Friday, June 11, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Change to Change Your Life
Benjamin Franklin once said, "Never confuse motion with action". If you are frantically busy but not getting any closer to your goals, it might be time to ditch your routine and try some life changing habits.
I read that in a magazine lately and it really hit home with me. Todays real estate market is not what it used to be. It does not operate as it used to. In 2008 when the mortgage industry began to crumble and the stock market fell, things changed. We Realtor's had to re-learn the market, and marketing strategy. What worked before no longer worked. At the same time technology was changing. Our industry is constantly getting bombarded with new ways of marketing on the world wide web. What we paid hundreds of dollars to do 5 years ago is now free, but at the same time we are spending hundreds on new marketing avenues. You never know which strategy will be the next Google or IPhone.
Same goes with todays buyers. Yesterdays buyer might call from outside of a listing, or see it on the web and inquire. That buyer 5 years or even 2 years ago has changed. 95% of buyers are now looking online 1st. They might inquire about a property today, but may not make a purchase for 60,90, 180 even 365 or more days. It is the agent who responds first and who keeps in contact with them that gets the sale. So the amount of buyers I am trying to track to purchase has expanded 10 fold.
Daily there are many things that have to be done, and so managing the buyer leads is so overwhelming. In the past 2 years I have tried so many ways to keep track of them that I have lost track of some...who they are, what did they want? Are they still looking?
About 5 months ago I made the decision to give them more attention, get them into a manageable system, put them on automated email campaigns that keep me in contact with them, as well as automatically send them the latest property available. And what has occurred is that I am seeing those relationships develop into actual buyers...Granted it may only be 10% of the leads I am tracking. But regardless, they are buying and some are contacting me...which is the whole point!!
So here are some great ideas to keep up with your goals:
Use the rule of 5:
Make a list daily of your top 5 things you want to accomplish.
Make a list of the top 5 things you want to accomplish this year.
Last list the top 5 goals for your life.
Now make an action plan:
What do you have to do to make those things happen?
What is the obstable that stands in your way?
What will it take to get over or thru that obstacle?
Is it worth it?
Just Do it!
Go to bed early, Get up early. Take some time for reflection, excersize or study your Bible, it is still the best self help book you can buy. Excersize has been proven to help you succeed. Studies show that top CEO's regularly excersize.
Confront fear. Fear is still the largest deterent to success...once again, the Bible is the best self-help book on the market. It has sold billions of copies. If yours has a reference section, look up fear...it will give you lots of scripture.
Make the decision to start every day with the right attitude. As the saying goes, attitude is everything!!
I read that in a magazine lately and it really hit home with me. Todays real estate market is not what it used to be. It does not operate as it used to. In 2008 when the mortgage industry began to crumble and the stock market fell, things changed. We Realtor's had to re-learn the market, and marketing strategy. What worked before no longer worked. At the same time technology was changing. Our industry is constantly getting bombarded with new ways of marketing on the world wide web. What we paid hundreds of dollars to do 5 years ago is now free, but at the same time we are spending hundreds on new marketing avenues. You never know which strategy will be the next Google or IPhone.
Same goes with todays buyers. Yesterdays buyer might call from outside of a listing, or see it on the web and inquire. That buyer 5 years or even 2 years ago has changed. 95% of buyers are now looking online 1st. They might inquire about a property today, but may not make a purchase for 60,90, 180 even 365 or more days. It is the agent who responds first and who keeps in contact with them that gets the sale. So the amount of buyers I am trying to track to purchase has expanded 10 fold.
Daily there are many things that have to be done, and so managing the buyer leads is so overwhelming. In the past 2 years I have tried so many ways to keep track of them that I have lost track of some...who they are, what did they want? Are they still looking?
About 5 months ago I made the decision to give them more attention, get them into a manageable system, put them on automated email campaigns that keep me in contact with them, as well as automatically send them the latest property available. And what has occurred is that I am seeing those relationships develop into actual buyers...Granted it may only be 10% of the leads I am tracking. But regardless, they are buying and some are contacting me...which is the whole point!!
So here are some great ideas to keep up with your goals:
Use the rule of 5:
Make a list daily of your top 5 things you want to accomplish.
Make a list of the top 5 things you want to accomplish this year.
Last list the top 5 goals for your life.
Now make an action plan:
What do you have to do to make those things happen?
What is the obstable that stands in your way?
What will it take to get over or thru that obstacle?
Is it worth it?
Just Do it!
Go to bed early, Get up early. Take some time for reflection, excersize or study your Bible, it is still the best self help book you can buy. Excersize has been proven to help you succeed. Studies show that top CEO's regularly excersize.
Confront fear. Fear is still the largest deterent to success...once again, the Bible is the best self-help book on the market. It has sold billions of copies. If yours has a reference section, look up fear...it will give you lots of scripture.
Make the decision to start every day with the right attitude. As the saying goes, attitude is everything!!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Home Sales continue to show improvement
As April statistics come in, the numbers are good, and sales continue to be strong nationwide. See http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2010/05/ehs_april
Hoever, personally, I continue to struggle with the loan process, whether it is a local lender or one of the larger nationwide lenders. The buyers are out there, the amount of homes on market to support the buyers continues to be limited. Lenders still seem to be weary of taking a leap of faith with buyers. I can understand some hesitation, but the new federal laws that limit lending practices make life so difficult for the lender to make loans. Something has got to give.
Hoever, personally, I continue to struggle with the loan process, whether it is a local lender or one of the larger nationwide lenders. The buyers are out there, the amount of homes on market to support the buyers continues to be limited. Lenders still seem to be weary of taking a leap of faith with buyers. I can understand some hesitation, but the new federal laws that limit lending practices make life so difficult for the lender to make loans. Something has got to give.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
From NKBA: Green Gains Kitchen Fans
May 6, 2010 by Erica Christoffer
Filed under: Green Design By Barbara Ballinger, Architecture Coach columnist
Interest in going green and making homes sustainable continues to gain interest among manufacturers, vendors, design professionals, and home owners, as evidenced by the exhibits at the 47th annual National Kitchen & Bath Association’s industry show, held April 16-18 in Chicago. Brian M. Johnson's design won best sustainable kitchen at the 2010 National Kitchen & Bath Association’s industry show.
Brian M. Johnson, an architect and designer with Collaborative Design Architects in Billings, Montana, won for “Best Sustainable Kitchen” in the NKBA’s annual Design Competition, where winners were announced Friday, April 16. Johnson’s design paired warm woods (mahogany not sustainable but bamboo is), soft stone (soapstone in the radiant fireplace), natural light, stained concrete, and steel ductwork.
Though going green can cost 10 percent to 20 percent more on the front end than a traditional design, the payback can be worthwhile and occur within a relatively fast time frame, depending on choices, Johnson says. “It can occur within five years if it’s a green system such as radiant floor heating,” he says. Johnson recommends cutting costs to afford sustainability by taking advantage of some free green strategies and then spending judiciously; here’s the game plan:
Utilize free green strategies. It costs nothing more to give a house and kitchen a solar orientation, says Johnson. “Take advantage of passive cooling and heating by including enough doors and windows to allow in morning sun and afternoon cross-ventilation winds when weather permits,” he says. The winning kitchen design features bamboo cabinets and quartz countertops.
Spend judiciously on features that make a difference, but still are affordable. In this category, Johnson lumps switches that allow awnings to open when it’s hot outside or floors to heat up when it’s cold indoors; materials that are renewable and readily available like bamboo for cabinets, countertops, or floors; recycled products such as glass and metal tiles; low-flow and dual-flush toilets; low- or no VOC paints; items manufactured locally such as concrete; and energy-efficient LED lighting.
Include the priciest green features only when other alternatives for green aren’t available and these represent a cost benefit. In the highest-cost group, photovoltaic cells, energy-efficient mechanical systems, and wind energy systems like windmills are included. For his winning design, Johnson didn’t include photovoltaic cells, but will add them in five years when the homeowners’ budget permits, he says.
The good news for those following his advice, he says, is that finding green products is much easier today. “I don’t think there are any manufacturers that haven’t joined the green bandwagon,” he says.
Brian M. Johnson
Filed under: Green Design By Barbara Ballinger, Architecture Coach columnist
Interest in going green and making homes sustainable continues to gain interest among manufacturers, vendors, design professionals, and home owners, as evidenced by the exhibits at the 47th annual National Kitchen & Bath Association’s industry show, held April 16-18 in Chicago. Brian M. Johnson's design won best sustainable kitchen at the 2010 National Kitchen & Bath Association’s industry show.
Brian M. Johnson, an architect and designer with Collaborative Design Architects in Billings, Montana, won for “Best Sustainable Kitchen” in the NKBA’s annual Design Competition, where winners were announced Friday, April 16. Johnson’s design paired warm woods (mahogany not sustainable but bamboo is), soft stone (soapstone in the radiant fireplace), natural light, stained concrete, and steel ductwork.
Though going green can cost 10 percent to 20 percent more on the front end than a traditional design, the payback can be worthwhile and occur within a relatively fast time frame, depending on choices, Johnson says. “It can occur within five years if it’s a green system such as radiant floor heating,” he says. Johnson recommends cutting costs to afford sustainability by taking advantage of some free green strategies and then spending judiciously; here’s the game plan:
Utilize free green strategies. It costs nothing more to give a house and kitchen a solar orientation, says Johnson. “Take advantage of passive cooling and heating by including enough doors and windows to allow in morning sun and afternoon cross-ventilation winds when weather permits,” he says. The winning kitchen design features bamboo cabinets and quartz countertops.
Spend judiciously on features that make a difference, but still are affordable. In this category, Johnson lumps switches that allow awnings to open when it’s hot outside or floors to heat up when it’s cold indoors; materials that are renewable and readily available like bamboo for cabinets, countertops, or floors; recycled products such as glass and metal tiles; low-flow and dual-flush toilets; low- or no VOC paints; items manufactured locally such as concrete; and energy-efficient LED lighting.
Include the priciest green features only when other alternatives for green aren’t available and these represent a cost benefit. In the highest-cost group, photovoltaic cells, energy-efficient mechanical systems, and wind energy systems like windmills are included. For his winning design, Johnson didn’t include photovoltaic cells, but will add them in five years when the homeowners’ budget permits, he says.
The good news for those following his advice, he says, is that finding green products is much easier today. “I don’t think there are any manufacturers that haven’t joined the green bandwagon,” he says.
Brian M. Johnson
Labels:
Kitchen and bath design
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