Tom's Blog

Now.... another website question..

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:55:00 -0500

Thanks to those who opined about my firm's recruiting website. (www.jointhebestrealtor.com) Because of your recommendations, I have made several changes.

Now, if you were in the Louisville, KY market, would you seriously consider joining RE/MAX FourSquare Realty? Please opine as to why and why not.

I need a bit of feedback. If you have a moment, please.

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:15:54 -0500

I am attempting to make a decision about my recruiting website. If you have a moment to go to www.jointhebestrealtor.com and then tell me what, if anything I can do to improve it, please do so.

Oh, yeah! It was good. I am now a Buffini Mentor!

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:24:10 -0500

I just did it the Buffini way, too. In two days, I took the Buffini Certified Mentors training. Wow, there was a lot of great info. I'm looking forward to doing better what I do and enjoy best, coaching! I want to help my people get to their next objective towards obtaining their life's goals.

It was a great week!

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:34:12 -0500

Like the auto dealer, our inventory is gone! We've sold a bunch of houses lately, and odd thing, we've done well without the $ 8000 first time credit. There is just a lot of proof that well priced listings sell well in any market.

Have you read the bill? Cap & Trade?

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:15:41 -0500

Please help me understand the Energy Conservation bill passed by the United States House of Representatives. Do I understand it to say that all homes will require an energy audit prior to being sold? And if below minimums, the seller must repair/upgrade the property before sale. Am I correct? If so, how does it affect the value of your home, your business, your career?

Our Value Proposition at RE/MAX FourSquare Realty

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:15:33 -0500

We are looking for 20 of the best REALTORS. Kentucky & Indiana Licensees are invited to check out the RE/MAX FourSquare Realty value proposition at www.jointhebestrealtor.com. There are simply no limits.

Where did you get the best training?

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:16:02 -0500

Ok, I am biased, but very open to learning. So the question is: "If you have been associated with two or more firms, which firm offered the best training?" As I have been studying the Louisville market, odds are that the top 25 Realtors of the year either are wearing a RE/MAX pin, or have. Is this just coincidence, or is the RE/MAX training program simply that good?

The new RE/MAX Mainstreet!

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:20:00 -0500

Just a couple of weeks ago, RE/MAX rolled out its new version of MainStreet, the intranet connecting its nearly 100,000 associates together world-wide. Wow! It's a great place to visit.

Best of all that I have found is the new LeadStreet feature offering us a micro website. While by no means micro, it is still short of the available upgrade that allows the agent to edit their own website with links, photo's etc.

mine will be in evolution... today it's rare...

http://tomocox.remax.com

Easter Sunday

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 07:08:17 -0500

Tomorrow, April 12, 2009 is Easter Sunday. No matter your personal faith or even lack of religious faith, it is my wish that you will take a couple hours to attend a Celebration of Life at a church/congregation of your choice. I say Celebration of Life because that is what it is. Whether you are Christian or not, Easter is a wonderful celebration. Come join us.

Tell me what you really think, please..

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:01:13 -0500

I am flying a trial balloon. Please check out this website and tell me what you think. www.jointhebestrealtor.com

Oldham County and winter time

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:51:26 -0600

It's the night before the next forecasted snow event. For the past week, we have had snow, freezing rain, snow and then cold to keep it that way. At about 9:30 last Tuesday, the ice finally broke the electrical connections between our house and the power plant. We were in for 28 hours of chilly survival. It was actually quite enjoyable for my wife and me. We had a true 3 dog night, but then we do that every night with our three chocolate labs. No they don't sleep with us, but they are comfortably housed in their crates. Meanwhile back a the chilly bedroom, we gathered an extra blanket, and threw an afgan across our feet, and soon discovered that we were too hot. Oh, well..

On Wednesday morning, we fired up the kerosene heater again, and within a few moments, the house started to recover from its overnight chill. By 10, Gale had headed for her job with KY Farm Bureau Insurance. She would later tell me how this storm had hit nearly 60 of the state's 120 counties. It was obviously going to be a true disaster. Trees on cars and in houses, livestock losses due to lack of necessary ventilation, and of course ice-related traffic accidents.

We were lucky as the power was restored to our home and the real estate office in LaGrange by late afternoon on Wednesday. It would take until nearly 5pm Friday to get the power back to our office in Crestwood, but with kerosene heaters in the basement, no damage.

By Saturday, we were back to remodeling the office in LaGrange. It is finally beginning to show just how beautiful it will be. The storm actually had helped us as it allowed the new polyurethane coatings on the beautiful hardwood to season and become hard and durable.

Oh, well, another storm? Maybe...

December 28, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:38:27 -0600

Tomorrow is 2009 minus 3. Only God knows what 2009 will bring. I hope yours will be a year of unimaginable success.

Within the next 30 days, we hope to get our office to the end of phase I remodeling. We'll see the new glass doors, new kitchen and baths, plus all new paint and the first floor completely refloored with new tile and the beautiful original oak hardwoods refurbished. The 1/2 bath lacks only the decor items, the kitchen has new tile flooring and we will see the new counters finished this week.

When we are finished, we expect our office to be an inviting place to bring clients for conversation, contract negotiations, and closings. It will have the best of training resources, communication tools, and agent interactions.

I can hardly wait.

A tribute to Momma Howard

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:51:12 -0500

What a week September 21 through September 27, 2008 has been. It all started with a great visit with to my seven week old grandson. Of course, we played some football, went for a drive, and talked about girls. He is such a prodigy as evidenced by his ability to play Carniege Hall quality piano.

After so many laughs and plans, we started the 90 minute drive home. After about 15 minutes, the phone rang with a call from my sister. I knew the reason for call the call almost immediately. It was the call we had all quietly hoped for as the end had finally come for my Grandmother's earthly life. We had hoped God would call her home because for the past 5 years she had been bed fast eventually curling into a life of vegitative fetal ball. Her only two purposes in life were to help give a paycheck to the young ladies and gentlemen at her nursing home, and to give her roommate a family as ours became the surogate for hers.

After a two day celebration of her most generous and giving life, there was the traditional funeral and graveside send-off. The funeral director said that they had seldom if ever seen the huge numbers of visitors for a person of her age. The regional newspaper even listed her obituary by the nickname I had given her some nearly 56 years ago.

I am such a wonderfully lucky man. God blessed me with two of the greatest grandmothers the world could ever know. While everyones' grandmothers are special to us, Grandmother Cox (1902-1976) had given her life to children of all walks for nearly 50 years as a school teacher. Her students still tell me stories of how much they loved her and how her love for them made a difference in their lives.

Momma Howard (1912-2008) was the neighborhood first responder long before the term became part of our language. She was there with everything from bandages to food to flowers, and most importantly, she was there with love. Her food was even good enough to have three cookbooks emphasising her recipes. We learned to share her, we learned to share our time, we learned to share love because of Momma Howard.

I wish more could have known her. I am so lucky and so proud she is my Grandmother. I say "is", because we all know she lives on nurturing new heavenly arrivals.

Ike's visit to Oldham County, KY

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:10:19 -0500

We have just been out checking our properties for damage by the remenent winds of Hurricane Ike. Except for the human element, there is very little damage. Yet with the human element, there is tremendous damage. Ornamental trees such as flowering pears, willows, and water maples are down everywhere. Most of the damage coming from trees spliting or breaking high.

Our home is sited on a wooded 1 acre lot with many mature trees, most of which are ash. We lost the tops out of several older trees, but no significant damage otherwise.

Our commercial properties, 2 in Crestwood and our future home office in LaGrange all escaped anything more than a few leaves and some scattered garbage cans.

I hope your damage, if any was less than ours and we obviously got off very lightly.

August 8, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:02:39 -0500

On this date, my family celebrates two birthdays. On 8-8-28, my father was born in McLean County, KY, and then 60 years later on 8-8-88, his grandson, my nephew was born in Lexington. We almost had the third with my grandson who came a bit early on 8-3-08. How I do wish that Dad could have known his grandson and great grandson.

Visual Tour Issues

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:20:20 -0500

I am having trouble with Visual Tours. In June 2007, we agreed to a corporate contract with Visual Tours. At that time, Visual Tours was represented by a local representative who has since left the firm. Visual Tours is a very solid product, but while in negotiations for new service in 2008-09, they effected the auto-renewal clause and will not release the contract unless they get paid three months early termination fee.

Because of their unreasonable behavior, I will never do business with them again.

August 3, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:21:52 -0500

Today is a day our family will celebrate for hopefully the next century plus. My first grandchild entered the world at 1:39 PM EST today. Charles Lyons "Charlie" Teater came 4 weeks early but healthy and still 6lbs 6oz. It was a rough pregnancy for my daughter due to a detached placenta. I thank God that we live in the United States and that we have the best medical delivery system.

July 28, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:57:08 -0500

I want to brag just a bit. Last night after arriving home after a special office meeting, my wife and business partner was bubbling with joy about the wonderful camaraderie of our team. What a wonderful culture of Realtors helping Realtors all working to accomplish the needs of clients. God has blessed me with this team of great people.

On a slight tangent, another part of the excitement is the balloon effect. It is so exciting to see dormant agents coming to life with business. A year ago, I doubted the effect joining RE/MAX would have on our business, but now, I am so excited for my people.

Wow... I am impressed!

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:05:49 -0500

On Friday, July 18, our spot on RE/MAX International's Leadstreet became active. As a little boy, I remember the work it took to get the shovel out, dig some fishing worms, clean & oil the shovel, grab a cane pole and head for the fishing pond. A lot of work if the fish didn't bite, but if they were biting, the hard work was soon forgotten as the excitement of pulling fish out of the pond took over. Well, today, I feel as the hard work of getting our RE/MAX office is much like fishing. We've done a lot of hard work, and when we threw the bait into the pond, the fish are a bit'n. Simply put, within one business day, we are getting leads because of joining RE/MAX.

July 21, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:08:20 -0500

Today is my mom's mom's birthday. She has reached 96 today. Wow, and she's doing what she has done all her life. She is giving someone a bite to eat, a shelter, a smile, and more importantly, she is giving some person HOPE. She is doing this while permanently curled up in a fetal position in the bed of a nursing home. There is no other reason for her to be living but by doing so, some young nurses aide, an orderly, a secretary, whomever that is associated with that center is able to buy a meal for their child, put a roof over their head, and well...

I hope that just like her, I never give up, but realize that no matter what turns life might bring, I am important to someone. I may not know that person, but my living is very important to them. With God's blessing, I hope that my life is always a good example of integrity, service, and care.

July 18, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:46:21 -0500

It's only noon, and its already been a busy day. Two fine young men from Warren Technologies are here installing our new VOIP phone system. I am looking forward to having the best phone system currently available to real estate associates. Our commitment to technology has just made a huge step towards the totally electronic Realtor.

July 16, 2008

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:49:07 -0500

Another busy day. Lots of loose ends to be sewn-up. Mike and I did some touch ups on the new telephone system. Awaiting final installation now. Had a fine visitor, Robert J., at the old place when I returned. He and our marketing manager had been in a conversation about mortgages and future business. Maybe he and I will be able to do some work together soon. While I love the one-stop shopping model, I want to be careful about even appearing to favor a mortgage company, a home inspector, etc. I hope to be able to develop more of a clearing-house model for people buying or selling with us. We want to be a service firm rather than a house of retailers.

After all the good of the day, things just got better. Went home a few minutes early to feed the pups, etc, then Gale came in with some delicious KFC salads for supper. Afterwards, being that it was Wednesday, we headed to the weekly Prayer Meeting our church has traditionally had. There we gathered to fellowship with great friends who have become loved ones for us. Our prayer times are so wonderful. While we are earnestly serious about the plight of others in their illnesses and pain, there is lots of laughter and love, too. I pray daily that my vocation is always of benefit to others and glory to my God.

July 15, 2008... and the wheels keep rolling

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:09:54 -0500

Today is the middle of July. It was a chamber of commerce day here in Oldham County. Yes, it was a hot day, but not as hot as most July 15's. We are one step closer to opening RE/MAX FourSquare Realty in LaGrange. I can hardly wait. So much yet to do, but so much that has been done too.

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing a prospective associate. It was a wonderful meeting. Although we have been nothing more than acquaintances in the past, today we seemed like old long lost friends. I hope we can become mutually beneficial business associates.

Each day, I turn on the computer and find more hidden treasures of the RE/MAX system. As an example, the local Realtors association will be sponsoring an ABR class in August. Early registrants can get $ 40.00 off the $ 300.00 registration fee, but the same course offered by RE/MAX Satellite Network is only $200.00 and no travel.

Glad I bought a balloon.

Honey, we're home!

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:28:43 -0500

What a wonderful week!!! Gale and I spent the week in Denver attending the RE/MAX International new franchise orientation. We knew we were doing right when we invested in a RE/MAX franchise, but we had no clue how great nor just how much it means to be a professional RE/MAX agent.

From the RE/MAX Satellite Network offering some of the most awesome training to associates imaginable to the simply decent people at every level. I am proud to wear a balloon on my lapel.

An exciting week

Tom Cox (RE/Max FourSquare Realty) — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:49:41 -0500

Wow, it's been one heck of a week. Running here and there to put the wheels in motion to open RE/Max FourSquare Realty in LaGrange. Between nurturing two new puppies in our home, to meeting with Planning & Zoning, working with the contractor to remodel our new office, reading all the materials, and still working to help people buy or sell homes, its been a wild ride this week.

It's a wonderful life!