real estate: Real Estate - "Bloody Fantastic?" - 11/29/09 09:25 AM
A few months ago, an unknown dowdy Scottish woman named Susan Boyle was received with a lot of eye rolling on the United Kingdom's Britain's Got Talent until she opened her mouth.  Her beautiful rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream," stunned the judges and audience, and though she did not win the competition, she got a record deal.
It is easy to jump on this part of the Susan Boyle story to lead into a pep talk about how appearances are deceiving or about how it's never too late to pursue a dream.  Either of those tangents would be true.  She … (3 comments)

real estate: Season's Greetings. Agents Everywhere - 11/27/09 02:52 PM
Every year, real estate falls off when kids go back to school.  Families prefer to keep their children in the same school all year.  With the onset of the holidays, people get busy.  When it gets colder and then snowier in some parts of the country, people prefer not to move until it gets warmer.  The majority of people who move in the fall and winter are those who are transferred or have some financial or other pressure to brave the elements or the upset involved with having the kids change schools mid year. 
This year, things are different, as the … (0 comments)

real estate: Make Yourself More Positive - 11/01/09 06:15 AM
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner recently said that he is optimistic about the state of the U.S. economy, though recovery has been uneven.  Of course, the same page of the MSN homepage featured a story about why the U.S. is in decline.  Read both stories and you'll realize you have to make a choice.  You can accept things going on in our society as "proof" things are on the downslide or you can accentuate the positive.
You may be thinking, "Oh, that's what Bob always says."  If so, you are right. You choose how you feel.  I have built my coaching career … (1 comments)

real estate: Just Looking: Part 2 - 09/12/09 03:13 AM
We all know that some clients have no idea what they want.  Many do, but they are just not showing their hand.  So, when some people  say they are just looking, they may be:
Actually looking with plans to buy.  Some concrete information and little a nudge might get them going. The $8,000 credit might do it.  Talking through their situation might do it.  Finding them a more affordable home (or one with special features the want)  might do it.
Looking for the future to get a better idea of what's out there.  They may know that their credit is whacked, that they … (4 comments)

real estate: Hey, Wild Bill, Wait for Me - 08/27/09 01:35 PM
If you remember the TV programs of long ago say, you remember Wild Bill Hickock and his trusty sidekick, Jingles.  Jingles weighed in at 300 pounds. After a half hour of adventures with the "bravest, sternest, fightingest U.S Marshal in the whole West," Jungles would breathlessly catch up with his handsome colleague who had once again saved the day.  The final words of the show were frequently "Hey, Wild Bill, Wait for Me!"
The world of real estate has been like the Wild West of late, with drastic price drops following inflationary spikes, people losing homes as quickly as they get … (2 comments)

real estate: Developing the Wisdom of Solomon in Crisis Management - Part 4 - 08/26/09 03:15 PM
There's a crisis.  You talked. They talked. You negotiated, Your offered counsel. You finally came up with a livable solution.  "Ah, relief," you think. Not too fast!
Once you have agreement to the solution, you must immediately take action. Often we don't necessarily have to create a perfect agreement as long as we are taking the steps to move everyone forward. Many of our clients will recognize that it may take time to solve a crisis. What they want to know is that steps are being taken to begin the process. To give them a sense of control you may want … (0 comments)

real estate: Developing the Wisdom of Solomon in Crisis Management - Part 1 - 08/20/09 02:54 PM
Have you ever had a crisis in your career? Maybe we should ask how many have you had today? Let's face it, a great real estate agent is first and foremost a problem solver, and because of this, a top producer's desk will often become a crisis management center. This center is where all problems arrive and are expected to be solved within a short period of time.
In this current market, our clients present many crises to us that need our help.  They lose jobs just as the sale is ready to close.  The appraisal on their property comes in … (0 comments)

real estate: Planning Smart in Lean Times Can Lead to Big Rewards - 08/19/09 06:16 AM
These days, many people are cutting overhead to save money and trying to do it all.  Sounds good on paper but this could be a short-sighted approach.
Let's start with a story. I had a client, an agent who had just moved to a new market, who wanted to make a fresh start with the profession. I worked with her to renew her approach to real estate, one that allowed her to see real estate as a business. A vital part of this plan was to get her to realize she couldn't do it all. So before she started, we agreed … (0 comments)

real estate: An “I” in Communication - 07/25/09 01:31 AM
There's no "I" in team, but there is in communication.  That means if you're leading a team, you're the one in charge of communicating.  I've been asked many times what it takes to keep a team happy, motivated and working together.  The answer is simply communication.
It's odd, isn't it?  Aside from in-person contact, we have cell phones with internet access, email,intranets, websites, U.S. mail, and the good old phone, yet poor communication is often an issue. Using one of these simple tool to keep our team informed is easy but can have a big impact.
For additional information and guidance on this topic … (2 comments)

real estate: Tick Tock - Buyers Must Act Quickly to Assure Homebuyer's Credit - 07/21/09 03:34 PM
There is a lot of talk that the first time $8,000 homebuyer's credit may be extended and even expanded to reach more covers.  At this point, talk is cheap.  With the credit expiring on November 30, buyers who are not in the process of home buying may be left out.   It takes an average of 45 days to close a house.  That means that buying decisions must be made by October 15 to assure that the deadline is met.
As Realtors®, we can't force people into making major buying decisions like buying a home.  We can, however, counsel our clients to strongly consider … (2 comments)

real estate: Realtors® as Master Teachers: Dazzle Your Clients with Your Expertise - 07/17/09 12:53 PM
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." William Arthur Ward
Bob, why are you explaining what makes a good teacher? We're real estate agents here. Hello!
Good question. And here's my answer: In these times, if you're not teaching prospective clients, you're losing the game of real estate - and the score isn't even close.
My goal with this article is simple: To get you to be a great teacher so you will inspire people to use your services. Wouldn't it be great if a client came up to you and said … (4 comments)

real estate: Achieving Personal Management Gives You Time PLUS... - 07/15/09 02:04 AM
The last couple days, we have thrown it out there that time management issues may really be personal management issues.  What are the benefits of personal management?  You'll have more time when you streamline! Breaking it down even further, you'll have more benefits too, such as:
More self-confidence because you have done it.
A better work-life balance because you can do what you want, when you want, how you want.
Stress relief because you act not react.
Emotional security because you take control.
Quality of life because you choose.
Higher mental and physical fitness because you have time to exercise, read, … (2 comments)

real estate: Live to Work or Work to Live? - 07/06/09 03:01 AM
I hope you all had a great holiday weekend.  Blogging and work was put aside a bit for family.  As it happens, this a perfect tie in to my blog topic today.
As important as work is on so many levels, it has to be in balance with the rest of your life.  Do you live to work or work to live?
Does your job or business demand that you be accessible 24/7?  In an era of ubiquitous cell phones, pagers, Blackberrys and WiFi internet access, it is easy to keep in touch with the office from anywhere.  No doubt, many of … (16 comments)

real estate: Brand Your Strength - 07/03/09 02:28 AM
When I work with clients to help them develop their professional identities, I like to use the SWOT analysis - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. For purposes of this article, focus primarily on the first two: your strengths and weakness. Then later you can look at the other two as they relate to your particular market.Assess both your strengths and weaknesses carefully. And recruit others for this exercise. Find out what your friends, family and coworkers see. Many times others see things you miss.Then develop specific ways to put your strengths to work in your business life. And look at the … (3 comments)

real estate: Your Professional Identity is your Designer Label - 07/02/09 11:25 AM
Branding is a big deal in business. Companies spend loads of money to make their brand identifiable and write more big checks to make sure that some else isn't labeling their own stuff with the company brand. The company wants to make sure that their quality is behind the label.
I think of this every time I see designer goods listed on eBay.  There are Louis Vuitton or Gucci bags listed there, some for slightly less than retail and some for a fraction of the price.  Some buyers rush to win bids on low priced items that prove to be fake.  Ironically, … (4 comments)

real estate: Study the Real Estate Masters - and Make Yourself One - 07/01/09 01:09 PM
Consider for a minute what you think - what you really think - when you hear about an agent that's outselling you in your market. Be honest. Probably a little bit of jealousy, sprinkled with a little resentment.
Well, the way I see it, you have a couple of choices. You can feel that jealousy (and there's nothing wrong with that - you're only human). But if you leave it at that, you don't improve. You sit there with your sour grapes.
The other choice is to stop and take a little time to learn from those successful competitors. When you … (0 comments)

real estate: RIF, RIP for the Sound Bite Generation? - 06/29/09 09:01 AM
"Reading Is Fundamental" and always will be, but many younger people (including young homebuyers), want the short story, not the long one. They want information more MTV than Encyclopedia Britannica. When working with the Sound Bite Generation, print ads don't work.  That's even true with real estate ads.  The Los Angeles Times recently discontinued its real estate section because it was expendable.  Looking at print ads is not the main way people prepare to buy real estate.  Surveys by the National Association of Realtors indicate nearly 90% of potential buyers use the Internet!
Old habits are hard to break and I bet … (4 comments)

real estate: Know Your SEO So Your Customers Will Know You - 06/29/09 05:00 AM
And you thought that setting up a website and getting your license and perhaps some alphabet certifications was enough to make you stand out in the real estate world! 
That was "then" - this is now! These days, it's all about SEO (Search Engine Optimization.)
Your website can be the best, interactive site in the world with all the right tools, but if no one sees it, it might as well not even exist. How does it get seen? Search engines. Google, Yahoo, MSN Bing and Ask.com are a few of the top ones. Take time now to submit your website's … (0 comments)

real estate: Meeting the Interactive Generation - 06/25/09 05:15 AM
Perhaps you saw the most recent edition of Realtor Magazine, that presented the 30 Under 30 winners.  All of them, and the many who were nominated and not chosen to be among the top group, share the same vision of how real estate works today.  Times may be tough but all are innovatively making a niche for themselves and using the latest technology.  As one recipient, Rachel Valentino, said:
"As a young Realtor, I have found my niche working with 20- and 30- buyers who are web-savvy and who contact me on Facebook almost as much as by phone.  I have … (2 comments)

real estate: Getting in Touch with Your Inner Expert - 05/28/09 04:14 PM
I go all over the place and get asked a lot of questions. A few come up all the time.  Here's one.
How can I consistently grow my business?
If you're like many agents, you're bottom line reflects the market. A so-so market, a so-so bottom line. Over the years I've paid close attention to top producers and what I've learned from that is this -- they work their butts off to become experts. They take advantage of every opportunity to learn everything they can about the business, the market and their customers. And then they act on that knowledge. They're … (0 comments)