real estate: Motivational Monday – Got Talent or Mediocrity? - 02/02/25 06:34 AM
These words by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle look at both side of the same coin. The coin is each of us.
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself,
but talent instantly recognizes genius.
We often acknowledge others who have talent, who are true professional real estate agents.  These are the agents when we see their phone numbers or emails we inwardly smile knowing if a real estate transaction happens the end result between us as agents will be positive.
We also recognize those agents from their past behaviors have demonstrated mediocrity in the past. Real estate transactions with these agents is often like pulling hen’s … (7 comments)

real estate: Why We Love What We Do? I Luv Selling Dirt! - 02/01/25 06:38 AM
Selling dirt is not glamorous. Nor in NW Mohave County typically a high dollar sale.
Yet there are so many reasons why I❤️ Selling Dirt!
#1 – Supporting Folks and the American Dream
Owning real estate is the American Dream for many individuals, The reality is numerous buyers do not have tons of cash. However, these American Dreamers have enough to buy some dirt for under $25,000. Payment for this is in cash or owner carry financing. I continue to smile as I read the generous recommendations from my real estate clients and then see the progress they have undertaken over time is truly … (17 comments)

real estate: Slow Down, Don’t Rush, Your Real Estate Clients - 01/20/25 08:48 AM
In sales, I have observed some salespeople rush their clients.  If sales is the "transference of feelings" and "people buy from people they know and trust," then it makes practical sales sense to slow down.
Don’t rush your clients!
During these past eight years of being in real estate sales, I am surprised as how many of my real estate clients became my clients because other professional real estate agents rushed them.  Some of these “rushings” included showing properties that failed to meet the real estate client’s needs and wants.
Another rushing behavior was failure to explain each document to their clients before … (12 comments)

real estate: I Love Selling Dirt! - 01/05/25 11:16 AM
Eight years ago when I entered real estate, I wanted only to be a buyer’s agent and focus on selling homes because I didn't' know what I didn't know. Then reality happened after working with residential buyers along with vacant land buyers and sellers.
Those early experiences revealed to me selling dirt as a listing agent or as a buyer’s agent was a heck of a lot easier.  Given I am older and want some “me time,” changing my target market was a "no brainer" as it has been said.
Why do I Iove selling dirt? Let me count the ways.
First, dirt usually … (6 comments)

real estate: Using an Excel Sheet a Plus for ActiveRain Bloggers - 01/05/25 08:59 AM
Staying organized as a writer or a blogger has always been part of my writing DNA. As a past business writer for the Post Tribune, Sun Times and Chicago Tribune, nBiz a business journal out of Houston TX (19 years and still writing) and along with other blogging forums, I realized I needed a way to stay organize especially if I wanted to share a past article’s link.
Messes aren't my friend!
My excel sheet is similar for each forum, but is also different. Organizing my ActiveRain blogs begins with keeping each month separate though all are on the same sheet. I start … (19 comments)

real estate: Yee Haw DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE the Name Says It All - 01/04/25 07:40 AM
People remember business names and logos such as Apple to Nike. In real estate to stand out in the crowd or what I call be the Red Jacket in a Sea of Gray Suits, requires a name that says it all and still differentiates itself from other similar businesses.
Here in Mohave County there are approximately 1,700 licensed real estate agents. 
Lucky for me I connected with DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE via its agent Elise Harron  in our search for a property here in NW AZ.  As someone who undertakes significant research when making a serious decision, the DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE website … (14 comments)

real estate: Vacant Land Improvements, Anyone? - 01/03/25 08:26 AM
Since I truly love selling dirt here in Mohave County and especially Golden Valley, AZ, I have witnessed a lot of vacant land properties where the anxious owners made improvements. These improvements included:
Clearing the property Septic installation Well Fencing Electric to the Property Line Rural water to Property Line Water Meter   RV Ports or Vehicle Ports RV Hook Ups RV Pads Power Pole Power Pole with Meter Sheds Pads for Sheds Large Workshops Pads for Workshops Surveying the property Unfortunately, LIFE happens.  Suddenly those plans for that last home, that snow bird recreational property or that future horse ranch … (1 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Me Time Day 2 - 01/03/25 07:39 AM
Being small business owners without any employees create a lot of demands. For professional real estate agents, these demands start sometimes as soon as the emails are opened in the morning until late at night.
This quote helps to remind us about me time.
"You can’t pour from an empty cup."
(Source Anonymous)
Making me time is critical for an individual. Also, the lack of personal time creates imbalance with one’s professional life. To avoid this imbalance, I created a personal action plan with these six categories. Again, the first section of this action plan includes personal values, personal vision, current mission and personal self-affirming … (2 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – The GAP Day 3 - 12/31/24 07:29 AM
Taking action requires time. Time is a limited resource as time is a constant. No one can manage a constant. All one can do is to better manage himself or herself. 
If you have read many of these posts within this series, there may be a question of how do I keep all that planning on track so I can take the right actions to ensure my real estate practice is successful?
After researching and reviewing numerous one page business plans, I discovered these gaps:
Critical Goal Categories Core Foundational Statements of Vision, Values and Mission  Company Tag Line Dashboard of Key Performance … (1 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Got Financials? Day 9 - 12/27/24 04:56 PM
Money may be considered the root of all evil. However, without money, no small business to large for profit or not for profit organization can function.
Probably, the first area within this strategic thinking critical goal category of Financials is Profitability. I believe many agents fail to ledger their time and therefore have misguided beliefs about their profitability.
Next comes Direct Costs. In any small business including real estate those direct costs are often connected to membership fees, marketing costs, etc. The good news is that direct costs can be tracked.
The third critical goal area is Labor. Often professional real estate agents ignore … (2 comments)

real estate: ActiveRain’s January 2025 Challenge: Planning for Success - 12/27/24 05:12 AM
"Plan your work for today and every day,
then work your plan."
— Margaret Thatcher
For many real estate professionals, the word plan may not be met with excitement, but it is essential for achieving success. Each New Year brings fresh opportunities to grow your business. Following the November Gratitude Challenge, which encouraged us to pause and reflect on our blessings, this January challenge, courtesy of Will Hamm  and myself invites you to pause, reflect, and share your strategic plans for success in 2025.
What planning actions are you taking this month to ensure a thriving business in the year ahead?
You might focus on … (84 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Got Innovation? Day 11 - 12/25/24 06:55 AM
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
Steve Jobs
Innovation and leadership go hand in hand.
Within this strategic thinking critical goal category of Innovation, the first critical goal area is New Products. This succinct quote by Tom Freston says it all.
“Innovation is taking two things that already exist and putting them together in a new way.”
The critical goal area of Technology follows. Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant in roads within real estate.
Human Capital Development is essential in that learning new technology, thinking differently promotes any small business forward.
Next is New Services.  What new services or existing services can one change … (1 comments)

real estate: Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful, Maybe Elsewhere Tho Not Here - 12/24/24 08:29 AM
As we celebrate our 8th Christmas Eve here in NW AZ, Mohave County, Golden Valley, today is going to be another beautiful day here. My how fast the time flies. 
The high is predicted to be 68 degrees with partly cloudy skies and a mild wind of 4 MPH. Our weather is a far cry from Valparaiso, IN located in NW IN where the current temperatures are in the 30’s.
Even though we no longer have the opportunity for White Christmas, we also don’t have to shovel snow.  Neither one of us minded the cold, but the shoveling or snow blowing of the … (14 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Your Customer Loyalty Goals? Day 14 - 12/21/24 05:43 AM
Growing any business requires increasing customers or clients. Within the six critical goal categories discussed previously, each customer loyalty or client loyalty goal category requires those WAY SMART goals.
For REFERRALS, this may include a goal to thank any and all referrals with a personal handwritten note. Additionally, another goal may be to ask existing clients for referrals.
Often EXISTING CUSTOMERS or CLIENTS are forgotten as professional real estate agents move onto the next sales lead. Again establishing a goal to keep top of mind awareness (TOMA) is essential. This goal may include sending out holiday cards or a postcard campaign regarding specific … (6 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Got Customer Loyalty? Day 15 - 12/17/24 01:28 PM
Real estate business success requires customers or potential clients who turn into actual clients.  These individuals are the bread and butter for professional real estate agents.
Yet, sometimes these real estate agents become so busy in outreach (think marketing or farming) along with the associated activities for each real estate transaction that they fail to keep in contact with their past clients. Here are some client retention statistics from 2023.
A 5% increase in client retention can boost profits by up to 75% (Bain & Company) 82% of companies agree that client retention is cheaper than acquisition (SmallBizGenius) The Pareto principle of … (3 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Sales Growth Action Plan Day 17 - 12/14/24 09:29 AM
After the marketing growth action plan has been completed, then it is time to dive into the Strategic Thinking Sales Growth Action Plan.  Again, this plan has six key areas (critical goal categories) along with the key performance indicators for each category.
Within this sales action plan, I believe there exists a definite counter balance between the critical goal areas. For example:
#1-Time Management is countered balance against #4-Productivity.  How many often is an extraordinary amount of time is spent not invested and there is no meaningful productivity? his is why qualifying individuals is so important.
KPI’s for #1 is tracking time and determining … (2 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Sales Analysis Day 21 - 12/11/24 04:09 PM
Many real estate agents have heard “Selling real estate is easy money” or something similar to that. However, professional real estate agents know that selling real estate is not easy nor is it simple. Each real estate transaction is unique beginning with the individuals who are parties to the transaction.
My sense is that many newer real estate agents and even some experienced agents fail to understand the sales process. This lack of clarity may help to explain why many agents fail to have “consistent” sales success.
The sales process is essentially three phases: Marketing, Selling, and Keeping. The previous strategic thinking countdown … (1 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Market Analysis Day 22 - 12/10/24 09:23 AM
Earlier on Strategic Thinking Countdown Day 24 possibly you started reviewing your real estate results for the current year. Now it is time to dig a little deeper by looking at current marketing efforts:
Market Segment such as Vacant Land, Residential Properties which may be further separated into single family, multi-family, commercial properties. Customer Population such as first-time home buyers, Veterans, Baby Boomers downsizing, Families upsizing, Retirees relocating, etc.  Additionally, the customer population could be separated by Generation X, Millennials, Traditional also known as Silent Generation, etc. Customer Needs might include geographic nearness to specific amenities such as health care, K-12 … (2 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Your Rear View Mirror Day 24 - 12/08/24 08:05 AM
Often professional real estate agents become so focused working IN their real estate practices, they fail to work ON their practices.  Taking time to Assess and Clarify is essential before agents can Execute (ACE) if those agents want to make the future better than the past. For some, this is referred to as looking into the Rearview Mirror.
Today’s strategic thinking questions are fairly simple:
During the current year how many clients (sold real estate transactions) did you have?
In what geographic, demographic and types of real estate did these sold transactions happen?
For me my geographic area has been 50% Golden Valley, 30% … (4 comments)

real estate: Strategic Thinking Countdown – Your Bottom Line Day 30 - 12/01/24 08:57 AM
Funny think how many small business owners including real estate agents use their checkbook for their bottom line. If the checkbook has enough dollars to pay current expenditures, great. If not, panic ensues. Not necessarily the best way to live as it breeds anxiety, additional emotional and complacency.
However, this type of thinking, as noted above, is probably not the best as it is 100% reactionary and not proactive. Usually, the excuse for not monitoring income, expenditures and hours is “I’m too busy selling real estate.”
One of my coaches years ago shared this John Wooden quote with me:
 “If you don’t have … (4 comments)