Prickly Advice For The New Year - 12/31/11 08:23 PM
I'm not one to really help people come up with New Year's resolutions but I do have an incredible ease in my own life with using the liberal use of the word NO. Ask anyone who asks me to join anything. It is darn tough with this Blogger/REALTOR.
But a sage bit of advice to get you going in the new year thinking of using that NO word and building Win Win in business and in our personal lives is the thought:
Don't hug a cactus, the more you hug, the more it hurts.
In other words give and give to … (25 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday ~ Sweetness Overload - 12/28/11 11:07 AM
… (22 comments)
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Attention 2012 Here I Come !! - 12/26/11 11:16 AM
Christmas and the holidays have come and gone other than New Years. I wrote earlier of these end of year weeks as times to reflect first on WHO we are with our values and then thinking WHAT you want to change in the new year.
Attention 2012 Here I Come !!
I would encourage you this week to pick at least THREE things personal or professional which will make your life and/or the lives of others around you much better for the next 12 months.
Just use this final week of the year to THINK and you will figure out some good … (27 comments)
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Merry Christmas Shout Out - 12/24/11 10:46 AM
I was out fairly early on Christmas Eve this year exchanging some clothing bought the day earlier that was the wrong size and it amazed me STILL the frenzy of people getting last minute gift items. OK, truth be told I started and stopped ALL my Christmas shopping the day before (I'm a guy) but I look forward to EVERYONE settling down on Christmas day and relaxing best they can.
So a SHOUT OUT Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza, whichever holiday you celebrate to everyone. Life moves on throughout these holidays for all of us with everyone not always in … (24 comments)
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Last Minute Mobile Christmas Greetings - 12/23/11 09:01 AM
As we THINK of friends, family, and clients we have "forgotten" to send seasonal greetings for the holiday they are celebrating, remember the mobile device. Everyone is not necessarily sending out paper greeting cards. Try
Text greeting Text greeting including a photo Short email with greeting and maybe a photo or image attachment Tweet to them if they view that daily Facebook comment greeting Phone them People are busy with last minute shopping, scurrying around here or there, traveling, and with a mobile device in hand your quick impromptu but well thought out greeting will bring a smile to their face … (13 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday ~ Nice Behaved Kids Get Santa Stocking Goodies - 12/21/11 01:12 PM
Well, at least they're good at faking it...
… (15 comments)
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Are You Rich? Self-Check Time - 12/19/11 08:49 PM
"Do not judge by appearances; a rich heart may be under a poor coat." ~ Swedish proverb
… (51 comments)
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The Journey To The New Year Starts Today - 12/19/11 10:09 AM
Your journey to new directions heading into the new year starts a few weeks out at the end of the current year. Why? Much more time for reflection of changes you want to make in the personal and professional side of your life.
You get to listen to family and friends as you visit around during the holidays. You hear that LOVE in the room as people open their gifts.
Like dipping your toe in a fast moving river each year as it closes the flow is different year to year. Births and deaths. Marriages and divorces. You and others getting … (9 comments)
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Speechless Sunday ~ Strange Ceiling Mural - 12/18/11 02:20 PM
Many reasons to reject houses once visiting the inside. Well this one would give you pause unless your client is in the funeral home business, or the buyers have a wacky sense of humor. But great conversation piece.
… (16 comments)
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Those Wacky RETIREE People And The Purina Diet - 12/17/11 04:34 PM
MY LAST TRIP TO COSTCO
Yesterday I was at my local COSTCO buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Tank, the Wonder Dog and was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog.
What did she think I had an elephant? So since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost … (32 comments)
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Round And Round Where We Stop Nobody Knows - 12/17/11 10:37 AM
I hear that expression they'll be plenty of time to sleep when you are dead. It is not true. It reflects a non balanced life. Solid restful sleep complements our awake time. It is important to be "productive" but life is not all about quantity but about quality more.
I harp on balance all the time. A mixture of work and play. Sleep and awake. Virtual with blogging, Facebook, tweets and texting with REAL people OUTSIDE away from a computer or phone. Moderation with food and steering clear of drugs, nicotine and excess alcohol. Round and round you go where you … (16 comments)
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Miles Apart In Negotiation What To Do? - 12/16/11 12:42 PM
So often with overpriced homes it is something for a buyer to work the seller back down to earth in reality with an acceptable offer. So if you are MILES apart in price with negotiation, what to do?
Truly, apart $30,000 or higher towards the end of negotiation, this is a tough one to overcome and you may have to move on as a buyer to another house Look at picking up some non realty items to justify a higher price Educate, educate, educate with comparables for the buyer and also amenity levels, condition, and move in readiness by the seller to … (12 comments)
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Wordless Wednesday - Is It Live, Or Is It Memorex? - 12/14/11 11:11 PM
Everything old is new again. Back in 1971 singer Ella Fitzgerald was shown live singing a high note and shattering a glass. Then using the "new" audio tape from company Memorex they played the recording and voila, the glass shattered again. Live or Memorex?
Today's world has virtual commenters, friends, followers, but ARE THEY REAL? Well I think they are all real except for the anonymous ones but due to the spacing of geography how many do we eventually get on the phone or meet in person? It would be nice with those we really like to get together. BUT … (15 comments)
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Three Lessons To Be Learned From A Pencil - 12/13/11 01:44 PM
Three Lessons To Be Learned From A Pencil
Everything you do leaves a mark Pain always sharpens you What's inside you is useful, not what's outside
… (22 comments)
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Down Under Cool Musical Instrument Triggered By Movement - 12/11/11 03:09 PM
In Melbourne, Australia they have a 23 foot tall electronic muscial instrument called a Giant Theremin, named after its original inventor that plays various musical sounds by moving in front of it. It sits on a pedestrian walkway near the Yarra River. Something to see.
Giant Theremin
… (14 comments)
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Creativity Gets A Deal Done - 12/11/11 10:00 AM
So often in reaching an impasse between buyer and seller, BOTH SIDES need to hang in there to create a win-win and get to closing. Much of this requires commitment AND flexibility. There are even ways to get around price gap agreement with seller or buyer concessions, changing the financing, throwing in some furniture, etc.
Creativity Gets A Deal Done.
When a period of getting stuck occurs, break apart. Get a clean sheet of paper and start brainstorming some ideas. If a price apart is too wide perhaps nothing can be done. But if you are close put your thinking … (10 comments)
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Why Cleaning A Home Top To Bottom Sells Homes - 12/10/11 04:02 PM
Often in the preparation of a home for sale the listing agent describes decluttering and staging the home and also gives the reminder to do the DEEP SCRUB cleaning of the home along with minor maintenance handyman chores to spruce things up and make it spiffy. This with the cleaning is NOT a suggestion but should be thought of as MANDATORY. Sellers need to know
Why Cleaning A Home Top To Bottom Sells Houses.
The answer is very simple.
Your competition.
Traveling to your unkempt messy and downright DIRTY home elicits Ewwwww's from buyers, "lets get out of here", "disgusting" verbal … (28 comments)
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Try Mock Closings To Learn Client's Paperwork - 12/09/11 05:40 PM
It seems in our modern complex world there are computer simulations to simulate battlefield experiences, flight and cockpit simulation and think of all the electronic games that take us into the world with imagination and what if scenarios. What about Real Estate?
Try Mock Closings To Learn Client's Paperwork.
Nothing worse than sitting down with clients as a new agent at the closing table and all this paperwork looks Greek to you as well as them. Title companies AND Brokers offer training with 'mock closings' to get comfortable with this process so at least you KNOW what a HUD-1 statement looks … (37 comments)
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The Local Moving Van To Move YOU - 12/08/11 04:09 PM
A little pep in your step thinking for you today, which I call
The Local Moving Van To Move You.
This thought occurred to me when talking to another colleague of the 'drudgery' of that dreaded outbound dialing for dollars or information to gather task. Sometimes that phone hand set can feel like it weighs 50 lb. But the trick in all our activities that are of average to low interest to us but we have to do them is to
GET STARTED.
I know you know this, but it is so hard. Trust me, that 5 to 10 … (17 comments)
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That FIRST 9/11 For Our Country - 12/07/11 05:21 PM
December 7th this year now marking the 70th anniversary (WOW) of the attack on Pearl Harbor, more than just a "day that shall live in infamy" for younger generations think of it probably as
The FIRST 9/11 For Our Country.
It woke everyone up to a threat. We could not remain isolationists. We were dragged into the Great War (World War I) and really wished the rest of the world would leave us alone. Over time even with 9/11 we do see how global and tied together we really are on this planet we share.
So on this day with … (15 comments)
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Is Your New Home Purchase WoofTastic?? - 12/06/11 06:38 PM
When we think of pet friendly in the world often we think of compatibility of a dog say for example with a child, age of the pet and size and weight and maintenance needs. But what about your HOUSE?
Is Your New Home Purchase WoofTastic?
Remember a few things:
adequate size yard dog run or dog house if predominantly outside dog availability of veterinarians nearby Close groomers too if you use them Puppy proof your house in those early days with crates if the dog scratches doors, poddy train early, plenty of chew toys if an elderly dog don't make them … (17 comments)
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The User Personality vs. The Giver - 12/05/11 06:03 PM
We all have elements of give and take in us and the full force takers could do better at giving and the purest givers could reward themselves a little now and then in my mind and stop being such saints among us.
BUT there is a form of the taker you need to be aware of that does not show sincerity with their giving.
They are the User Personality.
It is a give to get. Use you or a situation up then discard you on the trash heap in climbing the ladder in life, in love, in work. A key … (13 comments)
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That All Important Chemistry With Your Clients - 12/04/11 02:29 PM
I contend with the clients we work with we have our IDEAL clients, then the 90% we can work with, then the OIL and WATER clients. The latter do not mix with us.
Remember That All Important Chemistry With Your Clients.
Some people you cannot work with smoothly. They demand too much, they don't like how you communicate with them, you are irritated when their phone calls or emails or text arrives. Cut them loose. Save everyone the hassle. YOU two for some reason are a mismatch. Pass them off to your favorite enemy LOL. Seriously, work to move them on, … (22 comments)
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Access To PAPERWORK Needed To Make Home Offers - 12/03/11 04:07 PM
In addition to ACCESS to getting into a home for a showing a pet peeve I have with some listing agents is the proper PAPERWORK a buyer agent needs to make an offer. ACCESS to that paperwork.
Um, excuse me Mr. Seller but WHERE is your paperwork? Why are they hiding it, foot dragging finding documentation, or filling out forms? A thorough Listing Agent gets this from their seller.
Documents like the Survey, Seller Disclosure information, all the photos, detailed information about exclusions, and how about state mandated addendums on some exclusions that all parties need to be aware of like … (80 comments)
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Ways To Stand Out To Your Clients - 12/02/11 05:21 PM
In our business dealings with the people we work with, we want to be the best and STAND OUT from the pack (ha ha or the school):
Some ideas to do this
great communication, close the loop always, answer you phone or return calls, emails, texts be a person of character, not two faced or multiple faced. Have integrity Be positive, friendly, helpful, and don't take everything so seriously Be knowledgeable Be a master negotiator building win win deals or NO deals Be on the SAME TEAM not opposing your client Be flexible with everything. Life in so many areas is … (20 comments)
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Two Tips For The Road To An Awesome Life - 12/01/11 10:02 AM
With an awesome life, and who would deny wanting that professionally and personally... A couple of tips for you to consider today:
1. Understand Value and YOUR Values - You do get what you pay for with investments in life so often. Surround yourself with the best of the best people. Soar with the eagles and don't squander your life on the ground with the turkeys. You don't need a Ph.D to figure out which relationships are turkeys and bozos. They bring you down, you don't want those people long term, they are not good people in their core. Know your … (37 comments)
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