Paul's Point of View

e-PRO for REALTORS--Hip or Hype?

2008-07-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

I just came back from a 90 minute presentation that was suppose to be all about e-PRO, a certification endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS. I actually went to an e-PRO course when it first came about about 5 or 6 years ago at our National Convention.

First understand that I am all about technology and want to absorb everything web 2.0 that is out there. When I first went to the presentation 5 years ago, I was not impressed. They could not explain what it was or what you would really learn for that matter. What I was told was, it will give you more certifications behind your name and that will impress people with your knowledge. I could not believe my ears.

Today however, I was going to give it another chance. I am an education junkie who can't get enough about this real estate business. But what I got was about 10 minutes explanation of e-PRO which still did not explain anything other than it does not to appear to have been updated in the last 5 Years and once you are certified you are certified for life! Please! That means those who have an email account are on top of technology? If this is the image we are giving to our customers, I think I will pass. For almost $400, I would expect the latest information out there, not how to do social networking....oops! Social networking is not covered in e-PRO; but may be one day in e-PRO 2 according to today's presenter.

One very telling thing about this program is that for a intense online course, no one can seem to explain how it will benefit me and make me more productive as a REALTOR. I would think that for such an "intense" course, one could easily talk about the benefits for 90 minutes or longer. Instead, I heard about things that are not even offered in the course (which was good information, just not relevant).

I would love to tell you that e-PRO would be great for beginner's and expert users alike as was stated, but since I am still unsure of what the darn thing is I think I will use the $400 to buy more great books on CS3, fill my SUV full of gas, and continue learning about web 2.0 & 3.0 via the old fashioned way....

It is changing again?

2008-03-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Drizzle.

Ice.

Fog.

Snow.

Sleet.

More Ice.

Just downright cold.

75 degrees.

How can one city experience all of these climate changes in one month? With all the weather changes people wonder why I get cranky? Ok, the fact is I just love the later on the list. The rest, well, not so much. But when you live in Missouri (which really is great state) it constantly changes. Thus, we Missourians probably have the biggest mood swings of anyone. Just look who we have endorsed as our Presidential candidate(s) on both sides of the tickets. When we did our primary it was cold so our votes were cold; today if the vote was taken our chosen candidates would be different. Why, because it was sunny and we were happier today. Besides, we constantly change our minds, I believe, because of how the weather affects us.

So while I ramble with these strange and odd thoughts, just hope it doesn't snow tomorrow or there is no telling what I will write.

Are you Entitled?

2008-02-09T03:47:00.001-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people that I come in contact with that really and truly believe that they are "entitled" to something. You know the person, because they are alive and breathing they deserve to have this or that. I recently had a tenant that had just moved out of the home she was renting from us and wanted her security deposit back. I am one of those landlords that absolutley want to give every dime back to a tenant because that would mean they left the home in a clean undamaged condition and thus, I would not have to do anything to it.

But in this case, the woman had damaged the vinyl floor in the kitchen. She had dragged something across it and created a cut in the floor about 10" long. It was right in the middle of the kitchen floor and the vinyl was new when she moved in. I hated to do it but I had to charge he for the cost to repair the floor. Now that sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

She looked and me and said, "You have more than I do so you should not charge me for this!"
This is wrong on so many levels. What happened to responsibility? She was not denying that she caused the damage or that she caused the rip in the floor. But because her perception was that I had more, therefore she was "entitled" not to pay.

Life seems to be this way more now than ever before. Everyone wants to do what they want to do without having to pay for it. And to sum it all up, a tenant yesterday stated to me "I know the pet fee was non-refundable, but my pets didn't do anything and therefore I want it back."

Paul Dizmang

Treaspassers Will Be Violated

2008-01-14T04:13:00.000-08:00

As I approached the front door I knew something was not quite right. I could just sense it. I knocked. Not a sound could be heard. I made the decision to enter the home since the tenant had not paid rent and it would appear that he had moved. No big deal I have done this many times before. It was then I noticed the hand written sign beside the door, "Trespassers will be Violated." I laughed. Did he mean to say it that way?

I put the key in the deadbolt lock, gently turned the key and began to open the door. BOOM! The entire steel door fell backwards flat on the floor. Now ordinarily, these kinds of things don't bother me much. But I was so caught off guard by this that I screamed like a little girl. Then I laughed. Laughed a lot. Ok, it's just a door. But as always, I was in a hurry and now I have to deal with this broken door not to mention the mess inside. The tenant busted out the entire door jam and left. Looks like another $300 because someone just didn't care.

Although I can never explain why some people live the way they do, like in this case, but I suppose it does give guys like me employment. Another day, another mess to clean up.

Tenants Getting Screwed

2007-11-19T19:57:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that I, as a landlord, think that tenants are getting screwed. Usually a landlord gets a bad rap as the "slumlord" for not taking care of a property when in fact the tenants have destroyed the home. Like the lady who was complaining of mold in her home when in fact she never reported the toilet leaking and also never and I mean never, cleaned the bathroom in over a year. What does one expect?

But this time, in this one event, tenants are getting the shaft. Investors that thought real estate was the best get quick scheme out there, many flocked to the market buying homes and then renting the properties to make huge profits. Then the unthinkable has happened. The market went down.

So many so called "investors" got stuck with poor investments from their own bad choices and thus here comes the bad guys taking the homes back; those nasty lenders. Since the would-be-investors couldn't make the payments, the tenants get screwed finding out they have to move out with virtually no notice. Shame on them.

It is one thing when notice is given to a tenant to move, but when a foreclosure happens the tenants could be out on the street even though they had paid their payments on time. In this ever changing environment, it is becoming possible for tenants wanting information about the landlord/owner and their financial position. It has always been assumed that the landlord owned the home and as long as the tenants took care of the property and paid the rent on time all was fine. But with this new breed of investors out there, tenants need to be cautious who they rent from or they possibly could be out on the street with no fault of their own.

Grease is Normal Wear and Tear

2007-11-06T05:24:00.001-08:00

As a landlord, I am constantly hearing tenants tell me what is "normal wear and tear". It is so funny what people come up with when they are desperate. Here are a few recent tenant statements when they had just moved out about their final walkthru:

1. "Burn holes in the carpet since it is ok to smoke in the home."

2. "I had to move the fridge and just because there is a 2 foot tear in the vinyl, you should not charge me because it is normal wear and tear."

3. "Those grease hand prints on the wall are totally normal wear and tear."

4. "Doesn't everybody park in the front yard?" (killed the grass and major ruts)

5. "You were going to clean the carpets anyway, right?"

6. "That hole in the wall was an accident. You can't charge me for accidents."

7. "The wind just blew the storm door right off the home."

8. "Those were not my fleas. They must have come in right after I left"

9. "It was that way (damaged items, many) when we moved in" (it was a brand new home)

10. And my favorite, "If you won't charge me now, I will come back and clean it next week"

There are thousands more, and each time it keeps getting better. I don't understand why people won't take responsibility for their own actions. That's why we document everything.

I have no doubt there will be more to come!

Paul

Change is hard.

2007-09-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Everyday things change. The weather, the tire pressure in my truck that for some reason keeps going down, my grass which is finally starting to come back, and of course our business. It is amazing to me how the real estate business has changed in the last several years; months for that matter.

I was teaching a class this morning to real estate agents about how to use our MLS computer system. Questions were being asked just like normal, until one woman wanted to know more about how to "sell" real estate. It was interesting because of the fact that when you get right down to it, we sell homes just the way we always have thru personal relationships. With all of the internet technology and Web 2.0 which gives us ways to make ourselves more exposed, it is still a relationship business. I love the internet and the new emerging technology that is out there which constantly changes. It is difficult if not impossible to keep up with it all, but it sure is fun trying.

But when it comes to the actual selling of real estate do we need all of this technology? Absolutely. We need it because our clients demand it and quite frankly, they deserve it. The old way of just putting a sign up in a yard, running a newspaper ad (which never really worked anyway), and putting it in the multi-list system is just not enough.

Many agents out there struggle because they don't embrace the "changed" way of doing business. A super duper great friend of mine said, "it is all in video," and she is right. Video is the way to go because it makes it personal for buyers to see what they are buying and see everything they are buying, not just a few still photos taken at strategic angles.

Change. A hard thing for all of us, well, maybe not so hard. Or at least it doesn't have to be. We as agents just need to embrace change and look at it as a great opportunity rather than a curve ball.

I hate "busy"

2007-08-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

What does “busy” mean anyway? Constantly I hear, “I would have done that or been there but I was busy.” Busy? Seems like it is the new buzzword that everyone is using when in actuality they just forgot or it was not high on their priority list. Why is it that by saying "I was busy" that all of the sudden everyone else is suppose to understand that and say, “Oh, I am so sorry I didn’t realize that you were busy.”

I went to have my truck serviced and it was supposed to be done in a few hours. When I called 6 hours later, I was told, “well it is not done yet because we got busy.” What does that mean! Does it meant that everyone else was more important that me? Or is it easier to say that phrase than the real truth; they screwed up and overbooked their appointments.

Webster defines busy as "engaged in action" or "full of distracting detail." Dizmang defines it as "I have more important things in front of you."

We are all busy doing something and to put one’s importance over another and then trying to cover it up is not appropriate. Why can’t we just tell it how it really is. I think most people would understand better and be just fine with the truth.

So you will never hear me say, I couldn’t do that or do this because I was busy. You might however hear me say, I would have done it quicker but had to stay in the bathroom longer than expected due to the Mexican Buffett.

I can't believe I went to a Midnight Movie

2007-08-03T00:11:00.000-07:00

I love to go to the movies but I never do. It is just one of those things that I just never seem to have time to do. Believe it or not, I see the larger silver screen about once per year usually on a holiday or something like that. But tonight it was Bourne Ultimatum night. http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/thebourneultimatum/

This is one of those guy kind of movies. Lots of action, car chases and crashes, special effects, and one tough dude. One cannot miss that! So, I made a pot of coffee, drank it to stay awake and off I went. It is now 2:30 a.m. and I am pumped (probably mostly pumped full of caffeine) so I can't sleep.

I loved it. Not much on dialogue, my wife would probably hate it, but I want to see it again and I never do that. If you have not seen the previous 2 movies, I recommend that you do before seeing this one or it won't make quite as much sense. Then again, anyone going to a midnight movie and then getting up at 5:45 am for work the next day doesn't have much sense anyway.

Hope you enjoy it!

I Never Return Phone Calls

2007-08-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Each day I receive over 100 emails, 30 to 50 phone calls, and numerous people in and out of the office each and every day. No big deal really, a typical day for a real estate investment specialist and property manager.

Today, was no different. Unfortunately, since it is impossible for me to talk everyone at one time, the caller has to leave a message in my voice mail. I hate that, but it is the best option I have. What is so funny are the people who leave messages like, "I have called 4 times and you have not called me back; what kind of business are you running?" "Do you ever return calls?" My favorite, "Hey Paul, are you still alive, I have called 4 times in the last hour and you still have not called me back." In all of these cases, the caller forgot one important fact; they never left their phone number! I had no way to contact them.

I am so amazed at the number of people that take the time to leave a message and yet not leave a return phone number. What does one do? I think I just need to change my voicemail message to, "Hi this is Paul, please leave your name and number, or you are an idiot."

Glad that didn't happen

2007-07-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

Whew! Sometimes we want something to happen so bad that we are willing to do anything to get it. We dream, beg, pray to God, anything to get what we want. We know it is exactly what will rock our world, make us happy, be the Thing that we always wanted. Then, it does not come to pass. Thank God for miracles.

If everything we wished for came true, we would be more screwed up than we already are. A friend of mine recently wanted a job opportunity to come to him. It did. They offered and he contemplated. He really wanted this job. It was the ticket. It was his dream. Travel, good income, status and fame. But there was one thing that stood in his way so he decided to decline. He hated that. He did not want to, but he had to say no. Three weeks later the company went down the drain. Out of business. Whew! Glad that didn't happen. He is so thankful that what he thought he wanted did not happen.

As I prepare to make some big changes and expand our business, I pray that God will guide me and make smart decisions that benefit all of our customers and clients, and my staff. I love having that burning desire to take a risk and make that dream come true. But I have to be cautious, prepared, and think smart. Thank goodness for a wonderful wife and insightful friends to guide me along the way. Together, this new venture will be a great journey. I will keep you up to date.

New Again!

2007-07-16T21:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, the smoke smell is gone. After many months of long hard work, it is so nice to see the home that was gutted fire and the remaining fragments torn down, back up in even a better state than before. I know it is just a house, but when you have put so much effort and planning into a neighborhood and one of your babies has been destroyed, it hurts.

But now, she's back. Shiny and new; perfect. I still remember that panicked phone call at 4 in the morning, running over there to see the destruction. Just a memory. Just a house. Still our baby.

With the new tenants ready to move in, one can hope that all of us have a learned something from this experience; there really are heroes out there who care about people http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frtX7Shj6kg , fire can kill, and never ever disable a smoke detector.

Now we go on, looking to the future, but never forgetting.

Can't get away!

2007-07-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is great to get away from the daily stress of our ever so busy lives. I know, I know, I am busy because I choose to be. Nevertheless, I packed one duffel bag, grabbed the wife and off we went to Punta Cana, D.R. for the weekend. A long weekend on a sun drenched beach lined with palm trees. I love palm trees. The reality is, in this business one never gets truly away from it. While laying on the beach, I couldn't help reading lots of magazines about Web 2.0 and constantly making notes of what I was going to do when I got back. Although I did not have a phone that worked, nor a computer, I did resort to the old fashioned way. I just couldn't help it.

Now don't get me wrong, it was really nice making notes on the beach and I can't wait to do it again, but when you get right down to it, I was ready to come back and dig in. There are many challenges in front of me this year; bring it on.

So I can't really get away completely, but then again, I really don't want to. I love what I do, and the people around me. Sometimes, you just have to get away to see it.

Thanks to all who made it possible, my wife, my great friends, my staff, and my son who I think I owe a father/son outing one day soon.

Do I exist?

2007-06-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

I just came across a site and thought, this might be interesting. This site will tell you how many people have the same name as you in the U.S. "Well that would be weird for someone to have my name since it is so different," I thought. Little did I know that according to the U.S. Census Bureau, I don't even exist. But I can assure you, according to the IRS I do.

How many people have your name?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

My Very First Rental Property

2007-06-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

It's pretty exciting when you become a multiple homeowner for the first time. It can also be really scary too for first time investors that are investing in rental property. I remember when I bought my first rental home in Bartlesville, OK over 20 years ago. My wife and I were scared of how we were going to supplement the rent if it sat vacant, or what if we had a major repair?? How would we ever deal with that??

Well, I'm here to tell you that these feelings are all very common. I can be your coach, I can be your guide in this real estate jungle and I can also be your voice of reason if you are considering purchasing rental property. I have been investing in properties myself for the last 20+ years, and I also manage over 160 units, owned by other investors, here in Springfield. I can talk you thru the process and let you know what you can expect, I can help you with financing and most of all, I can be your REALTOR to purchase that home. Just contact me and we can chat about it or visit my web site at www.getpaul.com for more information.

By the way...it's not as scary as you think. :)

I'm tired of Ice!

2007-01-18T04:03:00.000-08:00

I love those hot summer days when I am sitting outside enjoying the warm air, the smell of the steak sizzling on the grill and that cold drink with lots of ice in my right hand; lots of ice please! But too much of a good thing can be a catastrophe.

As you have probably seen by now in our video podcast, we are in an ice storm. Everywhere you look there is ice. It is actually pretty to see it as the shrubs and trees take new shapes and the ice shimmers with many colors kind of like a prism. But that is only if you look closely, because if you look at what it has done to our area, it is devastating. It looks like a bomb has gone off right in the heart of the city.

When the storm hit, ice blanketed everything. It was interesting to watch at first, then as it started to accumulate the damage started to begin. The ice stuck to every kind of plant, shrub, and tree; oh the trees! Those beautiful wonderful trees just could not handle all of the weight and branches began to drop, one, two, then thousands upon thousands came crashing down. The sky continued to have blue flashes everywhere as the power transformers began to explode. All of the sudden, it was dark.

Thousands of people, around 70,000 in Springfield alone were without power. No power, no heat. It will back come on I know it will, it always does! But this time, 8 days later and still thousands upon thousands are still sitting in the dark, cold, wary, and very irritable.

We are coming, I keep telling everyone; and we are as fast as my body will allow. I will not give up, I will not quit, and I will continue to take care of my owners and tenants alike. However, the tenant with the bedroom door that won't close just right is going to have to wait. Somehow I just don't think it is that big of a priority.

FIRE!

2007-01-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

Well it finally happened. After 20 years of managing real estate investments, we had a fire. Not some little fire mind you, a real flame coming out of the roof kind of fire. One so hot that the heat from it melted the two cars in the driveway.

On January 5th about 5:30 am I get the emergency call all property managers fear. "Sir we have a fire." I immediately jumped out of bed, got dressed and out the door I ran. I called my office manager who also hurried to get to the home. Not knowing what to expect, it was an eerie site. As I approached the neighborhood, one could see the lights from the emergency vehicles at least a half mile away. There were 10 fire trucks, 2 ambulances, police cars, Fire Marshall, and 31 firemen. They were prepared. Truly a sight to see.

We are very blessed that no one was killed. Yes, killed. Within 90 seconds, that's right 1 1/2 minutes or less from having fatalities. If it was not for our hero of the day, Mike, this whole thing would be much different. You see, we always think of the damage the fire does, but often forget about the carbon monoxide that is emitted from the fire. Sometimes, people just don't wake up.

The home had smoke detectors, 4 of them actually, but the tenants took them apart rather than have to deal with that annoying beeping noise that tells us to change the battery. That little annoyance, almost cost these tenants there lives.

This experience teaches me how fragile life can be and to look for and appreciate every detail of my life, including the little things. Some times little annoyances can be big blessings in disguise, and I hope I never overlook them.

Investor or Idiot?

2006-12-28T04:28:00.000-08:00

Real Estate Investors amaze me. First I suppose we need to define what an "investor" is. Most people consider themselves one if they plop down a few thousand and buy a home. Congratulations, you own a home therefore you are an investor. Please. You own money pit that will drain you dry.

At best you are just ignorant or you are an idiot. In the last year or so I have seen more people come up with the oddest strategy to determining if a property is a good value. They will do everything to make a home work, except doing the math. One buyer recently said, "This home is so pretty, everyone would want to live here so this has to be a good buy." She will probably be in the middle of a foreclosure in about 12 months.

An investor is one who has studied the market, the home to be purchased, understand what rate of return is and how to figure it. They are making, that's right, making their money work for them. This is not guess work, it is having an understanding of the environment around you. All aspects, from the job economy, industry statistics, the mechanics of the homes, and the true cash on cash value.

I have seen more people get into the real estate investing game in the last few years than ever before. I have also seen more people loose their shirt because of having insomnia and getting sucked into late night TV. There is nothing easy about real estate investing. The pros at it make it look easy. That's why they are pros. They understand how the market reacts, what the public wants, and they do their homework.

Real Estate can be the best investment one can make. It can also be the worst. I just met with a couple who lost, yes lost, over $50,000 when they had to sell a duplex. They didn't know what they were doing when they bought it, and it wiped them out. "Real Estate always goes up in value," they said. "That was an expensive lesson," I responded.

You can do this real estate investing venture. Just learn. Find someone who is not just a real estate agent, but one who knows investing. Most real estate agents are not investment strategist! I can help. If you decide that investing is for you, call me or email me and I can send you some names of people that can assist in your area.

End of an Era

2006-12-24T04:45:00.000-08:00

We knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but yesterday December 23, 2006 was that day. Bea Black also known as Mimi, was laid to rest in Norman Oklahoma. She was the only grandmother I really knew even though she wasn't mine by blood, she was my wife's. She was 94.

Mimi was full of life, spirit, and creativity. I remember when I first met her 21 years ago and I thought this woman is no ordinary grandmother. She was vibrant and colorful, she even wore a turban the our wedding. But the thing I remember when I first met her was she accepted me with open arms. She wrapped her arms around me, which made me nervous at that time, and said, "welcome to the family and pay no attention to that man over there." She was speaking of her husband, A.D. who was known for razzing new green members of the family. She was supportive. She was caring. She was loving. She was Mimi.

As we were leaving Norman Oklahoma, we realized we may not come back. Although it is a town full of memories, the remaining family members have moved to different locations and have paved the way for other new families to begin their legacy. The Blacks were fine people. We loved them very much; will miss them but know that they too have gone on to be with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I will never forget her.

Technorati

2006-11-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

Technorati Profile

A Great Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T05:01:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving. Now it is not that I am trying to be all sappy, but quite frankly, I am so thankful for everything around me. Today is the day that my parents will be driving 4 hours to come spend time, have a great meal, and reminisce about the past. I love that. Time is so limited and I do not want to waste one moment, rather embrace every second and enjoy it to the fullest. I love my mom, dad, family and friends, and nothing makes me happier than to sit and enjoy their presence. Although, sometimes those past old time stories haunt me when told in front of my friends. But, that's what makes them parents.

I hope today, that you too make the most of this day. Time to relax, slow down, and enjoy the family. Ethel Mumford once said, "God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends." All of our families can be quirky, but they are family. That is what makes them so special. So for the rest of this day, I am going to be sappy. Say nice things, think of the past, but then tomorrow, I go back to work and hope that all these memories will never be lost.

Evoloution of a City

2006-11-23T04:50:00.000-08:00

New Orleans is quite a city. Nothing else quite like it. As I arrived here, it is quite evident that the damage from Hurricane Katrina is still ever looming. I guess after a year and half, I expected things to be more back to normal than they are. It was bigger than I ever imagined, and quite frankly it is hard to describe. We all have seen the horrific photos with people stranded on rooftop screaming for help, but now we just see desolate building boarded up from one of the worst disasters this generation has ever seen.

Now don’t get me wrong, lots of progress has been made, but there is a long way to go. I really have not heard much about New Orleans lately, mainly since bigger news stories have come along. But this city is coming back, and it will blossom like it never has before. As I look around at some of the devastation, there are buildings with big red X marks on the doors when they were hunting for survivors and those not so fortunate. It is an eerie experience here quite hard to describe, yet something about it shows a strong backbone community that will not die.

With only about 20% of the city inhabitable those that are here have heart. They love who they are and where they are. They have had a hard knock, but are fighting back with a vengeance. It actually is inspiring to see how something can go so low, and then fight to be better than before. I have never experience such a tragedy and hope I don’t, but if I do I can only hope I have the courage to fight back the way so many of these individuals have.

Although visiting this city again is different than the last time I was here, the heart of the people still remain. Devastation is everywhere and one could totally understand once seeing what I have seen why one would want to just quit and go on, but these people are fighters. They take great pride in their city, and it shows. I only hope that when disaster strikes in our lives that we can be as strong as those who are there in New Orleans now, committed to rebuilding the past.

A New Day

2006-11-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

It's 5 a.m., the start of a new day. I am here in Overland Park Kansas(just over the border from Kansas City), waiting for the next cup of brew to be ready. Today is one for me that I am not sure how to approach. Normally, I want to learn, find something new,see something I have never seen however small or insignificant it might be to others. It has to do with that longing to be creative. Finding that treasure that others might overlook as they whiz down the highway trying to get to their destination as fast as humanly possible.

Yesterday, as I was driving up here from Springfield, there was a horrific wreck where a semi-truck and a car had collided and overturned. There were no less than 10 emergency vehicles attending to the scene, and I could not help by think how that could have been me. Or you. Although I don't know the circumstances, it was quite apparent that someone was in too big of a hurry, not paying attention, or maybe leaned over to pick up the fallen item on the floorboard. Tragic.

I can't help but reflect that in our daily lives we just don't stop enough to be thankful for what we have, who we love, and where we are. It appears that one is constantly trying to push harder in life and business to succeed. Succeed? Succeed how?

Success means different things to different people. Most people I have met look at it as wealth, and ignore the very best things they could ever have which are right in front of them and taken for granted. Love, friendship, and health. Yes, I know, so obvious, yet often overlooked. We worry way to much about building wealth and therefore our focus is swayed. A very smart man once told me that if you focus your business on the people and their needs, go way out of your way to serve them, the money will come. Never, ever put the money decisions before the peoples needs. Easy to say, but harder to do. Funny thing is, our lives are not that much different. If we focus on the ones we love, the love will come right back to us.

A new day. Yes, the day is in front of me, I do not want to look back tomorrow and regret today. I want to live today and enjoy every breath that I have. My son and I will be together all day. We will play, shop, swim, and even go to a ballroom dance competition to see "mom" compete. She is a great dancer by the way. We will look for new things and meet new people that will enhance our lives. We will smile at everyone we meet, hoping that little gesture will make them smile too, as if to say, it's all going to be fine.

Tomorrow will be a long day. Up at 3:30, off to airport for an early flight to New Orleans for the Real Estate convention. I can't wait to learn more, and enjoy every moment along the way. If I happen to run into you, make sure you smile and say Hi, because even this optimistic guy gets worn out too.

Sometimes, Pain is good

2006-11-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Free Hearts - ClipartSpace.com

I never liked pain very much. Somehow, it just doesn't feel that great. There is the physical type like an illness, a broken heart (I hate that one), and the pain that comes with growth.

As our business has grown, we have had to adapt to all kind of different things I never even thought of. For years I have been going to hunderds of seminars and conventions, and yet none really have taught us how to manage the increased busineess they teach us to obtain. Keeping it all together and still providing the same great service can be a challenge. So how do we get knocked down, and still pull it all together?

Delegation is the key. Assistants are critical to growth as they can assist the agent do many of the daily tasks that one cannont do in a single day. But even with assistants, growth comes with pain. Just as in a relationship, pain is never fun, but we learn. Learn to adapt, change, and grow some more. We have to be willing to allow them to succed on their own, let them fly if you will. We have to train our staff to see the vision, see the future, and grab it. Although I hate the pain and heartache, I wouldn't have it any other way.

For example, in our market a small local bank started a few years ago with one location, gave great service that everyone loved,so the word spread. A few years later, the same great service that built the bank to multiple locations turned into just another large bank with automated lines, less overall service and higher fees. Growth can be great, but sometimes with a cost. This is why we as agents are committed to provide PADM serice in every transaction. Promise a lot, deliver more.

As we grow, never forget who is really in charge, and quite frankly, who should be.

Bring out the hats! Time to plan

2006-11-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

It is getting cold outside again and it is that time of year again for us. Plan, budget, create, and plan some more. We are looking toward 2007 which as hard as it is to believe, is almost here. Where did this year go? So, we evaluate everything we do; every checklist, file, accounting detail, client list, thing that went well, things that did not go quite as well as we had hoped, and so on. It is time to prepare.

November of each year is our National Realtor Convention in which this year is being held in New Orleans. Jay and Jessica left today and are arriving rested and ready for a full day tomorrow of learning the newest technology and ways to aid our clients to the best of our ability. I will be joining them but not until Sunday. I will be spending the weekend with my wife and son in Kansas City, where the above photo was taken (and let me tell you, it was cold!)

I must admit it, planning one, two, five years in advance is not an easy task for me. For some this is very easy, but for me, I want to know for sure what will happen and not speculate about something that is not certain. With the aid of great people and visionaries like Jessica, it makes seeing the possibilities easier. She is a great planner. She has the skills that everyone wishes they had.

So, if you too struggle with planning, goal setting, budgeting or whatever it may be, surround yourself with people that are good at those tasks. A simple thought it is, but few do it. Funny thing is, I am a great planner and visionary, as long as my staff is there with me showing me the way.