Over the past week and a half, I've been firming up and starting to put into practice a business plan. One of the prospects that I have especially enjoyed working has been for sale by owners. Why? It appears to me that in my market at least there are three kinds of sellers:

1. Those facing foreclosure
2. Those divorcing
3. Those relocating

Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy other people's suffering. However, it gives more meaning to what I do. Will it make transactions harder? You bet. Will it make my nerves a little more frazzled and my nights a little harder to get through? Perhaps. What I realize is that in this market, people needs our help more than ever.

What saddens me is that so many people feel that they can't afford an agent. Perhaps they can't. But, can they afford their property sitting on the market for an extended period of time? I doubt it.

So I'll keep knocking on their doors and offering my help. I'll keep giving them advice and waiting to hear from them.

Peace!

I have to say, I'm enjoying my new real estate career. Thus far, it has included mainly working with buyers and I have found myself exploring the outer rims of the county. I realize that I do live in a beautiful place!   It has been touch being away from my baby. I have worked more this week than I have since I gave birth and I miss him. Oh how I miss him! Sigh. I'm trying to decide if I think taking my baby around with me is unprofessional!   One thing that I have realized is that I have 10,000,000 things to do! I have to make sure I get my two CE classes in by June 10th and my post-licensing class in by June as well. Okay, so I guess that is only three things, but still! It seems like a lot when time seems such a precious commodity!   I'll keep you posted on how it is going!

Dear Friends and Family,

It is with great excitement that I share the news that after a year and a half of assisting one of the top producing agents in my company, I have decided to return to real estate sales for Coldwell Banker Triad REALTORS.

Now you may be asking, "Why on earth would she go and do a thing like that? After all, the housing market is in shambles." That, my friends, is exactly why I want to return to assist concerned homeowners in the sale of their most important investment and to help nervous homebuyers as they look to purchase.

While I could list for you all of the services I can provide you as well as your family and friends through Coldwell Banker, I would like to leave you with this: There are many other agents out there that can provide you the same bells and whistles. Some can provide many more than I. But, many of those same agents have allowed themselves to be caught up in the negative hype perpetuated by the news media and have lost their passion, and even more sadly, they have lost their hope.

I am placing three business cards in with this letter. Please keep one, and pass two others along to individuals who could use my help. I ask for your encouragement, your prayers, and yes, I ask for your business as I continue in by real estate career. On that note, here is a brief market update for you:

The average number of days it is currently taking homes to sell in this market is 160. This time last year, the average days on the market was 150. This is not a significant change, and another reason to hope!

Blessings,

Sara Richmond Walls

It was December and I was very pregnant when I received for Christmas a book that I had eyed at Barnes and Noble weeks before. The title: The Passion Test. After all, I was about to be a mother and it was very important for me to portray to my little one the importance of living a passionate life. And, I will be honest, I had no idea what my passions in life were.

I didn't really know what I was looking for at the time. Now, I know exactly what I was looking for: Clarity.

Enter The Passion Test. There are many books out there that are filled with words and vague suggestions of what you can do to change your life and embrace every moment. This book, however, is very specific. There are instructions and activities to participate in that take work. For me, as much as I have enjoyed this book, it has been work! I've made my way to the middle of the book and I am now deciding to start over again.

Why am I starting over again? My baby is now 6 months old and it is recommended by the authors to take the test every six months. So, I'm actually well past due! While I could speed through the rest of the book, that would not do it justice and I am

Why do I like this book?

• There is an acknowledgment of a higher power. For me, that higher power is God.
• It is positive and encouraging.
• I don't feel like I'm being lead to want wealth or want passions that are not my own. The purpose is truly to dissect your passions in life so that they can be focused on with intention and attention while enabling you to make decisions that are aligned with living your passion.

It's good stuff! I will be chronicling this process on this blog over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

Well, now that I've correctly spelled the word "amok," (per Wikipedia) I have something that I really want to discuss with my fellow bloggers here at Active Rain. You see, it was in my high school geometry class that I really learned the meaning of the phrase "I can't..."

He was not all that tall of a man; but he had a way of making you feel like the smallest person in the world. His name was Coach Sizemore and I feared him. He yelled at me once, and while I am almost embarrassed to say this, I peed my pants! He was a football coach and if I remember correctly, a military background lingered in there somewhere.

I struggled with geometry, as do many students. And many students in the class often whined "I can't..." (Liz, I am putting these ...s in for you!"

Fast forward to this past week. It was ridden with "I can't..." On Saturday, my niece (18 years old) was so afraid to make a fool out of herself that she kept "I can'ting" while a group of us were snowboarding on our Nintendo Wii. Now, she did eventually try, and I give her credit for that. Then the following morning as my children in Sunday school were cutting out their traced hands, one girl (we'll say she's 7...I'm not sure of the age), who has an extreme fear of messing things up, kept saying "I can't...what if I cut the pinkie off!?!?"

Coach Sizemore used to say "Can't never could do anything." My niece doesn't understand that statement, but I think I do. I've realized that if we defeat ourselves before the smallest tasks, such as cutting out a hand or playing with a silly video game, no wonder we are paralyzed in doing the important, monumental tasks of following our dreams.

My dream is this: To be a work-from-home mommy who is able to raise her baby and help her husband support her household without going completely insane. I have such an incredible WHY for this cause that I refuse to get bogged down by the how. If you read Elizabeth Ward Small's September Newsletter, you'll remember the quote she passed along that said: Those who know how will always be employed. They will be working for those who know why. Because "Can't never could do anything," I refuse to let myself be defeated and paralyzed by fear.

I have to add this part because if I don't I will not be staying true to who I am. Strength comes from the Lord. I know that at the end of the day all that truly matters is that my actions are glorifying to Him. And I just don't feel like "I can't..." corresponds with "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

Today is September 26^th, 2008. Last year on this very day, the agents of Coldwell Banker, Triad REALTORS  Burlington Office lost someone very precious to them: Sandra Dee Blanks. For those of you who don't know me or my background, I came to CBTR as the receptionist, moved on to try my hand at sales and ended up assisting the famous Elizabeth Ward Small.

Now, a  little painting of Sandra. Imagine short, salt-in-pepper hair, a little heavy in the middle but with Tina Turner legs that I, at age 26, would kill to have.  Every morning she came to work with a Biscuitville biscuit in her hand either huffing grumpily or humming anxiously in anticipation of the day she had before her. You see, Sandra came into the office almost every day and worked until often late hours in the evening. She was that serious and dedicated to her work.

As an administrative support staffer, I loved Sandra because she did things right. Her listings were always perfect. Her pictures numbered, named and resized correctly. Her paperwork in order by the checklist at the front of the packet. And, I never received phone calls from angry sellers saying Sandra never called them back.

As a baby agent, I loved Sandra even more. I loved her because she took me under her wing in many ways. She invited me to listing appointments, some of which I went on, some of which I didn't want to go on. Why? She didn't do these quick and dirty 30 minute listing appointments. No. Her listing appointments involved about 2-4 hours of explaining her CMA, going over her marketing and then just shooting the breeze and making friends with her clients.

Mainly, I would go with Sandra so that I could learn to measure. She had a system: you always went with someone and you always went in the same direction around the house so you don't confuse yourself. Many a house that I have since measured, I have wanted Sandra with me.  I have also wanted her around when I have had questions about the law - she knew the book, and followed it.

Sandra passed a year ago today, one day after my birthday. I remember selfishly asking God not to take her on my birthday. It was hard to watch her fade and toward the end, many agents from our office went to visit her and take her banana Cook Out milkshakes. It was a time when we weren't competing with one another for more clients or a higher GCI. For those weeks from July to September, we were family, lifting up another family member.

Today, her Coldwell Banker family remembers her. We love you Sandra. We miss you. We can't wait to see you again!

So I was on the phone with a mortgage broker yesterday talking with her about SendOutCards and I could tell she was stressed. "Things just aren't like they used to be," she said. She was busy, and yes, busy was good, she agreed, but I almost got the sense that it was taking much more effort to close clients than it did during the "housing boom." As I'm sure most of you have experienced, buyers, especially first-time homebuyers aren't just able to show up with $500 of borrowed earnest money and be pre-approved for a loan.

To simplify it, it's quite possibly the worst market possible: A buyer's market in that there is a high amount of inventory (foreclosures) out there, and yet, the buyers cannot get loans! EEK!

I pulled myself out of real estate sales after 7 months of allowing it to take control of my life and drive me completely batty. That was in a relatively "good" market. I know that real estate agents are dropping like flies, but still, there are those out there determined to make it work.

So this is my question: How are you making it work? What resources are you dipping into to stay passionate about this business? I know that there are encouraging and motivational people out there. I work for the best! I guess I just wanted to hear what you all were doing and what you are needing to get through this slump in the market. I'm not trying to be negative. It is what it is. My question is: How are you making lemonade with these lemons?

We got back into Burlington about 2 hours ago from an amazing seminar devoted to people promoting positivity in the lives of others using SendOutCards (www.sendoutcards.com/wallsgreetings). We had a ton of fun in Charlotte, as illustrated by the picture below.

(Lynn Snow, Teresa Smith, Elizabeth Ward Small)

One of the most exciting things that was discussed and tends to be discussed at many seminars I have attended is the power of positive thinking. This message has been digested and reproduced in society through books such as The Secret, The Passion Test, etc. After leaving the seminar, I left confident that what I give to the universe, the universe would give back to me. Yet, I'm just not sure how far this message extends into our lives.

I don't mean to get philosophical on you, but I wonder, for example, about the green lights. If I think green lights, will I have green lights on my way to work? If I think that I'm going to be late, does that automatically happen because I have thought it and put that thought into the universe? And then I wonder about the contradictory thoughts of people. Lets just take an open job position with two people who both are sending the universe positive thoughts. Clearly, if only one position is open, the universe can only give to one of the positive thinkers. I also tend to not believe in the "Universe," or "Cosmos," but rather, the Holy Spirit.

I have no doubt that positive thinking leads to positive action and that negative thinking tends to box our days in with negativity. For example, have you ever stubbed your toe on the way to the bathroom first thing in the morning? I hate that! And I often think "Is this how the whole day is going to be?" And that negativity leads to frustration and anxiety that resides in my body and continues to be manifest in ways such as dropping things, not finding my car keys, forgetting my sunglasses, etc. I can see how negativity breeds negativity and positivity gives birth to more positivity.

Still, while there is comfort in positive thinking, there is power in positive DOING. You've go to move! You've got to reach.

That is why I am so honored and touched to be a part of this blossoming online greeting card business. It promotes positivity. It promotes the pay-it-forward philosophy. It promotes giving. But more than just positive thoughts, it is the best of people put in action, and that is why I love SendOutCards. The heart of this company is overwhelmingly beautiful. If you don't believe me, just check it out for yourself.

I think it is a great ideas to have a LICENSED assistant. In most companies, he or she can do many MANY things on your behalf. Type up listing agreements, contracts, etc.

Okay, so I've filled you in on how much I love Elizabeth and now I want to tell you why I like the actual job part of being an assistant.

1. I like real estate but I really don't like the nitty gritty stuff like negotiations. But I do, oddly enough, enjoy "getting things together." I like taking the pictures and making copies of the listing paperwork and turning it all in and processing it and...well, I could go on. I don't love measuring. It's just not my favorite part; this is probably because I never think to take someone with me and I always forget the fun rolling measuring tool we have so it's a pain!
2. I love being in a support role. My goal is to see Elizabeth acheive everything she wants to acheive, and if I can help her do that it makes me very happy. I like knowing that I am helping someone, especially when I really believe in what he or she is doing. And that's one aspect I really like. I enjoy helping Liz especially with her 3 B Method business because I truly believe in it.
3. IT IS SO FLEXIBLE!!!! Now, I am sure that there are REALTORS out there that aren't as flexible as Liz, but I am able to make my own schedule and work from home if needed. That is priceless.
4. I get to do fun things. I enjoy the creative end. Helping Liz with her website, brainstorming, that sort of thing. It's great.

So, here are some of my suggestions to those of you who have assistants but it just doesn't seem to be working:

1. Make sure they understand your goals. My goals are Elizabeth's goals. Pure and simple. She wants to book more speaking events, that is my job, to help her book more speaking events.
2. Understand their goals. Liz always listens to what is going on in my life and knows what I need to live, both financially and mentally (Balance, people, balance!).
3. Pay them fairly.
4. Don't ask them to do things you wouldn't do. I'm talking about Jeff Lewis from Flipping Out here guys. I'm talking cleaning up dog poop or cleaning your clients toilets, things like that. (Note: Liz has never asked me to do these things, but when I watch that show, I just think "Man, it stinks to be Jenni sometimes! Although, the man does do great work!)
5. Be flexible. For me, I am most productive when I know that my son's needs are taken care of, I don't have 10 piles of laundry waiting on me, etc. Most assistant work can be done via telecommuting.

Well, that is it for now!