There’s always something to howl about.

Author: Russell Shaw (page 1 of 10)

Mega-Producing Realtor

Making Nothing out of Something or Something out of Nothing

It doesn’t really matter what someone says they are trying to do. Or what they say their motives are. Know them by their actions.

Nothing - Something

Regardless of what anyone says, all any person is ever really doing is attempting to make something out of nothing or they are trying to make nothing out of something. Obviously, this can be accomplished in various ways. The primary effective method is by one’s thoughts. Take a relationship, for example: it exists solely because it is created and as long as it is created. Beings making something out of nothing. A business or organization that exists is an example of of something out of nothing. Sometimes we wonder why anyone would work on making something out of that? Why? Mountain out of a molehill. Not anything that anyone really wants but there it is, “created” for you. So, creation, is neither good or bad, unless one considers the creation “good” or “bad”. There are some things in life that get broad agreement as being “good”. Others that have broad agreement that they are “bad”.

On Human CharacterAll I want to look at here is what do you want? What are you trying to create? What are you attempting to make something of? What directly helps you do that? What people do you come into contact with or receive communication from that cause you to feel like you are more able to create what you want? When you are in communication with them your goals and aspirations are more real. It is easier to see yourself accomplishing them.

How about the flip side: nothing out of something? What are you trying to make nothing of? What are you attempting to reduce the effectiveness of or make smaller? Does making it less powerful or less effective help you to achieve your goals? Does working on that fully align with your stated goals?

There are those that offer advice and counsel on what you ought to be doing. Oddly enough, they haven’t ever actually done it themselves, but they can still clearly see what would be good for you to do. It isn’t really necessary Read more

Another Happy Customer

Below is an email I just received that I thought I would pass along.

Prey - listings

After talking with your agent this afternoon, I NOW UNDERSTAND how you can advertise that most of your propertys sell in 30 days !!!!!!

YOU PREY on the unfortunate home owners who’s property and there situation are in distress !!!!!! YOUR agent had the GALL to tell me Id have to list my home for under $ 150,000 !!! You know SHE DID NOT EVEN SEE MY PROPERTY !!!!! All her talk about bad times etc, and wanting to know why I wanted to sell was her attempt to , I GUESS , scare me into listing a property worth alot more than that BUT you people DONT want to work for your money as a true real estate person does by seeking buyers for homes priced properly. YOU JUST WANT the distressed propertys so as you can scare the home owner with your talk , get him to list with you at a drastically reduced price so as it will sell in your advertised 30 days with you people doing little to NO work and making your money !!!

Answer this IF YOU CAN !!!! How can your agent MAGICALLY put a value on my property WITHOUT even seeing it, re, condition etc BUT she can magically compare it to another property priced lower WHICH she hasnt even seen neither. How do you people MAGICALLY be able to EVEN compare the two without even seeing EITHER ONE !!! The comparison one could be a piece of #%^# !!!! Mine is not !!!!!!

How do you people even call your self realtors in what you are doing !!!!

Barry Cunningham is Full of Crap

I mean that in a really nice way. I am just trying to help. Just like Barry is just trying to help Realtors by pointing out various things that are wrong with Realtors,Barry Cunningham-Turd I am trying to help Barry. I mean no insult.  None. And should Barry get even a little bit defensive that would be wrong. He shouldn’t get defensive, I am just talking about Barry MOST of the time since he arrived on BloodhoundBlog. Naturally, I think Barry is wrong about everything he believes and that he charges people way too much money for the mindless, stupid and completely unnecessary things he does for them. He isn’t really a professional, the way he acts. All of his customers could all do a much better job than he does and don’t need him at all and they most certainly don’t need to pay him the outrageous fees he charges. No insult intended. Barry’s business won’t even exist in a few short years, he will fail and go broke. I say this to help Barry. We should be able to discuss this idea like adults. Openly looking at and discussing the idea: is Barry Cunningham completely passive-aggressive towards real estate agents or does Barry Cunningham sincerely believe the half-baked gibberish he writes. Again, no insult intended. None, really. I just feel it is vital to bring this up so we can all join in the discussion.

What Is a Good Free Gift To Give Them?

A follow up email with a question:

You have mentioned to me a couple of months ago on the phone to give 150 people that I know something that would make me go “thanks, that is a cool gift”, and right before I leave turn around and say “oh by the way I am in real estate if you know of any one who wants to buy or sell property, give me a call” (Something around that format). This I idea that I came up with would be giving the a TEN dollar gift card from TIM HORTONS. ( Big Coffee Province loves this coffee) because almost every person in Ontario goes to Tim Horton’s Coffee shop at one time or another.

Do you think that this gift would work for what you are talking about? How do you feel about the amount being spent on the gift or is there a certain amount you should spend?

Do I think it is a good thing to drop off to a hundred people you hardly know? No, not really. Here’s why, first you would – at $10 each – be paying about $1,500Free Gift Inside and a prepaid coffee card would have a very short shelf life.
The list I am talking about is anyone who would recognize you on sight. Not a list of people who have sent you business in the past. For a short list like that, do I think a prepaid coffee card could be a nice thing to give them? Yes, absolutely.

What you are looking for is something that might wind up on their refrigerator or bulletin board. Something that a person might want to keep – someplace they can see it, so they could easily find and and refer to it. Some kind of list. Restaurants, movie theaters, sports events, anything that you would be happy to get. Surveys are the key to stats (what do they really really want?) so normally I would want to find out the answer to that question first. But the person I am “doing the survey” on, in this case, is you. The reason? I want you Read more

I Want To Be A Lister – The Listing Presentation – The Objections

An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.

– Niels Bohr, Danish physicist and Nobel Prize winner

About a year ago I wrote what was really part 1 of The Listing Presentation. Anyone wanting to increase their listing skills will likely find time spent on this post Money Down The Drainand
that first post time well spent. I have mentioned the short list of different things a seller might say (or objections they might have to listing) to you. All good listers know these objections and are not startled or thrown off by the seller bringing them up. In fact, great listers know the objections so well that they want the seller to bring them up and if the seller does not bring them up the agent will bring them up. That’s correct. If you already know what they are thinking, why not just address it before they even mention it? It is usually fun to hit a softball when it is a slow underhand pitch.

As the nature of the objections has never really changed it is really sort of silly for any agent wanting to take a lot of listings to not know – in advance – that these are the concerns of the seller. I know that the internet and these new-brand-new-all-new-discount-really-really-low-maybe-even-no-commission companies have changed the very nature of life on earth, as we know it – but I am pretty sure the main objections that you could hear from a home seller back in 1968 were still the same in 1978.  They are still the same in 2008. I am thinking they may be still quite similar in 2048. Just a guess, but if you are planning on sticking around in this business for a while, perhaps it might be a good idea to know how you are going to respond when they bring these up.

As a really humorous aside, there were also discount companies in 1978 that would list and sell homes for practically nothing. Those companies too were going to change the very nature of how real estate was done. Read more

What Do I Do Now?

Below are two emails I’ve received in the past week. One is from a successful veteran agent in Texas and the other is from a young man from Canada in the business just over a year. Their stories are a bit different but my response is going to be the same to both.

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From the veteran agent:

I just wanted to say Hi and wondered how things are going in your market?

Our market has seemed to turn into a foreclosure market and a significant chunk has come from that direction! 90% of listings are over-priced…but one story homes and REALLY nice homes are selling.

Interest rates are causing the market to fluctuate…and the stock market seems to be doing the same thing.

At best my business is breaking even after paying me and my wife’s salary of $200k a year….which I guess is good. If things continue then my profitability will have dropped over 50% this year. We generally NET $420,000 -$470,000 per year on sales of 1 Million.

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Much longer when from the new agent:

Hi Russell,

Thank you for returning my call and giving me the correct email address. I have a lot on my mind with this career called real estate and I need a real person who understands the psychology of the business and who can point me in the right direction. With your proven track record I know I can use what you have already applied and take it to the next level, because the company I work and the broker’s are not seeing the big picture that I am seeing and it is a little frustrating. There are great trainers say that “if you want something go out and find people that is doing what you want to be doing, and start to do what they do on a regular basis”.

Just to give you a little bit about me and to get you up to speed on where I am at in my career, and what I am looking to accomplish. I have been in Real estate for a little over a year and my first year Gross sales were $75,000. My Read more

All In a Day’s Work for Real Estate Agents: Humorous & Heartwarming Stories

Seeing this post on agentgenius made me realize that I had neglected to post this email I received a few weeks ago. If you do pop over to check it out be sure and read the comments, as well.

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From: Work Like A Dog Books [mailto:editor@worklikeadogbooks.com] Penquin

Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 3:09 PM
To: russell@nohasslelisting.com
Subject: Realtor Michael Maher suggested I contact you about a project

Russell,

I recently got in touch with Michael Maher about a book project I’m working on and he thought you would be an excellent person to contact as well for use as a possible source in the book. When he told me you used to be a stand up comedian, I couldn’t have agreed more!

Your assistant suggested I e-mail you with all the information about this funny real estate book project, so here goes!

I’m contacting agents around the country to include their stories in a humorous book I’m writing. It’s called All In a Day’s Work for Real Estate Agents: Humorous & Heartwarming Stories. Think Chicken Soup meets Murphy’s Law. I’ve spent nearly 15 years working with real estate professionals in marketing and public relations and firmly believe EVERY agent has at least one wild story. The book celebrates the real estate profession.

Would you or anyone in your company have a funny, outrageous or touching story to share from your careers? Simply e-mail a reply, letting me know the best phone number/times to contact you. I’ll then call you for the details. The whole process shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes.

Womandriver

Realtors with stories included will receive two free copies of the book and local publicity about being included in the book (once book is published). There is absolutely no cost to you.

For complete info., visit www.WorkLikeaDogBooks.com. Also at the site, you can click the link on the left (ARealtor Submission Updates@) to see which states I have Realtor stories for as well as which companies are currently represented. My goal is to have agents from all 50 states, Canada and beyond in the book. With your help, that can happen. As of today, I have stories from agents in Read more

If Your Neighbor Throws Potatoes At You Is That A Disclose Issue?

To disclose, not to disclose. It is always much easier, in hindsight, to have disclosed. This article, on the front page of the Arizona Republic has the headline, “Home sale lawsuit is over neighbor’s odd behavior“. At issue is whether the neighbor’s behavior constitutes a nuisance that should have been noted on the residential seller’s property-disclosure statement. “She screams and yells at people that are passing by” ,”When my daughter’s in the backyard, the neighbor’s yelling at her and making verbal threats” are a couple of quotes from the current owner. In the Arizona Republic article, according to a police report from days before close of escrow, the former neighbor and seller heard noises in his backyard, and when he went to investigate, found the neighbor throwing potatoes into his yard and screaming obscenities. She accused him of stealing from her freezer. He called police. Yet later when he was selling the house he did not think this was a disclosure issue.

Now I understand that simple carbohydrates are not supposed to be “good” for you, but I like potatoes.

Throwing Potatoes

The Theory Of Sales Relativity

When we upend things in physics these days, it’s not necessarily that the old things were wrong. It’s just that underlying it is a more complete theory. Quantum Web 2mechanics tells us that a ball is made up of atoms, but Newton’s laws still work just fine. You can predict the ball’s trajectory without knowing that the ball is made up of atoms.

Lisa Randall

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When I read the quote above by Lisa Randall I knew I had to use that quote to pay homage to this wonderful post by my friend Jeff Brown. What is the benefit of Web 2.0? Transparency. I also really liked the post by Barry and I especially liked the comment by Allen Butler in this thread.

The only problem I see here is simply this: many consumers simply don’t know, or don’t care to know. The whole thing about being “transparent” is great ad copy. However, while we are waiting around for the internet to change our lives, your average Joe is simply looking for one more way to have to actually do less research and less work. The conveniences of modern shopping have led to very lazy consumers. Maybe a Redfin customer would have the gumption to search out the facts & such. Most will not. Real estate consumers fall into two distinct categories: buyers and sellers. The buyers will end up with an agent through sheer happenstance because they don’t know and don’t care.

The sellers will go with whomever is “recommended” to them by a family member of friend. It is usually not until they have expired a few times that they actually start to pay attention.

In a market like ours, the listing agents who get the job done will remain in the game. Those who don’t. . .well, most are already gone.

Gonna go out on a limb here (flame retardant suit loosely fitted to allow breathing room) and say that all this talk of disintermediation and having to prove your value in this new “web 2. . . .world” will not pan out. The consumer is too lazy.

Then again, I’m wrong occasionally.

I don’t think Allen Read more

Rhymes With Ferry

A couple of things. First, the largest real estate company in Arizona (based on number of agents) is now Homesmart. Homesmart was already pretty damn big but on Tuesday it was finalized – they bought Dan Schwartz Realty. Dan Schwartz Realty was, itself, was already one of the top 3 companies in the state for number of agents. So was Homesmart. It is my understanding that – at least for now – both companies will continue to operate with their current names.

A Little Bird Told Me

And now for the “big” news. I’ve just received a report that Mike Ferry’s coaching business is falling off. Big time. I have long considered him a predator, so I am happy to hear this. His company has had a pattern of high pressuring agents (who attend his free seminars) to sign up for coaching. Coaching is pretty much all he really sells – his events being a giant sales pitch for getting coached by his organization. For those who don’t follow the Mike Ferry coaching advice or who find it unworkable they are in for an additional shock, besides not having all that additional income they were sure to get. If they attempt to cancel their relationship they discover – as they have signed a contract – their account will be turned over to a collection agency.

It now happens that the state of California (EDD) recently ruled that all the coaches (I think he has averaged about 60 coaches at any given time since 1999) he has been paying as independent contractors are legally employees. Mike appealed and lost. Prediction: a big fine will soon be levied by California and I’m guessing the IRS will soon do the same. Also, from the very same little bird: a lawsuit from ex-coaches will soon be filed and made public to recover any money not recovered via the taxing agencies. My prediction: he will be out of money before any of them can collect anything.

Mike, once you see this you can have one of your attorneys send me a nice threatening letter. Here is my contact information.

Confronting Death – The Last Lecture

A very good friend of mine, Gordon Smith sent me an email a few days ago. Later that day, when I spoke to him he told me about when the doctor told him that life_after_deathhe had good news and bad news. The doctor told Gordon that he had incurable cancer. Gordon responded, “What is the bad news?”. Here is a copy of that email:

Hello,

I just wanted to let you know that I was diagnosed with Leukemia, and had it confirmed last week. The kind of news you just LOVE to get.

It’s not going to kill me next week or anything that dramatic, but obviously is of concern. (I literally just got off the phone with a local publisher who was asking me about writing a column. I suggested “The lighter side of Leukemia.” He laughed, but did not make a commitment to it.)

I want to thank ALL my family and friends because I’ve been so fortunate in knowing and loving you. May I confess?….. I am EXTREMELY fond of you.

I am fortunate that I have so many people that I love and that love me. I’m really not terribly upset by this diagnosis or what it potentially portends, because I HAVE had such great people in my life. Maybe I’m whistling past the graveyard, as they say, but so far I’m doing fine.

I don’t expect condolences, etc. It’s always hard to find words for that sort of thing anyway, and you have always made me feel pretty appreciated. I know how much you care! ‘Nuff said on that count. (However, I do NOT mean to discourage anyone inclined to send a handsome cash stipend.)

At any rate, thanks for all you have been in my life. (The terms love and laughter come to mind. God, it sounds like a farewell, and it’s not.) Just wanted to let you know what is going on with me.

I plan on being around for awhile…a very long while.

Gordon

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It reminded me of a truly remarkable video I have seen several versions of: Dr. Randy Pausch’s last lecture. It is one of the most Read more

NAR and the Use of MLS in a URL

I’ve written about this before. This is an issue that just isn’t going to go away. Like most oppressive rules and laws this bad rule (at least as it is currently interpreted and practiced) was a sincere attempt to solve a problem. Unfortunately, the current rule creates a whole new type of problem. The solution is the new problem.

Should any misleading or deceitful statement statement be permitted on a website? No and the NAR Code of Ethics already covered that. But this issue – at least as it now stands – is a good example of “an innocent dolphin caught in a tuna net”. The very idea that an NAR committee came up with a restriction for Realtors that our competitors – who are trying to put us out of business – don’t have to follow is just absurd.

NAR will have no ability whatsoever to stop, inhibit, or prevent anyone BUT Realtors from using the term “MLS” in their URL. So why would it be alright to inhibit a Realtor while other companies are using the term and will continue to use the term (both as a meta tag and as part of the URL)?

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Here is another letter Steve Westmark passed along to me.

From: Jim Lee

To: gary@garyashton.com ; steve@stevewestmark.com

Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 10:35 AM

Subject: Fwd: Letter to NAR VP Cliff Niersbach

Gentlemen, Another Realtor friend of mine, Bill Holt who is in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina, has a URL with those troublesome magic letters “MLS” (www.obxMLS.com) and is having the same issues we are.Fortunately Bill has a member of his board who is on the NAR Professional Standards subcommittee, Policy and Interpretation, or some such name. He has talked with her and another long time member of that subcommittee named Ted Kelly. They both seem to feel that to be in violation of the new COE’s Article 12 that a member’s intent would be very important, i.e. are you trying to pass yourself off as ‘THE’ MLS. Mr. Kelly gave Bill Cliff Niersbach’s name who is some sort of NAR VP to talk with. Bill is sending him Read more

Save $100 If You Are Going To Starpower This Year

This year it is July 23 – 26, in Orlando. Here is the email I received from Howard. I think you know I want to be a hero.

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Greetings to our Stars!


It’s hard to believe that we’re only about four months away from this year’s STAR POWER Annual Conference! Obviously, in today’s market, your fellow REALTORS® need the ideas, insights, and inspiration from top producers like you now more than ever! That is why attached you will find a very special Star Referral Credit that we encourage you to share with as many real estate professionals as possible. It will save them $100 off their Annual Conference registration and make you a hero in their eyes! You
certainly are a hero to us!

Thanks for helping to make the 2008 STAR POWER Annual Conference the most important event in the lives and careers of so many of your peers! Together, we’ll thrive in these changing times!

Have a positively productive day!

Your partner in success,

Howard Brinton

2008 Conference Star Coupon - Russell Shaw