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Active Rain's Top Bloggers Ranked by Actual Real Estate Sales Production...Plus Creepy Larry

I follow the advice of AR bloggers all the time but I often wonder who I am taking the advice from. I always think to myself "this person is very interesting but I wonder if they do any business".

Low sales production, in and of itself, does not make you a bad person. And I don't think it has any bearing on whether you are a talented and interesting blogger...or not. However, as I follow your tips step-by-step, it would sure help to know if you have put your own advice to practical use. It would be even better to know how much success you have had following your own advice.

I am sure I will get hammered for this post but I bet 90% of you have wondered the same thing. If you haven't wondered this - you should have. How long would you sit and listen to sales tips from Larry? Everyone knows Larry - or someone like him. He is that creepy guy in your office with the sweaty handshake. He only shows up when there is free food and his gaze lasts just a little bit too long when women in the office pass by. He also only sells one home - every other year.

Editor's Note: No, I am not my office's Larry. At least I don't think I am. If anyone from my firm is reading this please tell me if I am our Larry.

What if, unbeknownst to you, Larry was a great writer and had 418,321 points on AR and thousands of Realtors hung on his every word online? Would this fact make you more inclined to listen to his advice at the water cooler tomorrow? I don't think so.

How do we know we are not listening to a bunch of cyber-Larrys?

I always ask people I work with to "come to me with solutions not problems" but I can't figure out a way to heed my own advice here.

My problem is I don't know which bloggers are just good at talking about real estate and which ones are good writers AND good Realtors. Anyone have an idea how we can figure this out?

If there was a way to create the list that I spoke of in my bogus title that would be great - but I have no idea how to do it. I am not sure anyone is up to posting their numbers on AR for all to see. It's also a bit tacky - even for me.

If you are wondering what made me go off on this tangent please blame the AR members who commented on Nelya Calev's post Do you think real estate agents statistics should be public? I was shocked to see how many agents thought transparency was a bad idea and how many agents shuddered at the thought of letting customers see their track record. You should have nothing to hide. Unless..

YOU are Larry!!

Posted by Aloysius Donohue - Ridgewood Real Estate on 10/08/2008 11:18 PM

Comments (149)

Top AR Bloggers in the Sales Strategies / Tactics Channel

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149 Comments on Active Rain's Top Bloggers Ranked by Actual Real Estate Sales Production...Plus Creepy Larry

OCT

2008

Where to start? I did not read the post that got you into this one but my general thoughts are that statistics mean whatever you want them to mean. I had a talk with a broker in my new office about 'days' on market. To some that is a BIG selling deal. I tend to think DOM only matters if it matters to the seller. My DOM stats sometime 3-6 Months, BUT my sales price to list price are pretty darn close. I know one agent that has a really fast sales time, BUT quicker the sell, the lower the price per sq ft. Either way is fine as long as it is fine with the client. I personally think some clients don't really want to sell, they just want my sign in the yard and the opportunity to spend time with me on the phone. (seriously just kidding) We all need to worry more about the stats that keep the clients happy than the ones that we can use to beat each other over the head. JMHO- cheryl

Larry, I mean Aloysius,

I read Nelya's post too and I too was amazed at all the agents who didn't want their stats to be public. And I too have also wondered the same things about AR members who have their posts taken as gospel simply because they have a lot of points. The first thing I noticed when I joined AR was that even if people wrote mediocre content that they'd get tons of comments about what a great post it was just because they were popular. Then there are those who delete comments that contradict their position because they feel that people are undermining their status.

Yes, you have to wonder how someone can manage being top blogger and top producer.

Can't wait to see the comments on this one.

Michelle

I am one of the 90% that has wondered. I do though read the articles and suggestions and try to focus on the areas that I need to further my knowledge on. Many may or may not be very successful at Real Estate but the knowledge that I have picked up WILL in fact me ME more successful. (hopefully)

Well...an excellent point. Production plus good advice is a recipe for success. Otherwise, it's just one more person who "sounds good". Credibility rests on produced successes.

"I personally think some clients don't really want to sell, they just want my sign in the yard and the opportunity to spend time with me on the phone."

Cheryl, that was priceless. I do wonder where all the information comes from and if you have time to write several blogs and responses a day....how many clients are you working for?

Terry Edwards in sunny SC

FeaturedColumbiaHomes.com

Cheryl- I agree with you that in most cases List to Sale Ratio is most important but there is usually a pretty strong correlation between a short DOM and a good List to Sale ratio. I don't think that trend line diverges that often. The longer a home sits the less you get for it - in most cases. And usually, if a seller agrees to a deal the very first week they are probably getting a pretty good price.

Michelle- Thanks for your note. You make a lot of sense but I do think you can be a top blogger and a great Realtor. I know for a fact that many on AR are both. I also think those that are "popular" probably got that way because they added a lot of value to the discussion on AR, though there may be a few who are probably popular simply because they have been here since the outset and have lots of friends.

Sergio - Don't get me wrong. I love AR and I have learned a lot here. Also, in many cases, the blogger doesn't even need to be a good agent to add value. I follow a lot of SEO and Tech advice here and I don't think it really matters how many sides those agents do. What matters is that they udnerstand technology and SEO. There are plenty folks here who offer great advice in this area.

Li - You speak the truth. Thanks for your note.

You make an excellent point. There are MANY bloggers on here you think they know what they're saying, and they have a huge following, but they're blowing smoke up their arses and everyone elses. There are many people who are here day in day out 24/7 and I often wonder when they actually "work". Me, personally, I'm here quite often, but I'm a huge multi-tasker who usually comments and blogs while doing another 10 things at the same time.

Aloysius - I like the way you think. I joined shortly after the inception of AR to add more internet presence to my biz, though wasn't active at all for the first six months or so. I've also taken several hiatuses, some voluntary and some... not so much:-) Most of the folks who 'follow' me to any extent have done so within the past year and a half or less. I'm a firm believer in transparency and I'd have no problem seeing the proof behind the proverbial pudding. While success can't simply be measured by the pocketbook, it would be nice to see what business is being done and what clients have to say about any consistent contributor on this forum.

"I bet 90% of you have wondered the same thing." I did from the get go. I knew/know many folks are nothing more than talking heads, massaging their ego and business without any real results. For me, I try to blog outside of the time I spend originating loans in the office. AR has got me business, but I'd rather blog when I get home at night or before I go to the office in the morning. This is a mere compliment to my daily business doings. Then again, I find that consistent bloggers and contributors also tend to be those who translate those same qualities into their business and marketing efforts. This should provide for some interesting commentary. You certainly know how to stir the pot ask very relevant questions.

And I assure you, I'm NOT a good REALTOR:-)

Shucks...ya got me.

Al - I've got no beef with putting the stats up. I lean on my record when talking to prospects, so I could get down with a production throwdown. I don't necessarily think that the ultra mega producer is always the best agent. Some are simply void of conscience and skilled at the art of the grift. That said, there is a minimum level of productivity that is required if we are to be respected by peers and clients alike. I am not ashamed to put my 700 billion dollars in total production from this past month on the line. I am a one man bailout.

Of course, I'll listen to most anyone. Even the guy making 20k a year might have a trick to making that 20k that I don't employ. That's 20k more in my pocket if I can incorporate it. The only advice I won't take comes from the peacocks who assume I want or need it. I tend to lift ideas from non-promotional type posts rather than the "teaching" posts. Let's be honest. Some clowns list themselves as Realtors, beauty shop owners, motivational speakers, family counselors, interventionists, naturopathic herbalists, firebreathing yogi, insurance salesmen, iguana whisperers, carpet installers and part time foot masseuses. I will do the exact opposite of whatever their crazy ass says.

Donna - I hear what you are saying but I don't fault the folks that are here all day. They may generate a lot of business via AR or they may just enjoy it. I just always wonder who is who out in the real world.

"I like the way you think."

Jason - Right back at ya. What was your "involuntary" hiatus? Did you get kicked off by AR, did a family member get upset b/c you were spending too much time here, what was it?

I agree with your point that the good, disciplined bloggers are probably also good disciplined business people - be they realtors, mortgage reps, etc. I think some folks are taking this post as me slamming folks with lots of points. I was really just spouting off the top of my head because I always wonder who everyone on AR is in real life. I wonder if the top dogs on AR are also top dogs in real life. Not that it matters one way or the other - but it would just be very interesting to know the answer.

You have some excellent points . Thanks

Misty - I can't imagine you being creepy. Say it ain't so.

Aloysius wrote:

" My problem is I don't know which bloggers are just good at talking about real estate and which ones are good writers AND good Realtors. Anyone have an idea how we can figure this out? "

Take a look at their blog and compare it to the industry greats like lenn harvey and broker bryant. This ofcourse if you're looking for expertise in real estate. If you want to know who's got a lot of business, take a look at their listings. Is it their own listings? or are they just filling up blogs with corporate listings. Active Rain is definetely a positive indicator that one is technology oriented but if they aren't advertising in print and if their picture isn't on a shopping cart(just an example) then they may very well not be doing any business or may have given up on real estate and gone part time. Seeing how the economy currently is, i wouldn't be surprised if that was the case for many in the industry right now.

btw: i realize you called for a list, and seeing that is one of our specialities we'll consider it for one of our future projects. For now we'd have you refer to our Featured Members list which showcases the very best of Active Rain.

Good point, I read dozens of books a year and hundreds of blogs...I used to ask the same question. However, I have recently realized a very important point. Those books, blogs, articles are not meant to be our sole guiding light for the rest of our life. We shouldn't abandon all reason because larry made a great point. The value of these blogs and every other piece of informational content we read is simply to create a spark in our own minds, it's to inspire us to think new thoughts and make independent decisions from there. The way I see it, show me a total loser's blog...it'll be in my rss reader tonight. Because their track record is useless to me, what's important is being exposed to thoughts that I may not have thought before. From there, it's all up to me to choose whether or not it would be valuable for me to implement that idea. Does that make sense?

Hi Aloysius. I read her blog (the one you are referring to) and took it to mean she wanted to use that information to bash someone else to get the business and made it very clear I would have a problem with that approach. She has since made it clear thats not what she meant and I wasn't the only one who thought thats what she was implying so some of those comments might have been different without the confusion. I don't mind having numbers posted because I work by mostly referrals and my clients and I keep in touch and they are more than thrilled at the results. I haven't been in real estate as long as most agents I come into contact with, but I have gotten some of those expired listings by the top producers in my area. :)

Well I am not sure exactly where to start other then why me? I don't know about the red suit but I prefer the pink tutu in my picture. No while I am the Larry in my office I am not your Larry. Don't know how you picked the name but, hey don't wear it out I need it.

Al - At Inman Connect in SF last summer, Linda Davis made a great comment when she said, "if you have a crappy business, having a great blog won't help" (at least that is what I recall she said). I DO know bloggers who are great at blogging but LITERALLY sell no houses. Some of them are extremely well known.

My only concern with "comparing production" is that what makes a good living varies wildly from place to place. In Silicon Valley, the average agent right now is selling 2-3 homes a year (everyone has a licnese here). Top producers are selling less than a home a month. That wouldn't be the case in, say, Jacksonville, MI, would it? In my town of Los Gatos, there are about 30.000 residents, 18,000 of which are registered voters, and there are about 1,000 Realtors in town. (If you don't know any Realtors, you have no friends.) But in other parts of the US, there are far fewer numbers of agents in any given geographical area. Between the high saturation level of agents and the relatively high prices, there really just aren't as many sales per capita here as elsewhere.

As for me, I'm usually in the top 5-10% of my area, but I'll 'fess up that my sales are down this year. Part of it was from working with buyers who were attempting to get into short sales early in the year (lots of work, no pay), and part of it was due to personal circumstances (my dad was ill and I spent a lot of time at the hospital in spring and early summer).

It's a good question if you are looking at these Realtors as business role models. Many, as you noted, are great sources of info on SEO and other things. Do we care about their production? I don't think so. It all depends on what you're looking for when you read the posts.

OCT

2008

You know...this is a common concern on the Internet. And while I think it's a valid "wish" - I also think that someone can give great advice without getting out there and selling. One reads what they want and takes away what they will. There are back-door methods like the ones mentioned in the previous comments to get an idea of whether an agent is producing anything or not. (I'm not, my license is currently inactive - so don't take my advice - unless you want to :-) I've been a Real Estate Virtual Assistant for almost 8 years now and their are people popping up everywhere as Real Estate Virtual Assistant coaches or selling products to benefit Real Estate Virtual Assistants, etc...what gets my goat is that I know that half of these people haven't actively been a Real Estate Virtual Assistant for years...what business do they have tooting their horns as industry experts?

So you see...it's not just agents wondering about agents giving advice...it happens in all industries!

This is a very valid discussion. MMMM I know that several times I have been surprised to find that the impression of being a 'performer' is quite often not the reality. Not only in blogging but even in the office. You may have met the guy, he (or she) has very well defined ideas and opinions on everything real estate, coming across as a heavy hitter, but when the chips are down the quiet guy in the corner blows away his performance every year. That is not to say that his opinions and ideas are not valid, they may indeed be, but sometimes the expression of those ideas become more important than the implementation of the concepts embedded in them. The only defense is to use your own bs filter, and remember that real world performance is not necessarily a guage of the validity of the advice.

Keep in mind "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

hahahaha! ROTFLMBO!!!!

I have really just hoped that people who are that weird, really can't write that well.

Thanks for the awesome laugh......That even got a "honey, come here and listen to this!"

Al - This was a clever post. I am not Larry, either. I have had some great success selling homes, AND I have a lot of points here. I am also a broker/owner with 16 agents in my company now. However, there is no way for you to substantiate this, is there? As Paul indicated above, I sometimes get good ideas from folks who may not be making very much at all. Conversely, the really productive people may be boring in their writing sometimes. Who knows?

Hi Al!

I'm not Larry (or Laritha) either. (I do know him, though. In my old office, his name was not Larry...but you nailed the description right on the head.)

Like my brother, Jason, who just commented...I've been successful in real estate AND blogging (I don't have as many points as Jason, and he won't share with me! :-( BUT...I've made a little splash in the 'RAIN' in the year I've been here. I'm also not shy about my sales. I was recently featured in a Keller Williams ad on the back of a well-known real estate magazine with my sales prominently displayed. I'm not bragging, but you did sort of ask.

We are in a really tough market. I know very experienced, solid agents here at AR that are struggling. It does not make them a less reliable authority on the subject of real estate because their local market is dying a slow and painful death.

I LOVE YOUR POST! I have had similar thoughts before. ALL I can tell you is trust your gut. Read the people who speak to you...and don't worry about anything else. Make real connections, and you will quickly find out exactly who is behind the keyboard and mouse. Besides...Larry is lonely. He needs friends, too. GBU!

I think you can tell just by reading someone's blog if they produce or not.

Shoot. I wouldn't care if they ranked AR members by income production. I would just want a chance to go to my 2 MLS sources and have them update it to show accurate information.

I kind of like Larry. He's attractive in that poor guy you gotta love him kind of way. What does that say about me?

Most of the blogs seem to me to give some indication of volume. But Larry might very well be a very successful sales person.

Richard

Aloysius, Valid discussion. I know for a fact that there are some very well known bloggers that don;t do a lot business. Not necessarily on AR but in the outside blogosphere. BUT....that doesn't necessarily make them a bad REALTOR(R). In fact they could be very good at what they do. It's just generating a lot of business isn't something they do.

Now on AR I would say most of the top bloggers are better than average at what they do. There are a lot of the same attributes needed to be successful in business as there are to being "successful" on AR. For example: Likability, consistency and knowledge.

I for one have always been very honest about the amount of business I do. I am a small time broker in a small time market. I work from my home and have for 10 years. I also work by myself. I have been in the business for 14 years and have only had 2 months were I didn't get paid. Both were this year. I sell single family residential homes in one of the worse markets in the country where values have declined 60% in the last 18 months and it is getting worse.

This year I have closed 19 transaction sides after a very bad start and have another 5 pending. I hope to hit 30 for the year which is a very bad year for me. I average about 40 sides a year with my best ever being 62. 62 transactions in my market was right at 10mil in business!!!! I'm a blue collar broker.

BUT.....I am excellent at what I do. I do the amount of business I want to do and turn down more than I take.

I joined AR to hopefully help others in their business. I never tell folks what to do or how to do it. Instead I tell them what works for me in my market with the intent to get them thinking about how they can apply what I do to their business.

So there you have it. I'm not sure why folks have a problem with being transparent.

I think I may make a post out of this today and give you some link love!!!

So incredibly funny. Isn't it funny that it's always a "Larry" and never a "Mary"? I wonder why that is...

I think it's not so much about the tips, and if they work for other people, but whether they will work for me. Each market, each person, each client/customer is different. Some agents on AR will not do an open house. I've had terrific success from open houses, and even will do them on other agents listings if the house is likely to generate me people I want to work with. On the flip side, door knocking has never been my strong suit (it actually gives me hives). So I'm not likely to be pounding the pavement with freshly baked cookies, or a pumpkin to leave at someone's doorstep.

Even if you're the office Larry. Keep posting those tips! I will find and use the ones that work for me!

Aloysius, first: GREAT post! Having read and commented on Nelya's rhetorical question, I think full disclosure would be terrific...but like no taxes, National Healthcare, and world peace, it will never happen, simply because there would be several "Larry's" that would be "outed" and might get their feelings hurt.

Personally, I would pay to see a service/list like this...not to belittle or bad mouth competition..but just so everyone would know if there is a "Larry" or a real "Wizard behind the curtain".

The moral question is still" "If you had to relocate, were about to lose your home, etc. wouldn't you want to know that you had an agent who "practiced in real life results what they preached on their blog" and was constantly in the lower 10% in their office (much less the MLS)?

I have no problem sharing my production numbers as anyone in our MLS can see them anyway; however, I do see a problem that you mention, manipulation of statistics. I can see it now....."Oh they sold X houses last year for X million, which means they made $XXX!"

Tina in Virginia

I have no problem with transparency. When I sold full time, I closed 30-40 Buyer transactions a year. Then I was an employing broker and we closed 150-250 sales a year. Now I am no longer an employing broker and refer most buyers to former agents who are now brokers.

There is so much variety in business models, trying to rank quality agents and brokers by production is not possible.

Don't forget, the production stats from the MLSs is worthless. New home sales are seldom reported. Also, team leaders get credit for other agents sales. Many brokers take credit for agent transactions, etc. The stats don't really mean anything.

However, we are quite transparent in our writings on ActiveRain and can be judged by all.

To be perfectly honest, I have never ever wondered about anyone's production on AR. I was taught many years ago to only compete with myself.

Bryant, I love that term "link love". Now I have learned something new.

My feeling is that you will get my attention when you speak if you sell more than me. Lot of good teachers out there, but for me, I like people who have walked the talk and been successful at it. Haveing said that, I do believe their our teachers who have not sold alot, who can help some people get better.

In fact, I read this post hoping you had the list.

clear as mud?

Thanks again.

Nice topic, I am heading to read the post by Nelya. I was wondering the samething. I am also wondering if buyers/sellers are coming to this website.

Slaybaugh - I knew you wouldn't have any problem talking about your stats whether they were good or bad. You don't seem to shy away from anything. I knew you would have a good track record but 700 billion this month is pretty impressive - even for you.

I don't think a person has to be a mega-producer for other folks to listen to him/her. I firmly believe that:

Every man is my better in some way (and a lot are better in every way)

It sounds corny but it is true. A broke, drug addicted serial killer may be a great mechanic or be an expert on WWII, and in that, you could learn something even from him.

I love your reference to Peacocks. There is nothing I hate more in life than peacocks. My mission in life is to take a bit of the air out of pompous asses.

One of my favorite things to do when I see a real pompous Wall Street guy in a store (preferably K-Mar t or WalMart) spouting off about how great he is, is to go up to him and pretend I think he works there and ask him what isle the soap is in. They are always so embarrassed in front of whoever they are with because for them to be confused with a common working man is embarrassing. Try it. It's fun.

Al do you know where Larry got his suit? This would make a perfect addition to my Halloween wardrobe:) I love the post. I always wonder the same thing. I am willing to bet some of the better bloggers are not the best producers.

Aloysius, Larry scares me but what an excellent topic. I listed a property and the owners gave me literature another agent had left- stating 48 sales last year. I didn't say anything to the client but thought to myself, 44 of those sales must have been outside our MLS (I sold the listing). As Tina stated, our production is posted in MLS for other agents to see and I have no problem sharing mine.

Al & The Gang -

I would assume many of those responding here are not only good bloggers, good writers - but strong producers as well.

When you write, you often write from experience, and you need the work experiences to write well in this or any blog.

Of course, if you are making a referral, you would want to investigate the credentials of any referred agent more intensely. And you would also want to review some of their blog posts to indicate personality, industry knowledge, how they share with others, and how they might react in difficult situations.

We can always create a group of "Top Producing Bloggers," but it might exclude many mid level producers who know and share, and are a key part of this community.

My thoughts, anyway!

CREEPY LARRY & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Aloysius:

Fantastic Post: I am not a Realtor, just a lowly appraiser here on Active Rain and I could not agree with you more. I plan to write a post about why some people wind up on the featured home page when most of the posts are anecdotal. Content is king, but what are we really learning about each other....other than some of you are damn good writers and the pictures in the posts are cool.

I remember reading one post from someone who said she was very disappointed when she had a chance to refer someone to a Realtor in another state and she was NOT happy because there was a lack of good profile pages on Active Rain, she was hard pressed to find someone that she would feel good about referring her client to. That is pretty depressing.

Thanks and Love you name, that was my fathers middle name!

Signature

It is an interesting point, but I tend to assess the information and try to decide whether what I am reading would work for me. There are people doing really well whose styles and personality don't match mine and if i attempted their approach, I would fail. On the other hand, if I can glean a tip or trick that makes me better and works with my overall plan, I don't care where it comes from.

I have had this question since I joined last February; it is a great one and you deserve to be featured for bringing it up. I think there are ways to measure, number of transactions and average sale price would be great. I don't think DOM is valid; there are too many variables that affect that from stubborn sellers to global economy and a lot in between. Would we all tell the truth; hmmmm...I don't know the answer to that. I guess you can tell a little bit about our business because most of us write about it.

It really becomes important when you refer. I would want someone who has a killer blog, great website, and is very responsive AND can demonstrate an expertise in the business...I want it all... as my husband would say!

You take the good....you leave the bad.....and there you have the facts of life....on Active Rain.

Your post is thought provoking. I think everyone has someone they look up to or think is at the level they are headed for. Everyone wants something different and has their own goals. I listen to new agents and lower production agents from time to time, sometimes they have a great thought or idea outside the box or a different perspective. Take what you need and leave the rest. I give them credit for stepping up and writing their thoughts on-line.

www.homesbyjulieanne.com

I'm only concerned about my own production and if I'm curious about another local agent I can check the MLS. Not all transactions are listed in the MLS so it might only be a paritial glimpse at their actually sales records this year. What is irksome is agents who are relying on their past production levels. This year is very different in our area. If you are saying you are a top producer then it needs to be for 2008 and not for years past.

you know.. as we came out of Real Estate 101 class, they talked about this. they suggested that you stay away from "Larry's" in the office, who have tons of advice. make sure that the person handing out the advice has actually had some success with his own advice.

that being said, I think it's fairly easy to validate the quality of the advice/bloggin' (my shout-out to Sarah Palin) just by reading the blogs and the follow up comments.

Additionally, depending on where you live, and the pricing in your market... you could find Elizabeth Nieves with $6,000,000 in sales, not realizing that in her market the average sale is $250,000, therefore that represents 24 sales, and Alan May with $6,000,000 in sales where the average sale is $12,000,000 so that represents only 1 sale which I co-listed and had to pay 50% to the other agent.

(Not a true representation, by the way... for those who are keeping count. Elizabeth actually had over $6,000,000 in sales just in January of 08, and I had to colist that property with 4 other agents, and since it was a relo I had to pay a 40% referral fee, and split 50/50 - heavy sigh - )

Are you sure --- that you don't know LARRY! I love the picture and I have had the same thoughts myself...who are these people. BUT, luckily , if you hang around the rain enough...you begin to see trends and advise that rings true. Thanks for the chuckle today... I needed it! P

This is great information! It's definitely something I'll keep around for reference in the future!

This is so funny, I am sure there are more than a few who fit this bill..I do not know how anyone finds the time to mega-post and still work! HOWEVER,I do know several folks that are excellent writers and very prolific that are also producing agents and lenders!

Al - I like your style. I just read your comment to Slaybaugh above. It sounds like something I would do.

Aloysius,

I think this is a good topic for exploration and discussion. I think you will find that most folks who have gained credibility and credence will be transparent about their business. I have seen Lenn Harley and Broker Bryant both be extremely transparent about their business and there are others- not being called upon to do so, but because that's their blogging DNA.

I am not a real estate agent but I do blog about real estate topics from a consumer angle mostly. If it is from a professional angle, it is only from leaning on my 16 years of experience in various capacities in the industry and/or with help from licensed real estate contributors.

My main posts are from a business angle or a consumer angle, both are topics in which I have experience and I feel absolutely comfortable blogging about. I always correct people when they think I am a real estate agent, though I have helped close 40-60 transactions/month for 7 years straight before I moved into corporate relocation and then online real estate business.

I have also posted about my background and all my profiles online are very clear as well as the fact that I have an online resume posted. I would never hide my experience....I have to say I am proud of my background and the years to the grind I put in:-)

O.K., now off the topic of me and my disclosure- thank you for letting me do so and sorry for being so long winded here....as far as advice from top producers vs. advice from medium or low producers, many real estate agents are restructuring their business or still building out. Some top producers are having a hard time right now making a shift to transparency and being online and I have spoken with them or observed their online struggles.

But as a reader wanting to know what advice to take....you'll know. When you read something good that resonates to your core, you will feel it and know it's right on. Something that doesn't sit right or seem to make sense....you'll know. Let your gut speak to you, it's usually dead on.

Well, I am a new agent so I don't mind the transparency. I still have listings, even though my newness in residential RE was fully disclosed, but I have not sold any of them and I don't believe this reflects poorly on me. I got back into the business just as we were all going to hell in a handbasket. It wouldn't bother me. I still enjoy blogging and I think that great articles and thoughts show you the great ideas within a person. And great ideas lead to great things.

Al, this is quite the conversational post...there are so many thoughts I have...for me, I work as a team, so like Lenn said, if someone searched the MLS for me, I would show zero transactions when the truth of the matter is that my father & I are the top team in our office and have been for the past 7 years. Statistics can be made to read good on just about any subject. To me, I want to know that you are a good fit with the person. If you don't click well together, it is a pointless subject. While we are extremely successful at selling real estate, there are times we have to just tell a few clients, sorry but you're we can't work together!

it is difficult to separate the points and the need to chase points with good work and focus on the need to translate efforts into money. so this is an interesting post.

I think that it would not hurt to have the truth put out there online, along with the blog posts. I am a newbie (a year and a half in). I have not had the sales volume I ultimately want( I am a little over $2M for the year), but I think I am doing alright considering this crazy market and the fact that I am new PLUS the fact that I work another full time job. Thanks for the post.

I truly think that even some new agents who are trying to build a business can bring us a fresh perspective. If they work hard, do their homework and are genuinely trying to build a business, I think some of the young'uns can remind some of the old timers of some things that we don't do...I've been in this business for over 20 years, but not licensed for that long...maybe 4 years now...I have a lot of experience in many different areas, yet, I'm still considered a newbie agent is some respects...Over the years, I've seen a lot of old timers get sloppy...they take things for granted...why do you see so many new agents rise to the top? We do need to take what we read and digest it through our own knowledge base and make sure it makes sense, but who cares if it comes from a newer agent or not? Perhaps they will jog our memories and we can say "oh yeah... I remember that I used to do that it worked great...or no way will I do that, its a waste of money"...everyone has their place here...we just need to take ownership of what we read and believe.

Someone may have a gift for inspiring, entertaining, training, teaching, etc. and that knowledge or experience is just as valuable, if not more valuable, than their real estate production numbers. Agents need to stop judging one another and start worrying about themselves and themselves only.

Lenn Harley, goddess that she is, put my thoughts into words. Ok, I'm just going to also ditto Jeremy and Kelly. My market is so small and so unique, my stats would need a huge explanation along with them. My references speak volumes over numbers. I think it's pretty clear when most bloggers know what they are talking about and when they are blowing smoke.

Blogging can be an effective part of a business plan when one's priorities are in order. Right now, I know you are at Chuck E. Cheese playing skee ball and whack-a-mole with your birthday boy. You've got the right idea about when agents need to be at work or blogging and when to be at play with family. It can be done (although I'm still figuring it out!). Happy B-day to your boy!

I see your topic has generated much interest and well thought out comments... I for one always question what I read whether it is here on Active Rain or from a well-respected book. You can't believe everything you read and in addition what works for one person will not work for another. Another point would be opinion and even facts can become outdated. If I post today on a neighborhood and state the home values have steadily increased at a certain rate, six months or a year from now that information is still out there but it may no longer be true. Without further research someone could pick up that post and believe it to still hold true.

I have a book that was highly recommended about ten years ago on investing in real estate. Although there is a lot of information in the book that still holds true the information on financing options and investment strategies is no longer valid.

To making stats public record....As a consumer I look for who is going to get the job done and meet my needs so stats don't give me what I want. I need to know how that person operates and I need to trust them. The only way I can do that is by meeting with them and discussing my goal. I believe some consumers do need those stats and so they should be provided in an unbiased manner.

We all have a Larry in our office, some may even have several. I'm sure there are Larrys on AR. How do we know the difference? I don't know if there can be a method for this because of various business models and stat reporting. (Many organizations have had the same problem for years reporting stats because it is dependent on self-reporting from the various sources.)

I enjoyed your post and the many comments... Definitely an interesting read, but I'll take it with a grain of salt because, well, you might be a Larry...

I to have wondered this, but there are too many good idea's in AR to not see what they are. I'm glad people like to share in this forum, it's inspiring to get idea's and see other succeed.

I don't have time to read many of these blogs because I am out selling real estate. THIS WAS A GREAT BLOG ABOUT LARRY! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE REALTOR STATS INCLUDED WITH THE BLOGS! No, this would not be for bragging purposes, but so that we could tell if they had any credibility and past successes. I always wondered which bloggers were successful realtors and which ones had nothing better to do, but sit around and work on their blogs.

Good post. I read that post you mentioned and actually had the same thoughts running through my head. You put it in words much better than I would have.

Yes, just about any idea or method will work if you implement it well enough. But there is a big difference between theory and reality. I like to know that someone is actually getting real results from whatever they are promoting. I guess how you measure results is a big question. Some might call something a success if they do something that makes the phone ring. Blogging did that for me but I found that the calls I was getting were for information or for people already in a jam who I couldn't help.

I now blog for the fun of it. My partner and I do about 40-60 transactions/year. Along with that, we pass out a lot of internet leads to other agents in our network. I get the majority of my leads through my website. I haven't had one transaction from ActiveRain so I'm not the one to follow for advice on using a blog to generate business. I have had great success with my regular website though. Just do a search for anything real estate related in Atlanta.

The bottom line to me is: Show me the money.

Congratulations on a well deserved feature... The comments are very thought provoking, but like a lot of things, statistics don't tell the entire story.

Aloysius - If there is one lesson we have all learned in this market is that everything has a "Cycle". Believe it or not that includes the "Larry's" of every office. Everyone knows that the sales professionals mantra is "What have you done for me THIS month/year" it is pounded into us from our first sales position.

I know Larry, he was in the Top 1% in the nation from 1975 to 1988 , then he went through a nasty divorce , or was diagnosed with cancer , or unexpected quadruplets arrived one year , or the spouse lost their job and all the savings became depleted.

Sometimes life just takes a toll and the Top producer of today becomes the Larry of tomorrow , or visa versa. As long as Larry can teach me a lesson about myself,life or even the biz than he has value in the office and out. Heck I'll even have a customer call him so he can add an extra transaction to his volume. I might have to wear the "Larry" suit next and need some compassion from my fellow office mates.

I guess I'm saying that production is just a snapshot in time like a CMA , it does not reflect the reality of a career or an agents level of proficiency.

I KNOW that some top bloggers don't do the business they think they do in their minds.

But, that doesn't mean that they can't write some thoughtful posts now & again.

I do wonder ...

I posted a somewhat negative on Neyla's post because I don't think that she is a top seller & she wants to see what everyone else is doing! Curious - nosy - that's about it. Get me in front of a seller & I'll produce my numbers & stats like a rabbit out of a hat. That's what I told her. I don't care what you think about my AR writing or my MLS stats. There are so many realtors 'blowing smoke' that I'm surprised their offices aren't on fire. But that's the nature of the beast. We all know a 'Larry'. We all know people who can talk great & always have the ideas, and sell ZERO.

How much do you sell???

Thumbs up to Broker Bryant & Lenn!

looks like you have hit the same nerve on this posting to, dude... wow!

Chris the implemtner

I don't know how you can be a good realtor and have so much time to blog. some of these posts must take hours of tedeous research plus adding links, photos and such. I have a family and I like to sleep ocassionally.

You raise some good points, and this is a very interesting discussion. I have just entered the business within the last 2 years. Consequently, my production and statistics are low compared to others.

I have accumulated some points here, and if anyone were to search the "top commercial real estate agents" on Google as shown here on AR, I would be in the top 10. That's based on points, some 25,000 at this time, not production.

All the points are basically blogging points rather than anything else. So, according to AR I should be tops in my field. It's a rather strange criteria. And, yes you would think that production should count for something, but it doesn't.

Right now, I have over 1,000 articles published on various topics on the internet. Many are republished by others. So, those same 1,000 articles appear many times over. Due to that fact, I have a wealth of previously written articles that I can post to AR every day. I don't, but I could! That would run up the blogging points and apparently provide me with increased credibility.

In order to assess quality, I think you have to read the posts and make up your own mind. In my case, I practised law for over 25 years and handled over 5,000 real estate transactions. In addition, I have numerous commercial trials that provide me with relevant experience. Again, no one would know that, since that experience is not covered by the blogging points, nor would it be covered by production statistics.

In any event, very interesting and topical discussion.

Brian Madigan

Interesting topic and I am not opposed to put up sales statistics. Generally you can tell who has real transaction experience and who doesn't if you follow their posts and comments long enough.

I'm not afraid of transparency, and I will share anything with my clients that doesn't violate confidentiality. However, in the midst of our bank failure explosion, how you think the CEOs of AIG and Fannie Mae feel about having very public salaries?

My guess is not very good. We REALTORs do a good job and are well compensated for it. If we are going for true transparency, are we also going to share what it costs us to market? Do we set an hourly rate and bill for our time spent writing copy for listings and ads? At least 1/3 of our job is research. How do we assign a value to that? I understand your point, but I think there are other ramifications to that statement. If your clients know you made $500,000 last year, they might not hesitate to ask for a commission reduction.

How about using the number of annual closed transactions as a baseline?

Tyrone - Thanks very much.

Castellum Realty - I am an avid reader of Broker Bryant and agree his stuff is excellent. I am not familiar with Lenn Harvey but I will look him up once I knock off some of these responses. I look forward to seeing your list. Loved your list on featured members.

What a great discussion, but I think that we are getting away from Al's point. While transparency and disclosure can be great things, I do not believe that they are necessary in the context of blogging. I do approximately 40 deals per year, does that make my comments more valuable than somebody who does 10? Less than one doing 60? I actually don't think so, since the insight is where the value arrives. The ability to communicate ideas and concepts is not directly related to success in the field. Many great ideas have been concieved through necessity of the moment when things were not going well. Are the best agents defined by their monetary success, client satisfaction, happiness, or their ability to pass along wisdom? I suggest that it is the combination of all of these in proportions of importance decided only by that person.

Value every opinion, all advice, but filter it through your values and experience.

Andrew - Yes, your points make a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing them with me.

Pamela - Your point about the confusion in the other post is well taken. Glad to hear you are doing so well with the expireds. If you can sell them, you can sell anything.

Larry S. - Nice TuTu. I assure you that any resemblance between you and my fictional "Larry" are purely coincidental.

Mary Pope - I remember that quote from Linda Davis. I was in the audience. She was very funny and the rest of the panelists were great as well - especially you. Bloggers Connect is where I decided to give blogging a try in earnest because you guys got me really fired up about it.

I don't know the stats here in Ridgewood on number of Realtors but I bet were are close to being in the same boat as you. There are about 20 homes on my street and we have 3 realtors.

My numbers were always 1....1 sale a week, then 1 sale extra a month, 1 million a month, 1 new listing a week, and so on. I didn't get confused with this system. When we opened up our 100% company, it was because we wanted to enjoy life more and work less, while investing in the business of real estate. Our best year was 2 years ago...we sold 32 less homes than the previous year, yet with the personal purchases and resales, no splitting of fees with the broker owner, plus the income from "the company" we actually made more money. Just recently we gave up the 100% franchise and have gone back to just us with an assistant, and are much happier.

For us it was never about the numbers, it was enjoying working together, working smarter, and investing in ourselves. This year will be one of my worst years, however, I pay the bills, (most of them), have eliminated most of our classified advertising, started some newer marketing techniques, and have been enjoying myself much, much more, and looking forward to next year, being successful.

Active Rain has not been a boon for my business, the internet has, and that is why I'm here. After over 2 years of AR I might hit 50k in points this week, but it is just a number.... it does not mean all that much to me, what means more to me is the relationships with members. I still enjoy reading, learning and commenting at times, and I think every one here recognizes what is really important, to some it is the numbers, to others it's points, and others it is a life that you enjoy. I'll take that...a life that I enjoy!

Dick Beals

Christine - Thanks for your note. I think I am inclined to follow a VA's advice more than anyone's because you guys always technology and organization experts.

Keith - My BS filter usually works pretty well but sometimes it breaks down. Maybe is gets clogged filtering my own BS.

Pam P. - Thanks very much. Next to "please come and list my house", "honey, come here and listen to this!" is about the best response I could get to a post.

Jason - You don't have to substantiate anything. I think your record here is pretty well documented in terms of being excellent at both ends of the spectrum. I agree, productive people can be boring but so is Larry.

Elizabeth N. - Like your brother Jason, you accomplishments are also pretty well documented here. I don't think anyone is wondering if your advice is valid - at least I am not. You are right, you are not bragging. I asked. Thanks for answering.

I like Larry. I buy him lunch all the time. I just don't want to take his advice.

What is GBU?

"I think you can tell just by reading someone's blog if they produce or not."

Jeff - How?

"I kind of like Larry. He's attractive in that poor guy you gotta love him kind of way. What does that say about me?"

Kris - It says either that you are a kind-hearted person that roots for the underdog or you fancy creepy guys in leisure suits - or both.

"I sell single family residential homes in one of the worse markets in the country where values have declined 60% in the last 18 months and it is getting worse."

Broker Bryant - Given this, I would say just by virtue of the fact that you are still in business means you are someone whose advice I would line up to take.

As Billy Joel says, "Sometimes just surviving is a noble cause". However, you are doing a heluva lot more than just surviving. You are kicking butt.

This sort of hits the crux of my post/question. Now that I know this about you, I can feel like I am actually improving my career when I read your blog. I always knew you were interesting but I would still feel guilty reading blogs instead of "working" because it felt like goofing off especially if I thought the person I was reading might be someone who had no idea what they were talking about. Not that you have to prove anything to me, but it just helps to know you have put your own advice to good to the test and you were successful with it. I am rambling a bit, I know.

"Most of the blogs seem to me to give some indication of volume. But Larry might very well be a very successful sales person."

Richard - Not sure I follow this. What do you mean?

"Isn't it funny that it's always a "Larry" and never a "Mary"? I wonder why that is..."

Jennifer - Oh, I beg to differ. There are definitely "Marys" out there. See a photo of her above. She is Larry's cousin. All her clients are bad people, the market is terrible, the broker is stealing from her, discount company's are going to put us out of business, young brokers are cocky, older brokers should retire, the water is too wet, the beach is too sandy, the sun is too shiny, etc.

Bobby - I agree. Even more important than sales volume stats would be stats on DOM and List to Sale ratio. Would you draft a baseball player if he wouldn't tell you his batting average?

I've always felt the same.

I think there should be a production self-reporting feature on Active Rain. Yes, it would be up to the agent to be truthful, but if it were ever found out somebody was lying, it would be a huge ethics issue and misrepresentation, which can quickly cause someone to lose their license. If a member were dumb enough to do that, they do not belong here in the first place.

Larry,oops you are not Larry,

I think a lot of good bloggers are also good agents. You can certainly take advice from those that do not sell. There are some wonderful trainers and teachers to learn from even though they may not be active in listing and selling. Good ideas come from lots of places. You've heard the statement, "when the student is ready the teacher appears." So much to learn from so many places even "Larry"

We have a Larry or should I say we had a Larry. Last month I sold 14 homes but he might out do my production before year end.

Sometime we judge people too quick!

Read my blog!!

OCT

2008

I only have time to blog when I am not busy. UhOh!

Lenn will be thrilled that you will read 'him'. She will be honored you took the time.

Tina - Thanks for your note. I think we are all talking about 2 sets of stats.

I was just curious about how many of the top bloggers were also top agents. So that would be the annual sales stats discussion here on AR and I didn't really expect that much would come of it other than some discussion.
The other discussion around what we share with clients/prospects is even more interesting. I am not sure why consumers should not have access to our volume and, more importantly, our DOM and Price to Sale stats.

Lenn - You make some good points and I agree you can't really do an "apples to apples" comparison. I was just curious as to how many top bloggers were top agents too and what the correlation was. Sounds like you are both.

Lyn - Lenn is a woman and a very prominent blogger here on AR. Now I understand your sarcasm. The commenter said Lenn Harvey and I did not make the connection. Thanks for correcting me.

Do you really think she would be honored? That is nice of you to say.

I really don't care who does what. I don't care if anyone wants to pull my numbers and judge me. New construction does NOT reflect in our MLS and I know some biggies on AR who do sell an abundance of NC and it would look like they do nothing.

I think we need to at least be honest with what the numbers reflect and what they don't reflect. If I lose business to something like that, so be it I guess.

"To be perfectly honest, I have never ever wondered about anyone's production on AR."

Diane - This would make you unique. I think it would be human nature to wonder about this.

Brien - Having the actual list described in the title would be fun and interesting but I have no idea how to accomplish it. Do you?

Huiting - I think buyers and sellers are more likely to go to Localims but what the heck to I know. Thanks for your note.

Mary T – Appraisers aren’t lowly, politicians are. I think you know that. Glad you like the name. Still have never heard of another person with the same first name. I always thought I would but I am 40 so time is running out.

Erik H – You speak the truth. Thanks.

Cindy in Indy – What you outlined sounds great. How do we do it?

Marlene – Thanks for the advice.

Julie Anne – Can’t argue with your sound logic.

Cindy J - I agree that current stats are more meaningful. Thanks for your note.

Pamela S in NJ – I know several Larry’s but none are named Larry. Thanks for the advice. When are you going to come to Marron Gildea & Donohue? You can help me get the whole firm blogging. I am serious.

Alan/Elvis - I agree with your 101 Class teacher.

You have some seriously complex splits going on there.

I must be the odd woman out here...I've never thought about. I have a vision for my business and a certain $ amount I want to make every year. I have my goal and my plan to get there. I like new ideas and change and spend time on AR to get ideas. I take those ideas and tweak them to work into my plan. I'm not interested in imitating anyone. I'm just interested in being really good at what I do.

Some people are idea people and not so good at the details of things. You can have a great idea, or a thought that causes me to have a great idea. I could care less how much you do. I don't think that devalues a person's posting in any way shape or form. I have no problem with posting stats online, but that is for consumers. I want ideas.

Apparently, Paul's is to do the exact opposite of what we "crazy ass family counselors" (you know what I 'usta be) say to do.

OCT

2008

Perhaps if you have particular advice you are interested in following, you could contact that person directly and discuss their successes in a one on one situation.

How entertaining! You and Larry had me rolling on the floor - read about you on Bryant's blog..........and You are absolutely right - I'm sure most of us have asked those same questions......I've even checked out some realtors websites and listings links out of curiosity........and then I thought.........heck..........you know - in some ways it really doesn't matter....For we all know you can be a great coach without being a great player!

I pesonally want to know the story of your name! :-)

Wow, Lots of comments, but I am here to tell you this is Mana, Hi.

P.S. You had asked on Amanda Hall's post (about AR's missing button), who is Mana?

DM - Great. Thanks.

Russell - No doubt there are people that are both. Just trying to find them and make sure I read them.

Jason C - I like your style as well. If you like the fun I have with pompous asses in stores you might find my Dad's old trick funny as well. Even the clerk would find it funny after a while as most folks in dollar stores tend to be pretty down to earth people as opposed the to Rich Egomaniacs I like to poke fun at.

My Dad loved to go into "Dollar Stores" and keep picking things up and asking how much they cost. It is probably funnier in person but it would go something like this:

Dad: How much is this bowl?

Clerk: One Dollar

Dad: What about these paper towels?

Clerk: They are a dollar Sir. EVERYTHING is a dollar. This is the Dollar Store.

Dad: Great but how much if I get two of these turkey basters?

So on and so on. I guess this is where I got my ball-busting tendencies from.

Aloysius - While your first name expends too much energy in reciting, you did one heck of a job with this post and commentating on the commentary provided. I'm a fan of "Dollar Stores" as well. I just don't buy my seafood there.

Rebecca L - You sound like a great real estate agent. I would gladly take your advice. Just kidding, I did read your comments and I know you are not an agent but I would still find your input valuable based on what you have said here.

Rebbeca S - Do you know Rebecca L above? I think you would like each other. You make some good points.

Jeremy B - I agree, sometimes the deals that benefit you most of the ones you pass

James - I never fully understood the need to chase points in that I can't see how it gets you business. It is fun a scorecard, but from a business standpoint, I think I am missing the boat.

Emily - Quit your other job. Real Estate is more fun and you will make more money.

Sonja - Good points. Thanks for sharing them.

Kelly - Good points, although I don't think anyone would ever accuse me of worrying more about other agents than myself. To narcissistic for that. I just think there is a lot to weed though here and I might lend a bit more credence to folks who have applied there advice in

My Old Friend Elaine (when I say Old I mean I have know youn for a few months, not that YOU are Old),

How did you know I was at Check E. Cheese? The authorities never released that detail to the press.

Seriously, I do love being in real estate and getting to go to Check E. Cheese in the middle of the day for my son's B-Day or coach my son's teams. Our freedom is a perk that you can't put a price on.

OCT

2008

Funny, I was thinking about this concept recently, although with a different twist. I'm in AR's top 20 and have been pretty darn proud of that fact. So proud, in fact, that I've been determined to blog every day to maintain (or even improve) my rank. Anyway, I started to notice that my production was indeed falling, so for the last few weeks, I've abandoned my obsessive blogging and got back to work. Wouldn't ya know it - production is up! I'm too busy these days to blog!!!

JoEllen - Good point. I could be Larry. How else would I know so much about him? Also, we have never been seem together in the same room.

Buffy - Thanks for your note. I agree there is a ton of great stuff on AR.

Jeff and Lisa - I hear ya. Any ideas on how we can get it done?

Tim Maitski - Exactly. I agree that you can learn from anyone - regardless of their production numbers. However, if given the choice to read 2 equally interesting blogs, I'd choose the one by the person that was also producing great results out in the field.

By the way, the videos on your site are a great touch and ranking so high for Atlanta Real Estate is quite a feat.

Laura - What a thoughtful response. It makes a lot of sense. I really agree with your sentiment but I don't think that the Larry I envision was ever a top producer. You are talking about a good, hardworking, honest person who has fallen on hard times. My Larry has always been a slug and I think folks can tell the difference.

Debbie S. - I agree stats don't tell the whole story but they are a good start.

"How much do you sell???"

Lyn - I guess I have to answer the questions since I brought it up.

My numbers are good but nowhere near great. That is why I am always reading posts on AR. I am always trying to improve. I started in the business in 2005. I closed $20 million in sales in 2006. My actual take home pay has increased since then even though my actual sales numbers for 2007 were $15 million and this year they will be about the same. In 2007 I became a partner in a small 60 person firm and about 40% of my time is now devoted to managing, recruiting and helping other agents build their business.

Tom - I agree with you 100%.

Pippa - Thanks for admitting that you wonder also.

Chris the implementer - Thanks very much. You are the man.

Michael R - I hear ya. I like to sleep once I a while too.

Brian M - Thanks for your note. You must have a unique perspective coming from a real estate law background. Can you share some of it with us?

"How about using the number of annual closed transactions as a baseline?"

Sam - I am all for it. How do we actually make it happen?

Ray - When talking about transparency, I was talking more about Days On Market and List to Sale ratio - at least for consumers. For other agents on AR, it would be good to know who the top producers were but this was more just my curiosity.

Keith V - You make some excellent points. We can learn from everyone. However, consider this...

If your son was a top college prospect and you had a choice to spend an hour with a HS coach who authored a great blog or Brett Favre? Would you say the advice from both would be equal? Would you even have to think about who you would spend the hour with?

In the same vein, if I knew there was an agent on AR producing $100 million a year in sales I would make sure to pay extra special attention to his/her posts and I think anyone who said different would be lying.

Dick - Clearly you have your priorities in order. Enjoying your life is way more important than sales goals. There are plenty of top producers who are unhappy, horrible people.

OCT

2008

Yup! - Sounds like a plan. How do we make it happen?

Margaret R. - I don't think I am Larry, but you never know. Excellent points. Thanks for sharing them.

Our Creepy Larry has disappeared for a while. Not sure if he's in jail or what. I have so often wondered the same thing. I'm here learning like so many others.

You have some seriously complex splits going on there.

Ain't it the trooth, Al, Ain't it the trooth!? (And don't forget I have to split some of that with Mrs. Elv!s)

Mike - If you did 14 deals last month and your Larry may beat your production this year then he is not Larry.

Wayne - Makese sense. I think.

Renee - I am not judging you or anyone else. Who am I to judge, I am a mess. Your point about new construction is well taken.

Let's be friends.

Aloysius,

Nice post!

As a title guy I have seen more Larrys than I can count over the years...I'm all for transparency...as for myself, I have raised 9 children on my title income, put two through college, and my wife has been a stay at home Mom except for the past year!!!

Thanks, Fran

OCT

2008

"I'm not interested in imitating anyone."

Melina - I challenge this statement. I think you want to be me.

"I'm just interested in being really good at what I do."

Melina - Why would you want to be good at something do when you could be like me instead? Being good is overrated . Not that I have ever tried it.

"Perhaps if you have particular advice you are interested in following, you could contact that person directly and discuss their successes in a one on one situation."

Christine D - I don't need any advice. I am a know it all.

"I am here to tell you this is Mana, Hi."

Mana - I am here to tell you I love your name and I am glad to meet you, sort of.

Not that I am sort of glad but rather I am only meeting you sort of. See the difference. I hope so. Don't want you to think I am not glad to meet you - because I am. But I am not really meeting you..Here I go again.

Liz in Chilliwack - Excellent points. My name is a long story. The short version is that it was my uncle's name. My parents joked that they were going to name me after him but he did not realize it was a joke. He was sick when I was born so they couldn't bring themselves to tell him it was a joke so they named me Aloysius. I like it.

Jennifer Allan - Congratulations on the top 20. What does it mean? I promise I am not being sarcastic for once. I really don't know what that means. Top 20 in # of points or # of posts or was there a poll? I read your blog and like it very much.

Blogging goes down and production goes up?

I don't think that is what folks here want to hear. Say it ain't so.

Karen L - Do you miss your creepy Larry? Be honest.

Alan - Didn't know there was a Mrs. Elvis. She is a lucky lady.

Not sure whether success should be defined in terms of number of transactions, sales volume, net profit, or some combination of the above plus quality of life and customer satisfaction. I can think of some Top Producers who bring in a lot of money, whose practices I abhor and other agents who have a deep level of expertise in our field, but who have deliberately chosen a more balanced life and therefore produce less. Nonetheless, I do like the idea of transparency, especially if someone is giving advice saying "do this and you will get great results". Maybe great results in his market or with his skills, but it may not apply to everyone. A little bit of info about the blogger's own real estate practice could help set the stage for understanding how much of the advice might apply to the readers own situation.

OCT

2008

I am horrible writer. I sell real estate, I market real estate, I network through my communities, I help those in need, I help my neighbors, I go to church, I help my daughter with her homework, I research better marketing techniques.I go on vacations, I taught my daughter how to change a tire, I teach my agents how to sell, I work with mean sellers, I work with nice sellers, I do not work with buyers, I donate to charity, I donate to our area schools, I ask bums if they want a job, I never wash my own car or change the oil, I freebase cocaine.....ok, that was a lie. I do read your blog. I am a horrible writer.

LOL! Yep, probably the only people who know (or care) about the "Top 20" (actually, it's the Top 100) are the people on the list! It's the list of AR bloggers ranked by how many members subscribe to their blog. Here's the page... http://activerain.com/topbloggers - see me there at Lucky 13?

OCT

2008

Jennifer A - Interesting. That is quite an accomplishment. Much better than being 1st in # of posts because # of subscriptions shows folks really value your content enough to subscribe in large numbers. Congratulations.

OCT

2008

Jason S - I actually buy all of my seafood along with other stuff like car seats, perscription drugs, etc. at dollars stores.

Karen - What do you mean "your Larry" disappeared? Did you kill him?

Alan - I am glad to hear Mrs. Elvis gets a cut. You are a good man.

Fran the Title Man - Thanks very much. Sorry to hear that you have so much experience with Larrys.

9 kids??? And, your wife does not work? The title business has been berry, berry good to you and so has "Mrs. Fran the Title Man".

NOV

2008

"I freebase cocaine"

Tim Moncrief - I know I took this part of your comment a bit out of context but if you really do all those other things I don't begrudge you needing a little bump once in a while to keep yourself going. Good on ya.

NOV

2008

If it's a list you need, we can deliver, just get us the numbers...

btw: i like your new blog banner :)

Castellum- I know you are the king of lists and would love to see this list come to fruition. But how would we get the data?

NOV

2008

Aloysius.... I found this post from Castellum Reality, Nathan and Everard... this post was very interesting and made some sense. I actually wrote about this last year, but your post was a lot more creative than mine... nice job. And no, I am not a 'Larry' either... ;o)

jeff belonger

Aloysius.... I found this post from Castellum Reality, Nathan and Everard, who mentioned you in a post of theirs... this post was very interesting and made some sense. I actually wrote about this last year, but your post was a lot more creative than mine... nice job. And no, I am not a 'Larry' either... ;o)

jeff belonger

NOV

Al-

How did I miss this great post? Only found it because I'm looking for the great post about how we as Realtors undermine ourselves so that I can tweet it. Just can't keep up with you!

You know how I feel about this: the number 1 agent in my micro market of Hopkinton, MA has ZERO online presence as far as I can tell. Googling her name yields no results.

-Kathleen

NOV

Jeff - I am glad to hear you are not Larry, Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Thanksgiving.

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