A number of years ago, I was speaking to a high-powered group of agents in Houston, Texas.  I was sharing with them the seven key numbers in a real estate agent’s practice; the seven key numbers an agent must monitor, watch, evaluate, and, for most, change.  These seven numbers, because I controlled them well, enabled me to sell over 150 homes annually, while only working Monday through Thursday and taking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.  I didn’t answer the phone, fax, or e-mail on those days.  I was off with …

I’ve always contended that this recession was part of a normal business cycle. I still think it is, but with one significant difference. In most cycles recovery includes a return to employment levels characteristic of the previous expansion. I think this one will see a much weaker jobs recovery, similar to what happened after the 2000-2001 recession. The roots of this trace back to the technological revolution we went through in the late Nineties. That change made a lot of jobs redundant. We didn’t need as many clerks, or auto …

If there is one thing that agents do that makes me crazy, it’s this:  Agents waste more of their money on worthless advertising ideas than on all other expenses combined.  No kidding.  There just seems to be an assumption in our industry that you just throw it out there, and maybe it works and probably it doesn’t.  And for some unknown reason, that’s all right.
I’ve seen many a smart agent completely check their brain at the door when it comes to this one simple thing.  I’ve seen agents who simply …

Step One: First Things First
Let me ask you a simple question: Why should anyone use you as their agent?  Go ahead, take a minute to think that through.  What do you bring to the table that 1,000 other agents don’t bring?  A key to the lock box?  Access to the MLS?  Are you kidding?!
OK.  Then let me ask you this question: Who’s the best agent in your market?  If the answer is not you, then I need to ask you this: If you’re not the best agent, then why don’t …

One of the most rewarding things I get to do is to teach agents, and yet one of the most frustrating things I do is to teach agents! What’s up with that?! Here’s what’s up with that: Some agents “get it”, and some agents don’t. The ones who don’t remain set in their ways no matter how much training they get, and they typically fail or merely subsist on a meager income for most of their career.

I think the agents that fail, or at least fail to …

The Law of Difficulty basically says this:  The harder the task, the fewer the people who will try to accomplish it.  There is an advantage to the tougher tasks like being a Champion level objection handler.  Most Agents will not do the work to perfect the skill.  Once you do perfect the skill, you will have very limited competition.  When most people face a challenging problem or task, they will stop before they even get started.  That’s why so few Agents have the right attitude with objections and the skills …

Besides being a Broker-in-Charge of a large real estate company, I am the President and CEO of FavoriteAgent.com (a national technology and agent services business).  As such, I was set to meet with a good friend of mine who runs another technology and agent services company today and tomorrow. We were planning to work together on a major initiative and joint venture to be launched later this year.  As it turns out, he had to call and cancel at the last minute because he had to attend to some serious issues …

After literally hundreds and hundreds of requests to make the annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report available in an audio format this has finally happened with the new edition of the Report.
 
Just released this week is the first ever CD set of the 160-page 2009 Trends Report published last month. The entire unabridged 2009 Swanepoel TRENDS Report is contained in a 5 CD set and offers over 4 hours of information. The report is read by Mel Aclaro, an instructional designer, trainer and the New Media Director at RealtyU, one the …

There is nothing that attracts business more easily than dominant market share. When you have increased your slice of the pie to the point that it dwarfs your competition, the prospects begin to seek you out.   
I coach an agent on the east coast who, in the two towns she dominates, single handedly sells more homes than the number two and number three companies in sales and unit volume.  Last year she listed and sold 66 properties in her market areas, over which time the top competing companies together sold 59.  …

Whether you own a small real estate office or a franchise with multiple offices, real estate brokers have much in common with other small business owners during these difficult economic conditions.  This economy affects all businesses and it doesn’t really matter if you are the local hair salon or the major department store, current market conditions are tough.
For real estate brokers, owners and managers the focus revolves around how to recruit quality agents, how to retain quality and productive agents and how to increase overall profitability.  This is analogous to …