success: Three Lessons Learned While Earning an Inc 5000 Ranking
- 09/10/17 04:36 AM
Our brokerage's agents and staff were excited to be recently ranked at #927 on the 2017 Inc 5000.
This is Inc Magazine's annual list of the fastest growing companies in the country.
To make this list, companies must prove signficant revenue growth over a three year period.
There were several different types of real estate companies on the list, each with different business models and some in the development and property managemetn areas of real estate. Not that many were brokerages.
However, kudos to all of them, and a thank you to our team for making our progress and growth possible!
Many Lessons Learned
In growing our … (0 comments)
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success: Everything's Negotiable, Even The Dog
- 02/18/15 11:58 PM
I had fun working with writer Laura Agadoni on the Trulia article "6 Simple Tricks for Winning a Negotiation Stalemate."
One negotiation tip we discussed was creativity. I want to point out that this is both very important for closing difficult properties (or difficult clients) AND that creativity absolutely does not mean flirting with legal or ethical boundaries.
Creativity in negotiations is really just thoughtful consideration of the real goals, needs, and mindset of the buyer and the seller.
Clients can often "get stuck" on matters that agents see as trivial but are very important emotionally to the client.
It is not always possible … (74 comments)
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success: Great Food and Other Real Estate Observations
- 11/19/14 06:42 AM
In our travels meeting our agents, and prospective agents, across a number of states, it is interesting what I've learn looking at real estate at the extremely local level in so many markets. While each of the observations below may merit its own detailed article, here are few quick things I've found particularly interesting.
1. The more rural the market, the more agents (and even brokers) we find who dislike MLS's, referrals, and syndication. I find this interesting because in a rural market (and I grew up "in the sticks"), the fewer potential buyers. You'd think that the more hidden a property is, the more … (0 comments)
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success: Painful Perspective From a 3:23am Chipmunk
- 08/12/14 02:25 AM
Not long ago, I was awakened at 3:23am by what I thought was one of our small rescue dogs uncharacteristically playing with his squeaky toy.
Turns out the “toy” was instead a live chipmunk, a gift from Daisy the Half-Tailed Cat (she brings them through the doggie-door on the back deck).
To make a short story of 3 minutes even shorter, I caught the chipmunk and released it out the front door (setting off the burglar alarm in the process).
It was the 30 seconds before I opened that door where I learned a lesson in perspective.
The Chase, The Pain, The Lesson
I had grabbed the chipmunk … (30 comments)
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success: If You Could Improve Your Life, Would You?
- 03/29/14 04:51 AM
Recently, I was visiting lake real estate agents across Georgia and traveling on I-20 toward Atlanta I saw a billboard that read,
"If You Could Improve Your Life, Would You?"
I don't know what it was advertising but WOW. As I drove, and since, I've really been really thinking about that question.
Now, I bet most people would quickly say, "Of Course I'd improve my life! What a stupid question."
But I submit that most people are telling a lie, not just to others but to themselves.
Think about home buyers that have found the home that is as perfect as possible (since … (0 comments)
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success: Stop Trying to Win
- 06/01/13 01:04 AM
I often tell our agents and support team, as well as agents we are recruiting, "Don’t win. Succeed. There is a difference."
I had (yes, past tense) a client “Bob" who HAD to win everything. To do business with him, he HAD to have a better price, he HAD to have more service, and he HAD to be right. I bet you've dealt with homeowners, buyers, and other agents like Bob.
Now, you may think that sounds like a secret to success, a motivated and driven business person. In some very unique personalities, that can be accurate. For most people, they are … (0 comments)
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success: Attitude is a Skill
- 01/13/13 11:52 AM
Think about buyers, sellers, lenders and even other agents. Most people think that their attitude is based on what the world throws at them or gives them. But I say that is Wrong! It's not what happens to you. Attitude is what you do with what happens to you.
Like communication, I believe attitude is a skill. I would even go so far as to say that attitude is a communication skill. Your attitude projects who you are for the world to see. Your attitude also strongly influences how you respond to the attitudes of others. This may be a … (3 comments)
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success: The Pain of Digging Three Foot Wells
- 11/26/12 06:46 AM
I have a couple of acquaintances that are always starting the next BIG thing. I bet you do too.
It may be a new brokerage, new marketing plan, new career opportunity, new relationship, new diet, new classes, or new exercise plan. Through the course of the year, it is typically all of these activities, some even start and restart several times within a year.
Somehow each next great thing, which garnered so much excitement and energy, ends up abandoned and soon forgotten. And there is always a "reason." It wasn't what they claimed, they have a better new opportunity, there was … (2 comments)
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success: Stop Solving The Wrong Problem
- 11/12/12 11:27 PM
Anyone that spends much time working in real estate quickly learns that as a general rule of thumb, people are crappy listeners.
Sellers often don't want to hear about realistic pricing, buyers don't want to hear the real truth about their local market, and even other agents can struggle to absorb the value in an offer.
Even if we hear the words and even if we work to understand them, we can still misunderstand. And if we are not hearing or thinking, we really can screw-up the intended message.
Just as a majority of drivers think they have above average … (13 comments)
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success: What To Do With a "No"
- 10/27/12 01:24 AM
What can you do with a “no”?
Move on to the next project. Move on to the next deal. Move on to the next research effort. Find out if you made an error (so you don’t repeat it). Find out if you were not communicating clearly (again, so you don’t repeat it). Move on to the next day. Move on to the next email. Move on to the next phone call. Move on to the next technology. Move on to learn more about a market. Be glad you’ve not wasted more time on a dead-end. Find out why it was … (6 comments)
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success: Enough with the Airing of Grievances
- 08/30/12 07:05 AM
Anyone with anytime in real estate (or any other line of business for that matter) has to deal with complaints. In many cases, complaints are an opportunity. But not always.
I bet many of you recall the fun episode of "Seinfield" about Festivus (for the Rest of Us). One of the aspects of Festivus was the "Airing of Grievances." Immediately after the Festivus dinner was served, each person would lash out at the others and the world about disappointments of the past year.
Why I mention this is because it seems many people have decided every day is Festivus, at least … (1 comments)
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success: What Are You Waiting On?
- 07/06/12 01:02 AM
Okay, so my thoughts today are not just on real estate. But what I've been pondering for days is something I see in just about everyone in real estate, including agents, brokers, buyers, and sellers.
It is a question I ask myself sometimes and often want to ask others: What are you waiting on?
Are you happy? Do you like your job? Do you like the people in your life? What about where your life is headed? Do you find joy in each of your days?
If you could change your fate, would you?
Now, forget the answers you would tell … (5 comments)
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success: You Better Feed the Animals First
- 06/30/12 11:25 PM
What is your livelihood and does it get priority?
Anyone that has grown up on a farm knows the livestock often get fed first every day. And they get fed every day. Not just when the farmer feels like it or when the weather is nice.
While food is plentiful and convenient for most of us in this country, this is a recent development. For most of history, mankind has found or produced our own food. To fail in this could mean death. In many parts of our planet, this is still a painful and tragic reality.
Just like food that we depend on … (3 comments)
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success: It's Going To Take A Failure Or Two
- 06/13/12 11:54 PM
“It’s going to take a failure or two.” ~ Joe Acker
In my work through the years, one thing I’ve learned is that everyone’s business is harder than it looks. This includes real estate, where buyers and sellers think selling property is easy, until they try to do it on their own.
Similarly, I’ve also learned that most deals and projects are more involved than they first appear. This is typically for one of two reasons. Either someone has (1) not taken the time to appropriately consider the obstacles or (2) they don’t know enough to even consider the … (1 comments)
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success: You're Boring Me With Your Passion
- 04/10/12 08:27 AM
I'm glad you have a passionate interest. I'm glad you love your house, your brokerage, your service, your listings, your social media campaign, and your website. If we share any of those interests, we'll never run out of things to talk about. However, what if we don't share any of these interests?
We've all dealt with over-eager agents, full of excitement about things that interest them. Or home sellers that LOVE their house more than anyone should love a house.
Of course, this problem is not limited to real estate (just a bit more obvious sometimes).
I was at a business luncheon … (54 comments)
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success: There Is No Truth
- 03/28/12 11:38 PM
There is no truth, at least no universal truth.
Truth is not a fact. Truth is not an absolute. It is not even clearly defined with a single meaning.
Dictionary.com has eleven definitions of the word “truth.” These include “the true or actual state of a matter,” “an obvious or accepted fact” and “ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience.”
These are similar but not identical meanings. So, apparently there is not even a single “true” definition of truth.
Despite this, I often hear people argue about the truth. Just think of your most recent couple of … (3 comments)
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success: My Earthquake is better than your Mortgage Crisis
- 08/24/11 07:48 AM
“Earthquake!”
Thus reads headlines, radio report, twitter feeds and FaceBook. For a while. This replaces the prior headlines of debt crisis disagreements, mortage disasters, floods, heat waves, and tornadoes. In a few days, there will be a new headline about something else.
Is one of these a better story than the rest? That totally depends on how it affects you. For most of us that are not directly affected, it is not a matter of “better” but simply “latest.”
When something does not directly impact us then, for all practical purposes, it is more of a reality television show than … (0 comments)
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success: Hey! Do Something!
- 07/12/11 11:33 PM
Want something good to happen? Then do something!
Progress comes from action, not wishful thinking. And certainly not from procrastination.
Need more listings or buyers? Find new ways to work smarter and harder to connect with these clients.
Want your messages to be heard? Make the effort needed become a better speaker or writer.
Want to feel better? Eat healthier and become more active.
Want a greater income? Be of greater value, genuinely earn a promotion, or create your own income streams.
Do all these actions take effort? Of course. Progress requires movement. You have to do something to create change and … (6 comments)
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success: Zombies are Amongst Us (Are you one?)
- 06/14/11 05:24 AM
Beware! Zombies are amongst us. They are found everywhere. They may be buyers, sellers, colleagues, service providers, or even brokers.
Watch out and be careful because zombies don't care about your listings, your reputation, your messages, your goals, or your plans.
They don't care to add real value, to work hard enough to make real change, or be better themselves. Oh, they may act interested. Maybe. But it is my experience that zombies are pretty good at faking interest as a way to lull you into their zombie lifestyle. Talk about it alot but do little or nothing. It is the … (5 comments)
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success: Beware of the Message Assassins
- 05/25/11 04:41 PM
Beware of the assassins. No, I don't mean a military, spy, or James Bond type of assassin. I mean, those people that seek to kill your idea or messages.
More specifically, when I say "message assassin" I don't even mean the people who confront your ideas and messages with obvious force or even candid, direct discussion. No, the message assassins are the people who will watch, wait and then fire a single shot or two from a distance to kill your messages, ideas, career, deal, listing, or business.
They may poison the discussion with rumors and suggestions to other. Perhaps they will … (1 comments)
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Our brokerage's agents and staff were excited to be recently ranked at #927 on the 2017 Inc 5000.
;)
;)
;)
