Unless you’ve been living under a rock all this while, you would have come across a TikTok trend in one form or another.
Whether it’s food, dance, beauty, comedy, or art – every week there are viral trends in every TikTok niche, and real estate is no different.
Check out my short TikTok presentation I recently did for a group of Realtors©
All the best,
Wade
2021 has not been easy for anyone. The pandemic shooed away the whole of humanity to their houses with no definite return date. While it is distressing, the pandemic for a REALTOR© can also be a “blessing” if you have been procrastinating on personal goals and new year resolutions. Setting up work goals must be a regular occurrence for you if you have been a true professional for a long time. But getting to the process to achieve them is a very tough cookie to bite. Nowadays, the circumstances have changed. Suddenly, you have a lot of time to make that dream a reality. Here’s how you can get started for the remainder of 2021 as a productivity guru.
1. Treat Yourself with Some Self Care. – One of the most important goals that you need to achieve is Self-care. It is necessary for every professional that they must take care of themselves first, both physically and psychologically. This will help make sure that they are sharp and ready to take on any and every challenge that their work-life throws at them.
2. Reconnect with Old Peers. – When you are working in a professional paradigm, you need to understand that every person that you know, or meet is a potential asset that you need to keep in your arsenal. The best asset is your old classmates and peers from your schooling days. Why? Because they are most likely a part of the professional paradigm as well, and they can help you connect with numerous potential clients, no matter what your area of expertise is. So keep those peers close as they can prove to be quite beneficial business connections for you.
3. Revisit Your Career Goals Every Year. – You must have set your career goals when you were in college, or even earlier than that. This is the normal scenario for a lot of professionals out there, but what will set you apart from all of them is when you would revisit all of the career goals every single year. Many people suggest revisiting these goals every 5 years, but what this year has taught us that you can never wait that long to make some major life changes that actively shape the way you live your work and personal life because it can all change without a moment’s notice.
4. Leverage a Task Scheduling App. – If you want to achieve your bigger work or personal goals this year, you need to start using a task scheduling app, such as nTask. A task scheduler can make your work easier in planning, organizing, reminding, executing, and reporting on the tasks set by you. nTask app is available on iOS and Android devices. It will keep you in the loop of your goals so that you won’t miss anything. The task scheduler app such as nTask will help you create tasks, set due dates, give priorities, get notifications, assign tasks to team members, manage workflows with Kanban Boards, and visualize the progress with the help of a Gantt chart.
5. Maintain a Proper Sleep Schedule. – Sleep is not just for beauty; it is the most important personal trait that you have to gain control over if you want to keep a hold on your sanity while performing so many professional tasks. Maintaining a proper sleep schedule is a prime example of a common entity among personal and professional goals. That makes it a very important work goal that you need to achieve in 2022.
6. Keep Funds Ready for Emergencies. – One of the most important things that the pandemic has shown us that no one’s job is secure. Every one of us is disposable and you can be evicted from the house you called home for so many years, in a matter of days. This is why you must set a personal and work goal to save money whenever possible. That money will help fund your personal and work life in an emergency.
7. Keep a Daily Journal. – Many of us already have this amazing habit where we document every happening, or write-up the most relevant of happenings from our day into our personal Journal or diary. This helps us keep a record of what our shortcomings and positive aspects have been over a long period and can help us to make different personal and work-life decisions in the future. The majority of experts recommend journaling for 5 minutes in the morning and at night, but most of us cannot do that even once in the day. So, if you cannot get yourself to do the daily writing, you can try doing it weekly, but the problem with that is that you cannot remember so much from your day when it has been 6 days. So we would recommend doing it daily and maintain consistency.
8. Travel More. – One thing that you MUST do is to travel. Our lives have been made quite stagnant by our work priorities, even without the help of the pandemic, and the only way to liven things up is to get out of your normal routines and travel to different locations where you are bound to learn some new things. These new things can be beneficial to both your work and personal life, in addition to throwing you into an effervescent state known as ‘Holiday High’.
9. Keep a Healthy Diet. – Since you are working from home right now and even when you go to the office after this nightmare is over, you need to make sure that you keep a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and meat if you are into it. This diet will provide you with all of the different nutrients and elements associated with physical and mental health, which will strengthen your immune system and make you more active and healthier for the personal and work challenges you face every day.
10. Keep a Gratitude Journal. – We have already talked about keeping a Journal but that was to write-up all of the different happenings in your day. This journal is establishing a more positive outlook on your life. A gratitude journal is a great way of recalling different aspects of your life so that you can have a more positive attitude while tackling the different challenges that you face in your personal and professional life.
11. Maintain a Morning Routine. – Whenever we look at the most common traits among all of the successful entrepreneurs and businessmen people around the world, the first thing that pops up is their morning routine where they wake up early and start their day way before anyone else. This is because the most productive hours in your day are when you wake up and when those hours are in the morning, you get to enjoy the peace and serenity of the morning before the hustle and bustle of the day consumes you. This is why maintaining a morning schedule is an excellent work and personal goal that you have to achieve in 2022.
12. Read More. – Reading has always been an amazing personal trait. It enhances your vocabulary and helps stuff your mind with some amazing facts about life and work, and also many other things depending on the books that you are reading. Experts suggest that you should read at least 12 books, one for each month. Some people already read more than double that, but it is a good start for people who are not habitual of even reading a single book in a whole year.
13. Arm Yourselves with More Skills. – The professional paradigm is a war. You and every single one of your peers is competing with each other, and just like in war, victory is always given to the people who have the best arsenal under their command with the mind to wield it. This is why you need to arm yourselves with more skills because, in the professional paradigm, the best weapon to be victorious is a diverse skill set.
14. Drink More Water. – The next item on the list to keep yourself hydrated. You do not need us to tell you how important water is, so we’ll skip the lecture. Just remember that keeping yourself hydrated is useful for keeping your mind and body fresh, which will help you defeat all of the challenges that your personal and professional life put in your way.
15. Workout. – Fitness is a drug that is universally accepted as the salvation for the human race – i.e. if we want to defeat the rampant obesity that is all around us. For many of us, that reality is not clear enough and they are still prone to left swipe the option to choose a healthier life for them. When this is the case, then workout might not be for them. What they can do is that they can do other activities that can keep them fit and healthy like meditation or hiking. Something to keep them moving and keeping them releasing those endorphins so that they can have a fresher and healthier personal and professional life.
16. Maintain a Clutter-Free Environment Around You. – One of the best things that you can do to keep your mind away from distractions and also keeping the environment around you pleasant, is to make sure that the everything around you in perfect symmetry, and if you’re not prone to OCD cleaning then you can just keep your surroundings clutter-free. This will keep your mind away from all of the distractions that a cluttered workspace or home can fester in your mind. Declutter your home, be happy.
17. Spend Less Time Online. – The Internet is everyone’s friend/ enemy in the 21st century. It is a complicated relationship that can only be fixed when you can control your urge to being online 24/7. You need to try at-least to distance yourself from the internet because the constant flow of information has made us all immune to all of the stuff that is happening around us in our lives. To do that, you need to spend more time outdoors camping or doing some physical activities with your friends and family that will not only keep you happy but also keep all of the people in your life happy, who have been avoided by you because you were busy on the internet.
18. Get Rid of a Toxic Habit. – The next item on the list is removing a toxic habit from your life and let’s face it, we all have something attached to is that we want to get away from. It can anything like smoking or sleeping a lot, and we understand that you have tried to get away from it but failed to do so. Just remember that life isn’t fair to anyone and you have to keep trying and trying until we get exactly what we want. Don’t give up and one day you will succeed.
19. Maintain a Monthly Budget. – If you are reading this article, then you are someone who is independent and wants to keep their boat from capsizing in the ocean of bankruptcy. To do that, you need to maintain a monthly budget and take control of every little expense in your life. This will make sure that everything you earn and spend is documented and you don’t empty your pockets while spending money on unnecessary things that provide no benefit to your personal and professional life.
20. Join a Club. – You need to make a list of all of the different interests and hobbies that you have and find out which of them is your favorite. When you have done that, find a club whose workings match your hobby and join it. Joining a club is a great way to meet people who have the same interests as you, which can help you grow meaningful connections and make sure that you have a safe space to talk about your thoughts and hobbies. It also helps you make some amazing new friends with whom you can do a lot of fun activities in your free time.
21. Create a Work-Life Balance. – Last but not the least, you need to make sure that both aspects of your life, work, and personal life, are balanced out and either one of them doesn’t smother the other one. Doing so will assist in removing all the burdens that you are currently carrying in your work life or your personal life, and ensure that you are of the sound of mind to tackle any challenges that your life throws at you.
22. Improve your time management skills. – Time is everything — you have to live and die by it. There are a lot of different people in the industry who will fill you in on different solutions to all of your problems. Especially if those problems are related to deadlines, completing milestones, and such other things. If you don’t have the skill of time management in the bag, you really can’t save yourself from the fast-moving storm that is going to swallow you whole. Make everything count. Do a retrospective of yourself and see where it leads.
23. Improve your emotional intelligence. – If you want to approach anyone, whether it is a potential partner in life or a potential client, you need to up your EQ game. EQ is emotional intelligence. What it does is that it makes you a little more responsive and accommodating about your emotions and the emotions of the people around you. The next time you want to sign a client or invite someone to coffee, make sure that you understand their emotions and answer them with the same depth and gusto as they do unto you.
24. Always find new challenges to complete. – Finding new challenges is a great way to make any job role exciting and fulfilling. It is a great way to make sure thatyou don’t have a boring day at the office. Ever. The problem is that finding new challenges and facing them head-on is not possible for all of us. Many of us have problems interacting with the challenges that are already in our lives. We understand that. That’s why we recommend that you take things slow and find out what your strengths are. Once you’re done with that, you will be aware of the things that you can do and what challenges you can take on. This will help you and your organization to flourish beyond belief, whenever there is a change in the wind. Finish 2021 strong and start 2022 new and alive!
Strength and courage,
Wade
All over North America the demand for properties is a little crazy right now. Pocket listings, multiple offers, bidding wars in so many market areas. So even when you find that “dream house” for a buyer, there’s no guarantee they’ll get it. And losing out is painful – for everyone involved. That’s why I want to help make it more likely that you and your buyers emerge victorious and get your offers accepted. Because here’s the thing: When you master this, everything gets better… More money in your pocket. More time to work with other people. Better perception in the eye of your clients who you helped find and secure their dream house. More referrals. Let’s jump right in…
Tip No. 1: What makes a good Negotiator? They avoid over confidence; they understand, they don’t “know it all.” They are quick to identify and understand the concerns and position of others. They know that all negotiating parties have a strong desire to complete a negotiation and say, “I got a good deal!” They are constantly improving their skills and are very CREATIVE.
Tip No. 2: Make It Personal. Anything you can do to humanize or differentiate your offer from others is a step in the right direction. With that in mind, one of the first things you should do is reach out to the listing agent to try and find out if there’s anything special the seller is looking for or will respond to. Ask the question “What’s important to them?” Now, not every listing agent will respond, but some will, and at least you made that effort. You may also consider including a letter and/or photo providing some insight about your prospective buyers. All things being equal, sellers might be swayed by an emotional story or choosing someone who was at a similar stage in their lives to inhabit their cherished home. Tugging at the sellers’ heartstrings might just do the trick to get your buyers stand out.
Tip No. 3: Offer Unique Benefits. Sometimes it takes some outside-the-box thinking to get two sides to agree on a negotiation. Make sure you’re exploring all your options and including any unique benefits your buyers can offer. (Within all laws and local regulations, of course.) Such as: Paying the seller’s taxes, Free “rent back” to give the sellers time to move on, Cover the seller’s moving costs, Pay the title fees
With a little brainstorming, I’m sure you can come up with additional benefits that won’t increase your buyer’s monthly payment and will give them the advantage.
Tip No. 4: Maximize Your Buyer’s Price Ceiling. Getting offers accepted in today’s uber-competitive marketplace sometimes boils down to getting your buyers to increase their price more than they initially expected. I like the “ladder up” approach to see where the actual breaking point is, and that’s a discussion you need to have. Repeatedly ask this question to make that conversation easier: “Are you willing to lose this house at $XXX,XXX?” When they say no, ramp it up a little bit and ask it again. Taking those “baby steps” can get your buyers to stretch a little further than they might have originally indicated to you, and ultimately, will give you more leverage to make a compelling offer.
Tip No. 5: Back up Offer (When Possible). Confirm the collapse date of the first accepted offer prior to writing your back up offer. Make sure you put “Subject to the seller not being obligated to the previously accepted offer on or before (Date). For the sole benefit of the seller. Add the term “Seller and sellers agent agree not to grant any extensions to the first accepted offer.” Add the term “Seller and sellers agent agree not to notify the first party of the existence of the back-up offer.” Add the term “Seller and sellers agent agree not to disclose any details including price, terms and time of the back-up offer to the first party.” Add the term “If buyer finds another suitable property they will give written notice to seller and the back-up agreement will be null and void.”
There you have a couple of higher level multiple and back up strategies to help you compete at a higher level. I have also attached an Multiple Offers Strategies Visual Tool for you to download and use as a great visual when advising with your buyers and educate them to really help you both in understanding what it takes to get a in demand property in a crazy market time. I trust this will be a helpful tool for you and your business today!
Strength and courage,
Wade
This week we have one specific objective in mind: Overcoming THIS objection: “If it’s such a seller’s market and there is no inventory, where would we go?” You know you can help people find the perfect home for them, but there are a lot of homeowners who fear if they sell their home, they’ll have nowhere to turn to. So let’s overcome their fears and get them “un-frozen” to generate more listings!
Here are Four Ways to Overcome the No. 1 Listing Objection. The biggest idea you want to convey to a homeowner is that ultimately, they are in control.
No. 1: Tell them they can extend the closing to meet their needs. Lots of people don’t realize they don’t have to stick to a “one size fits all” contract. They can put whatever terms in it they choose.
Make sure homeowners are aware they can stipulate the closing doesn’t happen until a date that’s suitable for them.
No. 2: Sell now, rent back. Many buyers are happy to get any offer accepted right now, so they’re making concessions on their move-in date. We’ve talked to lots of agents who say it’s not uncommon to include a 45-day “rent back” clause into a sales contract to ensure the homeowner has plenty of time to find and close on their new property.
No. 3: Make the sale contingent on finding a new home. If homeowners are still uneasy, take it a step further and make the sale contingent upon them finding their new home. Keep reiterating they are in charge here!
No. 4: The ultimate control: Saying ‘no’ is always an option. Remind the homeowner if things don’t work out to their satisfaction, they can always turn down any offers they get. Meanwhile, you’ll be doing your work to find them the perfect new home to ensure they won’t need to take that step.
Try these scripts and dialogs on for size with your sellers…… “It’s a valid concern. A lot of past clients have felt the same way. This question demonstrates the importance of us getting together, so I can show you how our team wins bidding wars, identifies off-market properties and make sure we look at options for you. That’s what you want, right?” When you get together, be sure to show them what you do to help them find the perfect next home while working on the sale.
“That’s exactly why buyers hire me to find them a home. You see, our team doesn’t just wait for a home to show up on the MLS. We proactively call. We mail letters and we make targeted social media posts to homeowners letting them know we have a buyer that might be interested in their home. And if we were to find you the perfect home, instead of waiting for the perfect home, would that work for you?” Bottom line: Let these homeowners know they have options, make them feel comfortable, and get them off the fence!
I have included a visual tool that always seems to help in this very situation. The power in a visual tool versus just saying things to a seller is game changer, I call it the “Home Seller Protection Plan”. The idea is that you the agent sign this form and date it yourself and then hand this to the seller putting your promise in writing to protect them from being homeless and making sure they don’t have the problem of “no-where to go”! What’s your next move? Win the low inventory seller objection game and keep the listings and business moving in this resourceful thinking outside the box time. Let me know how you plan to implement these approaches in the comments below!
Strength and courage,
Wade
We make decisions all day, every day, on things like what to wear and where to go to lunch. Which sound simple enough, right? Except those small decisions can start to pile up and too many can stress us out—and then we can’t make the decisions that actually matter. So we either put it off, or we do it, distracted, and regret it later. Neither is ideal. So how can you get rid of the mind clutter and the anxiety to make better decisions faster? Are you the type of real estate agent that makes decisions too quickly and end up getting in trouble by moving a bit too fast? Or are you the type of agent that suffers with paralysis by analysis and in a constant state or “ready, set….ready set…?” This week we share these little hacks to start making wise (and quick!) decisions in your personal and professional life.
1. Stick to your mission. In business and life, it is vital every big decision you make is within the scope of your mission. You don’t have the mental or physical resources to spread your net too wide and still succeed. So always ask yourself which option best moves you toward your mission’s goal, and then the choice should be simple. What are your core values and mission statement and use them as a rudder to navigate your decision making process.
2. Set a time limit. Give yourself a timer that helps you focus on the decision rather than having your mind wander and get distracted. With the pressure of a time limit, you’ll need to get to the heart of the matter faster and collect the pros and cons quickly, which you might not otherwise do.
3. Avoid decision fatigue. Decision fatigue saps focus and reduces mental energy. Hundreds of trivial daily decisions degrade our ability to focus. I try to systematize small decisions so I don’t have to sweat the small stuff—task lists and mindful habit cultivation are key. When an important decision needs making, I’m ready to give my full attention.
4. Control what you can control. At some point, a leader has to wear multiple hats until they have a team to offload responsibility. It’s important to focus on what is in your direct control. Worrying about things outside of your control will result in delaying projects. The more you focus on what you can control, the quicker you will be at making big decisions.
5. Understand pattern recognition. Most of what we face each day is similar to other scenarios we have already experienced. By understanding this, it’s possible to quickly map a range of previous experiences and their outcomes. Leverage those to arrive at the most viable decision for this case. Over time, as you continue making decisions, their speed and quality will improve.
6. Decide whether the decision can be reversed. Jeff Bezos said it best when he pointed out there are two types of decisions: decisions you can take back and decisions you can’t. Keep this in mind while making decisions in order to move faster as an organization. If a decision can be taken back after it has been implemented, don’t waste time being indecisive. Decide, implement, evaluate and reiterate if necessary.
7. Make a daily decision quota. Commit to making a certain number of decisions per day. They can be small (Should I get coffee?) or big (Should I buy this company?), but the process is the same. If you keep track of how many decisions you make, you’ll start to make them faster and more often.
8. Use the common-sense stress test. After running through a basic cost-benefit analysis, I call one—not five—of my smart friends in a different field who can zoom out and trim the fat off that analysis. As a company with academic roots, some of our team early on had been prone to consulting every conceivable “expert” for weeks or months without action.
9. Embrace uncertainty. Action, not clairvoyance. When you’re trying to do something new, you won’t have 100 percent of the information you think you need; there aren’t always industry reports or best practices to adhere to, so accept you will be wrong 25 percent of the time and try to make as many decisions as possible, followed by execution.
So there you have it, some simple, yet powerful hacks to help us all with wiser and faster decisions in our business and personal life. Feel free to comment below with your decision making challenges or solutions, it would be great to hear from you all.
Strength and courage,
Wade
Remember Remy? The little rat turned gourmet cook from the movie Ratatouille? Despite his circumstances, Remy didn’t let anything stop him from following his seemingly impossible dream of becoming a great chef. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have the kind of self-confidence embodied in that little character? The good news is self-confidence can be developed over time. But to build it you have to practice it. Once you understand how to foster it, you can boost your real estate career and other aspects of your life. To truly construct a foundation of self-confidence, it takes a lot more than just “dressing for success” or “faking it til you make it.” You need to dig deeper and take positive, deliberate steps. By investing in these five strategies, you’ll be able to not only build unshakable self-confidence but also sustain it over time.
1. Conquer your inner critic:
You know that little voice in your head saying things like,” I’m not qualified for that job, what’s the point of interviewing for it,” or “I keep getting passed over for a promotion, there must be something wrong with me.” Those nagging thoughts telling you you’re not good enough come from your inner critic (or critical inner voice). Dr. Lisa Firestone, Ph.D., author of Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, suggests following this 4-step process to conquer your inner critic: Try to identify what your critical inner voice is telling you. Acknowledge this thought process is separate from your real point of view.
Write these thoughts down in the second person (as “you” statements). For example, a thought like “I can’t get anything right. I’ll never be successful” should be written as “You can’t get anything right. You’ll never be successful.” This will help you see these ideas as an outside point of view and not as true statements. Respond to your inner critic by writing down a more realistic and compassionate evaluation of yourself. Write these responses in the first person (as “I” statements). In response to a thought like, “You’re such an idiot,” you could write, “I may struggle at times, but I am smart and competent in many ways.” Remember not to act on the directives of your inner critic. Take actions that represent your own point of view, whom you want to be, and what you aim to achieve.
2. Reflect on accomplishments:
Remembering events in which you felt proud or recognized can help strengthen self-confidence. These types of thoughts can also act as natural counters to the inner critic. Think about your life and list the ten best things you’ve achieved. Maybe you speak five languages, graduated first in your high school class, or climbed The Nose route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in record time. They don’t necessarily need to be major events—perhaps a time you were acknowledged for helping a friend or overcoming a fear. Put this list somewhere where you can see it often. Then spend a few minutes daily reflecting on the success you’ve already had. Allow these memories to make you feel good and remind you who you really are. As the best-selling author and motivational speaker Denis Waitley asserts, “To establish true self-confidence, we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.”
3. Maintain good posture:
According to research conducted at Ohio State University, sitting up straight isn’t just good for your posture. It also gives you more confidence in your thoughts. Researchers found that people who sat up straight were more likely to believe ideas they wrote down concerning whether they were qualified for a job. In contrast, those who were slumped over their desks were less likely to accept these feelings about their own qualifications. Another more recent study looked at how posture influenced students’ feelings about their performance. The study tested the effects of students’ posture during simple math exercises. Students who were anxious about math maintained that slouching made them feel less capable of calculation. Hunching down inhibited their thinking while sitting up straight gave them more confidence. So, by maintaining good posture, you not only appear more confident, you are more confident.
4. Develop an equality mentality:
People with low self-confidence tend to view others as better or more deserving than themselves. Instead of carrying this perception, view yourself as being equal to everyone. While it can be challenging to feel equal when we’re constantly comparing ourselves to the latest influencer on Instagram, it can be done. Recognize that those Instagram photos aren’t based in reality. They are a perfectly curated, over-filtered version of someone’s life. Make a mental shift to an equality mentality, and you will quickly see an improvement in your self-confidence. After all, as Marilyn Monroe pointed out, “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”
5. Try things that make you uncomfortable:
Stepping outside your comfort zone is a great way to build self-confidence. According to Charlie Houpert, the author of Charisma on Command, “Confidence is ultimately about being comfortable in a wide variety of situations that would make most people feel uncomfortable. So, if you stretch your comfort zone every day, very quickly, you’ll have a large comfort zone and be able to feel more comfortable even when outside of it.” This can involve subtle changes like striking up a conversation with someone at a cocktail party or trying a new sport. The most important thing is to take small, daily steps. Becoming more self-confident is readily achievable if you have focus and determination. As author Barrie Davenport, author of Confidence Hacks, says, “Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered—just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.”
Strength and courage,
Wade
Yes, those tasks that ate up your day were all things that needed to be done. But just being blunt… the way you prioritized them is detrimental to your business, long-term. The key to success is identifying and prioritizing the 4-7 daily disciplines that truly move the needle for your business. And then making those your priority every day! If you’re letting the “urgent” tasks override the “important” tasks in your business, you’re never going to get ahead. Tell me if this sounds familiar: You’re so-called “busy” all day… Replying to emails. Returning calls. Playing phone tag with an appraiser. And suddenly, it’s early evening and you say to yourself: “I didn’t get any of the things I needed to do done today.” So what’s the difference? Important tasks are those big-picture activities that create growth in your business. Urgent tasks are those that move a particular transaction forward. The solution? Prioritizing and time blocking.
The specifics of identifying what moves the needle may vary for every person reading this, but from a big picture perspective, I think it breaks down into four categories:
1. Marketing & appointment setting – Without this, there’s no business coming your way
2. Nurturing & follow up – It’s the biggest complaint about real estate professionals… “I never heard back from them.” You need to make nurturing a daily discipline to move people from prospects to clients.
3. Going on appointments & converting – How many appointments would I see in your calendar over the next two weeks?
4. Servicing & closing transactions – You’ve got to do the work and keep people moving through the process.
Create a daily action checklist of the 4-7 most important actions for the day that will keep your business moving forward. Here’s some examples:
Then time block and calendar these actions into your daily scheduler in order of importance with the most important action scheduled first in your day timer. Lists can be useful, but they can also pose a trap. Many people create a big list of “things to do” and then tend to choose to tackle the easiest tasks on the list. Just one problem: Those easy things aren’t what moves the needle. Then those tasks that WILL move the needle end up getting ignored because you keep adding easy tasks to the list. Am I talking to you? Here’s another common list-making mistake: You combine your business, personal and family tasks all into one list. Don’t do this! It jumbles up your priorities and only causes confusion. That’s why I love the Daily Action Checklist for your business. The only things on it are things that you know move the needle in your business. And by making those tasks a daily discipline, you create certainty in your business both now and for the long run.
Strength and courage,
Wade
We have all heard the unwritten rule in real estate “List to Last.” N.A.R. reports state it takes four times the effort servicing a buyer than servicing a seller. Everyone wants to know the secret to working smarter and not working harder and in our business it’s Listings! Here are the top ways agents are getting listings and setting themselves up for a fantastic Q3 in real estate.
1. Your Database – you always start with the people you already know, like and trust. Small talk with them first and check in to see how they are doing, don’t jump right into business please. Just before you hang up almost like an after-thought. Ask them this question….“Of all the people you know, who would be moving next?” and watch what happens for you.
2. If we don’t ask then we don’t get. Ask your database by Emails, Post Cards, Texts, Video emails or Social Media Posts “Wade Is Now Taking New Listings” inventory levels and competition for selling is low and now it the time to List! Thinking of selling Call Now!
3. Take the time to prepare unsolicited CMA packages for your database, which include a snapshot of comparables to give them an idea what their home is worth, but don’t put the range or estimated sale price in your package. Then hand deliver or mail them to all your past clients. Call them 3 days later and ask them. “Did they get it? Any questions? Any other properties I can evaluate? Reason for the CMA was to ensure your insurance coverage was high enough, tax purposes and retirement planning. Any other people you know I could provide this valuable service for?
4. Geographic Farming – find a building or neighborhood that has more than a 6% annual turn-over rate. Then you find all the mailing addresses of the residents so you can direct mail ( not unaddressed mail ) each resident 3 times a year. Create a branded newsletter for the farm area that contains every important statistic for the residents like sales, listings, days on market, absorption rate, cost per square foot, etc. Personally mail them the newsletter. Create a landing page website that matches your newsletter to reinforce your perception of being the expert.
5. Expired Listings – If your marketplace allows you to do expireds. Check with your broker first. They already own a home, want to sell, want to work with an agent and pay our fees. Does it get any better than this?! Everyone is mailing and calling. I am a huge believer and say go knock on their door and go see them! They need to see me to decide whether they like or trust me first!
6. Door knock – Using a bona fide buyer or a just sold and have buyers still looking in your area. Both of these methods work because they trigger some sense of urgency with people when they know we have a buyer for their home or someone just sold for a significant amount of money and you may have another buyer for their home.
7. Open house – Another great way to connect with people who want to buy but they have something else to sell before they can buy. I love the face to face activity because it is where we all are at our best.
8. Direct mail – Using a bona fide buyer or a just sold but have buyers still looking. Just like the door knock approach this is the most effective way to get listing appointments. The direct mail and then follow up door knock is a fantastic one two punch for generating listing appointments!
9. FSBO – They already own a home, they want to sell. They don’t want to pay the fees but if they can’t sell they tend to list with an agent after 10 weeks of trying themselves.
10. B2B – Creating value and interacting with other business owners and other service providers in our community is such an untapped area for most agents. Do a business video shout out with the owners and encourage to buy local. Run a gift card giveaway with a small business owner to your people and that businesses people. So many agents don’t go after the B2B and focus only on the P2P.
11. Online Ads – What’s my home worth? Or curious of how much equity you have in your home?? (FB, Google PPC) running ad campaigns targeting consumers with click ads to get their value of their home has been something we have used the last number of years now. Hire a VA on www.fiverr.com create FB, Instagram ads for you. Have the ad click to go to a landing page from www.carrd.co then the form send their contact info to your email.
So there you have what I think are the best of the best for agents to ramp up their listing inventory. Please comment below any other powerful listing generating activities you might use with us below!
Strength and courage,
Wade
This week I am going to get really personal and vulnerable and share with you all that for a few years now our family has experienced first-hand the affects of mental health. It is still today something that is not spoken about and just finding its voice in the world but the struggle is real. A handful of studies have shown a negative correlation between social media use and conditions like anxiety and depression. These studies are still in the nascent stages, meaning we don’t fully understand the impact social media has on our mental health quite yet. Despite the imminent warnings, most people still have active social media accounts. If you’re still on social media, you might as well get an emotional boost from the content you follow. These five Instagram accounts can all provide a healthy perspective when it comes to mental health:
@SelfCareIsForEveryone
As its name implies, this account is all about the importance of prioritizing self-care, especially for those who struggle with anxiety and depression. They also sell super-cute tees and hoodies with some of their graphics printed on them.
@SunnyBloomInspiration
If you need a boost of positivity each day, Sunny Bloom Inspiration is for you. This Instagram account aggregates the best of the best when it comes to inspirational, motivational content on the ’gram.
@LisaOliveraTherapy
Therapist and author Lisa Olivera shares insightful quotes related to therapy and mental health on calm, pastel-colored backgrounds. Some are short and sweet, like “let the small things count,” while others are more in-depth.
@DLCAnxietySupport
Catering specifically to those with anxiety, DLC Anxiety Support offers tangible tips for going through life as an anxious person. From how to survive a panic attack to stopping overthinking in its tracks, this page is ideal for those who need actionable advice.
@LizAndMollie
With calming blue backgrounds in nearly every image, these funny and insightful comics will make you feel more at ease about any situation you’re facing, whether it’s catastrophizing your thoughts or speaking up at work. You’re guaranteed to smile and think, I’ve been there, every time a Liz and Mollie drawing pops up on your feed.
There you have it five social media tools that would be helpful versus a hindrance to your mental health. I trust they make a difference for you or someone else you know in need.
Strength and courage,
Wade
The last 3 months in my real estate business I have not had to leave the comfort of my home to coach, speak or train business professionals and my family has not seen so much of me and I am not sure how we are all feeling about this right now to be perfectly honest.
Not being on the road comes with many challenges, including the need for boundaries—space between us to work, relax or simply be alone. When you’re together nearly every minute of every day, those lines must be sacred to keep both your job and your sanity. COVID-19 has brought some of the unique challenges of our lifestyle to our doorstep. With many couples and families confined to work, eat and play wholly at home, boundaries are essential both to create the space you need to remain productive but also for the space you need to recharge. In the small apartments many people rent from city to city, space isn’t something we have a lot of, which means we’re forced to get creative with our solutions for “me time.” Here are some of my best.
1. Communicate with your roommates. This is a natural starting point for anyone working from home with a roommate, spouse, child or needy cat. If you’ve ever had a half-dressed spouse walk in on a video meeting with a client, then you’ll understand why this tip is at the top of the list. Those you share a space with aren’t mind readers, and you can’t expect them to just know what’s going on in your day-to-day work life. Sure, a room with a closed door helps, but that’s not feasible for everyone. No matter the size of your home or the number of your roommates, communication is always beneficial. For me, I send a quick text in the morning with a list of meetings for that day. Then, usually over breakfast, I’ll share what sorts of tasks I’m working on and whether they require absolute focus (don’t bother me) or they’re more mundane (fine, bother me, but make it quick). Figure out a communication strategy that works for you and be consistent.
2. Designate an office space, but be flexible with how you define it. When we first started, we worked from the couch, our bed, the dining room table, the kitchen counter while eating leftover pizza—nowhere was off-limits for you and your greasy MacBook. Your apartment, house became your office, which was made obvious by the breadcrumb trail of pens, sticky notes and coffee cups on any visible horizontal surface. When everywhere said “work,” nowhere said “rest.” Reclaim the sacred space of home by designating an official workspace. No, this doesn’t mean you need to drop several hundred dollars on a desk and ergonomic chair; a work space can be as simple as a bean bag chair in the corner. Of course, if you decide to work outside for a few hours, that’s fine. But by designating an official working area, you allow the rest of your home to be a place of rest and recharging, which is crucial to avoiding overwork and burnout. Bonus: It also helps you avoid explaining away 10 orphaned coffee cups in the span of a morning.
3. Learn and capitalize on your best working hours. It takes time to find a schedule that works for you. At first, you worked from the time you woke up until your eyes hurt from staring at the screen—around 5 to 6 p.m. You equated working more with working better. It wasn’t sustainable and it certainly wasn’t enjoyable. You aren’t a good partner or friend during that time because work got the best of you, and there wasn’t much left at the end of the day. It took me a few years, but I have a working schedule that totals between four and six hours spread throughout the day. But what works for me doesn’t work for someone else. I’m a morning person currently living with two night owls. Between the hours of 6 to 9 a.m., I have the quiet space to do my best and most challenging work while my brain is fresh. Figure out what works for you, communicate that with those you share space with, and see how your productivity changes.
4. Schedule down time and protect it. I need alone time. I don’t often realize until I go days without it, which results in inexplicable irritability and short-temperedness. My solution: Schedule your most precious personal time as you would an important deadline or meeting. I block out an hour of time every day that is just for me to do whatever I want. Most of the time I read in a hammock or take a walk, but this small chunk of private time works wonders for how I feel and interact with others for the rest of the day. For those with children, getting away for an hour can feel impossible. Start small. Ask your spouse to take over for 15 uninterrupted minutes every day. If you can, make it the same time so it becomes habitual. After a week, reflect on your mood, your level of stress and even your physical state. It’s been a game-changer for me.
5. Reclaim your space. Understand that sharing the same space with someone (or multiple someone’s) doesn’t mean you give up your right to be alone. I’m talking about the time outside of sleeping hours, working hours and that special “me time” you have on the calendar. Being together all the time doesn’t mean you have to be together all the time. If you want to watch TV by yourself, speak up. If you want to play some music, have a glass of wine and work on an impossible-to-solve puzzle without making any real progress, say so. These are activities I might normally do with my partner, but that doesn’t mean I forgo the right to do them alone. This sounds simple in concept but harder in practice because it works in reverse, too. Be ready for your partner to explain that although you normally make popcorn and watch apocalypse movies on Thursday night, they would prefer to do that solo this week. Navigating shared spaces is never easy, but when multiple parties work from home, those issues can become magnified. Find resolution by communicating your needs and understanding your limits. It’s a work in progress, and it’s often best solved when working it out together.
6. Change it up. I have realized my work needs to be at my office and my home needs to be just my home. I know my best work is done at my office and I really can’t mix home and office and need to separate the two. For some of us we are able to juggle both and for other’s like myself, I needed to get back to the place where I am at my best. I am so happy separating the two and being at the office has reignited the fire and made coming home something I enjoy again. Going back on the road will return again in the future but in the meantime I will enjoy my home and keep my work at the office and reset myself for success with my work and my family.
Strength and courage,
Wade
