Price Threshold
2007-10-25 06:36:10
Just when I was beginning to wonder where all the buyers went...... I made a significant price reduction one of my listings recently that is gorgeous to begin with and in a good location. Not 2 hours after I changed it in MLS, the phones started ringing, I had 4 showings that day and an offer. It was just another reminder that when I hit the right price threshold, they buyers that are waiting in the wings will step forward. Sometimes I have wondered if there were and buyers left, but this was a great reminder. It seems to happen every time. Pricing can be challenging here, what the comps support may often not produce showings. So... don't be discouraged, there are buyers out there and if we hit the price they will step forward. This is just part of the market correction we are currently in.
Read more: Threshold
Lead Follow-up
2007-10-12 09:31:43
I was just recently interviewed on the RE/MAX Coaching Hall of Fame, and the topic was lead follow-up. Many agents are complaining about the quality of leads they have. If you knew that Buyer was absolutely going to buy, would you treat them differently? -Would you spend the time to hear what they need?-Would you be prepared when they call with a questionnaire so you don't miss any important info?-Would you set up an appointment to meet them in your office so they can see you as a professional? I believe we have to prove our value to the consumers out there. They want us to exceed their expectations. Treat every lead as if you were sure they were going to buy, find out what their:-when-whereand -why are. Then you can set them up on a plan. Contact them once a week. Earn the right to work with them.
Haunted Homes
2007-10-07 08:23:32
Have any of you had to list a home with a known ghost? Have you ever shown a home that gave you a strange feeling?Have you ever sold a home that was the site of a famous crime? As we get closer to Halloween I wonder do you advertise that, what kind of buyer's does that attract. Do you worry about the new buyer's and what happens in their lives. I know I sold one of my listings to a family I hoped would turn around the energy of the house, they were so happy and optimistic to finally have their own home. Three years later, they are in financial ruin and seem to have an eerie resemblance to the story of the former owner. Has that ever happened to you, how have you handled that.
Read more: Haunted
, Homes
What is your Scotoma?
2007-10-05 17:32:37
I was at a Thinkmax event today (a regional RE/MAX event) and one of our speakers was talking about scotomas, also known as blind spots. He had had taken a seminar with Lou Tice of the Pacific Institute. We did 3 great exercises to show us how we can literally not see what is right in front of us. The better you are at what you do, the more blind spots you will have. I am so fascinated by this. Here is 1 of the exercises we did. Count how many F's are in the following sentence: FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS. How many did you find? 3...6? Read it again, this isn't a trick question. I only saw 3 my first time. You will find 6. The crazy thing is that since we are taught english phonetically we learned OF as a V sound and can totally miss it as an F in the above sentence.This got me thinking, how many other blind spots have I missed in my life? What about
Deals that fall apart at the last minute
2007-10-04 19:12:28
It seems lately that more deals are falling apart right before or on the day of closing. Lenders are checking for credit credit reports and appraisals sometimes hours before closing. How do we prepare our clients for this? I would love to hear from the lenders on this board as well as fellow Realtors on how they have handled these situations. Can we prevent this?What should we be looking for?Are particular loans more prone to this? I still believe this market is definitely teaching us to be better agents.
10 Weeks until Winter
2007-10-03 10:59:43
There are only about 10 weeks until Winter, that's what we've been reminding our clients. They need to seriously consider: Do they want to pay carrying costs over the winter?Pay to heat the home, snow removal and so on. We have alot of activity in New England this fall and certain homes will be hard to sell in the winter. Long driveways, homes on hills and so on are not as attractive snow covered. I encourage all my Sellers to realize that Fall and all the way through the holidays can be a great time to sell. Many homes are well decorated and buyer's like to be in their new homes for the New Year.
Read more: Weeks
Changing bad habits
2007-09-27 20:05:59
I am mentoring 2 women in my office who need to jump start their business. One of the things we've been working on is integrity. Most people think integrity is keeping your promises to other, but it is really keeping the promises you make to yourself. How many times have you said:-I will eat healthy today-I will call all my Seller's -I will propspect-I will go to the gym-I will........... How many times have you broken that promise to yourself? Let's not do that anymore. Let's not let ourselves down. How about we lead lives with integrity. Are you with me?
Read more: Changing
, habits
Update to Back up Your Computer
2007-09-23 20:18:13
So, I did lose everything on my hard drive. I feel very lucky that my database is web based and I had many of my files on my office server. Still, I lost all of my emails, details on every transaction I've done this year which cannot be replaced. I also lost all of the painstaking research and links to different banks I was working on. So.... once the panic subsided, I started recreating as much as I could. I now weekly back up my computer and hope everyone learns at my expense. There are many ways to back up your files. Please if do not know how, or are not already doing it, make it a priority, your business depends on it!
Read more: Update
, Computer
Groton Public Library
2007-09-20 09:16:34
Groton has a great public library in the center of town. The library is on 3 floors and they offer everything from book and magazines to dvd's and museum passes. They have great events for kids and teens and book clubs for adults. Here is the link: www.gpl.org Some of the great museum passes include: EcotariumChildren's MuseumRoger Williams Park ZooDeCordova Museum and Sculpture ParkMuseum of Fine ArtsFruitlands and many more....
Read more: Public
, Library
Groton Town Forest
2007-09-19 08:58:49
We have a great network of trails as part of the Town Forest
in Groton. They are well marked and everyone seems to have their favorite.
Nashua River Rail Trail
2007-09-18 06:49:56
If you are new to the area, don't miss the Nashua River
Rail trail. It's over 12 miles long and starts in the the town of Ayer. You can park in the center and that is the only part of the trail that has a restroom. It's a very scenic ride with views of ponds, swamps and wildlife. When you get to Groton center you can fill up your water bottles a short walk up to the fountain outside the Town Hall. You can stop by the center for ice-cream and coffee too. The trail has a 10ft wide paved surface for the entire length and a five-foot gravel equestrian path for seven miles of the trail from Groton Center to the New Hampshire border. The trail is open to pedestrians, bicyclists, inline skaters, wheelchairs, and cross-country skiers and is being expanded into Nashua, NH.
Read more: Trail
What's your WOW factor
2007-09-17 08:29:14
What do you do that sets you apart from everyone else, that WOW's your clients? I'd love to share ideas: -Do you give closing gifts at the table or after? Lunch on moving day?-Do you do pop by's dropping off gifts etc throughout the year?-Do you carry a portable DVD player on showings so the kids are entertained?-Do you stay in touch regularly, take past clients to lunch?-Do you throw client appreciation parties? I do the above and would love to hear your ideas, the better experience our clients have the more positive people think about our industry and value.
Read more: factor
Please Back up your Computer
2007-09-13 09:13:22
The unthinkable happened last night, my MAC has what technical support calls kernal failure, which means it's not working right now. On top of that I haven't backed it up recently. If I lose all of my information it will take significant time to replace. I've been trying not to panic, there's a chance I haven't lost anything, but please learn from my mistake and back up your computer weekly!
Read more: Computer
, Please
My office challenge
2007-09-10 20:52:25
So instead of hearing constantly about how bad the market is around the office
, I've decided to challenge my fellow agents to suspend their disbelief for one month. Their disbelief that: -Home aren't selling-There are no buyers -There are no qualified leads-There are no mortgage programs available I am challenging them for 1 month to believe that: -This is a great opportunity for them to excel in this market-This is a great time to perfect their pricing skills-They can learn so many new skills from blogging to online marketing that will keep them competitive
Change is in the air
2007-09-07 14:29:22
Finally I feel excitement and positive change in the air here in my market. There seems more enthusiasm and hope. I'm so grateful to have found this site and have passed on many of the wonderful things I have learned. We can all be proactive, every bit adds up. Here are some of the changes I've made recently: -I've had a great response from postets.com-I've emailed and called agents with clients (reverse prospecting in my MLS) that fit my listings. It always spurs more activity and has recently resulted in offers.-i started writing about my town on the localism page. -I was recently at a Broker Open House with our "competition" and I passed on some of the things that were working for me, they were surprised and asked why. I told them when they get excited and feel good about our market, they pass it on to their clients who may in turn buy my listings or they will list property that I can sell. We all win. Thank you to Active Rain for keepi
Read more: Change
That which doesn't break us, makes us stronger
2007-09-06 11:15:05
I am new to this community, but love reading all the great posts. I recently was invited to speak about why I've done so well in a down market. About a year ago I was battling cancer, broke and depressed about the future. I'm a single Mom and it was scary not knowing what was ahead. I lost my focus on the business and the same time the market was crashing here. I was ready to drop out of the business it was that bad. I was able to attend an event in California last June because my Dad gave me a free ticket and I stayed in the cheapest motel available. I joined coaching and it changed my life. I made more from June on than I ever had in my career and it opened up new opportunities for me. More importantly I was diagnosed as cancer free that August. I think the joy and relief just made me feel like anything is possible. Many people even in my own office did not realize what I went through, they just saw the success. I have shared everything I know with anyone I could that n
Read more: makes
, stronger
Grotonfest 2007
2007-09-05 20:06:52
GROTONFESTSaturday September 22, 2007 from 10am -5pmRain date September 23rdDon’t miss this great festival sponsored by the Groton Business Association. It features over 150 different booths of artists, local businesses, food and entertainment. It’s held on the Legion Common just off of Groton Center.Great musical entertainment by Jay Geils & Gerry Beaudoin and many other talented musicians. It’s a great family event and a chance to learn about all the community. Come visit me at RE/MAX Colonial’s booth!
The Groton Housing Market
2007-09-05 17:46:08
Here is what is currently on the market in Groton as of 9/5/07. Actives by Price Band Property Type: Single Family Location: Groton, MA Asking Price Range # Listings % Total Avg Days on Market
$188,900 - $199,999 3 2.8% 98 $200,000 - $249,999 2 1.9% 60 $250,000 - $299,999 6 5.7% 72 $300,000 - $349,999 9 8.5% 102 $350,000 - $399,999 13 12.3% 101 $400,000 - $449,999 8 7.5% 127 $450,000 - $499,999 9 8.5% 114 $500,000 - $599,999 13 12.3% 102 $600,000 - $699,999 18 17.0% 243 $700,000 - $799,999 9 8.5% 229 $800,000 - $899,999 9 8.5% 310 $900,000 - $999,999 1 0.9% 499 $1,000,000 - $1,499,999 5 4.7% 231 $2
Read more: Housing
Gorgeous Groton Colonial
2007-09-05 17:35:43
Client Appreciation Parties
2007-09-05 10:13:03
I am always looking for great ideas to WOW my clients. Here are a few I have planned for the rest of the year: Pumpkins: We are going to deliver pumpkins to our past clients with a tag, it could also be a nice Mum for their front steps. SPA: We also rent out a local spa, supporting another business. We buy food and drinks from Trader Joes and have agreat time. The Spa is very reasonable as they are getting new clients as well. Lastly, a Movie Saturday: I rent out a movie theater the 1st Saturday morning in December for a family movie, we bring in donuts and coffee. This is a great way to see the whole family at an event, the kids invite their friends and it's very easy to put on. I'd love to hear your ideas!
Read more: Client
Great Source of income
2007-09-04 13:15:19
Here was a great source of income I hadn't considered until I heard it at an event I recently attended in CT. For the agents who are getting out of the business, why don't we take over their database. They can work with us to introduce us to their past clients and we can make a financial arrangement that benefits them. I suggest a referral fee for a certain amount of time for the clients they give us. If you have a great follow-up system in place this will be easy, if not this should inspire you to create one. Here's my quote for the day "We need to be the change we want to see in the world".
Read more: Great
, Source
Some Labor day thoughts on Leads and Lead follow-up
2007-09-03 08:58:16
I know many Realtors out there are complaining about the lack of leads or quality of leads. Here are a few things to consider that really changed how I view prospects. -For many consumers, just picking up a phone to call us can be intimidating, respect that.They wouldn't raise their hand if they weren't interested. They are asking for our help. Find a good list of qualifying questions and it will tell you plenty about what that client is looking for.-Treat every lead like and A lead until they disqualify themselves. -Make sure you have a great lead follow-up system. My coach recommended I don't put anyone into my computer until they've completed the transaction. For active leads we use a binder system, with 31 tabs for the days of the month and 12 tabs for the months. For example, we take each lead and file it under the day we said we'd call, or in a week after the first time we spoke to follow up. Every day we open the binder and know who we are supposed to ca
Read more: thoughts
, Leads
Some Labor day thoughts on Leads and Lead follow-up
2007-09-03 08:57:21
I know many Realtors out there are complaining about the lack of leads or quality of leads. Here are a few things to consider that really changed how I view prospects. -For many consumers, just picking up a phone to call us can be intimidating, respect that.They wouldn't raise their hand if they weren't interested. They are asking for our help. Find a good list of qualifying questions and it will tell you plenty about what that client is looking for.-Treat every lead like and A lead until they disqualify themselves. -Make sure you have a great lead follow-up system. My coach recommended I don't put anyone into my computer until they've completed the transaction. For active leads we use a binder system, with 31 tabs for the days of the month and 12 tabs for the months. For example, we take each lead and file it under the day we said we'd call, or in a week after the first time we spoke to follow up. Every day we open the binder and know who we are supposed to ca
Read more: thoughts
, Leads
Navigating through a changing market
2007-09-02 18:58:17
Most Realtors are having a hard time navigating the daily market changes, imagine how our clients feel. We all read the news but I'd like to pass on one of the best things my coach has taught me is:Don't be attached to the outcome. Some of the things I've done to improve my business are: I joined a coaching program.I have a role play partner in another part of the country that I talk to 3 times a week for 15 minutes. Her market is different than mine and it helps me to think outside the box.I have a networking group with other top agents in my area that meet once a month covering new topics.I give 110% to my clients, always searching for better ways to do business. At the end of the day we win some and lose some. I choose to look at this market as an opportunity to shine.
How to help a former owner/tenant whose property has been foreclosed on
2007-09-01 19:14:19
For all the agents who are considering selling REO properties or already do here are a few thoughts to consider: I believe that selling REO properties takes resourcefulness and compassion. Often, we agents are the only real person the former owner has any contact with. Many times the former owners are in denial and need our help to move on. I have seen many people lose the home they lived in their whole lives due to a job loss or disability or tenants who have faithfully paid rent (sometimes after the property
was foreclosed on) lose their last month and security. I believe we have an ethical responsibility to help these people. I always approach them with an understanding that this is a traumatic situation but the best thing they can do for themselves and their family is to move on. I give them information on public assistance, shelters and other various resources to help them find new housing. I stay in touch with them weekly to see what progress they've made and I've sat in
October Dunstable Housing Report
2007-10-30 20:21:36
Here is a snapshot of the current Housing
Market Actives by Price Band Property Type: Single Family Location: Dunstable, MA Asking Price Range # Listings % Total Avg Days on Market $249,000 - $249,999 1 4.8% 69 $300,000 - $349,999 1 4.8% 251 $350,000 - $399,999 4 19.0% 146 $400,000 - $449,999 4 19.0% 126 $450,000 - $499,999 3 14.3% 50 $500,000 - $599,999 1 4.8% 76 $600,000 - $699,999 6 28.6% 84 $700,000 - $799,999 1 4.8% 97 TotalListings AverageDays OnMarket MedianPrice AveragePrice LowestPrice HighestPrice 21 106 $459,800 $500,719 $249,000 $799,000
Read more: October
October Lexington Housing Report
2007-10-30 20:19:35
Here is a snapshot of the current Housing
Market Actives by Price Band Property Type: Single Family Location: Lexington
, MA Asking Price Range # Listings % Total Avg Days on Market $382,500 - $399,999 4 3.5% 81 $400,000 - $449,999 5 4.4% 41 $450,000 - $499,999 7 6.2% 51 $500,000 - $599,999 19 16.8% 93 $600,000 - $699,999 12 10.6% 130 $700,000 - $799,999 7 6.2% 134 $800,000 - $899,999 4 3.5% 122 $900,000 - $999,999 8 7.1% 211 $1,000,000 - $1,499,999 25 22.1% 99 $1,500,000 - $1,999,999 12 10.6% 174 $2,000,000 - $2,499,999 6 5.3% 125 $2,500,000 - $2,999,999 2
Read more: October
October Westford Housing Report
2007-10-30 20:16:38
Here is a snapshot of the current Housing
Market Actives by Price Band Property Type: Single Family Location: Westford, MA Asking Price Range # Listings % Total Avg Days on Market $19,900 - $49,999 1 0.9% 765 $150,000 - $199,999 1 0.9% 35 $200,000 - $249,999 5 4.7% 144 $250,000 - $299,999 11 10.3% 122 $300,000 - $349,999 13 12.1% 92 $350,000 - $399,999 16 15.0% 61 $400,000 - $449,999 8 7.5% 107 $450,000 - $499,999 7 6.5% 72 $500,000 - $599,999 9 8.4% 116 $600,000 - $699,999 18 16.8% 91 $700,000 - $799,999 6 5.6% 196 $800,000 - $899,999 9 8.4% 217 $900,000 - $999,999 2 1.9
Read more: October
October Tyngsborough Housing Report
2007-10-30 20:13:38
Here is a snapshot of the current Housing
Market Actives by Price Band Property Type: Single Family Location: Tyngsboro, MA Asking Price Range # Listings % Total Avg Days on Market $159,900 - $199,999 3 4.1% 111 $200,000 - $249,999 2 2.7% 88 $250,000 - $299,999 12 16.4% 125 $300,000 - $349,999 8 11.0% 101 $350,000 - $399,999 17 23.3% 125 $400,000 - $449,999 6 8.2% 251 $450,000 - $499,999 10 13.7% 115 $500,000 - $599,999 6 8.2% 146 $600,000 - $699,999 5 6.8% 177 $800,000 - $899,999 3 4.1% 62 $1,000,000 - $1,499,999 1 1.4% 40 TotalListings AverageDays
Read more: October
October Townsend Housing Report
2007-10-30 20:11:39
Here is a snapshot of the current Housing
Market Actives by Price Band Property Type: Single Family Location: Townsend, MA Asking Price Range # Listings % Total Avg Days on Market $198,888 - $199,999 1 1.2% 12 $200,000 - $249,999 13 15.7% 142 $250,000 - $299,999 28 33.7% 95 $300,000 - $349,999 8 9.6% 77 $350,000 - $399,999 12 14.5% 273 $400,000 - $449,999 16 19.3% 264 $450,000 - $499,999 3 3.6% 289 $500,000 - $599,999 1 1.2% 688 $800,000 - $899,999 1 1.2% 491 TotalListings AverageDays OnMarket MedianPrice AveragePrice LowestPrice HighestPrice 83 177 $299,900 $336,989 $198,888 $865,900
Read more: October
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