"Living the Real Estate Life"

If you're reading this you already know that the "Real Estate Life" is literally a 24/7 operation. Agents live, sleep, eat and breathe real estate. It's a great life though overall and being in real estate allows us flexibility, unlimited income potential, and numerous other rewards. The key is balance. Somehow managing to stay focused on, and not distracted by, the multitude of daily tasks on our plates.

Part of the "Real Estate Life" is incorporating all of your personal tasks with your business ones. Sometimes that means working from home, doing laundry while you input a listing or design a flyer, picking the kids up from school on the way back from a listing appointment, etc. It's just all part of the day. The thing I've noticed with a lot of agents I've coached is that things get overlooked. How many of the following (business and personal) things have you done when the going got tough?

• Neglected your personal marketing or farming
• Stopped at a drive-through or ordered take-out instead of eating an actual meal
• Let the inside of your car start to look like that closet you'd never let anyone see
• Told your kids "just one more minute" for about an hour
• Did not respond to email inquiries
• Did not bother to call for feedback from the agent that just showed your listing
• Called the agent for feedback 5 days later and they had no clue which house you were talking about
• Answered your cellphone during dinner or an event
• Misplaced a document because it didn't get filed properly to begin with and wasted an hour looking for it
• Put things off that you KNOW are important like updating your website, social networking, keeping up with past clients, etc.

Now on top of those things ask yourself the following:

• When was the last time my car was serviced/oil was changed/tires were rotated?
• When was the last time I had a physical or went to the dentist for a cleaning?
• Is my pet up to date on their vaccinations?
• Do I know how I'm spending my money on my business?
• When was the last time I disconnected from everything and spent a day or two completely detached from real estate and my cellphone/laptop?
• When was the last time I took a real vacation?
• Am I organized so that I know exactly where to find everything when I need it... including my tax returns from 4 years ago?
• How much money am I wasting by NOT planning ahead?

This is just a sampling of things I've seen agents neglect but the thing is... it happens! I've recently designed a new program to help agents stay on top of all the details in their lives. It's a combination of reminders (both personal and business), planning and organizational tips, updates on the latest real estate products, services, and cool techie stuff, and things just to make you smile. It's designed specifically and only for real estate agents and is delivered via email or text msg periodically throughout your day. Check http://www.reconsultingservices.com/thelife.html for more info or to subscribe. It's well worth the $5.95 per month and while you're there check out the real estate coaching, marketing services, and group classes available and be sure to pass it on to your friends and colleagues in the business.

It's all about staying on top of everything so we can enjoy the rewards that "Living the Real Estate Life" allows us.

Till next time...

:)