Toby Boyce
By Toby Boyce
It was a hot summer day in late July 2006 as I slipped down U.S. 23 to the Ohio Division of Real Estate testing center. I had made the jump into real estate without a safety net – quitting my job in higher education public relations and knowing that if I failed this test it would be a very-very bad sign.
Well, I passed the test. Actually, I scored a perfect 100 percent on the state portion of the test, a feat that none of the folks working that day had ever seen achieved. So I entered into the world of real estate with a swagger and confidence. “I got this.”
We got through two years when 2-out-of-3 licensed agents aren’t even using their license. And now about to hit the five-year milestone and the only thing I’m certain of is how little I really knew when I said, “I got this.”
While the last five years have been an emotional and financial roller coaster, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. I honestly – even if naively – believe that I’ve learned more during this period than I could have in any other venture.
“I wish you’d made the jump a few years ago,” said a former agent. “It was so easy, the phone just rang and buyers were there.” That sounds like being an order taker to me, so why not work at a local fast food restaurant?
What have I learned in five years in real estate: Continue reading »
Dave Robison
By Dave Robison
A few years ago, I was talking with an agent in my office, we will call him Jack. I said to Jack, “Jack, what happened last week? You didn’t make any new calls.” In our office, we report how many calls we make each week to hold each other accountable. Jack said, “The Smiths deal is taking up my time…it’s just all I work on. The other agent is so difficult to work with, too.”
At this point I could have said, “Okay good luck, keep up the good work.” But if I want him to succeed, I have to go deeper:
Me: “Okay, lets talk about that. Yesterday, how many times did you call him?”
Jack: “Once.”
Me: “How long was that phone call?”
Jack: “10 minutes.”
Me: “Okay, so what happened with the other 8 hours of the day?”
He became frustrated with the statistics and was at a loss of words. He realized that his emotions surrounding the deal were consuming him. He had anxiety about the deal going through. A sign that you might be stuck in this same mode is if you have closings one month and none the next. Or, if you didn’t have any time to call new leads yesterday you might be in this mode, too. The top REALTORS® all share something in common: They have emotional resilience. They learn how to get closings every month. Here are some steps to overcome the consumed state of mind and make yourself consistent with closings.
1. Keep statistics: By keeping statistics of your BIG ROCKS, as Stephen Covey suggests, you can ensure you get the most important things done. We keep stats on the number of calls we make. Continue reading »
Jared James
By Jared James
All goals really have nothing to do with money or other things. Think about it. Are you really after a bunch of pieces of paper with dead people on them? No. Everyone of us is after a feeling whether it be power, security, influence or whatever. Take a moment and watch the video below and then reassess why do you want what you want?
PS. Do I look completely exhausted in this video? I literally flew in just before recording this after being on the road for almost 3 weeks. I promise to be more spruced up on my next vlog! 
Jared James is the CEO and founder of Jared James Enterprises (JJE) and travels around North America speaking to and coaching REALTORS®. Connect with Jared at www.jaredjamestoday.com, on facebook.com/jaredjamestoday, or follow him on Twitter @jaredjamestoday.
Toby Boyce
By Toby Boyce
I am the technology director for my office and have been doing a lot of teaching and developing new continuing education classes to assist those agents that are still struggling with technology and harnessing it to improve their business.
To develop a sense of what was needed, I spent a lot of time talking to top-notch agents … you know, those who make up the “cherry on top” of the Central Ohio real estate industry. It became very apparent that I was neglecting a key piece in the business.
Evaluating myself.
Of course, just like the majority of agents, I have the business plan in the corner gathering dust written in an hour of inspiration to be looked at every May to see what goal I missed on or never achieved. But when was the last time you really had an evaluation?
You evaluate your leads as they come through the pipeline … usually on a “can they or can’t they” buy basis. So why aren’t you doing the same thing with yourself?
These top-notch agents all had teams. They had multiple buyer’s agents and make no bones that they ranked their buyer’s agents based on ability to achieve the ultimate goal – close the deal in a way that is consistent with the team’s values and objectives. Ouch. That seems harsh doesn’t it in this world of “competing is good enough,” but isn’t it a refreshing thought? 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 »
Jeremy Williams
By Jeremy Williams
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James II: 2-3.
If you are in the real estate business for a period of time, you will at some point deal with obstacles. Some may be trivial, while others more complex and wearing. But we must know that in the grand scheme of things, all obstacles are small. It is easy when dealing with an obstacle in our businesses to be side tracked from our tasks and sometimes even consumed.
So how does one overcome when faced with a difficult time? Perseverance!
“Just keep on keeping on” is an old adage that comes to mind. When faced with an obstacle, don’t give up, just keep on going. Do what you know is right and don’t allow the issue you are facing to consume your thoughts and time. Persevere.
Stay to the tasks including lead generation instead of dwelling on a particular client or transaction that may have wronged you. Persevere.
Take time to re-read your goals, objectives to reach those goals, and your mission when you are distracted from your purpose. Persevere.
You and I will face obstacles in our businesses, or you may also call them storms in your life, but the great thing about a storm is that it will pass. Persevere!
Jeremy Williams of Keller Williams Realty NE in Kingwood, Texas specializes in the residential real estate market of Kingwood, Atascocita, and Humble, Texas. Visit his Web site at www.williams4yourhome.com.
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