real estate license: Follow-Up - 04/25/17 04:52 PM
So, we recently needed to find someone who could build a deck for us.  I got four recommendations through Facebook and contacted each one.  Out of the four, only one responded the first day; another one responded the second day; and another one on the third day.  I have yet to hear from the fourth one.  In this technological world we live in, I am bewildered how a businessperson can survive without speedy follow-up. 
 
It seems to me that (1) the early bird gets the worm; (2) he who hesitates is lost; and (3) winners go the extra mile.  Meeting consumers’ … (2 comments)

real estate license: Feast or Famine - 04/24/17 12:56 PM
The practice of real estate sometimes likens itself to a feast or famine situation.  Frank Sinatra sang it best in his hit, “That’s Life,” where he sang, “You're riding high in April, shot down in May; but I know I'm gonna change that tune when I'm back on top, back on top in June.” 
 
The feast or famine theory of practicing real estate has been around well before I ever entered the arena in 1983.  I was told immediately to avoid the feast or famine mindset and to be consistent at all costs.  As a REALTOR®, if I was not feasting … (2 comments)

real estate license: Facing Challenges - 04/22/17 05:39 AM
For TEAM Hughes Real Estate School, April was a month of rollercoaster emotions.  We were facing challenges at every turn.  It was our first month in a new Pensacola campus, and anything and everything that could go wrong literally did!  We started out with using a secondary classroom that could fit 9 students comfortably, and we had 11.  Needless to say, we were happy to move into our new classroom on Tuesday.
 
This was a month where students came into the class and our registration procedures experienced a glitch.  It forced us to overnight a book to a student who managed to … (0 comments)

real estate license: My Time is Your Time - 04/16/17 06:10 AM
In 1970 I was married to a young sailor, and worked for a law firm in Norfolk, VA.  One of the attorneys encouraged us to buy a house and put us in touch with a REALTOR®.  When I called him, I remember him telling me, “My time is your time.”   He ended up selling us our first home.
Back in 1970, I had no idea that his statement, “My time is your time” would later have such a profound effect on me. 
 
Fast-forward ahead to 1983, the marriage died, there were two children, and I was back in Florida on my own … (2 comments)

real estate license: What Makes You Special? - 04/10/17 09:56 AM
In the practice of real estate, competition runs high.  The number of licensees has risen sharply since recovering from the debacle created a few years back.  Lower interest rates have prompted many people to jump into the arena, and thankfully, many REALTORS® and real estate agents are making a comfortable living in their real estate careers.  Lead generation and marketing are probably the two most important responsibilities agents have in furthering their careers.  With that said, I must ask what makes you special?
 
The challenge of setting yourself apart from your competitors is faced daily.  To market yourself honestly and strategically takes … (3 comments)

real estate license: Taking Care of Business - 04/10/17 09:53 AM
My mind keeps taking me back to a 70’s song by the Bachman-Turner Overdrive called, “Taking Care of Business.”  You owe it to yourself to listen to it on You Tube!  The hyperlink will take you to a rendition with the lyrics on the screen, and I can’t get enough of it!  Having been a product of the 60’s, music was and still is important to me.  When I lack the imagination to put thoughts into words, I find music does it for me.  I prefer contemporary Christian music now, but some rock and roll will always have a spot in … (4 comments)

real estate license: Blogging Through Life - 04/09/17 06:15 AM
Technology has made the world smaller, and it’s easier to reach out to people.  Sometimes, I feel as though I am blogging my way through life, however.  The practice of real estate has always been a people business, and without meeting people, it’s difficult to become successful.  Owning a real estate school is a different animal altogether.
 
My contact with people is not daily, and TEAM Hughes Real Estate School depends heavily on its website to attract prospective students.  Blogging is necessary to help boost the SEOs so that people can find us, and there are days when I feel I am … (2 comments)

real estate license: Are We There Yet - 03/31/17 05:34 AM
Recalling memories of small children in the back seat of the car, I can still hear them asking, “Are we there yet?”  No matter how short or how long the trip, that question was always in the forefront of their minds.  Thinking about that question that all parents hear sooner or later, I begin asking myself the same thing.  Are we there yet?  Where are we headed?  When will we arrive?  What is at the pinnacle?
 
The practice of real estate can be one of the most rewarding careers anyone could ever have.  My background led me through attorney’s offices, and while … (2 comments)

real estate license: The Market is Changing! - 03/27/17 04:06 PM
Oh no!  Interest rates have increased, but what’s this?  Interest rate increases are good?  The market is changing, yes, but not for the worst!  Interest rates increased, but ever so slightly, and managed to gently bump some consumers out of their nests to start the homebuying process they put off for so long. 
 
The market is changing, but market time is still low, prices have not skyrocketed, and buyers are still plentiful.  This is still a great time to practice real estate, it’s still a great time to further a real estate career, and it’s still a great time to break … (2 comments)

real estate license: Home Sweet Home - 03/25/17 08:08 AM
Traveling has always been enjoyable for me, especially when family is involved in the destination.  I enjoyed the past 10 days with my grandchildren in Illinois even though my daughter was recuperating from surgery.  I found out all too well that I am no longer good at getting little girls out the door fed and clothed properly by 7:40 each day.  That was a bit challenging tiring for me.  In any event, we saw it through, had some ups and downs, but everyone survived, and now I am back to home sweet home.
 
There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed, … (1 comments)

real estate license: When Someone Needs You - 03/22/17 08:37 AM
This week I am in Illinois helping my younger daughter who recently had surgery.  Sarah has two little girls, and her husband is on a business trip for about three weeks.  Sarah can’t get around too well, and with a 2-story house, it made sense for me to come up and help.  Besides, it made for a great excuse to visit!
 
Every time I am up here, I tend to draw a blank about blogging.  It’s difficult to take off the Nana hat and put back on the real estate instructor hat.  When drawing that blank, I turn to Sarah for inspiration.  … (1 comments)

real estate license: Home is Where the Heart is - 03/20/17 10:00 AM
We’ve all heard the old saying, “home is where the heart is.”  Most of us would agree with that sentiment, and if we truly believe that home is where the heart is, then that makes us pretty important people!  If you are a real estate agent or a REALTORÒ, your job is to help people achieve their goals and dreams.  If a buyer’s home is where his heart is, that makes you a quasi-heart doctor!
 
When it comes to matters of the heart, I don’t let just anyone help me.  My heart is too important to not take care with those I … (3 comments)

real estate license: Smile! They Can Hear You! - 03/14/17 02:15 PM
Basic real estate training includes teaching agents how to respond to phone inquiries from complete strangers.  I remember one of my trainers telling us to smile!  They can hear you!  That bit of advice stuck with me over the years, and as a former paralegal who had to deal with lots of people over the phone, the advice was priceless.
 
Have you ever checked out at a cash register with a cashier who was absolutely just shy of being rude?  The indifference that some cashiers exhibit in their careers is almost intolerable.  I always assumed unhappy store employees were working in a … (4 comments)

real estate license: What I Know - 03/12/17 06:20 PM
Lots of agents have been licensed longer than I have, but what I know is plenty enough to devote a lifetime to transferring knowledge, wisdom and experience to others.  I know what I know, and that’s all I know.  So why do you think students from all walks of life, representative of all ages, and having all kinds of reasons to come to a real estate school pick us?  I ponder this question because, quite frankly, I like pondering.
 
What I know is that expectations run high each time a student chooses TEAM Hughes Real Estate School.  What I know is that … (1 comments)

real estate license: Winning Starts with Beginning - 03/12/17 06:16 PM
Robert Schuller once said, “Winning starts with beginning.”  At the time I first heard it, I thought it was kind of catchy, and as time went on, it began to make more sense to me.  I now understand that unless I am willing to do something, I can never be good at it.  I also recognize that since winning starts with beginning, it’s going to take that first leap of faith to get me on the road to achieving what I want to achieve.
 
Many people think about real estate.  Some like to look at it, some like to talk about it, … (4 comments)

real estate license: New Instructors, New Campuses - 03/03/17 01:19 PM
TEAM Hughes Real Estate School has been growing regularly since its inception in 2015.  We recently added new instructors, new campuses and new student activities.  We are humbled by this growth, and believe me, it has caused a great many growing pains.  We have had instructors come in and go out.  Teaching real estate classes is not for everyone, and unfortunately, it takes the long, arduous process of getting a license and teaching a class to find out that some of our instructors just weren’t cut out to teach real estate courses.
 
With new instructors, new campuses and new class activities there … (1 comments)

real estate license: Growing Through Adversity - 03/03/17 07:48 AM
I fully admit the subject of this blog came from a Facebook post that I found interesting.  Thank you, Barry Moulder, for posting it!  Pondering the post, I realized that growing through adversity is not necessarily an unusual way to grow.  A real estate licensee, especially one fresh out real estate school, is subject to all kinds of growing pains.  Most of those pains come from the learning process that goes along with a newly acquired real estate license.
 
Tony Robbins says, “It all starts with each individual’s inner strength and resilience.”  Getting a real estate license is the easy part; having … (2 comments)

real estate license: I Love Franchises - 03/01/17 05:33 AM
In the real estate world, franchises play a huge part.  I love franchises.  I began my career with Century 21 and ultimately owned a Century 21 franchise years ago.  I’ve worked with ReMax, Prudential and a rather large independent company.  My last gig, before starting TEAM Hughes Real Estate School, was as a Productivity Coach with Keller Williams.  TEAM Hughes has campuses at Keller Williams offices, as well as an ERA company.  So, as you can see, I love franchises because franchises have a place in the real estate industry.
 
As Director of Recruiting and Training for a large independent firm in … (4 comments)

real estate license: Yes, You Can! - 02/27/17 03:23 AM
No doubt some will tell you there are too many REALTORS®.  Some will tell you there’s no way you can make a living in a real estate career.  Others say you cannot afford to change careers or to follow your dreams of practicing real estate.  Yes, you can!  Some will say you aren’t suited to being an entrepreneur.  Yes, you are!
 
Remember the childhood story of the train who was told he couldn’t do it?  “I think I can, I think I can, I know I can” became his mantra.  Yes, you can; yes, you can is mine!  Students are forever asking … (5 comments)

real estate license: This is Monday - 02/27/17 02:43 AM
This is Monday, and although we just finished a weekend, Mondays sometimes are needed to regroup.  TEAM Hughes Real Estate School was still in session through the weekend, as we finished up our February One-Week Fast Track Class.  On Sunday our evening students joined with the Fast Track students to take their final exit exam.  We had 17 students test, and all of them passed.  Scores ranged from 97 to 72, and we couldn’t be prouder.
 
This is Monday, and although some of us may be dragging, I suspect there are 17 future real estate agents who are busy formulating their plan … (0 comments)