Hi Todd.

I really appreciate what you have said.  I'm not perfect by any means, but I do get tired of that "Woe is me" attitude I hear from so many other agents/brokers.

And I REALLY like your idea of setting a day to just bust-it working hard, farming, emailing, calling, etc.  

So what would others think about making an official day in the near future where we all take that specific day and just tear it up.  We could call it something like "Take your Realtor To Work Day".  Other?  

I think maybe this Friday, April 13th (easy to remember).  We all start at 8am, and do all those things that we know we should do every day, and just work it until 5pm.  Then it's Miller Time.  And hopefully, we'll see all sorts of results that evening, the weekend, etc.

Crazy?  Thoughts?

Phil

www.newportlandhome.com

This is the second time I'm trying to post this ... first time didn't seem to work, so here we go again. If it does show up twice, feel free to skip to the next one :-).

Todd, honestly, coming to the office never did me any good ... other then feeling good talking "whatever" with my agent friends. When it comes to mailings, e-mailing, phone calls, etc., I am much more productive in my home office. Eitherway, it's not at home and it's not in the office where the action happens. We need to be out showing, listing, meeting people.

You are right though, a lot of it is just in our mind ... we can't blame it all on the market while being part of the market :-).

And making April 11th the "go to work ..." day? will be happy to ... tomorrow (as in case of almost all Wednesdays) is our "training / office meeting / how to be more productive" day!

We have 7 homes on my block for sale, one of which is my listing. Myself and the six other Realtors will be holding Open House on April 11th and each home is offering something such as food or a chance to win a $50 gas card. So lets see how this "April 11th go to work day" turns out:)

Everyone needs to read the book by Napoleon Hill "Think & Grow Rich".  It will get you moving in the right direction.  Although in our market we have an overabundance of listings...we need to think outside the box!  Where are the buyers?  They are all of the renters in the area!  I go out at least twice a week and, yes, I actually walk flyers around local apartment complexes.  I have gotten three buyers out of 400 flyers and they are all qualified buyers looking to purchase in the next 2-3 months.  A potential of $15,000!!  Don't bother with mailing...they will just get pitched out with all the other junk email.  I run into renters while I am out walking (plus I get my exercise!) and strike up a conversation.  If you aren't in front of people during the day how can you do your job?  My traffic on my website has increased drastically because I put my website on all of the flyers I am handing out.  I think I am 9th in the state.  

I also started a small networking group with about 12 people and already got one listing from the group.  We meet at Panera Bread every last Friday of the month.  I buy bagels and coffee...costs me $13.00.

In this market you really have to WORK HARD to get the business.  We can't just sit around waiting for it to happen.  I have to admit it is hard to get up and get moving.  But, if you will just make the effort it WILL pay off. I hit expired listings each week at least one day a week, then I canvass the areas for FSBO's and drop off information packets, then I follow up with a phone call on Friday to everyone I dropped information off to.  I already have a listing appointment with a $420,000 FSBO after spring break.  I could probably count on one hand the number of agents in my market who actually get in their cars and drive around looking for FSBO's or personally drop off information to expireds.  Most just mail stuff...boring!  I have so many marketing ideas in my head I could just explode!!  

Order baseball magnet calendars of your local baseball team and drop them off to exipreds with a cute flyer that says "Struck out with your last realtor?" "We'll hit a home run for you!"

Buy Forget-Me-Not seed packets at Walmart for $0.10 each and put them with a flyer that says "The market is blooming".  

Get the idea...  Like I said...THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!  Step out of your comfort zone and TALK TO PEOPLE!!!  Make it personal, people will remember you more if they see your face and not hear your voice over the phone like all the other realtors.

I could go on and on but I think you see my point.  Stay motivated, read the book, and do what it says.  Believe in yourself!  Good luck to all of you and make this a prosperous year.

Kimberly

Press the flesh if you're not in the office .. start by talking real estate with everyone you see ... super market bagel local store deli etc ... always good to tell people you meet you're very busy ...  it's better than sitting in the office lamenting why there is so much inventory.. you never know you just may get a customer or a listing by 'pressing the flesh' good luck!  

Phil,

Great idea...You make your day Friday and I'll make mine tomorrow - LOL

You can have what I leave for ya.

Todd

Todd,

Did you read "The Secret"?  Just kidding.  I agree.  I suggest reading "All Real Estate Is Local".  The fact is we get inundated with negative reports in the news and think everywhere is bad.  Bad thing to do.  There are positives in all markets!  We're in much the same numbers issue, but there are positives in that . . . options options options!!!!

There's enough for us both, Todd. :)

Phil

Great Post. Let me add a little to that. I am not bashing any realtor on this site, but one of the reasons I think my market is the way it is, is because of many realtors. Not because they don't show up for work, but I am finding that many realtors are playing the " Market is Bad" game to try and make more money fast. Example. I am finding that houses sit a little longer, but there are many realtors who are not patient and convince sellers that they have to list for a certain price to sell. Yes it sells in 3 weeks or so and the seller is happy, but it's almost like the realtors in my market are setting the market trend, and we say prices are dropping and you can't sell your house for what it would go for a yr ago. As much as there is truth to that, many realtors in my market are taking advantage of it. Calling listed property, telling them they are way to high, if they drop the price $40,000 it will sell get the listing and it sells quick, but the seller really does not get true value for their home. Things have changed and we need to educate our sellers and we need to be patient as realtors to do eveything we can to get the most for our sellers obviously not overboard.

Anyone get what I am trying to say, I am not sure if it is coming out right.

Jason, what do you mean by true value?  Anything, including a home or any type of real estate is worth only the price a willing buyer and a willing seller agree to.  There is no such thing as intrinsic value.  It is supply and demand.  Realtors don't drive down prices or drive up prices.  Only buyers and sellers control prices.

Sorry I disagree. I find more and more that Realtors in my area are not willing to be patient and are looking for that quick sell, using how bad the market is, when in truth the market is not that bad. I agree there is not true value, but I am finding more and more that Realtors themselves are driving down prices, and not necessarily the market driving down prices. There was a time when realtors made so much money fast, and I think now that it has slowed down that some realtors, not all, are driving down prices to get that quick sell, fast cash. Where do you think most buyers and sellers are getting their prices from. Realtors, buying for their listings or service.

Maybe Im wrong, but it seems like that more and more.

I know Phil,

Just messing with ya, we need to meet for coffee one of these days.

Todd

My market is good, I am running out of inventory. I would switch to buyers agent but other agents are selling their inventory too. I have no idea why except that people are buying. I am holding prices here and getting my sellers good money. We negotiate some but we are not giving away the farm. We have created a buyers and sellers market here and we are enjoying the rewards.

My gripe is, the media has told people it is not a good time to sell because properties are selling low. NOT HERE. I am begining a local newspaper campaign to educate people.

I agree with Mark that buyers and sellers control prices but we as agents instruct and advise on price. It kind of works together.

Kimberly,

It sounds like you could write your own marketing book!!!

Jason I have to agree with Mark on this one.

Realtors do not drive the prices the market does .

When things were flying 2 years ago many buyers were willing to pay more for a home than what it was listed for!

Strictly a case of supply vs demand.

Hi from the Caribbeans!

Jason has a good point.  Although buyers and sellers, by mutal agreement, establish the real sales comparisons that appraisers look at to give their opinion in the value a particular property; we as Real Estate Agents/Brokers can influence in those final selling prices depending on the way we conduct the negotiation process, specially if we are stuck in the bad market state of mind.  We can certainly make it better if we focus on the highest price possible instead of the other way around.  

My point here is: We should have as a priority a sence of responsability with the market and even with our own investments in real estate every time we are working with offers. I'm pretty sure that everyone here owns a piece(s) of real estate, so I guess that this last fact could make it even easier to refocus our efforts in making sales happen, just like a real pro will.  

Yes, it's been pretty tough in a 100 X 35 island where real estate use to be in high demand... Even here, prices are starting to go down although we still have great coffee : )

Regards;

Luigi

PS: There where three guys that use to say: "all for one and one for all"

The good agents go to work every day, whether it is at home or on the road.  I have yet to see a realtor driving prices down.  I take advantage of slow periods for my buyers and try to get a little extra.  If that is part of driving prices down then ok, I do it. Great deals are few and far in between and listings do sit a bit longer.  Last year appraisers tightened up some, this year lenders are doing it.  If you are an agent not busy enough, then it's time to tighten the old belt.

Good Luck All!

Realtor, Columbus Ga

You have inspired me to brush my teeth tomorrow. :)

Klaus, can you please be more specific on the "I take advantage of slow periods for my buyers and try to get a little extra" pointer?  I really will like to understand what you where trying to point out there. Don't missinterpret my question, it could be the fact that english is my second language, ; ).  The work schedule part is key for sucess, specially in today's slow market. Right Norm?  I totally agree, as a matter of fact I just made my final notes of the day at 1:16am... Wow, I must be eager to make that sale happen, happen, happen tomorrow..., sorry I ment today.   Right Norm? : ) and it's been declared by the SECRET.

It's funny the urge to get out there and hit the pavement came from within your office. I think your office is where you are most productive for ideas sometimes or the ocean office beach chair. It could be your PDA or your van roaming your farm area for FSBO"S. Or it could be your fellow Realtor's kitchen table as you plan for a listing appointment. That is what I like about a more open office with freedoms to work at your office your way, as long as your productive. I went into the office for a meeting then I went to a couple listings to check them out and fill the box's with flyers, then I checked my voice mails in the car, with a headset of course. I then checked my emails in my home office, then I organized some email drips from my data base. I followed some leads, and got some feedback from showings. I then updated my MLS and paid my outrageous MLS dues. I checked my bank, ordered some riders. After that made dinner visited with the family. Sat down and checked out the Point2 and any other ads going on the INTERNET. I take care of my own website and close to 15 listings, sold one last month. Not big ones but I work , believe me I work. It's 1:09 am and I finally have time to do some blogs and look at some paperwork and think " what can I do to be productive tomorrow", in my office at work, or my Office at home, or My office in the car, or my e- office on my laptop. I have flyers to print and letters to write but even doing all that it is still "a buyers market" and the buyers still think the prices are still going to go down, so they won't buy until they are sure. A few here and there will but our inventory of new homes is overwhelming and the older houses prices have to go way down, then the rental market is at a high because of foreclosures from agents and mortgage companies who sold homes to people who could not afford them.  So I will still keep working but the attitudes of buyers and sellers will have to come to a truce. And the media has to quit blaming the Realtor. The FSBO and Seller have to see they need to hire us to get buyers for them, and we do work despite the image the media gives. The Buyers don't really waste gas driving around too much. And the buyers have to trust us. So let's work on the attitude's of the clients. I do this all on my own and am not a Broker but I like the freedom of running it like a company and in a company you work not as an employee but a self motivated  entrepreneur. I would rather be an entrepreneur and have many offices ( car, office , home office, PDA, kitchen tables, beaches, and counter tops after I showed the house) and be my own boss and work at my pace my way. Atleast I answer the phone for my own leads, and own my listings, that is worth working for. So home offices are not bad, lazy agents are bad that do not think for themselves, but the agent that lets the Broker or CEO do all the thinking and they are sending mailings out for the brokerage not for themselves, that would not motivate me to go hit the streets, Some agents only show the house and go to the closing. to motivate them share in the benefits and show them how to talk to the clients to make them feel the time is good, if they need to sell. Or if a pre foreclosure gets a first time buyer a deal, well thats the ripple affect. Investors went nuts and bought way to high. Now they are stuck with long term investments they wanted to flip, what flip anymore? He was funny that flip!

Many reason for many things, but everyone has to get motivated and for the right reason, to make the business and economy grow.

Blog with Melissa~

I have to agree with Jason a little bit here. I also know of agents that have priced property lower than they should have because they wanted to make a quick sale and potentially to their own buyer. Our jobs as real estate professionals is to do the best job we can for our clients. If it is a seller that means getting the most money in the shortest time. I would say that 98% of my business is condos in Boston. I see condos in the same building going for completely different prices. Yes, some of them are because the seller needs to sell quickly, but others are because a Realtor doesn't know the market or wants a quick sale. There are many ways of looking at this and I wouldn't say that any one answer is completely right or wrong.

PS...I will brush my teeth also...AND take a shower!

<sprays the room with lysol>

WHEW!  This thread stinks!  Someone open the window and vent this place out!  All these non-teeth brushing, no-showering, stay in bed for 3 days folks.  Your 5 o'clock shadow has turned into a beard!

Kill the funk.  Go take a shower.  Your clothes are getting to the point they can stand up on their own now!

LOL.......

Uh, big yawn waking up in Detroit, Michigan.  Okay, 6:51 AM, let the dog out, she needs to do her business before I do my business.  Let her back in at 6:54 AM, or she'll wake up the neighbors.  Next, I go upstairs, catch a few Z's, back down stairs to let dog out of laundry room, wining.  7:16 AM, in home office, retrieve voice mail message stating a seller has accepted my buyer's counter-offer.  7:20 AM, make coffee.  7:25 AM, pour coffee and enjoy.  7:30 AM, updating listing photos on my Poin2 site and MLS.  7:45 AM, watch banker neighbor go to work at a credit union.  He makes less money than I do (just guessing).  Will see him back at 8:00 PM since tonight is their late night.  7:55 AM, thank God I am not my neighbor.  8:00 AM, write check to IRS for estimated quarterly taxes.  8:05 AM, thank God once again for a tax code that is so freakin' awesome for self-employed tax deductions and that He (or She if you are Unitarian) created Mr. John Gurrin, my accountant.  8:20 AM, read some blogs on Reliberation.  Once again, thank God for the talented people at Point2 Technologies and that such a product is available for less than a cup of Tim Horton's coffee per day.  8:30 AM, write this blog post before I have to shower, brush my teeth, shave, and put on some clean clothes or Becky Troutt, my adoptive Reliberation nagging mother (with all due respect, I think you're great), will scold me :-)

I have to agree with what Todd says about the willingness to put work into the job as compared to sitting around blaming the market for poor sales and a lack of clients.

My office location is flanked on all sides by $500,000 and 1.M listings that go unsold simply because the agents do not hold open houses nor do any real advertising outside of leaving a listing on MLS to fester.

While yes I agree that sometimes the old standards are still the best method to reach the masses, consumers are not looking solely at Realtor.com for information anymore. With so many other services to choose from, competition among Realtors to go the extra mile to act in the behalf of their clients has never been so necessary. I see area Realtors at network functions endlessly tote that they have listings that no one wants to visit. I say that's crap! These are often the same people that have a history of expired of canceled a mile long with little to show for performance but an empty portfolio and irate clients disillusioned with the realty business.

I am not going to argue that the market isn't soft in some areas but I think it is a gross generalization to say the market is the sole cause for poor sales and turnaround.  

I'm so glad I read this today! I needed a boot in the back side  LOL  I'm so tired of listening to the bad news in the media, in the paper, over hearing people talking about how bad it is!!!!  It's very depressing......

But our company has a name for it P.L.O.M. disease!  Poor Little Old ME!

I don't know if I agree with that 100% of the time, but lately if you listen to all this bunk it could give you this disease.  I try to do something everyday to add to my prospect page.  Kimberly I think like you, I search the dollar stores and look for marketing ideas for FSBO's & expireds.  LOL, I bought the packets of forget-me-not's but with a different phrase in mind.

Jason, I can't agree with what you said about Realtors changing the market. That's not possible.  When you do a CMA the numbers are going to tell you what the market will tolerate. If anything it's the Realtors that take listings just for the sake of having listings that hurt all of us. Why, because they price them out of the ball park to make the seller happy not showing them the reality of the market. Then they end up as expired and then the seller has a bad taste in their mouth and who do they blame.....you got it.....all agents must be bad. But that is how I was trained.  Better to walk away when you can't meet your seller's expectations then to disappoint later and hurt your name.

Todd, thanks for starting this discussion!  I think you should declare one day every week that we all go out and come back and report what we have done and the results that came out of it.  Maybe it would help us all feel better about the market and gives us more motivation to move it along.  Anyone in?

Kathy

I love the though pattern and determination but action does not happen in the office.  Head out and meet people make contacts and network.  

I disagree with Kathy however when it comes to Realtors and their ability to change the market.  Have you ever worked in the WEST coast.  I hold license in Texas and Nevada and believe me the commission hungry agents in Nevada break laws daily, drove up prices to a point where the market totally crashed and the community cannot afford to live.  I also build houses so I know that when the builders I contract with are having to give away Hummers and no payments for a year, well I am sure I don't have to go into much details about why.

Agents can get stupid and greedy and most of them never had any intent or desire to go into this business. A market like Vegas use to be will attract anyone who thinks they can get rich quick and those are the type of people who do affect the market and your reputation.  Agents also kind of influence the market in relation the the CMA b/c if you think they don't want the housing market cost rising then I am confused.  Agents will take listings just for the sake of getting a commision as you stated and this does effect your market as well.

We can't control agents or for that matter people who are not agents but decided birddogging is their new career.  I actually had one of these people approach me as a property owner knowing I was an agent.  The presented me with a total BS contract and I of course turned it over the the real estate commission here in Texas who want do anything about it b/c I did not actually enter into an agreement with this fruit who is acting as an agent and probably getting a good some for taking what equals out to be a net listing.  Not sure why I spent my time and money to become a professional if I could just get away with breaking the law but this is another soap box.  

OK, if things don't pick up soon, I'll brush my teeth. But I'm not flossing until the sky is falling!

Ok everyone, here is your assignment for today. Go on the front page of your website and start educating the public and let them know that NOW is a good time to buy and sell. Start a wave of activity. Think happy thoughts. Feed that positive vibe until it grows into a big old monster of a thing.

Let them know the media is lying to them. I have several pendings right now. Why? I don't know but I would love more jammie time right now.  

Now get out there and fight all the negative publicity about what the market is doing and swim upstream and make it happen! Get up in the morning with an agenda that you are going to sell something or the phone is going to ring and it is going to be a qualified buyer ready to buy!

Hi to all!  Wow, Realtors talking positive things aout the market is fantastic.  Granted the market is slow in some areas, but people still have to change their living arrangements for one reason or another...new job, divorce, birth, death, sickness or whatever.  Homes need to be bought and homes need to be sold. One of my clients has a sign up that says "Follow or lead or get the h--- out of the way".  In other words DO SOMETHING! Thanks to the agents for the ideas listed here.  

My jammie work time is at nite - up till midnite clickin the keys, working my website and returning emails, doing research etc etc etc.  Up  7am, clickin the keys for new emails, feed the pets, brew my coffee, shower, then head to the office.  On the way I stop at the post office for stamps referral mailout, visit w/clients, make fonecalls in the car, visit a loan officer, title company, builder appt, office to fax a doc, chamber of commerce event, out to a listing appt, another open house for a couple of hours.... could this be the reason people aren't always in the office?  They're out there working?    Then there are those days I don't leave my desk..... but I always brush my teeth!  

It is nice to see someone in Real Estate being positive. I too have been inspired to brush me teeth!

I want to give the "MARKET" a new name.  Something usual and common....uh....STEVE.  Yea...there we go.  The amazing thing is that we all talk about the market, sorry, STEVE as if it has it's own thought process.  A brain.  But it doesn't.  It is controlled by market Forces.  There I go again, STEVE Forces.  We as Realtors make up a huge part of those STEVE forces.  When we, as professionals, are overheard in a Starbucks for instance lamenting how bad STEVE is then others around us think, hmmmm, he/she is a Real Estate Professional so He/She must really understand STEVE and therefore, I better not buy any Real Estate, or worse....SELL NOW before the bottom really falls out.  

So next time you are grabbing that Double-Latte-Latte low fat Venti, 9:00 cup of Joe, and are talking about STEVE, make sure that you know what you are talking about and keep it positive.  

If you can't do that then do this.  Tell the truth.  The STEVE has slowed down from the highest year on record, but so what.  When you got married did the honeymoon last forever?  Certain things slow down, while others pick up......

In Conclusion, Todd is 100% on the money.  Turn off Dr. Phil, Find a buyer, close a deal and move on to the next one.  Positive people do more business and live longer to boot.  (Maybe because we can afford to)

Your Friend and Fellow Realtor,

Gary De Pury

Broker-Owner

Bay Vista Realty & Investments, Inc.

I agree, I flossed tonight myself and I am blogging  lots of positive thoughts, even a secret, even on Podunk site. We can change the image people see of us by working the market like the market works us. The more negative they get the more we educate the public... Mary that's "IT". We talk positive and find how to start doing damage control and undoing some of the knots people tied during this last Greedy Sellers market and let some people out with dignity. I myself am going to fight the builders from letting the buyers sell the home after it is built because if the client can't afford the house the builders are no better than loan sharks. These people will lose 60,000. We don't want that. It gives us all a bad name. SO let's fight to fix the problem instead of adding to it with Greed. We have to be honest and willing to help. I think that will help the market and maybe get some dignity back in the name Realtor. I work hard at this and am proud of it. I gave my first commission away and the client still sends me 10 a month and I tack it on the wall and one day he will have a savings account. Maybe if we turn ourselves around the market will do the same. Good = Good! Money is good when it's earned with the best knowledge and effort you can give. We deserve our commissions if we do our jobs right. Maybe if we see who the injured party is and get them out of the mess be it Seller or Buyer and think making a smaller commission is better than nothing. We are doing ,as Realtors , a little bit of good in our field of Real Estate Professionals.

Blog with Melissa~ The Night Blogger

The business in the market is what you make of it on your own through networking and client referrals. The Phoenix market is really bad right now yet I have had 61 closed deals so far this year between sales and rentals. What about rentals??? I get every rental call in my office since nobody will work them. Last year I sold 3 of my past tennants homes and if I did not do rentals I would have not had 3 clients.

There are a lot of FSBO homes out there waiting for the right person to knock on their door but if nobody knocks they will stay a FSBO forever and I do not see many agents here going after them anymore.

My point is that there is a ton of money out there for anyone who wants to get out every day and make connections.

As for the showers and teeth brushing, get with the program.

By the way, I offer 40% referrals in the Phoenix and surrounding areas.

I loved this blog so much I put it as a button on my web site. I call it Pick of the Night. I figure the good blogs and our names will get in the media even faster if we all work together. I am proud to be affiliated with this web site and I am proud to send your blogs around for exposure to my clients. If you are in an area that I am not I hope they call you from this site. I just wanted to explain my reason for "Pick of the Night" I am also always reading these at 1-3 am so its from Night Bloggers, I see who is up with me still creating real estate ideas. I think this is a great thing and hope we can all make this a bigger better site as real estate comes back to Realtors. How do I get the little copyright to put next to Realtor? I see some people can so it. I will tell anyone I put on my site that it is there.

Blog with Melissa~

Mary is is a good time to buy and sell in your market???  I was reading back over the comment and I love the encouragement. It made me stop and think.  I think some of us should be careful and TRUTHFUL when advising people on our markets.  Some markets are really hurting.  I would not put that comment on my Las Vegas site.  I spoke with a fellow agent I work relo's with today and he sounded terrible.  I think although we should sing that attitude from the roof tops we have to be realistic as agents.

As a home builder, my parents and in laws have had to use plans B and C when the market varied in our areas ( they had good savings accounts and worked commercial construction).  Thankfully we are not in that crisis mood they experience but some people around the country should not buy or sell until certain area stabilizes.

We can fight the negative publicity but as agents was have a duty to be honest.  Hopefully that honesty will give us the strength to ride the waves as our markets stabilize across the nation.

I am lucky and know this.  I work in 2 wonderful Texas markets but had to move from Nevada last year due to the market.  Moving across the country is not cheap.  I would hate to be anything but honest when it comes to real estate in Vegas at this point.  Thousands of builders have laid off the employees they had in Vegas as foreclosures skyrocket in the area.

Your post was great and thought provoking.  Made me realize I am very fortunate and pray to stay that way.

Have a great 4th.

Christina

www.Galveston4sale.com

www.SanAntonio4sale.net

www.LasVegas4sale.net