NEW NUGGET: “Get Motivated” posted at www.NuggetsForTheNoggin.com
A MESSAGE FOR OUR TIME! I am recommending that everyone go to www.TheScienceofGettingRich.com and down load Wallace Wattles FREE E-book entitled The Science of Getting Rich; it was written in 1910 but given the state of our economy, it is a message for our time, it is about “thinking in a certain way!” While on the site, you can also sign up for a course on the subject but what is neat is you pay ONLY what you think you can afford for the class. This book is all about the principle discussed in The Secret. If you think money is the issue, this is the place to start.
QUOTE: “Management works IN the system; leadership works ON the system.” Stephen Covey. The Keller Williams basic model is based on the premise that INDIVIDUALS work IN the system with EACH working ON the system as leaders. Here is a question for you to ponder: Is what I am about to say or do consistent with being a Market Center Leader? One more question: Did I leave my personal agenda at the front door?
LATEST REAL ESTATE TRENDS Seminar, Baton Rouge, Thursday, April 16. $50.00. Go to www.batonrougetrends.com for more information.
REALTOR CODE OF ETHICS, ARTICLE 3
REALTORS® shall cooperate with other brokers except when cooperation is not in the client’s best interest. The obligation to cooperate does not include the obligation to share commissions, fees, or to otherwise compensate another broker. (Amended 1/95) Gymbeaux Note: The underlined portion of this Article is especially true in commercial listings. The properties may be listed but with no provision for compensation. If that is the case, you need to ascertain, in writing, what your compensation is BEFORE you proceed.
DON’T LIKE WHAT A COOP COMMISSION IS? Before you make a comment to anyone, read this link from the New Orleans Association of Realtors: http://www.nomar.org/pdfs/AntitrustArticle.pdf
ANNUAL REALTOR AWARDS. Have you ever wondered why there are some agents whose names are obviously omitted from a list of Awardees published by the Northshore Area Board of Realtors? The reason is there are two Boards in our area, NABOR, The Northshore Area Board of Realtors and NOMAR, New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors. A Broker may be a member of either or both boards. Agents must be a member of the Primary Board that their Designated Broker designates; in our case NABOR. Agents may elect to be a member of both boards or any other board for that matter. Some Slidell Brokers have chosen to select the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (NOMAR) as their primary board and as such their agents would qualify for the NOMAR awards and not be listed on the NABOR awards and visa versa. As individual agents, you can choose to join the NOMAR Board if you desire. You can usually participate in NOMAR events and especially training events but may be required to pay a non-member fee if you are not a NOMAR member. Related web sites: NABOR: www.nabor.org; NOMAR: www.nomar.org. Since you are already paying the national NAR dues and the Louisiana dues as a member of NABOR, your dues for also belonging to NOMAR would be $149.00 a year, pro-rated at just $12.41 a month.
BROKER BIT: ARE YOU PAYING SUFFICIENT ATTENTION TO COMPLETING THE REQUIRED INFORMATION ON THE AGREEMENTS TO PURCHASE!
No line should be left blank. Information asked for should be inserted as indicated. Please ask yourself this question BEFORE you sign off that all your paperwork is in order: If someone where to review your folder, could that person (such as a Real Estate Commission Investigator) reconstruct the time line of events and also prove that the Seller signed and initialed every where required and the Buyer signed and initialed every where required? If you are the listing agent, the originals should be in the Market Center's Sales Folder. If you are working from faxed copies, you should follow up by also getting the originals by mail.
There are four sections of the Agreement to Purchase that are being overlooked. The Designated Agent (Listing Agent) MUST sign the receipt for the Agreement to Purchase at the top of the first page of the Agreement. It is specific, it calls for the signature, the DAY, the DATE and AM or PM to be indicated. If you, the Listing Agent are out of town and a Designated Agent is covering for you, a copy of that Designated Agent's Authorization should be included in the folder. You know you have a Designated Agent but no one else does.
You must also sign and TOTALLY complete the section on the last page of the Agreement indicating when the Listing Agent presented the Agreement to the Sellers and/or when the Buyer's Agent presented the Agreement to the Buyers. The same is true for the Counter Offer Form where the Agent MUST sign the Counter.
Just put yourself in the position of an Investigator - could you reconstruct the listing and/or sale process by reviewing the paperwork? When it comes to legal issues, there are no short cuts.
NAR CALL TO ACTION REPORT: Since joining NAR's Broker Participation Program regarding Calls For Action, we as a Market Center have been asked to respond on only one occasion and that was the stimulus bill. 6 responses were submitted from the Slidell Market Center. That represented 6.6% of the roster at the time. REALTORS make up one of the largest if not THE largest organized groups of voters in the country. Not only that, we represent the American Dream.
Congress responds to NUMBERS even thought at times it appears they don't.
When NAR asks for a Call For Action on behalf if its membership I would like to think that PROVIDED you agree with the issue you would respond. I know the stimulus package was a very controversial issue and maybe that kept some from responding and that is encouraged if you do not feel strongly about an issue. But if you DO feel strongly and DON"T respond it is hard to get the attention of Congress. Thought you would all like to know how we as a Market Center responded.
4 HOURS OF REALLY GOOD CE: How to Attract More Buyers & Create More Sales With the Tips & Techniques Taught in Jeff Elias’ 4 Hour CE Course Titled:
“Financing Methods to Provide Better & Clearer Service to Consumers.” Receive 4 hours CE Credit. April 17th, 1:00 to 5:00. See attached registration form or go to www.nomar.org I have been to a Jeff Elias seminar in the past and he is really very good. Gymbeaux
LIFE’S GOALS: Do you have really big goals for your life? Do you have 100 things you want to do, see or participate in? On April 7th I will be fulfilling one of my 100 things I want to do – attend the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. You cannot obtain tickets for the actual tournament that begins on the 8th. You have to literally inherit them; hardest ticket in sports. You can apply for the lottery for a drawing to attend the practice rounds. I have been submitting my name for over 12 years and I won this year. Get a balance on your life; do things other than work. Make a list of at least 20 very special things you want to do and then focus on doing them sooner rather than later.
Chinese Drywall Article: http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2009/03/17/chinese-drywall-controversy-arrives-in-louisiana/
25 STRATEGIC MONEY ACTIVITIES to help secure your financial position. Written by Tamara Lowe, only 2 pages but packed with powerful suggestions. It can be retrieved on www.SlidellCalendar.com. In the document section under the Motivation folder.
SMART AD STRATEGIES FOR A TOUGH MARKET: Article:
http://www.realtor.org/rmobrokers/articles/2009/0904_broker_adstrategies
BUILDING BUSINESS AROUND THE $8000 HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT: Article at: http://www.realtor.org/rmonews_and_commentary/articles/2009/0904_taxcredit
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, PROPOSED CHANGE: http://www.1012corridor.com/archives/1012-corridor-weekly/latest/
“See" and "Think" before "Do" = Bigger Success Than You Have Now. Article by Jeffrey Gitomer. Good stuff.
http://www.gitomer.com/articles/ViewPublicArticle.html?key=ajcdMibak3PCsbNXZVP3oA%3D%3D
False Hope For Homeowners, an Inman News article worth reading:
http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/marciegeffner/false-hope-homeowners?page=0%2C0
TERRABELLAVILLAGE.COM. There is a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) under construction just north of Madisonville. You may not be familiar with TNDs; they are very popular in other parts of the country. The nearest one I am familiar with is in Lafayette LA and it is beautiful. A TND encompasses single family, townhomes and condos in addition to a town square and commercial development making it a self-contained community. You can learn more by going to www.terrabellavillage.com or visiting the site as I did this week. Streets are in and there is some construction but the best is obviously yet to come. Check it out.
PLANNING YOUR FUTURE? This is a great 14 minute video that says it all:
http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net/which-card
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Newletter for the Week Ending March 20, 2009
QUOTE: “Wherever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” Peter F. Drucker
CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE VITITOE, #1 Residential Sales Associate in St. Tammany Parish for 2008; CAROLE WOODWARD, REALTOR OF THE YEAR for 2008! and NICOLE SILVA, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR for 2008 and all of our award winners for 2008; job well done all!
CODE OF ETHICS ARTICLE 2:
Realtors® shall avoid exaggeration, misrepresentation, or concealment of pertinent facts relating to the property or the transaction. Realtors® shall not, however, be obligated to discover latent defects in the property, to advise on matters outside the scope of their real estate license, or to disclose facts which are confidential under the scope of agency or non-agency relationships as defined by state law. (Amended 1/00)
BROKER BIT: REAL ESTATE COMMISSION COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
Like it or not, when you write an Agreement to Purchase (Offer), you are to get the listing agent’s (designated agent) signature on the first page of the Offer. To be compliant there is no way around this other than calling the listing agent, letting the agent know you have an Offer and then arrange to MEET face to face and obtain the proper signature and date on the first page of the Offer. You then make a copy for your files and the Market Center’s files. If the listing agent has access to a fax machine, fax signatures are acceptable. You cannot simply obtain the signature of someone at the front desk, licensed or not – you are to obtain the Designated Agent’s signature and that would be the Listing Agent.
Next issue is the section on the last page of the Offer that specifies when the offer was presented to the Seller and another section to indicate when it was presented to the Buyer. In both cases it calls for the DAY of the week; the DATE, the TIME and whether it was AM or PM. Not an option – this must be completed.
Next is the reference to the Seller’s Disclosure. There are options on the bottom of the last page of the Offer – complete them as applicable.
FINALLY, as was taught in the 4 hours of CE class on the new Agreement to Purchase, leave no space blank! NONE! If something does not apply, enter N/A.
Other areas that are subject to error include obtaining the BUYER’S INITIALS on the Lead Base Paint Disclosure. It is not be a check mark; INITIALS. Same applies to the listing agent section in paragraph (f), it requires INITIALS, not a check mark.
WALL OF HONOR. The Market Center is going to honor our military family. Please send me JimBrown@gymbeaux.com a photograph of yourself, or your immediate family member in uniform. I will post it on the Wall of Honor.
With the Congruence of Ridiculous Anti-Happiness Publishings (CRAP) for short, I thought you might like to see and hear a truly remarkable and uplifting story, video and audio. These are two of my favorite entertainers. The story speaks for itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXbLXI7R_lg&feature=related
POWERFUL VIDEO CLIPS: There are some, certainly not you, who may not be ready for this link to a couple of Video Clips by Ms. Byron Katie. I have been listening to several of her CDs. Look for the photos under the heading The Work In Action. The video on Race is powerful. I sincerely hope everyone takes the time to watch these. http://www.thework.com/.
CCIM Class on Advanced Negotiating to be held in New Orleans on April 2-3. Check out the details at: http://www.ccim.com/education/rlwc/negotiation_workshops.html
NETWORKING STRATEGIES. A report by Peter Lowe of Get Motivated. Peter lists 20 strategies for becoming an effective networker. If you believe in generating leads, you must also appreciate how important networking can be to accomplish that. The report has been uploaded to http://www.slidellcalendar.com/ in the documents section in the Networking Folder.
CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT AND YOUR APPEARANCE? Checkout the free report YOUR BODY’S SECRET LANUAGE. It is posted on http://www.slidellcalendar.com/ under Documents and Health and Fitness.
BEFUNKY.COM. This is such a cool web site. You can take a photograph and turn it into a cartoon or several other formats. You will need to set up a free account in order to save the photos. http://www.befunky.com/
9 Part Prospecting for Profit Ecourse by Colleen Francis. Uploaded to http://www.slidellcalendar.com/, Document section under Productivity.
www.VistaPrint.com/tdoffer. There are some great prices plus free business cards on this offer from Vista Print through http://www.tigerdirect.com/. If you plan to buy any electronics such as computers, cameras, or even parts, check out http://www.tigerdirect.com/ and then let me see what our company representative can do you for on price and/or free shipping. Sign up with a free account and get some great email sale flyers on electronics.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE VITITOE, #1 Residential Sales Associate in St. Tammany Parish for 2008; CAROLE WOODWARD, REALTOR OF THE YEAR for 2008! and NICOLE SILVA, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR for 2008 and all of our award winners for 2008; job well done all!
CODE OF ETHICS ARTICLE 2:
Realtors® shall avoid exaggeration, misrepresentation, or concealment of pertinent facts relating to the property or the transaction. Realtors® shall not, however, be obligated to discover latent defects in the property, to advise on matters outside the scope of their real estate license, or to disclose facts which are confidential under the scope of agency or non-agency relationships as defined by state law. (Amended 1/00)
BROKER BIT: REAL ESTATE COMMISSION COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
Like it or not, when you write an Agreement to Purchase (Offer), you are to get the listing agent’s (designated agent) signature on the first page of the Offer. To be compliant there is no way around this other than calling the listing agent, letting the agent know you have an Offer and then arrange to MEET face to face and obtain the proper signature and date on the first page of the Offer. You then make a copy for your files and the Market Center’s files. If the listing agent has access to a fax machine, fax signatures are acceptable. You cannot simply obtain the signature of someone at the front desk, licensed or not – you are to obtain the Designated Agent’s signature and that would be the Listing Agent.
Next issue is the section on the last page of the Offer that specifies when the offer was presented to the Seller and another section to indicate when it was presented to the Buyer. In both cases it calls for the DAY of the week; the DATE, the TIME and whether it was AM or PM. Not an option – this must be completed.
Next is the reference to the Seller’s Disclosure. There are options on the bottom of the last page of the Offer – complete them as applicable.
FINALLY, as was taught in the 4 hours of CE class on the new Agreement to Purchase, leave no space blank! NONE! If something does not apply, enter N/A.
Other areas that are subject to error include obtaining the BUYER’S INITIALS on the Lead Base Paint Disclosure. It is not be a check mark; INITIALS. Same applies to the listing agent section in paragraph (f), it requires INITIALS, not a check mark.
WALL OF HONOR. The Market Center is going to honor our military family. Please send me JimBrown@gymbeaux.com a photograph of yourself, or your immediate family member in uniform. I will post it on the Wall of Honor.
With the Congruence of Ridiculous Anti-Happiness Publishings (CRAP) for short, I thought you might like to see and hear a truly remarkable and uplifting story, video and audio. These are two of my favorite entertainers. The story speaks for itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXbLXI7R_lg&feature=related
POWERFUL VIDEO CLIPS: There are some, certainly not you, who may not be ready for this link to a couple of Video Clips by Ms. Byron Katie. I have been listening to several of her CDs. Look for the photos under the heading The Work In Action. The video on Race is powerful. I sincerely hope everyone takes the time to watch these. http://www.thework.com/.
CCIM Class on Advanced Negotiating to be held in New Orleans on April 2-3. Check out the details at: http://www.ccim.com/education/rlwc/negotiation_workshops.html
NETWORKING STRATEGIES. A report by Peter Lowe of Get Motivated. Peter lists 20 strategies for becoming an effective networker. If you believe in generating leads, you must also appreciate how important networking can be to accomplish that. The report has been uploaded to http://www.slidellcalendar.com/ in the documents section in the Networking Folder.
CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT AND YOUR APPEARANCE? Checkout the free report YOUR BODY’S SECRET LANUAGE. It is posted on http://www.slidellcalendar.com/ under Documents and Health and Fitness.
BEFUNKY.COM. This is such a cool web site. You can take a photograph and turn it into a cartoon or several other formats. You will need to set up a free account in order to save the photos. http://www.befunky.com/
9 Part Prospecting for Profit Ecourse by Colleen Francis. Uploaded to http://www.slidellcalendar.com/, Document section under Productivity.
www.VistaPrint.com/tdoffer. There are some great prices plus free business cards on this offer from Vista Print through http://www.tigerdirect.com/. If you plan to buy any electronics such as computers, cameras, or even parts, check out http://www.tigerdirect.com/ and then let me see what our company representative can do you for on price and/or free shipping. Sign up with a free account and get some great email sale flyers on electronics.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Market Center Newsletter
NEWSLETTER FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 13TH
Quote: “There is no investment you can make which will pay you as well as the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer through your establishment (Market Center).” Orison Swett Marden
CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE VITITOE; NICOLE SILVA AND CAROLE WOODWARD. Debbie won the award for being the top (#1) residential sales associate in St. Tammany Parish. Nicole Silva was awarded the Rookie of the Year for 2008 and Carole Woodward was awarded Realtor of the Year for 2008! I call that a perfect Trifecta!
LATEST NUGGET FOR THE NOGGIN, “ARE WE THERE YET?” Check it out at www.NuggetsForTheNoggin.com.
M&M’s RETURNS MONDAY. Neil Diamond and I will be hosting the M&M Group, open to everyone at 11:00 Monday in the Training Room. Please sign up so I know who plans on attending. Remember, this is YOUR hour. We will discuss whatever is on your mind. Bring your questions, your problems or just come and chat. The sign up sheet is outside the Team Leader’s Office.
CODE OF ETHICS ARTICLE OF THE WEEK: Article 1:
When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, Realtors® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve Realtors® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly. When serving a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or other party in a non-agency capacity, Realtors® remain obligated to treat all parties honestly. (Amended 1/01)
BROKER BIT: Any time you meet with a buyer and/or seller you need to be observant of who you are talking with. If only one person is buying and/or selling, simply ask, “Will there be anyone else involved in making the buying (selling) decision?” When listing a property if there is only one person ask, “Were there any other names on the closing papers?” If there was a divorce, death or abandonment, you need to know. There are legal actions that must happen before just one person can buy or sell a property. If two people want to buy real estate and they are not married, you best advice would be to get them before an attorney for legal advice BEFORE you list the property or prepare an Agreement to Buy. It also needs to be said that the gay culture is not a protected class under the Fair Housing Laws but it probably will be and probably should be. The best advise it to treat everyone equally and fairly no matter what! If there was a death of a property owner and someone has been named as the Executor of the estate, there is a legal document that so states this. Ask to make a copy for your files and the files of the Market Center. SIMPLY PUT. YOU MUST KNOW THAT THE PERSON OR PERSONS YOU ARE DEALING WITH HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF A CONTRACT, ANY CONTRACT.
THE PORTRAIT: This is an amazing and inspiring video, get out your hankies on this one. http://www.sonnyradio.com/theportrait.html
Cool song, a little political but how can anyone be against being American?
http://www.bornagainamerican.org
START YOUR DAY WITH A LAUGH. This, in my opinion, is the funniest thing on the Internet. http://www.chumfm.com/MorningShow/bits/march24.swf
CASHING IN ON FSBOS: Check out the article from Inman News:
http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/berniceross/cashing-in-fsbos?page=0%2C0
COMPLIANCE REMINDER. All advertisements must include the name of the company and the telephone number. Also, in small print, you must include the following disclaimer: “Each Office Independently Owned & Operated.” These are Louisiana Real Estate Commission requirements. On any electronic type communication and/or advertisement you must also include the city, state and COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, Slidell, LA 70461 – USA would serve the purpose. You must also include this disclaimer in addition to the “Each Office” described above – “Broker and associates are licensed by the State of Louisiana”. Any property type flyers are to include the DATE the flyer is prepared.
NOMAR Sponsored CE Classes, go to www.nomar.org to register
Just so you know/remember, 4 HRS of Agreement to Buy or Sell is mandatory for 2009
Mon. March 16 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
Thurs. March 26 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
“Procuring Cause” 12:45pm-2:45 NOMAR
“Tax Advantages for RE Agents” 3:00pm-5:00 NOMAR
Mon. April 6 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
Wed. April 15 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 9:30am-1:30 West Bank, NOMAR
“1031 Tax Exchange” 2:00pm-4:00 West Bank, NOMAR
Fri. April 17 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
Socrates Success Secret by Mike Litman. As you read this, remember Jim Rohn’s quote: “An education will earn you a living. Self-education will earn you a fortune.” To earn your fortune, follow Mike Litman’s and Jim Rohn’s advice.
http://www.mikelitman.com/blog/?p=136#more-136
Address the objection BEFORE the buyer thinks of it. “Mr. & Mrs. Buyer, I feel I have to warn you. Sometime after you leave the office and probably before tomorrow morning, you are going to stop and ask yourself, “What did we just do?’ I know exactly how you will feel because I often feel that way right after I purchase a home, a car, a golf club or even a slightly expensive book. It is perfectly natural. When that occurs remember it is a natural feeling and then remember what your goal is, to buy a new home. Just let the feeling pass and remember hardly a homebuyer doesn’t feel that way sooner or later.” I can’t tell you the number of times buyers have said, “Jim, you were right. As soon as we got home we started having second thoughts.” And more importantly they thanked me for preparing them for what might (could) happen. MARKETING SUGGESTION. Get a large prescription vial and create a prescription looking label with “Buyer’s Remorse Pills” on it. Fill the vial with M&Ms. “Use as needed and as often as possible whenever you feel butterflies (which is COMPLETELY NORMAL and expected when buying a home!). Delicious when used with milk. To avoid weight gain, use ONLY for a short period (few days – maximum a few weeks). WARNING: Buyers Remorse Pills can be addictive! Prescribed by: (Your Name).
You’ve heard it from me, now hear it from an "expert". 6% of nothing is nothing! DISCLAIMER. Commissions are negotiable. The 6% referred to above is nothing more than the title of an article. There is no standard or typical commission. COMMISSIONS ARE NEGOTIABLE. http://www.brokeragentsocial.com/article/220/6-of-nothing-is-nothing
IMPORTANT SCRIPT: Since I included the above article along with a disclaimer, let me explain. ALL COMMISSIONS ARE NEGOTIABLE. If anyone should ever ask you what your charge, or what is your standard commission, you should answer, “That depends. It depends upon the type of property, the condition of the property, a seller’s motivation for selling and the price of the property. I couldn’t possibly quote you a commission without first seeing your property and then discussing the marketing with you. Would you be available this afternoon or would tomorrow afternoon be better for you?” There are “testers” for Fair Housing Violations as well as anti-trust violations whose only job is to search the market for violations of laws affecting both. Just assume every inquiry is from one of these “testers” and you will be fine.
Quote: “There is no investment you can make which will pay you as well as the effort to scatter sunshine and good cheer through your establishment (Market Center).” Orison Swett Marden
CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBIE VITITOE; NICOLE SILVA AND CAROLE WOODWARD. Debbie won the award for being the top (#1) residential sales associate in St. Tammany Parish. Nicole Silva was awarded the Rookie of the Year for 2008 and Carole Woodward was awarded Realtor of the Year for 2008! I call that a perfect Trifecta!
LATEST NUGGET FOR THE NOGGIN, “ARE WE THERE YET?” Check it out at www.NuggetsForTheNoggin.com.
M&M’s RETURNS MONDAY. Neil Diamond and I will be hosting the M&M Group, open to everyone at 11:00 Monday in the Training Room. Please sign up so I know who plans on attending. Remember, this is YOUR hour. We will discuss whatever is on your mind. Bring your questions, your problems or just come and chat. The sign up sheet is outside the Team Leader’s Office.
CODE OF ETHICS ARTICLE OF THE WEEK: Article 1:
When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, Realtors® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve Realtors® of their obligation to treat all parties honestly. When serving a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant or other party in a non-agency capacity, Realtors® remain obligated to treat all parties honestly. (Amended 1/01)
BROKER BIT: Any time you meet with a buyer and/or seller you need to be observant of who you are talking with. If only one person is buying and/or selling, simply ask, “Will there be anyone else involved in making the buying (selling) decision?” When listing a property if there is only one person ask, “Were there any other names on the closing papers?” If there was a divorce, death or abandonment, you need to know. There are legal actions that must happen before just one person can buy or sell a property. If two people want to buy real estate and they are not married, you best advice would be to get them before an attorney for legal advice BEFORE you list the property or prepare an Agreement to Buy. It also needs to be said that the gay culture is not a protected class under the Fair Housing Laws but it probably will be and probably should be. The best advise it to treat everyone equally and fairly no matter what! If there was a death of a property owner and someone has been named as the Executor of the estate, there is a legal document that so states this. Ask to make a copy for your files and the files of the Market Center. SIMPLY PUT. YOU MUST KNOW THAT THE PERSON OR PERSONS YOU ARE DEALING WITH HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF A CONTRACT, ANY CONTRACT.
THE PORTRAIT: This is an amazing and inspiring video, get out your hankies on this one. http://www.sonnyradio.com/theportrait.html
Cool song, a little political but how can anyone be against being American?
http://www.bornagainamerican.org
START YOUR DAY WITH A LAUGH. This, in my opinion, is the funniest thing on the Internet. http://www.chumfm.com/MorningShow/bits/march24.swf
CASHING IN ON FSBOS: Check out the article from Inman News:
http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/berniceross/cashing-in-fsbos?page=0%2C0
COMPLIANCE REMINDER. All advertisements must include the name of the company and the telephone number. Also, in small print, you must include the following disclaimer: “Each Office Independently Owned & Operated.” These are Louisiana Real Estate Commission requirements. On any electronic type communication and/or advertisement you must also include the city, state and COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, Slidell, LA 70461 – USA would serve the purpose. You must also include this disclaimer in addition to the “Each Office” described above – “Broker and associates are licensed by the State of Louisiana”. Any property type flyers are to include the DATE the flyer is prepared.
NOMAR Sponsored CE Classes, go to www.nomar.org to register
Just so you know/remember, 4 HRS of Agreement to Buy or Sell is mandatory for 2009
Mon. March 16 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
Thurs. March 26 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
“Procuring Cause” 12:45pm-2:45 NOMAR
“Tax Advantages for RE Agents” 3:00pm-5:00 NOMAR
Mon. April 6 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
Wed. April 15 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 9:30am-1:30 West Bank, NOMAR
“1031 Tax Exchange” 2:00pm-4:00 West Bank, NOMAR
Fri. April 17 “Res. Agreement to Buy or Sell” 8:15am-12:15 NOMAR
Socrates Success Secret by Mike Litman. As you read this, remember Jim Rohn’s quote: “An education will earn you a living. Self-education will earn you a fortune.” To earn your fortune, follow Mike Litman’s and Jim Rohn’s advice.
http://www.mikelitman.com/blog/?p=136#more-136
Address the objection BEFORE the buyer thinks of it. “Mr. & Mrs. Buyer, I feel I have to warn you. Sometime after you leave the office and probably before tomorrow morning, you are going to stop and ask yourself, “What did we just do?’ I know exactly how you will feel because I often feel that way right after I purchase a home, a car, a golf club or even a slightly expensive book. It is perfectly natural. When that occurs remember it is a natural feeling and then remember what your goal is, to buy a new home. Just let the feeling pass and remember hardly a homebuyer doesn’t feel that way sooner or later.” I can’t tell you the number of times buyers have said, “Jim, you were right. As soon as we got home we started having second thoughts.” And more importantly they thanked me for preparing them for what might (could) happen. MARKETING SUGGESTION. Get a large prescription vial and create a prescription looking label with “Buyer’s Remorse Pills” on it. Fill the vial with M&Ms. “Use as needed and as often as possible whenever you feel butterflies (which is COMPLETELY NORMAL and expected when buying a home!). Delicious when used with milk. To avoid weight gain, use ONLY for a short period (few days – maximum a few weeks). WARNING: Buyers Remorse Pills can be addictive! Prescribed by: (Your Name).
You’ve heard it from me, now hear it from an "expert". 6% of nothing is nothing! DISCLAIMER. Commissions are negotiable. The 6% referred to above is nothing more than the title of an article. There is no standard or typical commission. COMMISSIONS ARE NEGOTIABLE. http://www.brokeragentsocial.com/article/220/6-of-nothing-is-nothing
IMPORTANT SCRIPT: Since I included the above article along with a disclaimer, let me explain. ALL COMMISSIONS ARE NEGOTIABLE. If anyone should ever ask you what your charge, or what is your standard commission, you should answer, “That depends. It depends upon the type of property, the condition of the property, a seller’s motivation for selling and the price of the property. I couldn’t possibly quote you a commission without first seeing your property and then discussing the marketing with you. Would you be available this afternoon or would tomorrow afternoon be better for you?” There are “testers” for Fair Housing Violations as well as anti-trust violations whose only job is to search the market for violations of laws affecting both. Just assume every inquiry is from one of these “testers” and you will be fine.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Market Center Newsletter March 6, 2009
NEWSLETTER FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 6, 2009
QUOTE: "Never speak of the times as being hard or of business conditions as being doubtful. Times may be hard and business doubtful for those who are on the competitive plane, but they can never be so for YOU. YOU can create what you want, and YOU are above fear. When others are having hard times and poor business, YOU will find your greatest opportunities. Train yourself to think of and to look upon the world as something which is becoming, which is growing ..." Wallace D. Wattles, 1910, The Science of Getting Rich, Chapter 16. A complete FREE download of Wattles book is available on http://www.thescienceofgettingrich.com/. It is also on http://www.slidellcalendar.com/.
Keller Williams Becomes the Nations Third Largest Real Estate Franchise. Read about it http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2009/03/02/daily9.html
David Knox, First Tuesday 10 Minute Training Video.
THIS IS GREAT STUFF! Securing Higher Offers: https://www.davidknox.com/knox_sales_meetings/030309/
Knock off all 12 hours of CE classes ONLINE for $65.00 including the required 4 hours of the Agreement to Purchase. http://www.bbolc.com/home/louisiana-real-estate-ce.html
FANNIE Instructions Its Servicers NOT to Cut Commissions on Short Sales. On February 24, Fannie Mae sent Announcement 09-03 to its servicers instructing them not to negotiate commissions on short sales below the amount negotiated by the listing agent (unless the commission exceeds 6 percent). The requirement took effect March 1, 2009. Scroll down on the linked page until you see this article headline. While there you might want to read the other articles on this link as well.
http://www.larealtors.org/news/default.asp
KELLER WILLIAMS HEALTH PLAN LINK:
http://www.myplan.us/. Login: Keller, Password: Williams.
Book Recommendation: GET MOTIVATED by Tamara Lowe. This is really good stuff. You can take a 25 question quiz that will help you to determine your Motivational DNA. Once you know that, you know what motivates you and what does not. It also helps you to know how to motivate others like your children and maybe even your broker J. http://www.getmotivatedbook.com/.
NEW DVD: I have obtained a DVD with two speakers on it. Zig Ziglar, there is no one better. It is a 90 minute live presentation (awesome!) outlining the 5 Keys to Igniting Motivation & Success. There is also a 30 minute presentation on goals by Krish Dhanam. I had the opportunity to see and hear Krish in person and he was simply OUTSTANING as is this DVD. I will schedule a showing of the Zig Ziglar DVD with the Training and Education Committee.
When you fall, GET BACK UP. Watch this video and maybe the things you have been complaining about won’t seem as bad as you thought they were. I sincerely hope everyone takes a few minutes to see this; you won’t forget it – EVER! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MslbhDZoniY
New Rules for a New Economy. This is an article on SalesDog. One thing not mentioned in the article is what Gary Keller has said in The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, you can ONLY grow your business in a down market. That is when the cream truly rises to the top by going back to the basics of prospecting every day forever! http://www.salesdog.com/newsletter/2009/nl0416.asp
One Man’s Dream Come True – Dancing Around The World! Imagine what you can do when you put your mind to it. Short entertaining video on YouTube.com. http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/?fbid=iO3pxDw1ClB
Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the World's Poorest Citizens, Makes His Case; article. One man with an unusual idea is literally changing the world by initially investing $27 to help 42 poor people. When you think outside-the-box, nothing is impossible. http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1147
How much is one red paperclip worth to you? Check out this unbelievable story of how one man turned one red paperclip into a home simply by trading up. 8 minute long video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE8b02EdZvw
VOWS, How and Why. Virtual Office Web Sites. This article explains where we are headed with web sites and how it will benefit both the consumer and the real estate agent.
http://www.inman.com/opinion/guest-perspective/2009/03/3/vows-how-and-why
New Branson MO type entertainment type theater to open in Satsuma, LA, on I-12 about 20 miles or so WEST of Hammond. Opening set for May. http://www.pacoswainpromotions.com/
Happy For No Reason author Marci Shimoff YouTube Video; short and good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACidcPZNwdo
NEWEST NUGGET FOR THE NOGGIN. “What You Think Of Me Is None Of My Business” posted to http://www.nuggetsforthenoggin.com/. Check it out.
QUOTE: "Never speak of the times as being hard or of business conditions as being doubtful. Times may be hard and business doubtful for those who are on the competitive plane, but they can never be so for YOU. YOU can create what you want, and YOU are above fear. When others are having hard times and poor business, YOU will find your greatest opportunities. Train yourself to think of and to look upon the world as something which is becoming, which is growing ..." Wallace D. Wattles, 1910, The Science of Getting Rich, Chapter 16. A complete FREE download of Wattles book is available on http://www.thescienceofgettingrich.com/. It is also on http://www.slidellcalendar.com/.
Keller Williams Becomes the Nations Third Largest Real Estate Franchise. Read about it http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2009/03/02/daily9.html
David Knox, First Tuesday 10 Minute Training Video.
THIS IS GREAT STUFF! Securing Higher Offers: https://www.davidknox.com/knox_sales_meetings/030309/
Knock off all 12 hours of CE classes ONLINE for $65.00 including the required 4 hours of the Agreement to Purchase. http://www.bbolc.com/home/louisiana-real-estate-ce.html
FANNIE Instructions Its Servicers NOT to Cut Commissions on Short Sales. On February 24, Fannie Mae sent Announcement 09-03 to its servicers instructing them not to negotiate commissions on short sales below the amount negotiated by the listing agent (unless the commission exceeds 6 percent). The requirement took effect March 1, 2009. Scroll down on the linked page until you see this article headline. While there you might want to read the other articles on this link as well.
http://www.larealtors.org/news/default.asp
KELLER WILLIAMS HEALTH PLAN LINK:
http://www.myplan.us/. Login: Keller, Password: Williams.
Book Recommendation: GET MOTIVATED by Tamara Lowe. This is really good stuff. You can take a 25 question quiz that will help you to determine your Motivational DNA. Once you know that, you know what motivates you and what does not. It also helps you to know how to motivate others like your children and maybe even your broker J. http://www.getmotivatedbook.com/.
NEW DVD: I have obtained a DVD with two speakers on it. Zig Ziglar, there is no one better. It is a 90 minute live presentation (awesome!) outlining the 5 Keys to Igniting Motivation & Success. There is also a 30 minute presentation on goals by Krish Dhanam. I had the opportunity to see and hear Krish in person and he was simply OUTSTANING as is this DVD. I will schedule a showing of the Zig Ziglar DVD with the Training and Education Committee.
When you fall, GET BACK UP. Watch this video and maybe the things you have been complaining about won’t seem as bad as you thought they were. I sincerely hope everyone takes a few minutes to see this; you won’t forget it – EVER! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MslbhDZoniY
New Rules for a New Economy. This is an article on SalesDog. One thing not mentioned in the article is what Gary Keller has said in The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, you can ONLY grow your business in a down market. That is when the cream truly rises to the top by going back to the basics of prospecting every day forever! http://www.salesdog.com/newsletter/2009/nl0416.asp
One Man’s Dream Come True – Dancing Around The World! Imagine what you can do when you put your mind to it. Short entertaining video on YouTube.com. http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/?fbid=iO3pxDw1ClB
Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the World's Poorest Citizens, Makes His Case; article. One man with an unusual idea is literally changing the world by initially investing $27 to help 42 poor people. When you think outside-the-box, nothing is impossible. http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1147
How much is one red paperclip worth to you? Check out this unbelievable story of how one man turned one red paperclip into a home simply by trading up. 8 minute long video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE8b02EdZvw
VOWS, How and Why. Virtual Office Web Sites. This article explains where we are headed with web sites and how it will benefit both the consumer and the real estate agent.
http://www.inman.com/opinion/guest-perspective/2009/03/3/vows-how-and-why
New Branson MO type entertainment type theater to open in Satsuma, LA, on I-12 about 20 miles or so WEST of Hammond. Opening set for May. http://www.pacoswainpromotions.com/
Happy For No Reason author Marci Shimoff YouTube Video; short and good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACidcPZNwdo
NEWEST NUGGET FOR THE NOGGIN. “What You Think Of Me Is None Of My Business” posted to http://www.nuggetsforthenoggin.com/. Check it out.
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