“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.”
W. Edwards Deming

You should be used to it by now - the buyer’s market has settled into its big, cushy, leather, easy chair and is resting comfortably. It is like the guest who just won’t leave, so you have to learn to live with him for a while longer. One of the best ways to do this is to sharpen your negotiation skills.

During the last five years of the hot seller’s market, negotiation skills weren’t quite as important as they are now. All you had to do was put the house on the market with a reasonable price and let the bidding begin.

Now things have changed. Today, we’re seeing a more traditional market where buyers have their share of homes to choose from. So the negotiation game among sellers and buyers (and their respective agents) has reached a new level of importance.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Negotiation Tips For a Buyer’s Market” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will work on my negotiation skills and focus on solutions!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Top Dollar-Producing Activities for Agents

“I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.” -
Shakespeare

Two thousand three-hundred hours. If you’re a typical agent, that’s how many hours you’ll work this year, according to NAR. That’s a lot of time to get sidetracked and end up down an unproductive, frustrating and rocky road.

Has it happened to you? It happens to us all. Knowing - and embracing - dollar-productive activities can keep you on the smooth, freshly-paved freeway to more profits, more efficiency and more fulfillment in your real estate career.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Only Time Will ‘Sell’” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will track my time to determine how much is spent doing dollar productive activities.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” -
Helen Keller

Chances are good that if you’re reading this, given the title, you are not feeling positive about today’s real estate market or have other associates that are not being positive. Well, let me relieve some stress. The market has been abnormally strong over the last four years, so the market is not a down market, it’s a traditional market. Anyone who’s been in real estate more than four years knows this. The market is doing what it does naturally; it’s adjusting itself. And with this adjustment has come an amazing opportunity for potential buyers to realize their dreams. There’s nothing more positive than helping others meet their goals and realize their dreams!

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Keeping Positive in a Slowing Market” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will stay positive and choose to be happy!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Yes, you can thrive…if you know your scripts!

As fun as the last few years were, to be in a piping hot real estate market, it is now time to accept and embrace the new reality, the buyer’s market. You have two options:

1. You can moan and groan.

2. You can thrive.

Those who wish to moan and groan, well, you may want to go find another email to read. Now, for those who want to thrive, first you must know a little about buyers. NAR has found some rather revealing habits of homebuyers.

” 77% of homebuyers used an agent to buy their home.
” Buyers searched for a median of two weeks on their own before contacting a real estate professional.
” Over three quarters of homebuyers used only one agent in their home search.
” Buyers ranked reputation as the most important factor when choosing a real estate professional to assist with a home purchase.

The first rule in marketing is to know who you are targeting. Keep learning who buyers are and what their modus operandi is. After that, the best way to thrive in a buyer’s market is this - know your scripts.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “How to Embrace and Thrive in Today’s Buyer’s Market” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will learn my scripts and practice them daily!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Has the metamorphosis from agent to broker taken hold? If not, it could be costing you and your real estate business some big bucks. Brokers, it is time to knight yourself as CEO.

It is just the way things are: you make money, you pay taxes. Do not go when the light turns green and someone will honk at you. And if you are a top-producing agent, you may very well become the managing broker of an office.

But as many former top producers have learned-sometimes the hard way-the roles of agent and broker are very different. And often, those savvy selling standouts become a dartboard with former colleagues hurling daggers at them because they lack the right tools to be a good broker.

I shudder at the thought of all the lost productivity the real estate industry suffers at the hands of those people who do not successfully make the transition from top agent to first-rate broker. If a broker does a bad job-and face it, sometimes they stink up the place pretty bad-it can wreak serious havoc, leading to tons of turnover, low morale, dwindling profits and eventually a failed business.

But I am not delusional enough to think that suddenly things will change and that Master of Business Administrations (MBAs) will start getting bussed in to run things. So the question to tackle is this: How do former top producers become effective brokers?

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Making the Shift from Top Producer to Successful Broker” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will develop my CEO skills!
Deadline: ____

Bob Corcoran