Moving from one part of the country to another, or for that matter moving from one part of the world to another can be stressful.

Among the many logistics required to making a transfer of this magnitude, purchasing a home can be the most difficult.

We are experienced in handling long distance relocation. 

With the help of the Internet and video, we can bring purposed new properties right into your living room.

We video home inspections along with any subsequent inspections that would have an affect on your decision to purchase.

The real key to our success is working with affiliates that work around your time zone and not theirs.

Next time you move to JBLM, drop us an email at larrybe@crescentrealty.com.

Tags: life, moving

I work the rural parts of Pierce County, WA.  That’s where most of my listings are located.  I feel comfortable around the farms and fields.

I have a couple of listings in the town of Mineral, which is a very picturesque place just outside of Mt. Rainier National Park.

The little church in Mineral has a minister with a great sense of humor and human understanding.

This past week he put on his reader board the following:

“One of life’s most difficult challenges is knowing what bridges to cross and which ones to burn.”

I say amen to that.

Tags: Attitude, life, peace, Professionalism, success

Over the years I’ve found that one of the most difficult challenges for new agents is learning how to differentiate between working with other agents and affiliates, and working with clients and customers.

The real estate business requires sales skills that many new agents don’t bring into the business.  It’s something that has to be acquired.  You’re taught the do’s and dont’s of real estate law, and the rest you have to pick up on your own.

Now, please don’t jump to conclusions and equate salesmanship to being manipulating.  Rather, think in terms of selling as an amicable way to get an agreement between the parties involved.

You have to have 2 different and distinct faces in every transaction.

One face is dealing with agents, appraiser’s, lenders, home inspectors and the like in which we talk real estate speak and expect the listener to understand.  You know, SOC, BPO, VOE’s etc.  In turn, they expect the same from us.

The other face deals with the client and customer. They’re more likely to be confused when you use real estate speak when dealing with them then they would be if you just break it down to basics.

Remember, keep it simple with your clients and customers. Don’t try and impress them with all of the acronyms you’ve learned in the business.

I know that many of you have YouTube videos of your own listings, but how would you like to have your entire company’s listings down-loaded to YouTube right from your MLS without any effort on your behalf?

It’s another benefit we show, and give to our sellers.

I’ll be happy to share the contact information for the link if you’re interested.  The cost is not huge!

When I think of closing gifts I usually think of the buyer. It’s kinda like a “congratulations on your new home” thing.

What about the seller?  After all, they’re the one (usually) that paid the commissions in the transaction.

How do you decide what kind of gift to give?  Is it based on a percentage of your commission or just how you feel at the moment?

What kind of gifts do you think are appropriate for the buyer or the seller?

In an never ending effort to try and stiumlate our agents at sales meetings, I am constantly looking for some new approach to get our people to think – and think real estate.

While talking with our in-house “professor” (who runs our real estate school) it dawned on me that perhaps we should go back to basic – basics.

I borrowed a practice exam from the prof and took out 1 page of the exam to use at the sales meeting.

There were eight questions all together that primarily dealt with contract law.  You should have heard the moans when I said there was going to be a test.

Several people aced the exam, while others had forgotten about our statute of frauds and the requirements for a legal description.

Our group of agents runs the gamete from newbies to over 35 years in the business.  It was eye opening to some of the more seasoned agents to realize that they had lost touch with some of the basics of the business.

After yesterday’s results, I now believe that I have found a new format for upcoming meetings.

How do you think you would score if you took the test?

I hear agents say that they’re “getting back to basics” so much that I often wonder what came before basics?

Part of the problem that I see is that even well intended individuals who want to get back to basics only make a partial commitment.  If you truly want to get back to basics, you can’t afford to over look one very important part of being well tuned – and that’s your body.

If you’re not in decent physical condition it’s very difficult getting your mind to work at peak efficiency.  Your mind and body work as a team.  If one doesn’t want to perform it’s difficult to get the other part to work at it’s best.

This doesn’t mean that you have to go out and join a gym or make some horrendous commitment.  You can start off slowly by doing stretches in the morning (like a cat does when they wake up) and watching what you eat.

Just little things like parking further away from the door rather than closer gives you the opportunity to put a few more steps into your day than you normally would.

Start out slow – but start out!

One of the most common statements made by a seller is that they don’t “hear from their listing agent on a regular basis”.  Quite often it’s the main reason that a seller will switch agents rather than extend a listing with the initial listing agent.

Even well intended agents that actually plan to stay in touch quite often find it difficult to set aside the time to make contact with their sellers.  Most often it’s because the agent doesn’t really know what to say when there has been little or no activity.

I find that email will help overcome this problem to a large degree.

I put into my drafts a couple of different statements that cover most situations.  Things like “Just a quick note to let you know that I haven’t had any sign calls or contact from other agents this week.  Let’s hope for better results this coming week” is far better than no contact at all.

Of course with a draft, you can modify your comment(s) as needed – plus you can do it when ever time allows.

TOUGH???? You bet it’s been tough.  Real estate has almost become like a “real” job- and as with anything else in life, only the strong survive! 

Now, as you plan your budget for the coming year, have you figured in the cost of being a member of NAR?

Over the past couple of years, I’ve seen more and more agents move to offices that aren’t Realtor.

As far as I’m concerned, my dues are worth it to me. I’ve been a Realtor since 1978. 

If you’re contemplating changing offices for a few hundred bucks, just remember all the money and effort that was spent by your Association to protect your income and the rights of both buyers and sellers.

If you’re really “all that” with your business and you tell your customers that you are…. you need to be a member of NAR.