Sharing Real Estate Success

Think Like A General

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:57:00 +0000

I have a lot of fun watching General McClellan as he goes about his daily duties warning off potential attacks on our home. After each loud salvo delivered to the passerby’s who retreat quickly he victoriously returns to his couch with his head and tail held high and with an expression of satisfaction at a job well done.

Let me introduce you to General Augustus Beauregard McClellan affectionately called “The Little General” , who by the way is 2 pounds 12 ounces fully clothed, yes he does where clothes and he does have camouflaged fatigues. Now The General takes on all comers, his best friend is Ralph a neighboring Labrador who is about Thirty times The Generals weight, but they will chase the same ball and General just loves his visits with his Buddy Ralph. Next door is his first love the dash hound Ginger, The General goes to extraordinary lengths just to get through the fence and spend a romantic morning or evening with his girlfriend.

As I watch The General go about his daily duties I never see him ever finding his size to be a handicap to the task at hand, in fact it actually seems to be an advantage to him, He can crawl through, and under the shadow box fence to get to his friends, he usually is the best sprinter out there, and if he was a cutting horse he would take home all the prizes for his ability to stop and turn on a dime and out maneuver his colleagues when chasing squeaky toys. The General is the most persistent of all creatures I have yet to meet. He does not quit and he does not let the size of the task detour him.

I often think that if we as real estate agents were as committed as the General is to achieving our goals as he is to his, how successful we would be. I believe many times we see the task ahead of us as just too large to tackle, and walk away, when it’s all about how we maneuver it. Recently when I was at Publix I purchase a bone that was just as large as the General and easily weighed as much. I was curious to see how he would handle a bone bigger than himself. Well for several hours he gnawed on it one gnaw at a time, then I noticed the bone had simply vanished, I looked under the furniture, and of course by my side was General looking, sniffing and assisting me in my search, I wonder what he thought I was looking for, we did find a few of his toys and chew’s but, no bone, I asked my wife if she had seen it as I thought she may have thrown it out since she thought I was ridiculous for giving him such a large and filthy thing. The bone was no where to be found. Well later that evening when I went into the bedroom and into the walk-in closet there it was, laying beside my shoes, I guess he hoped the shoes would somehow camouflage his prize. What I could not get over was how he got this huge bone from one end of the house to the other, but he did.

What I am trying to say here is we need to think more like The Little General and when we do we will get more accomplished and our perceived obstacles will actually be reduced to the true size that they are.

This coming week the General and I will be attending a real estate conference in Orlando where we both will be spending five days at the Wyndham Resort, I look forward to the conference while he is looking forward to the furlough from duty.

Change

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Change is none of the most difficult things for us to adapt to and accept with a positive attitude. Think about it, the last time your company was implementing a change what were your first reactions. Probably how does it affect me, more learning, what does it do for me? I can bet that your reaction wasn’t, wow this will be a positive change for my company and fellow associates.

Mark Twain once said the only people who like change are wet babies. In 1492 when Columbus set off in search for a new route to Indies, he believed the world to be round, the rest of the people were positive it was flat. Well, when Columbus proved that it was round, and he really did prove it, the world refused to change its view. It was not until the next generation that they began to accept it and see the positive side of a round world.

Change is awkward just like anything else that is new, it take time to grow into it, what I know for sure is without change there is no progress or personal growth in ones life. So go ahead embrace it and know that change usually leads one to the path of bigger and better opportunities in life.

Bunting Your Way Through Life

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:15:00 +0000

Speech writer Charles Parnell observed, “Too many people are having what might be called a ‘near-life experiences.’ They go through life bunting, so afraid of failure that they never try to win the big prizes, never knowing the thrill of hitting a home run or even taking a swing at one.”

We all fail, it just so happens that successful peoples fail more than failures do. The difference is failures quit, and the successful try again and again and again until they succeed.

Sports writer Grantland Rice observed, “Failure isn’t so bad if it doesn’t attack the heart. Success is alright if it doesn’t go to the head.”

French writer, poet, and critic Guillaume Apollinaire wrote,

Come to the edge.
No we will fall.
Come to the edge.
No we will fall.
They came to the edge.
He pushed them and they flew.

Those who fly always first get to the edge. If you want to seize an opportunity, you must take a risk. If you want to grow you must make mistakes. If you want to reach your potential, you will have to take chances. If you don’t, you will be resigned to a life of mediocrity. The people who don’t make mistakes end up working for those who do. And in the end, they often end up regretting the safe life they lived.

Blog taken from John C. Maxwell’s book The Difference Maker: Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset

Ask and You Shall Receive

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:12:00 +0000

I have been selling real estate for 17 years, and I am well aware that if you want to get the listing you must ask for it, and that goes for anything else in life for that matter. Recently I was at a garage sale one Saturday morning and I came across a book that I wanted to read. Now being a garage sale enthusiast , and by the way I have found a lot of treasure at these sales. You know the saying one mans junk is another mans treasure. Anyway I saw a book that I wanted to read , asked the lady how much she said three dollars I replied fifty cents and she said sold. Now I am not a haggler by nature, especially when it is for me, and as I walked away with my book I said to myself, that was easy I should do that more often.

Well I came across an artice by Jack Canefield One of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Authors. The name of the article is:

“Good Things Come To Those Who Ask”

Do you need or want something? Have you asked for it? Are you afraid of rejection? In this excellent article by best-selling guest author Jack Canfield, discover why good things do come to those who ask!

Asking for what you need is probably the most underutilized tool for people. And yet, amazing requests have been granted to people simply because they've asked for it! Whether it's money, information, support, assistance, or time, most people are afraid to ask for what they need in order to make their dreams come true.

They might be afraid of looking needy, ignorant, helpless, or even greedy. More than likely, though, it is the fear of rejection that is holding them back. Even though they are afraid to hear the word no, they're already saying it to themselves by not asking!
Do you ask for what you want? Are you afraid of rejection?

Consider this: Rejection is just a concept. There is really no such thing as rejection! You're not any worse off by hearing no than you were before you asked. You didn't have what you asked for before you asked and you still don't, so what did you lose? Being rejected doesn't hold you back from anything. Only YOU hold yourself back. If you are told no, ask for what you'd have to do to get it, or ask again at another time when the circumstances have changed. Ask if they know someone else who might say yes. When you realize that there's no merit to rejection, you'll feel more comfortable asking for things. But you may need a bit of help learning how to ask for what you want.

First, ask as though you expect to get it. Be confident in your request coming from a perspective that there's no reason why you wouldn't get it. Or they say no, you can ask them why, or what you would need to do to get a yes. You might need to form a better business plan before you will get a loan. You might need to take a course in computers before you will get a promotion. You might need to spend more quality time with your family before you will get the loving support you need. By getting this feedback you are able to make adjustments and ask again with better chances of getting a yes.

Second, assume you can get what you want if you only ask for it. You want a window seat? Assume all you have to do is ask for it. You want an ocean view? Cheaper tickets? A scholarship? A better deal? Just ask for it as if that's all you have to do to get it. And finally, be specific about what you want or need. Do you want to make $5,000 more a year? Then don't just ask for a raise. Ask for $5,000 more a year. Vague request produce vague results. Don't just ask for more time with your spouse, ask for a date on Friday night. Don't ask for help on a project, ask for what you want that person to take care of.

Getting a good perspective on rejection and learning how to ask will make a world of difference for you as you work toward your goals. Practice asking and you'll get very good at it! You'll even speed your progress by getting what you need, or improving yourself in order to get it later.
Make a list of what you need to ask for in all areas of your life, then start asking!
© 2007 Jack CanfieldJack Canfield, America's Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: http://www.freesuccessstrategies.com/

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:07:00 +0000

The first month of 2009 has already passed and hopefully most have finalized their goals and budget. For those of you who haven’t yet or, are new to the business world you will find this article helpful which I took from Realtor Magazine which can be visited online for other helpful articles http://www.realtor.org/

Making cents

Money and Budget Management 101

How you deal with the unpredictability of getting paid in real estate — and how you spend that money — can determine your success.

BY HALEY M. HWANG

Remember in your old job where you just had to show up and you would get a paycheck every other week or every month? All your taxes were taken out for you and what you had left was what you could spend?

Ahh, those were the days. But now, you’re in real estate sales — and getting paid is an imprecise concept with no guarantees. There are no regular paychecks, tax withholdings, or automatic retirement savings. Yet, no one tells you when you get into the business how to effectively budget and manage your money so that you optimize your chances for success. And ultimately, how you make these budgeting decisions will impact your success in real estate, according to some real estate trainers who teach practitioners about budgeting.

Following are some of their secrets to effectively budgeting and managing your commission income—so that it catapults you to financial stability and success.

Budgeting Tips

Start immediately on a debt-reduction plan. Strive to have your debt be as close to zero as possible, says Terry Watson, ABR®, CRS®, president of Watson World Inc., a real estate and leadership training company in Chicago. Watson says that if you are overly burdened with debt, you will not make smart business decisions in real estate because you’ll feel a tremendous pressure to make money.

Build up a safety cushion. You should be able to cover your monthly expenses for three to six months without making a paycheck, says Robert Morris, ABR®, CRS®, a broker with Prudential Rowland Real Estate Inc. in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Morris — who teaches budgeting, business plan development, and cost plan analysis as part of the Council of Residential Specialists’ Business Planning and Marketing for the Residential Specialist course — believes that you should have an additional savings of 10 percent to 15 percent for personal marketing expenses, such as advertising, business cards, and Web site.

Set aside a business reserve. In addition to the money for personal expenses, you also should set aside some money in reserves (it can be as little as $100 per month) for unexpected business expenses, says Chuck Bode, CRS®, GRI, broker-associate with N.P. Dodge Real Estate Co. in Omaha, Neb. “If something breaks down, you go into the reserves and you don’t borrow money on a credit card at 15 percent interest,” Bode says.

Have a business line of credit. “Any good business should have a business line of credit,” Watson says. This will give you the financial buffer you need so that you don’t feel the pressure to push every deal through, regardless of whether it’s in the best interest of your clients.

Spend 10 percent on personal marketing. Even when money is tight and you can barely pay your bills, you need to spend money on personal marketing so that you maintain an income pipeline. “You need to spend money to make money in real estate,” says Mark Nash, author ofOriginal New Agent's Guide to Starting & Succeeding in Real Estate and Reaching Out: The Financial Power of Niche Marketing. A broker associate with Coldwell Banker Residential, Central Street Office, in Evanston, Ill, Nash teaches a course through Coldwell Banker called “Next Level” for second-year salespeople. In addition to the 10 percent on personal marketing, Nash recommends spending 2 percent on technology, 1 percent to 2 percent on accountants and business professionals, and 1 percent on continuing education (including attending real estate conferences and getting additional training).

Determine the biggest payback. Analyze where you’re spending money and how much you get back in terms of generated income over the course of a year, says Bode, who also teaches budgeting in the CRS course. “Some people find that certain things they do have a $15 to $20 per $1 spent payback, says Bode, “That’s a real revelation. Most practitioners don’t know what works and what doesn’t work, so they do it all.”

Budget for education. “Most people go into real estate to make money,” Bode says. “They say that they can’t afford money to take education (attending state and national conventions or taking designation courses). But they can’t afford not to.”

Money Management Tips
Track your expenses. Keep a detailed log of everything you spend for a month or so to see where your money goes, Watson says. You may not realize that you’re spending $400 on lattes.

Anticipate your income and work backwards. If you want to make $50,000 this year based on what you think you need to live on, then figure out what you need to do to achieve that income, Morris says.

Find creative ways to save money. Watson says that he has an unlimited plan on his cell phone; has always bought cars that are tan, white, or silver because the forgiving colors save him almost $1,000 in car washes each year; opted for higher deductibles on his car insurance; and buys wrinkle-free clothes that don’t require frequent cleaning.

Spend more to last longer. Especially when it comes to buying technology, the cheapest thing may not be the best in the long run, Watson says. If you spend a little more and it lasts longer, it may save you money over the long term.

Take advantage of discounts. The REALTOR® VIP Program provides discounts to members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® for everything from cars and insurance to sales and marketing and technology tools. To learn more about the program,

Go To The Library

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:15:00 +0000

Recently I watched an interview with Billionaire Warren Buffett regarding the current state of our economy and the collapse of the real estate market. He had a few thoughts on how people think and what is often referred to as the herd mentality. First Came the “Innovators”, then the “Imitators” and last, but certainly not the least, actually they are probably the majority the “Idiots”.

The “Innovators” had the vision, and without vision nothing will happen. This group of “Innovators” made out very well, and they should have, they were the initial investors in the real estate boom, there vision served them well.

The second group was the “Imitators”; this group did well also, why reinvent the wheel, there is nothing wrong in copying a good idea or strategy as long as it is still working.

The third group which is where most seem to fall into is what Buffet describes as the “Idiots”. This group seemed to not have a clue of how to invest or what to invest in, the herd mentality got the better of them. What drove this group was fear and greed, fear they would not get their share, and being greedy by nature they were willing to risk their families financial security, they saw others literally lining up, what they did not know, they were lining up for their financial slaughter, just like the cattle do at the slaughter house. Humans are not the only species with this herd mentality, fish school, cattle roam in herds, dogs hunt in packs, unfortunately we are the only species that accumulate more than we really need.

So how do we avoid this herd mentality in the future, Try educating ourselves about the real estate markets, or about anything else for that matter, look at its long history? By the way we are the only species that can do research in libraries and online, and we should before following the herd, had these “Idiots” done their homework they would have discovered that real estate over the past hundred years has appreciated at a modest six percent on average. When you see it appreciating at twenty to forty percent annually that should have raised a red flag, had you taken the time to educate your self like the “Innovators” and some of the “Imitators” did, far less people would be in the “Idiot” category including the bankers whose greedy appetite was the largest of all the” Idiots” .

Choosing The Right Boat

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:15:00 +0000

Every day in our lives we are faced with choices, some we make immediately, the easy ones, others we procrastinate on, but we will have to choose at some point or the choice will be made for us, and we probably will not like what has been chosen for us. Decision making is learned and far different than habits, such as putting on your shoes in the morning. Now at one point in your life putting the shoes on was choice which eventually turns into habit.

When I was about ten or eleven years old I can recall my mother saying to me one day when I asked her what clothes I should wear, her reply to me was, that that was my decision and I should go and make my own choice and she would be happy to give her opinion on my choices, she further went on to tell me that if she made these basic decisions for me that when I am thirty I will still be asking her, a good lesson from a great mother. The next time that I can recall having a decision making issue was when I was about 21 years old. My close friend who mentored me early on in some important lessons of life, Melvin James, when discussing with him my dilemma gave me another piece of advice that has stuck with me to this day; he simply said “stop sitting on the fence and jump, if you end up on the wrong side I am sure you will quickly jump over the fence to the side you should be on.” Well he was right and it’s still true today many years later. I have been jumping off of fences ever since, not always on the right side, but I soon figure that out.

So my question is why do we struggle with making the right decision? I recently came across an excellent answer in Charles Colson’s new book, The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters . There is a conversation with a Dr. Dawkins as to why he had not made a decision on his faith and the question given was asked in the following manner. Should he have been a passenger on the “Titanic” and was offered two lifeboats, one certain to sink as opposed to one with a one in seven chance of staying afloat, he would have chose the latter, to choose the boat with no hope is clearly irrational.

In this analogy he is referring to God as the rational choice. So why do people refuse it? Mortimer Adler editor of the Great Book Series and an intellectual giant in his time, accepted the rational conclusion that Christianity was true, But when asked why he hadn’t converted, here said he wasn’t “prepared to give up all the vices and weaknesses of the flesh.”

As real estate professionals we are the same way, we don’t invest in ourselves by attending training and conferences as much as we should, mostly because we don’t want to use our resources and time to grow professionally, as all the other self interests and entertainment compete for the same dollars and spending on entertainment is far more pleasurable than spending five hundred dollars and sitting in a class room or conference to educate our selves. So we tell ourselves we know already know that stuff, a weakness of the flesh. Let us just hope our Doctor does not think as many of us do.

Life is full of choices let us just hope and pray when faced with choices we choose the right boat. Author John Maxwell has a quote “Life is filled with trade offs, you can trade up, but only if you have something to sacrifice.” What are you willing to sacrifice?

Getting to the Top

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Ever noticed in life that for the most part is always going up hill, well that’s good because we are growing, hopefully not in size but in mind and spirit. Growth is always upward, look at the trees, they grow upwards and fill out and bloom to their full potential. We should be focused on blooming as well.

As we lead our busy lives of juggling career, home and our spirituality we often begin to feel overwhelmed and frightened as we see our 401K’s our homes, retirement investments declining in value and we want to slide back down the hill. Don’t, what we need to understand and know is that the rat race we are in is created by the cheese we are chasing which many have discovered can be eaten up at anytime by a bad economy. What we need to be seeking and chasing are the rewards promised to us in. Matthew 5: 20 But, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Thank You Mr. President

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:03:00 +0000

January 20, 2009

President George W. Bush
The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

It is with great heartfelt gratitude that I write thanking you for your service to the citizens of these great United States of America. I look at your long list of accomplishments while you faithfully served as our President and Commander in Chief

My wife and I thank you Mr. President for your stand on abortion and traditional values, for banning partial birth abortions. Reversing Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy, reversing Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act, By EO, prohibiting federal funds for international family planning groups that provide abortions and related services and upholding the ban on abortions at military hospitals.

We thank you Mr. President for work on the budget and taxes, specifically two income tax one of which was the largest in world history, your support of the permanent elimination of the death tax. Thank you for turning around an economy that was in recession and further damaged by 9/11, reducing taxes on dividends and capital gains, for increasing the annual contribution limit on education IRA’s from $500 to $2,000 per child.

We thank you Mr. President for your character and conduct as President, your re-introduction of God to many Americans, for reassuring the nation after 9/11 attacks, your work in education and job training, your contribution and efforts to our environment.

We thank you Mr. President for freeing 50 million people who lived in fear under the Dictator Saddam Hussein, your disarming of Libya, being part of the coalition for an Israeli Palestinian peace treaty, we thank you for your wisdom of recognizing that a well armed country is a safe and peaceful one by adding research and development to our arms budget.

We thank you Mr. President for challenging the United Nations to live up to their responsibilities. We thank you for your work on government reform, Health, home security, border enforcement and immigration, your stand on personal responsibility. We thank you Mr. President for keeping us safe for the past 7 years after 9-11

We thank you most of all for being a man of character who while on his journey came to the fork in the road, one path clearly trodden and well traveled, the other over grown and lightly traveled, your character was there to guide you wisely choosing the less trodden, even though harder and very unpopular.

Today Mr. President as you leave office and join the ranks not only of the great leaders of these United States but now you are among the great statesmen of the world. As we reflect back on these great men, I see many similarities between you and them. I start with you leaving office with the lowest approval rating of any US President.

During President Lincolns life he did not exactly have high approval rating either and to reflect back to 1865 The war between the states had just ended there were over six hundred thousand casualties of American fathers, husbands, brothers and sons, countless amputees unable to work, even if there was work to be had, over four million African Americans wondering the streets of our cities looking for employment, the south was in shambles, the textile mills and industries destroyed. The farmers and plantation owners could not even work their own land, hence the practice of share cropping, and let us not forget that the South did not begin to recover for the most part until World War II some seventy five years later. All blamed on a president and belittled by many even by those in his own cabinet, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln like you sir was also criticized for what was considered “extra constitutional measures” but in the end we know the verdict.

Mr. President today you join the elite on stage and seated with you and President Lincoln is Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Reflecting back on the great leaders life, he is only great today Mr. President, but in 1945 let us remember that he was voted out of office, after having kept the Nazi’s at bay. His leadership encouraged the British Commonwealth, Europe the United States and the rest of the free world during Hitler’s Blitzkrieg on Britain and Europe, He gave his people hope, he gave them courage, and he had a plan, which led to victory just like you have had for us. The plan led to their continued enjoyment of freedom, just as yours has kept us free from attack. But yet hardly 14 months later he was voted from office, the British did not want him as their leader anymore, they were lured by Clement Attlee promise of a few shillings a month more in public assistance, what we call welfare. Even the great biblical leaders from the time of Moses and Joshua have faced the same ungrateful attitudes, the people’s memories have been short, once great leaders calm the fears of their people, the people tend to get amnesia and quickly and make demands for more. This seems to be the price Mr. President that is paid for greatness.

Most importantly Mr. President my wife and I thank you for never wavering, for never compromising your values and those of the United States, your uncompromising character and faith, for never lashing out at the liberal media, where lesser men certainly would have. It reminds me of a San Francisco newspaper editorial wrote of Lincolns Gettysburg Address, that it was the foulest piece of rubbish that had ever come from ones mouth; we know the truth today. One hundred and fifty years later the liberal media continues to put its foot in its mouth, thank you Mr. President for staying the course, and for forgiving the few ungrateful whom you have so faithfully served. My wife and I wish you and Mrs. Bush all the best as so many others in this great nation do and we pray that you both have a God filled and exciting retirement from public service.

Thank you Mr. President for your leadership and a job well done,

Mark and Ramonita Lyon

A Return To Normal

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:49:00 +0000

Well we have got to be at least two thirds of the way through this down turn and I base this on the number of real estate agents who have already left the profession. I see where many have dropped their board membership and still others hang on with a full time job.

I have experienced this as I call agents and they whisper, “can’t talk now call me later,” which I do, and again they say “call me after five.” I knew things were getting really bad when I called one of my associates during the day and she said, “call me after work and hung up,.” I called back and said, “this is work, what do you call it?” and she replied that she could not talk now as her boss was near by and she was not allowed personal calls during her work.

This I guess is just a sign of the times as the market shifts back to a more normal rhythm and all those suffering from inadequacy leave the business.

Getting People To Do Things

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:18:00 +0000

As the manager of a small real estate office with about 30 associates I know the difficulty in getting people to change and do the right things in life, so much easier to follow the crowd. On May 7th of this year I blogged Are You Intentional About Your Learning? Well you need to be intentional about doing the right things in life one of these being learning.

In Robert Conklins book How to Get People to Do Things He recalls the story of Ralph Waldo Emerson and his son struggling with a female calf and trying to wrestle her into the barn. Drenched with sweat, the great sage was on the brink of losing his self-control when an Irish servant girl came by. She smiled sweetly at Emerson as she thrust a finger into the animal’s mouth; Lured by the maternal gesture, the calf peacefully followed the girl into the barn.

“People are like the calf,” says Conklin. “You can poke them, prod them, push them, and they don’t move. But give them a good reason, one of their reasons, a way in which they will benefit and they will follow gently along. People do things for their reasons. Not your reasons. And those reasons are emotional; aroused by the ways they feel.”

I wish I could remember this more myself. We are in a people business and the more people we can influence to our way of thinking the more homes we will list and sell, but in order to accomplish this we must show those that we work with how it will benefit them

Returning Calls

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:27:00 +0000

Do you return your calls promptly? One of my peeves about our profession is how few of us return calls, it is also a complaint that I hear from buyers and sellers frequently. They will call on a sign or add and the agent will never call back, hard to understand, but true. Agents will call for showing instructions leave a message and silence, strange behavior for people who are trying to make a living.

Over the years I have actually spoken with many agents who have promised to call back as soon as they end their current call, well you guessed it silence. I don’t understand their lack of commitment and professionalism. We wish to be taken seriously and ask for respect from our customers, yet we don’t respect ourselves or our fellow agents. No wonder why the public has such a low opinion of us, we created it.

My personal policy as to returning phone calls are simple all business related calls will be returned by the end of business. This does not include weekends or holidays. As professionals we are constantly bombarded by everyone with anything to sell and they constantly interrupting our already busy days, if you don’t wish to call back, politely ask if they would be kind enough to call you at a more convenient time like four to six months as you are not in a position to consider their offer at this time, don’t just ignore them like a moron, if you haven’t set up a timeline for a future call they will call and interrupt you again, except now there opinion of you is so much lower.

To earn respect you must give it to everyone, by honoring your commitment, in this case calling back, not doing so is assign of weak character and some unable to keep their word. I know, tough to do, but necessary if you wish to earn the respect of others and excel in business

What Do You Offer?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:35:00 +0000

Ever thought about why you are with the company you’re with? Is it because of your split, name recognition, or the service and tools they offer you? Have you ever thought about what you offer your company? Most people today want to be served and find it hard to be of service to another. Most of the advertisements today are about self gratification just turn watch and read the ads and you will eventually believe it is all about you. Well I do believe that it is the role of your real estate company to be of service to you, but at the same time so your company can serve you better your participation is needed.

Once you stop being a consumer agent and become a participating agent partner within your office, things begin to happen for you. Why? Caroline V. Clarke writes in Black Enterprise, It's one of the basic laws. Give and you shall receive. It's a biblical notion, a spiritual cornerstone, and a moral imperative--not a material one. It's about giving without expecting something in return. The idea is that you should give generously, simply because you can. Even the most selfless giver receives a reward. Because every time you give of yourself, you also give to yourself, it enhances your attitude which gives you altitude

The Wedding Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:08:00 +0000

Here is another Star Power Club audio script from Stars, Kathy and Larry Schmidt from Alberta, Canada who were interviewed by Howard Brinton back in September of this year. In my last blog I shared their “River Story” with you, now here is the “Wedding Dress” story.

Imagine walking by a display window of a department store and seeing a beautiful wedding dress in the window for $250.00, you eagerly rush into the store and ask the clerk to see it and she directs you to a rack full of identical wedding dresses. The only difference with these dresses is the price tag, its not $250.00 but $200.00. Now what happened here is the same that will happen with your home, a buyer will see it, love it, and want to buy it for a short time, until they see the other comparable homes all listed for less. Yes you are lovely but would you buy the dress in the window for more money than you could off the rack? You know the answer to that so let us just go ahead and price your home right, right now.

The River Story

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:56:00 +0000

I was recently listening to a Star Power Club audio which, by the way I recommend joining this club to any real estate professional half way serious about their business. Anyway Howard Brinton was interviewing Stars, Kathy and Larry Schmidt from Alberta Canada and they had a pricing objection script that I had not heard before and thought it was pretty good.

Here is how it goes, I think they called it “The River Story” and use it to explain to sellers how the price will impact their home if not priced correctly. In today’s market many sellers believe that nothing is selling, this is simply not true, those that price well sell within a fraction of the time of those that don’t and actually end up with more money than those that don’t price well. What this story illustrates is that by pricing your home right you will be in the middle of the river where all the buyers are floating downstream and will be able to look at your home and make offers. But being overpriced is like hugging the river bank and continuously bumping in to obstacles and being hidden by the weeds from the view of the qualified buyers. You want to be in the middle of the river. The main stream of activity so that the buyers can find you and take you seriously.

Other pricing scripts that maybe of help to you:
Price it Right
The Fish Story
Trusting Your Comps

What’s Happening?

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:21:00 +0000

What’s happening in your business depends entirely on what’s happening inside of you. For something good to happen to you there must be something good going on inside of you, Like searching and looking out for the opportunities that come the way of the prepared and the alert.

For many agents these days they have known better times and for others it’s business as usual, and I’ll bet that positive thoughts are going on inside of those doing well. Now I know what many of you are thinking, of course they have positive thoughts, they are doing well. No they are doing well because their positive thinking and good thoughts were going on long before they adapted to our current market.

Let us go back in time a few thousand years; our ancestors were hunters and gatherers, one bright hunter decided to raise and domesticate a few of the animals that he enjoyed eating, this way he would always have a supply of fresh meat, his woman began planting crops instead of gathering everyday to feed the family. To make a very long story short most became farmers, for those that did not adapt they had very skinny children. Eventually society evolved from farming to the industrial age and from there to where we are today,

Thinkers tend to be more optimistic about the future and usually see opportunities long before most. Just like the hunters and the gathers our business has evolved from farming, and please don’t misunderstand me, farming is still a good source of long term business in real estate, just like there are many farmers still left today all over the world, just fewer.

The opportunity today is in REO’s , my guess is they will be around for the next four to five years and those that have evolved are already reaping huge crops, and those that are unwilling to change like the hunters and gatherers who did not adapt quickly enough, their kids are getting skinnier by the day. If you’re not involved with REO departments today, which are a large part of our business, is like not accepting the fact that we have left the industrial revolution. Yes, change is hard for all, but it is a necessity if you want to continue providing for your families.

So get the good thoughts growing inside of you so you can see the opportunities before they pass you by, and adapt to our ever changing marketplace as quickly as you can and watch those kids put on the pounds.

Problem Solvers

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:27:00 +0000

Ever wonder why as real estate agents you get paid so much? And we do get paid a lot. That’s because we are problem solvers. Doctors and lawyers get paid a lot because they also solve problems, where as non problem solvers like the guy who mows your grass, or picks up the trash is paid far less simply because you can do those chores yourself, no problem solving involved there.

The faster you are at solving problems for others the more you will make. Most new agents when they get into real estate don’t realize this, and when they are doing there first few deals many become overwhelmed by it all, they thought it was all about showing homes.

Here are a few of the problems that home owners and buyers tend to have. Sellers face a pricing issue, a move out date issue and quite often inspection issues. So let us look at the first one pricing.

Correctly pricing there property is the first of several problems most sellers tend to encounter it is also the biggest challenge. Sellers all like to think of their home as some type of bank account where they have saved money and earned interest, many seem to think it is in the US constitution that they are entitled to a profit. The problem with the savings account thinking is the home may not be appreciating, but actually depreciating as it is today in most markets, but sellers only record the deposits never the withdrawals on their properties, strange but true. They like to think that on upgrades and remodeling that it is like a deposit in to the account for the future and that they will get a return on their deposit which may not be true. If you were to ask most sellers when on your listing appointment, knowing that they are going to sell now, would they make those same improvements today, they’d tell you no, ask why, and they’d tell you because they would not recoup the money. They know this, but just can’t make the withdrawal by themselves. What an experienced and professional agent does is bring many, not all, but most back down to reality, those that don’t come down need a few more counseling sessions. By you bringing them to reality you have solved their problem, which they could not do for themselves. Kind of like a family counselor.

Now that you have your seller listed and moving in the right direction towards an offer, the money issues will almost certainly come up again, along with the pack up and move out date, not to mention the whole new set of negotiations that will take place when the inspection report comes in. When the offer arrives the skilled pro will remind them of all the previous showings they have had, how qualified this couple is to purchase their home so that the will benefit from a smooth closing (of course only if it’s true) and then put them at ease that all the packing, repairing of inspection issues and finding a new place can all be done by the scheduled date. I always tell my buyers and sellers that in all the years I’ve been selling real estate I have never had anyone sleep in their car, I have come close but none yet. Your confidence and your ability to solve their housing and moving needs by getting the job done is why you are paid so much.

You are a problem solver. All of the problems above are relatively simple to handle until they become yours. As a real estate agents we problem solve, we’re empathetic, we counsel and we comfort and reassure all our customers and many of them love us, when it is all said and done, that is what so many of us find so rewarding Those of you who have degrees in psychology, it’ll serve you well here.

Our Desert Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:59:00 +0000

Struggling is the price we pay for success and the giants among us never surrender, it is the struggles that have made them great. John Mason in Know Your Limits - Then Ignore Them (Nugget) states “Problems are the price of progress. The problems in life are intended to make us better not bitter.”

In Launching a Leadership Revolution Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward write a about a concept they call “desert experience.” Moses was forced to march the Israelites through the desert for 40 years to condition them as a people to inherit the promised land of Canaan. Jesus went out into the desert to pray and prove his abilities to resist temptation totally. President Ronald Reagan is said to have encountered his “desert experience” when his movie star career and marriage ended almost simultaneously following World War II. He had been a rising star making hundreds of movies and was married to the Actress of the Year, but a divorce and a change in his contracts left him alone, doing small bit-parts on television and traveling the country as a national spokesperson for GE. It was a drop in status few people would relish, and it lasted for years.

A Reagan biographer Peggy Noonan, tells of how his years on the road speaking for GE actually built Ronald Reagan the politician. It was no accident that he later came to be known as “the Great Communicator.” He circled from town to town, meeting tens of thousands of mainstream Americans and learning about them and how they thought. It was those skills he learned in those lean years, his desert experience , that armed him for what was to be one of the greatest presidencies in United States history. It is said that every problem introduces a man to himself, and Reagan’s speechmaking years introduced the actor to the statesman.

Now as we in real estate go through our desert experience let us focus on what is, and what we can do with it the way it is to become better conditioned to meet the future head on.

Thinking Big

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:14:00 +0000

Ever notice how some people when they walk into the room it lights up, just get that respect and admiration and others don’t? They just seem to have it altogether? Well I think that it’s all in how we see ourselves. If we think of ourselves as poor little me’s then that is exactly what everyone else sees. Want to be seen as someone with a game plan and as a person of action and credibility, then get the plan and the credentials.

In Numbers 32-33 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." The Bible clearly showed us what happens when we don’t see ourselves as we should. The fear creeps in and paralyses us.

My dog General weighs in and at a top weight of 2lb 6oz but he thinks he’s a heavyweight champion. He take on all comers when challenged, he doesn’t pay attention to size and let it get in his way, in his mind he’s a champion and a big one at that. If we would think like the “Little General” (as he is affectionately known) we would be able to accomplish far more than we do. Strangers often see us as we see ourselves.

Givers are Gainers

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:10:00 +0000

The saying “givers are gainers” is so true, the more you give the more you gain. This goes for all top producers in real estate sales, management or any other field for that matter these givers are all top performers they have no secrets, poor achievers all seem to think that what they are doing is secretive I can tell you there are no secrets in real estate.

I recently had lunch with Patrick Simm of Coldwell banker at his invitation to talk with some of our associates. Over lunch Patrick shared with us his techniques and marketing ideas. As all top performers, Patrick is confident and open, he clearly understands the rule of reciprocity, in fact the bible is full of such stories about the abundance, God not only promises but blesses the givers with.

By sharing your ideas and techniques you are blessed many times over. Try it and you’ll find it to be true.

PLUG IN

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:23:00 +0000

Are you plugging into your office and its resources? How about training or coaching? When you plug in you have the power of inflating yourself by using the resources available to you and getting the knowledge you need. Knowledge is a general awareness, possession of information, facts, ideas, truths, or principles, it instills confidence, it’s, it’s having experience, and it gives you the advantage, which makes you a winner by inflating your persona with your company and your customers. Not to mention your bank account.

Every year around this time my neighbors begin putting up their Christmas decorations and many have those inflatable Santa Clause’s on the front lawn, when they come in the evening they plug in the Santa Clause, and he very quickly inflates, at bedtime they unplug poor Santa and he quickly deflates and collapses on the front lawn looking like the homeowner spiked his egg nog. Knowledge is kind of like an inflatable Santa you’ve got to get plugged into the sources of knowledge; it is the knowledge that will inflate you. Author john c maxwell states, champions don’t become champions in the ring – they are merely recognized there. That’s true. If you want to see where someone develops into a champion, look at his daily routine.

So for those of you interested in plugging into knowledge and inflating your career, drop me an email and we’ll plug you in. It could be a shocking experience you like.

Missed Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:13:00 +0000

All of us have missed opportunities that have presented themselves to us in life. The reasons we miss these opportunities are multiple, here are a few, lack of preparation, fear, not recognizing the packaging and of course there is the lack of faith.

So many of us see the opportunity yet only circle it and I don’t mean like a shark, maybe more like a minnow. I know I have done this more than once in my life and kind of brings back memories of when I attended my first school dance and I know you guys know what I am talking about, you see a girl that you would like to ask to dance or maybe strike up a conversation with, you muster all the strength and courage you have and make a bee line for her, just short of reaching the prize you veer of to the left or to the right and circle around again, by the time you get back to her she’s already dancing with someone else, you know what I am talking about right. That is still happening to some of you guys out there today, except now, it has affected your successes that should have been yours, this habit of circling to see if it is safe has contributed to many missed opportunities, and you know what this circling has been going on for Over 3,000 years. Let’s take a look at the best example of this in history.

The route of the Israelites' wilderness journey between the Exodus and their entry into the Promised Land is listed in Numbers 33:1-50. The map plots the major points along that 40-year trek - that could have been accomplished in a matter of days had they not refused to go in when God gave them the opportunity to do so the first time. They missed the opportunity God had given them, the 40 years wandering was a deliberate delay:

Now why did they circle around, well the Bible tells us that when the scouts went out to take a look they saw that it was occupied by Canaanite’s and they were afraid even though God had promised them Israel. This happens to too many of us to this day. We see the prize but yet don’t go and get it, we choose to play it safe and begin this circling around, and some of us never stop circling until the prize is just a fuzzy image as it disappears over the horizon. We are running the risk every time we circle that the prize will not be there when we return. Seize the opportunity that comes your way and have faith that it is from God and success will be yours, remember the old adage “don’t look gift horses in the mouth.” Just go and claim it.

Fear Is Not From God, Bravery Is

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:54:00 +0000

On March 4, 1933 Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn into office as the thirty second president of the United States. It was a difficult and dark time for America, families were loosing their savings as banks failed, farmers were loosing their farms and homes to foreclosure and unemployment was at record highs that have not been seen since. To help reassure the American people Roosevelt uttered the following words during his first inaugural address to reassure the people.

Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

Today, many of us face difficult times, similar to what our parents and grandparents faced back in the early 1930’s. During the past two years we have witnessed high unemployment, several hundred bank failures, along with the closure of household name companies that we grew up with and thousands of home foreclosures, our very livelihood as real estate agents has been threatened and the way we have done business has changed. When our new President takes office in January, seventy Six years will have past since Roosevelt’s historic and first inauguration speech.

Author John Maxwell in his book The Difference Maker writes; every generation in human history has experienced fear. It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. After they disobeyed God and He called to them, Adam answered, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Fear is part human nature, it always has been.

Fear is a destructive force in ones life. The root of the word fear comes from the old English word faer, literally meaning a sudden attack, and is akin to the Old High German word fara meaning ambush or snare. That is what fear does to us; it attacks us and makes us captive.

In The Difference Maker John Maxwell tells a story of a census taker who came across many “Beware of Dog” signs as he was driving down a country road. At the gate of the last address on his list, he saw another “Beware of Dog” sign as he entered a farmyard near a barn.

Afraid to get out of his car, he honked his horn, and soon a man came out of the barn with a small Chihuahua at his heels.

When the census taker was done asking his questions and filling out his paperwork, he mentioned how many beware of dog signs he had seen and asked, “Is this the dog all the signs are about.

“Yup, sure is,” the farmer replied, picking up the friendly dog.

“But that dog couldn’t keep anyone away.”

I know said the farmer, “but the signs sure do.” The lesson is that fear is like a warning sign that makes us afraid of a dog that cannot hurt us!

Harry Truman thirty third president of the United States, remarked, “The worst danger we face is the danger of being paralyzed by doubts and fears. This danger is brought on by those who abandon faith and sneer at hope. It is brought on by those who spread cynicism and distrust and try to blind us to our great chance to do good for all mankind.”

Fear and anxiety are deliberating emotions. They are interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe. And they undermine faith in ourselves, in others, and in God.

Fear /Faith
Weakens / Strengthens
Imprisons / Liberates
Paralyses / Empowers
Disheartens / Encourages
Sickens / Heals

The next time you begin to feel fear address it immediately and you will conquer it. And remember the next time fear begins to take you captive that it’s not from God, as He takes no prisoners.

And The Page Is Never Done

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:52:00 +0000

I recently listened to a Jack Welch audio What Makes a Leader? (Unabridged) Jack talks about finishing a page for one of his books where he actually rewrote the page 32 times. I guess you can call that excellence. We all know of Jack Welch’s leadership and how General Electric became a world player under him.

There is no doubt that Jack Welch was an accomplished leader and businessman, but what made him exceptional was his passion for excellence, not only for himself , he tolerated nothing less from those he led.

Excellence comes from preparation, the successful always review and re review prior to any appointment, they are constantly tweaking their listing presentation and their systems to make them operate more efficiently. They go the extra mile for their customers, their team and of course themselves.

A the leader your page is never done, it is always up to you to make sure that your team has taken care of the small details simply because the buck stops at the end of your page.

If You Aspire to High Levels A Rigourous Reader You Must Be

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Lyon, CRB, CRS) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:15:00 +0000

If you aspire to high levels, Brad Anderson CEO of Best Buy say’s you must be a rigorous reader. I have no doubt about those words of wisdom and neither should you. It is not a guarantee that by reading you will get to the very top but, it is a certainty that if you are not a reader you will not go very far. .

Here at Lyon we have begun a library and I have challenged the associates to read 10 books in the next six months as I know how that will begin to transform their lives. On that day a few weeks ago Patrick Ferry, the son of Mike Ferry the highly paid real estate coach and trainer was in our office promoting an upcoming Mike Ferry Seminar coming to Fort Lauderdale. Patrick told me during a conversation that his father was an avid reader and he believed that he has read somewhere in the neighborhood of four thousand books, maybe a slight exaggeration, but no doubt that Mike is reader. No wonder thousands of us pay him thousands of dollars per month to be coached by him. If you read just 50 books over the next 2 years, your stock will begin to rise.

So I ask why don’t more of us read? The answer probably lies in the lack of self discipline. Author John C. Maxwell says’s that in order to trade up, you must have something to sacrifice. So I ask, what will you sacrifice, an hour of, TV or maybe an hour of sleep to get to your higher level, but that of course is only if you aspire
to it.