At AMP, How To Get The Easy North Carolina Real Estate Exam

     If there was a way that you could be assured of passing your North Carolina real estate exam the first time, would you want to know about it?  I took my North Carolina real estate exam this morning at the AMP center at 1300 Patton Ave in Asheville, North Carolina.  I passed.  I passed because I had the easy test.

     If you want to get the easy real estate exam at the AMP test center, I will tell you how to do that.  The clerk at the AMP test center is the one that decides who gets the easy real estate  test and who gets the hard real estate exam.  Use your head.  Be sure the clerk likes you.  How do you do that?

     What is the best way to be sure that anyone likes you?  Show up with chocolates.  Walk in with a small box of chocolates. Give them to the clerk.  You have invested $500 in North Carolina  real estate school tuition.  You  have paid $64 to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission to apply for a North  Carolina real estate license.  You paid $51 for a background check.  You paid $30 to AMP for the privilege of taking the North Carolina real estate exam.   You may have also bought some other education to prepare you for the North Carolina real estate exam.  Why not invest another five dollars in a box of chocolates for the AMP clerk?  They don't have to be Godiva Chocolates.  They could be.

     When you show up on time to take your North Carolina real estate test with a smile on your face and a compliment on your lips and a box of chocolates in your hand, that clerk is going to like you.  Don't you agree?  If you show up empty handed with a cell phone in your pocket and a little bit of negative attitude and not a kind word for anyone, how do you think that clerk is going to feel about you?  Get ready for the hard test.  If you want the easy real estate exam, just remember, candy is dandy.

     There is a couple of other things you can do to be certain you get the easy real estate exam. Study. Study.  Study.   This North Carolina  real estate test is no joke.  You better be studying.  Study morning noon and night.  You could watch the twelve North Carolina real estate math videos that I have posted on You Tube.  Here is a link to one of them.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp0blrLu9xs   There are eleven more of these on You Tube.  Three of these videos have the phrase "for my classmates" in the title.  These are the questions that we suspected were going to be on our real estate school test.   All of the videos have the word North Carolina in the title.  If you will watch these videos and do the math along with me, that will help you in your quest to get the easy exam.  If you understand the math, the North Carolina real estate exam is easier.

     One of my classmates asked me if it was possible to over study.  If you pass, you know that you over studied.  Do not underestimate this North Carolina real estate exam.  It is no joke.  Here is my final advice:

Show up on time
Show up with a smile
Show up with candy
Show up with a compliment
That is good advice for any appointment.  Don't you agree?

www.ronclimer.com 

North Carolina Real Estate School, Pass The First Time.

     Yesterday at real estate school in North Carolina, our instructor went over the math questions that he felt were likely to  be on our real estate school exam.  I know that many of my classmates are struggling with the North Carolina real estate math.  Today, I have posted three videos on You Tube to help my classmates better understand these few problems.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoF740ggw9E   Here is a link to North Carolina Real Estate for my classmates math one.  On this video, I explain capitalization rate .  We have to be able to compute capitalization rate.  We also have to be able to explain equity dividend rate.  That is explained in this video.  We also have to be able to compute before tax cash flow.  That is in the video number one.

     Here is a link to North Carolina real estate math for my classmates two. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAX8VxAGkrI    Video two explains how to compute total interest paid on a loan.  It also shows you how to compute principal balance of a loan after one payment.  The cost approach for unique properties in explained in this video.

     North Carolina real estate math for my classmates video three  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAFMQEIkQFI   explains the comparable sales approach to real estate appraising houses.  A pro rate HOA dues that are paid in advance problem is in this video. 

     If you need a little help with the North Carolina real estate math, watch these three videos.  I have ten other real estate math videos.  The problem with learning math in a classroom is that the teacher goes to fast for half the students and too slow for half the students.  You won't have to watch me long to know that I teach slow.  On the North Carolina real estate exam, there is no prize for speed .  The prize is for accuracy.  When you are watching a video, you can always hit pause.  No one wants to ask a question in a classroom.  People don't ask questions even when they don't understand.

     After you have passed your real estate school exam, you may want to watch some of my other videos about North Carolina real estate math. You folks from out of state that are not going to real estate school, you better know the rates for excise tax.  It is different than it is in your state.  Your "street knowledge" is not going to help you at all..  You have to be able to completely fill out a closing statement (HUD 1).  I am sure you have lots of everyday experience with that.  You have to know who '"traditionally" pays for each expense like the survey etc.  Your everyday experience is not going to help you much on the North Carolina real estate exam.

     Good luck.  If I can help you pass your North Carolina real estate exam, contact me at www.ronclimer.com

Firewood Delivered In Hendersonville, North Carolina

     Since I don't have a firewood burning fireplace, I never realized how difficult it is to get firewood delivered with reliability.  Apparently, many people will promise to deliver firewood and not show up .

     Kathy, a friend of mine was at my house recently lamenting how hard it is to get fire wood delivered.  I told her about another friend, Ray, that delivers firewood to Hendersonville and Tryon and Saluda and Flat Rock and Fletcher and Columbus and Asheville and just about anywhere else in Henderson county or Polk county. 

     She called Ray at 828 674 7023 and asked him to deliver some firewood to her house in Lynn, North Carolina.  Ray was at her house that same day with a load of firewood.  I reckon that is not the service that she got from her previous supplier.  She called me and thanked me for recommending Ray.  She said the price was right.  The prompt firewood delivery was very appreciated.

     If you are in western North Carolina and need some firewood delivered, call Ray at 828 674 7023.  You will like the price.  You will love the reliability.

Bed and Breakfast in Tryon, North Carolina

The Stone House is in the middle of Tryon, North Carolina

     There are apparently no bed and breakfasts in Tryon, North Carolina.  When you google bed and breakfast in Tryon, North Carolina, no one shows up.  There is something better than a bed and breakfast in Tryon.  There is the Stone House.  The Stone House is a granite and log house right in the middle of Tryon, North Carolina. 

     The Stone House comfortably sleeps six.  It also is comfortable and affordable for two.  Here is a link to a short video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBTwjehmTO4  If you are in Tryon, North Carolina for a equestrian event at Harmon Field or The Tryon Equestrian Resort or for any reason and you want a super cool place to stay, check out the Stone House in Downtown Tryon.

     The Stone House is not a bed and breakfast, but you can cook your own breakfast on the Viking stove in the gourmet kitchen or you can walk across the street to the Trade Street Cafe and have breakfast.  If you don't eat breakfast at the Trade Street Cafe, be sure you buy a loaf of their sweet potato bread.  It is more than delicious.

     Check out the Stone House at VRBO.  Here is a link.  http://www.vrbo.com/361170  or call us at 828 440 1064 .
 

Tryon, North Carolina The Stone House

     Western North Carolina is a magical part of the world.  The Blue Ridge Mountains are lovely.  The people are friendly.  Asheville, North Carolina is a beautiful city.  Cities like Brevard and Hendersonville and Waynesville and Black Mountain surrond Asheville. 

The Stone House at corner of Trade street and Pacolet Street in Tryon

     About thirty miles south of Asheville in Polk county is the small town of Tryon, North Carolina.  Tryon is the equestrian center of  North Carolina.  There are lots of horse people in Tryon.  Many people come to Tryon for equestrian events.  The Tryon Equestrian Resort  and Harmon Field host several horse shows frequently.  One of the largest tack stores in the Carolinas is about one mile out of Tryon in Landrum, South Carolina , The Farm House Tack Store on U.S. 176.  This is horse country.

Side Street Pizza is one block away from The Stone House

     If you are planning a visit to Tryon and looking for a place to stay, consider the Stone House.  The Stone House is a rustic cabin right in the middle of Tryon.  The post office is a half block away.  The First Baptist Church is a block away.  Several restaurants are within walking distance.  The Tryon Equestrian Resort is a few miles away.  Harmon Field is about one mile away.  The only movie theater in the county is across the street from the Stone House. 

     Come stay at the Stone House.  We rent it out by the day or by the week.  What a great place for a week vacation!  You can go whitewater kayaking one day and visit the Biltmore mansion another day.  You can hike to a waterfall one day and golf at the Tryon Country Club another day. 

The Tryon IGA grocery store is two blocks away on U.S. 176

      If you are planning a motorcycle trip from Florida or to Florida, spend a day or two in the Stone House.  U.S. 176 between Tryon, North Carolina  and Saluda, North Carolina is as challenging a road as anyone needs. ( lots of curves).  The Stone House sleeps six people very comfortably.  Join us in June for the Tryon Barbeque.  Here is alink to our video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBTwjehmTO4   For more information about the Stone House, call us at 828 440 1064 or check out VRBO at http://www.vrbo.com/361170
   Put visiting the Stone House on your list.  If you are visiting Tryon, you can not find better, more affordable accommodations.  Stay at the Stone House. 

    

New Visions Antique Marketplace In Hendersonville, North Carolina

     New Visions Antique Marketplace is a very cool antique store between Fletcher, North Carolina and Hendersonville, North Carolina on U.S. 25.  Their address is 5428 Asheville Hiway.  They have lots of antique furniture and antique jewelry and antique tools and antique stuff. 

     New Visions Antique Marketplace is a collection of several vendors that constantly update the inventory of vintage radios and vintage clocks and antique tables and beds.  These vendors display their unique antiques in booths.  Ron and Kathy just started a booth at New Visions Vintage Marketplace in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  If you have any antiques that you would like to sell, call us at 828 440 1064. 

     www.newvisionsmarketplace.com   

Lake Lanier Antique Cottage In Tryon, North Carolina

     In Tryon, North Carolina, there is a super antique shop.  The name of that antique shop is Lake Lanier Country Cottage.  It is a super shop because it has lots of super antique stuff.  The antiques at Lake Lanier Country Cottage are priced right.  There are plenty of bargains there.  There are several vendors that have booths and are constantly changing and updating the inventory.  There is lots of variety.  There is antique furniture.  There is antique tools.  There is antique glassware and pottery.  There is antique outdoor stuff like dinner bells and bird baths. 

     Not everything at Lake Lanier Country Cottage is antique.  They have newer stuff that many people call vintage or collectibles like Star Wars or Barbie.  Depending on how old you are, you may not consider a Marilyn Munroe poster as a antique. 


     Lake Lanier Antique Cottage is located at 974 South Trade Street in Tryon.  Trade street is US Hiway 176, which is the main road that runs from Landrum, South Carolina to Saluda, North Carolina.  If you find yourself in Saluda or Landrum, just drive a couple of miles to the state line, there is Lake Lanier Country Cottage.  You will probably go home with some new antiques. 

     If you have any antiques that you would like to sell, call me at 828 440 1064

In Real Estate What I Should Have Known When I Started

     When I was instructing real estate license classes, I told this story at the end of almost every class.  I tell it the last hour of the last day.

     My first contract that I ever wrote fell apart and did not close.  I really needed that commission.  It was a house on a corner lot on a dirt street.  The day before closing, the title company discovered a special assessment from the county to pave the road, $2800.  The seller refused to pay it.  The buyer refused to pay it.  The transaction did not close.  I did not know how to handle the problem.

     Could I handle that problem today?  Of course I could.  I probably would not even break a sweat solving that problem today.  When you are new, you don't know much.  I had no idea how to solve that problem.  This was a big problem.  They are all big problems when you don't how to solve them.  Looking back, I suppose my broker did not know how to solve this problem either.

     I tell this story to my real estate students to let them know that what seems like a major problem when you are new will seem like a minor problem in a couple of years.  Everything in real estate gets easier and easier.  It does not get harder and harder.  As you learn more, you know where the potholes in the road to success are.  You don't even have the problems.  When one does come up, you know how to handle it.

     Another thing I wish I knew back then is how important that first broker is.  As I mentioned, my broker did not know how to solve this problem.  I should have taken a hint and started looking for a more knowledgeable broker.  What a difference that would have made.  It is easier to learn with a good teacher teaching you.

     Find a good broker,teacher, trainer from the beginning.  I survived.  Many new Realtors don't survive a bad beginning broker.  I wish I had known that when I was a brand new real estate agent.  Can this person teach me the skills I need is your most important question when choosing your first broker.  

Post A You Tube Video For Fun And Profit.

     If you have paid any attention to my recent blogposts, you know I firmly believe you need to be posting You Tube videos to promote your business.  I know you are having a hard time coming up with ideas of what to post on You Tube.  Here is how you get good ideas.

     You look at your own problems.  Chances are other people have the same problems that you have.  You invent a solution to your problem and share what you learned with others.

     Moving is a major pain.  Many people hire professional movers.  Many other people "do it yourself"  with the old trusty U haul truck.

     A for sale by owner is a do it yourselfer.  What if you posted a series of videos about moving.  You could have one for what to do thirty days out, then twenty days out, then ten days out, then on moving day.  You could have a video about safety tips.  You could have a video about packing the truck.  You could post a video changing addresses and how important that is.  You could end every video with,"Or you could hire a professional".  In the background is your contact information and a link to your website and your video about how to get your house sold quickly. 

     When you discover a for sale by owner or anyone that is moving soon, get their email address and send them a link to this series of videos.  This was just an idea that rolled across my mind as I was taking the U Haul truck back to the store.

     It is the 21st century.  You Tube is the second largest search engine on the planet.  If you are in business, you need to show up when someone searches for how to do something that your business does.  If you don't, your competitor will.

     The real estate business is changing .  You have to get your phone to ring.  You Tube is working for your fellow Realtor.  Make it work for you.  If you are new in real estate and need some training or mentoring, contact me.  www.ronclimer.com                   www.climerconsulting.com

      

North Carolina Real Estate Math Help

     If you are enrolled in real estate school in North Carolina, you may be having a challenge with the math.  If you are, here is some help.  I have posted ten videos on You Tube to help real estate students understand the real estate math that is in the real estate course in North Carolina.  Here is a link to one of the videos.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp0blrLu9xs   This video is question 1 through 5 from the textbook, "Modern Real Estate Practice in North Carolina"  There are nine more videos to help you with your North Carolina real estate course.I have explained about five questions per video.   If you are soon taking the north Carolina real estate exam, watch all ten of the North Carolina real estate math videos.

     I hope this will help you .  If it does , share this with your classmates.

     www.ronclimer.com    www.ronclimer.com

Income Increase Challenge, October Thirty First

     Today is October 31st.  October is over.  Is the number of listings that you took and the number on the rear view mirror the same?  Did you follow the instructions all month long?  Did you learn anything? 

     Here is what I want you to learn.  Aggressive prospecting is the best way to make money quickly.  I believe that you can list and sell a lot more houses in the future than you have in the past.  Calling yesterday's expired listings is such a wonderful place to start.  It is not pleasant but it is lucrative.  Did you get into real estate sales to have a good time or did you get in real estate to make money?  You can always go back on November first and do the  Income Increase Challenge again.  By the way, have you noticed that yesterday's expired have become very scarce on the 28th, 29th , 30th.  There will be a ton of them on the first.  Don't miss it. 

     I hope that you have learned that for sale by owners are great prospects.  I will tell you this.  The ancillary benefits that come from calling and visiting with for sale by owners is far greater than their benefit as a prospect.  You will learn things from visiting with for sale by owners that you just can't learn anywhere else.  Call a few every day.  Go visit with them.  They don't bite and they do list. 

     Blogging and videos are today's news.  This did not exist when I was out on the street.  It is essential in the twenty first century.  No matter what you do, web presence will help your career.   Web presence is vital in today's business world.  If you are reading this, you know that I practice what I preach.  Those hundred videos on You Tube did not just jump up there.  Those three hundred blog posts on "The Best Of Ron Climer" and "Ron Climer Mountain Messages" did not just happen.  Find the time to create web presence.  It is very important.  It is the 21st century. Create web presence. 

     Build your "who you know" list.  Stay in touch.  Stay in touch.  Stay in touch.  Send them some mail at least four times a year. Send them email. 

     Most of all, get face to face with a prospect.  Marketing is great.  Selling happens face to face.  Get face to face with a prospect.  If you wake up without an appointment, you are unemployed.  Make an appointment with a prospect for tomorrow every day. 

     I will continue to write articles of interest to Realtors.  If I can help you get trained, contact me.  Be my friend on Facebook.  I will continue to send out daily inspirations. Forward these to your friends.   Call a prospect today.     www.ronclimer.com

Rookie Realtor, Your Most Important Chore For Today

     Who are you talking to today?  Do you have an appointment with a for sale by owner?  Do you have an appointment with an expired listing?  Do you have an appointment with a buying or selling prospect that was referred to you by a friend or acquaintance?  Do you have an appointment with someone that called you from your name rider on your listing?  Do you have an appointment with someone that responded to the company website because they want to list or sell?  Do you have an appointment with a foreclosure victim that called you because they read your blogpost about the foreclosure process?  Do you have an appointment with an empty house owner that you contacted?  Do you have an appointment with someone that called the office while you were on floor duty?  Do you have an appointment with someone you met at an open house?  Do you have an appointment with a friend or relative that has been pre qualified and wants to move? 

     Appointments are important.  If you don't have any today, I will bet that you are not going to make any money today.  If you don't have an appointment today, contact a prospect and get an appointment.  You must get face to face with a prospect .  Real estate is not a mail order business.  The prospect is not going to look at your picture on your website and email you a listing.  You must get face to face with a prospect.

     This is simple.  Get face to face with a prospect.  Ask them to buy.  Some of them will say yes.

     www.ronclimer.com     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYGyZalrIbo  
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzCdscDqxc
     Watch these videos if you have no appointments today.

October Thirteth Income Increase Challenge.

     Today is the 30th.. Barring luck or a miracle, you have probably all te listings that you are going to get for the month.  Do you know how to create luck?  Work.  Abraham Lincoln said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get." . 

     Run yesterday's expired listings off the MLS.  Send mail to them all.  Call the ones that you can get a number for.  If you have been following my instructions, you should be getting some calls from mail you sent out two weeks ago.  You are familiar with the phrase in computer technology, garbage in garbage out.  In sales prospecting the phrase is nothing out nothing in.  If you don't mail the expireds, your competitor will.  She will get those calls.  Use the post cards from the post office.  They are easy and effective.

     Add five for sale by owners to your for sale by owner pile.  Call, at least, one for sale by owner.  Read the article I wrote yesterday about friends that are for sale by owners.

     Add a blog post to your blog.  Remind yourself this is along range project.

     Add ten names to your who you know list.  You should have 300 names on that list.  Did I make that list?  I have only received one Ijustgotintorealestate letter in October.  I have only received about five letters all year. Isn't modern technology great.  You can go to your electronic calendar and make a note now to send out Christmas cards to your who you know list on December 20th.  http://ronclimer.blogspot.com/2011/11/you-can-expect-christmas-card-from.html    Here is a link to an article that I wrote in 2011.  Can you see how this blogging thing is cumulative?  It is a looooooonnnnnng range project.  You have to start and you have to add to it constantly.  My new address is P O Box 403 Tryon, North Carolina 28782.  I hope I get a holiday card from you. 

     Get an appointment with a prospect today. 

     Write down next month's goal. 

Rookie Realtor, What If Your Friend Is A For Sale By Owner?

     Do sales trainers ever tell you things that you do not believe?  Maybe you believe that could happen where the trainer lives but it could never happen here.  Here is a story about my personal experience.

     Before I start the story, let me ask you a question, Mr. Rookie Realtor.  In your city where you live and prospect for listings, if I put my house for sale by owner for thirty days, how many Realtors would call me and solicit my listing?  Would a hundred Realtors call me?  Would fifty call?  Would the number be closer to ten?  If I had a sign in the yard, a sign down at the intersection, a ad on Craigslist and a 3x5 card on the bulletin board at the laundromat where all the people that can not afford a washer and dryer are, how many Realtors would call me?  Do you know the answer?  How do you know? Are you just guessing?  Have you read a research report?  I think the answer is none.  Why do I think that?  I had my house for sale by owner for thirty days between September and October 17th.  Not one Realtor called me to solicit my listing. Zero.  None of your competitors are calling for sale by owners.  Call a few.  How did I choose the  Realtor that I listed with?  Go back and read my article about prospect traps that I wrote a few days ago. http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-realtors-set-some-prospect-traps.html  This Realtor had a very effective prospect trap.  My wife called him. Once Kathy contacted him, he did a great job of following up.

     I know a bunch of Realtors in Orlando, why didn't I list with one of them?  None of them ask me.

     As a training exercise, get together with several of your peers and ask them how should you handle it if one of your friends or acquaintances is a for sale by owner.  Ask your co workers how to handle this. How would you handle this situation?

     While I was a for sale by owner, I received a call from the Realtor that listed my house four years ago when I bought it.  She told me that if when I got tired of being a for sale by owner, call her.  If I had not ran into the person that I did list my home with, I probably would have called her.  I am certain she would have done a good job.

     Here is how I think you should handle your friend, your fellow club member, your acquaintance your previous customer that is a for sale by owner.  Treat them like any other for sale by owner prospect.  That is what they are. They are a prospect.  If you don't ask them to list with you, don't be surprised when they don't.  Watch my video about calling for sale by owners.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzCdscDqxc    This video is about calling strangers that are for sale by owners.  If you use this approach with strangers, you will get listings.  We are not talking about strangers.  We are talking about your friend that is in the Rotary club with you.  He mentions that he has his house for sale by owner and he will be moving in forty five days.  He is going to try it on his own for forty five days and then he will call you and list with you just before he leaves town.  WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION?

      The best way to handle this situation is just like you would handle a for sale by owner stranger.  Agree that that sounds like a good plan.  Ask you friend if you had a customer , could we work out a one time commission.  This is exactly the way I would handle a stranger.  Ask your friend if you can stop by and look at the house.  Proceed with your friend just like you would with a stranger.  Here is a little hot tip they don't teach in real estate school.  You still have to meet and impress the spouse.  What better way than to go look at the house and treat this acquaintance like what he is , A PROSPECT.   If you don't know what to say to a for sale by owner stranger, here is the video .  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BYAiA7ayLw 

     if you read my previous article, you know that I think for sale by owners are super prospects.  A friend that is a for sale by owner is a super duper prospect.  Prospects don't buy what you are selling if you don't ask them to.  Don't wait for your friend to call you.  Call your friend, prospect.

     Get together with your sales manager and several of your peers.  See if you can find a better plan.  This is a perfect plan.  If you come up with a better idea, leave me a comment here.

     www.ronclimer.com      www.ronclimer.com

October twenty ninth, Income Increase Challenge

     Only three days left for the month.  If you are one listing short , you can still make it.

     Run yesterday;s expired listings off the computer and call them.  Send them mail.  The mail  won't help with this month but it will certainly have next month started right.  This is called momentum.  It is a powerful force in sales. 

     Add three cards to you for sale by owner file.  Call at least three for sale by owners.  If you don't know what to say, go back and watch my vido. 

     Post a blogpost or video today.

     Call one empty house owner. 

     Start reading a book about salesmanship. 

Three Reasons Rookie Realtors Need To Call For Sale By Owners

     What else are you doing with your time?  To earn real estate commissions, you have to get face to face with  a buying or selling prospect.  Are you face to face with a prospect?  If not, what could you possibly do  that would be more lucrative than calling a for sale by owner prospect?  These people meet the definition of a prospect.  Unless you are contacting hotter prospects, you are not using your time as effectively as possible.  Am I right or wrong?  Getting face to face with a prospect is paramount.   That is one reason.

     Here is another reason.  If you call for sale by owner prospects, as I describe in my video,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzCdscDqxc   you will find no better way to practice talking with people.  Do you know how to steer a conversation? For sale by owner prospects are perfect people to practice this skill on.  Do you habitually answer questions with a question?  For sale by owner prospects are just a perfect opportunity to practice this essential skill.  If you never listed a for sale by owner, it is worth your time just to to practice these skills.  You also, probably need to practice your get people to like me skills, your listening skills, and your  other people skills.  You need to practice these skills.  What better opportunity than to spend time with a HOT prospect that will welcome you into their home, spend time with you, and give you an honest sincere evaluation of your skills.  You could hire a professional real estate coach or sales trainer.  That coach could not give you as good an evaluation as Mr. Forsalebyowner will.  Call these people.  Use the script that I have in the video.  Go see them.  Visit with them.  Get them to fall in love with you.  You need the practice.  I know you do.  You know you do.  Forget about getting a listing.  Just go  practice your people skills on a real live red hot prospect.  They will give you honest feedback.  That is the second reason that you need to call for sale by owner prospects.

     The third reason that you need to call for sale by owner prospects is that ninety per cent of them are going to list with a Realtor.  They will list with you or they will list with your competitor.  That is for ninety per cent certain.  Some Realtor ( you or your competitor ) is going to earn 3.5% of the price of the for sale by owner's house as a commission.  If it is a $200,000 house that is $7000.  Your broker gets some of that money. 

     Let's say you need a lot of practice with your people skills.  Nine out of ten prospects that you talk to like your competitor better than you.  You really need some practice.  You need to practice smiling more.  You need to practice talking less.  You need to practice saying,"That is nice" more.  You need lots of practice .  Nine out of ten like your competitor better than they like you. One out of ten likes you the best.  WOW!  You have a listing.  If you are on a 60-40 split with your broker, that is $4200 in your pocket.  That is assuming that it sells co-op.  Who is the most likely person to sell your listing?  You are.  Double that $4200.  The number three reason you should call for sale by owner prospects is YOU NEED THE MONEY.

     Let's recap. 

     You have no better prospects to call and the phone is not ringing.
     You need the practice talking to someone so you can practice your people skills.
     You need the money.

     That is three good reasons to call for sale by owner prospects.  Call one before your fanny leaves the chair.

October Twenty Eighth Income Increase Challenge

     Today is Tuesday the twenty eighth.  What is the number on the rear view mirror?  How many listing have you taken this month?  There is plenty of time left. 

     Run yesterday's expireds off the MLS.  Call as many as you can find a number for.  Are you teaching yourself to find numbers?  You should be.  Remind yourself of the value of a listing.  Watch this video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kavX3HhII6Q   Your listing inventory will determine your income.  This is a business.  It is not a hobby. 

     Add some forsalebyowner cards to your pile.  Please call, at least, one forsalebyowner today.  Add an article to your blog.  Remind yourself that this is a long range project.  The article you write today might make you money in 2016.  Add to your blog.  Add to your You Tube.  Post a link, as I do, on Facebook and twitter to attract readers to your blog. 

     Google yourself

     Google "Search Engine Optimization".  Read an article about that.

     Answer one question on Trulia Voices .  Leave one comment on Active Rain.

     Start thinking about next month's goal.

October Twenty Seventh, Income Increase Challenge

     Monday, October 27th.  What is the number on your rear view mirror?  Do you need one more listing to reach this month's goal?  Run yesterday's expired listings off the MLS computer.  Call them.  They are going to list with someone.  It may as well be you.

     Add ten names to your who you know list.  Send out a Ijustgotintorealestate letter to the 270 people on this list if you haven't already. 

     How is the blog?  Post a blogpost on your blog today.  Start planning your next You Tube video.  If you ignore this part of your marketing, you will pay the price for that mistake for  a long time to come.  Did you read my Facebook post today?  "Little by little does the trick"  This is a quote from Aesop.  The hare did not win the race.  The tortoise won the race.  Where did those 150 blogposts come from?   They came from two years of writing blogposts that you wonder if anyone is reading.  They came from getting up early and posting a blogpost about qualifying for a mortgage.  Six months later, you have a appointment with a forsalebyowner that told you they had their house under contract but the buyers did not qualify.  You send them a link to that article that you wrote six months ago.  When you arrive for that appointment, you are an expert.  This is a long range project.   Every journey begins with a single step.  Create an arsenal of articles  that you can use to solve tomorrow's problems.  It was not raining when Noah built the ark.

     Call, at least, one forsalebyowner today. 

     Send out one thank you card today by U. S. mail. 

     Make one comment on Active Rain.

October Twenty Sixth Income Increase Challenge

     Today is Sunday, October 26th.

     Add ten names to your who you know list.

     Go to Trulia Voices or Bigger Pockets and answer a question.

     Hold an open house this afternoon.

Overcoming Fear, A Real Estate Agent's Worst Enemy

     Today is Saturday, the twenty fifth.  What is the number on your rear view mirror?  How many listings have you taken this month?  This is the last Saturday of the month.  If your results are not meeting your goals, it might be a good idea to work today.

     I downloaded an advertisement from Zillow, yesterday,  "Ten Ways To Get More Real Estate Listings".  What do you think was hot tip number one?  It was call expired listings.  I have been telling you for twenty five  days to call yesterday's expired listings.  On Saturday, you will have no competition.  If you have not called yesterday's expired so far, it is probably because you are afraid of the rejection.  Forget about the fear.  Call yesterday's expired listings today.  Go back and watch my video if you don't know what to say.  Just today, there is no competition.  It is Saturday.  Suzy Superstar is not calling them today.

     I heard a sales trainer use this example to explain fear.  He said imagine a ten foot long 2x10 board lying on the floor.  For a one hundred dollar reward, could you balance yourself and walk from one  end to the other.  Everyone in the room agreed that we could.  He asked if there was anyone in the room that would not try.  We all agreed that we would try because what was the worst that could happen?  The worst that could happen was we would lose our balance and fall two inches.  We would not get the hundred dollars but we would lose nothing.  Then he asked us to imagine that the 2x10 was stretched between two ten story buildings.  For a one hundred dollar reward, how many would walk across the board?  He lost about eighty per cent of us.  The penalty for failure (falling ten stories) was too great for the reward.  Then he took things a little further.   He asked us to imagine that the other building was on fire and one of our kids was trapped on the roof.  The only way we could save our kid was walk across the 2x10 and carry our kid back.  Every person in the room was ready to go.  The point of this illustration is two things.  We often imagine that the danger is greater than it is.  When we call yesterday's expired listings, we are not going to fall ten stories if they say no.  We are going to fall two inches.  So what?  The other point of this illustration is we underemphasice the reward.  Would you walk across the 2x10 sitting on the floor for a two thousand dollar reward.   That is the value of an average listing.  What is the worst that can happen if you call?  What is the reward if you call and the expired listing lists with you?  So what if some of them say no?  So what if most of them say no?  Do not let fear stop you from calling.

     Add five cards to your forsalebyowner pile.  Call five forsalebyowners today.  Today is Saturday.  The forsalebyowners are home.  They are in a good mood.  It is the perfect day to call forsalebyowners or better yet, go knock on their door.  If you don't know what to say, go watch my video on You Tube.

     Start your next blogpost.  Answer a question on Trulia Voices.  Read a blog on Active Rain and leave a comment.  If you have not joined Active Rain yet, it is free .  Follow this link and join today. http://activerain.trulia.com/action/referrals/ronclimer 

     Start thinking about November's goals.

     If you get a listing, mail out 200 "just listed " post cards to the neighbors.  If you put a house under contract, mail out 200 "just sold" post cards to the neighbors.  If you have a closing, mail out 200"just sold" post cards to the neighbors. 

     Plan your open house for Sunday.  Remember to bring a chair.

     This is the Income Increase Challenge instructions for today.  If you don't know about Income Increase Challenge, watch this short video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrl_EXiChUM

Income Increase Challenge for October Twenty Fourth

     Today is the 24th of October.  What is the number on your rear view mirror?  How many listings have you taken this month?  If you need a couple more to meet your goal, run yesterday's expired listings off the MLS.  Send them some mail.  Mail won't help with this month's goal.  It will certainly make next month's goal easier. Call a couple of these folks.  They are going to list with someone.   Did you read yesterday's instruction?  If you started to do what I described yesterday, you will quickly discover that every thing you do has ancillary benefits.  If you did yesterday's exercise, it would seem that the purpose of the exercise is to sell the super bargain house.  That is true.  Also you would build a list of people to call when you find such a bargain again.  The cool thing about super bargains is they come along all the time.  Have that list of super bargain hunters ready when you find the next one.  

     Add three cards to your forsalebyowner pile.  Call three forsalebyowners.  If you don't know what to say, go watch my forsalebyowner video.

     Write a blogpost or post a video on You Tube.  This is a long range project.  Just today, I went back to an article I had written in 2011 and sent a link to someone that asked a question that that article answered.  You will find yourself doing this in the future.  When you have an appointment with a person that owns a ninety year old house, you send them a link to that article you wrote last year about old houses.  When you have an appointment with a foreclosure victim, you send them a link to that article you wrote last year about how  foreclosure works. Here is one of mine.  http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Get-Super-Cheated-While-Your-House-is-Being-Foreclosed&id=3913431   Your credibility is established before you show up.  You can't do that today if you wrote NO articles or posted no videos last year.  You can't do it next year if you post nothing this year.  Start posting something on the internet.  Go to Trulia Voices or Bigger Pockets and answer a question or two.  Have you posted a blog on Bigger Pockets?  There are lots of prospects there. When would be the best time to start , yesterday, today or tomorrow?  I think yesterday would be best.  Today would be second best.

     Send out one thank you card by US mail.

     Add ten names to your who you know list. 

Finding Red Hot, Cash Paying Prospects For Real Estate

     Today is October 23rd.  It is Thursday.   If you are participating in the Income Increase Challenge, you are probably tired of me starting every day with the same old instructions.  Here is something different for today.

     Could you go into MLS and find a house that is worth $100,000 but you can buy it for $50,000?  Often bargains like this exist because there is no financing available for some reason.  Often these bargains exist because  the owner needs the money RIGHT NOW.  Sometimes these real estate bargains exist because there is a commercial potential for the property that the residential sales associate that listed the property did not recognize.  We don't care what the reason is.  Just know that these bargains exist.

     Let me re phrase my original question.  Could you go into MLS and find a property that, if you had the cash, you would buy today and could sell tomorrow for a handsome profit?

     Maybe MLS is not the place to look for these bargains.  There are plenty of them in MLS.  Maybe, if you went to the court house and looked in the probate files that are being processed, you could find some heirs in Chicago that have inherited a house in Orlando.  The heirs don't want the house.  They want some money in their pocket.  Call them.

      It doesn't matter where you find them.  Maybe you could find such a bargain by contacting those empty house owners that I mentioned in the earlier article.   http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2014/10/do-you-own-empty-house-in-another-city.html 

     When you find this super bargain, I want you to take your Who You Know list and start calling these people and ask them if they know anyone that has the financial ability to take advantage of this super duper bargain. Tell them that you have to pay cash and you have to act quickly.   I want you to tell them that you would buy it yourself if you had the ability.  Do not say this if it is not true.  If it is not true, it is not enough of a bargain to warrant your calling.  Don't you agree?  Ask your Who You Know list if they know anyone that can take advantage of this amazing opportunity.  How many do you think you would have to call before you hit a winner?

     Don't waste your time or your acquaintance's time with luke warm mamby pamby maybe bargains.  Find a super duper extraordinary it makes me sick that I can't buy it bargain.  If no one on your list knows someone that can buy this bargain, you need a new list.

     In the daily instructions for the Income Increase Challenge, I have urged you to call forsalebyowners.  If you will start calling forsalebyowners, you will find that a lot of forsalebyowners are investor types that buy and flip houses.  When I first started selling real estate a hundred years ago, this aggravated me because most of them are not prospects to list their house with a Realtor.  In fact, I considered them a competitor.  After a while, I learned that these folks are prospects.  They are buying prospects.  I started to chat with them about what they like to buy, what neighborhoods do they like etc.  I kept their information on file until I found a super bargain. I have sold many house to the buyers that I found while calling forsalebyowners.

     This works equally well in a social situation.  You meet someone in a social situation.  What do they usually ask when they discover that  you are a Realtor?  "How's the market?"  How is this for an answer?  " I just ran into a property that is worth $200,000.  It can be bought for $100,000.  I am so frustrated because I can't find a buyer for it. Do you know anyone with $100,000 cash that would like to take advantage of this desperate situation?  I know it will sell before I can find a buyer."  Don't say this if it isn't true.

     Have you read the book,"The Millionaire Next Door"  by Thomas Stanley?  If you are in real estate, you better read this book.  The main lesson from the book is it is hard to recognize a millionaire.  Your neighbor down the street that drives the F 150 pick up truck just might have a few hundred thousand in the bank.  He might just be looking for the opportunity you described. Ask. We can close next Friday. Go find a bargain and sell it.

     Also today, run yesterday's expired listing off the MLS.  Send them mail.  Call them.

     Also write a blog post about how frustrated you are because you found this fifty cents on the dollar bargain but you could not find a buyer fast enough.  Someone else took advantage of that situation.  Your "call to action" in this blog post is if you would like to be on my list of super bargain hunting, cash paying, quick decision making buyers, contact me and expect my call when I find the next one.

     That is the instructions for October 23rd.    

October Twenty Second, Income Increase Challenge.

     Today is Wednesday, October 22nd.  take a look at the number on your rear view mirror. How many houses have you listed in October?  The month is two thirds over.  You do the math.  Getting face to face with a prospect has to be high on your agenda.  How can we do that?

     We could run yesterdays expireds off the computer.  Send them some mail.  Call the ones we can get a phone number for. 

     We could call some of the forsalebyowners that we have accumulated in a stack of three by five cards.  Please call at least one today.  Two would be better.  If you would call three, WOW.

     We could call one of those foreclosure victims that we discovered yesterday. Have you sent them any mail?  What would happen if you sent them a post card?

     Are you adding posts to your You Tube channel?  Please try to make that a minimum of one per week.  In about six months, this will start working so well, you will not believe it.  It will not work until you start posting videos that Mr. Iwanttosellmyhouse is interested in.  Do not make this into a chore.  You don't need to convert a room in your house into a production studio.  Do what you can with what you have available. Here is a video I made yesterday at my new house in Tryon, North Carolina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNV9pV1gtRs   We just moved here on Sunday.  I can't even find my razor.  I am busy,busy,busy.  It took me about thirty minutes to set up the easel on the front porch, shoot the video, load it onto You Tube.  This will not affect your income today.  It will affect it six months from now.   Stand in front of the camera.  Tell Mr. Iwanttosellmyhouse how to find some buyers. Tell him how to make his home more attractive to buyers.  Tell him how to stay safe while showing his home to buyers.   Tell him what has sold in XYZ Estates lately and for how much.  Tell him the difference between Pine Hills and Pine Castle.  Make sure your contact information is in the video.  Post a video today.

     Mail out one thank you card by US mail.

     Start paying attention to how you are spending your time.  If you don't have time to do the things I have suggested, what are you doing with your time?  Are you doing something that will lead you to a face to face meeting with a prospect in October?  Spend your time doing something that will lead to a face to face meeting with a  prospect.

Have fun.

    

Income Increase Challenge, October Twenty First

     Today is Tuesday, October 21st.  Did you read my Facebook quote today from William Shakespeare?  It was Polonis ' advice to his son from Hamlet where Polonis told his son to be honest with himself.  This is hard.

     Run yesterday's expired off the MLS.  Do you notice that there are fewer and fewer expired every day lately.  Let me tell you why.  I had been in the real estate business a long time before I figured this out.  No trainer ever mentioned this to me.   When you take a six month listing on the 21st of October it should expire on April 30th.  Most listing forms have the expiration date on the form.  Most experienced agents run the expiration date until the end of the month.  That is why on thee 30th, there is a hundred expireds.  This may not seem like a big deal and it is not.  If you list fifty house a year, you pick up a few more days on every listing, it becomes a big deal.  Maybe twice in my career, I have had someone NOT agree and ask me to change it to the 21st.  The other 998 were OK with it. Send mail to yesterday's expireds.  Call as many as you can.  Watch the video again if you don't know what to say.

     I feel like you want to do some strange, unusual, and exotic.  Here you go.  Go to the courthouse.  Go to the clerk of the circuit court.  Ask to see a new foreclosure file.  Then ask to see a foreclosure file that is ready to be sold at auction soon.  This is available to see online.  Go to the courthouse and ask the clerk questions.  That is how you learn. If you will read  those new foreclosure files and call those people.  List their house.  They are moving soon.. Soon means about ten to twelve months.  Every scammer vulture on the planet is going to try to scam these people.  If you will take the time to understand the foreclosure process, there is a lot of money and satisfaction that comes from helping foreclosure victims.  This is not for everyone.  Go learn a little about how the process works.  Learn about how foreclosure auctions work. Look at the file for the house that is set for sale.  When did that file start?  When is the auction?  That is how long that process takes. As time went by, I gravitated to foreclosures.  I have listed and sold a lot of short sales.  It is a long learning process.  Start your learning at the court house, not at an expensive seminar.

     Add one card to your forsalebyowner pile.  Call at least one forsalebyowner.  Watch both of my forsalebyowner videos if you need direction. 

     Send out one thank you note by US mail.

October Twentith, Income Increase Challenge

     Run yesterday's expired listings off the MLS computer.  Send them all some mail.  Call some of them. I have mentioned this before but I must say it again..  Do you know there are people that pay for prospects.  If you haven't call these red hot prospects, don't foolishly pay for less hot prospects.  These people are going to list their house today.  They are hot prospects by any definition.  Call them

     Add ten names to your who you know list.

     Send out a thank you note by U S mail.

     Find the owner of one empty house and call them. List that house. If they don't want to sell it, ask them if they would like to buy another one to sit empty.  

     Post a video on You Tube.

     October is two thirds over.  What is the number on your rear view mirror?  How many listings do you have in October?

     Start reading a book about salesmanship.  Do you need a suggestion?  Ask Suzy Superstar.

Income Increase Challenge, October Eighteenth

     Today is Sunday,  October 18th.

     If you ran today's expireds off the MLS and called a few of them, you would have less than no competition.

     Did you plan your open house?  If not, you could have an unplanned open house.  You are probably thinking,  " I don't have an empty listing."  Let's solve that problem.  Set yourself a goal to list one empty house before the end of the month.  They are easy to list.  Did you read my article about empty houses?  Here is the link,  http://www.rondclimer.blogspot.com/2014/10/do-you-own-empty-house-in-another-city.html 

     Today is Sunday.  You don't want to work on Sunday.  You also don't want a mediocre income.  Sometimes you have to choose.  Would you like more family time?  Lets make it a family project to find an empty house and find the owners.  You fifteen year old can probably find the owner on his computer  better than you.  Let them teach you .  Give you r fifteen year old 25% of the commission.  You will  probably be amazed at the results. Here is the caveat.  If your fifteen old finds them, you have to call them.  If you are fearful about calling empty homeowners, don't be.  You will not meet any rejection with this.  You will more likely be greeted as a hero as I described in the article.

     Today's instruction is call a empty homeowner. 

October Seventeenth, Income Increase Challenge

     Do you have an open house scheduled  for Sunday afternoon?  That is a perfect prospect trap.  Plan one.
     Run yesterday's  expired off the MLS computer and send them mail.  Is there any rejection to that?  If the fear of rejection stops you from calling, that is OK. There is no rejection to sending mail. You have to find prospects someway.

     Today is Friday.  If you haven't mailed your who you know list, mail it today.  If you have a list of 170 people that you know, I certainly hope I made the list.  My address is P O Box 403 Tryon ,North Carolina, 28782. 

     Do you have an appointment with a prospect today?  What time is the appointment?  Are you prepared for that appointment?  Today is Friday.  How many prospects have you been face to face with this week?  If they are buying prospects, do you know how to tell if they are really prospects?  The sooner you learn, the more money you will make.  http://ronclimer.blogspot.com/2011/04/when-in-doubt-blow-em-out.html  Here is a link that will give you the basics to figuring out if buyers are buyers .  Do not spend time with buyers that are not going to buy soon.  Do not spend time with sellers that don't want to sell.

     Add ten cards to your for sale by owner stack.  Call at least one forsalebyowner today. 

     If you haven't met your weekly goals, plan on working tomorrow. 

October Sixteenth Income Increase Challenge

     Today is the 16th.  The month is half over.  What number do you have sticky noted to your mirror?  If you have a four on the mirror, you need two listings to be on target.  If you are not on target, increase your activity.  See more prospects.

     Today, add ten names to your who you know list.  By tomorrow, you need to have a letter in the mail reminding these people that you are in the real estate business.  Do you remember I asked you to ask your co workers where their last closing came from.  Referrals from friends is the most common source of prospects in America.  Make sure your friends remember that you are in the real estate business. 

     Run the expired listing off the computer.  Send them all some mail.  Call the ones you can get a number for.  This is solid gold. These red hot prospects will list with someone. 

     Add ten cards to your Forsalebyowner lists.  Call at least one fsbo today.  Go back and read yesterday's instruction and watch the fsbo video.  Get your attitude right about fsbos.  These folks are prospects by any definition.  call one.  Go visit with them.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BYAiA7ayLw  About ninety per cent of these fsbos will list with a Realtor.

     If you don't know what SEO stands for, Google "search engine optimization" and read a couple of articles about that.  Google your name. 

     Post a video on You Tube.  Post a blogpost.  Go to Trulia Voices and answer a question.

     You must talk to prospects to make money. 

October Fifteenth, Income Increase Challenge for New Realtors.

     Today is Wednesday.  Those of you that are participating in the challenge, are you following the instructions?  None of this will work if you don't.

     Run today's expired listing off the MLS.  Send mail to 100% of them.  Send post cards if cash flow is a problem.  Get a nice letter and use it if you can.   This instruction is not going to change.  There is no hotter prospect than an expired.  They are going to list with someone.  They still want to sell their house.  They are making payments.  They are already sold on a Realtor.  Mail is good.  Mail and a phone call is better.  A knock on the door works.  Go back and read my article about prospects.  Yesterday's expired listing is a red hot super duper deluxe prospect by any definition.  Contact them.

     Have you set some prospect traps?   Have you posted a blogpost?  Have you posted a video on You Tube?  Are you wearing your Realtor pin?

     Start looking for forsalebyowners.  Call at least one. Let one be the minimum, not the maximum. Watch my video about calling forsalebyowners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzCdscDqxc   I want to try and communicate my attitude about forsalebyowners to you.  These guys are prospects.  You must talk to a prospect to make money.  Did you talk to a prospect yesterday?  Did you?  If you went to a million dollar closing yesterday, that is cool but it is not talking to a prospect.  Going to look at a million dollar forsalebyowner that has told you he has no intention of listing with a Realtor is talking to a prospect.  Did you talk to a prospect yesterday?  Do you have an appointment to talk to an prospect today?  If not work on getting one.  Please get tuned in to the concept of talking to a prospect.  You must get face to face with a prospect to make money in real estate.

     Lets get back to my attitude.  I don't want you to call a forsalebyowner and aggressively try to make an appointment to go out to their house and convince them that they are wrong and you are right and they should list with you.  Watch the video.  After you watch that video, scroll up and watch the video,"First visit with forsalebyowner'.  Here is what I want you to do.  I want you to call Mr. Fsbo and say what I told you on the video.  I want you to go visit with him.  Go shoot the breeze with him.  Go talk to him.  What do I want you to talk about.  I want you to talk about whatever he is interested in.  Just visit.  Hold the hard sell.  Just go make a friend.  If you are not in the mood to be rejected, stop there.  Spend a few minutes with them.  Say Goodbye and don't even ask them for a second appointment as I describe in the video.  You must speak to a prospect.  These folks are prospects.  These folks are pleasant.  Call at least one fsbo today.

     Add    ten names to your whoyouknow list.  Don't forget we are getting U.S. mail out before Friday to everyone on the list. 

    Mail me a Happy Birthday card at P O Box 403  Tryon N.C. 28782

October Fourteenth, Income Increase Challenge

     Today is our fourteenth day.  Are you getting tired of me telling you to run the expired off the MLS computer?  IF you have been doing this since the beginning, it is starting to become a habits.  Good habits will make you rich.  Running the expired listings every day.  is a good habit.   Run the expired off the MLS.  Are you teaching yourself how to find phone numbers?  If you read my previous article here on "Mountain Messages", you know there are lots of ways to get the job done.  Finding contact info for out of town expireds is easy and lucrative.  Call as many of yesterday's expireds as possible.

     Call at least one forsalebyowner today.  Those of you that took your basic real estate class from me at Climer School of Real Estate have heard me tell the story about me asking Linda to dance at the eighth grade dance. .  I have told that story a thousand times .  One thing I know for sure, every man in the room can relate to that story.  Every man in the room knows that your imagined rejection is ten times worse than the real rejection.  More often, there is no rejection because Linda is glad that you asked.  She was hoping and praying that some brave young man would walk across that dance floor and ask her to dance.  After you have called a couple of hundred forsalebyowners, you will realize they are glad you called.  They know what they are doing isn't working.  Reading this will not convince of this.  Talking to 200 forsalebyowners will.  Call one today.  Imagine success.

     If you read my previous article, you know that you need a You Tube channel. Create one today.  Post a video.  You need a blog.  Create one. 

     Google yourself. 

     Google, "Best real estate agent in Your Neighborhood"  Who comes up?  You will if you have a video posted titled " Best Real Estate Agent in Your Neighborhood"

     If you haven't mailed out 130 letters to your who you know list, let's set Friday as the deadline. 

     Add ten names and addresses to your who you know list.
   
     Plan an Open House  for Sunday

New Realtors, Set Some Prospect Traps And Put Some Bait In Them

     Every new real estate agent hates to look for prospects.  I did it for years.  I taught it for years.  I still do it.  I still teach it.  Aggressive prospecting is tough.  Cold calling, calling for sale by owners, calling expired listings and foreclosure victims is tough.  It is tough by any standard.  It works but the overdose of rejection is tough for a lot of folks.  You will learn things from these activities that you just can't learn any other way.  There is another way.

     If we were pioneers in America three hundred years ago, how would we get food?  We could go out and hunt down food with a rifle or we could set some traps.  Either way, we would have food.

     Selling real estate is the same deal.  You can go hunt down prospects by cold calling and calling expireds and for sale by owners.   There is nothing wrong with this.  Aggressive prospecting works very well.  Most folks can not handle the rejection.  What is the solution?  Set some prospect traps.  Anything you do to make your phone ring instead of you dialing it is a prospect trap.

     Fifteen years experience is the best  prospect trap.  I once had a young rookie trainee tell me that he was going to follow Suzy Superstar around for a week.  See what she was doing and do that.  He discovered that what Suzy did was answer the phone.  Mr. Rookie's phone was not ringing.  Suzy had been setting prospect traps for fifteen years.

      The best prospect trap is a listing.  If you have one listing with your name rider on the yard sign, your phone will ring a little bit. If a listing is a prospect trap, a listing in a very desirable neighborhood is a better prospect trap.  A well priced listing in a very desirable neighborhood is an even better prospect trap.  Forty listings is a forty times better prospect trap.  Listings will make your phone ring.  Remember that when you are deciding whether you should spend your time looking for listings or showing houses to a lukewarm buyer prospect.

     Listings attract buyers.  They also attract more sellers.  There is your two week old, well priced listing in that very desirable neighborhood with a SOLD sign on it.  There is a prospect trap extraordinaire.  Concentrate your efforts on getting listings.

     A listing farm is a prospect trap.  This is labor intensive up front.  Does it work?  Wow! Does it work?  You pick a neighborhood that you like.  You go knock on all three hundred doors  in the neighborhood in January.  You give the owner a free magnetic calendar with your picture on it.  You go back in February with a magnetic valentine with your picture on it.  In March you bring them a shamrock refrigerator magnet.  You come back in April with some income tax forms, just in case you need them.  In May you drop by a bouquet of flowers .  In June you bring a flag for Flag Day, a box of firecrackers for July.  Stop by with a hurricane tracking map in August and a pencil for back to school in September.  Drop off a pumpkin for Halloween.  When you bring that turkey in November, you will be a hero.   OK, maybe I am getting a little carried away.  You get the gist.

     Start a neighborhood news letter on line.  Ask for their email address and ask for news.  News would stuff like we have our canoe for sale or we are having a garage sale.  Post some videos on You Tube about the neighborhood. Post a video about the local high school.  Video an interview with the local elementary school principal.  Post it on You Tube.  Interview a couple of local businessmen and post that on You Tube.  Create a neighborhood website.  When someone Googles XYZ Estates there is the official XYZ website just chock full of information about XYZ Estates.  Who decides what information goes on that website?  You do.  You own the website. . 

     This is a long range project but I think it was Confucius that said," A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  After a while, depending on how hard you work at it, this is a super prospect trap. 

      A real estate newsletter is a great prospect trap.  Start a newsletter and write news that would be interesting to anyone. Ask anyone you meet to subscribe to it.  Put some good content in it.  Write about new projects like Sun Rail.  Write about housing trends.  Write about things that almost anyone would be interested in.  Put a couple of jokes in it.  It doesn't have to be huge.  It does have to be interesting.  After some time, your newsletter will become a prospect trap. 

     A You Tube channel is a very good prospect trap.  Create one if you don't have one.  You Tube is the second largest search engine in the world.  When people want to know how to do something, they go to You Tube.  " How to right an overturned kayak"  would be an example.  Go to You Tube and watch the video.  Some kayak instructor just got a little publicity.  Go post a video about " How to get top dollar for your house in Altamonte Springs, Florida"   There you are with a few tips about ways to fix up your house, turn on the lights, be open to negotiate etc.  Can you do that?  Yes you can.  When people start thinking about moving, what are some questions they may have?  Be there on You Tube with the answer to those questions.  Go make a ten minute video about something that you know a person about to move would want to know.  Post it on You Tube.  How many videos should you post?  If you want to attract one prospect, post one.  If you want to attract one hundred prospects, post a hundred.  Does this work?  Is the pope Catholic? 

     When you post videos on You Tube, don't be offended or aggravated when other people, your competitors, steal your videos and post them on their website.  Go to You Tube and look at one of my videos.  Do you have any problem knowing that that is MY video?  My name and my phone number is all over that video.  Put your real estate sign in the background.   Put your name rider in the background.  Look at the picture in this article.  That is what you want you You Tube video to look like.  Don't be shy. Get yourself a T shirt with your name and phone number on it.  Wear it in the video.   If your competitors want to steal your video, make sure you get the credit. 

Ron Climer , Real Estate Mentor

     Another wonderful prospect trap is a blog (like this one).  Write articles that your  prospects would be interested in reading and post them on the internet.  There are plenty of blogs that are free or cheap.  Start one and start writing articles.  This is a super prospect trap.  Let's say you wrote an article," Five Mistakes You Don't Want To Make When You Sell Your House".  You write the article and post it on your blog.  Six months later or six years later, you are at a little league baseball game wearing your Realtor baseball cap.  When a fellow parent mentions that his house is for sale, you ask for his email and send him a link to your blogpost article.  Does this help establish your credibility? Yes it does.  You write the article one time.  You send a link to it a hundred times before an appointment.  That is called leverage.  That is another article.

     Set prospect traps.  You can go hunt prospects down with aggressive prospecting.  or you can set prospect traps that will make your phone ring.  That is; you can make your phone ring or you can dial the phone.

      Here is an easy to implement prospect trap.  Be a walking, talking prospect trap.  Wear your Realtor pin on your lapel all the time.  Buy wearing apparel like T-shirts and baseball caps with Realtor or your company logo on it.  Wear it when you are at the soccer game or the running errands.  You know how it goes.  There you are at the boat ramp wearing your Century 21 baseball cap. Some guy starts asking you about home values in XYZ Estates.  Don't cancel your fishing trip.  Give him a business card and a link to your blog.  This is zero effort.  This is high reward.  This is the easiest prospect trap available .

     Almost any basic sales training class will suggest that you join some sort of service club and attend Chamber of Commerce type meetings.  Certainly, this is a great place to prospect.  You don't have to go out and look for clubs to join.  Just let this happen naturally.  Your hobbies and interests will make this happen.  You don't need to be obnoxious and aggressive.  You also don't need to be a secret agent.  Let you club members know what you do for a living.  Wear your Realtor T shirt to the meetings. 

     You need prospects to talk to.  If your phone is not ringing, set some prospect traps and put some bait in them to make it ring.  If the phone is not ringing, you better be dialing it.  www.RonClimer.com

     

Creativity, You Have More Than You Know

     Creativity is taunted  as being some unique, highly desirable  trait that some people have and the rest of us lowly mortals can not get.  The truth is we all have creativity in us .  We just have to let it out.

     Here is a teeny tiny small piece of creativity for you.  If you are not doing  this already, please try it.  Your rewards will far outweigh any effort you put into this.  I have already suggested this to my Income Increase Challenge participants.

     Get out of bed a few minutes early tomorrow.  Get a cup of coffee and a legal pad or wire bound notebook.  Sit down alone and write down your biggest goal as a question.
What should I be doing to list 5 houses per month?
 How can I get my weight to ____ pounds?
 How can I find a wonderful person to marry?

 Then, write down twenty answers to the question.  Don't worry that some of your answers may be ridiculous.  Don't concern yourself that some of your answers may cost a million dollars to implement.  Just write down twenty answers to your question.  Think of ways to accomplish your goal.  If you will keep writing down ideas, you may write down a winner.  I wrote down an idea many years ago that tripled my income in one year. The ideas don't always come out fully developed and ready to implement.  Everything starts with ideas.  One ancillary benefit to doing this is that you become more open and receptive to ideas from other sources.

     Another benefit to doing this .  It gets easier.  Just like weight lifting or jogging, it is hard when you start but six months later, it is easy.  I suggested that you use a legal pad or wire bound notebook.  I believe that there is a connection between our brains and our hands.  Writing down the ideas with a ball point pen is part of the magic.  Put a date on every list.  Come back a year or two later and look at your old lists.  That may spark a new idea.

     I could go on and on and write 1000 more words about this.  I won't.  Try this with just a little discipline.  You will amaze yourself.
     www.ronclimer.com                                  www.climerconsulting.com 

October Thirteenth Income Increase Challenge.

     It is thirteen days since we started the who you know list.  You should have 130 names on that list.  It is time to start sending some mail to the people on the list.  Put together a letter that lets them know you are still in real estate or new in real estate  which ever is appropriate.  Ask them to send you a referral.  Ask them to read your blogpost.

     Run yesterday's expireds off the MLS.  Send mail to all if it is not a financial burden.   Look up phone numbers and call as many as possible.  Call the out of  towners.  If you don't know what to say. watch the video again. Today is Columbus day.  Lots of people will be home to answer your call.

     Google listing presentation

     Google yourself
     If you have an exceptionally attractive expired that you can't get a phone number for, go knock on their door about 6 PM.

     Add at least two 3 x 5 cards to the for sale by owner list.  Call one for sale by owner.

     Send a thank you card via US mail to someone. 

     

    

October Twelth Income Increase Challenge

     You should be able to add ten names and mailing addresses to your who you know list just from people you see at church but forgot to put on the list.  Run yesterday's expired off the MLS.  Try to get phone numbers for the out of towners.  They are soooooooo easy.  You can call them today or you can wait until tomorrow.  Search for the phone numbers today.  Go to Bigger Pockets or Trulia Voices and ask on their question page  how can we find these house owners.  Have you created a profile on Bigger Pockets and Active Rain and Trulia and Zillow yet? What are you waiting for? http://www.ronclimer.blogspot.com/2012/03/twenty-first-century-reputation.html     Read this old article if you have not taken care of this.

     If you have a empty listing, go hold it open house today from 1 to 4 Write a couple of articles while your are there.  Take a chair.

Less Rejection Means More Real Estate Sales

     Take the rejection out of selling real estate.  Think about a dangerous job like being a policeman or fireman or soldier.   These folks earn a living by placing themselves in personal jeopardy.  What do they do to minimize this danger?  They get training.  They train constantly. 

     Our job of selling real estate is not nearly this dangerous.  It is dangerous in that we are constantly doing things that attract rejection to us.  Training is our remedy.  The more you know, the harder it is to reject you.  Don't forget this.  When you go to see a forsalebyowner or an expired listing or a foreclosure victim or any other prospect, they are looking for a solution to their problem.  Be sure that you are part of their solution.  Do not be part of their problem.  That is where  the rejection comes in.

     These people want information.  You tell me.  What do they want to know?  Write down ten answers to that question and you have ten blog titles.  Write those ten blogposts and post them on your blog.  I call your blog and your You Tube channel and any other web presence that you have created a prospect trap.  The more prospect traps that you have, the less you have to dial the phone.  The more bait that you put in the prospect trap, the more prospects you will catch. 

     If you are new in real estate, here is a fabulous prospect trap that you can use to get started.  It is called floor duty or the politically correct term, opportunity time.   Floor duty has kinda gone out of style but I believe it is coming back into style.  If you company has a time that it assigned to you to be in the office and take incoming phone calls, this is called floor time or floor duty.  The key word is duty.  If you are assigned you have to be there even if you would rather be elsewhere.  Most real estate agents dislike floor duty.

     If yo need some prospects, here is what I want you to do.  Put a sign on the company bulletin board  and let your co workers know that if they don't want to do their floor duty, you will do it for them.  When they call, say yes.  At any real estate office I have ever worked at, you can do as much floor duty as you want. 

     What is the deal?  The deal is you are "stuck" answering the phone.  You have to develop skill at answering the phone.  If you want to develop that skill rapidly, record your calls. Get a forty dollar digital recorder .  Set it on your desk and record your end of the conversation.  Teach yourself to answer questions with questions.   Most Realtors after five years experience have not developed that skill.  Training and practice will shorten your learning curve.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRK5TZqtrxc  Watch this video.  It is a good start.  If your personal phone is not ringing, I certainly hope the company phone is ringing.  You need to talk to a prospect. 

     You must develop skill at taking incoming phone calls.  The object is to get an appointment with the caller.  That is another article.  Get your prospect traps set.  Write some articles, post some videos .  The traps won't work if you don't put bait in them.  They call you or you call them.  You decide.

www.ronclimer.com

October Eleventh Income Increase Challenge

     Today is Saturday.  Did you meet your weekly goals so far this week?  The month is 35% over .  Are you on track to accomplish your goals?

     Run today's expired listings off the MLS .  Send mail to as many as you can afford.  All of them would be best.  No other Realtors will be calling these red hot prospects.  Call as many as you can get a phone number for.  Pick one that you can not get a phone number for and go knock on their door.  They are not going to bite you.  You reception will probably be much warmer than you think.  Since you are only going to knock on one door, do a CMA.  Take it with you.  What are the odds that the expired listing would meet you, know you are in real estate and not ask you a question like,"Why do think my house expired?"  I think the odds are pretty good that you will hear that question.  Be prepared when you hear that question.  You have your listing presentation ready.  You have a CMA in your hand.

     "Why do I think your house expired?  I am glad you asked me that.  I have brought a market analysis and a marketing plan that I think you will find very interesting.  Could we sit down over here at the kitchen table for ten minutes or make an appointment for me to stop by later on today ?"   Sit down.  Do your listing presentation.  Show them the CMA.  Close the deal.

     If you don't have a prepared listing presentation, Google "Listing Presentation"
     Google yourself
     Start putting together a letter to mail to the expireds. Often a well done letter gets better results.  If that is your only contact because you can not get a phone number, it is your only hope.

     Start writing down the for sale by owners.  If you watched my video, the three by five card method is still a wonderful way to keep track of these.  Use your device if you prefer.  Here is the deal.  Did you read my previous article about getting face to face with prospects?  Prospecting has to become a habit.  If it is a chore, you are probably going to do it for a couple of weeks and then quit.  Prospecting has to be like brushing your teeth.  You start your day running the expireds.  The fsbo cards are just laying there on your desk.  You have ten minutes, lets check our emails.  That is a habit.  Lets don't check our emails.  Let's call a fsbo or an expired.

     It is Saturday.  Put some bait in the prospect trap.  Write a blogpost  or post a You tube video or both. You won't catch any prospects if there is no bait in the trap.

     If you went out to Lowes or a yard sale or a little league ball game and got arrested for being a Realtor, would there be enough evidence to convict you?  Are you wearing a Realtor baseball cap?  Are you wearing your Climer School of Real Estate T shirt or your century 21 T shirt or the T shirt you had made that says," Ask me about real estate"?  Are you wearing your Realtor pin on the lapel of your sweat shirt?  Be a walking prospect trap.  Don't be a secret agent.  You don't have to be obnoxious.  Buy some wearing apparel that lets people know you are a Realtor.  What do you do at  the little league game?  You talk to the other parents.  They move.  Always have business cards in your pocket.  Always. 

     Send a Thank You card by U S mail to someone.