What can YOU do to establish yourself as an original...not just another brick in the wall?

Naysayers exist in every aspect of our lives.  I was totally impressed by the ActiveRain "Rich Agent, Poor Agent" survey analysis and results post this week. Thus far, over 230 members have commented and of course, it's always interesting to read the feedback. 

A few members made objectionable comments, which are always to be expected but, those naysayer comments led me to this post.  

I've always felt that life is what you make it...you simply must pave your own way in life; no one is going to do it for you.  In every line of business, we see those who just 'get it' and those who simply don't.  More importantly, we see those who don't, also fight tooth and nail to convince others that "this just won't work!"   

Time and time again, we see real estate professionals in down markets who are wildly successful.  What differentiates them from the rest?  Here are a few tips to help get you out of that "this isn't going to work" mode:

Tenacity:  Stick with it.  I'm not saying to keep doing something that isn't working but, when you put your heart and soul into making something work in your business, it will generally work.

Assess, assess and reassess:  When you given it all you've got and you see that brick wall ahead at every turn, perhaps it ISN'T working for you.  However, keeping track of your marketing and process statistics is an imperative step in evaluating the success of a business strategy.

Be open minded:  let the others be the naysayers, not YOU!

You don't have to try everything that everyone else is trying.  Focus on a handful of practices, evaluate the success level of each and then REALLY focus!

Find your niche and establish yourself as the expert with regards to everything concerning that niche.  

Be studious.  With our ever-changing business, we simply MUST continually be exploring and learning.  Don't believe everything you read but, do pay careful attention to those who are truly successful.  

Dare to be different!  Don't be just another brick in the wall...be the one that stands apart from the rest.  You CAN do this...set your mind to it and remember...

This is YOUR business...not your broker's, YOURS.  Don't ever forget that!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Are 'Buyers Liars' or Do We Need To Be Better Listeners?

I've always detested that little saying about buyers being liars but, you'll understand the point of my title if you read further...

I'm always thrilled to be the recipient of a phone call from a disgruntled customer in need of an agent immediately!  However, there's a part of me who feels a little sorry for the 'other' agent.  Silly, I know but, we've all either been new or done something that we have looked back on and thought, "How on earth did I blow that?!"  I just can't help those ambivalent feelings though--thrilled to have a new buyer but, a bit sad for the other agent.

I recently received one of those phone calls.  Of course, I found that the buyer hadn't ever signed a buyers agency agreement because he was a bit unsure as to whether or not the agent would be 'right' for him.  We discussed his needs and sure enough, he was truly prepared to locate a home and write an Offer immediately just as he said he would.  

We initially, by phone, discussed this customer's needs.  He had very specific lifestyle needs and very specific home needs.  The easy part for me was locating the neighborhood based upon his lifestyle needs.  Without sharing specifics, he had never even been ASKED anything about his lifestyle needs OR his preferences in a neighborhood.  He had only been told to 'Tell me how many bedrooms and baths and what price range' by his former agent. 

Well, there are a lot of 4-bedroom, 3-bath homes in a variety of neighborhoods in the Charlotte Metro area.  There are TONS of them in the price range which he was searching.  After seeing more than 25 homes, he lost faith in his agent and began phoning around to see if he could quickly interview agents by phone and then meet with a couple to see if they 'got it' (his needs, of course). 

I just happened to be the Realtor® that won the prize - a fantastic client who viewed ONE home and wrote an Offer!  How often does THAT happen?!  It was the sweetest deal I've had in a very long time--no hiccups whatsoever!

Which leads me to the point of this post...

If we Realtors® would really listen and stop just trying to 'land the deal,' we'd actually prove that buyers really AREN'T 'liars' - they simply need to be heard.  So, listen-up!  It'll not only make for happy clients but, will make your life SO much easier as well!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Our Value is Only as Good as Our Integrity

In·teg·ri·ty.  What does integrity mean to you?  What does it mean to your business?  Moreover, what does your integrity mean to your clients? 

The definition of integrity is really quite simple--firm adherence to a code of especially moral values.  Integrity is synonymous with words such as incorruptibility, soundness, completeness, and honesty.  As real estate professionals, our 'value' is only as good as our integrity.  Think about that for a moment.

Commitment to integrity is something that is predominantly 'ingrained' in us as children; however, as adults, we must establish a commitment to this practice both in life and in our business, especially if we have employees or partners with whom we work.  Shouldn't we share the same commitment to integrity as a team or a firm (our businesses)?


Are you a person of integrity? Are you incorruptible, sound, complete and honest?  Do you do the right thing even if it does not mean 'money in your pocket?'  Do you do the right thing even if it means additional steps in an already, lengthy transaction?  (i.e. disclosures)


Possessing high integrity is perhaps the most difficult quality in life to 'achieve' but, once you have achieved it, integrity is THE most satisfying one.  Integrity is connected to a very deep subconscious decision to utilize constraint when it comes to acting upon something that is morally conflicting for us.  Whether we know it or not, subconsciously we may be 'considering' whether we should or shouldn't act morally in a particular situation.  If we have strong convictions to 'do the right thing,' our internal conflicts will occur less often and with less conscious involvement in the decision.


In our business, we have SO many opportunities that could lead to the compromise of our integrity.  Just look at the state of the economy, predominantly caused by those who chose to compromise their integrity in exchange for a hefty paycheck or even a new home mortgage.  Many of the issues that cause agents to permanently lose their license are those related to poor decisions, which directly relate to their integrity.



Are you willing to compromise your license, your livlihood for a few extra bucks?  We should protect and cherish our businesses, keeping in mind just how hard we worked to get to this point--but, only after we consider our morals.  Our integrity is something that we've worked to protect our our entire lives. 


in·teg·ri·ty (L. integritas) n.  Adhering to a strict ethical code

• The state of being wholesome; unimpaired
• The quality or condition of being complete; pure
  

Our team's motto:  Integrity Without Compromise.  Plain and simply.  Is that part of your customer service; part of your life?

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Under-Promise, Over-Deliver: Tried and True Customer Service Mantra

Because we are, after all, in the service industry, I think we are all keenly aware of the customer service provided us  when using any vendor or visiting a restaurant, auto dealership, retail shops, etc.  We learn alot of how-to's and even alot of how-not-to's from the customer service which we are provided in our own experiences.  We are constantly striving to improve upon our customer service--if you're not doing so, you should  be.

What can we do to improve upon customer service?  Here are a few basics:

1.  Education is foremost in importance for anyone offering their services to consumers in any business.  With our ever-changing business, a well educated real estate professions can certainly make or break a transaction.  From mortgage brokers to real estate brokers, to inspectors, stagers and attorneys—all should have a commitment to excellence and the only way to achieve this excellence is by offering unsurpassed customer service including being well-educated in our ever-changing market’s inner ‘workings.’

2.  Answer your phone when you can; if you are with a client IGNORE the phone and promptly return all missed calls when you are finished with your 'business' with your face-to-face client.  Real estate professionals relied on returning to their offices to their answering machines before cell phones came along and they survived just fine!  Remember how you  felt when chatting with someone--anyone, not just in a business conversation--and that person answered their phone.  It is, plain andhnd simply, rude--'bad manners' as my parents would say. 

3.  Answer your emails promptly!  Some say that you should check your email messages as often as you check your voice mail messages.  I actually check mine more--starting early in the morning before everyone else gets to work and late at night when everyone has left--no one is going to phone me at these hours,  so I am free to check emails at the very least twice per day!

4.  Do your due diligence for your clients.  Always take the extra step to ascertain that there is nothing that is hidden about the property that your client needs to know.  A little digging can save your clients tens of thousands of dollars sometimes.  Communicate all efforts with your clients.

5.  Which brings me to:  Keep your clients informed.  Let your clients know each and every step you are taking, both together and you--on their behalf.  They LOVE to be informed of what is going on regarding their big purchase.

6.  Common courtesies are sometimes considered 'old school,' as many professionals forget that those courtesies are, indeed, what distinguishes you AS a professional.  Don't forget the 'please' and 'thank yous' in your communication with your clients.  Remember the old saying, 'Smile and the whole world smiles with you?'  Well, it works--people LIKE to be associated with positive people and smiling is the number one sign at first meeting that you are a positive person!

7.  Eye contact and a firm handshake are other first-impression positives!  As there are some who prefer NOT to shake hands, the vast majority of us feel that it is a courtesy and look to see that those shaking our hands are making eye contact.  Both show the client that you are open, honest and genuine.


This is an abbreviated list and I'm certain that you have things that YOU feel are worthy of the list too!  What sparked this article was a recent email from my favorite online shoe store, Zappos.  I realized that I didn't have shoes to wear for a particular evening so, I hastily ordered the shoes I needed on Zappos and paid extra for 2-day shipping.  Within hours, I received an email stating that I would have my shoes quicker than the 2-days.  The shoes arrived in my home within 24-hours of ordering them! 

 I've also ordered shoes from them that were not the right size or color that I needed and I've phoned them to re-order and they sent me a FREE return shipping label to send my original order back AND shipped out the new pair without charging my account!   Now, I'm sure if they hadn't received my return order within a reasonable amount of time, I would have been charged for the second pair but, my, what customer service! Zappos is certainly the bar-setter for the service industry in my opinion.

Are you under-promising and over-delivering?  It's the best thing that you can do for your business!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Why Are You Pricing Your Home Like Clothing at the Mall?

Sellers who really want to sell their property NOW so that they can move on, are more involved with analyzing their price point than ever before.  It seems that most sellers want to price their property with something that ends in '99'--$599,000 or $599,900, etc.  Here's what I ask them:

"You're about to move to Raleigh and your Realtor® has set up a search for you through his/her MLS.  Can you tell me what your price parameters are for that search?  When you're searching online at night for homes in the Raleigh (or destination city of choice), what price points do you use in your own search?"

They'll say, "We're moving up a bit so, we enter $600,000 - $700,000."

"What if you were searching from $600,000 to $700,000  here in Charlotte?  You would completely MISS this home in your search!  Had you priced it at an even $600,000, you would capture buyers from both the $500,000 - $600,000 AND the $600,000 - $700,000 ranges.  Setting the price at $599,000, will cause you to lose an entire group of buyers for your home!"

They look at me for a minute and my analytical-minded clients have an ah-ha moment!  Then, they competely agree with me!

Try it, it WORKS!  I recently listed a townhome in a complex that had 23 townhomes on the market when we listed.  We priced the property at an "even" price and we were under contract in 10 days--last one on the market, first one off!  If you searched MLS for the even number, either way (least price or highest price) you would catch this listing!  When you look at the others, every one of them were 'off-beat' numbers and were missed by 1/2 of their prospective buyers.  

Stop pricing your homes as though they were sale-price clothing at the mall!  Use those 'round' numbers and see how it works for you.  You'll instantly expand your pool of buyers!  

Your sellers will love you!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

We MUST Be Our Clients' Advocate--Empower Them with Homework Too!

I recently had a cute young couple who have two small children who had moved here for a new job and did not know the area at all.  They wound up with a real estate agent who placed them in a neighborhood outside of the city, neglecting to tell them that there would be fighting in the streets and gunfire in the middle of the night--OFTEN!  They hated the neighborhood AND the school that their children were attending and were ready to move after their first two days in their new home.



WAIT!  The information that these clients needed is NOT something that we are legally allowed to tell our clients!  I know, it IS a shame but, it's a fact of life that we must learn to live with if we want to maintain our business licenses.  What we ARE allowed to do is share references from which the client can glean all of the 'touchy' information that they'd like.

On with the story--Taking quite the financial hit, the family moved even farther out of the city into a much better area to rent but, continued to commute to work in Charlotte.  Some time later, they began looking for another home, wisely NOT using their previous agent; instead they used my team to assist them through a referral from the wife's job at the bank.  After sending them links to do their own research as well as setting them up with a gateway and having them pre-qualified, we began their home search.

They qualified for a much higher priced home than they originally thought and after viewing three homes in GREAT areas, in close proximity to their work, they've put in an Offer and are now proud homeowners in an area that they plan to reside for quite a few years!

The moral of the story--the original agent not only forgot to do her homework but, my clients had NO idea that THEY could do a little homework themselves.  They thought that was what they had 'hired' the original agent to do.  She did not pre-qualify them--they just THOUGHT the home that they purchased was all that they could afford because that is what a 'friend' had told them.  So, the other agent wound up placing them in a home in an unsafe neighborhood in a school that the children were miserable, just to 'get it done'--not to mention, putting them in harms way in the process.

Because we are unable to discuss matters which our Buyers ask about certain neighborhoods, schoola and areas doesn't mean that we can't guide them to do it themselves. Give your clients homework to do and let them feel empowered and feel that they ARE a part of this process.

Believe me, YOU will sleep better at night.

About the author:

Debe Maxwell is a Charlotte Residential Real Estate Broker, Certified Neighborhood & Relocation Specialist, ABR & e-PRO who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Charlotte NC Metro Area.  If you're relocating to or from any other area of the country, Debe connects you with any member of her team of relocation professionals in your destination or exit city of choice.  The destination service is of no cost to you!  The Maxwell House Group's quality service guarantee puts this team far ahead of the competition; providing unsurpassed customer service is their #1 priority!  Debe Maxwell -- Helen Adams Realty -- 704.491.3310

Disclaimer:  All information provided by this author is strictly an opinion, is not guaranteed, may be based on information collected from several sources, which may or may not be deemed reliable at the time of researching this article and may be time sensitive.

Let's go shopping for Charlotte NC homes for sale!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.