I love to laugh. That deep gutt splitting, resonating laugh that makes other people giggle and they don’t even know why. There is an agent in our office who’s laughter is infectious and I am so grateful that she uses it often.

Make this week about laughter. Doing it, provoking it, listening for it and sharing it. Listen closely to your surroundings for people who are laughing. You would be surprised how much laughter there is around us that we seem to filter out due to our own state of mind. Absorb the laughter and share a smile.

Can you remember the last time you started laughing and you just couldn’t stop? I did this morning when I watched the attached video. I hope it makes you LOL. It certainly made me LMAO.

If you can’t find anything to laugh about, then just stand there with a silly grin on your face until you feel the smile move to your heart or go to www.cleanjoke.com and read some fun jokes then share them with others. Hope you have a fabulous, laughter-filled week!

Every Year I post this information and will continue to do so as long as these programs are viable benefit programs for Veterans and their spouses.  There are two, little known, Veteran benefits available that; when combined, will pay up to 3/4 of a qualified Veterans and/or spouse of a Veteran’s assisted living. I know this personally because my ex father in law was in assisted living paying just $600 a month for a one bedroom apartment while the VA sends him a check DIRECTLY for the balance of the $2,200/mo rent. The applicant can have up to $80,000 in the bank, own a home and car and these programs DO NOT effect any other income or benefits you already have!! I share this because, in this economy, it can be very challenging to care for our family members and there are so many Veterans living in back bedrooms isolated from others because they can’t afford an alternative. Here is the information. I hope it helps at least one person live a better quality life while reaping the benefits they so deserve for their service to our country!!!!

Yes, VA Pays for Assisted Living!  This might sound like an advertisement or business promotion but it isn’t.  This is a true story that may save someone a great deal of pain, frustration and money. I know, I lived it. I make no money on this and just hope that it can help others as much as it has helped me and my family. You are welcome to call or email me regarding this program.  It literally saved my Father in law’s life and gave him the independence he needed at a very minimal cost without losing all his benefits. Financial Assistance For Elderly Veterans And/or Their Spouses Is A Well Kept Secret. Did you know the VA will pay for a qualified Veteran’s and Spouse’s Assisted and Home Health Care? I cared for my father-in-law, a Veteran of WWII, for years in our home until I could no longer manage his care safely. Like a lot of people, he had no long-term care insurance or budget for an assisted living facility.  We were considering state assistance but then he would lose his social security and have to liquidate the few assets he had.  One day, after my father-in-law had a serious hospital stay, I decided to look into care facilities to see what his options were. I walked into one of the premier care facilities in Tucson and was pleasantly surprised to see a brochure on the front desk describing the VA Assisted Living Pension program outlined below.  Since that fateful day, my father-in-law has been living in a beautiful care facility with his own apartment and round the clock assistance and meals and the VA has paid him directly for ¾ of his monthly fees.  His apartment and meals total $2,100/mo. He is paying just $600 a month and the VA is paying him the difference.  It took 4 months for approval but once it was done, the VA sent him a retroactive check covering the 4 months he was living in the facility.   That was a beautiful day for all of us!!!!!  If you or your spouse is a veteran, the first thing to do is apply for general VA eligibility.  

No matter what your circumstances are now, you never know what you or your spouse might need in the years ahead. My father-in-law didn’t apply for eligibility until he was 76 years old.    Big mistake and cost him dearly in expenses for medical and prescriptions.

This is where my father in law ended up living until his recent death and he was very happy. www.cascadestucson.com Here are the details.  Do not try to do this on your own!!    At the end of this is contact information for very good consultants who know this program inside and out.  Do not rely on the assisted living social workers or the VA. Very, very few people know how to get this done properly.

Here Are the Details:  Ask an elderly Veteran if they are aware they may be eligible for a pension from the Veteran’s Administration and they will tell you ” I’m not eligible because I was not injured in the War.”  This is a common misconception, which keeps many Veterans from tapping into a benefit they well earned by serving our country. The fact is elderly, disabled Veterans and their widows may very well qualify for large sums of money, but they have to apply for the funds.  There are several Veteran pensions, but the pension designed to help elderly Veterans and widows pay for costly home health care or Assisted Living Facility care is called Pension with Aid and Attendance. It is actually two pensions in one.  The two pensions combined can pay a veteran up to $1,674 per month and a widow can receive up to $960 per month. (these numbers may be higher now. These were from 2005) The amount one receives depends upon whether or not they are married, how much their medical expenses may be and their current financial and medical status.  The pension is paid by check directly to the Veteran or widow every month as long as they meet the criteria. 

The Aid and Attendance Pension is the government’s best-kept secret. I cannot tell you how many seniors have told me that they called the Veterans’ Administration and were actually told that this pension does not exist or that they do not qualify – they really do exist and your clients, family and friends may qualify.  To get the maximum pension amount, a veteran must qualify medically and financially and must have served their country for at least one day during “War Time”.   Also the Veteran must have been honorably discharged.  Every case is considered individually.  If a Veteran or Veteran Widow feels they may qualify, they can apply for the pension.  The pension can take many months to actually be approved.  The average waiting period is three to eight months. The first check will be retroactive to the date the application arrived at the Veterans’ Administration, therefore the first check may be for thousands of dollars.  Subsequent checks will arrive monthly for the approved amount.  This pension money can mean the difference between affording adequate care for an aging Veteran/ Widow(er) or having no care at all. As with any governmental program, success is all in the paperwork. The pension application is seven pages long and some of it is in essay form.  It is the exact wording used in the essay areas that mean the difference between approval or denial. Also, the Veteran’s Administration does not tell Veterans about all the supporting documents that they would like to see.  The better the medical and financial records, the better the chances of approval. Including the right medical forms signed by a doctor is very important for approval.  Also typical of governmental red tape is the frustrating lack of communication.  Once the application is filed and in the process of being reviewed, it is nearly impossible to get an update or check on the status of the application. In a perfect world, financial assistance for those who qualify should be easily accessible and easy to get.  But the reality is that government agencies are inherently complicated and their application processes are never self-explanatory or simple. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse and no one will tell you the rules. The rules are written somewhere, but the Veterans Administration is not allowed to give them to you.Seasoned Eldercare professionals can often navigate these processes for you.  They may charge for their services, but to attempt to do it yourself and have your application denied, will cost much more money.  The Veterans’ Administration supposedly employs staff to help Veterans and their Widows apply for these pensions for free, but it is these very people who have told so many seniors that they do not qualify, when in fact, they could qualify if they made one small change.  Perhaps the Veteran’s Administration is afraid that if they made it easy for every Veteran to apply, the pension fund would go broke.  Given that War Time includes the Gulf War Era, which began in 1990 and has not ended yet, it is anticipated the pension fund will one day be either broke or impossible to get. For now, the money is very much available and attainable. Here are the Aid and Attendance eligibility criteria for the year 2005. 1) Veteran served in the Military for at least one day during War Time or had a spouse who served at that time. Spouses are people whom you never divorced. 2) Honorably Discharged from the Military. 3) Currently has medical or psychological condition which make the Veteran or Veteran spouse dependent on the aid or assistance of a non- family member in order to meet their daily care needs or they reside in an Assisted Living Facility (not a nursing home).  This claim must be supported by physician signed forms and medical records. 4) Financial: Have assets in their own name below $80,000 (if married) or below $50,000 (if single). The car and house does not count as an asset.  Annual income below $16,955 (if single) or $ 20,099 (if married) after all medical expenses such as Assisted Living fees, paid caregiver salary, medications, medical transportation/ supplies, certain housing expenses, etc. In many cases, if a person has a paid care giver, such as a nurse’s aide, or they pay an Assisted Living Facility, those expenses impact so greatly on a person’s net income, that they will meet the criteria for the income level. If a Veteran or Veteran Widow has cash assets above the limit, they are allowed to place those assets into certain investments in order to have them “sheltered”.This sheltering does not have a penalty or “look back period” associated with it. Proper asset sheltering for Aid and Attendance should be done under the supervision of an Eldercare professional or Attorney well versed in Medicaid planning because one could easily ruin the chances of ever getting Medicaid if the VA pension planning was done incorrectly. With a little professional planning, many Veterans and Veteran Widows can receive pensions that make a significant difference in the amount of care they receive. After all, the reason for this particular pension is to assure that a Veteran or Veteran Widow does not live in a substandard environment in their old age. It takes a little work to apply for this pension, but anything worth having usually does. And believe me…it is very worth it. These people know how to get this done. I have personally met them and I am impressed with their dedication to helping Veterans.

They can even help you liquidate Real Estate assets and minimize capital gains taxation by rolling your equity into an annuity which will pay out for the rest of your life.  

Andy Smith Smith & Cox, LLC
1846 E. Innovation Park Dr. Oro Valley, Az. 85755
Office (520)318-5505        Cell(520)269-3883          Fax (520)318-5508 
www.smithandcoxllc.com
“Retirement Planners for Southern Arizona’s Midwestern Retirees”
Smith & Cox, LLC is an Independent Investment Advisory Firm

Best Wishes. Please pass this information on to anyone you think it may help.

I’ve had many questions asked recently regarding teams and their dynamics.  I hope this article will help clear things up.  Below are the general attributes of Hunters and Skinners.  What are you?

Focus on team recruiting efforts and maximize team performance by identifying and balancing skill sets.
An unusual number of teams evolved in the years prior to this correcting market.  Supporting teams is very different than supporting individual agents.  Most agents who brought on team members did so out of necessity not because they wanted to. They may not even posses the skill-set nor desire to manage other agents or staff. 

There were several teams in our brokerage and we coached them on how to balance their teams for maximum performance, peace and harmony. We even recruited for them.  It takes both Hunters and Skinners to make the tribe successful.  Too many hunters and the business will be chaotic and becomes an E&O nightmare.  Too many skinners and there is no business to worry about.

Each and every one of us is either a hunter or a skinner.  We may be able to do both but there is one profile that dominates.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking one is better, stronger or more successful than the other.  I am a hunter.  Anyone who knows me will attest.  I can skin but I am not very good at it.  I would ruin the catch for the tribe if you kept me in that position for very long.  It stifles me.  I am not detail oriented so I will fail you and myself which only diminishes my self esteem and perpetuates more failure.

My dad is an amazing skinner!!!  Juggled and balanced the business of one of the strongest teams in Arizona “Team Lightning.”  If you send him out to hunt he just may sit there and aim..and..aim and aim until his catch either catches on and runs away or walks up to him and says “Take Me, I’m Yours.” Will he shoot something if he as to…of course, but he will not be good at feeding the entire tribe for long periods of time. This responsibility will bring on stress making for many sleepless nights and diminishing confidence. No one needs that.

Team Lightning was a very balanced, and successful, team of 8 people. 

1 Main Hunter (LB Bender) generates business for the whole team.

3 Sub Hunters generate a majority of their own business.

3 Skinners who are fed a majority of their business from the Team Leader LB.

1 Skinner who manages marketing and transaction management of all business brought in by the team.

Don’t confuse personality traits with skill sets.  The most gregarious and confident person at the party may not be a hunter and the quiet reserved person may not be the back office skinner.  I have worked with some amazing hunters who rarely spoke 2 sentences at a time and I have seen the life of the party who couldn’t ask for the business.  This is where we make a lot of our recruiting mistakes.  We see a look or personality that we perceive as “popular” and we assume that popularity makes a hunter….it doesn’t.  On the flip side, we interview a quiet person and don’t hire them because we think they lack the confidence to sell.

How do you know if you are a hunter or skinner?  Below are my observations.  Whichever one you feel suits you best overall will be your dominant role.  These are the extreme.  Don’t take this personally. Both are powerful with strengths and weaknesses allowing them to balance each other so well.

Hunters…..

• Very low fear of rejection.
• Bossy/blunt and don’t see that their words can be hurtful because they are not easily hurt.
• See opportunity everywhere.
• Not detail oriented.
• Tend to be unorganized.
• Invite change.
• Overly optimistic which can sometimes hinder/delay completion of projects because they over commit believing they are super-human.
• Don’t plan for problems or issues that could arise.  They are already on to the next prey.
• Do not want a lot of detail about anything.  They “Got It.”
• Have several projects going at the same time.
• Have a knack for putting people together.
• Don’t see failure in anything. They only see an experience they wish not to repeat.
• Love meeting new people.
• Travel well alone without agendas and schedules. 
• Know everyone and everyone is their “best friend.”
• Self-absorbed.
• Have a high pain threshold emotionally and physically.

The perfect word for a Hunter is “Next.”  You rarely find a hunter who has had their heart broken.   There is no grocery list here.  They forget their own birthday.  Beware: If you don’t want a Hunter to start up a conversation with you…by all means, do not make eye contact. 

Skinners…

• Moderate to high fear of rejection.
• Take things personally.  If you question their work….you are questioning them because they are very proud of their work.
• Very organized and detail oriented.
• Balance their checkbook every month.
• Love putting together systems and need things to be in a specific order/place.
• Tend to be pessimistic.
• Always look for what may go wrong so they are prepared to handle all situations.
• Very close to their loved ones and know everyone’s schedules, birthdays and special dates.
• Courteous and have a need to be loved and accepted.
• Need a lot of detail when taking on a new project.  But self motivated once they get it.
• Ask many questions and may even rephrase the same question several times just to make sure you understand what they are asking.
• Want everything to be perfect and can’t understand “Winging’ It.”
• Stress about details and feel everyone else should too.
• Resist change.
• Like being in groups of people they know well and don’t let new friends in easily.
• Have very few people they would call close friends because they give so much of themselves to these people.
• Very, very loyal. 

The Skinners ability to create very deep connections to people and their systems keep them grounded but can also cause many heartbreaks and frustrations.   Perfect phrase for them “Yeah, but what about…..?”

You can see why these two diverse ways of being may cause people to drive each other crazy…I hope you also see why they are such a great balance for each other.  The key is truly defining what their role is, getting the ego and stress of a poor fit out of the way and strengthening the positive attributes that make them shine.

Setting the right expectations up front is key to the success of a team fit.  A team leader will be very disappointed in the performance of a new team member if they put them in the wrong role. Yes, we can be trained to do anything we are physically capable of doing.  I have seen life circumstances such as military duty that can turn a hunter into a tidier person but how long will it take before they become uncomfortable, bored and complacent and lose their drive to show up?  Or worse, their self esteem suffers which can infiltrate every part of their lives.

Hunter or Skinner it doesn’t matter which one you are. They are both crucial to the balance of the team and the brokerage.  Look inside and bring out the best of yourself and help your team leaders balance their business and their lives and you will see great productivity and less stress.

I will be honest. I have an issue with not being in control… this shift in the real estate industry sent me in a tailspin and made it very challenging to earn the living I was used to over the past 6 years… as it did for many of you.  I have been in a funk the past few months.  That is the best way I can explain it.  I was stubbornly resisting the fact that I needed to revamp myself… which isn’t fun at my age, but is totally necessary for most of us right now.

In this process, I learned so friggin much (sorry, that is the Maine in me) about myself and what motivates and makes people successful in any venture; whether it be business or personal.  It all relies on self-responsibility.  No matter what happens to you and how people respond to you, it all has to do with what is inside YOU!  You will attract what suits your NEEDS…period.  If you are unhappy in your relationship or business you chose it because it fulfills your NEED in some way.  You can’t blame anyone else.  It is all about you.

I have a personal quote I wrote, “There is no NEED if there is no NEED.”  For example:  If there is no subconscious (or conscious) NEED for failure on any level, then there is no NEED for the behavior that creates failure no matter the circumstances.  Just think about it….

We all have these interesting NEEDS which were created very early in life.  Sometimes these needs have a positive impact and sometimes they are devastating to our relationships and businesses.  It doesn’t matter…. We are the ones who create our reality; including the clients, life partners, business partners, vendors etc. we attract and how they act around us.  There is no right or wrong, it just is and you have the choice of changing it at any moment. That is the beauty of it.  All it is, is a change of thought… like trying to lose 20 lbs…. which is a whole other subject.  I know it sounds unreal to most, but when I lost the need to be overweight, the weight just dropped off….  That is how powerful your needs and thoughts can be.

We attract what we NEED to fulfill our NEEDS.  If you need to be rejected because you were taught rejection as a child, then you will find every client and person who will reject you.  If you stop feeding the destructive NEED and replace it with your true vision of what you want to create, you will attract and create the beautiful life you want.  You will attract the right people and the right circumstances.  That doesn’t mean you will live in “la la land”… it just means you will have a better opportunity to create what you really want in all areas of your life.

I have been truly blessed with the best friends and mentors from all over the world.  I am thankful for their belief in and support of me.   I know there are some things I don’t have control of, but I can control my personal destiny and what I attract to my life.   This is the Secret to a happy fulfilling life.  It isn’t about just putting a copy of a paycheck on the wall and “hoping” it will be fulfilled, it is about understanding that, no matter what happens to you, you created the situation or relationship for whatever purpose YOU NEEDED to create it.  Change your NEED and you can change yourself.   Heck, you can’t change the weather! 

A GREAT book to read is “Three Magic Words” The Key to Power, Peace and Plenty, written by U.S. Andersen in 1954.

 This won’t be a long blog because most of you feel this energy when your spouse or parent steps into the house with their high heals or dress shoes…. you hear the “Klunck, Klunck, Klunck,’  which Brings the work energy into the home immediately and puts most family members on edge. (for whatever their reason).   Ditch the work shoes at the door and bring peace in with you…. not klunking or clinking  sets a soothing environment and  “heels”.   Just a thought.

If you let a domain expire, the registrar will charge you a minimum of $80 to renew it.  What a scam but, we have to deal with it.  Just know the reality and stay on top of it better than I did dang it…..

Now, all my domains (except the important ones) are gone…..  gone….. Please, don’t let this happen to you.  Know your login and password to your domain provider and make sure you are not expired or ready to expire.  This is your responsibility no matter who set up you website or email.  If your web provider bought your domain under their account, ask them to release it to you.  You need to ”own” your web address and have control and login information for this. 

I see so many real estate agent website search results that end up on “site cannot be found” status.  Google and other search engines will reveal the truth about who is “really” online.  You should be there or make sure what is googled doesn’t turn up nada like mine did.  I am humbled.

Robyn

Having “things” is wonderful, but what do we really need to survive?  How can we help each other right now and help our clients acquire the things they need and get rid of things they don’t?   I have a few ideas for you that could help you in your  “good-will,”  marketing and leads generating adventures.

This past weekend I moved for the 4th time in 18 months.  Life changes and circumstances kept me on the move and, in the process, I accumulated a ton of stuff.  My first move I hauled a simple load of  my personal belongings and a sofa.  I was fine traveling light but; it seems, my friends felt I needed more “stuff.”   Within 6 months I had, resulting from everyone’s donations, a 2,600 sq ft totally furnished patio home.  I told them all,  “I know you love me but…. you better be ready to help me move when the time comes.”

Thankfully, when I moved out of that patio home, my eldest daughter had just bought her first home so I was able to pawn some of it off on her and, the new occupant of the patio home needed a few pieces to help her complete her home. 

The cool thing about all of this is that no money exchanged hands.  I am now comfortably moved into another home with all my “stuff.”  I look around and am reminded of all the people who care about me and I feel blessed.  Of course, I still pay for a storage unit, which houses all the “stuff” I couldn’t accommodate, but I have a great resolution for that.   A friend’s son just moved into his own place and needs “things” so I will happily open the storage for him to experience a “free” shopping spree.   If he wasn’t in need, I would post it all on Craigslist for FREE.  I have this thought process now that if I haven’t touched it in 6 months, I am giving it away (excluding memorabilia and formal wear).  I have even organized my closet where, when I wear something, I will hang it on the right side of the closet after wearing and in 6 months (or less) anything still hanging on the left I will give away. 

Here is my idea of a perfect way to help clients get and get rid of stuff.   Why not a Real Estate Association “Craigslist FREE THINGS” postings on the association website which brokers and agents can then post on their sites as well?   How about a monthly/quarterly “give away, drop off” parking lot party at the association or a local rotating business?   Invite all your clients and their family and friends and just give and take.  What ever is left over, can be picked up by The Salvation Army or any other charity.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.   You don’t need tables etc.  Just put it out there for people to find stuff and leave space for people to drop off what they want to donate.  The only thing you will want is to have a few people responsible for receipts for taxes.   I would have been in heaven if that was available to me over the past 18 months.   If you are able to do so, I would even suggest buying a used moving truck, having it wrapped with your branding and calling it “Helping Everyone Get What They Need and Get Rid Of What They Don’t!”

For those of you who want more marketing advantage out of this,  generate news, radio and print coverage of these events.  You can also send postcards to your farm areas and contact database, efarm your contacts and have directional signs made up saying “FREE STUFF” Brought to you by ABC Brokerage/Agent.

Invite restaurants to set up sample booths and offer table space….for FREE… to other local business owners.   Doing this in a parking lot where there is no fee involved makes all the difference.   I know some people will come and pick stuff up and then re-sell on Craigslist etc. but I do believe that the majority of humanity is honorable and trust worthy.  Take what you need and leave the rest…. keep what you need and give the rest.

If you have a program similar to this in your area, please share the details with me and the other readers.   I would love to know what is going on around the country where donations etc. are concerned.  Lord knows so many people are having to move, and in most circumstances it is a smaller dwelling.  Let’s help our clients and each other.

Look around your neighborhood. 1 in 7 home owners are not paying their mortgage in your own neighborhood and the banks are halting foreclosures due to legal issues in the foreclosure process.  They are fearing class action suits which, I can only imagine how many there will be.  People are in trouble everywhere and this new announcement of halting foreclosures may give non-paying home owners a false sense of security.   They may end up being surprised by an eviction without any warning.  This foreclosure market is so volatile.  We are treading virgin ground which can shift at anytime.

I wouldn’t place any security in the fact that owners haven’t received foreclosure notices.  If they  haven’t paid, they haven’t paid.  You have the ability and skill to help these people when they feel like there is nowhere to turn.  Knock on doors; especially in overbuilt outlying areas.  Offer your support and compassion.  Talk about the short sale or foreclosure listing down the street and see if they have anyone they would like to be their neighbor.  You will be surprised how many people you can assist.  Don’t look at the dollars you may earn, look at the good will you will share.  You are the professional and you have great knowledge to share in this evolving market.

We can’t just assume a short sale or foreclosure is the best route for all home owners.  They need legal and financial advice.  I feel you should have a contract that states that you have given them 3-6 contacts for legal and financial advice, and make them sign it.  You never know what will come out of this.  We already have a lot of brokerages and agents paying legal fees to keep their licenses due to this situation.  

 Here is a link to the HAFA information for real estate agents.  Hope it helps. http://www.cdpe.com/hafa/short-sale/agents

Going “green” seems to be causing some problems that were certainly not expected.  When making a home buying decision, we worry about neighborhood stats, schools, environment and safety but never did I think we would have to worry about  the neighbors windows or the reflective windows our buyers would like to install  in their new home.

With all the “Green Mortgage” opportunities and financed home energy efficiency upgrades being taken advantage of, we really do have to consider the information regarding reflective windows in the following video.  Watch the entire video please to get to the residential issues you need to address with your buyers.

Energy reflective windows can turn the sun’s rays into laser beams.  Reflective windows have the ability to cause structural damage to their neighbors properties but they also have the ability to cause severe burns to the people innocently enjoying their out door environments. 

Most people would see structural damage and assume it is related to environmental/product issues and not the on-going laser “melting” of the property.  We must pay attention to all home/environment issues and go as far as knocking on the neighbor’s door to find out if they have reflective windows and asses if there are any effects on the surrounding structures and personal safety.  

Video Link:

http://www.comcast.net/video/vegas-hotel-window-hazard-exposed/1603712386

There are many reasons a potential seller will not list even though they know they should and, in some distress cases must, sell.  Perhaps the house needs some fix-up work or they have a large family making it challenging to keep the home showing ready all the time.   Either way, your job is to find those unlisted homes and give your buyer every opportunity to buy the perfect home. 

This is how it works.  There are a few activities that you will want to employ.   It doesn’t matter if there are 20  listings in this area, your job is to find the ones that are not openly marketed.  First you send a “House Wanted” postcard to the neighborhood your buyer is interested in.  The verbiage should read something like “Mr. and Mrs. Jordan are interested in buying a home in your area.  They have been pre-qualified up to $200,000 and are looking for a 3+ bedroom 2+ bath home.  If you are considering selling we would love the opportunity to do a quick preview to see if your home fits the Jordan’s needs.”  The next thing you do is walk the neighborhood on the weekends and talk to anyone you see on the streets.  Ask them if they know of anyone who has been talking about selling.   And lastly, get your request on Craigslist in the property wanted area and renew the ad as often as you can until that buyer finds a home. 

Not only does this program work to support your buyer needs, it also gives you more insight into specific areas and knowledge about homes that may be available for future buyers.  Below is an example of a postcard I just sent for a local Tucson agent.  Don’t forget to partner up with your favorite vendors, especially lenders who have a mortgage insurance program like Nova Home Loans here in Tucson.  It is great for them to get their refinance message out on your postcards.

I have also used this buyer marketing program to help agents who want to raise their average sales price and target higher end homes.  All you need is one qualified buyer interested in that price range and you can get started.  If you don’t work with those buyers, here is how you can start.   Borrow listings from your brokerage agents and sit them open, advertise them and get them online with your contact information.  Use www.postlets.com to get them syndicated, on Craigslist and pushed out through social media.   It is free and you will reach the audience interested in the price range you are targeting.

Lastly, market your “Home Wanted” buyer program to all buyers to show them what you will do for them that most agents are not currently doing.  You can place your ads for this program in the homes section of the newspaper and build a landing page on your website for them to learn more about your program.  Buy a domain that reflects this program and have it land on the page related to it.  Example:  TucsonBuyersProgram.com.   Best wishes!

This is a 6 X 11 inch postcard front and back.