Homeowners thinking about jumping back into the market should give serious consideration to the Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Last week, the index showed its largest year-over-year gain since just before the real estate market collapsed in 2006. During the past year, prices rose 8.1% in January from a year earlier. That’s the largest gain in […]
Buyer Considerations: Life Expectancy Dramatically Increases
According to AARP, life expectancy during the second half of the twentieth century grew by nearly thirty years. Consider the following chart: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, life expectancy since 1940 has increased dramatically. YEAR 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 AGE 63 70 74 77 80 82 Not only are Americans living […]
Salesmanship: “The Big Mo”
Success in real estate sales requires strong negotiating skills. For most agents, this can be a real problem. The ability to negotiate offers to a successful conclusion requires a great deal of practice. But, unlike other sales situations, negotiation opportunities in Real Estate may be few and far between. Consider the typical agent that […]
Buyer Considerations: All Good News is Bad News for Buyers
Remember how depressing it was to read the headlines the last few years? It’s no wonder homeowners were willing to let their homes sell at bargain basement prices. This year, the tide has turned. If you’ve been paying attention to recent headlines, you’re probably feeling much more confident with your decision to purchase real estate. […]
Seller Considerations: Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness
It’s been said that Americans know the price of everything and the value of nothing. This belief could easily apply to most people’s sale of real estate. When you’re selling a home, it involves a huge financial investment. So, it stands to reason, you should be keenly aware of what your property is worth. Strangely […]
Census Figures Show Real Estate is a Great Investment
For those of you who have been wondering just how good an investment real estate is, consider the following: United States – From 2000-2010, the population of the United States increased by almost 10% and is now at 308 million people. At 2.4 persons per household, there are approximately 128 million households in the […]
Salesmanship: Stop Blaming the Customer, Just Keep Taking the Shots
Have you ever had an experience with your prospective clients, where you’ve totally dedicated hours, sometimes even days gathering information and sharing it with them only to have them drop off the face of the earth. Have you ever though to yourself; “How rude and disrespectful of them“? You’re probably right for feeling this way. […]
Prospecting – “I Know You’re Busy…” The Best Lead-In to Any Conversation
Prospecting – “I Know You’re Busy”…. The Best Lead-In to Any Conversation Between appointments, phone calls, e-mails, text messages, project management, and personal obligations, it seems like everyone is overwhelmed just trying to keep up. In many cases, prospective buyers and sellers can appear to be annoyed when you’re calling to discuss real estate with […]
Prospecting – Your Mission Statement, Value Proposition & Elevator Pitch (Joe’s Prospecting Top Choices)
Agent Branding – Your Mission Statement, Value Proposition & Elevator Pitch Consumers and clients alike, are unlikely to select an agent they feel lack the competence to represent them. This is why it’s so important for you as an agent to proactively answer the question, “why should I do business with you,” by explaining what […]
Seller Considerations: Time for a Reality Check With the Devil’s Advocate
Here we go again. How come when everything is spiraling downward with the real estate industry, the belief was that the real estate market was never going to recover. Then, when things finally start improving, all of the risk suddenly disappears! For the past six years, across this great land, the cry from sellers went: […]