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Makeover2Takeover – The Perfect Training Program For Real Estate Professionals

By
Real Estate Agent with RLAH@properties AB95346

I just read the final Makeover2Takeover challenge, and it hit me!

So many of the Brian Buffini and Tommy Hopkins types talk about their early real estate training – with a helpful broker handing them a telephone and telephone book with a command: “Go get ‘em, Tiger!”  And the vast majority of real estate training programs are pretty pathetic.

The eight weeks of challenges for this contest really provide agents, from newbies to veterans like me, with a clear roadmap to success.  What a fabulous basis for a training program for agents trying to make a living in this quirky market!

It’s pretty much the basics:

  • great database and contact management system
  • pre-listing information package
  • business plan
  • homebuyers’ information package
  • buyer and seller systems
  • becoming your local expert
  • marketing plan and checklist for listings
  • articulating your value

Being chosen as one of the participants was a wonderful gift from Active Rain.  As a veteran agent, I badly needed some re-training, and Makeover2Takeover gave my business a giant boost.

I think it’s safe to say that everyone who participated was exposed to great ideas that we will incorporate into our practices, especially using video in presentations of all types.  Even if you just took the super database and well thought-out business plan, that's more than many agents bother with.  I've been using boiler-plate listing and buyer packages for years, but watching how the other contestants did it has made my presentations a lot better. And my marketing plan certainly has more interesting elements than it used to!

If I were a broker/owner or trainer, I’d take a very close look at the weekly challenges and work them into my office or company training program. 

It’s great stuff, and thank you Rich Jacobson for pulling it all together!


Tracy Santrock
Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC
Raleigh - Cary Broker

Pat - You are very fortunate to have participated in the challenge and risen to the occassion. There are so many veteran agents that "let things slide" because they rely on their referrals. The business has changed and if the agents don't change with it, they will be dinasours in the new world of real estate. Glad you haven't left your blinders on.

I've been following the contest closely, watching and commenting.  What a great learning experience for the particpants, mentees, and mentors!

Jul 12, 2008 09:50 AM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation

I echo your sentiments, Pat.  Each challenge was a huge wake-up call that "Hello, it's 2008!" and maybe my usual way of doing things needed some tweaking and updating before I trained my apprentice.  I think it's safe to say that we both learned!

Jul 12, 2008 10:22 AM
Joeann Fossland
Advantage Solutions Group - Tucson, AZ
Master Certified Coach to Motivated Agents

Pat, Congratulations on all the work it took to be part of the contest. My coaching client, Mary Pope Handy was the Apprentice winner last year in Project Blogger and it was a 14 week long learning experience. It is very cool that AR is coming up with fun ways to play where everybody gets to focus on their business and have fun at the same time (and tap into their naturally competitive nature). (also, one of the reasons why I developed www.TheRealEstateGame.com)

I really like the list you made of "basics". You have done everyone a big favor to just identify the elements! Now, the trick is to stay in action even after the contest is over! But, I bet you'll do that. Hope to see you in SF

 

Jul 12, 2008 10:30 AM
Monika McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Hampstead, NH
Southern NH & the Seacoast Area

I've been reading the contest posts...some pretty neat training material for sure. I don't know how everyone had time to pull it off!

 

Jul 12, 2008 10:55 AM
Matt Moxhay
Prudential Fox & Roach - Moorestown, NJ
Moorestown Real Estate

Pat- I noticed Brad A's comment above and really do think they could organize this event into something that people would willingly pay for.  It's been eye opening following the contest and I'm so glad that AR had the vision to put it together and I'm glad that they make it accessible to everyone on AR.  What a gift to us all.

Jul 12, 2008 11:54 AM
Wayne B. Pruner
Oregon First - Tigard, OR
Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI

I too liked the contest Patricia. I will be incorporating some of the ideas when time allows.

Jul 12, 2008 11:55 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Gary, I so agree with you about so much of the training out there being out of date.  At the same time, there are a lot of old-fashioned basics that work as well today as they did in 1983 when I was a rookie, and it's stuff that a lot of the 21st century agents are ignoring - and they're not thriving!  You need the best of both.

Brian, can't wait to see your homework when it's done!  Broker Bryant has done some great posts on value.  I think it's so basic to get really clear on why you're worth so much!

Katerina, it has so much value for all of us, and they guys who thought it up were pretty brilliant.

Suzi, a lot of roses are bred to be bug resistant and don't smell at all, but these roses are quite lovely!  A trip back would be worth it!

Kevin, my broker is pretty pleased with the results!

And Ardell, a lot of the work did not get posted, and the stuff that did will be in the Makeover2Takeover group.  

 

Jul 12, 2008 01:01 PM
Kim Wood
The Tech Byte - West Chester, PA
Kim Wood ~ The Tech Byte

You are so right, Patricia!

I've already sent an agent in our area to ActiveRain specifically to the link of the Makeover2Takeover blogs.... she needs me to help her navigate to the site, but we're getting there - we're going to meet! 

Great tools, and a gentle reminder that I still have quite a few things I want to share with everyone! If I could just find some of that stuff we call... time....

Jul 12, 2008 03:15 PM
Elizabeth Cooper-Golden
Huntsville Alabama Real Estate, (@ Homes Realty Group) - Huntsville, AL
Huntsville AL MLS

Patricia, I'm so glad you posted about all of our challenges!  I have "stuff" all over my computer and have a hard time keeping up with all of it. It is time for me to "clean" house now and get it all organized.

Knowing myself as well as I do, I can honestly say I would NEVER have created the amazing tools I now have for my business.  We have some true "show me the money" ammunition!  I feel so very lucky to have been a part of the challenge and so blessed to have met all of our fellow competitors.  We are lucky, aren't we? 

Did you see my post about a video for all of us?  (Brad, we'll sell it to you, LOL).  I posted it on the M2T blog.  Thanks again Patricia. Great post girl!

I think we all need to chip in and send Rich on a much needed vacation when the challenge is over. He won't be seen for a month!  Thanks again Rich, for being there for all of us, each and every time you were called upon!  (Lord knows I would hate to know the number!)

Jul 12, 2008 03:48 PM
Dawn Maloney
RE/MAX Trinity Northeast Ohio Real Estate Specialist - Hudson, OH
330-990-4236 Hudson & Northeastern Ohio

Patricia, I was thinking of presenting this to my broker - it has been helping me very much. Thanks for the reinforcement. It is a quirky market, and these elements help create order in chaos.

Jul 12, 2008 06:00 PM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

This sounds like this has really been business changing for many if not all of the participants.  Congratulations.

Jul 12, 2008 06:32 PM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Pat - I might be picking your brain in the near future. Glad you got something from it!

Jul 12, 2008 06:36 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Debbie, yes, they made it fun and educational!  Seems to be the Active Rain way of doing things!

Dick, retooling our market strategies is crucial for all of us, especially when we've seen such huge changes in our market places!  That's what this contest was all about.

Brad, it's a few thousand a year to get coaching from Buffini or By Referral Only - which I think is a good investment.  But for me, it didn't start to pay off until the contest came along, and everything came together for me right after week three - when I got kicked off the island!  If you charged each of us $5000 to take part in Makeover2Takeover, it would have been a pretty small fraction of what I put together in June and so far this month.  And I haven't had a month like June in a pretty long time.  And it's all the loser plan that Cati and I put together!  This is a contest where everyone who participates wins!

And Norma, I like the "sharpening our saws" metaphor!

 

Jul 13, 2008 04:02 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Patricia -

I have many friends and clients in my area that follow every step of the Buffini program including the coaching calls and the "Oh By The Ways" lol.  If they only knew and could read your post and comments, they'd be able to really implement what they've learned just as you have done.  In the M2T, Everybody really does win!!  :-)

Jul 13, 2008 05:20 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Diane, it was an honor, indeed.  And I wanted to look at a summary myself, so it was easy to put it all together.

Cindy, I wish we could see them all, because I'll bet that just about everything in there would be a best practice for someone.

Kate, next contest, jump right in!  This one was such a win-win!

Tracy, I rely heavily on referrals, and my participation in the contest has helped me to get more repeat and referral business, so for me, it wasn't so much finding new sourses of business as maximzing what has always worked pretty well.

Margaret, I couldn't have learned more if I had been the mentor!  I was lucky to have someone as wired and smart as Cati - and we're still doing a lot of accountability partnering.  It's been amazing.

Joeann, the basics are just as important as all the new fangled technology stuff, and using the best of both is my strategy.  Instead of San Francisco, I'll be at Cape Cod!

Matt, I think it would be amazing, and I joked in another post that I should be tithing to Active Rain!  I am so eager to read the final posts - should be some Wow stuff in there!

And Wayne, now that would be a smart move for you!

 

Jul 13, 2008 09:24 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Kim, congratualtions on being in the final three!  Can't wait to read your last challenge!  And I'd love to see more of the challenge assignments posted.

Elizabeth, the participants are the ones who need vacations!  And it was a great experience.

Dawn, I think it's all about strategy, and it's certainly helped me.

Christine, I think we probably all added some ammo to our businesses, and it also helped me recognize what works about the old basics.

Carol, we should get a bunch of people together to do a girl's night somewhere between here and Pennsylvania - find a B&B or something.

 

Jul 13, 2008 09:30 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Brad, I think Buffini is just brilliant.  And I'm using my Buffini coach for implementing my M2T plan.  It has some of the Buffini elements certainly, but some of his stuff just isn't me.  And Cati Bannier and I are working as each other's accountability coaches.  Every time we see each other, it's how many calls today?  How many houses?  I love it!

Jul 13, 2008 09:34 AM
Matt Moxhay
Prudential Fox & Roach - Moorestown, NJ
Moorestown Real Estate

Pat: You had me ROFL: tithing to AR...how right you are.  That gives new meaning to the title that I see thrown out there: "AR Gods."

Jul 13, 2008 10:23 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Elizabeth, send me the video, we can charge double for that one!!  lol~

Pat - Buffini is Brilliant!!  He's very down to earth, and very passionate. His programs do one thing! Make people focus and work!

BTW - I'm having an AR tithe basket custom made. haha!!

 

Jul 13, 2008 02:36 PM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

Pat - You really have your systems down! That is why you do so well in this market!

Jul 21, 2008 06:07 AM