Best Agent Business

WHO ARE YOU?

2010-05-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Who are you? That little statement might bring to mind the opening scenes from CSI and the show’s theme song. However, it’s one of the most important questions that must be answered regarding your business. Folks should not have to be forensic investigators to find out who your company is and what you are about.

To grow a successful business, you must have a good marketing plan. Some real estate agents invest as much as 25% in marketing while others have average of 10% set aside in the budget. The greater the investment, the bigger the return.

You need to develop your company’s identity or “brand”. Who are you? Why should people care? What is it that sets you apart in an ocean of realtors? Why should someone choose your company over some other company? What can you provide that other companies can’t or don’t? According to Scott Davis of Brand Asset Management, consumers are exposed to over 6,000 advertisements in an average day. In order to get folks attention, you are going to have to get your “brand” out there.

A good marketing plan is more than just a great looking logo and a snappy tagline. While those elements are “key” in branding your company, it needs to go beyond that. There needs to be interaction with your target market. Emails, brochures, websites, phone calls, Facebook, Twitter or maybe running an ad on the side of a bus downtown are all ways of getting your “brand” out there.

Once you have answered the question or who you are and what you are about, you then need to acquire talented people to help you with design and outreach. We have some “out of the box” thinkers in our Marketing Department who can assist you in promoting your “brand”.

The Man Who Owns the Moon

2010-03-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

Do you know that there is a man who owns the moon? Like most people you probably thought the moon was just a part of the solar system, a piece of land that wasn't owned by anyone. You are wrong, my friend. The moon has been owned by a man named Jenaro Gajardo Vera since 1954.

This may be a myth, an urban legend, or simply a story someone made up, but no matter what, it is interesting. The story goes that Vera wanted to join a club, but the club was restricted to property owners. He owned no property so his application was denied.

He set out to find a way around this rule and came upon an idea to claim the moon as his property. It is said he got a deed and everything for it. There are even stories that Richard Nixon asked Vera's permission to land on the moon in 1969. it is also said that he got into some tax trouble for not claiming the property on his taxes.

There may be some truth to this story as there are records in Chile that he did file deeds on the moon. We may never know the complete truth, but it is fun to think that real estate could expand into untouched territory and bring many new and interesting opportunities for buyers.

Want to Take a Shot at Selling the White House?

2010-03-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

Ok, the real white house is not for sale, but the famous white house replica is on the market. This replica looks just like the white house inside and out. It is not to scale, but it is still impressive. This house is pretty amazing and perfect for the proud American.

The house features 16,500 square feet and is a tourist attraction in North Druid Hills, located in Atlanta, Georgia. This house is quite impressive with its wrought iron gates, authentic looking décor, and little creative treasures throughout.

This house is unusual, unique, but no doubt something everyone wants to get a look at. With all its amazing features you might think that it won't be long before the next resident comes in to call this home. It has been on the market for quite some time now, though, so who knows. Maybe the White house is not the kind of home that your typical American is looking for.

Picture Credit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220425/For-sale-The-yard-White-House-Oval-Office-Lincoln-Bedroom-bargain-10m.html

Private Island for Sale

2010-03-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe you are tired of trying to sell houses. Maybe you want to sell something a bit more exciting or exotic. How about a private island? It may surprise you just how many private islands there are on the market right now.

Take Burnt Island. It is located off Alaska and offer five acres of serene peace. It is priced at about one million dollars and the word is that there has only been one previous owner.

While it may be easy to talk up this piece of land, show the beautiful pictures that have been taken on the island and brag about how nice it would be to own an island, you also have to be realistic.

Many of the private islands for sale on the market are nothing more than some forgotten land in the middle of an ocean. Burnt Island, for example, has a cabin that is said to be quaint and peaceful, but some digging around will reveal that cabin is nothing more than a shack. There are many reports of private islands not being anything like the listing says. From over pricing to overzealous descriptions, things are not always what they seem to be with these so-called serene and stunning pieces of land.

Selling a private island may have a bit of fantasy and whimsy about it, but if you are serious about making money in real estate you should stick to houses. You don't want the headaches that come with properties you really know nothing about.

The New Lessons in Real Estate

2010-03-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

The current state of the real estate market is taking everything we once believed about owning a home and turning it upside down. The market is getting so bad that people are willing to take drastic measures just to ensure they can afford the roof over their head.

One sad truth about this market is that many people are actually hoping for a foreclosure. They stop paying their mortgage and just sit back and wait on the bank to foreclose. In the meantime they save up the money they would have put towards the mortgage for an apartment. Many people find this is a great solution because they can't afford their home and moving to an apartment would just make more financial sense. Also home prices have fallen so much that selling would cause them to lose more money then foreclosing. That is a sad truth we face these days.

Looking at this market from a buyer's point of view is also out of whack with what you may think. In the past, homes were sold for the best price. Sellers wanted as much as they could get out of their home. Today, most of the homes on the market are bank owned. The banks do not really care about how much money they get, but rather how fast they can get money. What this has crated is a cash market. Banks do not want to wait on loans and payments. People who have cash can steal a home right out from underneath another buyer who is buying with a loan.

These new lessons in real estate make for a tricky market. Nobody really knows how to act. Everything we once thought about real estate has been turned upside down. It makes this a market that is very tricky to work in. It can be a challenge, but understanding the new way people are thinking and how the market is working these days can make it much easier for real estate agents to make money and see great profits.

Is the Real Estate Market Making Agents Desperate?

2010-03-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

When you think of preparing a home for sale have you ever added voodoo or an exorcism to your list of things to do? Not likely, but in this tough market, some agents see voodoo and exorcism as requirements to get a house sold. How about feng shui or a Native American cleansing? Believe it or not there are real estate agents all across the country trying these unconventional methods to get houses moving in a hard market.

Some agents are to the point where they will try anything to sell a home. There are stories of many crazy antics by agents who are just trying to get homes to sell by doing anything and everything. This means going beyond just doing perfect staging and open houses more often than usual. Some agents are stepping beyond reason and dipping into unconventional, sometimes controversial, means to sell a home.

The main thought behind such things a voodoo or cleansing rituals is to fix the bad energy in a home. Agents are trying something new. Since conventional methods of trying to sell a house just don't seem to be working they figure there is no harm in trying to get a good energy flow from a little feng shui or banishing bad energy or spirits through an exorcism.

Do you have a hard to sell home? Maybe it is bad energy that is holding you back from making the sale. It never really hurts to try, right? If you are getting desperate then maybe it is time to look into some of these unconventional methods to help you out.

Want to Push High Dollar Real Estate? Here's a House for You!

2010-03-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

The most expensive house in the world needs a new owner. The house is located in Germany and even has its own name – Waterkuken. Waterkuken is located in the city of Kampen and has been the home to many rich and famous people.

You may be thinking in this market it is hard to push your average home. How do you think it would be trying to sell this home that comes with a staggering price tag of $9 million? Maybe you think you could do it. Would you change your mind if I told you Waterkuken is only 322 square feet? Would you laugh at me?

Waterkuken is actually quite small. The price is not based on square foot, though. You are not really getting more room for your dollar with this house. It is all about the view. The house sits on a little over half an acre. It has views that span across the sea. The setting is quite mystical.

If you want a challenge, especially in today's market, then go ahead and try to sell Waterkuken. Give it a shot and see if you have the skills to sell just about anything.

Tired of Selling Houses?

2010-03-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

It is no secret the real estate market is just not that hot lately. Maybe it is time to try something a bit different. How about selling bridges? The state of Maryland has a nice bridge on the market, ready to move to your location.

The Maryland highway department has a bridge in Cecil country that needs to be moved. The bridge is located on 545 over Little Elk Creek in Childs. The bridge was built in 1932 and at 27 feet wide, it no longer works under current regulations which require bridges to be at least 32 feet wide. Officials have decided that selling the bridge is far easier than trying to widen it.

The bridge is available to be purchase by anyone willing to preserve the bridge according to the standards for historic bridges. This could be a local government, a historical group or even an individual. Do you know someone who would be interested in purchasing an antique bridge?

Weird, Odd and Down Right Strange Street Names

2010-03-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

Almost every town has streets named after trees, like oak, maple, cypress and cherry. Most towns have a Main street or a High street, too. Some towns, though, want to be a little different than the rest and they start getting creative with street names. You may have never actually thought about the names of the streets before, even as a real estate agent. Once you start coming across weird street names, you may start paying more attention.

Imagine how difficult it would be to sell a house located on Farfrompoopen Road? This road is located in Story, Arkansas. I wonder how many times people living on this road have had to deal with uncontrollable laughter when asked for their street address.

Some road names are not quite so odd. In fact, there are some that are quite delicious. How about Candy Cane Lane in Redding, California? I wouldn't mind living there. It probably is quite festive around the holidays.

The next time you get a new listing take a minute to check out the street name. Be grateful if it turns out to be normal. There are some crazy street names out there and you should be thanking your lucky stars that you are not stuck trying to move a house located on Bucket of Blood Street in Holbrook, Arizona.

Acres of Land For Sale at Great Prices: Stunning Views and Interesting Atmosphere

2010-03-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? What would you say if I told you that intriguing land for sale is located on the moon? How about Mars or Venus? Would you laugh? Hold your laughter for a moment because you really can buy property on the Moon, Mars, Venus or Mercury.

Lunar Embassy is a company in Nevada that specializes in selling property that is, truly, out of this world. They have been quite successful in their venture, selling almost 10 million dollars in property since 1980.

If you are interesting in getting your piece of outer space real estate, then you are looking to pay about $36.50 for an acre. Prices are subject to change and you can usually get as little or as much property as you like. It is completely legal and your purchase is registered with the United Nations and the government's of the U.S. and Russia.

Lunar Embassy takes a slightly humorous approach to selling this unique real estate. Their sales line says it all: “Perhaps you can't own it here....but you can, own it up there!”

Is Smaller Better When It Comes to Real Estate?

2010-02-22T06:23:00.000-08:00

Many people are trying to go smaller with their home choices these days. Small homes cost less in general to buy, cost less to heat and cost less to maintain and are easier to maintain. They work for this type of economy where every penny counts. Maybe you are looking for smaller homes for some of your clients. Take a look at this:

300 sq ft
7 ft wide
1 bedroom
Built in 1912
Location: Toronto, Canada

Maybe this is too small? Toronto's Little House, as it is known, is a great conversation piece, if nothing else. This home is actually quite popular and each time it comes on the market it is flooded with people wanting to see inside. This tiny house is not on the market right now. It is undergoing some improvements and will be back on the market in March of 2010. Keep an eye out for it!

PHOTO CREDIT: http://awackyworld.com/

Is the Economy Bad for Everyone?

2010-02-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

The current state of the economy is not bad for everyone. Some industries are actually making out on the deal, while the average American is left suffering. Before you feel sorry for the banks in the current mortgage crisis, watch this...

Click to Play Video

You Never Know What you May Find when Showing a Home

2010-02-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

As an agent you have probably done many open houses. You have probably walked people through homes before. Most agents go through this regular tasks without any incident. However, sometimes an agent runs across something that makes them wonder if they will ever sell this home.

You may have worked with run down properties, rehabs or other homes where something was not in perfect order, but what would you do if you had to sell a home that is quite possibly an Indian burial grounds? That would be a tough task.

A real estate agent in Louisiana came across that exact situation. She was showing a home and came across bones in the basement. Over 100 bones, to be exact. Forensic investigators determined that the bones were probably Native American. The previous homeowners had been collecting them. They would come across them while doing yard work and simply piled them up ion the basement. That is where the real estate agent and perspective homeowners found them.

Imagine trying to explain that to home buyers!

A Warning to Give Homeowners

2010-02-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

Most home buyers know when buying a home that they will need to purchase homeowners insurance to help protect their new asset. There is something you may want to warn new homeowners about, though. Not all damages will be covered under a homeowners insurance policy.

If you are selling in a rural area with a lot of cows, then listen up because you should be warning homeowners against damage that is not covered – “acts of cow”.

That's right. A homeowner in Tennessee recently found out that his homeowners policy did not cover damage done by a cow. A neighbor had cows in a nearby pasture and the fence came close to homeowners property. A mischievous cow would lean through the fence and get to the home. The cow managed to ruin screens, crack glass and even pull down a gutter. The cow did all this with his tongue.

So, just take this warning and be sure if you sell a house near a cow pasture that the new homeowners get insurance that offers protection against “acts of cow”.

Need Help Selling a Haunted House

2010-02-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

Any little oddity in a piece of real estate can make it very hard to move in today's tough market. For many people, the mere mention that a house could be haunted will make them turn around and walk out the door without a second thought. Many times, no matter what you do, shaking the haunted house label can be difficult. Real estate history is littered with tales of houses that have sat on the market for months, even years because they were labeled as haunted. If you happen to be unlucky enough to come across a haunted house that you have to try to sell, here are some tips on making the task a little easier.

Tip #1: Check state laws

Some states have laws about disclosing whether a house is haunted or if someone has died or was murdered on the property. Other states have no such laws. If word hasn't gotten out about the haunting of the house and there is no law saying you must disclose such information then you may be better off informing the sellers to keep that bit of information under wraps.

Tip #2: Do damage control

In some cases, there is no stopping rumors about a house. You have to deal with them head on if you ever want a chance to move this house. With some people it will be no problem because some people simply do not believe in ghosts and hauntings. There are many people that do, though. One great way to dispel rumors is to hold various open houses and to get people in the house, looking around. Once there have been many successful showings where no ghostly activity was reported, the rumors will quickly fade away on their own.

Tip #3: Get a professional opinion

In almost every state there are professional ghost hunters. If all else fails, call them in. Have them look over the home and determine if it is haunted. If they think this could be a real case of a haunting then have them help you get rid of the ghosts or spirits and cleanse the home.

You may not believe in ghosts or think there is such a thing as a haunted house, but many people do believe and having a house labeled as haunted can be very bad. You could have trouble even getting anyone interested in buying the home or have to drop the price really low just to get it to sell. Use the tips above and see if that will help make selling that haunted house a little easier.

Clipart From http://www.webweaver.nu

You Think Selling Real Estate is Hard These Days?

2010-02-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

Yeah, the market is sure not the best these days, but you are probably selling nice, normal homes. How much harder do you think things would get if you were trying to sell some of the strangest houses on the market. These are not your average family homes. There are floating homes, homes that are built like a castle and homes with all sorts of interesting features, from ice cream parlors to bowling alleys.

Most of the strange homes on the market were once the idea of the original owner. They were eccentric ideas that catered to the owner's preferences and desires. For some reason, though, the owner decided that the home no longer met their needs and put it on the market. Now some lucky or unlucky agent, depending on how you look at it, has the job of trying to sell this odd property to someone else.

Selling a unique piece of real estate is certainly a challenge in any market, but in this market it is almost impossible. Most custom built homes sell for much higher prices than your average home. In a market where everyone is trying to get the lowest price possible and home buyers are sticking with only practical styles of homes, selling a home that boosts an elevator, an amphitheater or a secret tunnel entrance is not easy.

So, when you are having a really bad day and feel like you haven't sold a thing for weeks, just think about those poor agents who are struggling to sell impossible property in a hard market. That will probably make you feel a little better about your situation.

Clipart From http://www.realtyclipart.com/

Funny, Odd and Just Plain Weird Real Estate Laws from the USA

2010-01-31T19:40:00.000-08:00

As a real estate professional sometimes you have to deal with local or state laws that can really slow you down and cause some headaches. Many laws have a real purpose, and while they may be annoying at times, they really are necessary. Sometimes, though, even lawmakers miss the mark. Here are some really strange laws that are on the books. You never know. One day maybe you will come up against one of these laws when trying to help a client.

Do the potential buyers own an alligator? Well, if you are in Arkansas then you better inform them that it is illegal for them to keep that alligator in their bathtub. However, if you are in Georgia then proceed with the sale because it is legal there to keep your gator in the bathtub.

Make sure new homebuyers in Arizona own an outdoor thermometer and have plenty of cold water on hand because when temps rise above 110 degrees they are legally obligated to give beggars knocking at their door a drink. If they don’t obey they can face jail time.

Selling a home in Maine? Be sure to warn all buyers that they must be diligent about removing Christmas lights. If they keep them up past January 14th they are breaking the law.

Selling a home to a large family in Tennessee or Pennsylvania? Watch out because they could end up facing charges. In Tennessee no more than 8 women can live in one home and in Pennsylvania the limit is 16 – any more and the home is labeled an illegal brothel.

Are you an agent in Texas? Well, here’s a new sales point for you – Texas actually has a law on the books that states criminals must give homeowners 24 hours notice before they break into their home or commit another crime on their property. Now if only everybody obeyed that law, Texas real estate would be selling fast.

Ground Zero Real Estate for Sale

2010-01-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

The events of September 11th will never be forgotten by any American. However, unless you live in the New York area or had someone close to you perish on that fateful day, you probably do not think about what is happening with the Ground Zero site.

There has actually be a lot happening, yet very little actually getting done. Just by looking at the area, not much has changed for a while. There has been a lot of talk of rebuilding and a lot of discussion about what to do with the piece of real estate where the former World Trade Center stood.

Most recently, then central tower, once called the Freedom Tower and now called 1 World Trade Center, is on the market. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is selling the $3.2 billion tower. Whoever makes the purchase is expected to also market and lease the space to corporate tenants.

The tower is still under construction and is not expected to be completed until 2013, but all the controversy surrounding it makes many fear, renting the office space to be a difficult task. A task many do not want to take on. However, the Port Authority still believes that this is a piece of real estate that many developers will still be vying for.

Photo Credit: http://www.homesarkansas.net/v2/news/?p=77

Homebuyers Walked Away in November

2010-01-14T19:39:00.000-08:00

Now that we are into 2010 we are able to start looking back on 2009 and seeing what was happening. Learning from mistakes and trends of the past year is the only way to start off 2010 in the best way possible. One place to look is November when homebuyers started buying less.

In November, according to CNNMoney.com, homebuyers were walking away form contracts more than signing them, with a 16% drop in signed sales contracts than in October. The National Association of Realtors reported this as the first drop after nine months of gains.

The thought is that buyers were simple taking a break. It was at this time that the homebuyers credit was to expire (it has since been extended into mid-2010) and people had been trying to get in before that deadline. With the deadline looming people backed off and no longer felt they had to push to buy a home and get the credit.

The prediction is that we may continue to see this trend with a gain coming again in spring as buyers start to respond to the new deadline set for the credit. So, be prepared to get a boost in business in the spring as homebuyers once again scramble to beat the credit deadline.

2010 Brings in Rates a Little Lower than They Ended in 2009

2010-01-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

According to Freddie Mac the numbers for the start of 2010 are down from 2009. Rates on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage for January 7th were at 5.09%, which were down from the previous week when they were 5.14%. However, looking back at the same time in the beginning of 2009 the rates were at 5.01%. So what is this telling us?

The numbers do not really tell us much, but when we look at why rates are changing the way they are we can get an idea. The opinion is that the economy is starting to rebound. That is prompting the Federal Reserve to raise the overnight target rate. This usually causes a rise in ARM rates. The good news is that any major changes from the Fed are not expected until later in the year, so rates may stabilize.

For you, the real estate agent, stable rates can be a great thing. It has truly been a buyers market and sellers have been losing big time. However, if buyers can start to get loans easier and current mortgages can be stabilized at a good rate then chances are that business may start to look up.

Buyers may be able to get more affordable loans. Sellers may be able to refinance and stop foreclosures or short sales. In the end, the hope is always that the market will start looking up. We need to hope that rates will go lower and stay lower, lenders will be lending and properties will start moving again at a good pace.

2010 may just bring a great chance for the market to rebound and for this slump to finally be over.

New Mortgage Form Rolled Out for 2010

2010-01-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

January 1st brought us more than just a new year in the real estate world. It also ushered in a new set of rules and a new mortgage form that lenders must use. The idea behind the change is to make borrowing for a mortgage easier for the borrower to understand.

This change comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The form is called the “Good Faith Estimate” form. The form has specific lines that cover all settlement fees, lists loan amount, term length, monthly payment, interest rates and details about prepayment penalties or balloon payments. All mortgage lenders must use the new form.

Those looking to buy a home in 2010 will get to use this new form to compare loans from multiple lenders. The hope is that borrowers will be able to make a more informed decision about their mortgage loan and that they will be better able to choose the loan that is really the best choice.

Only time will tell if the new form will actually make the mortgage lending process easier on home buyers or not. For now, many in the industry have said that it is a good idea and are looking forward to seeing just how well it works.

Is the Real Estate Market Recovering?

2010-01-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

Nobody will argue that 2009 was not the best year in real estate. Many agents struggled through the year and welcomed the new year with some hope that it would bring about a swift recovery for the market. The sad news it that the housing market recovery is looking to be anything but quick.

Many had high hopes after a report that the tax credit program for first-time home buyers had helped the sale of existing homes to see a nice increase. The credit was supposed to expire in November but has been extended into April. That does lead to some hope that it will continue to help the market recover. On the flip side there is a lot of talk about the high number of foreclosures that have been forecasted for the next couple years. The jury is still out about whether 2010 will see the market rebound or if it will be another year of just trying to get by.

There are several things that we will need if we expect the housing market to have a good recovery. These things include:

- A lower unemployment rate
- A lower number of foreclosures
- More available and affordable credit

There really has to be a change in the overall economy in order to get the housing market back in shape. Can that happen in 2010? That remains to be seen. Right now it is just too soon to make any solid predictions.

Getting the Most from your SOI

2009-12-30T14:51:00.000-08:00

Every good agent has a solid SOI (Sphere of Influence). You probably have one. The problem with an SOI is that most agents don't use them. They have an SOI, but they don't make any effort to make their SOI work for their business. The biggest failure when it comes to SOIs is that agents do not maintain contact.

Maintaining contact with your SOI is very important. You should be contacting your SOI in a personal way (meaning not through emails or fliers) at least twice a year minimum. There are many ways you can do this. Here are some great ideas:

- Throw an SOI party. This could be for Halloween, your business anniversary celebration or just a simple gathering.

- Give a seminar. You could get a local professional to give the talk about an important topic, like taxes or legal issues of small businesses.

- Throw an open house at your office. Invite everyone to see how your business has grown and to thank them for helping you get to where you are with your business.

- Host a dinner in their honor. You can break up your SOI into different categories and throw a diner for each group. For example, throw a dinner for people in your SOI who have purchased multiple houses from you or for those who have provided you with referrals.

- Host a charity event. This is a great idea because you are getting face time with your SOI and also raising money for a good cause. Many people who may not attend other SOI events will likely come to this one since it is for a good cause.

No matter what ideas you use, the point is to have personal contact with your SOI. You want to be able to talk with them and let them know how grateful you are to them and how important they are to your business.

How to Speed Up your Lead Follow Up

2009-12-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

Following up on leads is a very important aspect of being a good agent. If you fail to follow up then you fail to ever turn a lead into a client. In many cases speed is the key to good follow up. You want to follow up with a lead as fast as possible so you don't lose the opportunity.

To help ensure speedy follow up you should start by making follow up a priority. You should set a time limit on following up on all leads. The NAR recommendation for lead follow up is 15 minutes and no longer than 24 hours. When you can follow up fast you will have the best chance of connecting with the client and becoming their agent.

Automate whatever you can. If you are using email then set up an auto responder to reply immediately to a lead. Make sure that you keep it personal and offer them something of value, like neighborhood report or market news. Let them know you will be contacting them within the next 24 hours.

You need to have a plan in place on how you deal with leads. Having a good follow up plan can make a big difference in your business. You will find yourself with more clients and more money when you become a master at speedy follow up on leads.

Is your Approach to Expireds Working?

2009-12-16T16:20:00.000-08:00

Many agents don’t even deal with expireds, but for those that at least try it, many are failing. It is not because expireds are not a good market. Expireds can actually make you a lot of money. The trick is all in the timing.

When you hear about an expired listing do you jump right on it? Are you right on the phone making calls and trying to get face time with the homeowner? If you are doing this, have you noticed how many other agents you are up against?

It is common to want to jump right on an expired listing, but this is not the right time. Let it sit. Leave it alone for a couple months.

There are a few reasons to do this: 1) The homeowner is not likely to have had the best experience trying to sell their home and may have some bitter feelings towards agents. 2) The homeowner may not know what they want to do. These two reasons will either get you wrapped into a deal where the homeowner changes their mind or they are difficult to work with. It is much better to let them reorganize and figure out their plans before you jump right in.

You might be surprised at how many expireds sit for a few months before they ever go back on the market. The reasons above are why this happens. If you are there at that point when the homeowner has figured out what they want to do then you can grab up the expired and actually end up with a great listing.

Take a look at how you handle expireds. If you are making this big timing mistake then it is time for you to improve your expireds strategy.

A Positive Attitude Can Draw People to You

2009-12-14T16:18:00.001-08:00

One of your goals in business is to make people want to work with you. A good lesson to learn that will have people flocking to you is about the power of a positive attitude.

There is a lot of talk these days about something called the power of attraction. The idea behind the power of attraction is that positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative. You don’t have to take anyone’s word for it, though. Simply give this concept a try.

Spend one day being completely positive. If you feel any negative thoughts creeping in then push them away and replace them with positive ones. When you speak, only speak positively. Put a smile on your face and greet every person you see with a friendly hello.

You might just be amazed at how well the power of attraction works. You should see immediate results. Imagine if you did this everyday. You could really make some big changes in your life and in your business.

Start trying to be more positive every day. Always look for the good in any situation and make the most of it. You should start to see a positive influence in your business and in your own life once you adopt a positive attitude.

Communication is an Essential Business Skill

2009-12-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

As a business owner one of your most important skills is the ability to communicate with your employees. Without communication your business will slowly crumble. You will lose control and eventually fail.

Good communication is essential to good business. You must be able to communicate clearly your ideas and thoughts so that your staff knows what they are supposed to do and how you want it done.

Communication is also important to making sure your employees are motivated and that they know when they are doing a good job and when they need improvement. There is no room for unclear messages. You have to know how to get your employees moving and how to get them working at their peak performance.

The best business owners are the best communicators. No matter what other skills you have or what else you do for your business, without good communication you will struggle. You can be the best agent in the market, but if you cannot communicate with your staff and even with your clients then you will never become a top agent.

Communication is something that comes naturally to some people, but for others it can be something they have to work on. Figure out where your communication skills rank and work to improve them. Communication is really the key to business success.

The Only Four Tasks That Will Make You Money

2009-12-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

As a real estate agent you probably do many different tasks everyday. However, as a business owner you need to be focusing your efforts on only the tasks that will make you money and delegating those tasks that are simply administrative or otherwise do not directly make you money.

There are only four tasks that will make you money. They are:

- Listing
- Prospecting
- Selling
- Negotiating

As you can see those four tasks are directly related to your clients. You are trying to attract clients, work with clients and make sales. These are the tasks that should be taking up the majority of your time.

A top agent knows that they need to be making the most of their time. If you want to be a top agent then you will access your business and access what you do on a daily basis. If you see that you are wasting your valuable skills doing tasks other than those four money making tasks, then it is time to make some changes.

In the end your goal is to make the most of your time and to make the most money for your business. Once you focus in on the four money making tasks you will start to see that is exactly what will happen.

Is Your Business Clean or Cluttered?

2009-12-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

Nobody ever said that business has to be complicated. There are many aspects of your business that should be simple and should be free of needless complexities. Right now is a great time to stop and take a good look at your business. See if things have gotten too complicated and complex.

A simple business runs easier than a complex one. Sometimes simple is much better. You will likely find many aspects of your business that have been made more complex than they need to be. Take time to simplify things. Get rid of unnecessary processes and make things as simple as possible.

You cannot get rid of every bit of bureaucracy, but you can clean up many things. You can get focused on what is important. Take your business back to the basics. Once you do a good cleaning you will see how much it benefits your business.

Tips for Making It in a Slow Market

2009-11-30T15:35:00.000-08:00

The current real estate market has everyone wondering if an end is near. It can be tough to make your business progress and grow in a market that is just not performing. You don't have to just take the losses, though. A good agent can flourish in a slow market if they are willing to just put in some extra effort.

Here are some great tips that you can use to make your business a success in a market that seems to be failing:

 Understand that you will have to work a bit harder because easy transactions are far and few between. People may not be coming to you as they used to, so be willing to go out there and drum up your own business.
 Put your best foot forward at all times. Buyers and sellers are going to be very picky. You will have to show them you have the skills and the ability to help them.
 Take this time to make improvements. If you have been wanting to upgrade things in your office or do some rearranging within your business then now is a great time to handle those things. Improving your business will pay off down the road and with some extra time on your hands you can now do those things on your to do list.
 Reconnect with past clients. Send out cards, make calls, get connected with people that you have not spoken to in a while. Work on your database. Clean out inactive contacts and work on updating contact information.
 Look to markets that you may not be familiar with. You should look into markets like expireds and FSBO. It is a great time to expand your knowledge and try something new.

All good agents are going to be working hard. They will be trying to make their business benefit from the slow period. If you want to be part of the group of top agents that will come out of this market slow down, then you have to keep working and not let this market get you down.

How to Tackle Commission Cuts

2009-11-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

There will come a time when a seller wants to discuss cutting your commission. This is never a pleasant topic and one that most agents would rather never deal with. However, in a tough market it will be more likely to come up and you have to know how to deal with it.

Start by being prepared before speaking with a seller or even starting a deal. You need to make sure that you inform sellers about the current market and about pricing. You want to make sure they understand how the market is and what they should expect trying to sell in the current market.

Make sure you know your company’s policy about commission cuts. If you are not sure then find out. You don’t want to end up with a huge problem if you don’t follow protocol and policies set by your company.

Lastly, you have to believe that you are worth every bit of your commission. You need to make the seller see that you deserve every penny of that money. When you believe in yourself and the seller believes in you then commission cuts are not as likely to ever be brought up.

Do You Know How to Negotiate with Sellers in a Buyer’s Market?

2009-11-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

We are in the midst of a great buyer’s market and you probably have faced many negotiations. Sellers want to get as much as they can and many times lowering prices makes them uneasy. They may ask you to take a cut in commission so they can get as much profit as possible. Do you know how to ensure you don’t take the fall for the buyer’s market?

Here are some tips to help you out:

- Know your stuff. In any type of negotiation the person who has the most information is usually who wins. You need information in order to negotiate and to help the seller to understand why pricing is set where it is and all the other factors of the reality of the situation.

- Don’t put your commission out there as a bargaining tool. Don’t even tell the seller you will drop your commission rate. If you don’t offer it then many people won’t bother asking.

- Keep a positive attitude. It is essential to project an attitude that says things will work out. It puts the seller at ease and gives them hope that they will end up in a good place.

Follow these three tips and you should be able to better deal with nervous and worried sellers who fear they will be on the losing end if and when their house sells without having to take the fall yourself.

Get Into the Second Home Market

2009-11-04T20:54:00.000-08:00

The real estate market may not be booming these days, but a good agent knows where to look for opportunity. One market segment that offers you great opportunity right now is the second home market.

The second home market is the baby boomer generation who are realizing that the time has come to buy a second home. Some people will get a vacation home, while others are strictly looking to invest in another property. Either way, the second home market is the place to be if you want to stay a top agent.

Baby boomers make up a huge chunk of the population. They are the highest earners and they are ready for something different in their lives as they approach retirement age. They are prime for buying real estate and the price is not going to be their deciding factor.

You have more opportunity to sell top dollar homes to baby boomers. They will be looking for amazing homes, loaded with amenities and features. You can really move some of your higher priced homes as second homes.

If you have yet to move into this market segment then now is the time to get started. Get out there and feel out the second home market in your area. See if you can start bringing in clients and getting those second home sales. You should notice a big difference in your business and your profits.

Are You An Agent or a Business?

2009-11-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

Years ago, a real estate agent was simply an agent. You sold real estate, networked with clients, set up beautiful staging, and sold houses. Today’s real estate market is much different. There are more agents than ever and it takes much more than just being a traditional agent to make it.

Today, you have to be a business. It is not enough to know how to sell a house or get new clients. You have to know the business inside and out. This means knowing everything from marketing to budgeting.

To stay on top in the real estate market today, you need to think like a business owner first. Everyday you need to focus on your business. Being an agent is secondary. Things have changed and without the right approach and a chance in focus, you will drown amongst the agents that are business minded.

Turn your Pessimist Attitude Into an Optimistic One

2009-10-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

When things are going bad with the market and there is not a lot of hope on the horizon it can be easy to fall into a pessimistic state. You can very easily see the bad in everything. You attitude turns to one where you start to stop planning for the future and begin to believe that things will never look up.

If you want to continue growing your business and make it through this rough patch then you have to change how you think right now. You have to get rid of the pessimistic attitude and start adopting an optimistic attitude instead.

Start by changing how you think. Instead of jumping on negative things, try to find something positive in everything. Look for positive news or something positive to focus on everyday so you can start to ignore the feelings and thoughts that are negative. It takes focus, but after a while you will find yourself going to the positive instead of the negative.

Make a plan that allows for set backs. Set goals. Try to set yourself for success instead of failure. Give yourself steps to reach your goals that will be easy to reach. Do not set goals that will be too hard to reach. Don’t set yourself up for failure. This is common in people who take a pessimistic view.

Changing from being a pessimist to an optimist is not easy, but it is worth it. When you start seeking out the positive, you will see a big change. You will be happier, more productive and better able to cope when problems do occur.

Reap Rewards from Good Time Management

2009-10-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

As a business owner you probably know that time management is essential to keeping your business running smoothly. However, good time management does more than just help your business run properly. Here are some more rewards you get from proper management of your time:

- Boost in self confidence. This is a side effect of things running good and of knowing that you have everything handled. When you are organized and have time management mastered you just feel better about yourself and that will show through in every aspect of your life.

- Balance between work and personal life. When you have time management skills you can balance things at home and work without feeling as if you are being pulled in a million different directions.

- Less stress. When you have things together and everything is running as it should be you are less likely to be stressed.

- Better relationships. When you manage your time you include time to allow you to build up and nurture relationships, both personal and professional.

- Better perspective. Your planning and managing will allow you to not get overwhelmed and you will be able to really see what is happening. This will lead to being able to ensure your business is on track and let you catch problems early.

Time management is about more than just making sure things get done. It is something that will effect you in every aspect of your life. It can make your life easier and help you to run your business better. If you are not using time management well in your business then right now is the time to start.

Does your Job Run your Life?

2009-10-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

It is common for a business owner to get themselves overwhelmed with work. You try to do everything because you want it done right and you don’t trust anyone else to do it. You have a lot riding on the success of your business so you throw yourself into it, completely. Is this really helping?

The answer is no. You cannot let your business run you. You are supposed to be running your business. Don’t get so wrapped up in the business that you lose yourself.

Sometimes all you need to do is take a step back. Look at what is happening. Are you able to really live your life or are you always working? Is it worth the pay off? Are you sacrificing important things in life for your business?

Owning a business does involve sacrifice, but you should never lose yourself. You still need to live. After all, you started your business so you could have a better life, right? Sometimes you have to know when it is too much.

If your business is running you then get help. Hire assistants. Outsource tasks. Do what you have to so you are in charge again. You can be a success without living for your business. It is a part of your life. It should not be your life.

Take Time Off

2009-10-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you are losing focus? Are more days overwhelming than not? Do you wake up wishing the day was over already? It may just be time for a day off.

Don’t’ be so shocked. Even top agents take a day off. Everyone needs a break now and then. Working yourself to death won’t do you, your clients or your business any good. One day without you is nothing.

Think about it. When you are only half there are you really doing a good job? Not likely. That is why you have to take a day here and there to recharge. Once you do, you can get right back to work with confidence and energy.

You have to take time off. You cannot work day in and day out. It is bad for everyone. You won’t be able to give your clients the best service and your business will end up suffering.

Don’t fear a vacation either. Sometimes one day won’t cut it. Take a week. Just rest up and refresh so that when you come back you are able to jump back in and tackle everything that comes your way with a healthy energy and passion.

Nothing kills a business quicker than an overworked owner. Don’t let your business suffer. Take some “me time” and don’t feel bad about it. You’re doing it for everyone.

Connecting with Clients vs Impressing Clients

2009-10-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

You may think that you are doing an amazing job with handling your clients. Your people skills may be great and your ability to communicate may be second to none. You might also be missing something about how you interact with clients.

There are two main ways to approach client interactions. You can either connect with your clients or impress your clients. Connecting with clients means that you are forming a real relationship with them. You are friendly and show an interest in them.

When you are simply out to impress clients, you are more focused on you. You are sales oriented and you try to show off your knowledge and skills. Clients see this as being pushy or being disconnected and only interested in making money.

Every good real estate agent knows that to be successful, you have to stop trying to impress clients and focus on connecting with them. Only then can you really build that bond that will keep them loyal to you and that will give them the ability to trust you.

Become Better at Crisis Management

2009-10-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

How you deal with a crisis is important in business. As a business owner you probably face crises everyday. Some may be small and some may be very serious. No matter the extent of the crisis, you must know how to handle it properly and not let yourself freak out in the face of an issue.

Here are 5 simple steps you should take to handle any crisis that comes your way:

Step 1: Face the crisis head on. Many people often feel the need to avoid the crisis or put off handling it. This usually only makes matters worse. Step up to it and face it right away instead of running or ignoring it.

Step 2: Clarify the crisis. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed and make things out to be much worse than they are. Simply take a look at the facts. Separate out the fiction and stick with the facts. Get to the heart of what is happening so you are better equipped to handle it.

Step 3: Take emotions out of the situation. When you get too emotional about something it clouds your mind and takes away your ability to reason. You need to push emotions aside and look at the crisis with a clear head.

Step 4: Come up with a solution. Now that you know what is happening and you have a clear head, you can begin to formulate a solution. This can take time, but you should be able to clear up any crisis if you just focus on finding the best solution.

Step 5: Solve the crisis. Once you have your solution all that is left to do is put it to work and solve the crisis.

These 5 steps may seem simple, but all too often when faced with a crisis, people get too worked up. By taking a step by step approach, you can be a master at handling any crisis that comes your way.

Getting Seller Feedback Has Many Benefits

2009-10-11T14:40:00.001-07:00

You probably know that getting feedback is a good way to monitor your sales efforts and ensure that your business is on track. Feedback allows you to find out what people think about your service and if they think there are things that you can improve upon. You need to get feedback from anyone you work with. That includes those selling homes, as well as those buying homes.

Seller feedback can help you to lower stress and make clients happier. It will help you to learn about what things you did that really stood out. You can find out if they would do business with you again and why or why not.

Feedback should be collected on a regular basis. It is not something to let slide. If you must, hire someone to handle feedback. This not only includes gathering it, but also addressing concerns and making you aware of what the feedback has been about all aspects of your business.

By getting feedback and using it you can make your business better. When you improve your business, you improve your profits, so it is something that you definitely want to keep a handle on.

Scare Up Business on Halloween

2009-10-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

Halloween makes for an amazing marketing opportunity. It is a fun holiday that allows you to be real creative with your marketing and try some out of the ordinary things. Take advantage of Halloween and kick your marketing efforts into high gear during the month of October.

A fun marketing idea that is sure to draw a large crowd is staging a Ghoul street. This is great f you have several listings in one neighborhood. Have the homes decorated in different homes. Make it a fun time by sending out a public invitation. Everyone comes and tours the decorated homes, enjoy a few treats and possibly even help you make a sale.

Another idea, if you are not into house decorating is using postcard marketing. Instead of the typical ho-hum postcard mailing, dress it up for Halloween. Try an eerie headline, a creepy design or even make the postcard an invite to a Halloween party.

Halloween is a very unique time of year. It is fun and a great theme for your marketing efforts. Don’t let the month of October pass you by without taking time to plan at least one big Halloween marketing event.

The Ever Changing Market

2009-10-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

Part of being a top agent is knowing what is happening in the market. One day you may be focused on sellers and the next day you may need to switch to focus on buyers. You just never know where the market will lead you. You have to stay on your toes and keep up with the trends if you want to be on top.

In the current market there has been a lot of focus on REO and short sales. Maybe you have been focusing your efforts in this market. There has been a temporary drop in volume in REOs and this has proven to be hurting many agents who have not adjusted their sales methods to accommodate this change.

Another thing to watch for is the coming wave in REO and foreclosure. This is anticipated to be a nice wave, but what you may not know is that it is likely to be much bigger than what we just saw. You should be working towards moving efforts that direction so you can capitalize on it.

You also should be aware that with the current trends in real estate, some markets may never fully recover. Homeowners have been hit hard by the economic conditions and that has led to a rapid change in many markets across the country. These changes may mean some markets may never regain their value.

These are just a few things that are happening and that may happen in the near future. You have to stay sharp and know what is going on if you want to reach top agent status. Keep up with trends and do your research so you are not wasting time focusing in on markets or segments that are not profitable.

Small Steps to Big Things

2009-10-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Setting goals is the easiest part of achieving your dreams. It is reaching the goals that can be difficult. Many people feel overwhelmed and just do not know where to start on the path to reaching their goals. The best way to go about it is to take small steps.

When you take small steps it breaks down the long process and makes it easier. It makes your goals much more attainable. You no longer feel like you are trying to accomplish so big that it is impossible.

You may think that by taking small steps you will never reach your goals, but the truth is that when you try to accomplish too much too soon it can hold you back. When you try small steps you will be working at a pace that you can keep up with. You will not be trying to do more than you handle.

Here is a video that talks about reaching goals through small steps. This video focuses on MLM, but what he says really would be applicable to any business. The main idea is all about how to take small steps to make big things happen.

When you set a goal try to break it down into small stesp. Once you get started you will see that you can make amazing changes rather quickly just by moving in small steps.

Bring a Little Focus to your Life

2009-09-21T11:40:00.001-07:00

Many business owners have big dreams of success. They have so many ideas that putting them all in action can get a little messy. When you lose focus and things start to get bungled, your best ideas can fall apart.

Having great ideas is a good thing, but not organizing them and getting some focus to carrying out those ideas can result in problems. You need to set up a plan so that you can follow through with ideas. This will allow you to make better use of your ideas and actually end up getting results from them.

Focus is the key to making ideas work. When you have focus you can get things done. You can accomplish goals and you can make those ideas work for you.

Your ideas can be amazing, but just having something in mind won’t get things done. You need a plan of action. You need things scheduled and organized. Only then can your amazing ideas produce amazing results that will get you and your business on the path to success.

Are you Dropping the Ball and Losing Out?

2009-09-14T15:49:00.001-07:00

Long term listing leads can be a great source of money or disappointment. If you do not track them and keep up with them then you are not alone. Most agents walk away from or lose 10 to 50% of their long term listing leads. To keep on top of things you have to stop dropping the ball.

You should be tracking them and staying active. On leads you lose, you need to find out why you lost them so you can fix the problem and not lose out in the future. You also need to constantly keep an eye on them. Figure out what you need to do with them. Watch for future expired status. Identify those sellers who may be ready in 6 to 24 months.

You need to be doing regular monthly emails and mailings to your long term listings leads. You have to stay on top of things. This is a great job for an assistant to do.

No matter what you need to not lose out on a 10 to 50% increase in profit because you lost these leads. Don’t drop the ball! Stick with it and you could get a nice pay off.

Are You Using Craigslist?

2009-09-11T13:04:00.000-07:00

One of the largest and most beneficial online tools for real estate agents is Craigslist. Are you using Craigslist? Top agents are using it for listing marketing. It is a way to reach thousands of people with one targeted ad. You can list in almost every major city in the United States. Craigslist is something that you must incorporate in your marketing plan if you really are serious about making it to the top.

You should be posting listings at Craigslist every week. You can post once a week or if you are really advantageous about it you can post up to three times a week. One perk of Craigslist is that it is low cost. You will be getting a lot in return for each marketing dollar that you spend.

Using Craigslist is something top agents are doing. You have to really start to diversify your listings marketing if you want to be a success and Craigslist can be part of that diversification plan. You just need to get started and post today.

Give More Than you Take

2009-08-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

It is just a common part of human nature to want to receive more than you give, but it is a habit that you must break. Anyone who is top in their business knows the key is about giving more than taking. When you adopt a giving attitude you will see changes in how people approach you and how they treat you.

So, how do you give more than you take? It is actually quite simple. Approach all interactions with others by thinking about what you can do for them instead of thinking about what you want from them. If you only give a little that is fine. Soon you will develop a natural approach to giving and it will become second nature.

When you give to others they will appreciate you more and be more willing to help you out when you do need something. It can be difficult at first to develop a habit of giving, but it is so worth it in the long run. Start today by giving something - an idea, a helping hand - to everyone you interact with today and do not ask for anything in return. You will be amazed at the results.

Be Proactive with your Customer Service Calls

2009-08-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what your clients think about you? Have you ever thought that maybe you are not doing all that you can for your clients? If you have ever just wanted to know what your clients opinions are about you then you need to get proatvie with your customer service calls.

Stop asking them about how they are doing and start asking how you are doing. When you start asking them what they think about you it shows that you really do care. Your clients will see that you are interested in providing them the best possible service.

Making proactive customer service calls turns the tables. Instead of you trying to figure out what the client wants, you will be told straight from their own mouth what they want. This can do wonders for your business, so get proactive today!

A Look at What you Get with Client Marketing

2009-08-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Many agents fail to see the many benefits of focusing in on client marketing. Instead agents are insistent upon sticking with lead generation as their main form of marketing. When you are willing to actually look at what client marketing gives you, then you will see that your efforts should be focused there instead.

Client marketing is more cost efficient than lead generation. With client marketing you are paying out at about 5% of your marketing costs and with lead generation you are paying out 10 to 30%. That is a huge savings right there.

That is not all, though. Client marketing is easier to manage and to delegate. It is much easier to track and measure your efforts. Plus it allows you to reap major benefits from your client database.

Let’s look at the financial aspects, since marketing is all about what you can gain. With client marketing you should generate 4 to 10 closed deals per year. That is a total of 20 to 50 closings per year. It is well worth your time and energy.

Client marketing is something that every agent must be doing. If you are not doing client marketing then you are missing out on the possibility of getting those guaranteed leads that will end up as closed deals and profit for your business.

Make a Big Impact with a Small Change

2009-08-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

Any good agent knows that establishing a personal connection with your clients is important. Sometimes making that personal connection doesn’t have to mean hours on the phone or tons of face time. Sometimes making a personal connection can be as simple as one small change in your direct marketing campaign.

Back before computers and telephones, people either communicated in person or through postal mail. Handwritten letters have given way to emails and it seems that that personal connection has been lost. Many people miss the personal feel of a handwritten letter and they yearn for those old days when people sent you something in the mail because they really wanted to reach out to you.

You can use this sense of nostalgia to help you make a big impact on your clients. You do not have to hand write out every flyer or letter you send. That would not only be time consuming, but we all know how handwriting is much more difficult to read than typed items. You can still type of your letters or other mailings to make them clean and easy to read, but you can insert a bit of familiarity by hand addressing your envelopes and other mailings.

Think of the impact it can make when a client goes to their mail and sees a hand addressed envelope. They will probably rush to open it just to see who sent them a letter. It will fuel their excitement and will help you to get their attention. This small change can make a big impact on your business and on your relationship with your clients.

The Four Types of Work and What you Should be Doing

2009-08-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Real estate agents do four types of work. These four types of work are:

- not doing anything
- doing what you should not be doing
- doing assistant work
- doing sales work

Top agents skip the first three types and focus their efforts on the last one. However, most agents spend too much time trying to spread themselves out over all four categories.

Agents not doing anything are wasting their valuable time. Maybe there is a lapse in demanding work, but that does not mean that there is nothing to do. There is always something to do and it should be sales related.

Doing work of an assistant is simply a waste of resources. If you are doing assistant work then what are your assistants doing? Are you paying people to sit around? If you do not have enough assistants then get more. You should never waste your talents on work that can be done by an assistant.

Focus in on sales work. That is what you should always be doing. If you think you have nothing to do then work on leads, touch base with clients or do something that will help further your business.

Wasting your time is not productive and not helping your business. Do not let busy work keep you from doing real work that is going to help you grow your business.

Have Your Tried a Mystery Shop on your Website?

2009-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

A mystery shop is when someone goes to your website and uses like a real visitor, but they are evaluating it the whole time. What this mystery shop does is allow you to see your website from the point of view of a visitor. If you have not done a mystery shop of your website then it is something that you must have done.

A mystery shop will give you instant feedback about what is good and what is bad about your website. You will find out if your website is user friendly and if it is welcoming to a visitor. You will learn if the visitor can easily get their questions asked or if they feel like they are left with questions after visiting your website.

During a mystery shop the visitor will be using the forms you have available. They will be acting just like a regular visitor that is interested in using your website to buy or sell a home. If something is not working then they will let you know.

You take all the information that the mystery shopper gives you and you end up with pointers that you can use to make your website better. You will be able to correct problems and address issues to make your website user friendly. A mystery shop puts you in a great position to ensure that your website is representing you and your business in the best light.

At Home Workers are a Perk for your Business

2009-08-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

There are many different tasks in your business that you simply cannot handle everything on your own. You may hire assistants or even other agents to work in your business for you. These employees may handle many of the tasks that you cannot handle yourself. However, there is another option that you can try to get help in your business and make the best use of your budget.

At home workers are quickly becoming a valuable business resource. Agents who discover the usefulness of at home workers will not only get more work done in less time, but also spend less money doing it. At home workers are not permanent employees. They are contracted to do a specific job for you. They are paid to do that specific job for the specified time. Instead of having a part time employee that you must pay by the hour handle a task, you can set aside a specific amount of money and hire at home workers to handle the task.

It is well worth learning more about at home workers and the type of tasks that they can handle. You will find out that you can get a lot of quality work from at home workers for a smaller price then you would ever pay an actual employee.

Figure Out Your Unique Talents

2009-08-04T21:17:00.001-07:00

Your unique talents are what will make your business unique. You need to figure out quickly what your unique talents are. Once you figure them out you should explore them and work with them to perfect them.

Your unique talents are the things that you are naturally inclined to do. Perhaps you are a good communicator or you love to work with people. Maybe you have a great eye for staging or you can sell anything. Everyone has unique talents, so it is all about finding out what yours are.

Once you have defined your unique talents, you must start working on perfecting them. Attend seminars or take classes that relate to your unique talents. Do what you can to make yourself better at doing them.

The time you spend working on your unique talents is time invested in your business. In the end, your unique talents will help you grow your business and become a successful real estate agent.

Set An Easily Attainable Goal to Get you on Track

2009-07-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

You already know that setting goals in important in business. When you set goals you are setting yourself up to achieve new things and to reach milestones in your professional life and in your business. However, when setting goals, many agents forget that a goal does not have to be something difficult or something that will take years to achieve.

Every time you set goals, you should set some that are very easily attainable. Set simple goals that you can reach in a few weeks or even a few days.

By setting attainable goals you will motivate yourself. You will make yourself feel better and give yourself that little boost of confidence you need to stay on track to reach those more difficult goals.

To set an attainable goal, you need to be able to control the circumstances 100%. Make sure that you are in compete control over the situation so that you can be positive that the goal can be reached easily and quickly.

Setting easily attainable goals keeps you on track, but at the same time encourages you. When you are constantly working towards long term goals, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and feel as if you are not accomplishing anything. Avoid failure by setting some goals that you know you can reach without a problem.

How Much is Your Database Worth?

2009-07-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Understanding the value of your database is essential to your success as a real estate agent. You have to have a strong grasp on your database and just how important it is to your business overall. Only by understanding this can you succeed in your business and grow it to the level you desire.

Only about 1 in 1000 agents really know the value of their database. The reason why this number is so low is that most agents do not realize the importance of their database.

Your database is the backbone of your business. It is the one thing that opens doors and allows you to grow. Your database is very valuable. As such, it must be maintained carefully and it must be used to its full potential.

If you have no clue how to manage and best use your database then it is time to do some learning. Research and learn what you can about using your database and how to properly manage it. Once you have a good idea, make sure that you never forget the value of your database.

Aspects of Proper Expired Marketing Management

2009-07-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

Expired marketing is a segment that can really take you a step up in your business. Handling the expired market, though, can be a lot of work. You need to have every aspect in order to ensure that you are dominating the expired market in your area.

The first thing you have to do is be confident in your own abilities. You need to be strong and willing to go that extra step. You need to be able to distinguish between the listings that are worth your time and which ones are not.

You should also know the market inside and out. You need to ensure that you understand the market conditions. You need to understand the trends in your area. You have to know the market so you do not waste your time on listings that won’t sell.

You have to do your research. This not only includes research on the market, but also on buyers. You need to know who would buy your listings so you can create a good marketing campaign to reach them.

It takes some effort to get into the expired market, but there is a lot of opportunity there. There is a lot of ability to make some major cash. You have to take that leap of faith and get started.

Outsourcing for Efficiency

2009-07-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

No matter how long you have been in business, you know that you cannot handle every aspect on your own. You have to hire assistants, work with other agents and assign tasks to others if you ever want to be able to go home at the end of the day.

In your own business you know what jobs that you have to handle. You know what is important to growing your business and helping you to get ahead. Working directly with clients and handling the finances are two things you must always do. Those tasks are things you should handle to keep your business going strong.

There are things, though, that you can assign to someone else. You can either hire an assistant or consider outsourcing these tasks. Outsourcing tasks is actually a great option for many reasons.

First of all, when you outsource, you only pay for the work done. You do not have to pay hourly wages every day as you would with an assistant. Secondly, outsourcing allows you to quickly get someone to handle your work because the company or person that you outsource to will be capable of handling the task and have the experience they need. You won’t need to train them.

Outsourcing is a fast, easy and cost efficient way to ensure that every aspect of your business is being handled. You save your own sanity while being able to run your business smoothly.

Are your Contact Files in Order?

2009-07-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

You probably have several databases with contacts stored in them. You have your email account, your cell phone, your laptop. Are the contact lists all the same or do you have different lists in each place? If you want to make the most out of your contact lists then you need to merge them.

You should take the contact lists you have in each place and make sure they are the same. You do not want to miss someone just because they were on your Blackberry and not your email list.

Besides just getting all your contact names in one place, you will also be able to merge all the information you have for each contact. This is essential. You do not want to make careless mistakes, like sending seller information to a buyer because your database is not up-to-date.

It can be a lot of work to organize and merge your databases, but it is well worth it. You will guarantee that you have every contact in one database so you can successfully manage them and your business.

Read a Book to Enhance your Business

2009-07-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Books are often forgotten about these days. It seems whenever anyone wants to know something they run to the internet. Books are still valuable business tools. Do not think that taking the time to read a good business book is a waste of time. It can be something that helps you in many ways to improve your business.

There are millions of business related books on the market. It can seem a little tedious to go through them and try to find one that will help you. Instead of spending your valuable time trying to find a good book consider turning to book reviews. Book reviews can lead you in the right direction and give you a good idea of whether or not a certain book will help you. You can find book reviews easily online.

You can use business-related books to help you in all areas of business, from general real estate to sales to service. There is a lot to learn and it is your job to find all the outlets that will help you to better yourself and your business. Do not count out books as an old fashioned method. They can be just what you need to get a step ahead.

Three Marketing Segments for Success

2009-07-09T11:04:00.000-07:00

Marketing is a major part of your business. You can easily get carried away with 5, 10 or even more marketing segments. That is too much. You have to streamline your efforts to get results. The best thing to do is to limit yourself to just three marketing segments.

This allows you to stay focused. You can put more effort into three segments and you will get more from them. So, what three should you focus on?

- Focus on getting referrals and repeat business through client marketing.
- Get leads through one direct seller lead marketing segment.
- Don’t forget listing marketing.

When you narrow your focus and put your efforts into these three segments only, you will start to see more happen. Too often agents think they must diversify to grow their business. All that does is scatter your energy and overload you with too much.

Simplify and you will see just how big of an impact that can have. You will be more productive, more focused and your business will start growing.

Mailings Are Not a Thing of the Past

2009-07-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

With cell phones, emails and text messages it seems nobody is mailing anything anymore. Written letters, postcards and even sales mailings are not as abundant as they used to be. This gives you a unique chance to set yourself apart from everyone else.

Mailings can be a personal way to reach out to clients or potential clients. They can be a much better way for you to connect because they have some clear advantages over emails.

Mailings –

- are not as easily discarded.
- can get a quick message across that is far more likely to be read.

Think about it. Even if someone goes to toss a mailing in the trash, they will probably at least glance over it. If you can catch their attention then the mailing has done its job. A quick, catchy message or an interesting picture can be all it takes to grab their attention and hook a new client.

You can easily use mailings to grow your business. You can attract new people and reach out to those who may not be into all the new technology. There is a whole client base out there who doesn’t even use email. They can be your clients.

Consider starting a mailing campaign today. You will be amazed at the results.

Top Tip for Managing Client Lists

2009-07-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Managing client lists can be a huge task. It is an important one, though, and one that requires attention on a continuous basis. In order to keep your business alive and keep it growing, you have to have proper list management.

List management is more than adding names and making calls. It is about keeping the list current and making sure it is being used to its fullest potential.

Your client list needs to have labels, clearly marking each client with the next step in your dealings with them. You need to mark them with helpful information that will let you and your staff know exactly what is the next thing that will occur with that client.

You should have labels like:

- downsize

- upsize

- check in on new buy

- assist with staging

Whatever you will be doing next with the client should be marked on your client list. You want to have this list handy so that everyone can refer to it and be on the same page when interacting with clients.

Your client list will also serve as a to do list that will let you know when you need to contact clients and what type of contact it needs to be. A well managed client list can take you a long way in your business.

Consistency is Key for a Solid Business

2009-07-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

Every top agent knows that appearance is important. It is important when selling a house, so you do staging. It is important when you show houses to potential clients, so you dress nicely. Do you know what is also important in your business? You need to show that your business is solid and stable by keeping a consistent staff. High turnover of employees can give your business a bad image.

You need to start off strong. When you hire a new assistant or an agent to work for you, make sure that you do a complete interview and background check. You want to be sure that this person is capable of handling the tasks you will be giving them and that they have the proper attitude to work in your business.

You want to keep on top of new employees. Check in with them often and ensure that they are happy working with you. You want to address issues right away and try to keep your office a great place to work.

When you start to see a cycle where you are losing employees and hiring new employees, then you must take action. You have to find out what is wrong. It could be the people you hire or it could be a problem in the office. By staying alert and ensuring your employees like working for you, you can keep a stable team.

Having the same people there all the time will give clients and potential clients a better feeling about your business. It will also help them to be able to trust in you and believe that you can handle their needs.

Avoid a Common Mistake: Never Give Over the Financial Controls

2009-06-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

In the last post we talked about the importance of delegating tasks. There was no specific mention of what to delegate, though. Not all tasks should be delegated. You already know that you should work on the important tasks, the real money making tasks. Another thing you have to keep in your own hands is the financials of your business. Never, ever delegate the financial controls of your business.

You can not trust anyone when it comes to money. Too many business owners have thought they could trust their staff and ended up being ripped off for large amounts of money. Reclaiming stolen funds is difficult if not impossible, so do not even risk it.

The financial controls of your business is a very important task. Not only do you need to handle them to keep from having problems with theft, but part of being a business owner is understanding how your business is doing financially. If you do not handle the financials then you will not see where changes need to be made or where problems are starting to occur.

The financial aspect of your business needs your direct attention. You can get assistance with it from a professional, but you should always be right in there, learning and watching what is going on.

Go to the Next Level by Mastering Delegation

2009-06-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Do you feel like you do everything in your business? Are you always looking for more hours in the day? If you feel like you are always running behind and accomplishing nothing then you are never going to be able to take your business to the next level. Get to the next level by mastering delegation.

Delegation is the process of assigning tasks to others within or outside of your business. If you do not have a large staff, but you have a lot of work to be done you can always hire outside help.

It can be a bit intimidating to hand off work to others, but it is essential to growing a business. You can not do everything and the minute you accept that you can begin to delegate.

You should be focused on doing the work that is worth the most money. Instead of spending an hour on a task that is worth $20, you should focus your attention on tasks that pay $100 an hour. Delegate those low paying tasks to others.

Soon you will begin to see how proper delegation helps your business and helps you. You are the key person in your business and so you need to focus your efforts on what will help your business grow and succeed. Delegate everything else. If you want to get your business to the next level do it through delegation.

Improve your Listing Marketing and Improve your Business

2009-06-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

Any great real estate agent knows that listing marketing is a top priority in the business. You have to keep your listings in order and ensure that they get out and get seen. You will never move a property if nobody knows it is on the market. So, do you have a good listing marketing strategy?

You should be getting your listings out there. You need to be making sure that they are being marketed in various ways. You want to try different methods and to see what works the best. Diversify your efforts and you should see amazing results.

One idea to try is to add listings to your blog. You should already have a blog set up and be taking advantage of the benefits it provides you. All you need to do is make post about your listings or set up a section that is dedicated to your listings. Using a package like Postlets or Rainbird will enable you to include attractive photos of your listing.

You can do videos on your listings. Make it informal and friendly. Show the property off and let people know why they must see it. Videos can really catch people’s attention. You will be amazed at how great this works to draw in business.

Whatever you do to market your listings, bump it up. Take it to the next level. Handle your listing marketing right and you will reap the rewards.

Give your Business New Life with a Blog

2009-06-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Blogging is a modern phenomenon. It seems like everyone is blogging. A blog is a personal connection to others on the internet. There are no real rules about blogging, which makes it so great. You can make your blog anything you want it to be. If you do not have a real estate blog then now is the time to get one.

A blog can be a great way to market yourself and make connections with other agents and potential clients. There are many things that you can talk about in your blog that will help you to share your philosophies and ideas, such as personal stories about homes you have sold or even a piece about interesting things to do in your area. A blog can allow you to tell about your business, your market and your listings. Almost anything goes, so you can design a blog that fits your sales style and helps you to grow your business.

Having a blog will get you attention from the search engines and help you to get your name out there. It will drive traffic back to your website. Imagine being able to talk to people all the time. That is what your blog will do for you. With a little work, you can get a blog put together and start telling the world about who you are, what you do and why they need you to sell them their next home.

Take your business to a whole new level and spice things up by putting yourself and your business out there in a blog. Start blogging today! Check out sites like Active Rain, where the focus is on real estate and you can really build up a nice network for your business.

Spend Marketing Dollars Wisely

2009-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

Your marketing budget can easily get blown when you do not have a good plan. You have probably heard a million times that you need a good marketing plan for it to be effective. A marketing plan is also good to keep your budget in check.

A simple plan is all you need. Set a basic spending pattern, like spending $1 for calling leads for every $1 spent on lead generation of internet leads. A simple goal like this can keep you on track with your budget.

Besides that, you will get more focused marketing and not be wasting time or money on marketing methods that do not work. Spend your marketing dollars wisely and your business will get more in the end.

Use the New Tax Credits to Your Advantage

2009-04-06T09:34:00.001-07:00

Tax time is winding down, but you can still take advantage of the new tax credits. Use tax advantages and special credits to target the segment of the market that can benefit from them and draw in new clients for your business.

You should start by familiarizing yourself with the details about the new tax advantages. Then you can start a mailing campaign to target those who are in the area of high income, but still below the cut-off for receiving the credits.

This will open you up to a whole new client base that could pay off huge this year. Use targeted mailings to get their attention and then back it up with the knowledge and skills you have to get their business.

Hold your Staff Accountable

2009-04-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest jobs as a manager is to manage people. It may seem odd to say that, but it is easy to manage numbers and facts because they can not argue back and no emotions are involved. It takes someone special to be able to interact with people and manage them well.

As a top agent, you have to be able to hold your staff accountable for their actions. They need led and taught. You have to make sure they are on top of things and that they are doing their job well. There is no point in having a staff if you can not rely on them to do a good job.

If your staff is falling apart, then it means your business is falling apart. You cannot have a successful business if you do not have a staff that is functioning well. You may have to fire people, make changes to workloads, and hire new people. In the end, it is your decision how to manage your staff, because it is your business on the line.

2009 Market Trends

2009-03-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

You know how important it is to stay on top of the trends each year. For 2009, it seems the market is heading towards trends in buyer leads, expireds, REO/short sales and client marketing. These four areas need attention if you want to get ahead this year.

You probably have client marketing well in hand or at least have a good plan in place since this is always a focus. That means you can focus in on the other three coming trends.

Are you ready to focus on buyer leads, expireds and REO/short sales? If you are not efficient and active in all three of these areas then it may be time to seek out some additional assistance. Getting on top of the trends beforehand will give you an edge and allow you to reach your goals for 2009.

What Do You Do With Expireds?

2009-03-26T05:46:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it is not in your best interest or the best interest of your business to work expireds. There are a few things you should consider before you spend the time working expireds. Only about 20% of agents should be working expireds.

If your market has more than 30% of the listings in your market are expireds then you probably should spend time on them. Your personality may also lend you better to working with expireds. If you like to win a sale and love a challenge then expireds might be right up your alley. You also have to be willing to invest the time needed on expireds. This means spending 30 minutes each day calling and being aggressive with your sales tactics.

Expireds are not for everyone, but if you fit any of the above criteria then you may just have a chance making some good profit off of them.

Video Emails Can be a Fun Way to Stay in Touch with Clients

2009-03-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

Humans are by nature very visual beings. You can probably attest to the fact that seeing something usually works better than reading about it or simply hearing about it. When you see something, it sticks in your mind and it seems more personal and real to you.

The use of video emails as a way to reach out to clients is very personal. It is something they are probably not used to and it is a welcome change from simple email messages.

Video emails are not too hard to create either. All it takes is a webcam and microphone. Many of you probably already have those things built into your laptop. In no time you can learn how to create a video email.

You can make video emails for each client as a personal way to connect with them and stay in touch. It allows you that personal touch with the ease of an email.

Roll Out the Welcome Wagon

2009-03-20T04:15:00.000-07:00

Are there new people moving into your market? Have you met them? Have you tried to welcome them? If you think new residents are a waste of time, then you are missing out on an important segment of the market.

You might think that they just bought a house and do not need a new one anytime soon, but you know how things go. They will eventually need a new home. You can let them go back to the agent who sold them their home or you can swoop in and become their new agent.

Become a welcome wagon for new home buyers. You can bring a small house warmer gift, share local news with them and help them with suggestions about things to do. Become a friend so when they go to buy again they come to you.

Lead Management Helps you Keep Business on Track

2009-03-16T07:14:00.000-07:00

Lead management is essential to your business, but you know that. What you may not know is how best to manage your leads. You may be losing leads, mismanaging leads or simply not getting the full advantage of them if you are not managing them correctly.

Proper lead management focuses on the three main concepts of lead capture, lead tracking, and accountability. You need a lead management system that can provide you with help in all three of those areas.

When you lack one of the key concepts in your lead management system you are not doing all you can. Leads keep your business going. In most cases your leads are directly tied to your business success, so do not risk it. Find a good lead management system to keep your business on track.

Do you Know What’s Happening in your Franchise?

2009-03-12T12:15:00.001-07:00

Your franchise annual conference may have fallen at a bad time for you or maybe you could just not make it. That does not mean you have to completely miss out what happened.

The annual conference is a time to learn and see where the franchise is going. You can get a lot of great information and you actually need this information to stay on top.

Instead of skipping it completely, get a copy of the conference presentations and read them. This will give you the information you missed and help ensure you are current on what is going on within your franchise.

A Smart Tip for Planning your Listing Strategy

2009-03-09T08:47:00.001-07:00

You know that having a listing strategy is important. You know that it needs to keep you competitive and help you to grow your business. What you may not know is how to make a winning listing strategy.

Decide your listing strategy approach for all your sales by looking at the market trends in your area. Combine the trends to match your skills and you should end up with a listing strategy that will take you to the top this year.

This may seem like a simple idea, but many agents lose sight of the importance of using trends and skills to form their strategies. It is easy to get lost trying to keep up with others. Focus on yourself and what you can do to take advantage of the current market trends.

Be Careful in a Husband - Wife team

2009-03-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

Being able to work with your husband or wife is a perk of being in the real estate business. You know each other very well and can play off each others personalities and skills to form an amazing team.

The downside of a husband - wife team is that many times delegating tasks is not done properly. The most common mistake is spending too much time on assistant tasks.

You have to keep a business mind at all times. Make sure you both are using your unique talents and not wasting time on tasks that assistants could handle.

You have great potential as a husband - wife team, but you have to be careful to avoid common downfalls that can cost you money.

Get Ready for the Buyer Boom

2009-03-02T11:24:00.001-08:00

There is no doubt that it has been a buyer’s market for a while now, but we have not seen the best of it yet. A buyer boom is coming and you need to be ready.

To be tops within the industry you will need to grab up those clients who are ready and able to buy. You need to get ready with leverage now. You should develop a system that allows you to come out on top and make the most of the buyer boom.

Having a system in place now will make you able to be at the forefront of the buyer boom where you can turn an amazing profit.

Super Focus your Efforts to Reach Success

2009-02-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

You can shape your own business through careful planning. You should try setting up a solid business plan that includes a good future forecast.

A good example is to create a super focus farm marketing demographic of 100 people maximum. Each of these people should bring in $50k of GCI and invest $50 each in the market yearly. This is a long term plan that creates income and builds your business.

You have to make a good plan that focuses on your goals and brings in good income to find success in your business.

Timing is Everything in Business

2009-02-24T09:21:00.001-08:00

In business and in life it is true that things happen at the time they are supposed to. You can not rush anything no matter how bad you want to close the deal. If it is not the right time, then it will not work out.

It is important that you understand the critical nature of making deals at the right time. Not only does it ensure everyone is satisfied with the deal, but it speaks volumes about your ability to do business and your business manner.

People want to deal with someone who will respect them. Being pushy does not gain any respect. If you are willing to work through a deal you will come out in the end with respect and a solid deal.

Another Employee Delegation Tip

2009-02-19T04:19:00.001-08:00

Part of building your business and becoming successful is understanding how much time and money to dedicate to certain tasks. It is a huge waste of money to delegate simple tasks to overqualified employees. It is much more efficient to hire assistants to handle medial tasks, leaving your highly trained employees to handle their specific tasks.

One situation where delegation can work in your favor is if you run a brokerage and a team. You should delegate brokerage management work instead of handling it yourself as it is not something where your talents are put to good work and something that can easily be handled by another team member.

As you grow your business and reach for success you will find that taking care of the little things makes your business flow more smoothly and helps you on that road to success.

Put Employees in the Right Job

2009-02-16T09:02:00.001-08:00

You have a range of people on your team and they each have their own unique abilities and skills. It is important that you ensure you have your employees in the right position to take advantage of their skills.

Ensuring you have employees in the right positions will also help you save time and money. Plus you will find your business runs more smoothly and efficiently.

A good example of a common mistake with employee delegation is using buyer's agents to show houses. You are paying around $100 to $200 for them to do a job they are overqualified for. You could be using a showing agent for $20 an hour instead.

Save time, money and keep employees productive by making sure you put them in the right jobs that match their talents.

Team Up for the Best Marketing Strategy

2009-02-12T09:21:00.001-08:00

Saving money on marketing is always a good thing, but you have to be careful to find a way to do it that will not hurt the effectiveness. One great idea is to team up with local vendors offering home services. They are just as eager as you are to welcome newcomers to the area, so you both benefit from a joint marketing effort.

Start by seeking out popular, in demand vendors who you would like to be associated with and pitch your idea. You will find many vendors will be willing to work with you.

You can piggyback on their advertising campaigns for much less than it would cost to do your own campaign. They fund most of the marketing costs and you still get effective advertising. It is a win-win situation.

Rethink Your Advertising Budget

2009-02-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

The key to effective marketing is to reach potential clients where it is most likely they will be looking. Things have changed when it comes to marketing and if you have not made adjustments to what you spend your marketing dollars on then you may be wasting time and money.

Newspapers and magazines are having a rough time these days because people are just not reading them like they used to. The majority of people go to the internet for the information they need.

This is valuable information for you when it comes to advertising. You should cut your print advertising to 10% maximum of your total marketing budget. You can even cut it out altogether. There is no benefit in spending too much money on advertising that is no longer effective.

You will not only save money on advertising efforts, but you will be more effective in your efforts because your time will be spent marketing where people will be most likely to see it.

Stay on Top Even in a Tough Market

2009-02-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

There is no doubt this is a tough market, but for top agents that is a challenge not a road block. Instead of focusing on the bad aspects take this opportunity to seek out new clients.

Look for clients who are move-up buyers. You want clients with solid credit who are in the right position to buy in this troubled market.

You have to show them why it is still a good time to buy and sell real estate. Explain that they may lose when they sell, but they will save when buying. In the end, it is a winning situation for them. While they may lose $20K when they sell, they can turn around and save $50K when they buy so they are still coming out with a win.

Do not let a tough market drag you down. A top agent is always looking for a way to turn a seemly bad situation into a situation where they and the client both benefit.

Capture ALL leads with a Best Agent Business Green Money Lead Sheet

2009-02-03T15:44:00.000-08:00

Your business is highly reliant on leads. You have to stay focused on getting leads and then following them. How do you record and keep track of your leads? A Best Agent Business Green Money Lead Sheet is your key to staying organized. Using one will allow you to stay on top of all your leads.

A Green Money Lead Sheet can be handy. You can keep one with you so you can use it no matter where you are. It is perfect for helping you keep track of the leads you gather whether you are in or out of the office.

Do not miss out on using this great idea. With a Green Money Lead Sheet you are more likely to keep a written record of all your leads which will result in you being able to track your leads more efficiently.

The Welcome Wagon!

2009-01-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

New people move into your farm market on a regular basis. Are you reaching out to them? You may not have been the real estate agent who sold them their house, but you might be the one who sells the next one to them!

Keep track of new home buyers in your community, and make a point to greet them. Welcome them to the town or neighborhood. Take along a house warming gift of some local treats or a nicely put together community guide. Share with them some of your favorite places around town. Invite them to any upcoming community event that you know of.

If your community doesn’t have a welcome wagon program, look into working cooperatively with some other area businesses to establish one. This will reduce your cost and increase the impact of your visit, not to mention it may help someone who is feeling shy about their new surroundings. And they will remember you for the warm welcome!

Write Them Down!

2009-01-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

Setting your goals is important. Writing them down is even more important! When they are written, you can look at them everyday, you can review them periodically, you will not forgot what they were because they are always on that paper! You can even record them to a CD or your MP3 player and listen to them daily.

When you achieve these goals, keep them where you can see them and then improve upon them. If you don’t achieve a goal, and if it is still realistic, carry it over to your list for the next year. After several years you will be able to look back and see what you have done and how you have succeeded in most of your goals. You can learn more about setting goals and achieving them by signing up for our Top Agent Goals series.

Pat Hiban, a real estate agent who is featured in our book Billion Dollar Agent: Lessons Learned, has become a success thanks to his goal setting. You can watch his goal setting video below.

Is REO for you?

2009-01-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

Are foreclosures a large chunk of the market share in your area? If they are, then you should have an REO market segment. REO stands for Real Estate Owned and it is real estate that has failed to sell in a foreclosure auction. The mortgage company owns it and they want to sell it.

Take a look at the market in your area. If foreclosures are above 20%, then it is time for you to get into REO sales. Best Agent Business has helped several clients increase their REO business by assisting with research, marketing, and leads. Contact us to find out how we can assist you.

Top Agent Goals

2009-01-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

Goal writing and goal setting is a critical aspect of success in real estate and all aspects of life. Many people have goals in their heads, but very few write them down and review them regularly.

During an interview with Lacey of PR Web Podcast, Steve Kantor, Best Agent Business president, discusses the importance of goal setting. Nearly all of the top real estate agents interviewed by Best Agent Business have used detailed yearly goals to achieve their current position in the industry. Best Agent Business has taken the lessons learned about goal setting and packaged them in an email series that is available for no cost to the subscriber.

Top Agent Goals has the primary purpose of teaching you how to write down and organize your goals and encouraging you to stay on track with them. You can even share your annual goals with us for free feedback on how to improve or achieve them. To subscribe to this free service, send an email to topagentgoals@aweber.com. You can listen to the interview or learn more about goal setting at the Top Agent Goals website.

A New Year—A New Set of Goals

2009-01-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope you have chosen to use goals this year, rather than a pile of resolutions that will easily be forgotten. If your goals are not firm, or little more than a fleeting thought, it is not too late to get a good start on your new year by taking an hour or two to sit down and write them out.

What will your goals help you do?

Reduce stress
Increase focus
Balance your life
Improve your real estate business
Improve your health
Improve your relationships
Improve your finances
Improve your personal life

So what do you have to loose? Take some time today to write out your goals and then develop a plan to achieve them. Sign up for our Top Agent Goals Newsletter for regular tips on maintaining and achieving your goals.

The Value of a Lead

2008-12-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

Do you know which of your leads are the most valuable? Generally, one referral lead is worth four sign calls and 20 internet leads! Increasing your sphere of influence and satisfied client base will increase your most valuable leads. If you are not already doing so, begin to contact your SOI at least monthly by mail, and include emails and phone calls in the mix so that you are contacting them about 18 times in a year.

Happy Holidays from Best Agent Business

2008-12-24T14:14:00.000-08:00

How Does Your Marketing Look?

2008-12-15T17:17:00.000-08:00

"On average, agents and brokers typically spend 10 percent of their gross commissionable income (GCI) a year on marketing - four percent of which is allocated to direct mail and six percent to online/web/email channels." To read the entire survey press release, click here.

Those are the findings of a recent survey by QuantumDigital, an online provider of direct mail services. In the survey, they asked 10,000 real estate professionals about their marketing practices. The results are a pretty good guide to ensuring your marketing efforts are up to or above standard.

How do your practices measure up? What percentage of your GCI are you spending on marketing and how does it break down? We would be happy to analyze your marketing needs and efforts and suggest any needed improvements. You can contact us by email, through your Key Assistant, or by scheduling a call with Steve Kantor, Best Agent Business president.
Here are some other highlights of the study:

SOI marketing still leads to the most new business.

Email is mostly used for customer retention and follow-up.

Direct mail and online marketing are used for customer acquisition.

67% of real estate professionals are part of an online social network.

Top two social networks for real estate professionals are LinkedIn and Facebook.

Top two cited real estate blog sites are ActiveRain and RealTown.

Top three listing sites are Realtor.com, Craigslist, and corporate/brokerage web sites.

Mail and email campaigns typically hit 200-400 local contacts.

Real estate professionals need to touch their market at least 18 times per year!

Monthly Emails

2008-12-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

How do you keep in contact with your entire database? One way, even more effective when combined with other marketing plans, is to send a monthly email.
We advise sending a monthly email during first week of the month to your clients, your sphere of influence, and all buyer/seller leads. Sending a monthly email only takes a few hours to write, edit, and send each month. We suggest a quarterly rotation of three types of emails:

Market conditions: A summary of market conditions in consumer (not real estate statistician) English, offers for a CMA for seller’s or buyer’s mortgage pre-approval or credit repair for buyers, and a link to your website for more detailed charts and graphs and a longer version of market conditions.

Helpful home ideas and vendors: Something of value which relates to the home. This may be a coupon from a local plumber or vendor, useful tips for the home, or something which connects you and the warmth of a home.

Personal/holiday/events: An email which is not about the market and not about the home, but a bit about you personally, perhaps a holiday, and hopefully an invitation to quarterly Client events. For example, we suggest quarterly ideas of New Years/Valentine's Day; Summer Coming, Back to School, and Thanksgiving.

All monthly emails should have a catchy subject line that makes people want to open and read the email. All monthly emails should include a short personal question and note at the top of the email which encourages people to respond to you. The goal is to get people to reply and interact with you.
Everyone should be sending a monthly email to hundreds of their contacts through Top Producer or Agent Office. We would love to see your emails, help with suggestions and to share ideas. We help many clients create and send out their monthly emails, in addition to their other types of mailings and we can help you too! Just contact Best Agent Business for more information!

Are Short Sales Your Thing?

2008-12-03T14:52:00.000-08:00

With the increasingly difficult real estate market, many agents are training and specializing in Short Sales. A Short Sale usually occurs at the beginning of the foreclosure process. The bank will sometimes allow a homeowner facing foreclosure to sell the home for less than what is owed on the mortgage. This benefits all parties involved: the bank has fewer costs and may get a higher amount than a foreclosure auction would bring, the home-seller comes out with somewhat less damage to their credit and self-esteem than a full foreclosure would cause, and the home-buyer gets an outstanding bargain! The benefit to you, the real estate agent, is a larger market of homes that are actually selling with more frequency! If you already are or decide to begin specializing in short sales, Best Agent Business has the resources to help you grow your business. Just send us a quick email or ask your Key Assistant for more information.

Set Your 2009 Goals!

2008-11-30T13:54:00.000-08:00

Have you been thinking about your 2009 goals? If not, now is the time to not just think about them, but begin to plan them! When the ball drops at midnight on New Year’s Eve, your plans for jump starting your goals should be ready to go.
We at Best Agent Business are big on goals. Steve Kantor, Best Agent Business president, says that he sets annual and monthly goals and achieves about 50-60% of them. While that success rate may seem low, many of his goals are ambitious and have taken him as long as 2 or 3 years to achieve. Set some goals that you know you can achieve and some that seem too high. Do not get down on yourself if you don’t achieve them all. Instead, focus on your success and continue to move forward.
We hope you have set and achieved several goals for 2008. We would love to hear some of your successful goals! Leave us a comment or send us an email with the details of your goal and how you achieved them. If you want help with goal-writing and setting, you can signup at our site http://www.topagentgoals.com/.