For the past few years, my wife, Wendy, and I have taken an annual goal setting retreat. It’s our chance to get on the same page on everything from our professional aspirations to our investment goals, from selecting a Kindergarten to redecorating our vintage 1970 bathroom.  These retreats also represent rare and valuable “spousal recharge” time away from the kids.  Needless to say, we were hooked. Last year we logged onto Priceline, booked a four-star room at a two-star price, called in the baby sitter and drove all of two miles away to the downtown Hilton. Who said a retreat has to be far away?

Continue reading ‘2010—The Year I Double My Profit Share’

Figure 1: Construction signs in Austin alerted residents to the presence of LG1Z1 infected zombies. **

Austin, TX – Austin-area REALTORS expressed shock and dismay when it was discovered that many of their coworkers were infected with the noxiously virulent and business-threatening strain of the LG1Z1 virus, commonly called the “lead generation zombie syndrome.” One local real estate board executive who spoke with us on the condition of anonymity reported, “This is a problem of pandemic proportions, not just in Austin, but throughout the industry – infected agents simply won’t ask for business.”

News of the zombie virus outbreak broke after the local Multiple Listings Service (MLS) hosted a series of meetings for agents and brokers to exchange old for new datakeys or “dkeys”, the electronic keypads that provide access to listed houses. One MLS employee—recently relocated from Colorado and in need of a real estate professional—facilitated exchange and met thousands of real estate agents without being asked if she needed an agent or even for a referral.

“This was the last day to exchange your equipment,” said KW agent Colin Platt. “I know for sure she had seen thousands of REALTORs over the previous few days.” Platt engaged her in conversation, established rapport and discovered she was new to town and thinking of buying. Platt asked for her contact information and got her commitment to meet about buying a home. “I really believe now that if you don’t ask, you don’t get,” he summed up.

Continue reading ‘Local Real Estate Board Overrun by LG1Z1 Virus’

So with the clock ticking on the 2009 Home Buyer Tax Credit (which expires at midnight on November 30), how can you attract your unfair share of first time homebuyers? Here are a few ideas that can add a few closings to your list of things to be grateful for on Thanksgiving Day.

1. Create Urgency. In your marketing and prospecting, make sure potential buyers know there is still time and that they need to get moving today!

“Ms. Buyer, in this market, it can take 45 to 60 days to close on a home. So working backwards from the November 30 deadline, you’ll want to have an accepted offer no later than mid-October. That leaves only a handful of weekends to get you preapproved by a mortgage lender and identify the right first home for you. So you see we need to get started today to take advantage of this opportunity….”

Remember, they have 8,000 reasons to get moving.

Continue reading ‘Seven Ways to Attract First Time Home Buyers Today’