Mother's Day and Real Estate...Sometimes You Have to Have that "Heart to Heart" Talk with Your Clients.

I was blessed this Mother's Day to go visit my 70 year old mother in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. (she will shoot me for printing her age)  My mother is a feisty and fun German lady who plays in her own Oompah Band at a German Restaurant.  She remarried last year to a wonderful man and has moved from her condo that she lived in for 25 years in to a town home. She put the condo on the market last year when they got married.  She took it off the market for a period of time because the condo market was dead.  She put it back on for the Spring and reduced the price but there is not that much activity.

So while visiting my mother in Virginia she asked me to walk her condo and give her some pointers on selling.  Mom's condo is the nicest and is very well maintained.  She has a beautiful flower bed in the front and even has staged the interior.  Everything is in pristine condition.  Her price is very reasonable unfortunately the condo market has not rebounded yet.

Mom goes over regularly and works in the garden and keeps her condo very well maintained.  She of course keeps up all the utilities, taxes, and HOA dues.  The problem is there are many more things Mom would like to do in her life.  I asked her what she was going to do with the money once she sells it.  She had some medical bills but planned to take a special trip back to Germany.

I had a heart to heart talk with Mom's Realtor (don't you already feel sorry for her) on the marketing of the unit.  She was fortunately very receptive and gave me additional insight on the condo marketplace.

I know Mom's situation is like many of our clients.  They have maintained their properties and they want the most they can out of them.  I certainly understand.  I told Mom that I felt she should reduce the price significantly and take the proceeds and go enjoy her life.  Life is too short for her to wait 12-24 months for her market to rebound. It's the Spring market and now is the best time. I don't want her to worry about getting the most she can out of her property.  I want her to get the most she can out of her life.

It all comes down to true motivation as to why your seller is moving.  If I didn't have that heart to heart with Mom we never would have come to the conclusion to take a big price reduction.  it would sit there for a very longtime costing Mom precious time and money.  How many of you need to have that own 'heart to heart' with your clients.

Mom thanked me profusely.  I think I let her off the hook and gave her permission to go live her life.The last thing I want is for her to be fretting over her condo.  I want to watch her sing for many more years in her Oompah band and travel to Germany to be with her sister and do what she loves!  This is Michelle Amador "Taking It Under Advisement".

PS.  Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!!

You Have a Gold Mine of Business and You Don't Even Know It

Michelle :How much real estate business are you losing everyday?

Agent: What Michelle??? Are you kidding me??? I'm jumping on every opportunity that I get?  There are not as many but I'm all over it.

Michelle: hmmm...how many times do you normally follow up?  Tell me about your follow up system?

Agent: Well, I call and email a number of times.  I'm good at keeping up with hot prospects. I kind of have "my own way" of following up leads.

Michelle:  If I showed you ways on how to flip the current leads you have would that be something you might be interested in?

I've been blessed to work, coach, and learn from some of the best people in the real estate business.  The top producers who make it through all economies have lead systems that sustain them.  Did you know that today the lead incubation process can be from 6-18 months?  That means people you reached out and touched two years ago may now be ready to buy this year?  Did you know that the majority of real estate agents only convert 5% of their on line leads and throw the other 95% away?

We give our agents a contact management software system that allows them to keep up with their leads.  It sends them reminders on how they need to reach out to that particular lead.  It generates professional emails, postcards, greeting cards, newsletters, out to your leads on whatever campaign you may set them up on.  There is no reason for you to ever loose touch with any of your leads. 

Today there is no reason in the world for you not to have the ability to reach out and keep up with all of your leads. With social media you can become friends on Facebook, you can add them to your blog, Twitter them, text them, send them a "Yelp" message, or hey about just calling them and seeing how they are doing. Today's top producing agent is fluent in all  forms of media and now has the opportunity to have more than a superficial relationship with a lead.  You start becoming their "Trusted Agent".

All of the above principles should apply to all of your past clients and customers. There is no reason in the world that you are not connecting with them in some shape or fashion.  There are too many tools out there for you to be successful.  So keep in mind it's not the number of leads...it's how you are keeping up with them.  If you need any help or suggestions just holler. So I will ask you again, "How much business are you losing everyday". This is Michelle Amador "Taking It Under Advisement".