Is it difficult out there for Sellers? Yes. For Buyers? Yes. For real estate professionals? Yes. And, is it going to be difficult for a while yet? Yes. Ok then, let's get to work and solve the problems that are within arms length!
Some of you were around in the '80s whith interest rates in the high teens...18%. Did we sell homes for Sellers? Yes. Did we find homes for Buyers? Yes. Did we as a profession make a fair income? Yes. We created ways and adjusted our business plan to get our job done; bringing buyers to sellers. What about the "boom" years, with rising prices and interest rates at between 6% and 8% at times, and little to no standing inventory. I watched very good agents with very good business practices get out of the business because it was too hard to get a home for buyers; it was tough to compete with 8 or 10 or 12 other offers. But, we adapted to the situation and found ways to do what the clients hired us to do; bring buyers to sellers.
In my humble opinion, today's challenges are no better or worse than at any other time in our markets' history; they are just different. But, it's just a new day, and a new opportunity for a solution that might be based on a time tested and proven technique (ahhh...the good old days...). So don't be so quick to throw a wet blanket on an idea just because "we've tried that before and it didn't work," or "that might work where you are but it will never work here."
Do I have the silver bullet, the "one thing," that magic potion to make you successful? NO, but you do. Go to work. Go to work every day, doing the things the clients have asked us to do. Then when you run out of that, do something that you can honestly say moved you toward 'finding new business everyday.' <Sorry, started channeling my old coaches and friends Herb and Greg.>
But that's what I'm talking about, did you put your name and business in front of someone yesterday? Bernice Ross wrote a great article posted on Inman News Dailey Headlines and on her coaching newsletter yesterday about how to prioritize your clients (watch for part 2 on Thursday) but it spoke to me about how to prioritize my daily activities. You can do a quick websearch for more from Bernice Ross - I'll paraphrase what she said; it's what we have been saying for a hundred years. First take care of the clients who hired you-Buyers or Sellers, then set up or prep for a listing appointment, then prospect for more listings, then work on buyer leads and try to turn them into clients, then find more buyer leads. By the time you've done all these things every day, it's time to go home and tell the person you work for - either the face in the mirror or your family - you did a good job today.
Was it tough? Yes. Will it be tough tomorrow? Yes.
So what! If this is the profession you choose to earn a living then you might as well face the fact that hard work is hard...uh oh i think now I'm channeling my Dad.
Anyway, it 's not all doom and gloom, I know folks who are have a great year; brand new agents who are successful, experienced agents and brokers who are doing fine and even opening their own firms.
The magic is in YOU. Go make it a great day!
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