Business Training from a 10 Year Old

There has been more than once this summer when my children have accompanied me to the office.  They don’t mind so much as we have an upstairs conference room complete with a white board, dry erase markers, TV, and VCR. It’s practically a playground.

I went upstairs to have them clean up - it was time to go home. What I saw when I got up there gave me a chuckle. Sometimes I miss the most obvious things.

It took this post by Phil over at Make it Great to turn the light on. My ten year old had mastered the basics, and I missed it.

My 10 year old, with the help of her 6 year old sister, had drawn a beautiful series of castles. Colorful and bright, they even had the royalty that lived there. Evidently, these castles were my new listings - and Madison was going to teach me how to sell them.

Three Tips to Real Estate

1. Use good manners
2. Niceness
3. Have fun at it

I guess that about sums it up - and not just in the real estate market.  I mean, obviously there are other things…but without these three, I find it hard to believe the others will hold much water.

An Office in the Playroom - a Good Idea (in Theory)

I love going into the office. There is something about going into work, being surrounded by activity, and being in the midst of it all seems to be energizing and useful.

I can’t go into the office all the time. As a mom, sometimes I need to be home. And I don’t mind that either. In the summertime, you can bet that most of my work is done from the house. School is out and the kids need me here - and they are my first priority.

I loved the article over at LifeHacker that talked about the concept of working from home. Not so much because of its message, but because it made me shake my head and wonder if I was the only one whose home office consisted of a laptop, printer, DSL and Dora the Explorer. But the emphasis on finding a happy medium is an important one.

It seems that (reading through the comments) most folks work from home when they “need to get things done.” That is not the world I live in. We bought our house two children ago. With 4 bedrooms, I really thought we were buying too much house. Two more children later, I have lost my office (4th bedroom), and my dining room (playroom).

The idea to move the office into the playroom was good, in theory. When I worked from home, I could do what I needed to do while still being able to watch the children. However, I don’t get the residual “work at home benefits” of reduced distractions. Most projects take longer to finish and have to be triple checked for errors.

But then I consider Wendy’s question,”What’s your happy medium?”

An office in the world and an office in the playroom. My office is my grown up place and I do get more work done there. My playroom office is my mommy place. I realize how fortunate I am for the children that are mine and the career that allows me do have the Wiggles playing in the background.

We all have balancing acts that we tweak on a regular basis to get all that we can out of life. Mine consist of family, profession, and community. I am curious as to what scales others use, and how they know when they are tilted.

The Lindsay Lohan Approach Doesn’t Work

For those of you fortunate enough to not be media hounds, let me catch you up. Miss Lohan is in the news again. DUI and cocaine possession. Haven’t heard much on the DUI, but she says the cocaine wasn’t her’s, it was a friend’s and she was just “holding it” for him. Sure it ain’t, sure it is, and sure she was.

Obviously I don’t buy it, but hey, it could be true.  Let’s give her the benefit of the doubt. Her approach still doesn’t work - in either scenario.

I have had the pleasure recently of making a phenom new friend (Hi Lani!). We were discussing a past event in my ancient history. She asked a great question - “What gift did you gain from that terrible experience?”

First, let me explain why she’s a great friend and that’s a great question.

• She didn’t focus on the negative.
• She didn’t ask me to focus on the negative.
• The question is a gentle way to insist that I redeem something valuable from everything.

Yep - she’s cool.

The answer is “lots.” But, the single, most important one is personal responsibility.

For all you die hard voyeurs that love a good drama - go ahead a stop reading. I am not getting into the details.  You can read all about my views on internet posting here. The important part is it was bad, it was relational, it’s over and it’s ancient.

While going through it, it is hard to learn anything from it. It’s kinda like becoming a great football team - you have to go back the next day and watch the tape.

After the dust had settled, I was mad - really mad. I blamed the entire world for my mess - a mess I had gotten myself into. And there it was…I made choices that inserted myself into a situation. Regardless of how offensive the other parties involved were - I picked them to be in my circle. I chose to allow them into my life, even when I knew better.

And there’s the lesson - personal responsibility.  You can justify just about anything, redirect almost any blame, and renounce all consequences. But, at the end of the day, the only thing you have full control over is your personal actions, feelings, and plans for tomorrow.

This gift has translated into every aspect of my life - family, friends, business - all of it. It has created a mantra of sorts into how I decide which course of action to take in any given situation. “Do whatever it is you want to do - as long as you are ready to accept whatever consequences come from said action.”

• So it wasn’t her cocaine - did she not know that even being around it was a bad idea?
• So your client has gone to another provider - shouldn’t you have returned their phone call?
• So your bank account is steadily rising - good on you for going the extra mile to provide that great customer service.
• So your kids are doing better in school - setting aside time to be engaged in their life has worked out.
• So your not as in shape as you would like to be - go ahead and skip the gym again.

All of these situations can have outside influences - people, schedules, difficulties, dislikes - guess what - oh well.  The point is to understand that regardless of the outlying conditions, the choice is still yours. The ownership is on you.

Is there a time you have taken personal responsibility? I am not asking you to air your dirty laundry, but I would love to hear of other life lessons learned and personal building experiences. They are the things that make us great people and wonderful friends.

 ***Update***Going through my reader, I found this post by Carpe Factum. Good stuff! 

Bloggy Contest

I was going to post the Bloggy Contest here…decided it fit better at Beautiful Chaos.

You can find it here.

Have fun!

I am a SOB!

Woo hoo! It is a great Sunday to be me!

 I am offically an SOB. Much thanks to Liz for her constant inspiration, encouragment and “heart smiles.” Getting to know her has been one of the biggest benefits of blogging to date. I am humbled to know she thinks I am kinda cool too!

 

Also found out I won Christine Kane’s new CD, A Friday Night in One Lifetime. She held a drawing for thirteen of them as part of the Thursday Thirteen. My name was on the list!

And it’s not even lunch time!

My Jack Bauer 24 hours

Typically this is the kind of stuff I would post over at Beautiful Chaos, but, there was just enough “business” stuff to leave it over here.

Long story incredibly short (insert signature “tick, tick” 24 sound effect here for maximum effect).

• Supposed to go to a Sand Gnats game for a WBA night out. This means getting work done early, babies packed up for grandma’s house, and the older kids ready to go - whew.
• Drop babies off, running late, get to ball park. Hurricane like conditions unleash a fury on the ground. Where in the world did THAT come from?
• Get into the stadium - we are soaked. Rain delay

 

Insert more “tick, tick, tick” here - about 2 hours worth. Do you know how much food, junk, sodas, etc. kids can consume in two hours? It is unbelievable.

• Game finally starts. It is so late, we make it three innings before the kids start to suffer from “cotton candy crash.” Pack it up and take it to the house.
• Exhausted, so wonderful, night owl hubby has the sweetest suggestion to drop me and the two older girls off at home and he will go retrieve the two younger.
• Sleep!

Typically, this begins a new 24 hour period. It did not feel like a new 24 hour period when I woke up late this morning, so we will continue.

• Woke up late. No time to check email, go through reader, or post…I hate that.
• Have to get the kids into the van - you know the one…in my driveway…with a flat tire. Ugh!
• Husband dutiful puts on the spare in record time. Get the kids where they need to go and, believe it or not - I make my 9AM meeting on time.
• Meeting goes wonderfully. Hanging out with Lisa discussing eWomen Network is always a blast. (Chris, I did push the blog idea…soon, real soon)
• Get home, tire has to be fixed…still no time to check email, go through reader, return phone calls, put together fliers…and the eleventy billion other things I need to do today.
• Finally get on the computer…get lost in Facebook…ah, the beauty of Web 2.0…Found the neatest circle of friends app thanks to Dawud. I am clearly operating in two circles - bloggers and realtors…must continue to bridge that divide in my friends list.
• You’ve got mail. WordPress informs me that there is a pingback on my Technorati post…Liz has included me on her SOB Business Cafe. Wow…

Top that, Jack Bauer.

Technorati and overlooking the Obvious

I am embarrassed. What a “Duh!” moment.

A few months ago, I started the task to redesign my website, own it myself, and repositioning my blogs. With the help and encouragement of some mighty fine folks, and an awesome husband, all went better than I could have ever expected.

The biggest thing that I have learned is that it is always a work in progress. There is a magic dance of face to face networking, blog posting, client service, guest writing, meeting other bloggers, continuing education, website management…the list goes on. Like doing laundry, just do a little everyday, a lot when it gets backed up, and don’t be too hard on yourself if it goes from dryer to the couch instead of the closet.

Going through my blog reader this morning, I was reading a very interesting post on the Bloodhound Blog from Greg Swann on his experience with Project Blogger.  He was discussing, among other things, Teri Lussier’s success on Technorati with The Brick Ranch.

Hmm.  It’s been quite a while since I have checked up on my Technorati stats. I think I’ll mosey on over there and see what’s what.

Sucker! When I moved by blogs TypePad to Wordpress, guess what I didn’t do. That’s right! When I logged in, there are my two lonely TypePad blogs and no brand spanking new ones.

I wonder how many times we overlook the absolute obvious?  Obviously, I did not have the handy dandy “Tag me Technorati” button in my sidebars.  Obviously, checking up on Technorati has not happened in quite some time? Obviously, these are things that I should have done.

So, here is my public service announcement for the day. Take five minutes and review the obvious. These little things that make the bigger things easier or more complete.

Here is my request for a favor today - suggestions for the obvious. What are some of those things that seem so “Duh!” that you don’t even think to mention them?

Still slapping myself in the head…

Patience and Great Marketing in the “slow” Times

First off - please note the “” around the word “slow.” This is important. When dealing with…well…anything, it is crucial to know that all viewpoints are relative. If we are comparing the current market to the last 5 years, sure, it’s “slow.” But compare it to the Depression (extreme, I know), we are still in really good shape. Don’t believe me? Check out Jay’s chart on 30 year mortgage rates - pay particular attention to the late 70’s & earlier 80’s.

However, there is no denying that homes for sale in the Richmond Hill area are numerous. Clearly we have more sellers than buyers. There are nearly 500 homes on the market in Bryan County. This is a substantial amount when coupled with some other facts

• Our population is right around 25,000
• There have been 329 single family homes sold in the last 6 months
• The average time from list to close for these homes is almost 5 months

Should sellers be concerned? Sure.  Sellers should always be concerned - as should buyers. As I have said many times before, buying and selling a home is no small thing. But, it should also be noted that real estate is also an industry. And, as all industries do, it goes through cycles. This means that professionals must adjust their thinking, planning, and marketing to adjust to these changes.

Kris Berg did a fantastic job is summing up what it takes to perform in the current “slow” market.

What does it take for an agent to successfully represent a seller today? Hard work, time (a lot), money (a boatload), and patience. 

What do this mean for you, the seller?

• Grabbing the closest agent out of the phone book may not be your best bet. Interview your prospective agents. Talk to more than one. Make an informed decision.
• Not all marketing plans are the same. Investigate different offerings. Which ones address the largest markets and offer the best chance for success? Does it seem special? Does it have strategies in place to combat high competition?
• Understand the market from the buyers perspective, but don’t give away the farm. It is true that mortgage rates are on the rise and the criteria to qualify for a home loan is getting tighter. The surplus of inventory should make for a “buyers market.” However, the current adjustments in the mortgage industry is cancelling a bit of that out. This means that an overpriced home for sale is going to remain for sale. Fairly priced homes are going to fare better.
• Realize that your neighbor’s friend’s brother who sold his property last week for a huge profit may not be the whole story. Lots of things can happen to lots of different people.  This doesn’t make it likely, and it doesn’t provide any good indicator as to whether or not it will happen to you - especially if you factor in exaggerations, misunderstandings, and special circumstances.
• If you are not comfortable with the way things are going, pick up the phone. Your agent should be eager to discuss your concerns and brainstorm ways to work them out. You are not “being a bother.” This is my job. It is my purpose in the transaction to ensure that you are taken care of - this does not include you being uncomfortable. You have entrusted me to do a job and are paying my wage - put me to work.

A skilled professional will change and adjust with the market - not bail out and run for the hills. And, since I can’t put it any better - here’s Kris again.

Stop seeing yourself as a salesperson, know your market, check your self-doubt at the door, and do what you were hired to do - Advise and represent your client and assist them in achieving the best price the market, not you, will allow.

I was invited to Talking Story with Say

And you can bet the bank I accepted!

Scouting around for new blogs (like I need any more in my reader!), I was over on Kirsten Harrell’s site peeking at her blog roll.  There’s one at the bottom (because they are in alphabetical order) called Talking Story. Now, for those of you that have read my about me page, you know that I am Hawaiian on my dad’s side. Therefore, I know that  Hawaiians do not have conversations - we talk story.  So, you know I clicked that one!

That was the best thing that happened to me that day. Rosa Say is a leadership coach in Hawaii. She has melded our Hawaiian spirit into the business world - it is a phenom idea.

Of course I added her to my reader. Then I emailed her directly. Then I waited. Opps, maybe I was too forward. I waited. “You’ve got mail.” Ok, so my computer doesn’t actually say that - but you get the point. It was Rosa! She had been on vacation.

Now, I am happy to report, we are becoming friends.  She is a wonderful encourager and someone I am glad to know.

Rosa has invited me to guest author on her blog during July while we discuss Ho’okipa (hospitality). It took me a few days to get the post out because I was a bit nervous. But, it is there now. Jump on over and check it out.

A Blogging Theory I Disagree With

My blog hasn’t been around a long time - I haven’t been around a long time. But, I think it is fairly obvious that you could get a bit of anything when you show up here.  We may be watching baby alligators in a swimming pool, talking about termite inspections, memeing anybody I can think of, or analyzing the importance of DOMs…ya just don’t ever know - heck, I don’t even know - I drink the same coffee nearly every morning, but the topics are still different.

Now, I know this breaks one of the blogging rules that says to have a primary focus (Tony, Rhonda, and Deborah aren’t the only ones who feel this way - I hear it a lot).   I tried that - don’t look at me like that, Lar!  I really did. This was a real estate blog about, well, real estate.  Specifically homes in the Richmond Hill area.  But, Richmond Hill, while an up and coming town, is still small (Chris does not get to comment on this point.)

Then, as it is customary for bloggers to do, I started reading other blogs.  There are a bunch of people out there with a lot to say. Guess what - that’s why I fit in.  Surprise, surprise - I’ve got a lot to say too and it doesn’t all have to do with real estate.

So, I made a “personal blog.”But guess what - it’s not all personal.  A lot of it is “business/life momentum” (I’ll think of a cool catch phrase later.)  I decided I am NOT starting another blog for my different thought processes…I would have eleventy billion.  Who has that kind of time?

Therefore, this blog may break this one rule, but it strictly follows two others.

• I have a goal - to invite you to get to know me and, hopefully, you’ll allow me to get to know you.
• I have a voice - and it is my own.  I am responsible about what I put out on the internet, but what is approved for posting is transparently me.

Those things are more important to me that being singularly focused.  After all, as Athol so observantly pointed out, my other blog is entitled Beautiful Chaos…there must be something about it I like.  

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