:42:16 -0500

Samuel Hough House has stood in the heart of the beautiful National Historic Landmark village of Waterford, Virginia, since 1819. Constructed of locally-fired brick set in Flemish bond, this handsome Federal style house was built for a prosperous Quaker miller and his new bride by master local builder Israel Griffith, who later bought and lived in the house himself.

Listed on the National Register and eased to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Samuel Hough House is noted for the beauty of its hand-carved red pine woodwork throughout, including four distinctive mantles, and a unique fan which panels the space under the stair stringer on the first floor.

The house has been lovingly maintained by many families over its almost 200 years—from the authentically restored original six rooms in three stories to the post-Civil War constructed dining room and upstairs bedroom addition which joined it to the old two-story kitchen structure. The modern kitchen was the warming room with stairs down into the main cooking room, which with its fireplace restored is now a gracious family room. The house has six fireplaces, four of which are working.

From the inviting side porch, the view is over the lovely quarter acre landscaped garden to the permanently eased meadows and fields of the Phillips Farm and on to the gentle Blue Ridge mountains. Walk out the front door to greet a lively community of neighbors who appreciate culture, history, and good times together. Under the auspices of the Waterford Foundation, a respected grassroots historic preservation organization, Waterford has its own classical concert series, book and author lecture series, popular Waterford Fair, and many social activities throughout the year. It’s an independent active lifestyle in a lovely preserved historic setting.

Location: National Historic Landmark village of Waterford, 7 miles northwest of Leesburg, the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia; 42 miles west of Washington, DC (one hour commuting distance by public transport from nearby Leesburg); and 20 miles west of Dulles International Airport.

Residence: 10 rooms (4 bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths) above grade; fully finished basement w/ office/family room

First Floor: Entrance foyer (11 x 12), Living Room with fireplace (15 x 14); Library (15 x 11 with closed fireplace), Dining Room with Bay (15 x 13); Kitchen with fireplace (14x 13); Breakfast room (14 x 10); Side Porch (30 x 11).

Second Floor: Master Bedroom with fireplace (14 x 14); Sitting Room (15 x 11); Bedrooms (14 x 18), (10 x 12)

Third Floor: Main staircase leads to Bedroom (18 x 14) plus room for future bath.

Basement: Office/family room with fireplace (18 x 12); Game Room/store room; furnace room

Real Estate Taxes: $9,504.18 (2008) ASKING PRICE: $849,000

For further information: www.carterbraxton.com

http://www.carterbraxton.idxco.com/idx/3747/details.php?idxID=089&listingID=LO6994106

Barbara Stampora, Carter Braxton, Cell Phone: (540) 454-3836 Email: barb@carterbraxton.com

My cousin's home in Elkins Park is perfect for the right family.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:56:35 -0500

There have been so many wonderful occasions there, including their wedding in the long sprawling lawn, that led the guest to the pool area.

This house is like my dream home, and I guess it will be sold to a family who will enjoy all the charm of great workmanship. My grandfather was a builder in Elkins Park, and he used to show me fine workmanship when I was a little girl. Beautiful stonework, floors that are built to last a century, lovely woodwork.

I saw this in my cousin's home at 719 Ashbourne Drive in Elkins Park.My friends said it looks like a million dollar home, and it is up for sale for half of that amount. See for yourself...

this is the lovely view as you arrive.

The Pennsylvania stonework in the living room is set off by the crown moldings.

The Dining Room has always been a place for the family to gather during the holidays. It looks majestic and my cousin, Fran changes it for each season.

No matter what's going on, everyone congregates in the kitchen. This one is all new, and has a lot of work space. My cousin made amazing dinners in here...and moist turkeys came out of the oven (unlike my own).

The pool is grand, the photo is small, though (sorry). 4 Bedrooms, 4-1/2 baths and almost a full acre of land (like your own private park).

This home has always been a special place and I hope some of my friends here on Active Rain will help it to find its next wonderful family....that will love it, as we have.

Call Connie Berg at 215-517-1845, if you want to see it. Tell her cousin Lois sent you.

Do you know of a great condominium management company in or near Aventura?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 07:16:01 -0600

we are considering having our buildings managed by an outside company. Where would I find a listing of these companies and the buildings they manage?

My Dad knew how to build a business. Get his Business Success Plan!

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 13:25:53 -0600

My Dad was always cutting coupons for Walgreens and Publix and spent hours shopping the different supermarkets to get "the best deals". It drove my Mom and I crazy, knowing full well that we spent more money on gas than the paltry amount we saved in Campbell's soup, or flour, or Coke.

He did teach me a lot about business though, and what he called the value of "the Hustle" He was driven to always be building costume jewelry business, and I learned a lot from him.

In these tough times in real estate and mortgage lending...I wrote a workbook, with his tenets in it. I decided to give it to you all FREE. You can go to my new website, and type in your email address and then get the book in PDF format, and you can print it out and use it. Http://www.loisgellermarketinggroup.com

Many real estate agents have already told me that they've had great results in two weeks, so I decided to come to you all and see if we can stimulate the market...starting today.

Then let me know how it works for you. Maybe a little light will go off in heaven and my Dad will know he did some real good for us!

Holiday Chicken Karma

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:12:17 -0600

About a month ago, I started wondering what would make an interesting Happy Holidays card to send clients and friends.

We've come up with some pretty funny cards in previous years but this year's not looking all that funny - so I was stumped.

Then I remembered Donald, the artist.

I called and asked him if he could paint us an image to represent new beginnings - fresh starts for the coming year. I didn't want Christmas trees, Santa Claus or palm trees with lights on them.

He said, "How about a baby chicken?"

Hmmm. Let's take a look.

A few days later, I drove over to Donald's and he showed me an acrylic painting of a small yellow chick emerging from the whitest of cracked eggs on a green and red background.

I loved it.

We created a card using it with a straightforward headline: We asked our friend Donald to paint a holiday card. He painted this chicken.

On the inside, the copy reads: He said the holidays for him mean "new beginnings" like this baby chicken. We wish you a new beginning, new hope and fresh starts this year. All the best, Lois Geller Marketing Group. We're a new chicken too (after 14 years as Mason and Geller Direct).

Then, by a total fluke, I came across a place that sells realistic fake eggs. Put one in a bowl of water for a few days and a yellow chick emerges. It comes out bigger than the egg. It's fun to watch. I bought a bunch of them and sent each out with a card.

So, if you're not yet on my Christmas card list, here's to all of our new beginnings this 2009. It'll be a good year to help a friend, do random acts of kindness and create good karma in bad times - may they be oh so short.

If you'd like to win the original 9" X 12" New Beginnings Chick painting by Donald Sexauer, just share your new beginnings story below... The best story wins.

Tell me your story and you might win our prized chicken.

20 Direct Marketing ideas that work...for your mailings, emails, and ads.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:16:40 -0600

These all work! How do we know? We've tested them many times and every one of these ideas will help you boost response. So take a look at your pieces and try an extreme makeover, and let me know how it pulls for you...in response.

1. Know who you are! A unique brand personality makes you stand out, makes people like you, makes them want to do business with you. So think about your unique qualities as a realtor, and make them part of your brand personality.

2. Include some kind of letter. Even a fake "on-page" letter in a self-mailer or catalog. Packages with letters outperform letter-less mail 99% of the time. Even a boring, self-serving letter can be better than no letter. A well-written, 1 to 1 letter with some personality in it is better than anything. Get a pro to help you. It's important.

3. Letter layout is almost as important as copy. Make it look inviting, easy to read. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, indents, double space between paragraphs, cross-heads, Johnson boxes, and a signature that looks like a human being wrote it. Not something like this: Marilyn Monroe

4. Make the signature any color you want, as long as it's blue. It makes the letter look like it was signed by a real human being.

5. A lot of people read the P.S. before they get into the letter. It's a great place for your single best point.

6. Urge them to respond now! Do it several times. Give them a reason why "now" is important.

7. All that white space in your letter margins is costing money. Use some of it for handwritten margin notes to make compelling points stand out. Looks more human, too. Even write a note yourself...I was walking down your street the other day, and realized how lovely your gardens look, especially the azaleas. Of course the stories have to be true.

8. Don't let headlines just sit there. Pump them up with action words, solid promises, real benefits. Make them tantalizing. Get people curious. Usually we'll write 20 headlines for every one we actually use.

9. Your OE (outer envelope) has only one job: to get opened by someone in the mood for what you have to say inside. Want to try a blank OE so they might think it's from a friend? Not a good idea, because as soon as they get inside and realize it's advertising, they'll think you tried to fool them. Try really outrageous things on your OE. Big, interesting graphics, intriguing headlines, genuine promises, all work. Want to sell your home Now, and think it's just not possible? Or, Any home can sell...so don't despair.

10. Test different OE creative. It's not expensive and you might find that one OE kicks the pants off the rest.

11. Put your return address on the back flap of the envelope.

12. Turn your OE into a kind of brochure.

13. Put your offer prominently on the outer envelope, especially if it's short, and a great offer! Show a great photo of Architectural Digest...and offer them a free subscription when they call to talk to you about their home.

14. Try putting an involvement device of some kind on your OE. Take this piece and put it here. Or tear off this flap and bring it to our office for a chance to win one of our monthly drawings.

15. They won't give you as much response as a traditional package, but postcards are a quick and easy way to test the relative merits of new lists, offers, personality.

16. Keep tweaking until your offer is irresistible. Remember it's got to be unique, something they can't get any other way. It's your whole proposition, the combination of price, premium, membership, privileges, terms, future benefits, etc.

17. Restate your offer several times in your package: on the OE, in your letter and brochure and certainly on your response form.

18. FREE is still the best offer! In direct mail. For some reason it doesn't work on the Subject line in an email. So, offer a free book on Staging your home, Or, Free Evaluation of its Value, Or a great Box of Cookies when you respond.

19. A lot of people spend more time poring over creative than they do investigating lists. Creative is important, sure, but lists are twice as important. Get more list brokers working on your business and make sure you test new lists all the time.

20. Your best list is your current customer file. Your second best list is probably past customers. They're your greatest direct marketing assets. Use them! But make sure the files are clean and up-to-date. Those are people who you've talked to, listed homes for in the past, prospects from the office. When you get in touch with them again, they might be ready this time to list with you.

Blazing new trails in marketing takes nerve, and pays off.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:06:51 -0600

A while back, a college friend came up from Atlanta, husband and daughter in tow, for their annual trip to New York.

We went to an off-Broadway musical called Hank Williams: Lost Highway. Hank was a small town Alabama boy who became a great country singer in the late forties and early fifties. He never made it to 30 years old. Hank drank himself to death but not before he gave us Your Cheatin' Heart, Honky Tonk Blues, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Jambalaya, Hey Good Lookin', I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You, and dozens more great tunes.

Jason Petty plays Hank in Lost Highway and he is just amazing. To me, Jason and his backup group sound better than the great Hank Williams and I said so to my friend as we were leaving the theater.

"Well, sure", she said, "But he was imitating". Hank didn't imitate. He wrote new music, wrote new lyrics, arranged everything by himself and recorded every song in single takes. He did things nobody else had ever done. He was the first, the original, and everybody after him stands on his shoulders. They write plays about him.

And, of course, she was right.

History is full of people like that. They do things nobody else ever did and then along come the imitators. If they're talented, the imitators make the original better. Without them, our televisions would still be small, round and in black and white. But the guy who invented that old TV was the genius. The people who came after him were merely clever. Direct Marketing is like that, too. Very few originals, lots of imitators. And the imitators don't always make the original better.

Part of the problem is that most people think they're better off being followers. Genuinely original ideas startle them. It's not that they're afraid to try something new; they think they don't have to, so why bother? It's as if they've been eating roast beef and mashed potatoes all their lives and then suddenly someone gives them sushi. They say things like "let's not re-invent the wheel" and "we've always done it this way." They get into a comfort zone imitating, but not improving.

Banks and insurance companies are the worst offenders. They get in comfort zones and they do the same things over and over. You are pre-approved. Low APR. No medical exam required. Look after your loved ones. Safe driver discount. Our strength is our people. But that's going to change. The Hank Williamses got involved. Whoever's the Hank Williams over at Aflac gave us the frustrated duck and Geico's Hank gave us their gecko and suddenly insurance looks different.

When our agency makes a creative presentation, we usually show three concepts: a breakthrough kind of idea which we usually love; a slightly more conservative (imitative) idea but with a little edge to it; and a safe idea which just follows the pack. Nowadays, most clients go with the safe idea.

Maybe it is time for you to do some original marketing. Take a chance, make it reflect who you are, and let me know how it works. Direct mail letters can work great, even in this economy so test those too. And, make them sound like they come from a real human being...YOU!

Blog along with me, it is a good time to make friends.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:25:30 -0600

photo credit: Azhure

Blog along with me, the best is yet to be!

My cousin, a real estate agent has been complaining non-stop that she has had only one sale in the last six months.

Well, what have you tried to stimulate business, I asked?

She replied that they had done some mailers that didn't receive any response.

As a direct marketer, I know that is really tough to accomplish... receiving absolutely no response to a mailer. I've been doing mailings for our clients for decades and if the mail actually leaves the post office, someone will respond. Guaranteed.

I decided not to got there. I've already sent her copies of my book, Sold! Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro... and she is still mailing postcards, and hasn't tested the "tried and true" letter I advised her to mail.

I also asked her if she'd write her copy like she speaks... in a conversational way. No luck.

So I decided to try some other ideas.

How about trying something new, I asked? Silence.

I suggested that she go and sign up for a few of my real favorites:

1. Use Active Rain consistently. You can write your bio on there (make sure to link your website), upload your photo, and write up something about yourself. Then write a post, and then simply check off the boxes where you want it posted. It might look daunting at first, and the more you visit here, the better you'll like it.

I met wonderful friends here like Margaret Rome, and Susie Roscoe and Fred Carver, and they keep in touch with me. I've been invited me to speak at many companies and there I've been learning about marketing internationally, and so much more. It is a user friendly place to go and just comment on other people's blog posts. I try to comment on write at least once a week.

2. The second place I recommend is LinkedIn . It is a business website, where you can find and connect with business associates. Invite them to "link" in with you. You can then see who their contacts are and see if you want to be introduced to those people. It is a great way to network without having to go to an event. You can network with others in your own home office in your pajamas, if you like.

I've made my best associates on Linked in by going to the Answers section and posting answers to other people's questions. I have also asked some of my own and gotten some great responses.

So, when someone awful hijacked my website, and I was "crazed" about what to do, I emailed my contacts and sent out an open question, and the whole problem way quickly resolved with the help of my friends there.

3. I've also been trying :http://www.plaxo.com Plaxo is another professional site that includes some interesting groups in my area, marketing.

4. Then there's my new real estate marketing blog http://www.RealEstateRelish.com

I am hoping that I can bring you marketing ideas that are working in these challenging times. I also want everyone to stay upbeat and "relish" their jobs, so I try to be motivating too. If you comment, I'll respond to you. If you have written something that will help people with the joy of real estate marketing, send it to me, and I might post in on there too. Make sure to add your website in the comment field... you'll get a link that way.

That way, we'll make beautiful traffic together. You will get some leads from other agents and hopefully, everyone will win!

Organize your desk, and you'll get so much done.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:10:20 -0600

Days fly by for me, in a frenzy of activities....from direct marketing for our clients, my social media network, my real network of friends, my new books (I'm writing), my columns and all the mundane things I do, like paying bills, returning calls, and handling the challenges of board membership.

In the course of doing all of these activities, I let others slip by. One of those things that I'm always fighting with myself about is Organization. When I was a kid, my mom said I had a disorganized mind and that was why I was so creative. Now, there's no excuse.

So, I started calling Kate Sandberg, who had worked for us in New York. I invited her to come and visit with me in Florida, and help me to organize my desk, my closet and this visit...my new book. I had clippings everywhere and articles I'd written and in one weekend she managed to get me all straightened out.

I call her my Organizing Angel. My closet is immaculate, my book is in order, and she helped me to purge over 10,000 emails that were sitting in my home computer.

Now I'm free of clutter. In a few months, I'll invite her back again for a refresher. Each time she flies in, it gets easier, and there's less clutter and more seconds for me during the day. And, we go out for dinner and celebrate....and always laugh through the process.

You can email her at: k8sandberg@yahoo.com

It is a great time to build your database of prospects and friends.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:13:20 -0600

A couple of months ago, two engineers dropped by our office to talk about a lead generation program for their consultancy business. "Things are slow," said one of them, "and we might have to lay off some of our staff."

So we asked questions and learned about how they made their money, got an idea of their budget and they went away while we went to work developing a program for them.

I called them a week or so later to set up our next meeting and they asked if we could postpone for a while because they were up to their elbows on a new project that had just come in.

"Sure, we can wait," I said.

I wanted to add "But I don't know if you can" and then ask if he'd ever heard of Howard Ruff.

Howard Ruff was one of the first of those financial self-help authors. At one point, back in the ‘70s, his newsletter "Ruff Times" had 175,000 subscribers. If he still has that many, all those $149 subscriptions bring in about $2,600,000 a year. He had his own syndicated TV show for a while and he's written a lot of books. One of them was on the NYT bestseller list for over two years.

I remember him for one great line he came up with back in 1975. He wrote "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."

Maybe now is a great time to start filling your ark (database) with prospects and clients and build relationships with them now. If your pipeline is full when this market turns around...you my dear friends will be ahead of the curve and be making sales quickly.

Marketing your real estate practice is about building friendships. So, begin today.

You need to offer prospects something, to work with you.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:00:31 -0600

I love the art prints, and where is the offer?

November11

Recently a client came to our offices to tell us all about his fabulous line of art books. They were great, and we enjoyed seeing the art, before it was published. He mentioned the thickness of the books, the special art historian who was the author, and so on.

Then I asked him the big question: what is your offer? His reply was, "I don't need an offer", and "these books are high quality and stand on their own".

I explained to him that in direct marketing you always need an offer, or you're just selling retail in the mail. The offer answers the customer's questions of "what's in it for me", and it is really the closer for the sale.

If you think about it, when you go to a regular store at the mall, you are usually on a mission to make a particular purchase. With direct marketing that is not the case at all.

When you get a direct mail piece or read a direct response ad or open up an email, you're not necessarily in a buying mood for the product I'm trying to sell you. You might not have an immediate need for this beautiful artbook, unless there is a compelling reason or an incentive that will overcome your "sitting at home, or at your office inertia" and get you to buy immediately.

A good offer represents 40 percent of the success of your program and it has to be: believable, creative and involving.

If you want to learn more about crafting a great offer, pick up a copy of my book, Sold! Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro at amazon.com, or at your local library.

Good luck and let me hear about your amazing offer. Maybe I'll blog about it.

An offer from you? Well, a free estimate of the value of your property. In can be a book of ways to make your home look better...when you're ready to sell. How about a list of property values in my neighborhood...so I can figure out my net worth?

Any offer that begins a relationship will work. You're really taking the first steps to make a new friend.

Want to win a FREE home in a lovely area of Oregon?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:13:50 -0600

I just read about this man who tried to sell his home for a while. Since he couldn't, he is trying to give it away as a prize

for the person who tells the most compelling story about why they want it.

There is an entry fee for his contest and it might be fun. If you try it, will you come back and let me know what you think about it, because I am always looking for new ideas for agents to market their products. This one takes the cake. It is interesting though, and might get him some press, and as I say in my book, Sold! Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro, you all need a USP, which is a unique selling proposition.

This one is, because it is fun. He might make enough money on the entry fees to make some money for the house. Apparently he owns it free and clear.

Anyway if you're interested, mosey over to his website about it:http://freehouse.wordpress

my radio interview about marketing in challenging times.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:03:01 -0500

GUEST: Lois Geller

TOPIC: What is the best forms of marketing to conduct in a challenging economic year? Lois Geller talks with Jim Blasingame about several different ways to connect with prospects and stay connected to customers, including something they call "laser marketing."

Brought to you by The Small Business Advocate®

When given a choice among three homes...which does the client pick?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:43:51 -0500

It seems that in years past, a real estate agent could decide which homes to show me on any given trip we made together. I have read recently in an interesting book about the way you position the alternatives...often precipitates the decision by your client.

So, if you have (1) one home to show me that is modern, but needs a lot of internal repair work (like bathrooms and kitchen and floors) at $20,000 less than (2) modern home that is in great repair and shows well, and house (3) that is more old fashioned (maybe a tudor or an older home) in good shape...in the same price range. The buyer (me?) may have a higher likelihood to buy the modern home that is in better shape, because there is a comparison.

One home is similar, but better than the other.I wonder if tha is the same way with a lot of other purchases. How about a mixed breed dog versus a purebred one? one looks good to me and I don't know if he's purebred or not. This is also akin to brands. Today I saw an ad in the New York Post for a black saddle bag. I've had dozens of those in the years I lived in Manhattan. This one was in Bergdorf Goodman, and the brand is Lanvin. The price $2535. Mine were usually much less costly than that one. I am wondering though with real estate clients now enabled to look at mls listings online...whether it makes it harder for agents to position products strategically. Maybe we are overwhelming clients with so many choices (and a soft market. Let me know your thoughts...

My friends are talking to a mortgage broker...advice on mortgages please?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:00:54 -0500

Are there some brokers who can get better rates than others? It seems that their works with all different banks, and in New York...I had a broker like that who helped me with the financing of my apartment there.

However, when I moved to Florida, my lawyer recommended a mortgage person who works for Bank of America. In fact, I spoke about him in my book.

NOw, my friends who are trying to buy this house called and asked me if they're better off with a broker who deals with all banks, or one who works exclusively for a bank. I guess I think they're better off with theirs, but then again...maybe I'm wrong. Also, are the rates really quite different from one broker to another...as it is really established by the government, isn't it? I assume the bank pays the broker, as that's what I remember.

How much does a closing usually cost? Where would I find that information for South Florida?

They have excellent credit, and apparently enough money to put down on the home to make their payments affordable with both of their incomes.

Please advise me once again. And, of course they have to sell their current home in a pretty awful market here.

My friends went to contract, thanks to you.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:58:50 -0500

I sent your answers to my friends, who had a seller's agent that said their bid was too low to take to the seller. They cited some of your responses, so she took the offer to them, and yesterday they signed the contract for their dream home.

Thank you so much for your help and advice.

Does a realtor have to submit an offer to the sellers?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:16:58 -0500

Friends of mine recently have been interested in a home in the area. When they called the seller's agent, and told them they wanted to put in an offer.

She said it was too low, and the owner's wouldn't entertain it. Is there a way to "officially submit a bid", in writing as the buyer's don't have an agent. Does a real estate lawyer draw up the offer for them?

Thank you Active Rainers for your advice.

Test some new direct mail programs.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:24:34 -0500

As I talk to realtors each day, I begin to wonder about the “cul de sac” markets.
Oh yes, we are all familiar with cul de sac streets. My sister, Margot lived on one in Long Island.

It was a special place because it was safe for the kids...a dead end, and I always liked it....because it went in a circle, and you could still get out of it.

I think you can roll around and get out of this market too...and succeed. So, take a look at my article that appeared in Lore Magazine this month, and test some of the ideas. They work in the world of direct marketing, and I think they’ll work for you.

Then drop me an email and let me know how you are doing. Just press on the Lore Magazine graphic here for the full article.

Thank you!

This video shows you can run for President.

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:03:42 -0500

This is a wonderful example of personalizing a video. I saw that someone on Active Rain had sent a video message to a prospect where she told him that she was very sure she could sell his home. She hoped he would have a good vacation, and then talk to him when he returned.

This video is just for fun, an it shows the power of personalization. All of a sudden, when it popped into my email box, it caught my attention because it showed my name, Lois Geller for President. This video is personalized and fun, and at the end you can send it to your friends with their names on it. They'll love it.

It is also a good idea to test using this kind of a program to reactivate people on your database who you haven't spoken to in a while. You could say that if anyone was running for president in your neighborhood...you'd vote for them. Or, wouldn't it be fun if really great people who contribute to the community could run for president. People like you....

Anyway give it a try, and at the end of the video, you will see that you can list your friends and their email addresses and see what happens.

What do you think about a Character College for Realtors?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:41:34 -0500

A few weeks ago, I went with two of my colleagues to look at some new office space in Ft. Lauderdale.

After a few hours of getting "the lay of the land" as we are new to the area...we decided to look at homes to see the price points, and what we might be able to afford.

As we were driving through a particularly pretty area, we noticed a sign for an Open House, and decided to stop and look, as there were two homes across the street from each other. When we went into the small house, the agent who was there told us about it, and the fact that it was owned by a family who'd recently inherited it. Their father never updated it, and it was in pretty rough condition. The agent agreed on our assessment and that the price was high, because of all of the upgrades it needed.

Then she showed us the upgraded home across the street. It was twice as expensive, was fully finished and on the water. Along the way, we mentioned that our price range was approximately the cost of the "home in need of help".

   As we left, and traded cards with her...I was wondering how I would feel if I'd heard her comments as the owner of the fixer upper home. I guess I wouldn't want to list my property with her for a couple of reasons: 1) She didn't tell the prospects about the wonderful opportunities for the home, like the huge backyard, the possibility of building out the kitchen, and the fact that it was a small home on a street with large ones. 2) She made the owner sound "cheap" by not fixing the place up. Maybe they weren't in a position to do so, or maybe they didn't want to upgrade after their father passed away.

   It all brought to mind some people I'd met recently when I did a speech at the Luxury Portfolio Meeting at the Boca Raton Hotel. All those top realtors selling high end properties seemed like they were honest, straightforward and had good characters. I chatted with them about their families, careers. No one put anyone down, even their competitors. It is like when you do RIGHT, good things happen.

   I've seen the same type of good chaaracter in the halls of top corporations when I've met with clients at JP Morgan Chase, American Express and others. The folks at the top (for the most part, of course) are decent human beings.

   So, I'm thinking on my realestaterelish.com blog, and on activerain, that it might sound preachy, and I don't care. Good character can be noticed in the way that you treat your customers, your prospects, your colleagues, friends and family.

   Just for a few days, take note of the people you meet and respect. Look at our Presidential candidates. Who would you want your children to emulate? Then maybe button your lip when you have the impulse to gossip, or tell a client about an owner, or anything that will reflect negatively on you.

   After all, in real estate, YOU are your BRAND. Make it shine with good character.

Joanne is doing great in the Florida real estate slump!!!

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:12:23 -0500

I was talking to my assistant the other day, on the way to a meeting and she told me about her friend who is doing great.

This friend of hers came to our seminar on Marketing for Realtors and I liked her immediately. She took notes, followed up with me, and was just new to real estate. Privately, I thought it might be a real struggle for her to make it in this Miami market, now when she didn't have many connections, and was starting from square one.

So, I was surprised when Amanda told me that she had several closings this week. How is she doing it, I asked. Amanda answered that many of the buyers were referrals, and she was simply plugging away, and following up on every lead.

That is a great lesson for us all. Last Thursday night we had dinner with several people and one of them told me that she is an illustrator. Well, being in marketing, we are usually looking for good young talent...so I told her to email me some of her work. I asked her for her email address, but she had no card and no pen. Well, she didn't get back to me, and I was disappointed. And, she lost an opportunity.

So, maybe the magic of all of this business for Joanne is that she does meticulous follow-up with every prospect. Perhaps she's set up a database of her former clients and keeps in touch with them, and asks if they know people looking for homes. Maybe she drops notes to owners whose homes she'd like to list, and then calls them afterwards.

It is not rocket science. It works...always. Maybe we should take a lesson from Joanne.

What did your dad teach you about real estate?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:19:15 -0500

My Dad had no education. When we lived in Philadelphia, we rented a house. His dream was to own a real home.

So when he decided to open a jewelry company in New York, he found a small community on the beach...where we would live. He always wanted a home on the water, but those were very costly. He found a home that had an upstairs apartment, and basement unit with a private entryway.

He figured that the rentals would help pay our mortgage and build savings. The house paid off, and helped me to get a university degree, and to live my Mom's dream of living in Manhattan, and then retire in Miami Beach.

I'm renting our offices for over ten years. Renting doesn't help you build equity. Maybe it is too late, but I would like to have my own building for The Lois Geller Marketing Group in Ft. Lauderdale or Hollywood. It would be my legacy to my amazing employees.

My Dad's legacy on this Father's Day? His love and faith in me.

Have a good one!

What did your dad teach you about real estate?

Lois Geller Marketing Trainer/Speaker/Author (Mason and Geller Direct) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:18:22 -0500

My Dad had no education. When we lived in Philadelphia, we rented a house. His dream was to own a real home.

My Dad's legacy on this Father's Day? His love and faith in me.

Have a good one!