opinion: Light at the end of the tunnel - 07/24/07 10:08 PM
I have run into prospective buyers in the last week that have had a bad experience with a real estate agent in the past. One said they were being pushed in a direction they did not want to go in. The second didn't like their agents personality and was being pushed into looking at three families which they were not interested in.They … (1 comments)
|
opinion: What's all the drama about? - 07/17/07 03:24 AM
While doing my daily MLS research, this morning, I noticed a new listing, that was priced very, very well. In fact it was priced "to good to be true". So I thought I best do a little more investigating on it. Well it turns out the list price was actually nothing … (120 comments)
|
opinion: Is That Congress I See on the Big White Horse? - 07/16/07 12:29 PM
Is That Congress I See on the Big White Horse? by John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR Mission Grove Realty
Anyone who does not have their head buried in the sand knows that the United States is on the verge of some sort of financial disaster as a result of repercussions … (29 comments)
|
opinion: Relocation Issue - 07/16/07 01:07 AM
I am just writing a mindless blog to express my frustration with a relocation situation that I have recently experienced. I met a customer, potential client, at one of my listings not too long ago. I showed my listing, a lovely home situated perfectly on a 5 acre lot in Souther … (2 comments)
|
opinion: The 'Gateway" to success or failure? - 07/15/07 05:44 PM
Today, while reading through my new Real Trends magazine I came across an article on NAR's new proposed "Gateway" National MLS project. Have you heard of this? According to an article on realtor.org this will be "a repository containing detailed current and historical information on all real property in the United … (30 comments)
|
opinion: How you like me now? - 07/12/07 10:55 AM
I asked a while back what people thought of caricatures and things like that (Looking for Advice).. Well I went in and decided to give it a try and over the next little bit want to try using it with some of my marketing and see what the results are. I … (12 comments)
|
opinion: Hey! Don't "take away" my rock! - 07/10/07 06:18 PM
This morning, while sitting in my office doing my daily MLS Hot Sheet study, I noticed a new listing. In the first line of the remarks section it read "Front screen door does not convey". Now what the heck is that all about? You mean I can buy your house but … (58 comments)
|
opinion: Feedback, Is it misunderstood? - 07/09/07 06:37 PM
As things go these days, we always want to make sure that we are doing our best when marketing a property for clients. This includes doing all of the little things right and this includes follow up with and feedback with other agents. What a fantastic opportunity to touch people and … (2 comments)
|
opinion: Sacramento Market Commentary - June 2007 - 07/09/07 02:16 AM
The local Real Estate market may be at the bottom. Recent research has shown that over 50% of the national markets have stabilized. Sellers and Builders are giving a lot back to buyers and mortgage rates, although creeping upward, are still at historic lows. The subprime mortgage issue is isolated to … (0 comments)
|
opinion: I never promised you a rose garden. - 06/28/07 03:53 PM
Hi folks. Today I want to talk a little bit about listing presentations. As you know I am an exclusive listing Broker and have been for 13 years. I've sold hundreds of homes in Poinciana Fl and consider myself an expert when it comes to pricing and getting Sellers to hire … (69 comments)
|
opinion: Google and the Rise of the Little Guy - 06/21/07 10:29 AM
It was around the time when
Google was going public that I asked myself for the first time: What is
so special about this company that makes them so successful in business?
I think yesterday I found the answer!
I will grant you that Google is the
number one search engine … (2 comments)
|
opinion: Be Wary Of Opinions That Masquerade As News - 06/21/07 10:14 AM
Is "news" always news, or is it masked opinion?
When doing research on mortgages, it's important to pay attention to the objectivity of your research source.
Often, a writer will deploy key adjectives, phrases, and/or images that distort an otherwise factual story.
The above cartoon from clangnuts.com is a terrific example.
It … (1 comments)
|
opinion: A Guide to Going Bankrupt in Real Estate!!! - 06/20/07 12:45 PM
As long as credit is given anyone is free to repost this article anywhere.
There have been a lot of books and late night infomercials on how to become rich through real estate. Apparently, you can become rich overnight. Neat. But, no one has really written a good guide on … (3 comments)
|
opinion: If the Presidential election was today, who would you vote for? - 06/20/07 12:53 AM
The time for the election of a new president for the United States is quite some away, however, the Democrats are making an early push for campaigning. Most candidates are turning to the Internet to promote in innovative ways. Hillary Clinton pulling a Tony Soprano parody and Obama has a music video … (5 comments)
|
opinion: CHANGES IN LIFE...FOR BETTER OR WORSE? - 06/14/07 10:16 PM
Every year,( a couple of months before my birthday), I seem to reflect on my life and think of how far we've come in such a short time...
When I was a kid, (not so long ago), there was no remote for the t.v., (well there was, but I WAS IT).
There was no … (6 comments)
|
opinion: Broker Bryant! Whatcha doin'? Don't know. - 06/12/07 06:56 PM
Earlier this week, our MLS system updated to a newer version. In Central Florida, our MLS provider is MLXchange. Have you heard of them? They actually have a very good product and I have been pleased with the system they have given us. It has quite a few good features like … (84 comments)
|
opinion: "Door openers"wanted. Supra key needed! - 06/07/07 04:13 PM
Yesterday, I received a call from a REALTOR® ( I think) who wanted to know if I wanted a referral. I never get too excited about referrals but thought I would at least ask the details. Turns out it was a Buyer referral....well, almost. They basically wanted to offer me a … (50 comments)
|
opinion: Broker 'Big Boy" Bryant serving up Redfin for you enjoyment! - 06/05/07 11:50 AM
OK, I think you guys are going to like this one. I received this Email last night:
Subject: Redfin Rebate to the Buyer
I saw one of your posts and wanted to get your thoughts about rebating "the selling commission" to the buyer. It seems to me if I am the seller and … (42 comments)
|
opinion: Get your head out of the sand, before it's too late! - 06/01/07 02:59 PM
Are you unknowingly violating Anti Trust laws? Or are you doing it on purpose? If so, you need to get your head out of the sand before it's too late. "Broker Bryant, what the heck are you talking about?" Well, thanks for asking. I was reading my new Florida Real Estate magazine … (64 comments)
|
opinion: Freedom of choice is a Liberty we should all have. - 05/29/07 09:38 PM
Today, I'm going to write about "discounters". First we need to come up with a name that is more fitting. Why? Well, commissions are always negotiable so "discounter" is not really accurate. How about "Alternative Business Models (ABMs)"? For the purpose of this post I'm going to use ABMs. OK? If … (44 comments)
|
opinion: True Real Estate Tax Relief Would Create Another Real Estate BOOM! - 05/25/07 05:38 PM
At first there was talk in Florida about completely getting rid of real estate taxes for homesteaded properties while increasing our sales tax by a penny or two. Most people that I spoke to applauded the idea.
Florida used to have some of the cheapest real estate taxes in the nation … (8 comments)
|
opinion: Move forward....your future is waiting! - 05/22/07 02:53 PM
OK, today, I'm posting a little motivation. I figure, in this more difficult market, motivation is something we all can use. One of the things I like best about blogging is it gives me the opportunity to write about what's on my mind. Sometimes it's very light hearted and sometimes it … (71 comments)
|
opinion: RedSpin simply spun! - 05/14/07 09:46 PM
OK, so I guess "60 Minutes and Redfin" is the topic du jour. I've been reading all the Blog fodder today trying to decide whether or not to chime in. Well, why not? It is an important topic and as usual I have an opinion, for whatever it‘s worth....
First, I want … (77 comments)
|
opinion: Male Agent or Female Agent? - 05/08/07 07:20 PM
Well it's time for some opinions and some truth. We are in the age of technology and equal rights but even in this day and age, not all are still viewed equal!! There was a time when Men were the only Doctors and Women were the Nurses. Now it doesn't matter … (2 comments)
|
opinion: Negotiations, Broker Bryant style. - 05/02/07 07:48 PM
Today I'm going to write a little bit about negotiating. As a listing Broker it's one of the things I enjoy most about my job. I would be perfectly happy to never do anything but sit at my desk and negotiate deals over the phone.
Negotiating is an acquired skill that anyone … (72 comments)
|
opinion: No thanks Mr Seller. I'd rather work on my tan! - 04/26/07 07:15 PM
Hi there. Today I feel inclined to write about one of my pet peeves. OK it's not colored post titles, how to blog, signature spam in comments or any of those "hot" topics. It's actually about real estate and pricing.
I've been an exclusive listing Broker for 13 years, in my … (76 comments)
|
opinion: YOUR Active Rain Habbits & addiction level. - 04/25/07 07:15 PM
Ok, we all know how addictive Active Rain really is. I don't have an addictive personality and I still spend at least a couple hours every day here on active rain. I usually settle in at my desk with a coffee (or three), and start reading, responding and typing away. While … (22 comments)
|
opinion: My market ain't purdy!! - 04/24/07 01:47 PM
I'm curious, how are things going in your market area? I was doing a little research on my market, Poinciana Fl, this morning and discovered that sales are down 59% from same period last year (Jan 1-Apr 24). Last year, this period, there were 360 closings, this year 137. That's a … (44 comments)
|
opinion: It's redundant I say! It's redundant I say! - 04/23/07 03:45 AM
As most of you know, TLW and I have never worked in a regular Real Estate office before. We worked in a property management office for a few years but were the only REALTORS® there, so we learned our craft through trial and error and attending meetings at our local board of REALTORS®. … (82 comments)
|
opinion: Blogging, web hosting, and graphic design. - 04/22/07 10:48 AM
Hello folks. I hope everyone has had a great weekend so far, I know certainly have...the weather is beautiful here in New Brunswick.
As some of you may know, I own and operate a web company called Innovative Internet Solutions. We are currently working to provide more services to real estate … (4 comments)
|
opinion: Books Books Books! Your Opinion. What's good and whats not? - 04/18/07 09:15 PM
Hey Folks,
Just curious what books people have read that pertained to real estate. I have read Sell With Soul by Jennifer Allan. As well as Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and Making Money in Real Estate (The Canadian Guide to the Profitable Investment in Residential Propery) by Douglas Gray. … (2 comments)
|
opinion: Squat for Savvy Sam! - 04/17/07 04:17 PM
Earlier today I got a call from Savvy Sam. Savvy Sam lives down in south Florida but owns a property in Poinciana that he purchased back in July of 2005 and has been trying to sell ever since. He bought this new construction home, sight unseen, with the good intention of … (35 comments)
|
opinion: Are Exotic Mortgages Really to Blame for Rampant Foreclosures? - 04/16/07 08:30 AM
The media in particular, aided by many so-called "experts" have been laying a lot of the blame on exotic mortgage products such as Option ARMs, Interest-Only mortgages, and even regular ARMs. I have even heard them blame the Feds for raising rates too fast.
Why do they blame the mortgage products? Are … (11 comments)
|
opinion: Baltimore County Home Search - 04/15/07 07:57 PM
Baltimore County Home Search
Gloria & Mark, "The Price Team" want to assist you with your Baltimore County Home Search. We are in tune, and up to date with the technology it takes to bring you the newest homes, up to the minute, as soon as they become available on the market.
Click on … (0 comments)
|
opinion: SMELL THIS! - 04/12/07 10:34 PM
I was recently working with a real estate buyer who had an extremely sensitive sense of smell. Being that I'm quite easily irritated by strong smells myself, I could understand her predicament. But little did I know, just what I was dealing with.
House Number One: My own listing. An immaculate house … (22 comments)
|
opinion: Broker "Bubba" Bryant speaks his mind.....again! - 04/11/07 04:35 PM
OK, I just survived my first five days of being 50. It wasn't too bad. Business is good and I was able to get out of bed every morning. I guess at 50 just getting out of bed is a good thing. So life is grand.
I must say though, I seem … (79 comments)
|
opinion: Broker Bryant's advice. Sound or foolish? - 04/09/07 11:01 AM
OK, I put up a post yesterday,(you may need to read it first) sharing an Email I had received from a consumer asking me for my advice. As promised, I am going to post my response below. First, I want to thank everyone for their responses, by reading through the comments it … (72 comments)
|
opinion: Oink, Oink! Welcome to my sty!!! - 04/02/07 06:03 PM
Hello my fellow Rainers. As you may know we have quite a few consumers who visit ActiveRain on a regular basis. Yesterday, I received the following Email from one of our regular visitors.
Hi Broker Bryant, I am getting closer to listing my home for sale. One of the things I do, … (72 comments)
|
opinion: Folks, we are giving houses away!!! - 03/29/07 03:16 PM
Hi folks. I received an offer on one of my listings today. I was pretty excited when I heard it was coming over but of course as soon as I saw it, my excitement faded. Now folks, I know things are slow and I know it's a Buyer's market. My Sellers … (45 comments)
|
opinion: Yet Another Perspective on ActiveRain--My Quarters Worth! - 03/26/07 09:19 AM
Firstly, let me take a moment to share a little secret. This post started out being titled; Members, Let's Turn April Showers Into an ActiveRain Thunderstorm. Basically about a membership initiated recruiting effort. I had been working on it in the draft form feature and for some reason my personal vibrations about the … (7 comments)
|
opinion: Blog Identity Crisis - 6 Question Opinion Poll - 03/18/07 10:16 PM
My questions are things like:
What makes a good blog design? What catches your eye?What kind of information do clients and potential clients look for in a blog? What topics are really relevant, and which topics are done so much that no one cares anymore? In other words, what's … (23 comments)
|
opinion: The stress, the book and the test!! C.E. part 2 - 03/18/07 12:34 AM
OK, last Saturday I wrote, a post, about my struggle with having to complete my 14 hours continuing education, for my license renewal, that is due by March 30th. Anyway, I decided to order the book, from Bert Rogers School of Real Estate, so I could complete my 14 hours and … (93 comments)
|
opinion: When the (Real Estate) Market Turns Down - 03/15/07 07:48 PM
When the market turns down, what are good dedicated realtors to do? An interesting statistic I came across a few years back was that enrollment for law school increases when the economy heads south. The explanation behind this correlation was that as jobs are scare, people who have had dream about … (0 comments)
|
opinion: Subprime lenders, liars, cheaters and "The Man". - 03/15/07 02:58 PM
Hey, has any one heard about the subprime lending crisis? OK, I guess you probably have. From what I understand, this crisis, we are going through right now, is due to all the lowlife, lying and cheating Mortgage Brokers that had saturated our business over the last few years looking to … (82 comments)
|
opinion: Want to buy it? Then get serious. - 03/12/07 04:28 PM
I had a request from Renee Burrows, earlier this week, to write a post on what Buyers and their REALTORS® can do to make their offers more appealing to my Sellers. As, primarily a listing Broker, I can assure you it's not always about the price. So what do I look … (87 comments)
|
opinion: Whee!!! Real Estate is a Roller coaster!!! - 03/10/07 05:30 PM
Have you ever had one of those days that you wish you just didn't get out of bed? I'm sure you have. I had one yesterday. I woke up Friday morning feeling really good. It had been a very productive week and I had no appointments on the calendar. Just had … (54 comments)
|
opinion: D'oh! Please don't make me do it.................. - 03/09/07 03:39 AM
OK, so the big day is approaching fast. My two year Broker's license renewal. Woe is me, woe is me. This means, an exhaustive 14 hours of classroom work, and a grueling, 30 question, multiple choice exam. How am I ever going to squeeze this in to my busy work schedule? … (48 comments)
|
opinion: Buyer rebates, on the HUD? It's clear as mud! - 03/04/07 06:45 PM
I wrote a post back in November related to buyer rebates. My question then and now is the same. "Are Buyer rebates, not disclosed on the HUD, legal?" Anyway, over the last few days my previous post has come back to life. We have been having a pretty good debate but … (77 comments)
|
opinion: YOUR ADVERTISING BUDGET - 02/28/07 09:26 PM
Curiosity has the best of me. Advertisement can be, and often is key in this business. I would like to get a good response and input on a few aspects of advertising.
What methods of advertisement do you feel is the most effective? Is there anything you swear by? What methods of … (10 comments)
|
opinion: Is it okay to light up?? - 02/26/07 07:51 PM
I read an extremely interesting article the other day, referring to communities as condominiums or townhomes not allowing homeowners to smoke in their own homes. What do you think??
Personally, I am not a smoker, never have been, but do you feel as if this is invading your rights as a homeowner? … (28 comments)
|
opinion: An Active Rain idea, "How Far would You Go?" - 02/23/07 01:57 PM
I have read a few posts lately about what lengths to go to for you clients. I have come across a few blogs that member have listed just how many properties they will show before firing a buyer. I have a few thoughts on the issue, again they are only my … (1 comments)
|
opinion: Can a Spouse Help you sell ? - 02/22/07 10:44 AM
My wife has an excellent eye for value (of course) and is an easy to talk to people person. She is could be a Realtor, but her real calling is Teaching. She knows that she can not talk about a specific house but often she will talk about the area, is it … (1 comments)
|
opinion: Mall Kiosk Advertising - 02/20/07 10:18 AM
How many agents out there use a local mall kiosk to advertise their listings? In my area of Harford County, Harford Mall has a Long and Foster kiosk managed by an agent in our office. I advertise my listing, and advertise myself and my services on the kiosk. To date, I … (6 comments)
|
opinion: 10,000 Points, many more to go.. - 02/16/07 01:08 PM
We have reached 10,000 points! I just wanted to blog on the LOVE I have for Active Rain. I have never been a blogger before, (in case no one has noticed.)
10 Reasons I Love Active Rain
1. The people. The people I have met here are great! It is wonderful to … (0 comments)
|
opinion: Has anyone used Craig's List to grab a buyer? - 02/15/07 06:54 PM
I was speaking to someone in the office the other day, and was informed about "Craig's List." I am looking for an opinion on the site. Also, wondering if anyone out there have done their homework on this site? Is there a capacity to acquire a actual lead there?
I have been doing my homework, … (43 comments)
|
opinion: Compete with the rest and make a mess of success. - 02/14/07 02:10 PM
When it comes to the level of business you do, what is your comfort zone? What are you trying to achieve? Are you in to making as much money as you can or are you happy with just making a good living? Do you judge your success by how many toys … (48 comments)
|
opinion: Pre-Sale Inspection, what do you think?? - 02/13/07 09:28 AM
I have noticed lately, there are sellers out there who invest in a pre-sale inspection. Do you feel this is an investment, or a waste of money? If there are large structural, electrical, plumbing, or other expensive problems hiding, it may pay to find these, and correct them. Also, it may … (5 comments)
|
opinion: Use Your Keywords Wisely, even in Your Listing Description - 02/12/07 09:30 AM
Have you ever read a listing description and been totally turned off? This is something we may all want to rethink. After reading an article referring to which ad-words sell a home faster, I poured over a slew of listings in my area seeing if their claims in this article held … (0 comments)
|
opinion: Play by the rules or get out of the business. - 02/10/07 02:56 PM
I've had one of those weeks, where I spent way too much time dealing with incompetence from REALTORS® and mortgage brokers. So, this post is being written, so I can direct my fellow peers to it when necessary. As a listing Broker, I, Broker Bryant, promise the following:
All of my listings … (63 comments)
|
opinion: Monopoly my a..! - 02/02/07 05:09 PM
Ok, today I want to talk about monopolies and how some folks seem to think that NAR and it's members are monopolizing real estate and prohibiting other business models from participating in our closed "secret society". Now folks, I'm not one to use big words and I don't waste much time … (78 comments)
|
opinion: Are you being short changed? Not by me! (recycled and edited) - 02/01/07 06:08 PM
I've read quite a few posts, lately, on ActiveRain and other sites, talking about commissions. What's fair? Who pays the commission? Are we worth what we charge? How come I didn't get 50% of the commission? And on and on and on. Anyway, I wrote this post back in July and … (13 comments)
|
opinion: All aboard!! It's your choice. - 01/25/07 01:28 PM
What a great year this is starting out to be. I keep hearing how bad the market is and how slow everyone is and blah blah blah. But you know, I'm selling houses. At the beginning of every year, I have a figure in mind, of how much income I want … (77 comments)
|
opinion: Rebates! Rebates! Get 'em while they're hot!! - 01/17/07 01:16 PM
Ok, so today I have had an awakening. Over the last couple of weeks I have been negotiating, successfully, with a couple of REALTORS® from one of the "Buyer Rebate" companies in my area, and I have to say, I have been impressed. Both REALTORS® have been on the ball and … (35 comments)
|
opinion: Broker Bryant's theory of relativity. - 01/08/07 04:06 PM
With all the talk lately about discount commissions and full price commissions, it has got me thinking about a theory I have, let's call it, Broker Bryant's theory of relativity. I'm of the school that says, commissions are a part of the deal, whether they are being paid by the Buyer … (39 comments)
|
opinion: Its' free, it's free, I tell you!! - 01/06/07 03:33 PM
This morning I went on a listing appointment and discovered the ultimate business plan. Actually, let me rephrase that, I discovered the ultimate "list for free" business plan. This particular Seller had been on the market for six months with another company, his listing agreement had just ran out and he … (76 comments)
|
opinion: NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.....................Consumer beware!!!! - 01/01/07 04:32 PM
While reading through this month's Florida REALTOR magazine, I noticed quite a few ads for 100% commission split offices. We've all seen them. They go something like this:
NO office feesNO franchise feesNO transaction feesNo waiting on commission checksNO quotas to meetNO sales meetings to attendNO "junk charges" of any kind***Only $395 … (72 comments)
|
opinion: Hello, John Q. Consumer. Welcome to our world. - 12/29/06 12:09 PM
So, pull up a chair and let's talk about the consumer on ActiveRain. As many of you may already know, the consumer has arrived. They are reading and they are commenting on our posts. I personally have several that are regular readers and participants on my posts and it is a wonderful thing. … (72 comments)
|
opinion: 4 Real Jobs You Can Do From Home - 12/26/06 12:21 PM
You gotta admit... from time to time haven't you wondered how you might be successful by working from home? Well, perhaps you were lucky enough to catch all of Good Morning America's© episodes. However, if you missed their episodes, then you might find the following e-Articles of interest: Click Here MSN … (5 comments)
|
opinion: Compensation or performance? Which one will it be? - 12/26/06 09:06 AM
There's been a couple of posts, recently, about alternative ways for Realtors to be compensated. One idea, put forth on ActiveRain, by Brian Brady and then by Jeff Corbett, is compensation based on performance. I guess the reasoning behind this is that we, as Realtors, would have an incentive to negotiate … (90 comments)
|
opinion: Isn't RedFin a tuna? - 12/14/06 05:20 PM
This past Monday morning I was sitting on my adjustable, vibrating, craftmatic, temperpedic bed enjoying my morning coffee with breakfast (toast), that TLW delivers to me every morning, "working" on ActiveRain, when my phone rang. "Good morning Tutas Towne Realty, this is Broker Bryant your local sooooooooooo good looking area Real … (22 comments)
|
opinion: Integrity! It's mine and you can't take it away from me! - 12/12/06 04:44 PM
OK, is every one tired of hearing me talk about Range Pricing yet? Well, if it helps, I'm tired of writing about it, BUT, yep, always has to be a but, I have had several conversations going over the last couple of months about Range Pricing and how it works and … (30 comments)
|
opinion: Honey! Can you bring me my jammies? - 12/09/06 03:48 PM
One of the best decisions I have made in my business was not to work with Buyers. Driving around showing properties all day is not my idea of fun, I just don‘t have the patience for it. How do you do this and still manage to keep your sanity? Do you … (66 comments)
|
opinion: Sherman and Broker Bryant mount up for battle! - 12/06/06 03:57 PM
I woke up today in such a good mood. My Seller, mentioned in my last post, received his money late yesterday afternoon and I had a pretty light schedule today. Then I read my E-mails only to find that our MFRMLS rules have just been changed and the rules relating to … (91 comments)
|
opinion: Commission advance companies, loan sharks or helping hand? - 12/03/06 04:01 PM
Commission advance companies. Loan sharks or helping hand! Nine years ago when TLW and I opened Tutas Towne Realty, Inc., we did it on a shoe string. Actually, I guess it was more of a goose egg, than a shoestring, since we didn't have any money. We opened our business on … (51 comments)
|
opinion: Broker Bryant says, " Are you aware commissions are on a upswing?" - 11/18/06 12:47 PM
While reading through this month's Broker Agent News, I came across this statement, in an article by Carla Cross. "Are you aware commissions are shrinking? A Real Trends' study pointed out that commissions have gone from an average of 6.1% in 1991 t0 5.1% in 2004. That's a 16 percent price … (58 comments)
|
opinion: Market turn around? - 11/18/06 09:03 AM
I am just curious as to if anyone has any thoughts, opinions, or educated guesses, as to when the housing market is going to rebound? I've heard six months, I've heard any time now, I've even heard one or two people say that they think that it will be over a year. … (13 comments)
|
opinion: Buyer rebates. Good business or potential fraud? - 11/12/06 03:39 PM
On Friday, I had written a post, that facilitated quite a discussion about our commissions and how we justify what we charge. If you read my post and the 110+ comments, it generated, you saw that the consumer, Mr. CandiBags showed up. He asked a pretty good question, that I would … (137 comments)
|
opinion: You can lead a Realtor to training but you can't give him character! - 10/28/06 05:17 PM
There have been quite a few posts lately, about what can be done about unprofessional and untrained Realtors, including this one from me. Clueless Realtors, whether new to the game or seasoned “pros”, can really make our jobs a lot more difficult than they need be and give the consumer valid … (36 comments)
|
opinion: How we can stand out from the rest - 09/06/06 07:06 PM
Character is an evaluation of a person's moral and mental qualities. Such an evaluation is subjective - one person may evaluate someone's character on the basis of their virtue, another may consider their fortitude, courage, loyalty, honesty, or piety.
Developing true character happens when we focus on character qualities such as: truthfulness, … (1 comments)
|
opinion: Positive reinforcement - 09/01/06 03:09 PM
The lifeline of our business:
Reinforcement is a change in the environment causing the rate of behavior responses of the subject to remain the same or increase. There are two types of behavioral reinforcers.
Positive reinforcement changes the animal's surroundings by adding an appetitive stimulus: a physical object (like a food pellet or … (1 comments)
|
opinion: By the numbers - 09/01/06 02:37 AM
By the numbers
Market summary:
Sales:-67% ...
Sales:YTD 2006(181), YTD 2005(476) ...
inventory +175% from 2005 ...
average DOM(83) ...
price reductions (lots of 'em) ...
These are some of the bleak numbers in my area as of August. So what is to be said of our market as a whole. Will 2007 be the year … (0 comments)
|
opinion: Does age matter?! - 08/31/06 01:18 AM
I can safely say, that in a company of more than 500 people, I am most likely one of the 5 youngest realtors. In my area, maybe one of the 10 youngest. I got my license fresh out of college when I was 23. This truly started out to be a … (7 comments)
|
opinion: Floor Time Benefits - 08/30/06 03:23 PM
Lets all talk about the pros of "Floor time" I happen to take more floor time than the average agent in my office. I would say that i take 7-10 shifts per month, not including the shifts I assign to myself after-hours or before we open. I got hooked on floor … (4 comments)
|
opinion: AR v. Myspace - 08/30/06 02:06 PM
I stumbled upon AR about a month ago. I was invited through another networking website that was not really for networking but more for gossip. You may well have heard of "Myspace", well the networking, information, and ideas I get here are so far above. The other site was like a huge billboard … (9 comments)
|
opinion: Keeping your 6% - 08/29/06 02:12 PM
This is a fun way to get the point across and a good visual aide to those clients who would like you to cut your commission. When I was new to the biz someone showed me a little trick to keep your 6%. Take 6 one dollar bills (or business cards but … (8 comments)
|
opinion: The Four P's Of Getting A Listing Sold - 08/28/06 05:02 PM
THE FOUR P's OF SELLING YOUR LISTINGS!
There are four simple things that go a long way when trying to get your listings sold.
Price - Probably the most important aspect of selling is the price. You can have the shabbiest shack or the nicest mansion in the world, but if the price … (7 comments)
|
opinion: Service or Skills? Which translates better into perceived value? - 08/13/06 08:29 PM
RisMedia August 2006 has a fantastically, thought provoking article written by President and CEO of Realtor.com, Allan Dalton. It is a must read! If you have not read it, please get a copy ASAP. The article is entitled Real Estate Industry Warming.
In the article he states that there are two differnt … (8 comments)
|
opinion: Leads can't be bought........... - 07/30/06 04:47 PM
I am always reading and hearing about leads. How do you get them? And what do you do with them? Have you bought leads from this company? Well this got me thinking about what is a lead? A lead to me is someone that contacts me and tells me they want … (35 comments)
|
