David Patterson - Columbia South Carolina Real Estate

Schedules, planning, accountability...blah, blah, blah. 

Hey, I got into this business because I want to be my own boss, right?  I don't need no stinkin' schedule, I don't want to have to plan and organize my days, and I sure as heak don't want to have to be accountable for my productivity! 

That is, unless I want to be SUCCESSFUL!!

I was a high school teacher for 9 years before I became a REALTOR® and before that I was in college so up until 2 years ago, I lived and died by the almighty schedule.  My first year as a full-timer, I was pretty clueless when it came to being out on my own, I didn't have a business plan or any semblance of a schedule. 

However, a year ago, this all changed.  First of all, I moved to RE/MAX Access with the GREATEST broker/owners in the WORLD - Sheila Moran and Kristin Moran, second I wrote a business plan (again thanks to the guidance of my broker), and finally I made myself a weekly schedule. 

I am not saying that I follow this to the letter, some weeks I'm lucky to follow it at all but I have it and I look at it every day!  I fully believe that this has made an enormous difference in my productivity, my efficiency and my sanity! 

I thought that I would make myself vulnerable and share my schedule with all you great Active Rainers!  Perhaps some of you veterans can give me some advice on how I can improve it and if there are some out there without a schedule please feel free to take it, use it, change it or toss it!  So, here it is...

 

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
6:00 AM		exercise	exercise	exercise	exercise	exercise
7:00 AM		shower/dress/kids to school	shower/dress/kids to school	shower/dress/kids to school	shower/dress/kids to school	shower/dress/kids to school
8:00 AM		set goals for week	lead street	lead street	Reading /education/ webinars	lead street
9:00 AM		Blogging/AR	Blogging/AR	Blogging/AR	Blogging/AR
10:00 AM		contact sphere (3)	contact sphere (3)	contact sphere (3)	contact sphere (3)	contact sphere (3)
11:00 AM	Church	Networking/past client  contact	Networking/past client  contact	Networking/past client  contact	Flex Time
12:00 PM
1:00 PM		Flex Time	Flex Time	Flex Time		accounting/ bookeeping
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
5:00 PM						plan weekend appts
6:00 PM	Review upcoming week	dinner	dinner	dinner	dinner	dinner
7:00 PM	kids bath/bed	kids bath/bed	kids bath/bed	kids bath/bed	kids bath/bed
8:00 PM

 

Jeanna Martinez license #538288

jeannamartinez@gmail.com

210-833-2268

www.sahomesales.net

                   

 

Texas Law requires all real estate licensees to give the following information about brokerage services: http://www.trec.state.tx.us/pdf/contracts/OP-K.pd

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I still haven't kicked this idea. 

But that doesn't mean it is a certainty, yet.  There are a lot of details to be worked out, such as venue, if there will be a cost and the exact date.  Of course, there also needs to be a team to make it happen. 

But before we put together a team and start scouting venues and getting all of the details in place, there are about 3,572 questions.  Here are the first 8... 

 

Thank you for taking a moment to fill out the questionaire... you did fill it out, right? 

We'd love for you to pass along the link to others in the industry that might be interested.

Unless otherwise noted, all content of this blog is the property of Lane Bailey, ©2009 Lane Bailey. 

I'd love to hear from you...

It's a new year!

Well, its almost a new year...New business plans in the works...new budgets being considered (shoestring, though they may be...). New attitude attributed to a new year.

All good things....

But, none of that will mean diddly if you continue down the same destructive path that a good portion of agents find themselves on currently.

It amazes me on a daily basis how many agents that I deal with actually set themselves up for failure by making simple, yet deadly, mistakes in their business.  Some of these mistakes seem to be so simple to overcome.  Yet, time and time again, they repeat the same thing expecting a different result.  That is the definition of insanity. 

So, in the hopes that I can in some small way help YOU avoid making these mistakes, I wanted to summarize an article I found in BrokerAgentPro that lists 5 of the things agents do that hinder their own efforts...and ways to avoid getting caught in these commission killing traps.

Getting ‘Busy Work' confused with actual ‘Work' - Many agents across the country suffer from not having a consistent game plan for their daily activities.  There are several things that you should do daily.  These include: Lead generation; Contacting prospects that are potential clients; Work and sort out the motivations of existing clients; Negotiate contracts on pending deals; Present findings to your clients.  All 5 of those things MUST be done on a daily basis to maintain a consistent level of effort on all aspects of your business.  If you are not getting any one of these done, you are attempting to build a business on a weak foundation and you will fail. 

Not working a set schedule - Lack of motivation is the biggest cause of not working a set schedule.  "I don't feel like it today."  Guess what...no one *feels* like it.  But, they do it.  Successful agents work a set schedule every day whether they ‘feel like it' or not.  That set schedule might be any time between 8am and 9pm, but its a schedule none the less.  What do you do on days you don't feel like working?  See #1 above.

"It's a numbers game" - Well, sort of.  But, no, not really.  Yes, you need to track your numbers.  Yes, those numbers are important.  But, in no way will those numbers lead you to making any money!  This is a PEOPLE game!  If you are not out helping people with or talking to people about real estate, you are doomed to fail.  Focus on what you have to offer - your talents and abilities to assist people in buying or selling a house. 

Lacking multiple lead streams - That's right.  If you do not have multiple streams of leads, you will fail.  If your only source of leads is making cold calls, asking for referrals from clients, calling expired listings, etc...You are limiting your ability to get new clients.  If you take a day off, you don't make ANY progress.  None.  What if you lose your phone for a day?  What if you lose your voice for a day?  No progress.  So, having several good lead generation sources is a must in order to keep bringing in new potential clients.  Just remember, not every lead will close.  But, every lead needs worked.  That's what you do!

"Its all about the Benjamins, baby!" - This philosophy will ultimately be your demise in real estate.  You should never put earning a commission above your ability to be of service to your client.  If you are not out there to help your clients, you will fail.  If you don't know how to help your clients, LEARN!  The ‘rules' have changed.  Make an effort to adapt to those changes and *help* your clients.  The money will follow.

 

Looking to add to your client base? Contact Clint at 800-977-7058 and ask about how he can help you. Or, follow him on Twitter. Dont forget to fan us on Facebook!

(CNN) -- Facebook, for better or worse, is like being at a big party with all your friends, family, acquaintances and co-workers.

Facebook can be a great tool, and an occasional annoyance. What kind of Facebooker are you?

There are lots of fun, interesting people you're happy to talk to when they stroll up. Then there are the other people, the ones who make you cringe when you see them coming. This article is about those people.

Sure, Facebook can be a great tool for keeping up with folks who are important to you. Take the status update, the 160-character message that users post in response to the question, "What's on your mind?" An artful, witty or newsy status update is a pleasure -- a real-time, tiny window into a friend's life.

But far more posts read like navel-gazing diary entries, or worse, spam. A recent study categorized 40 percent of Twitter tweets as "pointless babble," and it wouldn't be surprising if updates on Facebook, still a fast-growing social network, break down in a similar way.

Combine dull status updates with shameless self-promoters, "friend-padders" and that friend of a friend who sends you quizzes every day, and Facebook becomes a daily reminder of why some people can get on your nerves.

Here are 12 of the most annoying types of Facebook users:

The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore. "I'm waking up." "I had Wheaties for breakfast." "I'm bored at work." "I'm stuck in traffic." You're kidding! How fascinating! No moment is too mundane for some people to broadcast unsolicited to the world. Just because you have 432 Facebook friends doesn't mean we all want to know when you're waiting for the bus.

The Self-Promoter. OK, so we've probably all posted at least once about some achievement. And sure, maybe your friends really do want to read the fascinating article you wrote about beet farming. But when almost EVERY update is a link to your blog, your poetry reading, your 10k results or your art show, you sound like a bragger or a self-centered careerist.

The Friend-Padder. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. Schmoozers and social butterflies -- you know, the ones who make lifelong pals on the subway -- might reasonably have 300 or 400. But 1,000 "friends?" Unless you're George Clooney or just won the lottery, no one has that many. That's just showing off.

The Town Crier. "Michael Jackson is dead!!!" You heard it from me first! Me, and the 213,000 other people who all saw it on TMZ. These Matt Drudge wannabes are the reason many of us learn of breaking news not from TV or news sites but from online social networks. In their rush to trumpet the news, these people also spread rumors, half-truths and innuendo. No, Jeff Goldblum did not plunge to his death from a New Zealand cliff.

The TMIer. "Brad is heading to Walgreens to buy something for these pesky hemorrhoids." Boundaries of privacy and decorum don't seem to exist for these too-much-information updaters, who unabashedly offer up details about their sex lives, marital troubles and bodily functions. Thanks for sharing.

The Bad Grammarian. "So sad about Fara Fauset but Im so gladd its friday yippe". Yes, I know the punctuation rules are different in the digital world. And, no, no one likes a spelling-Nazi schoolmarm. But you sound like a moron.

The Sympathy-Baiter. "Barbara is feeling sad today." "Man, am I glad that's over." "Jim could really use some good news about now." Like anglers hunting for fish, these sad sacks cast out their hooks -- baited with vague tales of woe -- in the hopes of landing concerned responses. Genuine bad news is one thing, but these manipulative posts are just pleas for attention.

The Lurker. The Peeping Toms of Facebook, these voyeurs are too cautious, or maybe too lazy, to update their status or write on your wall. But once in a while, you'll be talking to them and they'll mention something you posted, so you know they're on your page, hiding in the shadows. It's just a little creepy.

The Crank. These curmudgeons, like the trolls who spew hate in blog comments, never met something they couldn't complain about. "Carl isn't really that impressed with idiots who don't realize how idiotic they are." [Actual status update.] Keep spreading the love.

The Paparazzo. Ever visit your Facebook page and discover that someone's posted a photo of you from last weekend's party -- a photo you didn't authorize and haven't even seen? You'd really rather not have to explain to your mom why you were leering like a drunken hyena and French-kissing a bottle of Jagermeister.

The Obscurist. "If not now then when?" "You'll see..." "Grist for the mill." "John is, small world." "Dave thought he was immune, but no. No, he is not." [Actual status updates, all.] Sorry, but you're not being mysterious -- just nonsensical.

The Chronic Inviter. "Support my cause. Sign my petition. Play Mafia Wars with me. Which 'Star Trek' character are you? Here are the 'Top 5 cars I have personally owned.' Here are '25 Things About Me.' Here's a drink. What drink are you? We're related! I took the 'What President Are You?' quiz and found out I'm Millard Fillmore! What president are you?"

You probably mean well, but stop. Just stop. I don't care what president I am -- can't we simply be friends? Now excuse me while I go post the link to this story on my Facebook page.

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Steve Kappre is a Mortgage Planner with Treasury Mortgage. Steve specializes in;

With all the excitement of the first time home buyer tax credit, buyers often get confused and miss out on other important options.

As a first time buyer, don't let the excitement of the $8,000 tax credit cause you to miss out on many other home buying options. It isn't uncommon for a buyer to confuse the federal tax credit with seller credits, down payment assistance, or first time home buyer grants.

First time home buyers have many options.  Utilizing one option does not hold a buyer back from utilizing one or more other options allowed to them as a first time home buyer. This article is written not to go into great depth on each option, but to help you realize the different options available as a first time home buyer and how to utilize each/all of these options.

Read on to understand some common terms and how to take advantage of each option.

Tax Credit

The federal tax credit is the (up to) $8,000 incentive that everyone is talking about. Most home buyers that haven't owned a home in the last 3 years will qualify for this. In general, this credit is realized as a credit for you when you complete your taxes in the spring of 2009 (for 2008's income).

For example, if you would have normally received $2,000 back after completing your 2009 tax returns, the tax credit would add an additional $8,000, to make your total amount received $10,000. For additional information and guidelines, go directly to First-Time Home Buyer Credit: Answers.

Seller Credit (Seller Concessions)

A seller credit, better known as seller concessions, is a scenario when the seller agrees to pay a certain amount of your settlement costs. The seller may pay a percentage, such as 2, 3, or 6% of the purchase price, or they may pay a dollar amount, such as $2,500 or $5,000.

For more information on understanding seller concessions visit Understanding Seller Concessions | Seller Paid Closing Costs | Seller Contributions | Seller Assist.

Grants for First Time Home Buyers

Many people miss out on first time home buyer grant options. Once a buyer hears about the $8,000 tax credit, they sometimes go deaf to other options, either out of excitement or because they don't realize they can utilize more than one option.

A grant is a program often issued by a county or state that offers funds to the home buyer for the purchase of a home. Either a flat dollar amount or a percentage of the loan amount is used to calculate the funds offered. A typical grant percentage would be 2, 3, or 4% of the loan amount. For instance, 4% of a loan amount of $100,000 would give you a $4,000 grant.

Grants can be utilized for down payment requirements and/or to pay for closing costs. Depending on the purchase price and the grant selected, a grant can sometimes even cover all requirements the buyer has concerning both the down payment requirement and closing costs.

Down Payment Assistance

As of the date of this article, down payment assistance in the traditional sense is not available.Down payment assistance programs (DAPs) were an option where the seller would indirectly give a buyer the money needed for down payment requirements. These transactions in general had a higher default rate then most, therefore this option is no longer available. Examples were the Nehemiah program or the Genesis program. There is a movement to reinstate these programs. The mentioning of DAPs here is simply to help you differentiate and not confuse them with other options.

How to Utilize More Than One First-Time Home Buyer Option

Here's where the rubber meets the road. A common example of utilizing all of the above options is as follows:

1. Buyer meets with grant official or loan officer for qualification requirements pertaining to a specific grant option. In our example the buyer will use an FHA mortgage, which requires a 3.5% (of the purchase price) down payment. The purchase price is $100,000, therefore the down payment requirement for this would be $3,500.
2. Loan officer and buyer determine that the use of a 4% grant would be the wisest choice. Since the down payment requirement is $3,500, the financed amount will be $96,500 ($100,000 - $3,500). Based off of $96,500, a 4% grant would be $3,860 (loan amount x 4%, or $96,500 x .04)). Compare the grant amount with the buyer's down payment requirement of $3,500, and the grant amount is $360 more than the required down payment amount. This type of grant covers the down payment requirements and some additional funds to be applied towards the closing costs.
3. Assuming closing costs are $5,000, here is how you can determine what to request from the seller to get the closing costs paid as well. We can subtract the extra money left over from the grant, in this case $360, from $5,000. Our sum is $4,640. FHA requirements allow the seller to pay up to 6% of the buyer's closing costs. We don't need all 6% (or $6,000), we only need $4,640 from the seller. So when the purchase of the home is negotiated, the buyer's agent negotiates with the seller's agent that the seller will agree to pay $4,640 towards the buyers settlement fees/closing costs.
4. Buyer goes to settlement needing $0 to close, and in fact they will get back the money already deposited with the real estate agent and lender.
5. Lastly, the buyer can still maximize the use of the federal tax credit and receive their $8,000 after filing their 2009 tax returns.

All-in-all, in our scenario the home buyer will receive $16,500 for purchasing a home ($3,860 grant + $4,640 seller's concessions + $8,000 tax credit).  The buyer is able to utilize three separate home buying options and in the end, still have their own money in the bank, which will then get boosted in several months by the $8,000 tax credit. Now THAT is the kind of lending and buyer representation that creates solid, well founded home owners, which is exactly what we all desire.

By working with knowledgeable professionals, you can utilize multiple buyer options to make your home buying experience an amazing event!

 

If you would like more information, as a buyer, seller, real estate agent, real estate office, financial planner, college or other party, feel free to contact Steve Kappre directly on his cell at 856-419-3561 or via e-mail at steve@stevekappre.com.

 

---

Steve Kappre is a Mortgage Planner with Treasury Mortgage. Steve specializes in;

• All areas concerning First-Time Home Buyer Mortgages, grants, down payment assistance, police and fire loans, rehab loans, and more.

• Reverse Mortgages

• Equity Management strategies for high-end homes and high net worth individuals.

Contact Steve Kappre directly at 856-419-3561 or at www.stevekappre.com

Having two small children and several rescue animals I know how important the concept of absorption is- I need highly absorbent paper towel and napkins to clean up all their spills (they inherited their clumsiness from me).  I also know that kids absorb information quickly so you need to be careful what you say around them because sometimes they absorb the "wrong" thing.

The concept of "absorption" is even more important in my career as a full time Realtor.  Before, I ever put a home on the market I always calculate the absorption rate.  Absorption rate is a concept and practice that is often over looked by many Realtors and lack of knowledge can lead to expired listings which everyone know is no good- it hurts the Seller, the Realtor, and can lead to poor sales results in an area.

So what is the absorption rate? 

Just like the name applies, the absorption rate is a calculated estimate, based on current and past market trends, that determines how long it will take for Buyers to absorb (aka buy) the current inventory in a given area. 

 So what does this number tell you?

As a Realtor, I often have Sellers ask me how long I think it will take to sell their house.  While I do not have a crystal ball or the ability to see into the future, the absorption rate can allow me to make an educated estimate of how long it will take for a home to sell based on the number of comparable homes on the market and the number of closed homes in a given time period.

The absorption rate follows the simple law of supply and demand.  If an market area has 46 similar homes on the market and only 5 comparable home sold the past month that are has a current absorption rate of 9.2 months.  In other words there is 9.2 months of inventory.  Therefore if a Seller "needed" to sell within 3 months they better make sure that their price and condition were better than that of the competition.

Selling real estate is not about guessing- it is both a science and an art.  Because both Jennifer and myself have advanced science degrees we thoroughly research market areas both before and during our listing periods as good knowledge of the market is critical in selling a home and allowing Sellers to get the most money out of their homes and to sell in the shortest period of time.

 

Interested in Selling your Knoxville TN home contact Christine and Jennifer today.  We provide a free no obligation Compartative Market Anaylsis and detailed Market report.

Instantly search for more homes for sale in the Knoxville TN and surrounding areas now!
www.HomesForSaleKnoxville.com

Visit Christine McInerney and Jennifer Halinkowski with Southland GMAC Real Estate on-line at:
www.HomesForSaleKnoxville.com and www.KnoxvilleReal-Estate.com
Office: (865) 237-5289
Christine (865) 237-5289 and Jennifer (865) 621-3658
Mail to: McIn-Kowski@HomesForSaleKnoxville.com

                  

Instantly Search For All Knoxville, TN Homes , Condos , and land For Sale!!