Do you need a Speaker for your next event ?
Call Robert J Russell - check out his Speaking website: http://robertjrussellspeaker.weebly.com/speaker.html
Watch the video - Who is Robert J Russell > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcUlvMoPwyA
Showing posts with label REALTOR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label REALTOR. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, November 01, 2009
What Realtors can learn from Football
Are You Ready to "Tackle" Your Way to the Top?
Thankfully, the college football season kicked off this past week. As a huge sports fan, this just may be my favorite time of year. Between college football, professional football (kicking off this week), baseball pennant races, the PGA and NASCAR playoffs and hockey training camps, the Fall is a great time to be a sports fan. It's also a great time to be a Realtor.
Proper Expectations are Created During the Recruiting Process
When you became a Realtor, what were your expectations? My guess is no one gets started hoping to be "just average." Maybe you didn't necessarily want to be the superstar but you certainly wanted to be on a great team and have a chance to earn playing time.
College programs look for players with the right skills, work ethic and personalities that they can combine with the players they already have and the systems they run to continue to work towards a championship season. It also helps to understand a team's "system" so they can make sure the players that are recruited will fit in nicely. They promise to train, coach, provide maximum exposure to the best tools available and welcome you to their school and family of alumni, fans and supporters.
Real estate brokers should be doing the same thing, especially in today's ever-changing landscape. If you're with a full service company, you probably met with a Branch Manager or Recruiting Coordinator who discussed how the company can help you get to where you want to be with substantial training, coaching, maximum Internet exposure and national branding.
Training Camp - Turning "Role Play" into "Game Play"
I have never heard of many players who look forward to the grueling days of pre-season training camp. Sure, they are excited to be back with their teammates, back on campus (their "home away from home") and just weeks away from starting another season. In August, everyone starts with an equal chance of hoisting the National Championship trophy at the end of the season. But unless they love pain, they're never looking forward to two-a-day practices, wind sprints and coaches in their faces for three weeks.
It is clearly evident once the season kicks off that the players (and teams) who give 100% effort in this phase of their season will earn the biggest payoff once the games begin. As the old saying "practice the way you play" infers, the more you can put yourself in "game situations," the more prepared you'll be.
Does your company offer a thorough training program? Do you take advantage of training opportunities such as scripting sessions, skill building workshops and on-line educational opportunities? Do you have a written business plan showing how your "season" is going to play out? Are you "lifting weights" by practicing scripts, learning about contractual changes and studying market inventory so when you're in a game situation, you'll react accordingly?
Just like most football players don't like the sweat equity required in August, they know it will help them in the trenches of a close battle with a equally prepared conference foe late in the season.
Will you be ready when face-to-face with a Seller who has a tough objection? Will you be confident when a co-op agent send you a counter offer and tells you you're in "multiple offers"? Will your training help you "act" like a skilled professional instead of "react" like a Rookie when it counts?
Preseason Rankings Matter...But That's Why They Play the Games
Do you ever wonder how people who are part of those pre-season rankings determine who gets their votes? Do they base it on the number of players returning each season? Do they look at the schedules of each team and try to determine the number of wins and losses each team will have? Do they vote for their favorites or perhaps their alma mater?
It certainly helps to start the season towards the top of the rankings because if you do what you're supposed to do (i.e. win games), you'll be at the top when the season ends. If you lose however, you'll need to climb back over people...sometimes with victory and sometimes with a little pizazz and P.R. for good measure.
Much of a team's pre-season rankings can be attributed to their reputation. Can the media (or those voting) count on you handle the pressures of a big game or will they assume you'll choke in a pressure situation? Many people didn't think BYU could beat Oklahomaduring opening week but a untimely injury to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and a determined effort by Max Hall and his underdog BYU Cougars led to the first big upset of this season.
What does your personal marketing say about you? Will people have a preconceived belief about you before they meet you? Are you playing for one of the "big names" in town or will you need to have a few "upsets" to start becoming known as a challenger?
One thing is for sure - people love an underdog, so don't worry about your pre-season rankings. A skilled, confident and determined agent can deliver a quality presentation to any Buyer or Seller with the proper preparation. Just don't get caught reading your own press clippings and start believing how good you are. All it takes is one slip up to dramatically affect a season. Treat each client as if they are the only "game" on your schedule and deliver the services you know you can with enthusiasm, energy and service.
League championships and individual awards can't be won in week one but that can be lost. Titles aren't given out during the season just like commission checks won't be earned during a deal, so always be prepared for fourth quarter comebacks and pre-closing obstacles. Until the clock strikes zero or the HUD-1 statement has been signed, remember that the ball is still in play.
Your Schedule Plays a Big Role in Your Success
It's been said by many "experts" that Florida's schedule this season sets up well for the Gators to return to the National Championship game at the end of the season. As a Florida alum (Class of 1991) I am very proud and excited for our chances but will certainly reserve getting too excited until they arrive in Pasadena in January 2010.
In many cases, these schedules are determined years in advance, usually before any of the current players were even a candidate for recruitment. College players don't get to choose who they will play but once that first ball is kicked off in early September, play the games they must.
No questions asked, no excuses about "not being ready," and certainly a team would never just not show up.
A Realtor will be much more likely to succeed when they prepare and follow a consistent schedule. There are basically two sets of activities that should be on most Realtor's schedules: Business Development and Business Support.
What area do you think most agents spend their time on? That's right...business support. Where do you think they should be spending most of their time, effort and energy? You got it...business development.
You see, business support activities will never tell you "no!" Business support activities are easier and usually don't involve any self-esteem impacting events. But it won't take the business-saavy agent long to realize that without business development, there will be no "business" to support.
In addition to the weekly business meetings that will keep you updated with your office, company and industry, a schedule should involve prospecting activities (lead generation calls, follow up visits to FSBO's and Expired listings), listing appointments and buyer counseling sessions, showings and closings. It will also require time for coaching, training, script practice, follow up, inspections and computer research.
Just like a balanced team will need to practice offense, defense and special teams, a good Realtor should be sure to include personal activities into his or her schedule including things like church, children's activities and appointments.
Avoid the Big Injury
Just like Oklahoma will need to proceed without their Heisman Trophy winning QB Sam Bradfordfor an undetermined portion of their schedule, making sure you stay in "playing condition" throughout the season will be a huge key.
Be sure to find some time in your schedule for physical exercise, maintain a healthy diet and listen to your body. Until you've been in this business for a while, you never realize how exhausting the role of a Realtor can be. Don't succumb to the fast paced, fast food filled world of real estate. One sure way to avoid exhaustion is to drink plenty of fluids.
Buy In to What the Coaches Say...and Don't Believe What the Media Might Say
In football and in real estate, your coaches/managers are looking out for your best interests. Magazines, reporters and web sites are looking to sell papers or gain subscribers and readers.
Good coaches and managers will help hold you accountable to the activities needed to achieve the levels of success you desire or expect (see above). They will strive to show you how your actions can positively affect your future.
The media will usually provide detailed accounts of what wasn't done and who was negatively affected.
Only you can choose who you will listen to.
Play with Emotion...Play to Win
No matter how loud the crowd cheers or no matter how good the band sounds playing the fight song, the success of a team will be determined by how well it executes once the whistle blows. Don't winning teams play with passion and enthusiasm? Don't winning teams execute each and every play as if it determines the outcome of the game? Don't winning teams have leaders who step up and challenge their teammates, encouraging them to give it all they've got?
The same philosophy applies to Realtors. No mater how shiny your name tag, what type of car you drive or who designed your suit, it still boils down to how well you know how to deal with people. Are you excited to help people achieve their goals? Are you confident in your ability to help people solve their real estate problems? Do you believe you are the best person for the job?
It's Game Time
So there you have it...a few things that Realtors can learn from college football. As the cool temperatures of Fall arrive and people break out their college sweatshirts to cheer their schools on, think about the "big game" you're facing in your real estate career right now. We're just a few ticks away from the 4th quarter - where games are often won or lost. Will you be ready to execute when your number is called?
Good luck to you and your team as you move through the season.
Down...set...hike!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Is your State among the Foreclosure Leaders ?
Foreclosure leaders focused on 4 states in new metro list
- Wednesday April 22, 2009, 9:47 am
The 26 cities with the highest foreclosure rate in the nation are all located in four hard-hit states, with Las Vegas topping the list, according to a report released Wednesday.
Metro areas in California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona topped the foreclosure filing list for the first quarter of 2009 in a report from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed properties. A foreclosure filing includes default papers, auction sale notices and repossessions.
Las Vegas had the highest rate of foreclosures of any city, with one in every 22 homes subject to a foreclosure filing in the first three months of the year. The rate of foreclosure filings was 4.5%, seven times the national average.
Merced, Calif., had the second highest rate, with Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., Stockton, Calif., and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., rounding out the top five.
"The metro areas with the highest levels of foreclosure activity in the first quarter of 2009 paint a picture of concentrated problems in a relatively small number of hard-hit areas," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, in a written statement.
Foreclosure rates have been very high in the 4 key states throughout the bursting of the housing bubble, and so it was to be expected that cities from those states would pepper the top of the list.
However, it was a surprise to see the list so top heavy, according to Rick Sharga, senior vice president at RealtyTrac.
"The concentration of troubled metro areas within the hardest-hit states, candidly, was even more severe than we expected it to be," Sharga said. "The degree to which those four states dominated the rankings surprised even us."
New problem cities: Meanwhile, some metropolitan areas had a surge in foreclosures. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho, in 27th place, Provo-Orem, Utah, in 37th, and Charleston-North Charleston, S.C., in 51st were examples Sharga gave of areas that had particular strong gains in filings.
Sharga said the rise of foreclosures in additional regions indicates new factors influencing the housing market as the recession drags on.
"What we believe we are seeing is some of the areas with unemployment problems," said Sharga. "These are people living paycheck to paycheck and, when the paycheck is gone, suddenly they can't afford to make their mortgage payments."
The data for RealtyTrak's metro area foreclosure report is collected from 2,200 counties across the nation, and those counties represent more than 90% of the U.S. population. Some 203 areas are covered by the report.
Across the nation, foreclosure activity in the first quarter hit a record high, according to another RealtyTrac report issued last week. Total foreclosure filings reached 803,489 in the first three months of the year, the highest monthly and quarterly totals since RealtyTrac began reporting in January 2005.
The national report also found that the worst of the foreclosures were centralized in a handful of worst-hit states. California, Florida, Arizona, Nevada and Illinois accounted for nearly 60% of the total foreclosure activity in the first quarter, with 479,516 properties received foreclosure filings in those states.
For a FREE list of Foreclosures visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com
Visit our websites: http://www.homesinflowermound.net, http://www.dfwhomesforsale.com, http://www.wediditagaingroup.com, http://www.wediditagainteam.com,
Monday, March 23, 2009
Foreclosure Activity in Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex
|
Foreclosure Posting Activity - April 2009 Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Following Last Month's Dip in Postings, D/FW Homes Posted for the April Foreclosure Auctions Surged again & Topped 5,000 for the Second Time on Record.
The filing deadline has passed for foreclosure postings to be filed at county courthouses throughout the State of Texas for the upcoming foreclosure auctions on Tuesday, April 7th, 2009. Therefore, Foreclosure Listing Service, Inc. has completed our research of the April foreclosure postings. The following points offer a few highlights of these statistics. These quotes should be attributed to George Roddy, Sr., President of Foreclosure Listing Service, Inc. DALLAS/FORT WORTH METRO "Following last month's dip in foreclosure posting activity, postings filed on D/FW homes again surged for the April foreclosure auctions. For only the second time on record, home postings within the Metro topped 5,000."
"For the upcoming foreclosure auctions in the D/FW Metro, 5,213 postings have been filed on homes. This was a 27% hike above the 4,108 filed for the same month last year; and, compared to last month's 4,276 notices, there was a 22% increase."
"The only other month that residential postings reached above 5,000 was in February of last year when the record level was achieved with 5,315 postings filed." "For the last 18 consecutive months, D/FW's residential posting activity has exceeded 3,600 postings each month."
"So far this year, home postings were up 7% in the D/FW Metro with almost 18,500 postings filed for the first four auctions of this year."
"With the various plans announced, you would think that postings might ease; but, that is not the case. At least not yet. We will simply have to wait to see if the outlined plans actually end up helping the average American homeowner or not." |
|
|
DENTON COUNTY
|
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
7 More Great Reasons Realtors Should Blog
1) It makes you think- It becomes really easy, as a Realtor to become an information "lemming." You hear something about the market at a meeting and next thing you know, you are parroting it to your clients. Investing the time to actually WRITE about the market encourages new thought. You gather the data, and You create the information.
2) It makes you different, and different = better- One of the marketing theories I have been espousing over many years is how important differentiation is to Realtors. Realtors do what Realtors do. Do you? Don't. Create your own marketing that is different than other Realtors and writing your own original blog sets you apart as well. You need to stand out in a crowd. Blogging will help.
3) Blogs get Read by other Realtors- and they comment. This gives you feedback, often valuable constructive feed back on your ideas. It allows you to wash your ideas through others so by the time you give your VALUED opinion to your clients. it is well thought out, and VALUABLE.
4) Traffic is good….for traffic.- A well read blog will bring more traffic to a Realtor than any "business card" type web site. You know the one. This is who I am (or was when the site was written) and this is why I am the greatest. A well written blog will receive traffic from competitors, clients, co-workers, and prospects. Traffic creates Traffic.
5) It PROVES you are an authority- What is a Realtor? An authority on Real Estate. How do I (as a prospect) know you are an authority? Well, pages and pages of posts and comments on the current market and what is going on in my neighborhood certainly helps show you are an authority.. A canned listing presentation that is pretty much the same as other Realtors? Not so much.
6) It provides third party validation- Prospects are constantly faced with Realtors telling them how good THEY are. But how often does a prospect hear from a third-party how good you are as a Realtor? I well thought out, well written blog post will receive positive comments. These comments give your prospect the "right" to decide you are a great Realtor and he/she should choose you…. because others before him have agreed.
7) It is INSTANT, when your Prospects need it- Real Estate Buyers and Sellers (read: prospects) Love up to the minute information. This type of information is not available on most Realtor (business card) type websites. A blog allows them to subscribe and receive your up to the minute, valuable information. This makes you a valuable resource to your prospects and clients.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sell Real Estate All Over The World
Have you ever thought about increasing your sales through International Real Estate or the Vacation & Second Home Markets?
-
A truly unique concept in International and Luxury Real Estate;
-
Understand the new "Second Home Market";
-
Learn how to promote your properties in the National/International Markets;
-
Increase your sales by "Keeping YOUR Clients for Life";
-
Learn how to be more effective in the National and International Markets;
-
Learn how to work with builders and developers from around the world;
-
Learn about new marketing and presentation ideas;
-
Attend planned events to network with other International Real Estate Specialists;
-
Our online training covers the process, templates, fee structures, financing, etc. compiled by Audree Mevellec from over 35 years experience in the international luxury market. It is also possible that a live training event might be scheduled in your area;
-
You may post listings on the Castles & Estates Website free of charge
-
You may advertise your listings in the Castles & Estates Magazine at reduced rates - if you find a person who purchases an ad, you get the same ad space that person purchases for free;
-
Online training manual;
-
Email support;
-
Teleconferences and supplemental education.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
