All excellent advice. Have a good New Year and great 2008.

Excellent post!  We have to adapt to a changing market or become part of the mass exit from the industry. 

Bob & Carolin Benjamin - E Phoenix Valley Real Estate

Bob and Carolin- Thank you for you comment. I hope you have a very prosperous new year too! Katerina 

Shelby Morris

Shelby- And a mass exit is in progress tonight as many agents did not pay their NAR dues! You must be able to adapt to change. Thanks for commenting. Katerina 

To paraphrase Admiral Farragut and his famous statement made during the Battle of Mobile Bay, "Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!" Great post--again--Katerina!

On another forum someone asked if any of us were going to hang it up in 2008.  I said "NO WAY - I have only just begun!"

I plan on creating a very polished and professional image that goes beyond my website and blog into real life.

I am going to step up my blogging and online networking.

I am going to dig in.

Never surrender!   This is excellent training ground!

Ken Cook says "Yes You Can"

Ken- Thanks again! I appreciate it very much! Katerina 

Lake Wallenpaupack Pike County PA Real Estate | Karen E Rice

Karen- You need to do a public relations campaign not an image campaign. Image campaigns are out, consumers do not care about them and do not respond to them the way they used to. Your PR strategies will give you a much better run for your money. Yes, you need to do as much blogging as you can in all forums and areas and blogs. Katerina 

Yes, I understand, I just worded it wrong.  I know that nobody really cares how "great" I am - they care about what is in it for them.

It is challenging to get out of the self "rah rah" mindset which has been our example for so many years.

Many local agents and agencies still advertise using bragging.  This is how I want to stand out from them - by not bragging, but offering something valuable.

Trying to put that in words without actually bragging can be quite the challenge.

Thanks for the advice. This is defiantly worthy for my 2008 goals. Best of wishes for 2008

Katerina, I'm sure people will take your advice and see all the wonderful things to come instead of focusing on what is being written.  Many people on here are having a really good year and I'm sure 2008 will be much better then ever expected.

Katerina - As always, this is solid advice for all of us.  Keep up the good work!

CHRISTINA WILLIAMS. Tennessee Real Estate & Blogs

Christina- Thank you! If you like this post then check out the last few posts I wrote on goal setting and vision boards yesterday and the day before. Consider subscribing to my blog if you have not already done so because I have a whole series I am doing on goal setting and achieving. Katerina 

Lake Wallenpaupack Pike County PA Real Estate | Karen E Rice

Karen- There is a bragging part that is welcomed, but is when others brag about you, not you brag about yourself. Yes, this is  a challenge but if you prepare a whole campaign on press releases, press kits, article submissions, community services, etc, you will get it done! Katerina 

Carole Provenzale Owner, Feng Shui Long Island

Carole- Thank you! I do believe that there are many that are looking at the positive but I also know that those who don't just do not make that known. I have been told in confidence by many positive bloggers that in reality they are thinking about quitting. So I hope to impress on those that are not saying anything to see the possibilities available to them! Hey, maybe some newspaper reporter will read this blog! Katerina 

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate

Jason- Thanks again! Have a very happy new year, and get your vision boards done and up, the kids love to do it too. I have our 5 year old make his vision boards too. Katerina 

Katerina, As always, you are just full of ideas and information.  There is a lot of potential out there right now.  Thanks for everything!  I am going to get to work in 2008.

Hi Katerina...What can I say.... this should be a feature post.

Thank you once again for all your support to us all on AR.

Cheers, have an awesome year in 2008!

Katerina -- You're right.  Recently I've had very few commission cutting conversations with sellers. They have read all the doomsday articles too, and realize it will take expertise and time to sell their property. They are looking for guidance and are more willing to pay for exceptional service.

KATERINA - It makes a lot of sense to work a niche.  Early on, most of us try to be all things to all people and end up falling short of our own expectations.

Katerina, You really gave some great advice than can be used in the Mortgage Industry. If some keeps saying they can do everything... in my mind that means they are so desperate to loose a deal they will say anything.

Real estate is still real estate.  My focus for the past year has been new home sales because I saw opportunity there for my buyers.  Of course, I had to find the buyers.  No, wait, they found me. 

I'm also bringing in some serious foreclosure buyers.  Of course, they aren't buying foreclosures. 

You can have the sellers.  They haven't read a newspaper in 3 years. 

I've always worked niches.  It works.

I have had great success focusing on 1st time home buyers.  As always - great advice.  Thanks!

Wonderful post as it is positive. There is always a silver lining in every clould if people would just look. Buyers have lots of silver linings now in most locations. I wish I had a nest egg, I'd be buying that condo in Florida, but with 5 kids, well you know.

Happy New Year!

When my clients mention to me that "they" said something, I always ask who "they" are.  There is always a mention of the media.  Because I am a news junkie, I am usually able to tell them the rest of the story.

Overall, I do agree that the negativity effects us and sometimes I even have to turn it off but we have to undo the spin from time to time and that is part of our PR campaign. 

Katerina - Good advice as usual.  Thanks for giving some practical advice that can really make a difference.                

Katerina, when I got to the end of this post, I just broke out laughing at your little poop pitcher!  If I were in Florida right now, I think I'd brush up my French and Italian and work with European investors (who often speak English but it's an excuse to sharpen skills!)

Katerina,

Great advice as usual. As Matthew said, this can apply to the mortgage industry as well.  I have been focusing on first time homebuyers as one of my niches as well.

Now, I'm off to read your post about the vision board...I've got a half finished one I need to get to work on.

Katerina,

Thank-you for the advice. There are opportunities in every market phase. Right now I am concentrating on selling foreclosures. Great opportunities!!

As always, I love to read your posts!  Expired listings is going to be my NEW niche.  I am in the process of creating my mailers.  This is taking me a bit longer than I anticipated....maybe I am over thinking my message.  Happy New Year to you!! 

Yes. I have always been told to pick you speciality. I seem to have difficult in finding my niche that I really want to promote. I like every thing about real estate. I like land deals, I like first time home buyers, I like luxury homes. How do you pick?

I guess I will work on that one in 2008. 

Hey Katerina,  awesome!  There is so much to comment about here...but I love expired's too.  :)  Only problem is that we have been in a very good market for a couple of years now....the one's that expire, expire for a reason.  I feel, personal opinion, that our market is slowing.  I think it is time to hit the expired's again.  :)

Always a positive attitude...especially for '08! 

Happy New Year!!

Stephanie Edwards-Musa, Realtor ® The Woodlands, TX Real Estate

Stephanie- Yes, your market is slowing. Expireds are good to set up in the good markets because you work all the kinks out of your system and can be rearing to go when it slows. I am coaching a client, an agent in Canada in a hot market, I created his letters for him. Hardly any expireds, many 1 a day. Well, he already received 2 calls in one week from the letter we sent out! He is getting a listing today from one of those calls and the other expired wants to buy a condo. He is setting up all his systems. We have good friends in Houston as that is where Nestor lived for 21 years and is still licensed there. His fellow agents there said they are noticing the slowing down. Have a happy new year! Katerina 

Roberta LaRocca - REALTOR® Las Vegas

Roberta- And you will be very successful in 2008! Katerina 

Fred- Thank you for that nice comment! You are going to do great in 2008, we are making a huge breakthrough in 2008! Katerina 

Norma- It is amazing how much they realize they need our specialized services now! I have always said, you get what you pay for. I am glad you are doing well with them. Katerina 

In any business niches are powerful. People are afraid they will cut out business if the niche their services but actually the opposite is true. Your bottom line can be much better by niching. Like for instance in coaching, when I do general life coaching it commands only about 1/4 of the fee that I get when specializing in working with agents and mortgage brokers! Katerina 

Matthew- Thanks for the comment. Yes, this applies to mortgage brokers too. Katerina 

Homefinders, Real Estate in MD & VA, Lenn Harley, Broker, New & Resale Homes

Lenn- Whatever works! Right? You have a great niche and it serves you and your buyers well.

We work listings because we are homebodies, being a strong listing agent permitted me to stay home with my kids and homeschool them. I could not do that if I was out showing houses every day. I also work different hours than most agents because of kids and homeschool. So we can choose niches that fit our lifestyles and therein lies the beauty of entrepreneurship. Thanks for commenting, love to see your comments on my posts. Katerina 

James- And what a rewarding niche that is, the new home buyers. They also will turn into listings for you in 3 to 5 years down the road so keep in touch and help them out through the years. Katerina 

Missy- Oh, yes, I do know. College has been the most expensive thing I have ever encountered with my kids. I have another one almost through only to turn around and Nestor's son is ready to go next year! It is like a never ending thing, but I look at it as an investment. Katerina 

Amanda- I read your meme and loved getting to know you more. I stopped watching the news over a year ago, best saving of time I have done in a long time! Katerina 

Dan- Thanks! Happy New Year to you and yours! Katerina 

Patricia- One out of every 4 international home buyers buy in Florida. So yes, brushing up on your French would be good, so would be speaking German, Spanish and Norwegian. Katerina 

Cheryl Hale - South Florida Mortgage Lady

Cheryl- Thanks and yes, this works well for you too. First time homebuyers are a great niche for mortgage brokers. I am also glad you are doing your vision board! Keep it up! Make it a great 2008! Katerina 

Well, there is plenty of foreclosure inventory so yes, that is a good niche, I wish you much success with your niche and make it a great 2008! Katerina 

Renee- Your letters should always be a work in progress. Just start sending them now, and keep on improving them. Nestor just discovered a sentence that we need to add to ours. You should also be testing the letters and always improving them. If you look at it like that then it is easier to get going. Katerina

What are you MOST passionate about? It does not mean if you pick a niche of lets say land deals that you never sell a buyer a luxury home. Of course you take what comes to you, however, your focus is your niche. Katerina 

Katerina - wonderful advice for the New Year!!!!