Living in Cobb Blog

IMPORTANT Information regarding Connie's Blog

2010-02-18T19:06:00.000-05:00

Dear Faithful blog subscribers,

After considerable research I have decided to move my Blogger account to Wordpress. I have transferred all of my Archived blogs to my new blog at http://www.livingincobb.com/living-in-cobb-blog.asp . If you have subscribed to receive emails whenever I post, you will need to re-register at this blog site. I apologize for the inconvenience but I promise you won't be disappointed.

Connie

WR Starkey - Mortgage Lender in West Cobb - Georgia

2010-02-14T15:00:00.004-05:00

Keller Williams Realty West Cobb has an alliance partnership with the mortgage lender, WR Starkey. One of my favorite lenders is David Lowrimore. David and I have been friends of years. He decided to move from his former mortgage company to come specifically to the KW West Cobb office because he saw the culture of the office and the professionalism of the KW West Cobb agents. David wanted to become a part of a successful real estate company.

David is married and has two children and also lives in the West Cobb area. He has been a mortgage lender for many years and I highly recommend him for his professionalism, knowledge, and mortgage options. There are no suprises with WR Starkey.

David Lowrimore
WR Starkey
dlowrimore@wrstarkey.com
www.wrstarkey.com
404-213-4558

2010-02-13T10:23:00.002-05:00

If you like murky hot tubs, pewter steins, French Empire furniture, folding tables, candles, and the Confederacy, have I got a house for you!

Check out more hilarious listings at the blog www.LovelyListings.com

Are You Considered More "Social" if You Tweet?

2010-02-09T22:39:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to let you know that I am turning into a complete computer nerd. I have spent the last few weeks playing around with blogs, bleeps, tweets, hoots, and everything in between. And I must admit that I am having a BALL!

Yesterday I met with Brody Brown, a Social Networking Consultant, and he connected everything together so now the world will know what I am doing with just a few key strokes.

Like many others, my husband, Dan, is not jumping on board with the electronic social world. He is not keen on letting everyone know what he is doing.

So, curious minds want to know...what is the typical DISC profile of Social Networking Addict? My guess is that if you don't have some "I" or "S" in your behavior then you really don't care that "I am ready to go to bed right now".

I would love to hear your thoughts on the typical behavioral profile of a chronic social networker.

So I am going to turn out the lights for the night but before I do I will push "Publish Post" and my thoughts will be posted for my 700+ Facebook friends, 5 new Twitter friends, and my Linkedin colleagues. Pretty amazing stuff. Here I go....

Be in the Top 5% - Attend the Investor Seminar at KW West Cobb - Marietta

2010-02-08T20:38:00.004-05:00

Did you know that 95% of Americans retire without a Passive Income stream? Imagine the feeling of security that comes with knowing that you have built a financial security blanket that will see you through retirement?

Find out how at the Real Estate Investing Seminar being held at the West Cobb Keller Williams Realty office in Marietta, Georgia.

March 4th 6:30 - 8:30 pm
 Keller Williams Realty 
2651 Dallas Highway 
Marietta, GA 30064 
RSVP (678)631-1812

The seminar will be facilitated by David Thomas of KW Commercial. David is highly respected in the commercial and investing industry and he loves to teach. One of his passions is showing others how to get into real estate investment and build a net worth that, in only 13 years, could provide over $100,000 in income each year.

It is my opinion that there will probably never in our lifetime be a better time to buy real estate. The deals that are in the market right now are unbelievable. Whether you are prepared to start investing today or have plans to do it in the future - you won’t want to miss this tremendous opportunity!

Meet David Thomas

Your Passion is Hidden in Your Gift - What is your gift

2010-01-29T09:53:00.002-05:00

Listen in on this inspiring call from Kit Cummings to unlock Passion into your life. Enjoy
Call 1-218-339-3699 then enter 490364#

What Recession?

2010-01-24T18:16:00.002-05:00

It’s been three weeks now since I reopened “The Connie Carlson Team” and I have to admit that there is plenty of business out there. My most recent, and exciting adventure, has been with a builder from Atlanta. I am thrilled to announce that we are going to start building homes again. Yes, that’s right. Dust off your hammers, bring out the “How to build a house” instruction manual. It is time, once again to start building.

My clients, Trevor and Ian, spent last week assessing the viability of building in West Cobb County. We looked at homes sold and the current inventory in the Harrison High School district. What we found was that in the last twelve months 78 new construction homes have sold priced between $300k and $499k. There are only 30 new construction homes currently available. What that means is that in a few months we are going to out of new homes.

It is my opinion that the American public still holds the dream of owning a ‘new’ home. That people still want to choose the cabinets, countertops, carpet, paint colors, etc…. After considerable research, we have determined that the West Cobb area is primed for some new homes. We will be building a product superior to anything currently on the market. We will have higher ceilings, higher doors, upgraded exteriors, deep wooded lots, and gourmet kitchen upgrades. All for under $500,000!!!

Keep tuned for more information about the new homes at Scott Farms in West Cobb County. We expect to be under construction within the month. Of course, we have special incentives for preconstruction. Call me today to find out how to take advantage of the best lots and upgrades.

Isn’t it time to get what you want?

What Recession?

2010-01-24T17:59:00.000-05:00

East Cobb New Construction Near Mount Paran Church

2010-01-09T22:44:00.002-05:00

About a year ago I had the good fortune to meet Tim Brown of Carter Bell Properties. Tim has an impressive resume of working land deals and assisting banks with the disposition of their real estate assets. Tim recently joined Keller Williams Realty in the Peachtree Road office.

Tim and I are going to be working together to help a local Marietta based bank. I have been charged with selling the Cobb County assets. I currently have three subdivisions including Hartridge Manor in Powder Springs (across the street from Smitha Middle School), Cheshire Manor (on Sandy Springs Road in East Cobb) and two beautiful homes on Allgood Road.

I am spotlighting 1961 Allgood Road, Marietta, Georgia in this blog. This new construction home has 4 bedrooms, and 4 bathrooms. It is loaded with upgrades including hardwood floors, granite, upgraded mouldings, and a master on the main level. My favorite feature of this property is the amazing backyard. Check out the trees! I can just imagine grilling out in that backyard while my family runs around playing tag.

Keep warm!

My Big Announcement

2009-12-24T07:42:00.002-05:00

Walking the Walk..

When I was deciding which real estate company to join six years ago, one of the aspects of Keller Williams that appealed to me was that Keller Williams is not shy about sharing its value system of God, Family, and then Business. Time and time again, I have been humbled by the agents in our company and their commitment to the most important things in life – their faith and their family.

Recently, I have been giving a lot of thought to what is most important to me. I have always struggled with what Gary Keller calls the “Big Why”. What really motivates me? I came to realize that the most important thing to me is that my family is happy. I know that isn’t very profound or complex and I know that there will probably never be a KW Connect video on my “Big Why”. But that is truly what it is most important. The word “happy” seems to sum up so many aspects of life. It means that we are free from financial stress, we are healthy, my children are given what they need to be successful and happy in life, and that we spend quality time together – a life with no regrets.

These last two years I have poured my heart and soul into helping the agents at KW Atlanta Perimeter have a great real estate career and business. It has been so rewarding for me to help others achieve their goals and to watch the energy and talents of our agents go to a higher level. But there is no denying that it is a “big” job. And unfortunately, my commitment to my career was starting to put a lot of strain on my family as they tried to graciously support me.

As a Team Leader we are expected to be good role models. I realized that as a role model, I needed to “walk the walk” and live by the KW Value system of God, Family, then Business. I have, therefore, made the decision to step down as Team Leader so that I can focus on my family. I have two middle-school aged children and although they would never admit it – they need their Mom a bit more that I have been able to give to them lately. (Check out the attached "Big Why" video that I made to remind me every day of what it is all about - BE SURE TO TURN THE MUSIC OFF ON THE PLAYLIST TO THE RIGHT)

As I mentioned in the team meeting this morning, Mo Anderson says that “When your vision is clear, decisions are easy”. My vision is now clear - but this was definitely not an easy decision. But I know in my heart that it is the right one.

I want you to know that I have no regrets with my decision to come to KW Dunwoody as a Team Leader. It has been a tremendous honor to work alongside each and every one of you. I have made some lasting friendships and no one can ever take away from me the joy that this position has brought into my life. I am truly blessed.

I want to thank everyone for the amazing support and encouragement that I received today. This office and this Company is a special place. I am honored to be a Keller Williams agent.

With love,

Connie Carlson

Farming Does Work - A Testimonial

2009-11-02T12:37:00.001-05:00

I just received a touching call from a client of mine whose house is finally under contract. She is packing up her household of 25 years, throwing out, giving away, etc. etc. promising never to become a packrat again. Well, one of the items she ran across was the very first newsletter that I mailed her in 2002!!!! My first listing was in her neighborhood, and just after it sold I had started writing a newsletter and farming her neighborhood.
Over 3 years ago she called me to enter into discussions about selling her house - and it took 3 years for her to be mentally prepared to sell it and to get it "show ready" in order to list it.
Anyway, I am very touched that she kept my newsletter for 7 years and excited that I am able to help her move on to meet her new life goals.
So, yes, farming does work! And I thought this might be encouraging to others in the office.
LuAnn

My Big Why

2009-10-30T18:45:00.005-04:00

Today we had our Business Planning Workshop. This workshop is designed to help agents figure out what they need to do in order to achieve their business, financial, personal, spiritual, and family goals.

Following the MREA (Millionaire Real Estate Agent www.millionairesystems.com) we have learned to follow the models and systems of those who have gone before us.

When we look at successful agents we find that they were powered by a "Big Why". The Big Why is the underlying reason that motivates you to do what you do each day. This concept can be hard to grasp and even harder to put down in words as it relates to your own life.

So what does a life worth living look like to you? Take a moment to think about what motivates you to get out of bed every day?

Try this exercise.

1. On a piece of paper write down what you want to make in the next twelve months.
2. Take out your checkbook and write yourself a check for that amount. Then write 11 more, one for each month of the year.
3. If you had that much money to spend every month what would you buy? Write it out. What would you buy this month. Next month... the next month....
4. At some point you realize that you have everything you need and want. Now what would you do?
5. What do you want to be known for?

All of this plays a part in your Big Why.

Today, a group of agents explored what it was that truly motivates them. Watch this video to see their desires. Don't miss the BIG FINISH as the end!

So my question to you is "What is your Big Why?"

News You Can Use

2009-10-25T17:41:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday to You!

Only 25 business days before the First Time Homebuyers' Tax Credit expires...if you have a buyer who is interested in moving ahead, we have very little time left to process a loan. Please have them call me for preapproval.

In Other News...

Continued good news from corporate earnings and from the real estate world shows us that the bottom is firming up! Don’t we all wish we could say that about ourselves! This week, according to the National Association of Realtors, the inventory of existing homes shrunk to a 7.8 month supply, down from a recent high of 10.1 months in April. New homebuilders continue to start homes at a level that is ½ of what it was in 2007, creating a similar reduction in months of supply of new homes. THIS IS KEY for the stability of home prices as the fewer homes on the market, the more pricing power the sellers have. But estimates are that 45% of last month’s sales were made up First Time Homebuyers as they rushed in to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit.

By the way, WR Starkey Mortgage is a certified Homepath Lender...more about that at Tuesday's Team Meeting.

This week, rates ranged from 4.875% – 5.125% depending on program, credit and points.

Have a great weekend. Have your buyers call me so we can get them approved to buy!

Neil

Neil Hediger
Senior Mortgage Consultant
W.R. Starkey Mortgage
THE HEDIGER GROUP Mortgage Advisory Team
115 Perimeter Center Place, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30346

Office: 678-298-1631

Gary Keller’s Writes about Leveraging the Buyer Side of Your Business

2009-10-06T08:57:00.002-04:00

Focus on Leverage – the Buyer Side

Published

Gary Keller, Co-founder and Chairman

on October 1, 2009

in Uncategorized

. 6 Comments Tags: buyer specialist, SHIFT, showing assistant, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent.

In The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, we declared you could be just three exceptional hires away from having the organization of a Millionaire Real Estate Agent. That's still absolutely true. However, our ongoing research for both MREA and SHIFT has given us new insight into how these key positions evolve. Some of you got a sneak peak at Mega Camp 2009. For the rest, here's a quick look at hiring and compensating a Showing Assistant.

Leverage is ultimately about focus. You hire talent to keep you focused on your most dollar-productive activities and they focus on everything else. After entrusting your admin and marketing chores to another person, you look for help on the buyer sales side of the business. Successfully showing homes can be extremely time intensive and help here should keep you focused on leads and listings. So who do you hire?

In the past, research pointed us to a licensed buyer specialist paid on a 50/50 commission split. Today, some successful agents are first hiring an unlicensed Showing Assistant to keep their costs of sale low and their productivity high.

A Showing Assistant can literally jump into the driver's seat with your buyers while keeping you in the driver's seat when it comes to converting buyer leads, getting signed agreements, identifying wants and needs and eventually writing and negotiating contracts. A good one should be able to successfully show homes to around three to four buyers a month while earning bonuses based on 25 percent of each deal. Based on a $5,000 average commission, a good Showing Assistant could earn $60,000 a year. This is a terrific opportunity for someone. Better yet, you get to stay focused and 75 percent of the buy-side income stays on your side of the ledger.

You are still looking for someone who has the ability to grow into your Lead Buyer Specialist. So when you have someone with the ambition and proven ability to succeed with a high volume of buyers over time, your Showing Assistant earns the right to be promoted to a licensed Buyer Specialist. Your Buyer Specialist would then handle buyers from the appointment to closing and now earn 50 percent of the commissions. Again, a good one should be able to handle three to four buyer sales a month without burning out.

Burnout is a key word. Once you have identified a great Buyer Specialist, you don't want to lose them! When they burn out and walk out, guess who gets their job? You do. And you've already got a job.

When your business is generating enough leads on a consistent basis to push a great Buyer Specialist past their ability to successful manage them all, the Showing Assistant concept reenters the picture. Now your Buyer Specialist has the opportunity to hire a Showing Assistant of their own. The Showing Assistant is still paid on a 25 percent bonus; however, that money comes out of the Lead Buyer Specialist's half of each commission. Effectively, you continue to earn 50 percent of each buyer transaction, while the Buyer Specialist earns 25 percent and the Showing Assistant earns the final 25 percent as a bonus. Any buyer transactions your Buyer Specialist closes without the help of a Showing Assistant would still be on a 50/50 split.

Now your Buyer Specialist might successfully help four buyers on their own and another four with the help of a Showing Assistant. That's now eight closed buy-side transactions each month. And with an average commission of $5,000, your Buyer Specialist has the ability to gross as much as $180,000 a year while just personally showing three or four buyers a month!

Showing Assistants may come and go—each auditioning for a shot at being your Lead Buyer Specialist. But once you find one, hiring and managing Showing Assistants moves from your plate to theirs. You have found your leader for working with buyers. Any additional help needed to keep your buyer transactions on track becomes their issue and opportunity.

Showing Assistants can save you money on the frontend, reduce turnover on the backend, all the while providing the best possible service to your buyers.

Click here for a video highlighting The Organizational Model and MREA.

(with Jay Papasan)

2009-10-05T16:41:00.001-04:00

Letter from Rocky Kaufmann an agent in my office who helped organize the first annual KW Charity Ride:

This past weekend was a great example to me as to why our office is considered one of the best places to work. We would never have been able to pull off the KW Charity Ride without help of many KW people. There are so many of you that helped with the event I am afraid to starting listing all of you because I would inevitably forget someone. All of the volunteers and participants have my sincere appreciation. I do want to name a few people specifically. Mia did a phenomenal job taking charge of the end event. She spent countless hours making sure we had a good time at H&R Ranch. Charlie Lockwood displayed his exception organizational skills while Jake Duffy provided coffee and doughnuts for everyone at the front end of the ride. Michael Martino was always there for advice and came with me for a couple of test runs. Felicia Leyva-Adams and her husband took the long way back home so that they could stop at every turn and pull all thirteen directional signs out of the ground, and she was always happy to help me print flyers and disseminate event info. And of course our team leader, Connie Carlson, was the biggest supporter of the KW Charity Ride. Connie provided the motivation and encouragement to make it possible. Lastly, Shaun Rawls took the time to not only participate, but also worked as a ride captain. The big man looked great in his bright yellow safety vest. I know that this event would have never happened without all of you.

Thank you,

Rocky Kaufmann

What's All The Hype About?

2009-10-05T10:26:00.002-04:00

http://www.atlantaandcompany.com/article.aspx?storyid=135855

Last week it was announced that the Rawls Group of Keller Williams Realty was selected as one of the "Best Places to Work in Atlanta". Since then we have received a flood of calls and emails from agents wondering what makes us different from other real estate companies. I would be happy to share my experience at Keller Williams Realty with you and explore whether the opportunities we offer are right for you. In the meantime, click on the video above to hear a bit more about our office and what makes us unique. I look forward to your call! - Connie

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY – THE RAWLS GROUP BECOMES THE ONLY LARGE REAL ESTATE COMPANY NAMED AMONG ATLANTA’S BEST PLACES TO WORK

The Rawls Group Takes the #2 Spot in Prestigious List

September 25, 2009, Atlanta, GA -- Atlanta’s leading business publication, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, named Keller Williams Realty – The Rawls Group, to its list of “Atlanta’s Best Places to Work.” The Rawls Group ranked No. 2 on the 2009 list of Atlanta’s best places to work for large companies and is the only top 10 real estate company.

Shaun Rawls, Operating Partner noted “It is truly an honor to be recognized on this list and to be No. 2 is outstanding. It is because of our real estate professionals and our staff that we are being featured and I see this as an opportunity to thank them. To be recognized for providing culture, service and for building trust in our company is extremely rewarding as we strive for this every day. When real estate companies are closing their doors, The Rawls Group continues to provide services to our agents, add value through education and coaching and gain Atlanta market share.”

“We are so fortunate to be surrounded by talented people who have built an organization to be proud of. Through the models at Keller Williams Realty, businesses have been created that can survive in any market. We believe that by providing a powerful and productive work environment and sharing our profit with our agents, the individual sport of real estate has become a team sport where everyone benefits. We are grateful and humbled to appear on this list,” said General Manager, Jeri Moran.

Atlanta Business Chronicle, in partnership with Quantum Market Research Inc., recently surveyed the metro area’s businesses and organizations to find those that have discovered how to be among Atlanta’s Best Places to Work. More than 500 companies participated. Independent research firm, Quantum Market Research conducted anonymous employee surveys to tabulate the results. Best Places to Work winners are ranked based on numerous topics including, manager effectiveness, trust in senior leaders, alignment with goals and team effectiveness, among other criteria. To find Atlanta’s 2009 Best Places to Work, the Chronicle asked readers to nominate workplaces in metro Atlanta. Nominations were accepted during June through the Chronicle’s Web site. From July to mid-August, employees of the nominated organizations filled out online surveys containing 37 questions about their work environment, co-workers and managers. All answers were evenly weighted using a six-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 6=strongly agree).

Led by Operating Partner Shaun Rawls and General Manager Jeri Moran, Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Keller Williams Realty Peachtree Road, Keller Williams Realty Smyrna/Vinings, Keller Williams Realty Buckhead, Keller Williams Realty East Cobb, Keller Williams Realty Perimeter North, Dunwoody and Keller Williams Realty Peachtree Battle, The Rawls Group offices are “Changing the way you THINK about Real Estate”. Keller Williams Realty is the fastest growing and third largest residential real estate firm in the United States.

Balance Workshop Today at 11 am

2009-10-02T07:48:00.003-04:00

Do you feel that you are living a willy nilly life? Want to say "I am glad I did vs. I wish I had?"

Join me today at 11 am for the Balance Workshop.

Notes from my BOLD Journal

2009-09-30T19:46:00.002-04:00

"If I don't take action toward my goals someone else will."

Make the contact list before I make my calls.

"Everyday we need to get in the right mindset by saying affirmations AROUND our goals"
ie. by making 20 calls today my children will be able to attend any college they want.

"Stop losing sleep over people who are not losing sleep." [love this one]

FSBO = Fastest Source of Business Opportunity

You can't help people until they recognize they have a problem.

Involve the people in my life to my success.

Special Letter from my Leader

2009-09-27T12:23:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I received a very nice letter from my OP, Shaun Rawls, in regards to the Best Places to Work award that we received on Friday morning. The Rawls Group consist of 7 offices in Atlanta. The offices are each lead by some of the best Team Leaders in the country. I am so blessed to work with John Thompson, John Fountain, Deborah Blue, Cynthia Lippert, Steve Kout, Brad Feiman, and Brenda Richterkissing. A year ago, these team leaders of the Rawls Group met for lunch in Austin, Texas. We decided that we were going to band together and work as a team to dominate the Atlanta Real Estate Market. Since that time we have been sharing ideas, role playing, holding each other accountable, and just having fun!

Our desire to work as a team has infiltrated the Associate Leadership Councils and the associates of each of the offices. We frequently hear of agents volunteering to share their talents with other offices. It's a beautiful thing.

Here is Shaun's nice letter.

Superstar Leaders…

I really appreciate the emails you all sent yesterday. The recognition that we have received as a group truly feels like something that should be savored and appropriately digested. I’m not sure that I really felt the magnitude of what we were being recognized for until I saw the list of names of companies that I would never have thought that we could compete with on any level professionally. Wow. I am truly full of pride, satisfaction, joy and gratitude.

The beauty of it is that this is, perhaps, the ultimate recognition of being a true team. I don’t always think of what we do or how we operate as particularly special. However, I think because what we do and how we think about and approach things…it sheds light on how EASY it is for others not to do the right things. I also think that the power of the award comes from the Large Company category in that we are 7 completely different offices that, on a fundamental level, operate with collective focus and have a synergistic effect on our most valuable assets – our agents.

When you zoom out mentally and look at the momentum we have a group right now, the next six months could be really interesting. Between this Best Places recognition and BOLD, we should have a superbly growth oriented and productive future – more than any other company out there.

I’ve said numerous times this year that the most successful people in life are the most cooperative, team players. I guess that’s the same for companies, too. I think yesterday each one of us as the Leaders of The Rawls Group were recognized for being the most cooperative leaders in the real estate industry. I know it’s not always easy move 7 offices as a synergistic group, but I think yesterday proves that there are some advantages never foreseen or expected that can result out of good old-fashioned and consistent team play.

Thank you so much for what you do every day, the big stuff and the little stuff, that makes your office one of the Best Places to work on the planet. And a special thanks to Jeri, whose love for, commitment to and focus on our team’s brand recognition is ultimately why we have so much to celebrate. She’s definitely our secret weapon!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. The Rawls Family celebrated with dinner at The Waffle House and made our way to Lake Hartwell last night. Life is good in The Rawls Group.

Love you all.

Shaun

#2 Feels Really Good

2009-09-25T18:14:00.004-04:00

Although the flood has “dampened” the week, I participated in an event this morning that took all the clouds away. This morning, the Atlanta Business Chronicle recognized the Rawls Group as the Runner Up for the Best Places To Work in Atlanta.

Having come from a corporate background, after joining Keller Williams in 2004, I quickly realized that I was working for a company that was very different from traditional companies. I was surrounded by associates that really cared about each other. Time and time again, I have been humbled by the level of professionalism, caring, and integrity of the people I work with.

For instance, I am currently participating in the BOLD coaching program. During the first session with Michael Bastian, Michael asked us to write down what a life worth living looks like? This was a powerful question. Michael then dug deeper by asking “why is that important to you?” Michael's probing questions helped me to realize what truly matters to me and as a result I got a little teary-eyed. Later that evening I received an email from another team leader who was sitting in the room. He said “Connie, people that cry concern me. Why were you crying this morning? Everything okay?” That little gesture of concern was so heartfelt and honest. It exemplifies how Keller Williams’ agents really do care about helping others.

I have always struggled with how to tell others how incredible it is to work in the Rawls Group (http://www.rawlsgroup.org/) at Keller Williams Realty. Culture is a “feeling”. It is hard to describe a feeling.

Today, at the Georgia Aquarium, surrounded by some of the best companies in Atlanta, that “feeling” was validated. There is no other award that we could have received that would have meant more to me as a leader in the company.

If you would like to know more about why Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter is the Best Place to Work in Atlanta, please give me a call for a confidential appointment. It truly is a great place to work (and we have a lot of fun, too)!!!

Focused Action Goal Setting

2009-09-19T10:31:00.002-04:00

I have found that our positive attitudes combined with focused action on our goals have been the greatest factors in my success this past year.

Here are some thoughts to share on motivation & goal setting I wanted to pass on...

Step 1: Decide exactly what you want. This immediately moves you into a separate category of people because most people have no idea of what they really want. Clarity is the most important single quality of goal-setting and perhaps the most important single quality of success. Decide exactly what you want in each area of your life. Instead of fuzzy goals like more money, better health and happiness, be specific about exactly how much more money you want to earn in a specific period of time and combine that with exactly what level of health and fitness you desire.

Most people are unconsciously preoccupied with the fear of failure. It is the greatest single obstacle to success in adult life. And the fear of failure can work on you unconsciously by blocking you from setting clear specific goals. Why? Well, if you don't set clear, specific goals, then you can't fail to achieve them. So your subconscious mind is actually protecting you by helping you to avoid failure.

You must resist and overcome this tendency by having the courage to be bold and specific about exactly what you want. This is step number one.

There has never been a better time in all of human history to be alive than today. There are more opportunities for you to accomplish more things, in more different fields, engaging in more different activities, than have ever existed before.

Resolve today to make the coming year the very best year of your life. Resolve today to draw a line under your past and to focus very clearly on your future. Resolve today that you are going to set goals, make plans, take actions and achieve more in the coming year than perhaps you have ever accomplished in any one single year before.

I am teaching a variety of classes this month to help you achieve the focus you need to succeed. I will be teaching a “Balance Workshop” on October 2nd based on Gary Keller’s Quantum Leap class, Managing your Time To Achieve More on October 16th, and a Business Planning Workshop on October 30th. Now is the time to get clear on your goals for 2010. What you do now will determine what your January will be. Don’t delay in planning for your success.

Understanding the Three Markets in the Real Estate World Today

2009-09-07T20:29:00.001-04:00

September 2009 Article – Jeri Moran

Understanding the THREE markets in the real estate world today

As we enter the last quarter of the year, it is more important than ever to stay focused and help buyers understand the urgency the three markets out there today. With less than 100 days left for first time homebuyers to benefit from the $8,000 tax credit, there is no time to waste educating our clients after the fact. A thorough buyer consultation is critical and handling all possible objections prior to them coming up will make the difference.

There is no surprise that countless numbers of classes have come out on creating buyer urgency, scripts to talk to buyers all addressing the fact that when inventory increases, we are showing more and more homes and buyers are reluctant to make a decision. With the local and national media creating a doomsday perception of the market, buyers are over confident and want “a deal.” However, because there are three markets, many are loosing out on the “best” homes that sell the fastest, because they are the “best” homes.

The following is a dialogue that I encourage you to have with your perspective buyers prior to going out to see homes.

“Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, I am so excited to work with you to find the home you are going to buy. Before we go out and look at homes, I’d like to spend a few minutes and share with you the different segments of our current market. Would that be ok? The average number of homes a buyers looks at in today’s market is eight. We’ve found that if you look at too many homes, you’ll start combining the kitchen in one, the backyard of another and create a home that doesn’t exist. What you’ll find out there is three markets, the foreclosure market, the short sale/distressed market and the residential re-sale market (which is broken in to two sub markets). In the foreclosure market, banks have created what is called a sellers market. What that means is they put properties on the market at a price that is under market value to create multiple offers and garner over list price. (At this time show some examples). The second market is short sales. Are you familiar with what this is? (Explain if they say no). When purchasing one of these homes, we must be prepared to wait 3, 6 and even up to a year before being able to close on the home. Finally, there is the resale market. In this market there are two categories. There are the homes that are selling in under 30 days and getting approximately 96% of their asking price and then there are the homes that have chased the market and sell in over 120 days for sometimes as little as 73% of their original asking price. It is my job, together with you, to determine with type of home we are looking at. If we find the under 30 day home, will you be prepared?”

Keep your clients focused and move them towards what they really want…to BUY a home!

Happy hunting!

High school teammates carry on

2009-08-30T21:56:00.002-04:00

High school teammates carry on

Recently, I watched a video on ESPN about two teenagers on a Cleveland wrestling team. The story is an impactful illustration of what it means to be a good friend and what can happen when you have someone who supports you in your dreams. (You can watch the video by clicking on the link at the bottom of this email). Now, probably more than ever, we need to have friends, both personally and professionally, who encourage and push us to reach our hopes and dreams.

This morning I woke up to the following email from my Operating Partner, Shaun Rawls. It is comforting to know that I have leadership and friendships within my professional life that will push me to achieve at the highest level – and pick me up when I fall.
If you are falling short of the goals you have set for yourself and feel that you need someone to encourage and support you, please give me a call. It would be my pleasure to “give you a lift”!

Letter from Shaun Rawls:

I recently attended a workshop for the Master Faculty of Keller Williams. One of the highlights of the session was a presentation by an Improvisational Comedian who shared many important insights into the world of communication, and something – in particular – had a massive impact on me and the way I view our team. It was the phrase, “I got your back” that was so meaningful to me.

While “I got your back” isn’t necessarily proper from a grammatical point of view, its meaning is entirely “proper.” You see, as the comedian explained it, saying “I got your back” is a ritual phrase that’s spoken amongst improvisational comedians immediately before taking the stage for a show. It’s improv’s version of “Break a leg.”

The reason these comedians say “I got your back” is because you can’t do improv alone, and it’s a signal that reminds each performer that they have no excuse but to test the limits of their talent and skill by being daring and taking risks because their partners will not allow them to fail or fall or falter. In other words, “I got your back” means, “I am a safety net for you that will be here to protect you, so don’t be afraid to give it all you’ve got.”

When I heard the reasoning behind this awesome little phrase, I was captivated by what it could mean to our business, our community, our culture. My vision for what we mean to each other became ever clearer and my hopes became higher.

What if you slaughtered every fear you had with action taken in spite of that fear? Action taken due to the confidence that being surrounded by a team of people who care enough about you to never let you fall could provide. What if? What if you knew you could not fail or fall or falter because your team won’t let you? Even better, what if YOU were the one to say “I got your back,” and you were the one who was committing to saving your team members in the event of mistakes. Which has more meaning to you? Being saved by someone who has your back, or saving someone else by having theirs? In the truest definition of a team – or partnership – both are equally important.

Whether you are a member of The Rawls Group of Keller Williams market centers in Atlanta or a member of the Greater Than Ever New York Region, know that “I got your back.” And accept the responsibility of being a part of this amazing community of people by saying to everyone in our company, “I got your back,” too.

I am convinced that in addition to behaving nice and professionally, we can help all of us to behave boldly, daringly and extremely by offering one another the assurance of the phrase, “I got your back.”

Posted using ShareThis

Thank You Teri Frye

2009-08-24T11:02:00.000-04:00

Teri:

I just want to thank you for the time you took today to spend with my team as our guest for our Inside the Agent’s House Series. I had several people come up to me after the interview and tell me how much what you said resonated with them. The common theme was that they could relate to your style and it felt like a comfortable way for them to approach their own business. One ALC member said to me, “I like how she doesn’t get caught up in all that detailed stuff. What she is focused on is the right stuff…she’s previewing properties and knows the market and provides great service with integrity.” I think that sums up the impact you had on the team….you just touched about 40 lives today! I owe you one…thanks for sharing your valuable time and knowledge with us today! Hope I see you at Mega Camp!

Brenda Richterkessing
Team Leader Managing Broker

Interesting Stats About Housing Market

2009-08-23T10:19:00.002-04:00

Interesting report compiled from responses from 500,000 real estate agent responses.

http://www.campbellsurveys.com/AgentSummaryReports/AgentSurveyReportSummary-June2009.pdf

Little long but some good ditties of info:

Partial Summary of Statistics and Facts

Key statistics and facts from the survey results include:

• The market for home purchases can be divided into segments of 26% for
damaged REO, 23% for move-in ready REO, 14% for short sales, and 36% for
non-distressed properties.

• Forty-three percent of homebuyers are first-time homebuyers, 29% are current
homeowners, and another 29% are investors.

• First-time homebuyers account for the majority of move-in ready REO sales while
investors account for the majority of damaged REO sales.

• Current homeowners concentrate their home purchases on non-distressed
properties and buy comparatively less damaged REO.

• Real estate agents expect appraisal issues to be the No. 1 reason for
cancellations of signed Purchase and Sales agreements over the coming
summer months.

• Only 31% of non-REO home sale listings are unforced or optional; other major
reasons for listings include financial stress (including short sales), long distance
relocation, and divorce or estate sales.

• Homeowners are choosing to not list homes primarily because of “Falling prices”,
followed by “Competition with distressed properties”.

• For first-time homebuyers, “Government incentives to buy (tax credits, mortgage
deduction)” is the No.1 motivation to buy.

• For current homeowners buying homes, “Retirement relocation” and “job
relocation” are the No.1 and No. 2 motivations to buy, respectively.

• “Sale of residence” is the No. 1 impediment to current homeowners seeking to
buy another home.

• “Downpayment for mortgage” is the No. 1 impediment to first-time homebuyers
seeking to buy a home, followed by “Slow answers on short sale offers.”

• Seventy-six percent of first-time homebuyers accept a mortgage
recommendation of the real estate agent, 68% of current homeowners accept a
recommendation, and 53% of investors accept a recommendation.

• On average, mortgage servicers take 9.5 weeks to provide a “yes” or “no”
response to an offer to buy a short sale property.

• According to real estate agent respondents, “Mandated one-week response time
on short sales offers” is the No. 1 rated action that the government could take to
increase home sales and stabilize prices.

• According to real estate agent respondents, “Provide consistent one-week ‘yes’
or ‘no’ response to offers” is the No. 1 rated action that the mortgage servicers
could take to increase short sales.

• According to real estate agent respondents, “Provide consistent one-week ‘yes’
or ‘no’ response to offers” is the No. 2 rated action that the asset managers could
take to sell REO properties with lower overall losses; the No. 1 rated action is
“Turn on utilities for inspections.”

2009-08-09T16:09:00.000-04:00

Superstars…

Well, it’s August, and we’re almost halfway through the third quarter of 2009. Having completed all of our presentations of the 2nd quarter statistics last week, Jeri and I want to make sure that you have a clear grasp and understanding of what’s happening in the market and what it means for our buyers and sellers.

The Atlanta real estate market is in a very interesting place. “Things” are generally improving, numerically. Although there’s no guarantee that they will continue to do so, these improvements should be a real wake-up call for buyers who continue to wait for prices to continue to decline. As we move forward, the very best deals of the economic downturn are probably going to be seen through the rear view mirror. The “fact of the market” is that inventory is decreasing, prices are rising and the good properties that come on the market at the right price are selling faster than we’ve seen in a long, long time. In fact, the statistics show that in 39 FMLS Areas in Metro Atlanta, there is less than 11 months of inventory on the market, the median sales price is $162,000 and the median Days On Market (“DOM”) for properties that sell without a price reduction is 24 days (Compared to 252 days on market for properties that have to reduce their price before they sell!). For quite some time now, buyers have had the luxury of not having to fight for, or compete for, homes for sale. Those days are gone, or at least they are fading fast. It’s almost as if there is a “Seller’s Market” for great homes at a great price while there is a “Buyer’s Market” for average to below average homes on the market.

For Sellers, it’s critical that they realize that these improvements in the market in no way give them a green light to be cocky or overly confident. There is a fine line between a good listing and a great one, and a tremendous difference in the results that are realized for each. One of the “Aha’s” that I have had for sellers is this: Seller’s that “don’t have to sell” are disadvantaged in this market. The HUD-1’s are going to the sellers that have to sell, not to the sellers who don’t. In fact, if a seller doesn’t “have to sell,” then they should know that they have an immediate and obvious handicap in the selling process. Those sellers that do have to sell can and will do whatever it takes to sell their homes, and thus have an “advantage” over most other sellers. In this market, Sellers that DO have to sell DO sell, and sellers that DON’T have to sell DON’T.

One of the most important things that I see going wrong for listings in this market is that sellers and agents are spending too much time focusing on determining what a home is worth, rather than determining the listing price that will most certainly generate offers from buyers in the market place. Appraisers determine the value of a home. Real estate professionals determine what the sticker price needs to be in order attract offers that can begin a dialogue of successful negotiations that will result in a successful closing. Price is king in this market. Remember: “The right price overcomes any objection.” If you’re not the best listing at the best price in the market, then you won’t get offers. In 20 years in this business, I’ve never shown property to a buyer who said, “Let’s make an offer on the third best house that we saw today.” Never.

The other issue that is plaguing our market is ineffective price reductions. Simply put, if you reduce the price of a home to a price that doesn’t put the home in front of a new pool of buyers, then such a reduction is typically a waste of time. We have to remember what price ranges we put into the computer when we search for homes, and when we need to make a reduction to re-position the home on the market we must introduce it to the buyers who are searching for homes in the next lowest price point.

These are interesting times. The investment that we have made, and continue to make, in the most comprehensive and relevant statistics in the real estate industry is done so that you have every opportunity to be the absolute best real estate agent a person can hire. Your ability to share information with them that virtually no one else has is a gift that we hope you make the most of. Statistics and scripts can make your career in any market because they give you the wisdom you need to tackle the toughest of clients or the toughest of markets.

I encourage you to make the time to come to the quarterly stats presentations every time Jeri and I do them. While the stats are great by themselves, hearing some of the scripts and insights that are provided in these sessions could make all of the difference to you when you present them to your clients.

Recently, Gary Keller said, “It’s not whether or not the market is getting better; it’s whether or not YOU are getting better.” All of us should take that to heart and consider it a personal challenge to meet the demands of the day and improve our businesses and our lives.

We have so many resources to help you get better. There’s never been a better time to sharpen our saws. These are, indeed, interesting times. They are interesting mostly because of how they are shaping us and what they are helping us to become as professionals.

I am so honored to be a part of Keller Williams Realty, and I’m even more honored that you are building your career here, at The Rawls Group of Keller Williams Market Centers. Together, we are focused on building our business in a learning based, productivity specific environment that insures that we provide the very best service in the real estate industry.

Win, win…or no deal.
Integrity…do the right thing.
Customers…always come first.
Creativity…ideas before results.
Communication…seek first to understand.
Commitment…in all things.
Trust…begins with honesty.
Teamwork…Together Everyone Achieves More.
Success…results through people.

Your #1 Fan…

SHAUN

As Long as it Takes

2009-07-16T07:46:00.001-04:00

As long as it takes

What if you knew that you could reach your goal by taking
just one more step? Would you take that step?

At some point in the process of achievement, the final
hurdle is reached. What a shame it would be to stop just
short of that one last obstacle.

Achievement does not require extraordinary ability.
Achievement comes from ordinary abilities applied with
extraordinary persistence.

You already know you can do what it takes. To reach any
goal, simply do what it takes for as long as it takes.

It's really not that difficult to take just one step, to do
just a single task, to make one bit of progress. And if you
can do it once, you can do it again, and again, and again
without much problem.

Keep the faith and keep up the effort. Your persistence will
get you there.

Courtesy of: Chris Heller, Keller Williams Realty
_________________________
The Home Seller

It's Halftime

2009-07-07T20:18:00.001-04:00

By: Jeri Moran, General Manager for the Rawls Group

It’s Halftime!

July marks the mid year review, the time to re-group and re-focus and to reflect on the goals you’ve set and see now where you need to go. The greatest predictor of the future is the past. So, below you’ll find the 21 tactics that we set out to make 09 a productive year. I challenge you to rate yourself from 1-5 (5 being GREAT) and then re-margin your second half of the year objectives. The key will be in writing them down and the accountability to the results.

1. Master the 12 Tactics outlined in SHIFT.
2. Have a PLAN. A set of business models/disciplines to follow. You must have specific, daily lead generation commitments that you see as a priority above all else, for nothing is as important as your consistent time on the task of finding buyers and sellers.
3. You must stop using your database as a phone book and start using it like an ATM card. Create a touch program that fits your budget…and stick to it.
4. Your relationship with your database and your knowledge of your industry must win over the messages in the media. You have to “out-relationship” the media with your clients.
5. Become a Data Junkie. Know the numbers that create the “Hmmm Factor.”
6. You must find a way to generate more listing leads than ever before in order to feel confident enough to walk away from unrealistic Sellers.
7. You must develop the mindset & perspective of a surgeon, where you are immune the unprofitable distractions that emotional sympathy for your clients create.
8. You must preview the homes that are UNDER CONTRACT as a means of “sharpening your saw.”
9. You have to hit the “RESET BUTTON” as it pertains to your historical knowledge of home values.
10. Become an Inventory Junkie. Knowing the difference between the vital few and the trivial many will prove critical to your success.
11. You have to internalize the relationship between Consumer Confidence and the Economy. As Realtors we have to be on the leading edge of Consumer Confidence at all times.
12. Improve your knowledge of “alternative transactions.” Lease/Purchases, Subject To, Wraps, Reverse Mortgages, Short Sales and Foreclosures.
13. Make reverse offers to buyers who have an interest in your listings.
14. Ask for the order.
15. Use email to distribute opportunities to your database and beyond.
16. Do not push back on the developing power that social/business networking (Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter, etc.) offers to leverage your database efforts and expand your web of prospects.
17. When a niche presents itself, go deep.
18. You must commit to better financial management. Invest your time and money in things, people, partners & companies that generate a return on your investment; Spend on “Need to Haves;” Build your reserves.
19. Be an optimist and an opportunist at all times.
20. Take care of your selves – your Spiritual Self, your Physical Self, your Emotional Self.
21. Improve your ability to “zoom out” and turn your Fear into Force.
And, remember – You CAN do it - FINISH STRONG!

Database Development Workshop Starting July 7th

2009-06-28T12:42:00.002-04:00

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Would you like to close at least 1 transaction for every 10 people in your database? ___ Yes ___ No
2. Are you feeling overwhelmed and disorganized? ___ Yes ___ No
3. Are you tired of attending classes that introduce you to a lot of concepts but don't help you implement what you learned? ___ Yes ___ No
4. Would you like to learn how to easily, systematically, and economically market to your database?___ Yes ___ No

Luckily, if you said "Yes" to any of these questions, SHIFT 2 Overdrive Database Development Workshop is the answer to help you make more money with less effort.

The SHIFT 2 Overdrive Database Development Workshop is an 6 week, hands-on workshop where you will learn the secrets to closing at least one transaction for every 10 people in your database. Each session will be a combination of instruction and hands-on exercises where you will be implementing the database tools and strategies that you learn. Some of the tools that we will be focusing on include:
• Implementation of lead generation ideas presented in the books SHIFT and Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller
• Calculating how many people you need in your database to make your financial goals
• Effective Scripts and dialogs to add people to your database and how to make effective follow up calls
• Using Top Producer 8i to streamline your contact entry, notes, and follow up systems
• Creating proven follow up systems using Top Producer 8i
• Creating mass mailings for your database including Best Buy List, Market Analysis emails, etc...
• Weekly homework and accountability to ensure that you get the most from these workshops

RSVP: ConnieCarlson@kw.com - Seating is limited to 50 people
Cost: No Charge
Dates: Every Tuesday starting July 7, 2009 from 2 to 3:30 pm for 6 weeks.
Where: Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter, 115 Perimeter Center, Dunwoody, GA 30346 678-298-1600
What to Bring: Laptop (wi-fi available), Millionaire Real Estate Agent and SHIFT by Gary Keller (we will have some available for purchase)
Instructor: Connie Carlson, Team Leader for Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter

Connie started her residential real estate career in 2004 with Keller Williams Realty. She immediately read the Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller and began to implement the 33 touch system program outlined in the book. Using Top Producer as her client management system, Connie managed a database of 120 people. Following the models, Connie was able to sell 20 homes and gross over $240,000 her first full year as an agent and she continued to have a steady stream of leads and closings during the five years she sold as a REALTOR. Using these models she developed a team including a full-time licensed assistant and two buyer's agents. She leveraged her business to not only become a top producer but also she had a balanced life that included most weekends off to spend with her family. As a Team Leader with Keller Williams, Connie's passion is helping other agents experience the same results. She wants to help others have "a career worth having, a business worth owning, and a life worth living".

2009-06-17T21:20:00.000-04:00

There are a rare few who you meet in life who, from the first moment you meet, your life becomes richer and fuller. Ms. Sally Washburn had that impact on me. I met Sally for the first time about one year ago. What an honor it was for me to be in partnership with a woman who had not only accomplished so much in her career but, more importantly, positively impacted the lives of so many others.

A few months ago, Ms. Sally celebrated her 90th birthday party!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7UbPl6N8vk

We had a wonderful tribute in our office for this momentous occasion. I was so touched with the beautiful tributes given by a number of the agents in our office. Ms. Sally mentored, inspired, and supported so many agents in Atlanta.
I only wish I could have met Sally sooner. I went to visit her a few weeks ago. She looked fantastic. Even though I made a surprise visit, Sally had her hair done beautifully and her make up was perfect. She looked vivacious and full of life. She was alert and (in true Sally fashion) so very happy to see me. Sally was always so gracious and humble. Yet at the same time she was a little “spitfire”. We talked about real estate (her favorite subject) and how she wanted so badly to attend some of the wonderful training we were offering in our market center. Sally never wanted to stop learning.

I really wish that I could have known Sally longer. In the precious moments we spent together, Sally helped me get a clearer idea of the “big” picture in life. Sally accomplished many great things in her career. And yet, today we celebrate HER! We celebrate the love that she had for her family, the love she showed to her friends and colleagues and her un-bounding energy to enjoy life.
Sally may not be here with us physically but she will always be with us in our hearts. Thanks for being with us Sally! The angels are singing....

Thankfully, when Sally joined our office she brought her granddaughter, Kristie, with her. Kristie is an agent in our office and she has helped Sally continue her business. Kristie and Sally worked together as a team and were very close. Please don’t forget to extend your condolences to Kristie.

To help the family, I have offered to bring them dinner tomorrow night. I am currently making two big pans of lasagna. If you would like to contribute some food to bring to the Washburn family, please bring it by the office sometime tomorrow.

Many Blessings,
Connie

KW Atlanta Perimeter Wins!!!

2009-06-15T21:42:00.000-04:00

In the SHIFT into Profit Share Contest that is currently going on nationally at KW, our office was the first winner in the daily drawings! Watch this video to see what
we won!

Weekly ReKWAP

2009-06-14T21:41:00.001-04:00

I hope you had a prosperous week! Here is a reKWAP of events in the market center next week as well as some tips to help improve your business.
1) The SHIFT 2 tour is on Wednesday, June 17th. The tour is SOLD OUT! I do, however, have ONE TICKET left for a recruit. Is there someone you would like to come to the event. Let me know. First come first serve.
2) Thursday, June 18th at 10:30 am: John Thompson will be teaching Writing and Negotiating Contracts. If you have never taken a "Contracts" class this class is a requirement. The last thing you want to happen is to make a mistake and end up in a costly lawsuit. Right?
3) Mark your calendars: The next MANDATORY meeting will be July 21, 2009 from 10:00 to 11:30 am.
4) As part of Power Hour this month we have guest speakers calling in. Today we heard from Bruce Hardie. The call was fantastic and will give you some great tips to improve your lead generation. The call has been recorded and you can listen to it by calling 712-432-1590 and then entering 528674#. It is worth 15 minutes of your time.
5) In Bruce's call he told us that NAR is providing the 2008 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers for FREE. I have downloaded the document and attached it to this email.
6) There are only 3 GOLD Leaves on the Profit Share Tree. That means that Nancy Halsema (2 leaves) and Jim McKechnie are the only agents who are currently eligable to win the FLIP video camera and a call from Gary/Mo/Mark/or Mary to the recruit of their choice. I have attached the directions to participate in the Shift into Profit Share Contest. What do you say we give them some competition. All you need to do is help me get an appointment with a potential future KW agent.
6) This email template (and letter below) is available in Top Producer for you to send to your database on a monthly basis. If you would like us to have a training event to teach you how to send an email in Top Producer please let JohnThompson@kw.com know.
7) Thanks to ALL of your hardwork, the office's commissions were up over 40% in May vs April!!! June is looking to be a great month as well! Keep making those calls and writing those contracts! You guys are rockin!
Have a fantastic weekend,
Connie

Thank You Tanya!

2009-06-02T08:50:00.001-04:00

I’ve been asked to comment upon my experience since joining Keller Williams in January. Thus far, it has been an amazing journey of self discovery, endurance and professional advancement. The moment that I arrived in the office to meet with my team leader, Connie Carlson, I knew that I was “home”.

Connie has this amazing ability to attract and inspire everyone that she encounters. In fact, she is easily one of the most impressive & committed leaders that I have ever known. Of course, meeting with the rest of the support team only solidified my decision to join.

Regina, our Agent Services Coordinator (ASC) is like the “glue” that holds us all together. Beyond her formal duties, she extends her friendship, encouragement and even a bit of spiritual guidance should you seek it. What more can I say, she is exactly what we all need to keep business running smoothly.

Then there’s Felicia, our office manager extraordinaire. She holds down the fort with style and grace, greets our clients with ultra professionalism & vanishes our errors; all while making us feel important by mere association.

Next up, Sir Darin. He’s our in-house financial genius a.k.a. “money man”. Darin wears a stern face, but has a heart as vast as the ocean. He’s the type of guy you want on your team for life, in that he looks out for you and never lets you down.

Last but not least, our fearless leader & broker John Thompson. John is charismatic, collected and incomparable. He protects us, advises us and gently pushes us to become better professionals overall.

The superior staff and formidable training at KW have been my saving grace in this volatile, “shifting” market. Particularly since, until recently, my business and finances had plummeted significantly. In any other environment, it would have been so easy to give up. Instead, I absorbed all the positive energy, participated in a plethora of events and took as many classes as my brain could hold. My reward for faith & perseverance was a glorious day of triple closings (personal best) and more to come soon. Ultimately, had it not been for the camaraderie and moral support of my KW family, I would likely have retired my license months ago.

So thank you family, for believing in me and inspiring me to continue this journey. I now have the confidence to meet and even exceed all of my professional goals & dreams, even in the face of uncertainty.

Go Red!

Tanya Tilton

THIS WEEK AT KWAP

2009-06-01T17:58:00.001-04:00

A number of you have suggested that we send an email once a week outlining the training and events for the following week. My hope is that this will allow you to time-block working "on" your business for the following week.

So that we can plan accordingly, please reply to feliciaa@kw.com and let her know which classes you intend to attend. We are keeping event signup sheets at the front desk to allow us to be better prepared for all future training.

I plan to attend the following events (see below for details):

____ SHIFT 2 Tour with Gene Rivers – June 17^th (see attached flyer)

____ Developing an Investment Strategy that Leads to Financial Independence with David Thomas, Remax (June 5 at 10 am)

____ How to Sell 50+ Homes Per Month with Connie Carlson (June 5 at 10 am)

____ Online Social Networking Workshop (June 10 at 1 pm)

____ Developing an Investment Strategy that Leads to Financial Independence (June 5 at 10 am)

Tuesday: June 2^nd – 10 am Team Meeting –

We have put together a great team meeting for Tuesday. This Tuesday we will be presenting two out-of-the-box initiatives that will help put more money in your pocket. There is no cost (FREE) to participate and the up-site potential for income generation is HUGE (I mean bigger than big).

Developing an Investment Strategy That Leads to Financial Independence for You and/or Your Clients, Friday, June 5^th: 10 am

Join David Thomas, with ReMax Commercial, as he shows you the step-by-step process to grow wealth through 1031 Exchanges of Residential Real Estate. According to Rocky Kaufmann in our office, David is one of "the best" trainers in Atlanta. We are so fortunate that David has volunteered to share his proven investment strategies. In fact, I recently met with one of David's co-workers, a young gentleman around 30 years old, who told me that he was on track to own (in an investment group) 50 homes by the time he was 40. Another investor says "I have been doing David's program for 9 years and I have already reached the point where I am making $125,000 a year. I am financially independent and I could retire at any moment. But I love doing this so I have no intentions of stopping…" How would you like to be financially independent in 9 years? Even if investing in real estate is not in the cards for you, I bet you know of someone who would be interested. Right? Great…I will see you Friday at 10 am.

How to Sell 50+ Homes a Month, Friday, June 5^th: 2 pm

I bet you read the title of this class and you think "yeah right". I would have thought the same thing until I met Brent Gove from Roseville, California. I rode to the Austin airport with Brent last month and he told me that he sold between 400 to 700 homes a year!!! I asked him how he did that. He replied "open houses". After I picked my jaw up off the car floor, I asked him if he would be willing to share his secret to successful open houses. And share he did….Brent told me that he typically had 25 to 50 people at every open house (in a community where the average agent only had 2 or 3 people at an open house). I was still a bit skeptical until two weeks ago when I drove by orange open house signs like the signs in Brent's program. . I think to myself "I'll be darn. I am going to check this out and see how many people are at this open house." The home that was being held open had boarded windows and is listed for $170k. It is located in the Brookstone Country Club subdivision in West Cobb County. Homes in Brookstone have historically sold for $250k to $1.5 million. It is raining. There are two ERA agents in the house who have been there for about 1.5 hours. They tell me that it has been very slow because of the rain. They have had only 15 buyers walk through. They said that a couple weeks before they held open a home in Douglasville and had 200 people come through the open house. I am a huge believer now!!!! Meet me on Friday at 2 pm and see how open houses can change your life!!!

Online Social Marketing Workshop, June 10^th: 1 - 5 pm

I was very fortunate to meet John Damiano, Associate Broker with The Providence Group at Remax, a couple weeks ago. John and I both have a passion for networking and referral based business. John is also very passionate and knowledgeable about the benefits of "Social Networking" (visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking if you would like further clarification on what I mean by "Social Networking"). John has graciously agreed to help YOU get connected online through Social Networking sites such as Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, etc. He will also be able to answer questions you may have about what is appropriate, the benefits of social networking, etc. This is a "workshop" so bring your laptop. John and I decided to design the class so that when you leave at 5 pm you will personally be set up on all the major sites – and you may have some other cool tricks/tips up your sleeve.

Recently I asked in Facebook how Social Networking had impacted agent's careers. Attached are just a few of the testimonials I received. If you too would like to start generating business, reconnecting with friends, having fun, and being on the cutting edge of the real estate then plan on joining us next Wednesday.

SHIFT 2 Overdrive Tour, June 17^th: All day

Gene Rivers, a MEGA agent within KW, will be here in Atlanta on June 17^th for the Shift 2 Workshop. For only $15 you can attend this all day workshop at the Renaissance Atlanta Hotel. They have already SOLD OUT 300 SEATS! I just put a call into Region and they believe that they may be opening up an additional 40 to 50 seats. It is IMPERATIVE that if you plan to attend that you sign up at the front desk. To make registration as easy as possible on you, we will take care of reserving a block of seats on your behalf. RSVP to Felicia right
now at feliciaa@kw.com (we will charge the $15 on your next office bill)

You came to the 2008 SHIFT Tour. Why come back?

Ask Yourself ...

Are you holding your money accountable?
Is every one of your listings priced in the market?
Are your lead generation efforts producing the RIGHT leads?
Do you know exactly what activities are growing your profit?
Do you know the right scripts for buyers who want to wait?
Are you armed with the skills to generate REO and short sale business?
Do you know exactly how many listing appointments you need to meet your goals?

If you can't answer "YES" to every one of these questions, you need to be there!

Grow Your Profit Share Tree, Every Monday in June from 10:30 to 12:00. This new course designed by KW International will help you know the privilege of being treated like a stakeholder and have a plan to activate your passive income potential. Kelly Coker Smith attended this training event about two months ago and told me it was one of the best courses she has taken in this market center "have more classes like this" Kelly said. Wondering if Profit Share is "real". Try asking Deborah Harris who shared with me that as of February she had over $109,000 deposited into her savings account from Profit Share. Isn't it about time that you started experiencing "the Gift"?.

Wednesday and Thursday: June 3-4: Certified Distressed Property Expert Training in Sandy Springs.

Of course, we continue to have a successful Power Hour that starts every day at 9 am! In the Month of May we made 685 calls, spoke to 341 people, and made 99 appointments. That means for every 3 people we spoke to during Power Hour we booked an appointment with!!! Ladies and Gentlemen these numbers are spectacular. If you are not yet participating in Power Hour you are really missing out on a great opportunity to improve your business.

I realize that this was a long email. I would appreciate your feedback on whether you think it was helpful and if you would like me to continue sending these on a weekly basis!

Yours in productivity!

Connie Carlson
Team Leader
Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter
678-298-1665

Conditions are Improving...Are You Ready?

2009-06-01T08:44:00.001-04:00

As we close in on the end of May, I am extremely encouraged by the level of activity and closings that you have posted this month, and even more encouraged by the closings that are already scheduled for June! This past week, HUD improved the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers by allowing the credit to be used towards the down payment of home purchases for first time buyers, which will surely provide an uncontestable motivation for wannabe homeowners. This is an unprecedented “stimulus package,” and everyone you know should be prompted to help you contact anyone who wants to own a home for the first time. As a professional, this new opportunity presented by HUD should be presented in practically every e-mail, every note, every call and every conversation you have for quite some time!

Based on the amount of activity that is occurring in the market right now, all buyers who have been dragging their feet, hoping that economic conditions might even worsen and improve their ability to strike a “Guinness Book” deal on a home should be very concerned that they may have, indeed, missed their best opportunity. It is imperative that you study the statistics in the market and immediately feed them to your database and your farm. While there is a lot of biased, agenda-focused reporting on our industry, our data is unbiased, unfiltered and exactly what consumers need to be using when making critical decisions for buying and selling real estate. Additionally, make sure you come to team meetings on Tuesdays because these meetings are the best indicators of the market’s direction. When our people come together for Tuesday team meetings, everyone has a sense of the energy and the demands of the market, and that’s precisely the ingredient that could make or break your ability to properly guide your clients through the week ahead.

In February, Gary Keller said that the next 180 days may be the toughest days in our careers. If we keep leaning into this dip, we may find that it was only 90 days of extraordinary pain, rather than 180. May and June feel like a welcomed rain at the end of a long drought. Perhaps our greatest responsibility is going to be doing everything we possibly can to keep this momentum going and make every month a rainmaking month. Let’s dig in and make sure that this big, ugly thing we’ve been pushing continues to move. Bit by bit, we are gaining speed.

I am so proud of our collective efforts. As tough as this market has been on everyone everywhere, I have to say that I feel that our market centers feel more like a team than ever. What a testament to the culture of this company and the unshakable entrepreneurial spirit of our people.

For years we have said that “money doesn’t change people – it exposes them for who they are.” While I wholeheartedly agree with that, I have to say that a lack of money exposes people even more. Each of you has proven your mettle just by outlasting the shift in the market. I’m proud to say that our market centers have been “hurricane ready” in our construction and our commitment to protecting the jobs of our staff, the businesses of our associates and the value that we strive to provide in the market place.

I hope this message finds you – or makes you – more determined and more optimistic than you’ve been in a long, long time.

Your #1 Fan…

Shaun Rawls

Sheryl's First Power Hour

2009-05-14T11:07:00.000-04:00

Did You Know?

2009-05-10T10:02:00.001-04:00

Check out this video. It is Mindboggling!
(turn off the Playlist music on the right side of screen)

By: Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod, and Jeff Bronman

The Power of Power Hour

2009-05-08T11:13:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Gail Burns who is on FIRE since participating in our Suit up and Show Up Program here at KW Atlanta Perimeter. Listen to the results of this morning's efforts!

Better Your Inputs

2009-05-06T14:27:00.001-04:00

I just received this email message from my Operating Partner, Shaun Rawls. When he mentioned this at the Mastermind lunch last week it really struck a cord with me and the other agents at the luncheon. I wanted to share it with you as well. Perhaps it may have a positive impact on your life. Enjoy!
At our monthly agent mastermind lunch, I urged those in attendance to take inventory of their inputs. “Inputs” are simply the people/tasks/things that have your time and attention, and therefore have an impact on your perspective, your attitude, your energy level, your intelligence and frankly, your future. Now more than ever, who you spend time with matters. Where - and how - you spend your time matters. So, ask yourself… Who and what are you plugged into? What value are they adding to (or taking away from) the quality of your life? How does your environment support your needs, reduce your fears and arm you with strength, knowledge and confidence? The quality of the next 10 years of your life will be determined by your answers to these questions today.
How much time are you giving to the people who contribute the most to the quality of your life? How much time are you giving to the people who take away from it? If you don’t like the answers to these two questions, then you have to ask yourself, “Why?” “Why am I giving too much time to the wrong people and too little time to the right ones?”
Recently, an agent joined us after she told her broker that she wanted to make $100,000 in the next year, and her broker told her that $100,000 was too lofty a goal for her and that she should set her sights on something more realistic in this market! As a leader, I cannot imagine having such a limiting view of someone’s potential – particularly if that someone is in our company! The biggest frustration I have always dealt with is seeing more in people than they see in themselves. As challenging as this market is, making a six figure income is something everyone CAN do. Not earning a six figure income in any market has nothing to do with “can” or “can’t” and everything to do with “will” and “won’t.” My suspicion is that everyone who won’t make six figures is being told they can’t. They’re telling themselves they can’t; their friends say they can’t; their spouse says they can’t; even their broker says they can’t! Those who will are those who believe they can, and most likely, their inputs help shape their thoughts and their successful realities.
To me, the word “can’t” means “impossible.” And since very few things in life are impossible, then “can’t” should be replaced with “not willing to put forth the effort.” There’s no such thing as “I can’t.” There is only “I won’t.” “Can’t” sounds better to most people because it implies that something is outside of your control, which means one is merely a victim of circumstance. “Won’t” is tougher to say because it more accurately says that things are within your control and you are not willing to put forth the effort necessary to accomplish it.
Jennifer Barnes recently said that her favorite word is “Yes” and her least favorite word is “No.” Who’s telling you “Yes, you can!”? Who’s telling you “No, you can’t!”?
All of us need a cheering section of people shouting, “You can do it!” as we run our races. We have a responsibility to choose our cheering section well and to make sure that we are properly cheering others on, too. What we expect and need from others we should provide to them as well. To get good input we have to give good input. Ultimately, it’s the demonstration of the right thoughts and behaviors that will influence us the most.
Thinking bigger than ourselves and bigger than our current situations rarely comes from within without the consistent exposure to others who demonstrate how to do it. For nearly 10 years now, I have enjoyed the pride that comes with being a tiny part of building a company that matters to every agent who wants to make a difference and who wants to succeed in a positive, caring, learning based and productive environment. Our sources of input are unrivaled. Culture, productivity, profitability and personal and professional growth are demonstrated every single day in our market centers.
If you are reading this and thinking that you need to upgrade the inputs in your life right now, I can think of no better place to start to do that than our offices. I doubt that there is any company, in any industry, that is equipping its associates to succeed in any market like we are. Abundance lives here.
Better your inputs, better your life.
Your #1 Fan…
SHAUN RAWLS
Multiple Operating Partner
Keller Williams Realty
www.RawlsGroup.org

Congratulations to our Cultural Icon

2009-05-04T13:53:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Jake Duffy from the Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter office. Jake was selected by his peers to be the Cultural Icon Recipient for our office. He was then selected to be the 2008 Southeast Region's Cultural Icon. We are so blessed to work with a man with such outstanding moral charactor. He truly does live and breath KW Culture!! Here is the video when he was presented with his Cultural Icon pin by Mo Anderson at the Cultural Summit in Austin, Texas on May 1, 2009.

Impromptu Pep Rally Pumps up Participants

2009-05-04T08:44:00.002-04:00

RED Day spirit was out and in full force during Masterminds in Austin, Texas last week when attendees were treated to a spontaneous pep rally led by KWRI staff members.
(remember to turn off the Music on the right side of the screen)

NANCY HALSEMA JOINS KELLER WILLIAMS ATLANTA PERIMETER IN DUNWOODY, GEORGIA!

2009-05-03T13:50:00.002-04:00

"We're excited to welcome Nancy Halsema to Keller Williams Realty family," says Connie Carlson, Team Leader of Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter. "This company succeeds through its people, and having Nancy on our team is a huge win for us"

Nancy was a REALTOR with Harry Norman for over 12 years and decided to join the Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Perimeter team April 1, 2009. The changes in her industry of the past few years makes it imperative that she grow and change with it if she wants to continue to be a successful and well-positioned agent. Nancy is a life-time member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors, and holds additional designations of ABR, CRS and GRI. She is also a REO specialist and is very knowledge of the current marketplace.

In her former career she spent 26 years in Tampa, Florida where she was an Interior Designer first working under a prestigious local firm and later starting her own business, NestFeathers. While in Tampa Nancy and her husband also renovated 7 historic homes for resale (and one she continued to work on until they moved - her own home). She has experience in both residential and commercial design, historically-sensitive restoration, and renovations and updating of 21st century homes.

J CHARLES (CHARLIE) LOCKWOOD JOINS KW COMMERCIAL IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA!

2009-04-28T16:00:00.002-04:00

By Connie Carlson,

Charlie Lockwood,

Commercial Managing Director, Keller Williams Realty Atlanta,

Perimeter

KW Commercial and Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter are thrilled to announce Charlie Lockwood as their "Managing Director" for their Commercial Division in Dunwoody, Georgia. Lockwood joined the Atlanta Perimeter office to help develop the agent's businesses through mentoring and consulting, to benefit from the national KW Commercial network and to benefit from the extensive referral opportunities of over 74,000 residential agents.

Charlie has been in commercial brokerage and development in Atlanta since 1972. He currently provides real estate brokerage and consulting services to clients as an extension of his successful involvement in these fields as an executive with several leading firms. Combining a technical education, an advanced degree in business administration and diverse business experiences, Charlie offers a significant complement of resources to advise clients on a variety of real estate topics.

Prior to joining KW Commercial, Charlie was the Vice President and Associate Broker at The Westminster Group. He also worked with CARTER, Jaymont Properties and MARK III in locating, developing, leasing and financing their real estate needs.

Lockwood has been an Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors Top 5 Producer in retail and received the Phoenix Award in 2004 for ten years in the Million Dollar Club. He received the Atlanta Commercial Board's Realtor of the Year Award in 2008. Charlie is a past Director of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors and is the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Georgia Institute of Real Estate.

Connie Carlson, Team Leader/Broker of KW Commercial and Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter noted, "When I first met with Charlie I knew he was a leader. His actions inspired others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more. I knew at that point he was the number one choice for this new and exciting position."

Heard It At Family Reunion...

2009-03-22T21:04:00.001-04:00

Thank you Todd Rosenberry, Team Leader at Keller Williams for these inspiring quotes from Family Reunion.

Now go get 'moj-i-fied'!

This is an “ALL OR NOTHING YEAR”. The “last man standing” (agent OR company) at the end of this year, will HAVE IT ALL…..AND WILL OWN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET for the next 5-10 years. (Mike Bastian, my coach)
Shift is truly about choice…yours...and it will dictate how you get to the other side. (Key note (Charles Swindol)
To shift or be shifted…that is the question. We are going to have an “L” Shaped economic recovery…Either Get real about this fact, or get out. Also, we are being told this is the worst economic times since the depression. Remember, unless you committed suicide, the depression didn’t actually kill anyone.(GK)
THE Next 180 days may be the toughest economic times you will ever see. Despite that fact, This is the biggest professional opportunity in your lifetime.(GK)
Opportunity is never lost-it is simply taken by someone else. (GK)
The big story is never the economy-it’s the opportunities it creates for those who choose to embrace it. (Gary Keller)
Optimists believe if something works well, it was them and it will last. If something goes wrong, it’s the environment and won’t’ last. Victims stay stuck b/c their problem is not about them, it’s about their environment…..They never own it. Ex. “It’s the market, not me!” (DJenks)
In success, both your swing and the size of the field matters. What was a home run is now a single. The field has changed, time to change your swing. (GK)
“If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed him up. He needs education to turn him around.”- (GK)
You are not your thoughts. Everyone has ‘bad’, ‘impure’, or ‘self doubting’ thoughts. YOU get to decide which ones will drive your behavior…Only your actions define who you are.
LET FEAR BE YOUR COMPASS!!!!! Let fear be your guide, your ‘compass’ for which direction you should go. WHY? Fear means you care about the outcome. You’re afraid it might not work. If you didn’t care, you would have no fear. Ex. You fear cold calling.
MONEY AND OPPORTUNITY LIE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR!
Character matters: In times of great pressure, there is temptation to do wrong. These times will reveal people’s true character. No deal, No amount of money is worth your reputation. There is never a right time to do the wrong thing. (Mo)
We don’t do things b/c we are taught to do them, we do them b/c you are reminded to do them. “Sometimes the choir even needs a little sermon….”
TMD in 2009 (Total Market Domination)

Fun at the Keller Williams Family Reunion

2009-03-11T21:52:00.000-04:00

You would never have guessed that we are in a challenging real estate market at this year's Keller William's Family Reunion. Here is the video I created to recap some of the excitement of Family Reunion.

We missed you this year. Don't let another year go by without attending Family Reunion. Next year Keller Williams will celebrate in New Orleans. Start saving today - our goal is to have 25 agents from Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter.

Tell Me Something Good #102

2009-03-11T15:31:00.001-04:00

Tell Me Something Good

Do you have your name tag on? If not, you need to dust it off and put it on. Stacy Horst picked up two listing leads today while getting her groceries. She is going to meet a fellow-shopper this evening to list their home.

Put it on with a smile!

Third-Largest Real Estate Franchise in the United States

2009-03-11T14:35:00.001-04:00

Keller Williams Realty Climbs to
Third-Largest Real Estate Franchise in the United States

Company outpaces market with financial model, agent-centric initiatives

AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 2, 2009) — Keller Williams® Realty Inc., announced last week at its annual convention in Orlando, Fla. that it is now the third-largest real estate franchise in the United States, surpassing RE/MAX® International. According to Steve Murray of REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information in the residential real estate industry, the Austin, Texas-based company claimed the number three spot with 72,794 U.S. associates at the end of 2008.

"The success of Keller Williams Realty can be directly attributed to the hard work and perseverance of our associates and the soundness of our economic and organizational models," said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. "While others might be looking at this market and seeing fear and uncertainty, we have always approached it as our opportunity to shine and grow. And that mindset has paid off."

The company has been gaining ground for the last three years, outpacing pervasive downward trends in the real estate industry. Comparing the average annual performance of the company from 2004 - 2005 (before the shift in the real estate market) to 2006 - 2008, Keller Williams Realty increased its associate count by 52 percent, while market share for its offices increased 83 percent and agent gross commission income went up 35 percent. Keller Williams Realty has 679 offices operating in the United States and Canada. In 2008, the company shared more than $30 million in profits with its associates through its profit sharing program.

"Through profit share, our phenomenal coaching and training and our technology offerings, we are offering agents their own 'bailout plan' for this market." Willis added.

The company also announced that after years of searching for a partnership to provide its associates with affordable health insurance, they are moving forward with a solution.

The soon-to-be-launched Keller Williams Health Providers Program will include options for major medical, limited medical, catastrophic coverage and a separate cancer plan. The health insurance coverage is the first step toward a total wellness program for associates.

"We have always been very aware that as independent contractors, our agents face barriers to obtaining health coverage," said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty." We know that for many, this new option may alleviate some of the stress that they face in today's economy. After all, our associates are not just our partners – they are our family."

Last fall, the company also announced the launch of KW Commercial, a new division of the company dedicated to providing commercial real estate associates with specialized technology, marketing tools and resources. KW Commercial already has more than 220 active brokers across the U.S. and Canada.

"Our goal is to create synergy between the residential and commercial sides of our Keller Williams offices, raising the bar for the service we provide to our clients," said Buddy Norman, president of KW Commercial. "We envision our commercial and residential agents working side-by-side, sharing referrals and helping our offices grow."

"Our growth in the last year and now becoming the third-largest real estate company in the United States was a true team effort and a company-wide win. We are so grateful for all of the leadership and commitment our associates have shown to power through this shift," added Willis.

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with 679 offices and 74,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1990, has an agent-centric culture that emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners.

For more information about Keller Williams Realty visit www.kw.com or Call Connie Carlson, Team Leader at Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter 678-298-1665.

You Fail Your Way to Success

2009-03-08T21:17:00.003-04:00

Do you ever feel that no matter what you do life just doesn't work out the way you want it too? I know that you may be struggling right now in your real estate career. Have you caught yourself blaming "the market"? Are you hoping that it will turn around soon? This kind of "victim" thinking will not serve you well in life.

Remember that you only have control over three things in your life - the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take (your behavior). How you use these three things determines everything you experience. If you don't like what you are getting and experiencing, you have to change how you are behaving. Change your negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Change your habits. Change what you read, who you hang out with, and how you spend your time.

Attendees at Gary Keller’s Down is the New Up were treated to a live performance and on stage interview with guitarist Bill McLaughlin. For twenty years, Billy astounded audiences around the world with his complex and rhythmic music. In 2001, he was diagnosed with Focal Dystonia, an incurable neuromuscular disease that rendered him unable to play his own music. By 2002, Billy McLaughlin’s career was over.

But in 2006, Billy began a comeback. Billy decided to relearn playing the guitar with his other hand. Imagine if you had to learn to write, eat, etc with your non-dominate hand. Billy said that he practiced 3 to 4 hours every day. Gary Keller pointed out that it took Billy 3 hours a day to "shift" the way he plays guitar - not 20 minutes here and 20 minutes there. As a result of Billy's focused intensity over time he is now, once again, performing for audiences.

Many people fail because they quit too soon. Are you ready to do what it take to not only survive but thrive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOH1SXp3ugo

How To Live A Better Life

2009-03-08T16:29:00.002-04:00

Here is a video from Family Reunion that explains ways to live a better life. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx-yXGXNstU

A Realtors Guide on What Not To Write on Social Media Sites

2009-03-04T16:57:00.001-05:00

1. IF you don't want your mom to know, don't write it.

2. If it involves alcohol, you may want to think twice, especially if you are drinking right now.

3. If you were to say it and blush, DON'T WRITE IT!

4. If you are angry, hurt, disappointed, or otherwise prone to violent outburst, grab a pillow and scream. Do not vent your private emotions for the entire world to dissect. It doesn't not go away when you feel better, it is there forever.

5. You might not want to update your location 24/7. Would you really want complete strangers to know exactly where you are every minute of the day!?!

6. For heaven's sake don't vent about your client!!! Someone somewhere knows them and will be more than happy to tell them all about it.

7. I realize your dating life may be quite comical, scary, maybe even OSCAR worthy, yet maybe you should write a journal, and bury it somewhere deep, deep, deep in the ground instead of posting it every time your "status" changes.

8. And finally, your clients and prospective clients are paying attention, CLOSE attention. If you are serious about social media as a professional forum, think twice, possibly even three times,
about posting that fleeting feeling, momentary emotion, or "good times photo".

You will be oh so happy you did and so will your mother and/or children.

Responsibility

2009-03-02T16:50:00.001-05:00

Responsibility

By: Jeri Moran, General Manager for the Rawls Group http://www.rawlsgroup.org/

Bear Bryant, the legendary Alabama football coach, was once asked, what was the key to his coaching success. He thought for a second and said, “When we win I give them (the players) all the credit and when we lose I take all the blame.” He smiled and walked away. When things go wrong, great leaders take full responsibility for the results. No excuses. Harry Truman made this clear when he uttered his famous four words...“The buck stops here!”
In one of Ronald Reagan’s cabinet meetings, General Colin Powell presented an idea he was passionate about. This discussion went on for about an hour with Reagan asking tough questions because he felt the proposal had flaws. In the end, however, he said, “Colin, it’s your call. If you think it will work, we’ll go for it.”
A few months later, however, Reagan was grilled at a news conference because the plan had failed miserably. One of the reporters asked the question, “Whose idea was this; yours or someone else’s?” Reagan didn’t hesitate. He said, “I take full responsibility.” He then glanced at Powell sitting in the front row and saw tears welling in his eyes.
After the news conference, Powell walked over to a friend and said, “I’d do anything for that man.”
Let’s take a second and look at how taking responsibility applies to my business, Dark Horse Recording.
When people under my employ don’t come across warm and hospitable on the phone, whose responsibility is it?
If my electric bill skyrockets because one of my employees left all thirteen central air systems on over the Christmas holidays, whose responsibility is it?
If one of my biggest clients starts recording elsewhere...because we weren’t up on our game...perhaps a grounding problem...or some of the equipment wasn’t working to 100% satisfaction...whose responsibility is it?
If my bills don’t get paid...If my invoices don’t get collected...If lightning strikes and wipes out Bill’s computer files in the front office because they weren’t backed up...whose responsibility is it?
IT’S MINE.
I guess you can see where I’m going with this. Bottom line, these things are all MY RESPONSIBILITY.
Remember, failure to hit the bull’s eye is never the fault of the target. That’s why successful leaders focus on responsibility over blame. Many people want to wear the cloak of leadership, but remember, with it comes the burden of responsibility.
Believe it or not, we DO understand that leadership isn’t easy. We watch every day and see you assume incredible responsibilities. You’re accountable for your actions and for our actions, plus all the fiscal requirements, employee problems, feedback, training, technology changes, hiring, de-hiring, communicating, staff development, prioritizing, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, and much more. Your job is tough. But it is the job you chose. And, you CAN do it.
It is hard to believe we are about to be looking back at the first quarter of 2009. Were you able to put the points on the scoreboard you had planned for? Get destructive with your positive mindset, make multiple buyer offers and reverse offers with sellers. Use the market statistics to place you and your client against the market. And practice, practice, practice your scripts!
Everything you do counts.Make it count!

How to Keep Your Energy Up

2009-03-01T16:36:00.002-05:00

What is the secret to maintaining your energy day in and day out? Do you find it hard to maintain that "High Pro Glow"? With the many demands of our time we all struggle with maintaining our energy.

I am frequently asked how I keep my energy and enthusiasm up. I follow a few simple rules to keep going. First, I try to get 8 hours of sleep every night. Secondly, I eat a healthy diet (most of the time). I avoid fried food, fast food, heavy sauces, and sweets. Third, I follow the Energy Plan that Gary Keller outlined in his book, Millionaire Real Estate Agent.

Then Energy Plan is a simple but very effective way to feel energized and in control of your physical, spiritual, emotional and financial well being. The idea is to take care of all of these things before 11 am every morning.

Here is the secret formula that will create positive energy and amazing momentum in your life! Remember, do all of these things before 11 am each day.
1. Mediate and Pray - Spiritual Energy
2. Exercise and Eat - Physical Energy
3. Hug, Kiss, and Laugh - Emotional Energy
4. Plan and Calendar - Mental Energy
5. Lead Generate - Business Energy

What Separates KW From the Pack?

2009-02-24T22:37:00.005-05:00

It's late at night and I am bleary eyed and tired. I had a full day at Family Reunion and my head is busting with new ideas, new tools, and inspiration. Today we had a guest speaker from Swanesoel Trends Reports during our Team Leader Mastermind. Mr. Swanesoel is highly esteemed as an expert in the real estate market and industry. I wanted to share this short video of Mr. Swanesoel as he describes what makes Keller Williams unique from other real estate companies.

What is the number one reason that Keller Williams is the fast growing real estate company? CULTURE. This was not lost on Mr. Swanesoel as he spent the last few days with us at Family Reunion in Orlando.

KW Atlanta Perimeter 2008 Agents of the Year!

2009-02-19T14:52:00.001-05:00

Agents of the Year!!

The Frye Team

Congratulations to the Frye Team who were the Top Producers at Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter in 2008. In a year where the Atlanta Real Estate market decreased 22%, the Frye Team grew their business by 32% to gross commission income of $384,261. Way to go Frye Team!

That doesn’t mean that growth and success came easy for the Frye Team. When I first met Pete and Teri in April 2008 they weren’t so sure what 2008 had in store for them. At the time, Pete and Teri were trying to figure out how to handle administrative responsibilities that their assistant Cindy Wichman had taken care of before her illness. In addition, they recognized that the market was shifting and saw that sales were becoming harder and harder to come by.

But they re-organized and re-energized their activities to ramp up their business and overcome the challenges in the market. Teri and Pete understand the value of education, dedication, and hard work. They became students of the tactics in the SHIFT Book and tirelessly worked to bring in more leads and more listings. They also implemented the models from the MREA book and became accountable through coaching with Shaun Rawls. One big accomplishment last year was in August when they took on over 20 high-end, new construction listings in Sugarloaf Country Club.

In addition to working hard to grow their business, the Frye Team actively participated in the Agent Leadership Council. They are always there to mentor agents when they have problems, they give back to the office through leadership and training, and they are role models of the KW Culture.

Thanks to Pete, Teri, and their Buyer’s Agent, Kim Scruggs for all their encouragement and inspiration. We are blessed to be in business with you!

Tom Cruise Like Excitement

2009-02-16T14:49:00.003-05:00

It's not everyday that I meet someone that is so happy that they want to jump up and down for joy. On those days when I do, I want to jump up and celebrate with them. Today was one of those days...

Recently we began the "Suit Up and Show Up" program which allows the agents to obtain a voucher for a free desk each month if they participate in Power Hour, come to Team Meetings, and make their appointment goals for the month. The results have been phenomenal! We meet each morning at 9 am to watch a short inspirational/educational video. We share our goals, ideas, and challenges and then we are off to the phones for about an hour and a half. At 10:30 a.m. we reconvene to share and celebrate our successes. Who says that the real estate market is bad....Last week we made over 30 appts!

Sheralyn Skaar picked out a desk last week and her results have been life changing. I have attached this video so you can feel her excitement.

If you too are interested in boosting your business give me a call at 678-298-1665. I would be happy to share with you how to make it happen.

Whole-Hearted Devotion

2009-02-14T21:38:00.003-05:00

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.Colossians 3:23

Happy Valentines Day! I just came home from a great night out with my husband and two kids. We went to dinner at "Thaicoon" on the Marietta Square. I actually got my 12 year old, finicky eater, to admit that the spicy tuna roll actually tasted good to him! Victory!!! As I am sure you do, I value the time with those I love more than anything.

My family and friends are my passion. As you, and our office, is my passion. I love what I do and I love who I do it with. Since Valentines Day is meant to be spent with those we love - doing what we love to do, I thought that I would share with you an excerpt from a book written by John Maxwell, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. I hope you find it as inspirational as I did.

May You Live Your Passion,

Connie

Experts spend a lot of time trying to figure out what makes people successful, and more than anything the passion is what makes the difference.

Take a look at four truths about passion and what it can do for you:

1. Passion is the first step to achievement: Your desires determine your destiny. The stronger your fire, their greater the desire--and the greater the potential.

2. Passion increases your willpower There is not substitute for passion. It is fuel for the will. If you want anything badly enough, you can find the willpower to achieve it.

3. Passion changes you. If you follow your passion you can't help but become a more dedicated, productive person. In the end, your passion will have more influence than your personality.

4. Passion makes the impossible possible. Human beings are so made that whenever anything fires their soul impossibilities vanish. A fire in the heart lifts everything in your life. An individual with great passion and few skills always outperforms an individual with great skills and no passion.

Not A Chair To Be Found!

2009-02-10T21:09:00.004-05:00

There wasn't a chair to be found in today's team meeting. We kicked off the event with the agents sharing "Tell Me Something Good" stories while passing around the beach ball. Toss after toss agents shared how they are finding buyers and sellers by calling their sphere, holding open houses or networking on the golf course (go Bob Fiscella). It was also great to see Scotchie Cochran back in the room after his heart surgery.

After the inspirational celebration, I filled the everyone in on a new form that needs to be completed when they turn in contracts. The new form will help protect our clients in complex short sale transactions. For instance, we are finding that sellers are hiring a third party to negotiate with the banks on short sales. Oftentimes these third party representatives are not licensed real estate agents. When the third party rep is NOT a licensed agent, the listing agent must present all offers to the seller (not just the third party rep). The new form is a check and balance for short sale requirements.

The main event today was hosted by our ALC member, Dionne Stokes-Hicks. Dionne invited Dagmar Sands of Real Estate International, Inc (http://www.dagmarsands.com/) to discuss networking on an international scale. Dagmar presented innovative ways to grow our real estate business through social networking on the internet and joining networking associations. To wrap it all up Dionne and Mia Hannah shared an inspirational story about overcoming our fears.

I think everyone left jazzed up and ready to tackle the real estate world. At least Barney Trader was - as evidenced by this video.

Tell Me Something Good - Moment #102

2009-02-09T14:43:00.000-05:00

Hi Connie,
I’m sooo glad I took the Buyer Mastery class on Wednesday because I had potential clients come in on Thursday and I was able to apply what I learned very quickly. Needless to say, after they left the office I had a signed Buyer Agency contract for a six month period. The best part is they know I don’t intend on showing them 30+ homes. I told them that they need to narrow the list down to 8-10 and drive by them before we go out. Surprisingly they seemed relieved with the way I NOW do business. I also told them to expect to make 2-3 offers at the same time. They liked that idea too. For once I feel in control of my business!
Thank you for offering this wonderful class!

Liz Wellman

Tell Me Something Good Moment #101

2009-02-08T14:30:00.004-05:00

Tell Me Something Good - Moment #101
Every day someone in my office comes to tell me something good that has happened. I love hearing their stories and see the sparkle in their eye and spring in their step. Yesterday I purchased a new toy called "The Flip". It is a tiny little video camera that I can keep with me at all times. So now when an agent comes to "Tell Me Something Good" I can share the moment with you.So here is Moment #101 with Michael Martino and Bill Haas at the ALC Social Dinner Party on February 7th. (Turn off the music from the Playlist to the right of this post)

Just the Stats Ma'am

2009-02-03T15:28:00.003-05:00

Thank you Jeri for helping us better understand the value that our Quarterly Market Statistics provide to both the agents in this community and our clients.

“Just the Stats Ma’am” – Jeri Moran, General Manager, Keller Williams Realty

Knowing your numbers has taken on a whole new meaning in the last year. Though it was always crucial to know the market and where you stand, now more than ever does could it mean the difference of 30 days on the market or over 100 days. It could mean the difference of 96% of list price or 83% of list price. It could mean your reputation.

Knowing the key numbers could also mean the difference of just getting to the table in the first place. And in our current market where buyers are more challenging to come by, this is very important. So what are some key talking points to look at? And, by the way, we are 5 of only 10 offices in Atlanta that have access to this compiled data and charts! Thank you Chuck Carr (chartmasterchuck@aol.com) So, take a look at some key areas please.

1. Average days on market for listings that require a price reduction vs. those that don’t. We are looking at a difference of 2-3 (sometimes 4) times longer on the market depending on area and price point.

2. Another important number is the % of closed transaction from the same period year prior. If you look at the entire metro Atlanta detached we are down about 22%. Intown areas are down 11.7% and condos a whopping 29%.

3. The % of failed (overpriced) listings has increased to over 70% in all categories.

4. Finally, the decline in the median price point. Prices have not been this low since 2003!

So the good news is we have the information. The information really isn’t good or bad, it is just the facts, the market that we have. It is what we do with this information NOW that will determine if it is a positive or negative in our business. With over 33,000 properties sold in the Atlanta Metro Area this year and looking at the 80/20 (really 90/10) principle in our business, there is plenty to go around and you can get YOUR unfair share. The other piece of good news is we know what the challenge in this market is: PRICE! Yes, PRICE! Inventory has stabilized somewhat and now our greatest marketing strategy is price.

Now what? Get aggressive! Create a worry price that will force buyers to make offers. Make reverse offers and create bidding wars! View properties that are under contract and be the best priced, best looking home on the market. Give incentives on your listings; hoa fees, buy down the mortgage. Remind buyers that they can always turn down an offer but let’s make sure we get one.

This information arms you with data for this wartime market. Get in the game because if you don’t you are just a spectator! You CAN do it!

I hope you will continue to join us at the next quarterly presentation of these statistics. If you would like more information about this event send me an email at ConnieCarlson@kw.com.

Making It Stick in 2009

2009-02-01T07:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the New Year! We’ve made it through the month of January. If you are like me, January started out with good intentions. Resolutions and goals abounded. How am I doing so far? How are you doing so far? You are now a month into the year and have you been able to stay on track?

Some of you may say “yes”. My guess is that many of you say “not quite”. Many of you may have made a resolution to lose weight or get in better shape. In fact, the health clubs are full of well-wishers the first part of the year. My husband, Dan, and I used to be regulars at the West Cobb YMCA. Come January we would crack jokes about the New Year’s Resolution-ers. One year we watched a woman on the sit-up bench doing crunches while candy fell out of her sweatshirt’s pocket. Needless to say, she made it to the gym for a week or two and we never saw her again.

Everyone has good intentions. But did you ever wonder why people have such a hard time keeping up with the changes they commit to make in a new year? We promise to make change but after the first few weeks of January or early February the resolutions go away, we struggle with the goals, and we go backwards.

Why is it so hard for people to make lasting change in their lives? One reason is that the change we make is too radical. We fear that we can’t maintain the change so we don’t even commit to the resolution. Or, perhaps we fear that there are too many unresolved issues in our past to change or overcome. We may have convinced ourselves that it is too late to change. We are already set in our ways or we are not willing to put in the work or sacrifice to make the change. Maybe we are looking for a quick fix.

So how do you make real change in your life that will last? How do you make it stick?

#1. Focus on decisions that could really add value to your life. The first step to making goals that last is to focus on change that adds real value to your life. So often we try to change things that don’t add real value to our lives. Strive for something earnest. Focus on things that outlast your life. Material things are all good and well but will not bring true happiness to your life. Your focus should be on “love”. Love for your body, for your family, for your friends, and for your spiritual life. For instance, rather than focusing on fitting into those skinny jeans, focus on how much better you will physically feel, how it will improve your self esteem, and how it will prolong your life to share with those you love.

#2. Get tough on the things that cause setbacks. You can’t keep valuable goals if these things go unchecked in your life. There will always be opposition. Our own weakness and sometimes your friends, family, etc will try to pull us backwards. All of us have things we struggle with. We need to ask ourselves what is in our life right now that is causing us to constantly have a setback. Sometimes the opposition may be rooted in Pride. It is important to us to have a clear perception of what is holding us back, recognize it and have a plan to overcome it. Get honest with the problems in our lives in 2009 so that in 2010 we are not dealing with the same issues.

3. We have to decide in advance that we are not going to quit. This is a lifelong process. It is progression – not perfection. You will have some victories and failures along the way. You can never give up trying to perfect yourself and you cannot be afraid to fail once in awhile. Our lives need to be in a constant state of change. The key is to NOT quit. Refuse to give up.

4. Tackle change in two degree shifts. One of the problems with our goals is that we set ourselves up for failure because we bite off more than we can handle. We try to do a one-eighty. Very few people can do that. If you really want to make lasting change in your life you need to tackle change in two degree shifts. For instance, what if you could make a two degree shift to begin lead generation? Maybe you start with just 2 phone calls a day and build it to 3 hours a day. This could be the tipping point to success in your business. The little decisions we make on a day to day basis have immense results over time. Focused intensity over time leads to results.

5. Find someone to help you along the way. No one succeeds alone. Find a buddy to help you along the way. Whether that is your life partner, spouse, friend, coach, or work colleague find someone to hold you accountable and to encourage you along the way.

6. Write down your goals and keep them in front of you at all times. Most people never take the time to write out what they want to achieve. They will say that it is all “up here”. The problem with this kind of thinking is that we are constantly revising and changing what we focus on. And thus, the real things that matter fall to the way side. Write it down. It is rewarding and empowering to cross your achieved goals off the list.

As a Market Center we have some Great Goals for 2009. The 2009 Agent Leadership Council and your Leadership team is leading the charge to not only make Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter the #1 real estate office in Dunwoody, but the #1 market center in the Southeast Region – and beyond. We have established specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time specific goals to make this happen. Our goal is to add 50 new faces, add 50 happy cappers, and
have 50% productivity by the end of 2009. 50-50-50.

Our vision statement is simple –

“We are here for you. Wherever you are.”

What's It Going To Take

2009-01-29T19:29:00.005-05:00

One of the many concepts presented by Gary Keller in the "Millionaire Real Estate Agent" was the Lead Generation Model. By analyzing what top real estate professionals did and the results they acheived Gary came to the realization that agents needed to put chance aside and understand the "Numbers Game" of real estate success.

What Gary found was that when agents systematically marketed to their sphere of influence ("mets") database using a "33 Touch" program that they could expect 2 closed transactions for every 12 people in their database.

These are powerful statistics that personally drove me to establish a systematic "touch" program very early on in my career. With only 120 Mets in my database when I started real estate 5 years ago, I was able to close 30 transactions my first full year as an agent. When I traced the source of these leads I found that I had 20 transactions that were either personal transactions from my sphere or referrals. So I had achieved exactly what MREA book predicted.

Fast forward to 2008, while I am no longer personally selling homes (as a Team Leader I do not want to compete with the agents in the office), I do currently consult with 21 of our top producers. What we have discovered is that in this shifting market is it getting harder to extract the same amount of business from our Met's database. In fact, I heard someone tell me the other day that KW International is predicting that the ratio may now be 12:1. So what does this all mean to you as an agent?

Let's look at the numbers.

Assume you have 120 people in your Met's database. With a 12:2 ratio you could expect 20 transactions. If you average commission was $10,000 you would enjoy GCI of $200,000.

With the shifting market, however, you may only realize a 12:1 ratio. This means the number of transactions goes from 20 to 10, for a GCI of $100,000. That is HALF of what we used to be able to achieve with the same number of people.

You really have two options in this market. Allow your income to be cut in half or.....double your database. I propose you double your database as soon as possible.

So how are you going to go out and meet all these new people? Well there are many different ways to do that. We will be exploring the many ways to add people to your database at next Tuesday's team meeting. Be prepared to participate, learn and grow! Or, drop me an email at ConnieCarlson@kw.com. I would be happy to share with you ideas to double your database.

Don't Lay Yourself Off!

2009-01-27T14:45:00.002-05:00

I am fortunate to be surrounded by great people with great minds. One such person is Beth Incorvati, Keller Williams Realty Team Leader in Bel Air, MD (http://www.bettercallbeth.com/) Beth wrote and inspirational message on her blog today that I felt compelled to share with you.

DON'T LAY YOURSELF OFF!

January 27th, 2009 6:14 AM

Good morning, all. I turned on the national news last night to hear that 50,000 Americans were laid off yesterday. This is nothing new in this economy - everyone from Starbucks to Home Depot to Citigroup have slashed thousands of jobs, but to hear such a large number in a single day is frightening.

I immediately thought "how will my associates respond to this? Will our morale, enthusiam, and attitude be affected in any way?" I feel responsible for keeping each of you in a positive, grateful frame of mind, and I spent several minutes thinking about what I could do to keep you focused and fired up! Well, my prayers were answered and it came to me like a thump on the head!

And here's what I heard: You are blessed with job security! The only person who can lay you off is YOU! You don't plan on firing yourself, do you? Before you say "that's a silly question" let me say this - many, many agents will. They will give up and give in. They will spend too much time listening to the media, buying into the negativity, and dwelling in fear. They won't take more classes, sharpen their skills, or go back to basics. In other words, they won't master the market of the moment! And that means opportunity for you!

Now is the time to say "full steam ahead" because people ARE still buying and selling homes, and I'm convinced that our associates are the most qualified to serve them! You are the most educated, high minded folks in the industry and now's the time to go and grab YOUR unfair share! No furloughs, either, folks - no slacking! Lead generation is critical and you must commit to working every single day on it. Building and feeding that database is a must. Internet marketing is critical. Thinking out of the box will set you apart! Commit to the extraordinary - because the mediocre will get left behind.

How fortunate you are to own your own business and be in control of your own destiny. YOU will determine your income. YOU will be as succesful as you want to be. YOU have the power to attain your goals, but only YOU can provide the drive and determination.

Congratulations - YOU'RE HIRED! Beth

Build Your Credibility While You Lead Generate

2009-01-24T10:14:00.003-05:00

Our 2009 Agent Leadership Council has already stepped up in a big way. One of the first tasks at hand is reaching out to the agents in the office. Our Motto in 2009 is "We are here for you! Wherever you may be." One of the ways we are reaching out is through Peer Groups. Each of the 12 ALC members have been assigned 10 to 12 agents to mentor, communicate information to, and let them know that "We are here for you!"

Mia Hannah and Deb & Michael Martino did a fabulous job of reaching out this week. I wanted to share their thoughts in this blog today. I hope you find it useful.

Deb & Michael Martino - met with their Peer Group for breakfast before the team meeting this week. For the agents who couldn't make the breakfast they sent them this video. The video does a great job of explaning our goals this year.

PLEASE TURN THE MUSIC OFF ON THE PLAYLIST TO THE RIGHT OF THIS POST BEFORE WATCHING THE VIDEO

http://app.talkfusion.com/fusion2/viewmail.asp?str=MzYyMTc0_1554320

Mia Hannah has stepped up to be the Chairperson of the Finance Committee. Mia shared with us a great reason to call our database. Here is what Mia had to say:

Hi KWAPPERS!

Connie introduced the different committees at this week’s team meeting and we all had a minute or two to talk with you. I’m the Chair of the Finance Committee and, as it happens, newly responsible for helping to promote and build relationships with our Core Services group.

In my couple of minutes, I brought up a way that I had found to lead generate, provide a branded service to my contact on a weekly basis, display my professionalism, and provide a core service referral to my contact . . . all in one phone call. I got very good feedback with more questions so I thought I might elaborate in the spirit of us all "winning".

Lead Generate – in 2 days I made 25 calls, 17 contacts (w/return phone calls), put 17 contacts on my Gateway & CMA Plan within Top Producer, and got 3 leads for refinancing to Neil Hediger w/WR Starkey. Most importantly for me, I qualified everyone I spoke with . . . “if someone you knew was in the market to buy or sell, would I be the agent you would refer them to?” I’m combing my database baby J

Provide a Branded Service – “I have a great tool to keep you abreast of values in your neighborhood.” Explain the Gateway and set it up to get actives in their neighborhood. Every 4 months run sold comps for the last six months in their neighborhood. I assume they want to be educated. EVERYONE (all 17) said yes to this.

Display my Professionalism – Ask if they have any questions about the market. You’d be surprised at how many do and beat me to it so I never have to ask them. This is where I got asked by 3 different contacts what I thought about them refinancing. Here is where you really get to display your professionalism:
(1) Ask 2 questions: how long have you been in the house (hopefully you know because you put them in it) and what percentage did they put down. In other words, they have to have at least 5% equity in a home to refinance – if they bought the home two years ago, did 100% financing and an interest only loan, chances are they probably don’t qualify.
(2) Do a quick CMA for them to determine values to help confirm at least 5% equity.

Provide a Core Service Referral - If it looks like they meet the criteria (5% equity) then they might be a good candidate for a refinance. Hand it over to Neil at that point. Do a Virtual Introduction (an email introducing one to the other, with contact info and the reason for the referral).

Remember this . . . it is to everyone’s benefit that we use the incredible talent we have on our “team”. While there is the obvious benefit of pure profit into our profit share bucket, I tend to think this way: Neil Hediger is first and foremost an extension of my professionalism – I want to be associated with his type of ethic and competitiveness by my clients, customers, prospects, friends, etc. However, the bottom line benefit is that I totally trust that my client, customer, prospect, friend etc. is being taken care of. Gotta love that.

It’s a win-win-win KWAPPERS. Consider a bit of a paradigm-shift J

Your 2009 ALC is here for you! Good selling and have a great weekend - Mia

Miracle on the Hudson

2009-01-16T09:04:00.003-05:00

Watching the news this morning I felt a great sense of HOPE. Yesterday a plane leaving the NY airport flew into a flock of birds and was destined to crash into the most densely populated area of our country. Incredibly the pilot was able to not only maneuver the plane over the Hudson River but he landed the plane without tearing it to pieces. The pilot is truly an American hero today. But I also see this as a symbol hope for the year ahead. I can't help but think there was some divine intervention that that saved the 154 passengers aboard this plane.

The second sign of HOPE I received this morning was when I called my dad. My stepmother, Bonnie, received her first chemotherapy treatment yesterday for Mantle Cell Lymphoma. If you Google this disease you will find that there is not much HOPE for people with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. While Bonnie was in treatment, my dad went to the cafeteria at the Mayo Clinic to get a cup of coffee. He struck up a conversation with a gentlemen who asked what my dad was doing at the hospital. Dad replied that he was here with his wife who had Mantle Cell Lymphoma. The gentleman was taken aback because this is a rare form of cancer. He knew this because he was a survivor of Mantle Cell Lymphoma. He shared his story with my dad telling him that he would ride his motorcycle to treatment and even rode his cycle to the hospital for his stem cell transplant. He said that the Mayo Hospital has this treatment down pat and that it was not nearly as bad as he expected. He is now healthy and in remission. So you see there is HOPE!

Next week our nation will celebrate two days of HOPE! First on Monday we observe Martin Luther King Day. I can't think of any other American that better represents HOPE than Dr. King. And then on Tuesday we celebrate the Inauguration of the first black American President. Our nation is strong and you too are strong. United if we ride this wave of HOPE and OPPORTUNITY I feel confident that 2009 will be your best year ever! Enjoy the ride!

Overcome the Fear of Calling Your Sphere

2009-01-11T10:32:00.007-05:00

Do you have a fear of calling your sphere? If so, you are not alone. A good majority of the agents that I consult with tell me that they don't regularly call the people that they know and ask them for business. The guestion is why?

On the surface, most agents will say that they just don't know what to say. But the real reason they don't call is that they are afraid that their friends and family will think they are a pushy salesman and thus their personal relationship will be damaged. If you are forcing the call with one objective - to get a sale/commission - the person on the other line will sense your objective and feel used.

I am not saying that this fear is not grounded in some truth. However, if you come from contribution when you talk to your friends you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. If you have this fear as a real estate agent then it is time to change your thought pattern.

As a real estate professional you have a lot to offer your friends and family. You have an intimate knowledge (or you should have) of what is really happening the in the real estate market. You have an extensive, proven list of professional service providers (ie. plumbers, painters, etc) that you can recommend. And, most importantly, you have their best interest in mind. Wouldn't you hate to find out that your friend bought or sold a home with another agent who did not have their best interest in mind. So, I believe, you owe it to your sphere to help them.

Always, come from contribution. Remember what Zig Ziglar says "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Come from contribution and your database will open up to business opportunities and referrals.

Still need a reason to call? Try this idea. During the work day call a friend and say. "Hi Bill, I know you are at work, as I am, so I want to be respectful of your time. Would you be offended if I asked you a business questions?" "Who do you know at your office that is bragging about all the money they are making in the stock market right now?" [laughter "No one..."] "Exactly. In fact, who in your office is looking to change their investment strategy and actually increase their net worth?" [Response" Me"]. Great! Do you realize that there hasn't been a better time to invest in real estate in over a decade? Why don't we meet for a cup of coffee so I can share with you ways to grow your personal net worth. Would Thursday or Friday morning work best for you?"

Adding humor is always a great way to break the ice and make a connection. Plus, you are offering to help your friend grow their personal net worth. Who wouldn't be interested in doing that!!!

You must be the Economist of Choice which means that you must be on top of the market statistics and you must be previewing as many homes in your respective area. One way to be the Economist of Choice is to attend our Stat and Chat event on January 28th at 4 pm. Shaun Rawls, Multiple Operating Partner of Keller Williams Realty, will be presented the Atlanta Market Statistics for the 4th Quarter 2008. If you are interested in attending, or for more information, send me an email at statandchat@gmail.com.

I Am Busy Enough...Why Would I Want To Get Involved With Social Networking?

2009-01-04T15:04:00.003-05:00

"Social Networking" became a big buzz word in 2008. And I wondered "Why would I want to add one more thing to my already busy life?". After receiving a number of invitations to join friends on Linked In and Facebook I decided to take the plunge and see what this is all about. I'll admit, I was a skeptic at first. Why would anyone care what I "is" doing right now? But in a very deranged way I enjoy seeing what my friends, family, and coworkers are up to - no matter how trivial. I loaded Facebook onto my Blackberry and now I can keep up even when I am not at my computer.

I admit "My name is Connie Carlson and I am addicted to Facebook." But I have seen some great things happen as a result of this silly little website. First of all, some of our agents have been able to secure buyers and sellers as a result of their activity on Facebook. Secondly, I can easily share photos and videos with hundreds of friends all over the world. In addition, one "is" at a time I am getting to know my friends better and better every day. And lastly, it's Fun! Beats the heck out of watching TV commercials!

Twitter.com is another Social Networking website that I was exposed to the other day. On the twitter.com home page there is a short little video that does a great job of explaining why you should join the fun. I am attaching the video to this blog for your viewing pleasure.

Oh and by the way...if you are looking for a friend on Facebook. Look me up at ConnieCarlson@kw.com.

Are You Ready?

2009-01-03T09:59:00.005-05:00

This morning I received an inspiring email from my Managing Broker, Shaun Rawls, regarding where we are going in 2009. I hope you find it as inspiring as I did.

Superstars…

It’s January 3rd. A new year has begun, which is something I think most of us are welcoming. I have received many calls and emails over the past few days wishing me a Happy New Year and describing the optimistic mindset that you have crossing the threshold of 2009.

In a recent conversation with Mark Willis, President of Keller Williams Realty International, he said “I believe that we always have the power to choose in two areas of our life: We have the power to choose how we think in any situation and we have the power to choose who we are in relationship with. And the choices we make in these two areas will completely determine the quality of our lives.”

I cannot think of two more powerful choices to ponder as we begin to take flight in 2009. What is the quality of our thoughts (mindset) and what is the quality of the people with whom we spend most of our time? It’s been said that experience is not the best teacher. Rather, the best teacher is “experience evaluated.” Put another way, it’s not enough to just live through something; you have to actually pay attention and learn something from every experience.

I believe that the combination of 2008 and 2009 will be life-defining years for most of us, particularly those of us in the real estate business, and most particularly for those of us who are paying attention and are completely focused on ultimate success. 2008 was the equivalent of “boot camp.” The events of the year were like a drill sergeant constantly barking at us all, testing our resolve and challenging us to dig deep and show the world what we are capable of when our mindset and our determination exceed the demands of the day. 2008 was richer in experiences than it was in results. And even though 2009 is beginning much the way 2008 ended, there is one major difference between these two years – the difference of “momentum.” I am absolutely certain that our business, as an industry, will improve this year.

In 2008, momentum was steady at best, and the negative energy that resulted from the media and from the length of time that defined our shifting market took its toll on those with lesser resolve. In 2009, clouds will be lifting – one by one, making way for an abundance of sunshine to be cast upon our fields. Historically low interest rates combined with new, opportunity rich housing prices, combined with a new President, combined with improved consumer confidence, combined with more positive reports from the media, combined with a clearer economic stimulus plan – all will result in a shift of momentum. The “headwind” against which we have been flying will most likely start to feel like a “tailwind” again, and I am quite certain that this will occur this year, and probably before midyear here in Atlanta. The question is: “Are you prepared to capitalize on this change of momentum?”

This is the last leg of the marathon, the last leg of the race, the final set of the match, when the difference between winning and losing is sheer will and determination. Is there enough will and determination in your tank? If so, then your financial rewards are certain in the years to come, and the lessons learned from 2007 and 2008 will enable you to be more secure in your future than you ever would have been without them.

After your mindset, there are a few specific things that you must do for your success this year. First of all, you absolutely must be able to define the opportunities of the day and communicate them clearly to as many people as you can, as often as you can. This is the ultimate buyer’s market. That means that people should be buying. That requires those of us in the real estate business to make sure that our clients know why to buy, where to buy, how to buy and what to buy!

Secondly, you must find a way to price your listings correctly. If you are having a hard time determining the right price for property, figure it out. Study the market. Preview homes, particularly those that are Under Contract. (We should be having caravans for properties that have gone under contract, rather than new listings!) If you are having a hard time getting sellers to list at the right price, then improve your presentation. In the third quarter of 2008, 51% of all properties listed had a price reduction and more than 85% of all homes sold needed a price reduction to do so. Those are embarrassing and amateur results, and we as professionals should commit to changing this. I firmly believe that our ability to price our listings correctly is the number one opportunity our industry has to change our market’s environment. Can you imagine what our world would look like if 85% of all homes sold without a price reduction? The wants and needs of our sellers do not determine the value of their homes; only the market determines the value of homes. The faster we as an industry figure this out, the faster our world, and in fact, the whole world changes.

It’s 2009 folks. There’s a bus leaving for a better place, and to board it requires lessons learned, will and determination, great relationships, the ability to communicate opportunity and value propositions, and an absolute understanding of proper pricing. I’m driving. Are you ready?

Happy New Year!

Your #1 Fan…

SHAUN
http://www.rawlsgroup.org/ – Check it out!

One last bit of Holiday Merriment

2009-01-02T16:56:00.003-05:00

Light Up Dunwoody may have been way back on November 20th, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the fun! A huge "Thank You" goes to Jim & Arje McCarty for putting together the whole extravaganza, Jake Duffy for being a first rate Grinch, Gene Bramblett for his help and support, and all the volunteers who generously donated cookies and their time to help take pictures. All you have to do is look at the faces of everyone who had their picture taken with "The Grinch" to see how much fun everyone had. There were a few small tykes that were pretty sure "The Grinch" was a mean one! We had so much fun, we can't wait for next year and for you and your families to join us at Light Up Dunwoody!

30 Ways to Make People Feel Good

2009-01-02T08:34:00.003-05:00

When I was in elementary school I wasn't the "coolest" girl in the class. In fact, I had ugly glasses, crocked teeth, and a shy demeaner. So I was teased quite a bit. My Mom, bless her heart, was the most forgiving, selfless person I have ever known. I would come home dejected and crying to Mom on many days.

But my Mom always had the best advice. She would tell me, "Connie, just keep being nice to them and eventually they will be nice to you." What Mom was teaching me was the Golden Rule. It is one of the most important lessons to live by.

I came across a list of 30 Ways to Make People Feel Good. As you start the New Year, and you consider your goals for the next 365 days, perhaps you can add to the list to be nice to someone who hasn't always been the nicest back. Or, make an effort to nurture and grow the friendships that you currently have. Intentionally, seeking ways to make others feel good will undoubtedly make your life richer and more rewarding.

May you be blessed with good fortune in 2009!

1. Remember their birthday
2. Thank them for everything
3. Recognize their achievements
4. Stop in just to say "hi"
5. Call just to say "hi"
6. Fax them a joke
7. Send them an article
8. Pass on compliments about them
9. Tell them they look great
10. Notice thier "new" anything
11. Remember their name
12. Ask about thier spouse (by name)
13. Thank them for their business
14. Send them a pizza
15. Send them a gag gift
16. Send them movie tickets
17. Invite them to go somewhere
18. Send them event tickets
19. Call for no real reason
20. Invite them to lunch
21. Smile when you see them
22. Introduce them to other people
23. Brag about their accomplishments
24. Let them do the talking
25. Tell them your jokes
26 Ask for their help
27. Accept their help
28. Let them be your friend
29 Touch them when you see them
30. Invite them to your party

The Future Looks Bright

2008-12-29T08:23:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays! Are you enjoying your time with your family and friends. I know I have really enjoyed these last few days. It is great to spend quality time with my husband, Dan, and our two children, Trevor (age 12) and Cassidy (age 10).

As I wind down my year (can you believe how fast a year goes) I start to think about what I want 2009 to look like. Every year I vow to eat better, exercise more, and excel at my career. 2009 looks no different.

2008 has been a challenging year for many people who make a living in the real estate industry. Each Monday I hold one-on-one consulting sessions with our agents. I help them overcome issues they are facing and also I help keep them on track to meet their goals. If you fail to plan you are planning to fail. So I believe it is paramont that you write out your goals. I also say "If you don't know where you are going how will you know when you get there?"

A great exercise that we have done that is also very fun is the "Future Letter". Have you ever written or read a Christmas letter? One where you talk about all the things you did throughout the year. What the kids are up to. Vacations you took. How your career is progressing. Take a moment to write out your Christmas letter as if it is December 31, 2009 and you are reflecting on everything you accomlplished that year. Make copies and share it with those close to you. Also post it in a place where you will see it every morning. Wouldn't it be great to end 2009 with everything in your letter acheived!!!

And finally, here is a video for those of you who have had a difficult 2008. I hope it inspires you to know that 2009 WILL BE FINE!!!

http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html

The Spirit of the Season

2008-12-24T10:32:00.001-05:00

What is the Spirit of Christmas all about? I believe the answer to that question is different for each of us. A lot of the "spirit" of Christmas comes from our past experiences during the holiday season. I love to hear other people tell me about the different traditions and experiences they have had as children and what they do now as adults.

For me, Christmas is a tangled web of emotion. As a child I grew up with 3 brothers, 1 sister, and 63 cousins in rural Iowa. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meant getting together with my family, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. It was a whirlwind of wrapping paper, turkey, laughter, and an occasional prank gift. My mom was the centerpiece of our Christmas tradition. As the mother of five children she had her hands full between buying and wrapping gifts (cleverly keeping them hid from us snoopy kids), milking cows every day, and taking care of the babies. Mom loved every minute of it. We were a practical family. We always received a couple of our wish list toys but the rest of the gifts under the tree were things like hooded sweatshirts, coveralls, appliances, and other basic items. My Mom beamed with joy when the "whole" family was together and she could love on us all. And as kids we relished in Mom's glow.

That all changed 12 years ago. On October 14^,1998 my mom was killed in a sudden accident at age 51. Mom and Dad were building their dream home on an acreage overlooking the family farm. Dad was on the tractor and Mom was in front of the tractor shoveling gravel. The brakes of the tractor failed, slowly, and before my Dad had a chance to react my Mom had been squished. Mom had a pot roast in the oven that day. She never expected that she wouldn't be home to serve it for lunch.

Christmas that year was very sad for my family. We missed Mom so much and we wondered why God could let such a tragic thing happen to "our" family. Over the years I have prayed about this and I have come to realize that everything happens for a reason. We still miss Mom, always, but as a result of her death everyone in my family has grown closer to God and has come to realize the true meaning of Christmas. Because it really is not about the parties, gifts, and food. It's about telling those around you how much you love and appreciate them. I learned two very valuable lessons when my mom, Mary, died. One, I am thankful and give praise to God that there is a place for my mom in heaven. Because she deserves only the best. And two, I will never, ever take those I love for granted and I will give thanks every day for the blessings they are in my life.

So as you open your presents, eat the Christmas goodies, and enjoy time with your family and friends. Don't forgive to give thanks to God for his blessings and tell those you love how much they mean to you. And that is the purpose of this Christmas letter. To tell you how much I love you for who you are and what you have to offer this world! You are unique and God has given you talents that only you possess. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your leader. It is truly an honor for me to be surrounded by such greatness!

Enjoy the spirit of this magical season.

A Funny Christmas Jingle - Life As a Realtor

2008-12-19T08:55:00.004-05:00

Four years ago, shortly after I had decided to be a real estate agent, I ran into my neighbor that lived directly across the street from me. She had recently decided to sell her home - For Sale By Owner. As any good Realtor would do, I attempted to lure her into listing her home with me. My neighbor's response was that she didn't want to pay a big commission just for some agent to write a few page contract. In her mind, that is all it takes (writing an offer) to be successful and earn a commission. You and I both know that selling real estate is much more than just writing an offer. As agents we work very hard to solicit clients, find the right house, keep abreast of the market, and keep the deal from falling apart. This past year has tested our resolve. And yet we continue to trudge forward with a smile on our face. Because, we know the rewards of our chosen profession far exceed the headaches. In fact, if you ask most agents what they love about their job/career they will say "I love helping people". And as Zig Ziglar says "You can have everything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want.”

A friend of mine sent me this youtube video this morning. Take a few moments to watch these lovely ladies sing about life as a Realtor. I am sure you can relate to at least one (if not two or three) of their experiences. Its fun to be able to laugh at ourselves. Merry Christmas.

BE SURE TO TURN OFF THE MUSIC (SCROLL TO THE PLAYLIST ON THE RIGHT OF THIS PAGE) BEFORE WATCHING VIDEO

And Jackie G. ended up with the Santa Suit.......

2008-12-17T16:13:00.006-05:00

We had so much fun at the Holiday Team Meeting Party on Tuesday! Of course it was business as usual for the first 30 minutes of the meeting. Regina & Felicia put together a short little Holiday video to kick off the party. Then we had our Dirty Santa gift exchange! (aka A White Elephant Gift Exchange) The first person to pick a gift was Cynthia Pierce who got the Santa Suit! After that it was one laugh after another as each person got to choose either a wrapped gift or take a gift from someone else. The hot items were the Santa Suit, the rocking Santa (that Dionne tried her best to keep), the trip to Family Reunion, the Reindeer wine opener/holder, the drinking glasses & caddy, the Starbucks coffee and of course the black KW undies. Darin couldn't give away his lovely black "Just Graduated" frame. The black Keller Williams underwear finally went to Bill Wright of Ganek Wright Minsk. Dionne did get to keep the Rocking Santa and Jackie Gasparre got the Santa Suit! It was a lively joyous time with our Keller Williams Family!

Proud to Be An American

2008-12-17T14:39:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was inspired by some data contained in a research report written by Joseph Quinlan, Chief Market Strategist for Bank of America. He presented a valid and important perspective that will most certainly be overlooked by the myriad of doomsayers who seem determined to write the obituary for the American economy. I thought you might enjoy some key excerpts and might find encouragement to maintain your resolve in your outlook of our economic future.

Taking Stock of What Is Right with the United States

• The United States Economy is the Largest and Most Productive in the World — With just over 4% of the global population, the United States accounts for 25% of the world's GDP. We produce more output each year than Japan, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined.

• The United States is the World's Leading Manufacturer of Goods — Despite the popular belief that we no longer "make stuff," America produces over 20% of the world's manufacturing output. This has hardly changed since 1980 when we produced 22%.

• The United States is the World's Favorite Destination of Foreign Direct Investment — Lost amid the chatter of outsourcing jobs, the United States remains the most popular market for foreign investment. Foreign investors are attracted by many factors including our vast and wealthy consumer market, large skilled labor pool, and our transparent rule of law.

• America is Home to the World's Top Global Brands — Over half of the top 100 global brands (52) are American. Of the top ten, eight are American giving corporate America an unequaled global footprint relative to its international competitors.

• The United States is the World's Technology Leader — The United States remains the most innovative economy in the world. America's entrepreneurial bent attracts the worlds' best talent which has created the largest market for information technology spending on hardware, software, and services.

• The Top Ranked Universities in the World are in the United States — 39 of the top 100 universities in the world are American, including the top two. American universities hosted over one-fifth of all international students making it the top destination for foreign scholars.

• The U.S. Dollar is Still the World's Top Reserve Currency — The U.S. dollar remains the reserve currency of choice for many nations — it accounted for roughly 65% of global central bank reserves last year. Despite the current financial crisis, the dollar remains king of currencies.

• The U.S. Military is Second to None — Military might still matters, especially in a world where geo-strategic flashpoints continue to simmer (think Pakistan, the Middle East, and parts of Africa). It is also worth noting that important technological breakthroughs have come from military investments — including the Internet.

(Kudos to Bill Haas, Keller Williams Realty, for submitting this inspiring dissertation)

Would You Be Offended...

2008-12-17T08:41:00.006-05:00

...if I tooted our horn for just a moment?

Yesterday we had a regional director call on the state of the US housing market and how Keller Williams Realty is faring as compared to other brokerages.

1) October housing sales in the United States are down 1% over 2007. Keller Williams closed 6% MORE homes in October 2008 than October 2007.

2) Year-to-date, housing sales are down 14% in the US versus at KW we are down only 8%.
3) The National Association of Realtors reported that Realtor membership is down 9% for the year. At KW we are down 3.8%.
4) Most of the major Real Estate firms are closing offices. Estimates are that most of them have closed or "merged" hundreds of offices. Keller Williams is, however, growing. We have opened 4 new offices in the US in 2009.

So what does all this mean? As the following charts illustrate, during this shifting market our goal has been to maintain our volume of sales despite the downturn. By maintaining our volume our market share is growing.

When the natural lag plays out, Keller Williams will be positioned to take advantage of the inevitable rebound. Riding the wave of increasing transactions and commissions by simply holding the new level of market share we have gained - and thus increasing the volume/commissions earned by our agents.

This same concept holds true for your business as an individual agent. Have you maintained your volume of business over the last year? If you answered "yes" congratulations. However, if you answered "no" then I urge you to schedule an appointment with me for a brief 45 minute consultation. I will share with you ideas and strategies that will help you increase the level of business you are doing while at the same time give you more free time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Because we believe in sharing our profits with our agents, the culture of Keller Williams is very unique. Agents and leaders are constantly sharing ideas and strategies to overcome obstacles. We believe that "together we achieve more" and the success of our company is testament to that belief.

If you would like to learn how you too can grow your business while having a life worth living, give me a call at 678-298-1665.

Tis The Season

2008-12-15T11:25:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful holiday party we had at Shaun & Jean Rawls' lovely home on Saturday night. It was great to mingle with the agents and their significant others. Kudos to Shaun and Jean! From the golf cart valet service to live holiday music and wonderful food this was an event to remember. Here are a few pictures of the happy party goers.

Ready To Achieve More…Passive Income?

2008-12-14T10:43:00.002-05:00

I was talking with Mark Stehle, one of our many talented agents, and he was telling me about a recent transaction he had with a new investor. Mark's client, Mr. Kellogg, was thrilled to find a nice home for under $50,000. As Realtors we can preach the message that now is the time to buy but nothing is more compelling than hearing it from a happy client. Get ready to smile as you read how real estate investing is helping Mr. Kellogg grow his financial net worth and ultimately improve his life. If you are ready to grow your net worth and be "happy" like Mr. Kellogg - give me a call at 678-298-1600. I will help match you with a knowledgeable, hard-working, and competent Realtor.

I think this is about the lowest the market is going to get in pricing before it starts edging back up, particularly around metro Atlanta. If you can buy a house for the price of the bare land, how can you go wrong? So much is out there for $50,000 and under - the price of a car or less - why not stretch a little and get one.

I found a house for $46,000 - put in a little cosmetic work (literally paint & fancy lighting) and put a listing on Craigslist for room to rent/house to share, just to see what I might get. I got a slew of responses from all over the country.... college professors, soldiers, some scaling down, some students. Within the first week i pulled the listing because i had too many candidates to pick from. I wish I had 10 houses. Before I closed on the house I had two great guys ready to move in. One soldier from Texas staying in a hotel, trying to find a place so he could begin a year's assignment at Fort McPherson. He needed a nice furnished place for one year - bingo. A week later, another great guy from Delaware was looking for a furnished room/home to share for an 18 month assignment in Atlanta. MARTA accessibility was a big sales point; close/in-town was too. I met the second guy and his wife, they loved the house, loved the other guy, both really cute/nice, paid up front. They even do the yard work, cleaning, enjoy the place like it was their own and i don't have to worry about who's watching the house. I gave them both great deals on rent, nice place to live and combined it more than pays the monthly expenses and I get to own the house.

I am literally refinancing this most recent one now and going back to see if my Realtor can find me another "steal" - that's all you could call this house. They're out there. We looked at lot of homes before we found it but well worth the hunt. When I retire and these homes are worth 5-8 times what I paid and tenants are making the payments for me? I am a happy. Deals and desperation in housing aren't going to get much better than this so I'm going to stretch and try another. Be a great landlord,select them well - there is an abundance of good people needing a place that doesn't cost them a lot and treat them well, they'll watch out for you and your place.

Sincerly,
Kevin Kellogg

Comment from Mark Stehle (Realtor): Can you believe my client, Kevin Kellogg, purchased this house for ONLY $46,000 (actually $45,900 if you want to get technical about it)? What a deal or "Steal" as Kevin puts it. Three bedrooms, two baths, high ceilings, updates, walking distance to Fort McPherson and MARTA rail lines, great rental potential and more.

Great Pop By Ideas!

2008-12-12T08:55:00.000-05:00

A big thank you goes out to Virginia Moran for sharing some fabulous "pop by" ideas for the holidays. (see below) This is the absolute, very best time of the year to reach out to your sphere of influence. Let them know how much you value their support, referrals, and business.

Don't know what to say when you call or pop by? Then check out the script on the attached document. I received this script from Tony DeCello during a "Shift" Fast-Track Coaching Call. Tony said that research has shown consumers are put off by agents who call and first talk about personal things (i.e. how are the kids, etc) and then close with "Who do you know who wants to buy or sell a home." Tony recommends that you begin by asking them "Would you be offended if I asked you a business question?" I took Tony's "met's" script and modified it just a bit. Give me a call at 678-298-1665 if you would like me to send you a copy of the full script.

I am curious to hear how this script works for you. Give it a whirl next week during your lead generation and then reply back to me with the number of appointments and/or referrals you have at week's end. Wouldn't it be nice to start off 2009 with a loaded calendar of appointments?

Speaking of Fast Track Coaching. I LOVE it. I have learned so much in my Shift Coaching calls that I have decided to sign up for the Language of Sales Fast Track Coaching with Diana Kokoszka starting January 29th. If you care to join the session click on the following link. https://secure.kw.com/kwu/content/maps_buisness_builders.jsp

One more thing, don't forget about the Dirty Santa gift exchange coming up Tuesday. I have something up my sleeve for this event that you won't want to miss.

TAG LINES FOR WRAPPING PAPER:

Let me help you wrap up all your RE needs…..

Don’t get wrapped up in all the negativity…….put a bow on your next real estate transaction when you use or refer (NAME HERE)
"Just wanted to WRAP up the year by letting you know how much we value you as a client!" (Or, how much we value you and your referrals . . .)
As we WRAP up the year I want you to know what a Gift it is to have a client like you…

Got You “Covered” for all of your Real Estate needs…

Wanted to wrap up the year by thanking you for your referrals & your business.

Don’t get “wrapped up” in the bad RE news these days, call _____ for your “good” real estate possibilities. It’s a GREAT time to buy!

Here to help you wrap up your year.

Mastermind Luncheon Ahas

2008-12-10T16:39:00.001-05:00

Once a month we have a Mastermind Luncheon at the Ashford Club. The luncheon is facilitated by Shaun Rawls, Multiple Operating Partner for Keller Williams Realty. The topic for this month was "Answer the Call of Opportunity in this Market". Shaun invited a panel of six agents who are THRIVING despite the challenging real estate market. In fact, when asked, the panelist stated that this was a market full of opportunity.

I attend these events every month and every month I leave invigorated and ready to take on the world. Today's event was no different. In fact, to feel the energy in the room was thrilling! If you have never attended a Mastermind Luncheon I invite you to give it a whirl. Call or email me and I will be sure to put you on our guest list. Also, check out the video below as Shaun and our General Manager, Jeri Moran, provide more information about the luncheons.

Here are my notes from today's event.

Panelist:

Helen Archer, KW Buckhead
Tonya Jones, KW Smyrna/Vinings
Lisa Vayle, KW Sandy Springs
Leslie Peters, KW Brookhaven
Chase Mizell, KW Peachtree Battle
Dionne Hicks, KW Dunwoody

Q: What are you doing to thrive in this market?

Helen

Started my year with a business plan
Joined a Power Core Networking group
Comes into the office every day
Keeps track of her numbers
Consults with Shaun Rawls and her team leader, Russell Barber
For lead generation she calls her sphere with a minimum of 5 calls and 3 personal notes each day.
She has a coach to hold her accountable
She is continually adding people to her database through networking
She is watching her expenses and cutting cost where needed
She is the "connector" of people. Clients call her for vendor referrals, job searches, etc
Attitude is seeing the opportunities not the problems
Tap into the energy of the office and cut out negative sources

Chase

Started consulting with his team leader, Cynthia Lippert
Follows the models in the Millionaire Real Estate Agent book
Comes to the office every day
Calls his sphere while he is in the car
Goes on business lunches every day
Networks at the gym every night
75% of his business is listings
Has found the secret to selling listings: P-R-I-C-E

Dionne

85% of her business is from referral
Comes into the office everyday to soak up the energy and share ideas
Consults with her team leader (me)
Specializes in short sales.
Took short sale classes to master this niche
She waits to put the short sale listing onto the market until it is one week from bank approval
Sells most short sale listings in 7 days

Leslie

Has built her business on creative marketing
For instance, mailed toothpicks in November with the tagline "We hope you pick up for your real estate needs."
She believes in investing in her business but holds her investments accountable
She attends networking events
"Must think like a new agent"

Tanya

She religiously attends her market center's Power Hour
The first month of Power Hour she wrote 6 contracts
She prepares her "To-Do" list the night before
She coaches with her team leader, John Fountain and he holds her accountable
Has pulled away from media marketing and is more focused on prospecting and internet lead generation
Changed her website home page so it is not about "her" but more property focused
Generates 3500 leads a month from her KW website
She has website visitors "register" upfront
Goes to Family Reunion http://familyreunion.kw.com/ every year
Sends magazines with her marketing information to local vendors such as car dealerships and dentist

Lisa

Started my year with a business plan
64% buyer business
Stays positive "its between your ears"
Lead with Opportunity
- She proactively searches for deals through agent networking and FMLS
- Sends out "Best Buy" list and Foreclosure list
Found a niche with International/Foreigners
- Joined Chamber of Commerce
- Joined International Roundtables
Does "Pop Bys" to her A+ clients about 6 to 8 times a year
90% buyer business
Hired a sales and accountability coach

How to Sharpen Your Saw

Know your inventory
Preview "Pending" homes
Know your stats by attending Shaun Rawl's Quarterly Market Stat classes and studying the KW Chartmaster Stats
Teach your clients "how" to refer you business
GET INTO THE OFFICE and GET A COACH!!!

Check out this video for more information on Mastermind Luncheons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrRckEnVAII

It May Be Time to Think About Buying A House

2008-12-10T09:34:00.001-05:00

I was listening to CNN Morning Express this morning and they mentioned an article in the New York Times that is getting a lot of attention. In the article (click on the following link), the author discusses reasons why first time home buyers and investors should seriously consider buying a home now or risk regret later.

"Five to 10 years from now, when the financial crisis has ended and housing prices are up smartly once more, we will look in the rearview mirror and realize that we missed a golden age for first-time home buyers. Then, everyone who sat on their down payment savings accounts for a few years too long will kick themselves for not taking advantage of what may turn ort to be the buying opportunity of a lifetime for those who can qualify for a mortgage."

This may be a great article to share with your potential buyers to help them get off the fence. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/yourmoney/06money.html?_r=1&sq=buy%20a%20home&st=cse&scp=2&pagewanted=print

Last night I was checking my Facebook (yes, I am admittedly addicted), and a number of my friends were busy writing and negotiating contracts. Teresa Wolfe, a KW agent, who I spoke to this morning, said that they turned in 8 contracts this week. The agents who are, and have been, actively lead generating are suddenly finding themselves very busy. If you are not finding opportunities right now, I urge you to schedule a free consulting appointment with me – as soon as possible. Together, we will work on a business plan to help you take your business where you want it to go. My mission is to have a house full of people who are earning enough money to fund their "big why".

Just Like Grandma's House

2008-12-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed the aroma of fresh baked cookies wafting out of the office kitchen?? Does it remind you of grandma's house when you were little and she would bake fresh cookies for you? It's just another way for us to make the office a little more like "home away from home" for our agents and their clients! A huge thank you goes to Dionne Stokes-Hicks for donating a brand new counter top oven to the Atlanta Perimeter office! Dionne truly embodies the spirit of Keller Williams and lives her life by the WI4C2TS! Dionne is also responsible for the 4 pounds of cookie dough that we have been baking! The top 2 flavors have been keylime white chocolate and the lemon cranberry. We also have sugar cookies and snickerdoodles. Do you have a favorite? Bring it in and we will be happy to bake up a batch in the afternoon for your clients or just for you!

A Tribute to Sally Washburn

2008-12-05T12:06:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I went to Sally’s personal 90th birthday party. At the party was a Real Estate scrapbook that her granddaughter (also a KW agent) made, filled with pictures of Sally winning prestigious awards over the last 40 years. However, the awards are a very small achievement in Sally’s life. Sally is known not for her awards but for the powerful, life changing influence she has had on the lives of others. Sally has greatly impacted the lives of so many of our KW agents and many other agents in the community. She is an icon and legend here in Atlanta and we are honored that she chose our office to call home!

She told me the other day that she wishes that her health was better so she could come into the office more often. Sally loves to teach and she loves to learn and she would like to attend more of the classes that we are offering.

We have some great photos of Sally at the 90th birthday party that we threw for her in our office which you can see in this blog's video.

On Wednesday, the Atlanta Board of Realtors met for the Annual Awards Ceremony. This was the first year that the Sally Washburn Lifetime Achievement Awards was presented for the agent who has demonstrated excellence through a minimum of twenty (20) years of active participation and service to the Board of REALTORS®, its members, and the real estate industry. Of course, you know who received the award--Our very own Sally Washburn!!! In this video you will see Sally with Johnny Isakson, the Board President, Scott Simpson, and our Managing Broker, Shaun Rawls.

Sally is truly a testament to Keller Williams culture and a woman that I admire and aspire to emulate. Congratulations to Sally and everything she represents in the Real Estate Industry.

We love you!

This Month in Real Estate – November 2008

2008-12-01T14:48:00.001-05:00

This Month in Real Estate: November 2008

The skies in Atlanta may be gray today but according to some national market indicators blue skies in the real estate market may not be far away. Click on the "This Month in Real Estate" button above to watch a short video that summarizes statistics from the National Association of Realtors. I think this video does a great job of explaining what these indicators mean to our buyers and sellers. Perhaps you may be able to share some of this information with the clients you are currently working with.

I also have some detailed statistics about the Atlanta market that you may find helpful. For instance, did you know that if a home in Atlanta is price correctly when the listing is taken that it usually sells in 38 days for 97% of the list price. Unfortunately, only 12% of listings were priced correctly in the third quarter and over 67% of listings failed! I would be happy to share additional information that you can use to become the "Economist of Choice". Give me a call at 678-298-1665 for a short consultation.

The Personal Cost of Not Lead Generating

2008-11-30T15:39:00.000-05:00

Have you ever stopped to calculate what it cost you on a daily basis when you don't lead generate? If not, then I am glad you came to visit my blog today because I have thought about this and the answer is very inspiring.

Would you like to make at least $240,000 in 2009? Great. That means that you need to make $20k a month or $5000 a week or $1000 a day! So, for every day that you miss your lead generation activities it cost you a GRAND!!! But is losing a $1000 a day enough to motivate you? Most people would say "yes" but their actions would say "no". So why is that?

For most people, "money" in its rarest form is not what really motivates. It's what "money" can do for you. Perhaps you are saving for your childs college education, or you want to have financial security, or you dream of owning a vacation home. Even all of these goals are not enough to push you out of bed in the morning.

To truly understand what motivates - you need to dig really deep into the reasons why you want to achieve these goals. For instance, you may want a vacation home so that you can spend more quality time with your family. The underlying motivations we call your "Big Why". Once you understand the real reasons Why you are driven to succeed your desire, passion and motivation will dramatically improve.

It took me a long time to figure out what my "Big Why" was. What am I most passionate about? After months of deliberation I realized that I received the greatest joy from helping others to acheive their own success. Now I wake each morning with my mission of helping others succeed and to have fun doing it!

What is your "Big Why"? I would love to hear what inspires you.

How Lucky Are You?

2008-11-30T15:04:00.001-05:00

"It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - J.K. Rowling

90% of life is showing up. It is easy to get caught up in things and not feel like you really have a choice, but you do. People often look around and see that the "lucky" people are getting all the business. Tony DiCello said on the SHIFT Tour, "The smarter you work, the luckier you get". That statement appeals to me. Make the choice to be there, be present, be smart at what you do, then the luck appears. It is always a choice to be there for the agents, clients and staff is yours to make. Work smarter, not harder.

Go out and make some great choices today.

“Are You In The Game” Results

2008-11-18T07:06:00.001-05:00

It was a battle of huge proportions as the agents vied for a spot as the Most Valuable Player in this fall's "Are You In The Game" Football challenge. Points were awarded to agents based on number of listings, contracts, closings, price reductions, and training events. One-by-one the agents came off the stands and started playing on the field. Today, we will be announcing the winners for this 8 week challenge. As one of my blog readers you get to hear the results first.

In 5^th Place: Voncia Shepard with 64 points
4 Listings, 5 Contracts, 1 Closing, 1 Team Meeting, and 2 Training Events

In 4^th Place: Michael & Deb Martino with 67 points
3 Listings, 2 Contracts, 3 Closings, 6 Team Meetings, 4 Training Events, and 3 Price Reductions

In 3^rd Place: Jim & Arje McCarty with 82 points
4 Listings, 3 Contracts, 4 Closings, 5 Team Meetings, and 7 Training Events

In 2^nd Place: Marilyn Atkinson with 83 points
6 Listings, 5 Contracts, 2 Closings, 2 Training Events, and 1 Team Meeting

And the Heisman Trophy Award goes to
In 1^st Place: Dionne Stokes-Hicks with a WHOPPING 144 POINTS!
10 Listings, 6 Contracts, 5 Closings, 4 Team Meetings, 1 Training Event, and 4 Price Reductions

Congratulations to the winners to all the agents who were "In The Game".

Halloween Party 2009

2008-11-14T19:06:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at this year's Halloween Party. The highlight of the event was the Super Hero Staff! After much twisting of the arm, I was able to get John Thompson, Broker, into the Captain America costume. In keeping with our budget, we skimped on Darin's costume as Captain Thrifty. His costume was a dirty, old white t-shirt that said "Captain Thrifty", and an old towel for a cape. Of course, Dionne pumped up the volume with her Michael Jackson CD - we all got into the grove with the Electric Slide and Thriller. Enjoy our photos!

Let Me Tell You The Truth About What is Happening in the Real Estate Market

2008-11-14T18:41:00.001-05:00

As a real estate agent how often does someone ask you "How's the Market"? You probably get asked that question many times in a week. So what is your response to this question? Does your head come down and do you mumble a meek response. Do you really know how the market really is? Are you an Economist of Choice? The next time someone asks you "How's the Market?" try using this script.

Client: "How's the Market?"

Agent: Let me ask you, how do you think the market is? <let them respond>

Agent: Where did you hear this information

Client Response: The Media

Agent: Do you always believe everything the media tells you?

Client: No

Agent: Then let's get together so I can tell you what is really going on in the market.

You see, the media reports information that is old (usually 3 months or longer). And yet, as agents we are living and breathing the market. We have agents in our office that are having their best year ever! If you get the chance to meet you friend/client/etc for a cup of coffee share with them the video from AgentMountain.com under free downloads that shows the state of the national real estate industry as of November. Or share some of the local Atlanta stats from the Chartmaster stats that Shaun presented last week.

One more thing. To be successful in this market you must be the Economist of Choice! Do you know your market stats inside and out and have you prepared your elevator speech so that the next time someone asks you "How's the Market?" You are ready to go.

Does your knowledge of the market make you stand out above the competition?

2008-10-31T09:44:00.001-04:00

Nothing can set you apart faster from your competition than having in-depth knowledge of the market. Agents who are aware of real estate supply and demand trends can better represent their clients in knowing where there are opportunities in the marketplace, developing an effective pricing strategy, and negotiating the best price possible.
Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter recently met to discuss the Atlanta market trends as of the third quarter. Here are a few of the many trends that were identified:
• Foreclosures continue to represent an increasing percentage of transactions. In fact, 1 out of every 4 homes sold in the 3rd Quarter were foreclosures. By price range, homes priced between $750,000 and $1,000,000 experienced a 400% increase in foreclosure sales!

• For every 100 homes that come on the market, only 12 of them sell without a price reduction! On average, when the home is priced correctly, it will sell in 38 days for 96.7% of the asking price. Conversely, if a home languishes on the market (is relisted and reduced) it can sit on the market for an additional 4 to 5 months and receive only 80% of the original list price.
• The 3rd quarter median sales price was 13.8% below the sales price one year ago. That means that every month that a property sits on the market it may be losing about 1% of its value. For instance, a $500,000 home may lose $5000 in equity for every 30 days it sits on the market as an overpriced listing.
• Keller Williams is the only top five Company to increase its Atlanta market share since 2003, through all types of markets
How long would it take you to compile just these few items on a quarterly basis? At KW Atlanta Perimeter we provide our agents with these (and dozens more) statistics and charts to provide just one more tool to serve our clients.
If you would like to know more about the current trends in the Atlanta market and how this data can help you take your business to the next level - give me a call at 678-298-1665.

It's That Time of Year Again

2008-10-30T16:50:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again...time to reflect on the last 12 months and prepare for next year. Most people just live their lives from day to day without any real direction. And yet, when you look at some of the most successful people in our country what you will find is that they have defined, written goals. They also have a clear-cut proactive plan to accomplish these goals.
For instance, Pat Hiban, a KW Mega Agent from Maryland, had this video posted this morning on Facebook. Pat is consistently one of the Top 20 Producers in KW and is a firm believer in goal setting. Here is what Pat Hiban had to say about goal setting.

Have you written down what you want to accomplish and do you have a written action plan to achieve these goals?
If you said "No" then I would like to introduce you to the rewarding world of Goal Setting. Because, if you don't know where you are going how will you know when you get there?

"Committing your goals to paper increases the likelihood of your achieving them by one-thousand percent! - Brian Tracy

To start 2009 off on the right foot I ask that you "time block" the morning of November 13th to attend the Business Planning Workshop. The Business Planning workshop will be taught in our market center by Linda Cooke, one of the best MAPS coaches! Linda will be walking you through a comprehensive MREA business plan that will provide you with the number of leads you need each week, an expense budget and most importantly an action plan to make it all happen.

I look forward to seeing you there and celebrating your success in 2009.