I'm done with agents complaining with about the market, I am done with sellers complaining about the market, and I am certainly done with buyers complaining about the market. Don't even get me started with the media, or the banks, or my neighbor who has never purchased in his life and says, see I told you so. I am also done with people who bring their cell phones everywhere and even will read and send texts while you are meeting with them. Are they doctors, are people dying, what can be so important they can not get through a half hour lunch without jumping and immediately texting someone. People lighten up, it's just real estate. We are not developing a new space technology. Bring joy back into your life. The sun will come up tomorrow I promise.
Here are 10 sure fire ways for you to bring joy back into your life and realize it's just real estate
1. Tell your client that your sorry, they are right you do not need to lower the price, we will just keep it listed all year, the market will bounce back in 2009
2. By the Starbucks coffee for the person in line in front of you for the heck of it.
3. Give your favorite book to someone you like, and write a note inside the jacket.
4. Call someone whose heart you broke years ago and say your sorry.
5. Call an old friend you haven't seen in a long time and ask to go for a cup of coffee.
6. Make an anonymous gift to a cause you respect.
7. Take a day off from work and do absolutely nothing but read a great inspirational book.
8. Take a day off from work and do absolutely nothing but hug, kiss, and love your special someone.
9. Stop in a church and observe people of faith pray and see what faith means to them.
10. Get back to door knocking, cold calling, farming, networking, or whatever it it will take to keep you in the game.
Fun is the best thing to have, without fun we snap at our friends, family and clients. Without fun everyday seems long. Without fun we can not see tomorrow. I ask of all you, pick a difficult situation that you are dealing with right now (outside of health) and find something funny in it. You will be surprised when you attempt this how your outlook will change.
Albert Einstein once said that all funny people are brilliant, but not all brilliant people are funny. Find your inner brilliance today.
Well done! All great ideas for adding joy! I used this quote the other day, but it seems appropriate again..."When you are going through hell...just keep going!" Winston Churchill!!! Press on...with a song in your heart!
I guess I don't have too much sympathy for sellers in the LA real estate market. Why is it that you can buy a Pulte built 2,100 square foot house (4/2.5 w/ 2-car attached garage) in LA starting at $501,000, yet you can buy the same size Pulte built house in my market starting at $174,000? 288% difference in home price, while the average salary in LA is only 20.2% higher than my market. The overall cost of living in LA is 80.7% higher.
In no way do I mean to sound disrespectful, but based on the most recent OFHEO House Price Index, Los Angeles has appreciated by 95.75% over the past 5 years, while only declining by 3.23% in the past 12 months (as of 12/31/2007).
I live in the Upstate of South Carolina, where home prices continue to rise. The appreciation rate over the past 5 years has averaged 4.26% per year, and these values continue to rise.
I have helped several families relocate from California to the Greenville market, and they are still wondering why they didn't move sooner.
I guess I can understand why people are upset if they just purchased a home in the past 12 months, but for those who purchased in LA in the past 24-60 months, how can someone be upset by a 3% decline, when their home has nearly doubled in value over the past 5 years?
Oh yeah, one more note. That Pulte house in South Carolina would carry an approximate YEARLY property tax of $700. If you're going to bring up the difference in schools, then please keep in mind that California spends $9,970 per student while South Carolina spends $9,315 per student.
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I withyou about agents complaining. If you don't have the business you want, go and get it. Keep working, stay positive, and it will come. Go back to basics, whatever has worked for you in the past. For me, that means open house, and lots of them! So, my husband takes care of the grocery shopping and dinner on Sunday, and I go out and work. Picked up three new clients last weekend at open house- one of whom I showed $900K properties to yesterday. Buyers seem to be coming out here in So. Cal.
You are absolutely right - go out there and get what you want! Too many entrepreneurs sit around bemoaning their fate at not having the clients they want while doing absolutely nothing to make it happen. You have to go out and get what you want, work the leads, and make business happen for yourself! Take charge of your destiny - don't just sit around and let life happen around you.
I am trying to do just that. I am still trying to get my name and face known. I purposely attend these military meetings regularly in hopes of becoming someone's Realtor.
Ralph - Wow, what a great spin on the day. Its all about our perception of what is happening in the market, in our lives, and how we choose to see things and live. Thanks for the inspiration. Great stuff!
Cameron~you are kidding right? Los Angeles is more than a location, it's a lifestyle, it's a dream, this is the place that every prom queen around the country flocks to, just to be discovered. This is the BIG POND. Beach weather all year round, we get rain apprx 27 days per year, the entertainment center of the world, the place to see and be seen, it may not be for everyone, but for those who know it, this is the place. We have 10,000 people per month moving to L.A. County, that is why home prices are where they are. We have 35,000 licensed Realtors in L.A. County alone. It is a tough place, it is an expensive place, but all that glitters is gold my friend.
Carol~The weather is perfect and clients are finally getting use to this new market
Latonia~keep it up, the process will yield results
Tracey~ I have read your blog, you have the "A" typical L.A. home...killer views
Ralph, "What the hey" with the Cameron comment? Great response. I am in a ski resort community, and am constantly asked, why the exorbitant price per square foot? The baby boomers with cash, who want a place for family and friends to gather, are driving the price upward. I never need to justify Steamboat Springs, just connect them to the property they want. They already know that this is where they want to be. Sadly, I think that I had that hairstyle back in the early 70's. Actually, come to think of it...I did.
Ralph- Many of the people who have been waiting for a year see the opprtunity, as do I. If I didn't have college tuition on the horizon, I would be looking to buy investment properties myself!
As far as your list, I have recently done, #2 (she wouldn't let me) 5, 6 (a local woman who has had numerouse cancers. I overheard her say once that when people ask what they can do, what would really help is a gift card from Costco. She has gotten several anonymously in the mail!) and number 10 is in progress.
Sueellyn~I know what you mean, we are fortunate to live in locals which adorn many postcards. There is something to be said about the 70's hairstyles, but I'll let silence do the heavy lifting
Carol~Your response was perfect, i love people who live life full out
Ralph- life is short. My mother died when I was 18, she was 49. I am over 50 (you don't need an exact number! :), so really every day is a gift. It took me until my forties not to take myself and life so seriously!
Unfortunately alot of the agents I hear complaining about the market at the ones that sit at their desk or at home and wait for the phone to ring. They don't want to get off their duff and find the business!
Ralph...........we have a saying in Croatian..."poslje kise dolazi sunce"....it loses something in the translation, but basically, "after the rain the sun always comes'...............Your list was a good nudge for me.........although i do many things on the list.......and have even created my own lists.......i don't know if i view them as 'fun'..........i think i dropped the 'f' and kept the 'un'...........:-) like a splash of cold water on my face.............thank you....
Great reminder that this is only real estate - and to not take it too seriously. I love your sugggestions, especially about purchasing someone else's coffee.
to quote Larry Wingett, "if your business sucks, it's because you suck!"
Great post, i it when people tell me how bad the market it is and how tough it is to be a Realtor right now. I just smile back and say "well i seem to be doing ok right now"
I am a Door Knocker and in my opinion there is no market that you can throw at someone that cold calls that will stop them from making money. This is a SALES busines people get used to it, quit waiting for all the those referrals to come in and go out and get it!
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Well done! All great ideas for adding joy! I used this quote the other day, but it seems appropriate again..."When you are going through hell...just keep going!" Winston Churchill!!! Press on...with a song in your heart!