Real Estate Virtual Assistant shares keyboard tips

• I hate scrolling to the top or bottom of pages to find the navigation links that I need…so I use the END and HOME keys on my keyboard instead.
• F5 will refresh your screen or browser window.
• F6 will put your cursor in the address bar in IE or Firefox.
• Do you use your right click on your mouse for Copy, Cut and Paste functions?  Sometimes it’s easier and faster to use CTRL + C (copy), CTRL + X (cut) and CTRL + V (paste) instead!  (and when working in certain canned real estate sites you run into trouble with pop up blockers, etc…and when your right click won’t work, the CTRL + short cuts usually will!
• Instead of highlighting text and going to the edit menus to make it BOLD or ITALICS, simply use CTRL + B (bold) or CTRL + I (Italic).
• To open your START menu just use CTRL + ESC.
• ALT + TAB to switch between open programs.
• ALT + F4 closes an open window.
• And my FAVORITE that I use all the time…because I always seem to mess something up…is the UNDO shortcut…CTRL + Z (Z - as in your last resort!  LOL).

I hope these work for you as well as they do for me - I use them all the time!  Time is precious, time is money…so save where you can!

This week I am discussing the Trendsetters. Trendsetters are defined as those companies that during 2008 set forth actions that were different and memorable and could potentially have a far reaching impact on the real estate industry in the years to come.

The Top 10 Trendsetters in Real Estate for 2008 are:

1. Brookfield Real Estate Services

The acquisition of a Top 10 national franchise happens but once or twice a decade.  So when it does occur it’s important news – when it’s done by a non-U.S. company it’s very big news.  The acquisition of GMAC Real Estate by Brookfield Real Estate Services, the holding company of Royal LePage, Canada’s largest real estate company, solidifies them as a major real estate player in North America.

2. Cyberhomes

For its dynamic growth and rapid rise during the last year to become one of the strongest new forces in consumer facing websites we recognize Cyberhomes as a newsmaker.  After various earlier missteps with FNIS and Dwayne Walker, Fidelity seems to have picked a winning horse in Cyberhomes.

3. Keller Williams

Despite the steep slide in real estate sales and the sharp reduction in the number of real estate agents among most large national real estate franchises, KW apparently bucked the trend in both cases.  The company has continued to grow rapidly in size, stature and market share since 2000 as well as during the 2006-2008 housing bubble, to become one of top national real estate franchises in the industry.

4. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac

These two Government Sponsored Entities (GSE), long considered economic pillars of stability in the real estate industry, shocked the world with their financial collapse and the extent to which their leadership apparently mismanaged funds and their responsibilities.  The fact that government intervention was necessary to rescue them from total failure remains shocking.

5. Engel & Völkers

The #1 real estate company in Germany, and according to some reports all of Europe, expanded its real estate shop franchise concept to over 500 offices in 25 countries.  It also aggressively expanded into the U.S. by opening shops in Florida, Connecticut and New York and with openings in California scheduled for 2009.

6. National Association Of Realtors^®

This institution celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2008 and as we reflect on all of its accomplishments it is evident that the industry would not be where it is today without the National Association of Realtors^® (NAR).  However, what makes NAR newsworthy is not its survival but the announcement of their second century initiatives, which if successful, could significantly reshape the real estate brokerage industry. 

7. Casa Latino

Rising rapidly during the last two years, Casa Latino has become the undisputed national leader in the Hispanic market with offices in 14 states as well as 14 countries and territories in South America and the Caribbean.

8. Realogy

There is no doubt that the higher the tree the stronger the wind.  The industry leader and mega-brand real estate franchise enjoyed success and expanded during the strong real estate market of 2000-2005.  The financial crisis and housing collapse have taken their toll on the company however, resulting in hundreds of offices being closed and almost half a billion in estimated losses in 2008.  The company is large enough to survive, yet it carries an enormous debt to be restructured.  2009 might provide the answer.

9. Frontdoor

Since the launch of HGTV’s frontdoor.com late in 2007, the site has been a true bright spot for the industry.  The site has enjoyed significant growth while also offering a large selection of information for the home buying, selling and owning community.

10. Broker Agent News

Coming late to the Online Community world did not stop Broker Agent News. During the latter part of 2008 it not only changed its name from Broker Agent News to Broker Agent Professional, but also launched a new Social Network for real estate agents named Broker Agent Social. Within the first month participation exploded past 5,000

The 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report will be published the first week of February. You can still save $50 off the cover price by ordering pre the publication date at www.realestatebooks.org.

For more information 2009 edition of the Swanepoel TRENDS Report visit www.retrends.com. 

Now for the backbone of my blog. This one is very personal in nature… If you have followed me in the past… If you can handle some personal character work… read on…. If you aren’t interested in reaching deep into yourself to find out what makes you tick… don’t bother reading.  

I see so many agents wanting to be successful, so many brokers who open offices with the belief all will flock to their doors.  I have been fortunate in my business life to create success and a decent following and I enjoy great professional success but I realized, quite unexpectedly, just how vulnerable my personal being is last night, New Years Eve 2009.  There are things that you can’t even pinpoint that are blocking you from your business success or personal happiness. 

For 8 years I have felt a melancholy around the holidays.  At first I attributed it to owning a brokerage and having so many obligations, parties, company events and our children’s school and social events.  I stoically ran through it.  After we sold the company, I professed it was because I wasn’t busy enough………  For 8 years I dragged my ars up and played holiday music and tried to make merry but I had a hole in my heart that couldn’t be filled by any bon bon or fudge surprise. 

For the past 8 New Years Eves I created an excuse to go to bed early… Damn it, I was tired.   This year, I planned a big celebration party at my house so I would be ”forced” to stay up and toast.  During the toast, I literally had a melt down.  I started crying… not that cute little Hollywood tear down the cheek cry… a real, ugly, damn I am going to need tissues, cry.  I tell you this because I don’t cry easily but during that toasting moment, I had a flash back of a memory I had suppressed for 8 years.   8 years ago last night, my 60yr old father checked himself into the hospital in Maine while I struggled to get to him from Tucson. Mind you, this was after a week earlier phone conversation where he said “I may be sick but I feel ok and would love to see you,”  I knew I had to go.

I arrived at the Central Maine Medical Center after flying through 2 snow storms, 12hr delays and  taking a bus because the planes were grounded, to find my dad in his hospital room on New Years Eve. The doctor delivered the news like it was a normal daily occurrence, which for him probably was…4th stage esophageal cancer spread to every inch of his body with little more than a few weeks or months to live.

Not even imagining the circumstances being so serious earlier that day, I had the driver stop for a bottle of wine on the way to picking up my dad….I mean, of course my dad would be evaluated and released into my care and we would toast in the new year… didn’t happen.  He was admitted and I was sent home with a bottle of wine and no wine opener.   I remember banging the bottle neck against my dad’s counter edge to try to break it open so I could just drink a bit of the sweet mind numbing juice… just a moment of peace from my pain.  All this I had attached to  my cells.  Three weeks after his diagnosis, and many tears and laughter later, my father died in my arms with family members gathered around. 

Those moments left an imprint on my cells that didn’t allow me to enjoy my holidays from a very deep subconscious emotional place.  I even sought professional help because, who the hell wants to be depressed during the holidays???  But, because of my own stoic character, I wouldn’t let the therapist in enough to help me.  Honestly, I had no idea what I needed to let go of.  My dad and I had closure, we had a great 3 weeks of tying up loose ends and preparing for his death.  But it wasn’t that, it was the emotional imprint.  Just like when you are rejected by a parent or loved one.  That imprint can cause so many issues later that you can’t pinpoint. 

What is imprinted on your cells?  Are you moody, mean, sarcastic or just sad??  Are you nice to strangers because you crave their acceptance but mean to the ones closest to you?  Those feelings are real but they keep you from being HAPPY!!!!  If you like feeling sad because it gives you a reason to be “sad” and not accomplish anything then you will continue to be sad.  If you are angry with someone from your past you will hold onto that for as long as it serves you.  If you are ready to live a life free from all this and truly be you… then let it all go.  Dig deep.  Ask the people around you (who will tell you the truth) how they feel about your behavior and then LISTEN!!!!!!

My mother is the Nurse Manager for a very large teaching Psychiatric Hospital unit.  Today I asked  her how work was going and she said “Well, people do some damn crazy things around the holidays.”  Guess they keep her in business.   What crazy crap are you dealing with that keeps you from being happy?  What are you hanging onto that you really should let go of?  Do you even know what it is???  You only hold onto the things that serve you.  Even if they are painful, they are serving some need for you if you are unwilling to let them go.  I let go last night… completely.  I was using my father’s death and my pain to keep me from having to be festive and happy.  Next year, it won’t happen.

Not really sure if this helps you but I felt it necessary to share since I was hearing so many issues around familiary fights and issues during the holidays this year.  We all have something that keeps us from being the best we can be.  Find out what it is and demolish it.  I feel released of my past regarding my father by recognizing what held me down.. or rather, what I allowed to hold me down.

Best wishes for an amazing 2009!!!!!!!!

I discovered that some of my biggest successes came from dusting myself off and getting back up again.

A dear friend of mine John Pyatt taught me how to ride horses … he was my hero and I pushed myself to make him proud. I don’t why but there was just something about John that made people want to shine.

One afternoon after coming back from I trail ride I got bucked.

John’s sage words of wisdom: “If you’ve never been hurt by a horse it’s because you haven’t been around then long enough.”

No worse for wear I dusted myself off, got back in the saddle and have never looked back.

Happy New Year and all The Very Best that 2009 may offer is my wish for you.

Enjoy the video and please post your comments.

For a host of Video Interviews please be sure to visit http://ThatInterviewGuy.com

 All Good Wishes,

michael krisa

My friend, Jim Rohn, says you are either going to lead a life that is an example or a life that says warning.  The difference between those two diametrically opposed lives is the time you reflect on your actions, results and outcomes of your efforts.

It is impossible to lead a mistake free, error free life.  Successful people don’t make fewer mistakes, they merely learn more from the mistakes they make and learn quicker.  They take the error and transform it into a new action.

It’s impossible to create new actions and new activities without reviewing what has been done and your progress.  With the New Year beginning to take full swing, don’t take another step without looking back and retracing your steps that you have taken to get where you are standing right now!  The truth is, if ignorance paid huge dividends, most people would be enormously wealthy because they never took the time to review and evaluate.  I encourage you to review the area of your finances first.

One key area of your finances that must be reviewed at this time is analyzing your expenses.  I was on too many panels as an agent for years and now meet too many people that have a large gross income and very little net income.  The worst part is they don’t even know it.  Most agents have little idea what they spend to fund their business and fund their life.  Take time to review and analyze what your expenses are in your business and life.

Let me give you a process to increase your net profit:

1.      Analyze your expenses for the last year.

Take a look at each category on your profit and loss statement.  Take a look at the average you spend monthly in each category.  If you really want control, establish a monthly budget for each of the categories.  This will allow you to see where you might be prone to overspend in the future.  Establish the habit of reviewing budget verses actual expenses at least quarterly.

2.      Establish a goal of what you want to save annually.

Saving money is an acquired, or learned, skill. Anyone can learn the skill if they establish a system to work within.  One system would be to take your annual savings number and break it down to a monthly figure.  For most salespeople, I recommend taking this process one step further.  Calculate out what the monthly amount would be per commission check based on your average commission amount per month.  This will give you an amount per commission check that needs to be saved.  The real secret to financial wealth is to pay yourself first.  I heard that for a few years and never really knew what it meant.  What it really means is, pay your savings first before you pay all other bills.  If you have to forgo all your other bills and only pay your savings debt – do it.  Make your payment to savings the most important one monthly that you pay.

Reviewing your finances, expenses and activities can be the most important time you spend all year.  Take the time to invest your past for a grander future.

Twitter is again one of those social media phenomena’s. Founded in 2006 Twitter moved into the mainstream in this year. According to HubSpot 1 million people joined Twitter since October, pushing the new 2008 Twitter users to 3.5 million and the grand total to 5 million Twitterers or Tweeple.

(For the loyal MySpace and Facebook fans, yes Facebook is still about 30 times bigger with approx. 140 million users).

Twaffic (Twitter traffic) has risen sharply on Twitter this year. Already at an admirable 1 million unique users per month at the beginning of the year, traffic has risen to almost 4 million unique users per month, affirming Twitter as the #1 micro-blogging tool on the Internet.

Realtors are also in increasing numbers Tweeting (communicating) and Twittworking (networking on Twitter). Various real estate related applications are also starting to emerge.

I will be posting regular Twend Tweets (Real Estate Trend Updates) on Twitter so you are interested you can follow me @Swanepoel

Whether this time finds you with family, friends, or at home surfing the ‘net, we hope you find time for reflection, opportunity for joy and capacity for “paying forward” a random act of kindness.

Merry Christmas!

Both circumstances require caution. The following presents advice to follow as you troubleshoot your way through to a successful pricing decision.

When clients have their minds set on a price that is out of line, follow this process to bring their thinking back to reality:

1.      If you’re dealing with prospective new clients, address the pricing issue at the listing presentation. Don’t think the difference of opinion will just go away, and don’t think you can make an easy adjustment later.

Be proactive. Present your analysis of market realities as they are, not as your client might wish them to be. If you delay the discussion, you’ll just spend the time, effort, and emotion later on when you could and should be using your energy on new business development and other income-producing activities. 

2.      If clients suggest they “start high and come down later,” gain their agreement to a scheduled price reduction at the listing presentation. In order to start at their desired price, sellers will often say something like, “I’ll reduce the price to your recommendation in 30 days.” When they make such a statement, usually they’re simply trying to end the discussion, hoping they can wait you out and ultimately achieve their target price. That’s why you need to take action and lock in a price reduction agreement right there and then in order to avoid the same discussion a month into the future.

                        Use the following script as you respond to the seller’s willingness to take action in 30 days:

“Mr. Seller, What I hear you saying is that you will reduce your price in 30 days. Is that correct?  You want to try your price for 30 days, but, after that, we will move to the price I recommended, correct?”

When your client answers yes to both questions (as clients do in nine out of ten presentations, mainly because they have been able to delay the pain and want to move on), proceed with the locking technique, using this script:

“Mr. Seller, since we are both in agreement about a price reduction in 30 days, and due to your business schedule and mine, let’s go ahead and acknowledge your approval of the scheduled price adjustment, post-dated for 30 days from now.”

Though all you’re doing is formalizing your client’s suggestion, the above script will likely be met by a long moment of silence, perhaps accompanied by a confused look. The key to a successful outcome is to sit silently. Whoever speaks first will lose this battle of wills. If you break the silence, almost certainly your client won’t sign the price adjustment form. Wait patiently and in more than half the cases, you will get a signed form agreeing to the upcoming price adjustment.

In the remaining cases, you will at least pave the way for the future reduction, although some sellers will develop selective amnesia on the subject.  If you talk to them 30 days later and hear, “I don’t remember ever talking about having to reduce our price”, you can then remind them that you even asked them to sign a price reduction the night of the listing.  That will usually jog their memory back to reality.

3.      Begin compiling pricing feedback from the day the listing hits the market. When other agents show the home, follow up by asking them to share their pricing opinions. At the same time, review the prices of comparable homes that have sold while your listing’s been on the market.

When interviewing another agent, really probe to obtain useful feedback.  Ask, “What were the top three things the agent’s client liked about the home?” Ask for suggestions for enhancing the salability of the home.

Most importantly, ask if the price seemed competitive with other homes shown. If the agent says the price felt out of line, ask what price seems more reasonable and then ask if the agent would be willing to scratch out a quick note summarizing the opinion. In future price-reduction discussions you’ll be able to back your own recommendation with recommendations from other experts. In essence, you’ll be demonstrating that the marketplace has spoken in favor of your advice.

4.      Revisit the price-reduction discussion within weeks of the listing.  If you wait until 30 days have passed, you will have waited too long, and here’s why. It usually takes one or two weeks to re-open the pricing subject, gain a price-reduction agreement, obtain a signature on a price-reduction form, and get the new price posted. Therefore, if you wait a month to get started, the price likely won’t be reduced until week six. Studies repeatedly prove that once a home’s been on the market six to eight weeks, showing activity drops significantly. So if you wait until 30 days to revisit the pricing conversation, your window of marketing activity will be almost closed by the time you finally post the reduction.

5.      If a phone conversation doesn’t prompt an agreement to a price reduction, schedule a meeting in your office. You raise the odds for a successful outcome exponentially when you make the pricing recommendation in a face-to-face meeting on your own your turf in your professional environment. Don’t meet in the sellers’ home; have the sellers come to your office.

When you call to set the meeting, use the following script, in which the key word is “exposure.”

“Mr. Seller, I need to meet with you later this week to discuss the strategy to increase the exposure of your home.  Would Wednesday or Thursday be better for you?”

The word “exposure” leads the sellers to think you’ll be rolling out a whole new marketing strategy for their home. For that, they will gladly clear their calendars.

If you say the meeting is to talk about a price reduction, chances are good that the sellers will try to stall you, after which they may even start ducking your calls. You have to use the right script and right approach.

The truth is that the meeting will in fact lead to increased exposure for the listing, because the factor that most controls exposure is price.  If you can move the price into the competitive zone, agents will be more likely to show the home, and ads will more effectively reach a larger group of better buyers.

Last year, this time, I wrote an article about creating your vision and then implementing your mission. This year I decided to get a little more concise in my message with my agents and to roll up my sleeves and work their mission with them.  I am immersed in one-on-ones and have my agents camped at my desk performing the activities they need to get done with me close by to assist them.  I’ve found that we can all stand up in front of agents and “tell” them what they should be doing but once they leave that room…does it get done?  Not often enough and not because the agent doesn’t want to, it is just too overwhelming for them right now. If my job, as a leader, is to relay and establish skill sets for my agents, then I can’t just tell them without “showing” them….and showing them…..and showing them, until it becomes part of their natural daily routine, just like I had to do for myself when I was learning.   A skill set takes time to master and even more time to relay because we generally tend to become skilled in things we LIKE to do not HAVE to do. Can you imagine if you could relay a contact management skill set to just 10% of you agents and/or their assistants???  What would that do for your business?

Your business plan is your foundation.  The hardest part of writing a business plan is reviewing your current financial situation and needs for financial survival.  Just putting your expenses to paper can be unnerving and avoidance is much easier.  One of my agents was off by $30,000 a year!!!  No wonder her credit card companies love her and she can’t get ahead.  In the process of finding the right tools, I have reviewed several business planning foundations and one thing is BLARRINGLY  missing…..PROFIT!!  Where did the PROFIT go?  It isn’t listed anywhere on 99% of all expense worksheets.

You must treat profit as an expense on your worksheet if you want to build it into the end result. For some this took a while to understand but once you get it, you will be able to drive your actions and budgets to actually see a profit and not just get by. This also relates to the brokerage as a whole.  Brokers and managers you must include profit as an expense on each of your agents (who are each a profit center), your office and company to help define your recruiting strategies and compensation plans.

For ease of calculation, I will use round numbers.  Let’s say you need $100,000 to cover your annual expenses.  If you build your plan around earning $100,000 then you will cover your expenses….hopefully.  But if you add in a $30,000 profit to your expenses and you then shift your actions/budget to accommodate for that expense you have a better chance of reaping a profit at the end of the year.

The actions and activities you choose to do to get to your goal and make a profit should be heavily focused on making contacts and keeping in touch.  The agents who have powerful contact databases (WITH EMAIL ADDRESSES) who know how to strategically use them will be the dominant leaders at the end of 2009.  They are the top 5% (I really should say 1%) of our industry.  You can get there too if you focus your efforts on an online CRM (Contact Relationship Management).

In our last group business planning meeting we asked the agents how many contacts they have in their contact databases.  Some had several hundred.  Then we asked how many they had email addresses for and that number dwindled to 1% of their entire contact database… Their initial response was to send out a nice little panzy postcard asking their contacts to get back in touch with them…NOT!!! The activity for that week….get your butt on the phone and get email addresses. Sit at my desk if you need me to hold you accountable… I will!!!   Just that simple activity of calling contacts and inputting them into a drip campaign system and sending emails (basically begging for referrals and sharing market stats) created opportunities, listings and sales.

WHY is it so hard for us to get our contact databases working for us???? Your 2009 business plan activities should be all about building your contact database and putting it to work.  If you haven’t already established a strong referral business,  you don’t have at least 500 people in your contact database and you want to earn $100,000 in 2009, you will need to make 12 new contacts a day 5 days a week.  A bit overwhelming??  Perhaps, but if you do that for one year, you will set a foundation that will be very powerful.  I have over 20,000 people in my contact database, all with email addresses.  It took me 2 years to do that but it was well worth it.

Here is a simple exercise to start you off.  Every morning put 5 business cards in your pocket along with a small notepad.  It is your mission to exchange those 5 cards for other people’s business cards and/or their email addresses you write on your notepad.  If you have a card left in your pocket at the end of the day….get out to a 24hr store and hand it out.  Key to this process is…INPUT ALL THOSE CONTACTS into your database that evening.  Don’t throw the cards into a shoe box to get to later because you won’t do it.  Purchase an inexpensive card reader to help you out or outsource this process.

If you are a bit shy and want to start out without being rejected at all… visit all the title and lending institutions in your area and pass out and collect cards. Believe me, those people will greet you with open arms and possibly even a smooch..lol.   They are great people to have in your contact database.  Some of you are shaking your heads frozen in fear of losing referrals from your “locked in” lender or title rep… Let’s be real, how dedicated are they to you?  Do they work with other agents?  Of course.  I see them in every real estate office in town…… Done.  Get them in your database.   Write your business plan, include activities that build your contact database with emails and work it!

So far all the videos you have seen on this blog have been done by yours truly and have offered what I hope to be good content mixed with some entertaining humor.

This interview is one that I wish I could say is mine also … but there is nothing funny about it.

The story was first aired on 60 Minutes about a week or so ago and is a real eye opener for real estate practitioners.

It literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up because of the severe message and prediction it makes about the not so distant housing market.

Just when we thought that the sub-prime melt down was behind us and a hopeful light was dimly burning at the end of this economic dark tunnel … this story about Alt A’s and Option Arms appears.

This is a must watch video

All Good Wishes,

michael krisa

http://ThatInterviewGuy.com