Jeremy Williams
By Jeremy Williams
Are you looking for a new way to drive traffic and generate leads? Are you working with a marketing budget that has been scaled back? What if I told you that you could do this for free with the exception of owning a computer, simple video building software and a YouTube account? While reading this blog post, feel free to reference my YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/williams4yourhome as an example.
For my business, I use Microsoft Movie Maker software to build my videos. With this software you can import both video and still photos. Microsoft Movie Maker also gives you the ability to add slides, including both title and credits. For the most part I used still pictures in my video and essentially create a slideshow. Using Microsoft Movie Maker, you also have the ability to add music to the video and transitions. Once the video/slideshow is built, the newest version of Microsoft Movie Maker has a button to submit the video to your YouTube site. Of course you will need to have your account established with YouTube prior to this step.
Once your file has been submitted to YouTube, you will want to edit the video by adding keywords to the title, a description including the keywords you used for the title, and tags that reflect both the keywords used in the title and the description. Using this keyword method will help your video be found in the search engines by potential customers. Continue reading »
Toby Boyce
By Toby Boyce
Recently, my wife and I had a chance to attend the final game for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season at beautiful Nationwide Arena. No I’m not bragging this does have something to do with real estate – just give me time.
In case you are not a hockey fan – or even if you are – this past season for the Blue Jackets was pretty disappointing. After making the NHL playoffs last year for the first-time in franchise history this was supposed to be “the” year. The coach – Ken Hitchcock – and star players were going to make a run into the NHL playoffs and make this city proud. Well, everyone is a winner when the season starts, but fast forward to April and “Hitch” is gone as well as any chance of this squad making the playoffs.
As we sat and watched this game unfold it was obvious that the Blue Jackets – both on the ice and in the stands – had mailed in these final couple of weeks. The Red Wings were consistently on the attack and the fans were sitting on their hands. The atmosphere in Nationwide usually has a pretty strong level of energy, however on that night it was like a wake – and not an Irish one at that.
Okay, so how does this relate to real estate?
Well think about those new listings. Sitting at the kitchen table when that John and Susan Seller signs those documents and you have that brand new listing it is a great feeling. You’re confident it is priced right and the buyers are going to be lining up for this property. Continue reading »
Jeremy Williams
By Jeremy Williams
I spent one of my days last week both watching my son, whom was sick, and putting together an elliptical machine that I ordered by mail. The elliptical machine was a request of my wife, though somehow I think I will be using it more often after all the work-related lunches I visited last week. What I learned very quickly was that without an instruction manual showing me how I was going to build this complex cardio machine, I might as well just told the delivery guys to keep it on the truck. The instruction manual for the assembly of the elliptical machine acted as a road map. It started with a listing of all the parts and tools required to assemble the machine and ended with the completed product.
How many times do we try to operate without a road map? How many times do we drift from the “instruction manuals” created, including systems and modes of operation for our businesses? If I had not followed the instruction manual for the assembly of the elliptical machine, it would have been unsuccessful use of my time and energy. It may have even been dangerous.
Do you have goals? Do you utilize systems? Continue reading »
Nobu Hata
By Nobu Hata
I know, I know, you’ve heard about all the goings on at MidYear Meetings. It’s “boring,” “there’s no point to it,” or “what do they do in D.C., anyways?” Fact of the matter is, it’s at these meetings that policy — present and future — gets discussed among the members of the National Association of REALTORS®. And it’s at these particular meetings that mobilization of the “under recognized groups” will be discussed. YPN will be one of those groups. Last time I checked, we are both of the above.
So with policy conversations, committees, forums, meetings… it doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun. Outside of New York City, there is no more vibrant a town than Washington, D.C. Shops, restaurants, bars, they’re all open late, and the cooler part? It’s a city devoid of folks actually native to it. Everyone is from another part of the country, making random conversations with complete strangers commonplace.
The lowdown…
REALTOR(R) stuff: Sit in on a committee meeting. YPN involvement is mandatory now, so get to it. Check out the meeting schedule.
International Night Out: Want to learn and network with international peeps? Attend the International Networking Reception on Wednesday, May 12. (This is a ticketed event, so sign up early.)
The Business Technology & Information Systems Forum is Thursday, May 13. Come learn something new, and share what you know. In fact, bring a veteran agent with you and show ‘em that we’re not all about Facebooking and Twittering.
OK, so some of us Twitter… a lot. Midyear Tweetup is 5 p.m. Thursday, May 13 at the Marriott Wardman Park Lobby Lounge.
YPN get-together: “SpeakingEasy with YPN” at The Gibson, Thursday night. Register right now; it will fill up! REGISTRATION IS FULL! (*updated 4/23) Continue reading »
Toby Boyce
By Toby Boyce
According to Dictionary.com, one definition is that ethics are “the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.”
As members of the National Association of REALTORS®, practitioners agree to abide by the Code of Ethics as established by the organization, and are bound by state and federal statutes that keep the business from descending into chaos.
But who is minding the gates when it comes to enforcing ethics? Local boards are often overworked and understaffed and the smaller boards are “offices of one” that are struggling just to keep the place running. NAR has too many practitioners (1.2 million members) to even consider this type of monitoring throughout the program. Ultimately, REALTORS® have to self-regulate our own industry. The practitioners are the ones in the fire every day.
However, are we doing anything with this? Continue reading »
Rob Reuter
By Rob Reuter, YPN Manager
I think many of us who are part of YPN would agree that one of our goals is to bridge the generational gap that seems to have been created in our industry. I get asked all the time if there is an age limit for YPN or if there ever will be. My response has always been the same: YPN is for the young and young-at-heart real estate professionals.
With that being said, this blog post is in honor of our young-at-heart colleagues and you may notice a familiar theme that Jeff Foxworthy uses with his ‘redneck’ jokes (if you don’t know who Jeff Foxworthy is, you might be too old for YPN). So here’s a test of your young-at-heartness. Hopefully, you’ll get a nostalgic chuckle or two out of this:
- If you’ve ever referred to the MLS in BOOK FORM, you might be too old for YPN.
- If your business card photo is OVER 10 YEARS OLD, you might be too old for YPN
- If you’ve ever used a CAR PHONE to sell a house, you might be too old for YPN.
- If you’ve sold a home when people were still putting wallpaper UP, you might be too old for YPN.
- If you’ve sold a home when shag carpeting or wood paneling was IN STYLE, you might be too old for YPN.
- If you’ve sold a home when they were still using LEAD BASED PAINT in NEW construction, you might be too old for YPN.
- If your membership is not DECREASING the average age of a REALTOR®, you might be too old for YPN.
All kidding aside, how about a big round of applause for our more experienced colleagues and may you continue to enlighten us on how to become better REALTORS®.
Drew Burks
By Drew Burks
What’s in a number?
I think we can all agree that not much has changed in the real estate industry over the years; so when social media took the world by storm, it was exciting to see how well it was received by real estate practitioners. Unfortunately, there is an underlying principle being taught to practitioners and it is causing more frustration with social media than anything.
You see, no matter how great a tool is, if you use it incorrectly you will get less than desirable results!
I have attended just about every REALTOR® training & coaching event available to our industry over the last eight to nine years, and most are all teaching the same flawed principle. It is this principle that causes practitioners to struggle to close more deals.
So what is the principle reason most real estate pros struggle to close more deals?
The No. 1 reason is very simple… most of us were told to focus on the wrong thing: “Sales is a numbers game!”
Sales is NOT a numbers game! Yes, I know this flies in the face of everything we have been told, so let me explain. Focusing on “leads” is all wrong; this strategy is creating more struggles for you than profits. Continue reading »
Brooke Wolford
By Brooke Wolford
I was recently working in my office and got to thinking as I look around at all the other practitioners. All but a few had a relative who was able to mentor them. Then I look at myself… I am flying solo here. I was lucky enough to start out in the closing end of the business but being on the other side was completely different to me.
I still am trying to grow as a practitioner. I try to participate in several groups, read about up and coming agents, marketing trends, networking, you name it. But still, I am not quite the Donald Trump I had hoped to be… at least not yet.
I read my fellow YPN bloggers posts and wonder… how do they do it??? They all seem to be a wiz in this crazy world of real estate. I wonder how they all got their start and how have they become the agents that they are.
I am now on a mission to find a person to help show me the way. If you can’t figure it out yourself, you need to do what you can to find a way to get there.
On my blog www.strugglingrookierealestateagent.blogspot.com, I received a comment from a newly licensed agent. He wanted to know some key questions to ask when shopping for a broker. It was a tough question for me to answer, as I had not asked any questions when I had first received my license and just went to the company that I had closed for and later moved to a company that a friend of mine worked with. After some careful thought, this is what I came up with and what I probably should have asked in the beginning. Continue reading »
Jonathan Osman
By Jonathan Osman
Eight months ago, I started investigating the idea of buying my own telephone system. With my mobile number on every sign that I owned and in every ad, I received calls at all hours of the day and night, which got old fast. The idea of simply turning off my ringer at night was not an option either since I no longer have a land-line at home.
After discovering how expensive it would be to purchase, install, and operate my own phone system, I discovered a number of virtual phone systems that are currently available; the most popular being Google Voice.
For the solo agent or for personal use, Google Voice is a must-have. Google Voice is free to register (although you must be invited) and you can order a “local” number to receive voicemail and text messages. You can even dial out using either the Google Voice website or the free mobile app. Both the app and the website will mask your real phone number with your Google Voice number. I love using voicemail through Google Voice because the voice-to-text transcription allows me to read an e-mail of a voicemail even though the translations are hit or miss.
For groups or agents demanding more robust features, I would highly recommend a paid virtual phone system through a service like RingCentral, Grasshopper (formerly Got Vmail), or Phonebooth. All have the capabilities to provide you with a local number, a toll free number, e-fax, company directory, VoIP, and more. When a client dials in, a recording directs them to the department or extensions which are available. Continue reading »
Dave Robison
By Dave Robison
Mo Money Mo Problems! Bank of America has got it all. If they can’t even order a payoff, how is the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA) going to help? Do a short sale with them in 30 days! And a cry for help!
If the government gave you $45 billion dollars, what could you do with it? With that amount of money most of us probably think we could change the world! Bank of America got that much in bailout money. They got MO MONEY, but it looks like they aren’t changing the world, it looks like they have just inherited MO PROBLEMS! Yes, we all know the nightmare on their short sales; however there are more problems than that. Bank of America can’t even order a payoff for a home that isn’t a short sale and they are foreclosing on the wrong mortgage on property where they issued a reconveyance on their own loan.
There is some good news out there. There’s a practitioner in my CYBERSTAR Agent Network (group of practitioners nationwide) who did a B of A short sale in 30 days. I’ve been using equator.com to do short sales with Bank of America as well and have accomplished a 60 day turnaround. The main hiccup with us wasn’t B of A; it was my seller getting their information entered into their system. It is an online system that we knew they were going to convert to over a year ago. It took them a while to implement it but its up and running and working good! So here are the tips in working with B of A on short sales:
Tip one: Sign up on Equator.com Our short sale process has gone from 6+ months to 2 months. Continue reading »
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