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I know we are not supposed to use this message board for Point2 problems but when I haven't been able to post because the Point2 message board won't allow me to post a reply or add a new message then I have no other way to ask a question here...if anyone else has been encountering this problem let me know!
Donna
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The following is an exerpt from the Real Estate Marketing eMagazine, published by TomlinNicks.com called Out of the Box....just passing it on...because it is too true...and oh too funny!
Inside the sadly mistaken
mind of a real estate slacker
Real estate companies are about people. A lot of people. Too damn many people. 1.3 million people. 1 agent per 121 adults.
 I am convinced, we need to either fix, or fire, about 700,000 of those who are just real estate slackers.
It's the only answer.
Not a pleasant answer. I recognize that.
And it'll never happen. No need to put it in a 100 point type header that says, "CURE FOR SICK REAL ESTATE COMPANIES FOUND!" But that's what it is; literally, firing 700,000 licensees is the quickest way save the industry.
 Let's talk straight. The over-populated real estate industry is bordering shameful. And it's a funny problem; the management of a lot of companies we talk to complain about how many agents are in their market. But, that same management will hire anyone, with a pulse rate, a MasterCard and a real estate license. Which, of course, only fuels the fire.
As an industry, and there are certainly exceptions, our standards, when it comes to hiring dedicated professionals, has never been lower. And its showing.
Here are a few slacker types, people who just don't get it. People who do three deals a year, but combined, they take a lot of transactions away from the real professionals in this business. And frankly, we need to fix 'em or fire 'em.
So here they are. Exposed. Now, fix 'em or fire 'em.
 SALES MANIAC MARK
Mark used to sell radio advertising. 37. Divorced. Hip dresser. Has (or thinks he has) the gift-of-gab. Some say he has the gift of grab.
Mark is a sales guy. Over-doses on caffeine and Tony Robbins tapes. He's a closer. A shooter. A player.
And he won't make it in real estate.
Mark always has to have NEW prospects. Because most of the people Mark does business with won't do so a
second time. Mark is his own worst enemy.
 NICK THE NERD
Unless Nick collects 30 bucks from every agent who asks him to fix their laptop, he's not likely to make it in this business.
And that's too bad, because Nick is a great guy. Smart. Detailed. A team player. He can't sell his way out of a wet paper bag. And some people can't-that's no crime. Just like some people can't figure out how to run Outlook.
But real estate is more PowerPoint than it is EXCEL.
Nick should probably not have been hired, even though he's a "nice guy." Different Broker/Owners have different opinions on this, but, I think Nick is what you could rightly call; a recruiting mistake. Too bad for everybody.
 ANGRY ANDY
Andy is pissed. At everything.
He's mad at his ex-wife who wants her child support. Mad at the bank who wants his car payment. Mad at VISA because they want their minimum payment.
Andy is really mad at Andy. Because Andy has so many personal problems he can't focus on turning things around.
People with a lot of personal problems, as tragic as they may be, don't do well in
commission selling. That's the fact, whether they're nice people or not nice people.
Keeping your personal Iife in order will help you succeed.
 KENNY
Kenny's cool.
But, being cool isn't what real estate is about.
Kenny comes from the most narcissistic generation in history. 41% believe they will someday be famous. So, maybe it's not Kenny's fault.
And maybe its not Kenny's fault that he doesn't know how to WORK, either. Maybe nobody was around to teach him. So, you'll have to.
But unless Kenny is ready, unless he's tired of wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and being cool, don't waste your time.
And Kenny COULD make it. That's the sad part. But he'll have to grow up and get his mind on business. Yeah, Kenny's cool. Too cool.
I am not opposed to slackers, I'm just opposed to slacking
To be against slackers would be to be against people, and that is anything but who I am.
I am FOR people. ALWAYS, all people, all colors, gender, religion, political affiliation, or personal failure list.
But, I have to tell you, I am fervently opposed to "slacking" - the behavior, not the person.
Most people never get it out of first gear. They stay in that confounded comfort-zone. They hang-out, chill-out and pill-out. They hope they're going to get a whole bunch of money for a little tiny bit of work. And it NEVER happens!
My generation, (I am a tail-end BOOMER, southern tail) didn't do a very good job, for the most part, teaching our kids some of the really important things in life; like work ethic.
So, we have a whole generation of younger people who don't really know HOW TO work.
And I maintain, an honest 40-hours of work each week will put you ahead of 80% of the people in the business. No slick marketing. Just WORK! You can beat 80% of your competition just by working hard.
Which is harder? Working hard or having financial
problems? I'll take the work.
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 OL' CAN'T RETIRE BOB
Bob is a nice enough guy. But, fact is, he's cooked. Done. Burnt-out. Not interested in rallying.
He retired from a corporate sales job in 1999, and, as he sometimes says, "I've forgotten more about selling than most people know."
And Bob's right. He has forgotten a lot about selling. Like rule #1. Work.
Come on Bob. Ignite. How about setting some personal goals? You remember, right?
 DEPRESSED DAN
Poor Dan. Thing's aren't going well for Dan. He got dumped from a dot.com company in 2001 and hasn't landed back in the digital world since.
And its depressing. Decided to "give real estate a chance," last year. Just until the microchips are moving again.
Laugh. Like ANYBODY gives real estate a chance. Kind of the other way around, don't you think?
Dan was thinking the other day about getting out of real estate. Of course, the better question is, did Dan ever really get IN real estate?
 JAKE THE JOCK
Jake is 23, and sort of pretty. He was a State Champion wrestler in high school and got a full ride scholarship to college until the grades caught up to him.
Now he's in real estate.
During his interview, he explained to the Broker/Owner that he could bench 550. The obvious question, "yeah, but can you make 550?" probably wasn't asked. Too bad too, because he hasn't and he won't. But he is sort of pretty.
MISERABLE MARGE
There was a time when Marge was considered the quintessential real estate professional.
But, for that matter, there was a time when big lizards roamed the Earth.
Marge knows real estate. She just doesn't see her place in the industry anymore. And she can make it too. IF she will learn to work demographically, you know, with people more her age. GEEZERS AND BOOMERS. (The people in our culture with a little money.)
 PRIMA DONNA DONNA
The real estate agent from hell. Donna, the real estate queen, is no longer the belle of the ball.
Donna is a life-slacker. She does a ton of business, but doesn't cook dinner for the kids very often.
And this kind of slacking is just as dangerous as being a work slacker.
Donna is going to have to slow down and smell the roses.
 HENRY DAVID-TOOSLOW
Henry is writing a book. 6 hours a day he sits at his desk at Success Realty working on the manuscript. And it's coming along nicely.
Unfortunately, his real estate career is not coming along quite as nicely.
Henry needed an office. And a couple of walk-ins a month until his royalty checks start rolling in.
Henry has no interest in a successful real estate career. Never did. Never will. And had he been asked that in his interview, he'd have said so. And probably still been offered a job!
Real estate is PACKED with semi-retired people who are unmotivated, unfocused and typically mentally disassociated with the fact they even have a real estate license.
And as the BOOMERS grow older, there will be tens of thousands of them getting their real estate license each year. Not really interested in making a success of themselves, just doing a couple of deals here and there. And they'll tragically find plenty of Broker/Owners willing to give them a place to get out of the house.
Some companies have already become unofficial Adult Day Care Centers.
The high price of slackerdom
There are positives and negatives to every issue, even slacking.
Let's see. The rewards you get for "hanging-out" at a real estate office... well, you won't get dirty, you won't sweat, every now and then you'll probably run into a piece of business, and, of course, you can work on your novel.
The rewards for an honest 40 hours work every week. Money. A lot of money. Recognition. Respect. And, a little jealousy too. Self satisfaction. Self respect. Lots of happy relationships. Pride. It's a better deal!
Look, I am not a work-Nazi, even though I work close to 100 hours a week. That's just me. I like work. I like what I get for working. My family likes what I get for working. It works for us. All you have to figure out is what works for you.
And most slackers, I don't care what demographic they fit into, have one universal problem. They don't have any money. And that can't be cured without a little, work. | |
If you're able to work, be grateful. And work! |
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Only the most futuristic of Realtors could ever imagine sliding a piece of paper in a machine and having it come out exactly as it went in....2000 miles away.....50 years ago! 40 years ago, only the most visionary Realtors could see the use of computers to the degree that they are used today. 30 years ago, the face of Real Estate had a simplistic nature about it....where "Agency" meant the particular Real Estate company. The point I'm making is that we are very seldom able to envision what the future holds, not only in this business, but in business in general!
32 years ago, I carefully calculated interest on ledger cards at the Royal Bank...and entered the information by hand into clients bank books. I studied Fortran and Cobalt programming at school because that was the future. I for some reason, was never able to envision a personal computer at every wicket. A few years later, I would hold a very important bank job! The custodian of the first bank machine for the CIBC in Hamilton. What the heck would this machine look like? How would it dispense the money? I had never thought of that either!
If the truth be known...I haven't been able to think of one new advancement which has come my way! Like little teeny weenie cell phones! Laptop computers! Call display! Exit Realty! I haven't thought of any of them! I never even thought of Independent Contractor status or the Internet....or websites! It all just appeared one day!
So, the time has come for me to be bold...make a prediction or two...and I'm going to hedge my bets on Walmart Realty! Well, this I know...as soon as this blog is up and running...the googlebot will index it and every time someone searches Walmart...this blog will appear! Ok, Walmart Realty will offer one stop house shopping services! You'll view houses via the Walmart tram...which will leave every hour on the hour from a Walmart Superstore near you! Then, your offer will be prepared while you do your shopping, and they will even print out a list of items for your new home...colour co ordinated and everything! They'll book the Walmart movers and use the Walmart Closing Centre and Title Insurance Company...Perhaps if you have enough room in the budget, they will direct you to the Walmart Auto Centre, where you will be able to purchase a new car, and get all of your financing looked after at the Walmart Bank! Everyone working at Walmart Realty will remember the olden days...when Realtors actually worked on Commissions....now they have the comfort of earning $10.50 an hour...guaranteed ..and they get to drive the tram after 3 months on the job! Gone will be the days of ReMax, Coldwell Banker, Royal LePage, Century 21, just like their predecessors from the 60's, 70's and 80's. They will be nothing more than a name from the past and as we get our messages via microchip implants which not only act as receivers and transmitters, but also our bank cards, charge cards, drivers licenses, health cards and passports plus human GPS tracking systems...combined with a dna profile, preventing identity theft 100%.....how many of us will be saying...remember when we had to worry about Search Engine Optimisation on that Internet thing we use to do?
One way or another...there will be a tomorrow in Real Estate...what it will look like is beyond my visionary scope...seeing that Walmart Realty was the best I could come up with! lol However, I think I should print this prediction and keep it in a safe place, just so I can pull it out 30 years from now and say...."I wasn't that far off!"
Well, I can surely say this! That never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be able to "blog"....and pass my wild thoughts out to the whole world in a matter of seconds!
Just selling in the snow again....in Hamilton!
Donna
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I always joke around in my office about my clients being members of the "Feed a Realtor" society. Feeding...eating....surviving....it's all the same. As Realtors, we are self employed...and we're just the same as the self employed individual that owns the gas station, steel fabrication plant, garden centre...we need the public to generate our income, which enables us to continue to generate an income along with buying the necessities of life. Heck, when we look at it, we're just smaller versions of the huge companies, like Microsoft, Ikea, or General Motors! The fact of the matter is...we need to generate a constant form of income.
"Realtor" is the title...but "Selling Real Estate" is the name of the game. Just like Lawyer is to practicing Law, like Doctor is to practicing Medicine, like Photocopier Salesman is to Xerox, a Realtor MUST sell Real Estate...or else he/she shall surely starve.
There are multitudes of books, on line courses, promoting agencies etc.etc, that tell Realtors how to excel in the business...but there is no easy way. It's all about catching your own personal groove. Your own personal rhythm. It's making it work for you until you can achieve the income that you set out to achieve with as much ease as possible.
Real Estate Sales is complex. Why? Because the scope of Real Estate is mind boggling. Young, old, wise, not so wise, educated, public school drop outs, literate, illiterate, urban, rural, old fashioned, technologically advanced. But when we boil it all down in the bubble bath of life...each and every Realtor, simply wants to make a living!
Statistically, 80% of the money earned in Real Estate Sales, will continue to be earned by 20% of the Realtors out there. The goal most have...is being in that 20% of income earners for your area. If you're there...you will not have to spend time clipping grocery coupons. You will be well on your way to realizing and maintaining success.
I have deep roots in the agribusiness of "goat genetics"....lol...and I was speaking to a farmer once about his herd. He milked 200 goats, with an average of 1/2 gallon of milk per day per goat....yes..100 gallons of milk. I asked him why he didn't spend $500. to buy the genetics necessary to improve his production. Milk 100 goats for that 100 gallons of milk? It would free up at least 3 hours everyday..cost less in feed, generate more net profit...or better yet...generate a profit! His response was simple....there was no proof that this would happen. He felt that he would be wasting his $500.00...and furthermore, what else would he do with his time? lol
This taught me a valuable lesson. What I learned was that just because it made sense to me, didn't necessarily mean it makes sense to someone else! The same holds true in Real Estate sales. Some people may find pounding the pavement in their farming area not only a great way to meet prospective clients, they may find it great exercise as well! However, the guy who has a great infinity to the latest in computer gadgets, may see absolutely no value in this approach, and much prefer to use his website to gather leads. Being experienced in Real Estate Management, I can tell you that as a Broker/Manager...it didn't matter to me how the Company's salespeople were getting their business...as long as it was legal & ethical...and as long as they got it! lol Just like that farmer...producing 100 gallons of milk a day. It didn't matter to him how he did it...just as long as there was 100 gallons of milk in the cooler everyday!
A Doctor without patients, a Lawyer without clients, the photocopier salesman without photocopiers to sell...they're no different than the Realtor without people to sell houses to..or for.
Firstly, you must decide how much money you want to make. Would you be able to survive on 50K before expenses? How about 100K? 200K? 500K? Write it down. How much do you want to make in the next 12 months?
Secondly. Divide that amount by the average commissions in your particular area. Ok, For the purpose of this example, let's say we want to make 200K and the average commission in our area is $10,000. That means we must sell 20 houses to attain the income we so, so desire.
Now, break down your 12 month agenda. Perhaps you take a month off in the summer. Perhaps your area market isn't busy at Christmas. Align those deals according to your personal time...and your personal market. You may now looking at a calender that shows, 4 deals May 4 deals June-2 deals July-Off in August-4 deals in September, 4 deals in October, 2 deals in November. Off-December.
Then, you set out to achieve these goals. This is your job description. Perhaps you get 6 deals in May. Then you have the choice. Take a bit of a break, or, work for those bonus deals! The beginning of every month in Real Estate should be the same as the beginning of the month in any other business and you should always be cultivating your business for the months ahead. You must know what you have to achieve for the month. It doesn't matter at that point how you are getting your business...just that you do in fact get it. Keep track of your progress..or your sales performance.
Stand in line at the grocery story....blog...buy a billboard sign....beg on the corner...call past clients, call past leads, call friends, put your kids out with sandwich boards, optimize your website....just never loose sight of the fact YOU MUST reach your quota. Get real tough with yourself! If it's the 10th of the month and your website hasn't produced any good leads...don't just sit there and wait....if you have sell 4 houses that month...you have to start exploring other avenues to obtain the business! Pick up the phone, open houses...perhaps next month will produce 10 on line leads...but for now...you have to intervene immediately. The photocopier salesman would receive no mercy from the sales manager if he used the excuse....well, no one buzzed me...or no one called me?..or..I'll be selling like crazy as soon as that googlebot notices my website?....I was hoping that someone would call?...I thought that they would?...you have to take control and make those deals happen now! What does that photocopier sales man do to keep his job? He shakes his bootie and works it! He does not quit until he has reached his quota....why? He loves being employed and hates being fired...and further more...he feels great knowing that he meets, if not surpasses his target, month after month!
So, regardless of what you're use to, regardless of what you're comfortable with, you have to use all of the tools available in the year 2007 to obtain that constant paycheck...and be one of the 20% earning 80% of the Real Estate commissions out there! Now, to get into the top 5% of income earners, you have to multiply these production numbers by 2 and to get into the top 1%, you have to multiply them by 4! These figures are not scientifically proven...they're just figures that have proven true over the years, in my area market!
Happy Selling!
Donna
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Recently I had the opportunity to visit a little bungalow....sitting on a nice little lot outside of Brantford, Ontario. I wasn't making the trip to sell the house, I was venturing out to see the latest in housing technology. Traveling on roads that I wasn't familiar with, I somehow was looking for a home that looked like a box with windows. Following the driving instructions carefully, I pulled up in front of a charming bungalow, with a quaint front porch, accented with pillars, boasting a lovely front door and windows. I had been told that the roof of the house was painted black...and yes, since 99.9% of housing in this area have shingled roofs, this beautiful little house with the painted black roof must be the one I was looking for!
I took a careful look at the home from the exterior. The front had been covered with vinyl siding, but I had been told that it could be trimmed with absolutely anything. Brick, stucco, vinyl...or just left as steel. Thus, it could be an all brick, an all stucco or a combo of exterior bungalow. I opened the front door...and felt an immediate sense of warmth. My eyes spanned the beautiful open concept living area/kitchen area complete with custom kitchen and gas fireplace. Off to the one side was a very spacious master bedroom and gorgeous ensuite bath. On the other side were 2 unfinished rooms which allowed visitors to see the construction.
Needless to say, I was totally amazed. Why? It's the innovation of this construction. It's akin to a mechano set. Dade County Hurricane Standards, R24-R48+, plus a custom anchoring system for a multitude of environmental, weather and climate demands. Put together in prefab pieces, totally engineered. The home is constructed by Hemisphere Homes. According to the material provided to me from Hemisphere Homes... snip...>"Hemisphere Homes Inc. was founded on the will and determination of a group of people who believe in providing communities with quality homes. Through our dedication, we have developed a home-building system using a galv-alum insulated panel that significantly reduces the time and cost to construct a new home" ..snip<...."Hemisphere Homes provides a home that is environmentally friendly, termite resistant, energy efficient, fire retardant, sound reduction, superior strength, resistant to rotting and mold, as well as a significant decrease in landfill waste"
WOW!! The price schedule indicates a range of $59.00 US (base unit) to a completed unit of $110.00 US...and that is complete with kitchen, baths, flooring, fixtures etc.etc. But, the most incredible part about these homes is the places where they can go, the speed that they can go at and the incredible ease of construction, with local tradesmen easily trained on it's complete construction!
Unlike it's prefab predecessors, Hemisphere Homes has seemed to have taken prefab construction to new heights. The products used in the construction are environmentally friendly, there's a reduction in on-site waste & wood use is significantly reduced. According to their material, it takes approximately 8 recycled cars to build a 2,000 square foot home using a Hemisphere Home, and the same home built through traditional wood construction could consume up to 1 acre of forest!
Hemisphere Homes states that they have "worked diligently with structural design experts, architects, engineers, marketing consultants and home contractors to meet and exceed these requirements. Hemisphere Homes has developed a state of the art home building system, using engineered structural insulated panels and channels to erect an energy efficient and cost effective home that can be used around the world".
Hey folks...it doesn't appear that you'll find any warping, twisting, shrinking or moisture issues with this new home construction.
The materials are extremely light, compared to conventional construction materials and are shipped as a unit. Transporting costs are greatly reduced, so there's no doubt that this construction is a save, save, save....anyway you look at it!
Whether you're a builder, contractor, or private individual, I can certainly see how this type of structure may be of great benefit to you! Right now, they're working on bungalofts and 2 storey designs!
I'm not selling homes for Hemisphere Homes, I am simply spreading the news on a product that I think is revolutionary...and may very well change the way we do a lot of construction into the future!
You can contact them via Bob Mitchell, Director of Marketing at (905) 679-6299
I'm giving them a 5 star rating!! They're certainly golden green in my books!
Just thinking convenient & green!
Donna
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I always joke around in my office about my clients being members of the "Feed a Realtor" society. Feeding...eating....surviving....it's all the same. As Realtors, we are self employed...and we're just the same as the self employed individual that owns the gas station, steel fabrication plant, garden centre...we need the public to generate our income, which enables us to continue to generate an income along with buying the necessities of life. Heck, when we look at it, we're just smaller versions of the huge companies, like Microsoft, Ikea, or General Motors! The fact of the matter is...we need to generate a constant form of income.
"Realtor" is the title...but "Selling Real Estate" is the name of the game. Just like Lawyer is to practicing Law, like Doctor is to practicing Medicine, like Photocopier Salesman is to Xerox, a Realtor MUST sell Real Estate...or else he/she shall surely starve.
There are multitudes of books, on line courses, promoting agencies etc.etc, that tell Realtors how to excel in the business...but there is no easy way. It's all about catching your own personal groove. Your own personal rhythm. It's making it work for you until you can achieve the income that you set out to achieve with as much ease as possible.
Real Estate Sales is complex. Why? Because the scope of Real Estate is mind boggling. Young, old, wise, not so wise, educated, public school drop outs, literate, illiterate, urban, rural, old fashioned, technologically advanced. But when we boil it all down in the bubble bath of life...each and every Realtor, simply wants to make a living!
Statistically, 80% of the money earned in Real Estate Sales, will continue to be earned by 20% of the Realtors out there. The goal most have...is being in that 20% of income earners for your area. If you're there...you will not have to spend time clipping grocery coupons. You will be well on your way to realizing and maintaining success.
I have deep roots in the agribusiness of "goat genetics"....lol...and I was speaking to a farmer once about his herd. He milked 200 goats, with an average of 1/2 gallon of milk per day per goat....yes..100 gallons of milk. I asked him why he didn't spend $500. to buy the genetics necessary to improve his production. Milk 100 goats for that 100 gallons of milk? It would free up at least 3 hours everyday..cost less in feed, generate more net profit...or better yet...generate a profit! His response was simple....there was no proof that this would happen. He felt that he would be wasting his $500.00...and furthermore, what else would he do with his time? lol
This taught me a valuable lesson. What I learned was that just because it made sense to me, didn't necessarily mean it makes sense to someone else! The same holds true in Real Estate sales. Some people may find pounding the pavement in their farming area not only a great way to meet prospective clients, they may find it great exercise as well! However, the guy who has a great infinity to the latest in computer gadgets, may see absolutely no value in this approach, and much prefer to use his website to gather leads. Being experienced in Real Estate Management, I can tell you that as a Broker/Manager...it didn't matter to me how the Company's salespeople were getting their business...as long as it was legal & ethical...and as long as they got it! lol Just like that farmer...producing 100 gallons of milk a day. It didn't matter to him how he did it...just as long as there was 100 gallons of milk in the cooler everyday!
A Doctor without patients, a Lawyer without clients, the photocopier salesman without photocopiers to sell...they're no different than the Realtor without people to sell houses to..or for.
Firstly, you must decide how much money you want to make. Would you be able to survive on 50K before expenses? How about 100K? 200K? 500K? Write it down. How much do you want to make in the next 12 months?
Secondly. Divide that amount by the average commissions in your particular area. Ok, For the purpose of this example, let's say we want to make 200K and the average commission in our area is $10,000. That means we must sell 20 houses to attain the income we so, so desire.
Now, break down your 12 month agenda. Perhaps you take a month off in the summer. Perhaps your area market isn't busy at Christmas. Align those deals according to your personal time...and your personal market. You may now looking at a calender that shows, 4 deals May 4 deals June-2 deals July-Off in August-4 deals in September, 4 deals in October, 2 deals in November. Off-December.
Then, you set out to achieve these goals. This is your job description. Perhaps you get 6 deals in May. Then you have the choice. Take a bit of a break, or, work for those bonus deals! The beginning of every month in Real Estate should be the same as the beginning of the month in any other business and you should always be cultivating your business for the months ahead. You must know what you have to achieve for the month. It doesn't matter at that point how you are getting your business...just that you do in fact get it. Stand in line at the grocery story....blog...buy a billboard sign....beg on the corner...call past clients, call past leads, call friends, put your kids out with sandwich boards, optimize your website....just never loose sight of the fact YOU MUST reach your quota. Get real tough with yourself! If it's the 10th of the month and your website hasn't produced any good leads...don't just sit there and wait....if you have sell 4 houses that month...you have to start exploring other avenues to obtain the business! Pick up the phone, open houses...perhaps next month will produce 10 on line leads...but for now...you have to intervene immediately. The photocopier salesman would receive no mercy from the sales manager if he used the excuse....well, no one buzzed me...or no one called me?...I was hoping that they would?...I thought that they would?...you have to take control and make those deals happen now!
So, regardless of what you're use to, regardless of what you're comfortable with, you have to use all of the tools available in the year 2007 to obtain that constant paycheck...and be one of the 20% earning 80% of the Real Estate commissions out there! Now, to get into the top 5% of income earners, you have to multiply these production numbers by 2 and to get into the top 1%, you have to multiply them by 4! These figures are not scientifically proven...they're just figures that have proven true over the years, in my area market!
Happy Selling!
Donna
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Recently, I found myself asking a question on one of the message boards. It wasn't a big question. I just thought that it was better served in the message area than in a blog post. I eagerly awaited a solution to my issue. lol Sooner than later, I received an answer from a popular Point2 member in my Outlook. It started off something like this...."Get a new picture..." lol Then it went on further to suggest that I buy their soon to be released book. Not quite what I was looking for. Then to make matters worse, another popular Point2 member replies...to the first Point2 members response, which ends up in my Outlook, and they start discussing marketing options of this book..for many e-mails. lol
Now, I know we're not suppose to use this Blog as a sounding board...so I'm making this into an Etiquette issue.
Rule #1....Never comment on a picture (especially a womans..lol)...unless it's a very nice comment.
Rule#2...Never reply to a posting with a "for sale" type of response.
Rule#3...Never start a personal conversation which doesn't address the original question.
Rule#4...Never rant and rave like a lunatic on a keyboard...then hit send. It's very difficult to get back and throw into the garbage before someone reads it!
Rule#5...Never take someone else's words as gospel. Always verify information and make it relevant to yourself.
Rule#6...Never scream for help...if you don't really want help!
Rule#7...Always be nice and never hold grudges...Real Estate is a very small world....lol !
Rule#8...Try not to use the Blog or message boards as a place to continuously sell your services. (perhaps the P2 designers could make a separate little area for that!)
I personally believe that the Point2 blog and message boards are incredible sources of information and opinions. However, the above comments are only my opinion as to how we can make P2 a nicer place to visit.....and does not really represent the views of Ann Landers. lol
Feel free to add your personal etiquette ideas! Perhaps we can put together an actual "Posting Etiquette Code" for Point2 to display?
Hope you're all enjoying life!
Donna
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Oh, if they only knew! I had to do some research involving our recently replaced Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, and in doing so, had to dig up my Brokerage book from 1990. They have a section about office equipment and I thought I would just send a little snippet from the book to give a chuckle to all of us aging away, and for all of the youngsters....who haven't aged as much!
Ontario Real Estate Association(1990): Professional Real Estate Brokerages
snip...<Perhaps no single topic consumes more attention or print than the computer. Over the past decade, practically every aspect of business has been touched by this revolutionary technology. Brokerage offices are no exception. The computer can play a major role in business communications, office management, accounting, client and customer services and a host of repetitive functions within the office. Libraries, book stores, and retail computer suppliers abound with worthwhile information for the eager novice. The adventurous broker can easily be caught up in the excitement. This text cannot possibly address the scope of information necessary to make knowledgeable decisions about computers.
Hardware Requirements...An historical perspective is needed to properly understand the current state of computer hardware. Essentially, two different systems have developed in the marketplace. Commonly referred to as the long standing "Big Blue vs. Apple" battle,the combatants are still waging war today. ...snip...<Quite simply put, price is directly proportionate to speed. Brokers looking to process large amounts of data are wise to seriously consider 80286/80386...older machines may suffice for small offices....snip....<a high quality 24 pin dot matrix printer is recommended for all external correspondence.....
Just got a chuckle thinking.....that was 1990.... 8 Years BG(before google) and here we are now....9 Years AG...lol Oh how things do change!
Hope you're all having a good one!
Donna
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There's no doubt that the world of Real Estate is changing at lightening speed, and many of us embrace the changes with great vigour, after all, not to, would mean an early retirement! Statistics show that 70% of people are now making their first contact in concern to Real Estate via the web. Realistically, as Realtors, we must still straddle the fence, because there's still 30% of people who have still yet to catch the train. If we take a look at the amount of our business that still comes from the computer challenged segment, I'm sure we'll see that we benefit financially from dealing with them. Every deal counts. But, when I look at my business, almost 100% of it comes from "picking up" clients, in person or from direct referrals. An Internet presence is simply something that is required..when you're a Realtor in 2007. However, I muse at the fact that I have 3 friends in our local area market who are all incredibly huge producers...and they all 3 have something in common. They couldn't perform a websearch if their life depended on it. Yes, they have assistants or secretaries that do the work for them, but their success comes, not from sitting in front of their computer, but from immersing themselves in the business and meeting people, face to face.
We make some incredible assumptions about our buyers, & sellers. We assume that they can for one thing read and do math. We assume that they have an average learning ability. We assume that just because they have full time jobs and a down payment, that they are all capable of benefiting from our growing technology. This may not be the case, and I think that a lot of times, as Realtors, we are missing the boat.
Yesterday, I received this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q . I encourage everyone to watch it. We are certainly living in exponential times. If we look at where Real Estate has come from over the past 50 years and where it is now, we can see the way that it has changed...exponentially. We are dealing in a very "real" world, where people still find comfort in physically viewing properties, where it still requires a lot of time and effort to build a home, where seeing is believing. BG (before Google) we as Realtors, lived in much simpler times, even though they were much more advanced than the decades before, but now we're hyperthreading our way into the future. Exactly how much information can we as Realtors process? How much can we learn? Is it possible for us to envision a future where lending, homebuying & land conveyances are much different than today? How many Realtors are going to be left in the dust, simply because they can't learn...what they're going to have to learn? Perhaps if there was to be a meltdown in the North American economy, our whole system would be reborn much differently than it is..right now.
Back in the olden days, we would never consider putting the address of any of our listings in the paper! Advertising was considered a way to get the phone to ring, to lasso a lead! Too much information was just that, however today, we provide people with so, so much information, that they may very well discount the house before they call us to generate the lead! Times are changing, and I'm thankful, that in my City, we probably have a disproportionate number of computer illiterate people, who still respond to the hard copy ads. It's always been my bread and butter. But, in the mean time, I will continue to straddle the fence, advancing with the industry on one hand, and breaking it down into edible size pieces for all those who just can't go where we have to go. The technical side of real estate may advance like lightening, but at the end of the day, our money will be made from that direct contact with people, whether it be in person or over the phone.
When asked by a friend of mine if I was concerned about advancements in the business and the potential for people not to need a Realtor, I laughed. No, I'm not the least bit concerned. For the rest of my time in the business, the need for a Realtor who simply has information may be reduced, however, the need for "Sales People", who the consumer likes and trusts, and can actually close a deal, circumventing peoples emotions and concerns, may never be replaced. Just my 2 cents worth as I hold onto my hat...today!
Donna
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I am always amazed at how many times we get called into or are exposed to the gray area of ethics. Just for fun, I have posed 3 hypothetical situations and would like to know what peoples views are on them.
1) You're the Listing Agent. You've just finished a deal with Agent B. Upon getting back to your office, you notice that you're missing an initial from Agent B's client. You call him to advise and he asks you to fax over the page of the offer with the missing initial. You fax it over and within 5 minutes, you get the page of the offer faxed back with the initial. He is a very high profile agent, however you are certainly surprised as to how quickly he got that initial. What would you do?
2) You are friends with another sales rep in your office. She confides in you that she's getting an offer on one of her own listings and voices her concern about another offer coming in. She further confides in you that she has all of her bases covered, just in case the other offer isn't good. On her $249,900 listing, she has had her buyers sign 2 offers. One for $245,000 and one for $255,000. That way, depending what the other agent has, she'll always have the better offer! After all it's a double end and win/win for her buyers and sellers. She's been around a lot longer than you have and is one of the Company's top producers. What would you do?
3) You get a page to return Buyer B's phone call. When you return Buyer B's call, he tells you that he would like to view a particular property and is very interested in putting in an offer. You make arrangements to call him back, and when you pull up the listing you discover that it is listed by an agent in your office with the same first name as yours, but different last name. What would you do?
I'd like as many people as possible to discuss what they would do with the above 3 scenarios. If they feel that there could be an ethics issue, or if they believe there is nothing wrong at all. Just label them 1,2 & 3.
Thanks in advance for your input
Donna
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Exactly when do we decide to act on unethical behavior that we may be exposed to? It may be Buyers, Sellers, other Reps, a particular Brokerage, perhaps a Lawyer. When do we decide that what we have been exposed to or witnessed must be dealt with...somehow...somewhere. It is easy at times to let things slide off our back, and there are somethings that we should let slide off our back, however, shouldn't we address unethical behaviour each and every time we come across it? Is not addressing it akin to condoning it? When exposed to unethical behaviour, perhaps it would be wise to sit back and truly analyze it. Make sure we are seeing it correctly. Administer some form of test to see if it is truly unethical, or simply something we don't personally agree with. Check to see that we are not letting the heat of the moment alter our mindset, objective as compared to subjective thought. Ask ourselves if there is anything that we can do about it...ie) report it to a governing body. We may have to well consider the person...perhaps they work in our same office, perhaps they are a decent producer and management won't be supportive of the concern. Perhaps they are a well known lawyer or mortgage broker...what do we do?
Unethical behaviour isn't isolated to Real Estate, it's all over. If we don't report it or deal with it appropriately, do we not somehow become responsible for this persons actions on other innocent people down the road? Perhaps being guilty by association at that point? I know it takes time to document and report, but the old adage, a stitch in time saves nine, may very well be the case here. Instead of allowing individuals carte blanc, to cause havoc, wouldn't it be better to assist in showing them that we don't tolerate this behaviour. An older Broker once told me that if I was to report every unethical agent in the city, I'd be down at the board office all day, every day...I sure hope not! He also was of the firm belief that "the best lier" always won...I sure hope that is wrong as well.
I'd like to know what everyone thinks on this.
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I read a response to a post a couple of days ago, which made reference to the time consumption of posting and it's overall relevance in the world of Real Estate business. It kind of struck a chord with me, since over the years I have heard this comment numerous times in concern to many aspects of changing Real Estate environments.
"I don't have time to"....this has been a prelude to many statements that I have heard for more than 2 decades. "I don't have time to be play around on those board committees!", "I don't have time to play around on the computer"..."I don't have time to play around with clients!".."I don't have time to play around on a message board or blog group!" "I'm too busy doing Real Estate and certainly don't have time to waste on that stuff!"
I can totally understand this sentiment from people who have been in the business for a very, very long time. In the olden days (and please, no insult intended, because I'm pretty close to the olden days), Real Estate was much different. Most Sales Representatives maintained and erected their own signs. There were no digital camera's, so pictures of the house had to be co-ordinated with a professional photographer around their schedule and it could be several days before you could pick those pictures up. Listings took several days to process via local boards, and then they would be distributed in hard copy to all the members. We had to keep binders of listings, that yes, we separated, sorted and catalogued ourselves every day. For CMA's, we would go to a filing cabinet and have to physically extract the hard copies of the listings...and then file them back in order! lol
Showing houses was extremely time consuming. To show 5 houses meant you would have to venture to 5 different Real Estate offices and pick up the keys prior to the showings. Then when you were finished, you would have to return all the keys back to the listing offices.
There were no cell phones, and very few had pagers. So, frequent stops at phone booths to call in for messages was a must. Many offices had policies in place where Sales Reps had to call in at least every 2 hours!
If a person was very active in the business, it was definitely a 12-18 hour a day job!
Today, we have been blessed with incredible technological advancements, which have vastly improved the way we do business and the time it takes us to do it. But how have we arrived here? Well, in my humble opinion, it's from people finding the time out of their lives to affect these changes. Those people who took their time "to play" on the various board committees, those people who have taken their time "to play" on message boards and blogs, sharing valuable information, and most of all, those people who have taken their time "to play" on the computer, thus learning the skills and shortcuts to assist all those around them.
On line communications, whether it's blogging, message boards or e-mail communications are not only a great way to accumulate and transfer information, but to learn as well. It allows us to see things "outside" the box and gives us an opportunity to be exposed to other peoples views on a variety of industry related issues. We can learn from them. Furthermore, it expands our communication skills. Just like verbal communication skills, written communication skills have great importance in this industry. It is important for all of us to communicate quickly and affectively, taking a particular thought or concern and relaying it in a fashion that people can understand!
There was a recent blog about grammar and spelling. Well, I can tell you that that probably hit a nerve with many people, and they probably started to run spell check immediately!
So, I don't believe that posting or reading blogs are a waste of time. Post, read, learn, comment...it's all part of the learning curve! If it takes you 1/2 a day to write a blog post, edit it and finally post it, then perhaps you do need some help in written communications. The next time, you may find that you can do it in a quarter of the time, and then soon you will find that you can organize your thoughts and post in a matter of 15 minutes! Remember, we must never stop learning.
Just keep it up, because it's all good!
Hope you're all having a great day!
Donna
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This is just an addendum to Mike's post about grammar and spelling. I thought it may be useful for Americans and Canadians alike! http://www.luther.ca/~dave7cnv/cdnspelling/cdnspeA.html
No wonder I get confused!
Donna
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Years ago, I went to my manager crying about what I considered to be "foul play" by another, much senior Realtor. Both of us had been called in to do an evaluation on the same property. I had worked really hard...and provided this lady with a beautiful presentation and a very accurate price....he on the other hand, instantly gave a price which was 20K less than mine...and got the listing immediately. It was sold by the morning. I was so, so upset. Anyhow...my manager asked me what I thought that other Realtor was doing that day. I was confused...what would that other Realtor be doing? The answer from my manager....he was probably working...exactly what I should be doing. He hadn't done anything wrong....he had just got a very saleable listing...and I didn't. He wanted me to analyse what had happened...how could I have changed the outcome...assess my closing skills. My crying session ended up with a kick in the butt. However, over the years, I have been the benefactor of those "instant" sales...and they feel oh so good. Now when I see a ridiculously low listing...I joke with fellow realtors...saying..."gee...why don't any of my clients ever want to give their house away!" It's the business...and the sooner it's realised that we are only responsible for ourselves...and it's our responsibility to use our time wisely to earn a living....the sooner we realise that loosing sleep over other agent's relationships with their clients....doesn't help us one bit. Those Reps will always come and go and if you want to get involved in the Ethics of fellow Realtors...do some volunteer time on the committee level for your Board. Peace to all! Donna
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It was just one of those bone chilling days here in Southern Ontario...and I was cruising down the road..with my dog sled...and a radio commercial reminded me of a nagging issue I had....Lawyers jumping on the "We Can Sell Real Estate Too" bandwagon. Ok, Ok....are these not the same critters that are the first to advise their clients of avoiding Conflict of Interest issues with actual Realtors? Lawyers. The same guys that sucked up real estate referral after real estate referral, have now organized their own little "We are the Future of Real Estate" campaign! YIKES. I don't know if this is common practice anywhere else...where there are lawyers...lol...but I have a hard time believing that any of the "lawyer" types could really do justice to the Real Estate industry without getting disbarred first! I know that I've had to salvage many a deal...after the Lawyer has added his wisdom...Would they provide mediation services if things started to go sour prior to closing on these private deals? Do they call in a partner from their group to look after the other end? Just curious to see how many groups of Real Estate Selling lawyers there are out there and how they're doing? How would you ever go in and tell your lawyer that you're going to take the listing away from their private site and list it on MLS...with an actual Realtor? mmmmm Sounds like you could get a real bad shark bite!
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