Saturday, October 24, 2009

My Best Day Ever


Well here we are October 23rd 2009. This was the best day I've ever had in real estate. We picked up cheques today from the lawyers totaling over $70,000. I thought last year when I received my commission for listing and selling a property for $1,450,000 ($54,000 commission) that that would be the best day I would ever have. Note: The $70,000 was all mine. No other agents or companies were involved. Needless to say we are in great shape for the coming winter and our firm has handled this recession with flying colours. The last two years are the best we've had in memory in over 30 years. We've accomplished this with more competition than we've ever had with all the big franchise's working in our market place. We do a lot of business on exclusive so most of our business is done under the radar so to speak (Not recorded on MLS). All our competitor's do everything on MLS so I can accurately compare our numbers to theirs. I know that my personal production so far (around 70 ends) is more than most offices with 10 or more sales people. So far I have saved my customers this year over $40,000 by listing and selling their properties on exclusive. They say happy wife happy life. In real estate I say happy customer happy life and a successful business.
Early in my career I thought if I were successful my competitors would admire and respect me. That was a misconception . As my career progressed I was often distressed by the personal attacks my competition continually made about my character and ability. Then I listened to Donald Trumps's "Think Big and Kick Ass" book on audio tape. He made this comment " Why would you be concerned if your competition doesn't treat you with respect ?'
He said " In the old west everyone always wanted to shoot the fastest gun." That statement helped me put things in the proper perspective. Now when some salesperson with 3 months experience gives me a hard time. I just grin and bear it. No I actually laugh all the way to the bank as I wait the short time it takes them to fail and leave the business. You see if there is anything I have learned about people it is that you always treat them with respect and never judge them. Everyone you meet can teach you something but only if you treat them with respect. Many brokers make the mistake of convincing new sales people that their company and sales people are so much better than the competition that they do not treat them with respect. I believe we all reap what we sow. Appreciation is the greatest human want. WHY ?? Because appreciation is so rare . Appreciation starts with respect for another persons point of view.

Well that's all for now. Have a great fall. I'm off to show a house !!!!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

How To Make Money In Real Estate


I was talking with a customer the other day . (He has bought over $2,000,000 worth of real estate through me in the past two years.) He said he would never consider any real estate transaction without my involvement. Now this is a knowledgable well educated man. I asked him why ? He said to me. Larry you do not even realize your own ability. You can look at any situation in a real estate transaction and come up with a viable commonsense solution that actualy works for both sides. Over the years you have developed the ability to analyze and solve problems that borders on genius. This genius is based on your uncanny ability to understand people and explain things to them in a way that they can understand it. You are the absolute best problem solver I have ever met. You are a genius at solving problems and I would never get involved in a real estate transaction with out you on my side.
Now that is quite a compliment . Especialy since I normaly refer to myself as "The big ugly guy with a beard" . My daughter Natasha (who is my assisstant and has been my right hand for many years) has often suggested I start a web site to teach others the skills I have learned over the years. So I have decided to use this blog as my venue to start . Now I realize there are many Guru's you can follow who promote their ability to make money and charge you big bucks for their supposed secrets. Usualy they make more money selling hope and dreams to people than actual money making secrets that have actualy worked for them. Of course if they have been successful they tend to leave out the part about how hard it is to succeed in anything . (That is the first fact of Life you need to understand) My daughter has also said I should call my site runagade realtor (tm) or rebel realtor (tm) because I never do anything the way other real estate people do. That is true to a certain point. The truth is I study what is working for other people and then rework what I learn to suit myself and my goals. After I rework it it may appear to be radicly different but what I do is always based on research of some technique that has worked before. (I do not try to re-invent the wheel)
Most people conform to society
Radical people try to get society to conform to them
Thus most change is initiated by radical people.
If you do what everyone else does you end up where everyone else ends up!
90% of the money made in real estate sales is made by 10% of the people and some industry experts are claiming that is closer to 95% and 5% now.
That's enough for now. Think about what I've said. I am going to be posting some of what I've learned and I am in that 5% if you are interested and want to follow my blog. I have to get going as my wife is waiting but it is Thanks Giving Week End and have a great Thanks Giving . Talk Soon