Viewing by month: August 2009
Real estate and ethics
Demanding ethical behavior from people is not a big ask, regardless of which industry you work in, what walk of life you come from, or who you work for or with. I’ve posted before about some of the less than flattering stereotypes that real estate agents have garnered over the years, and sadly due to the actions of some less than scrupulous individuals, deceit and lack of...Read complete post
GFC solutions
I thought since today is Friday I’d write about something incredibly serious to take us into the weekend. Namely the GFC and our current recovery from it. Because I’ve just been reading about this and it’s relevant to the real estate market, and since the weekend is a time to chill out I thought I’d purge my stressful thoughts here so I can skip to the pub...Read complete post
The art of negotiating
For many people the thought of negotiating can result in a cold sweat and even contemplating saying anything other than a straight “yes” is simply not an option. But to be a good salesperson or marketer, which is essential in this little game of real estate, you’re going to need to be able to master different sales negotiation skills.Read complete postDealing with procrastination
There’s a little term that starts with P which refers to something most of us embrace wholeheartedly more often than we should. Amazingly it’s not Pinot Gris, although the frequency with which I embrace that P comes pretty close for me. I’m talking about procrastination. We all do it. We put things off that we shouldn’t and we wait days to do something...Read complete post
Real estate basics
Everywhere you look there are conflicting reports and opinions on the real estate market. Some say it’s a great time to invest in real estate, others say to stay away. Some say the first home buyers are the only buyers, others say investors are starting to go head to head with this group. But as I have said before, regardless of which opinion you listen to, if investing in...Read complete post
Real estate in the online world
In the not so distant past if you’d mentioned real estate and the internet in the same sentence people would have thought you were crazy. For a long time many even in the industry thought the two had nothing to do with each other. But how things have changed! Not only do the majority of home hunters head online as their first port of call to search available properties, but...Read complete post
Real estate truths
I’ve mentioned before how important honesty is in the real estate game. I’ve also blogged about stereotypes linked to certain professions, and that sometimes telling the truth isn’t right up there when people think of real estate agents. When it comes to the people I work with at Century 21, I am confident in saying this is a myth. I like to tell the truth, and...Read complete post
The joy of garage sales
One thing that often accompanies a move to a new home is getting rid of things you decide you no longer need. Some people throw everything straight out, others take bags of unwanted items to charity stores or drop points, and others endure the pain of the garage sale. Read complete postMistakes in real estate
I blogged yesterday about how important it is to keep a sense of humour when it comes to business because it shows your human element, and it doesn’t mean sacrificing your professionalism. Thinking about this made me realize something, and that’s although people want you to be human, they seldom accept that you make mistakes. Interesting concept isn’t it!...Read complete post
Serious business still requires humour
There’s a line about life being too important to take seriously, or something in that vein at least, and it’s an interesting thought to apply to work. Working in real estate, we’re dealing with what is an incredibly important decision for many people. With this in mind, of course you need to approach your employment in the real estate industry with professionalism, but I’ve...Read complete post