I've been in the business for 14 years and mostly have worked on my own with only the help of an escrow coordinator in recent years.When I've been quite busy, I've hired an assistant, but it hasn't worked out well, by and large. (And I've done it a few times.) It is a totally different skill set
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03/29/2007
How do you break the ice with new clients? Clients, what makes you warm up to your agent?Sometimes do you ever get the impression that folks you show homes to, or sellers you are meeting with, are somehow actually afraid of you?All of us have had pushy car sales people experiences. And they reall
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03/29/2007
This afternoon, I attended a class in web marketing at my real estate board, the SILICON VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, or "SILVAR" for short. I have had some success with my websites (though not with blogging to date) after reading a bunch and taking some courses on the subject and have worked
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03/28/2007
What has been your "most creative" way to grow your business? That is, what's your most creative avenue for meeting new clients, or winning them over, or keeping them?In my office, even though we're smak in the middle of Silicon Valley, not a lot of folks do web marketing. I seem to be out in lef
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03/27/2007
Bella is our black lab, and her favorite bad trick is stealing food when humans aren't looking. This has gotten her into a little trouble from time to time, but the ultimate penalty is that her vet put her on a diet. "She needs to lose 8 lbs", we were told.But today she was looking at me with ult
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03/27/2007
Sometime's it is just not a fit - for whatever reason, it's better if we don't work with a relative or friend, even if they live very close by. Usually that's not the case, in my experience, but sometimes it is. But whatever the case, whenever it happens, I'd like to help connect that person to t
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03/27/2007
Today I answered our home phone was instantly barraged with a bunch of questions. "Hello, may I speak with Jim?" (Jim's my husband.) When I explained that he was not available, but I could take a message, I got a second question "may I have his cell phone number?" At this point, the caller had
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03/26/2007
5169-5173 Oxbow Court, San Jose (Cambrian Park)Fabulous duplex, nicely updated and in great cul-de-sac location, on huge lot, just one block from Los Gatos! It is just a few steps to Union Middle School, Alta Vista Elementary School, and to restaurants and shops at nearby Downing Center. Wonderfu
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03/25/2007
I just read a fine post by Kristal Kraft regarding the #1 Killer of Real Estate Deals . It made me think of something I was discussing at a class I was teaching a week or two ago on disclosure obligations in my home state of California, that doing the disclosures upfront averts surprises. And
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03/25/2007
Last November, I decided to write about my enthusiasm for my town, Los Gatos, with a blog at www.RealTown.com, another (wonderful) online real estate community. (If you haven't been to Real Town, check it out, bookmark it, and return often to see the ongoing improvements to that site.) I'm a Sil
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03/16/2007
