Inspire The Child from Jeff Turner on Vimeo.

These are Rocky Turner’s words and I quote

“My mind wanders to a dark place.”

“All I can think about are the girls. I think about everything they need. And I’m not talking about the requirements that will be purchased for them this week as a result of your kindness. I’m thinking about simple things like a diet that consists of more than beans, rice and maize. I’m thinking about the counseling that each of them needs.

I go to the dark side as I lay in the pitch black room. I think about stories of rape, and of mother’s suicides. And I think about the stories of parents, both parents, dying from HIV.

I can see the faces of the girls. I can see their smiles. But behind them, when they don’t think I’m watching, I can see their sadness. I’m thinking about their security. They need a place where they are not afraid and perhaps not so alone.” Read the full post here...

If you are touched by this please take a moment and visit her blog, there is a part of you that will wishes you never did with heart wrenching stories and the true realities for some young women.  Young women in Africa!  You have to read the amazing things they are doing!

As terrible as this is going to sound, what if it was your little girl?  It’s one of those thoughts you want to erase out of your mind.  But if you think about it your heart will ache for the rest of life for that little girl, just imagine how your daughter, niece or grand daughter would feel…  forever changed and an innocence lost and sometimes death.. and a loss of  many many lives.

If  these hanious acts were  committed regularly  in the United States more than likely the animals who commit these crimes would be under lock and key possibly beaten to a bloody pulp or probably dead. The Globe should be equal and we should do our best not to look so hard in the past but really look to watch out after one another.

Sometimes angels come in all forms while she can’t stop it from happening she can help the wounded to become whole again.

I wonder if she will be at REBAR Camp Miami?

She’s a lady that has inspired this child and I’m pretty sure she is younger than me! 

180-tasks-for-a-realtor

terri-and-joy prelisting template

I am attending RE BarCamp in Miami on September 14th..Are You?

Are you a Miami Club or Bar owner?  We want you…No not to buy your bar…but we would like to use your bar for a daytime event…one that represents Miami in its truest form…Where possibly 200 Real Estate Industry professionals…can learn during the day and party the night away in true Miami fashion!

I’m Attending are you?

I’m talking RE BarCamp…Miami…

If you are a bar or club owner…and are looking for…

• Free P.R.
• Lots of world wide web exposure in blog articles, facebook, twitter and photos over the course of the next few months.  This event will take place September 14th, 2009.
• These events have many many after parties which means people spending $$$$.

We are looking for a facility that we can use during the day..for FREE or at a nominal cost.  An atmosphere that represents Miami..you know hot … hot ..hot…

Caliente!

If you are interested please contact Ines at Miamism dot com or visit the RE BarCamp/Miami site for additional details.   If you are reading this and know someone who owns a bar or nightclub in Miami we would love to hear from you too!

About The Author: Midori Miller is a Real Estate Trainer and writes and trains Real Estate Training and assists sellers in short sale situations. Midori is a Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker , License # BK645709 and a member of the Daytona Area Association of REALTORS. Contact midorimiller@yahoo.com or (386)453-3236.

Today I spoke with a potential seller..an interesting conversation and quite typical.  Meaning two parties who want to sell a piece of property..but they do not agree on many things.

Now this property was not a high end property..in fact… the value is in the land…the problem with this property more than likely it would end up expired..it would be difficult to finance…and also to insure.

The property was rented and owned free and clear.  Imagine to my surprise  it was not a short sale but a property I didn’t think I could sell! 

Usually I ask a few questions…and then call back…I need to look at numbers..I need to look at all the numbers in the entire MLS.  I also need to be brutally honest with myself...so I can report back to the potential seller.

These days price reductions = Lost Property Value…price it right from the get go otherwise you lose the window!

Next I ask myself a few questions…Can I sell this property? and is it worth my time?  Will the seller cooperate and is it sometimes better to wait meaning the seller should continue to rent it out rather than attempt to liquidate if they expect x amount of dollars?

Sometime waiting can cost them more..I present the facts…all of them..from placing it on the market now vs. waiting…guess what NO GUARANTEES!

With selling…with property value… and with closing!

I also think about the inventory on the market…do they have a shot?

When I call back…I sounded negative…but in truth all I did was tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth..I am brutally honest!

No I didn’t think I could sell the property for what they wanted to sell it for…heck there was a property that was on the market for 988 days.

It wasn’t worth my time if the seller wouldn’t offer seller financing..more than likely we might get a contract…but without a cash buyer…it would never make it closing.

While they were in the ball park of their pricing..it would not be enough.  Especially since there were 264 other properties competing…yes all active the difference was most of the 264 properties were single family homes…yes they had a mobile home on a piece of land.

As I ended the conversation..I had to tell it like it was…I am more than happy to take a look at the property on Monday…please  talk to your family and consider holding a mortgage if not..you might have to find another agent.

Before I hung up the phone..I explained…that anyone can list a property….and you want to sell right and not just list it?  Of course!    Well I am in the business of selling and if I don’t think I can take it to closing…I’m not the person for you!

I apologized for sounding so negative.   Being brutally honest in real estate can save everyone time, money and energy!

Funny thing I explained I was not available over the weekend to look at the property..their final words, Can I call you sometime this weekend to just let you know what my family says?

If I took every listing that every seller offered I would have a huge inventory and not very many closings.

I won’t hesitate to be brutally honest and if the shoe were on the other foot…I would expect the same!

Contributing Writer: Midori Miller is a Real Estate Trainer and writes and trains Real Estate Training and assists sellers in short sale situations.  Midori is a Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker , License # BK645709 at CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty and a member of the Daytona Area Association of REALTORS.

Do you understand the role the Federal Reserve plays on our markets?  I admit..not my strong suit..however, recently I have been studying economics and financing.  What an eye opener.   

Click on this link and Watch this..its Alan Greenspan himself admiting the Federal Reserve Answers to NO one!

When a transaction goes bad and I get involved, the trainer seems to come out in me!  As a trainer I do pick apart a dead deal to see where we have gone wrong.

REALTOR Logo-Midori Miller-Daytona Beach Florida

In most cases agents simply need to get back to basics to help prevent dead deals.   In most cases they were never transactions to begin with.

Certain steps were missed, yes let me say that again, “Certain steps were missed and in most cases the dead deals were never transactions to begin with”.

To me the most important step when dealing with the consumer is screening of leads.

It’s too many times I can be in any real estate office in any given time and I overhear (ok, I listen) a conversation with a Realtor and a potential customer.

The value of each lead that calls the office….don’t they get it!  If you are going to just give information rather than screen that lead.  Don’t Answer the Phone!

It’s better to lose them today rather than 6 months down the road wasting your time, money and expertise on someone who is unable to buy or sell today or ever for that matter.

Doesn’t matter if you are face to face or over the phone, the bottom line….listen to the consumer…you’ll know if they are a true buyer or seller...if you listen..you will learn.

Listen to their words

• Need and want are two different things!  “I want a million dollar home but I need a $1000.00 payment because that is all I can afford.”
• “I am approved for a mortgage.” (Have you ever heard of a person who gets approved for a mortgage and they do not want to buy?  They may wait…but they want to buy!)
• “I have been getting listings in my e-mail for over a year!”  Who sent the listings and why are they still waiting?

Most sales people spend most of the conversation selling their services rather than determining whether they are dealing with a potential customer.

Most agents lose the customer because they spoke at the customer rather than asking questions and really listening to the customer’s needs.

By listening they will give you hints on whether they have the ABILITY to buy or sell real estate.

Probe

• Every-time they ask you a question answer and then respond with a question. It’s simple like tennis, let the conversation bounce back and forth.   Allow them to answer and then you ask another question.  You’ll get the info you need to determine if they are a ready, willing and able buyer or seller.
• Use a lead sheet regardless of how seasoned you are.  A  lead sheet will help the conversation flow and increase the odds of the customer communicating the truth with you.
• Probe until you get the information you need to get them into the office.  Once in the office you have a better shot in building rapport and creating a bond.

When you probe you learn.  When you probe you have to listen. The more questions you ask the more open the prospect becomes.  The more open the prospect becomes easier it becomes to be a little more open yourself.  The more open your questions become the more likely the truth will be revealed.

How long should you screen a lead?  As long as it takes…I would rather spend an hour or two on the phone in advance than spend 6 months in my car to find out they were not buyers.

Create Your Own Lens

Today I was reading Seth Godin’s blog and read an article about advising real estate agents to quit!  If  you have not read it you really should take the time and do so.  This article was extremely informative and helpful to me.

I found some juicy tidbits and the first thing I did was set up the mayor of my zip code page by Squidoo. It’s quick and easy and you can go back and edit

For the past few years I’ve heard of hyper local and now…the term micro specialization.

Are you going to quit or are you going to work on your micro specialization?

Yes its true and in a few  states..CENTURY 21 is hiring corporate trainers.  You can find the job postings at Monster.com and  Indeed.com.

You may not know this but CENTURY 21 has been recognized in Training Magazine several times..Let’s just say there is a wide variety of training available to CENTURY 21 associates!

“The CENTURY 21 training program is designed to give brokers and agents the opportunity to learn in the environment in which they are most comfortable – live class room settings, virtual classrooms and self-paced online modules. In fact, we are proud to say our training program has been named to Training Magazine’s Top 100 for six consecutive years.” CENTURY21.com

On normal circumstances I probably would not have noticed but I do regular SEO checks for some of my search terms.

Looking for employment?  Maybe CENTURY 21 is for you.

Let’s see in real estate many are members of the National Association of REALTORS, Florida Association of  REALTORS and the Daytona Beach Association of REALTORS.  OK, we have the Florida Real Estate Commission,  the REALTOR Code of Ethics, our Board Rules and Company Policy, I think you get the message.

Lots of rules but what about MY CODE OF HONOR?  I’m not just talking real estate I am talking all professions.  Do live by certain rules? A Code?

• I will always educate and encourage homeownership and all the benefits that come with it.  It doesn’ mean they have to buy or sell today, it means when the time is right with the decision being the customer.  It is my responsibility as a REALTOR to preserve my profession as I truly believe what we do is a true and honorable service.
• I know in my heart it is a privilege to work with a customer, therefore I will provide quality service and equal opportunity.
• I  will walk away from a customer if they are working with another agent.  Why, it’s the right thing to do!  Not because its quoted in the REALTOR Code of Ethics but because I would not want someone else doing it to me!
• I live by the golden rule! Cooperation and respect. However, violate a law or rule while working on a transaction together  or try to entice me to do either. Plain and simple, I’ll report you, that way I will do a service for my entire profession.
• I will do my job objectively!
• Every decision I make in a transaction will always be in the best interest of my customer.     I know if I treat my customer right, income will follow!
• I believe that it’s our responsibility to educate the public.   We set the trends and spend all our time in the trenches.  Who better than us to report the FACTS!
• I believe it is my responsibility to continually educate and train.  My objective is always to do the very best I can.  For growth in my business, for my own personal growth for my customers benefit

Do you walk the walk and talk the talk, going above and beyond the call of duty?  The real question is do you have high standards?  Your own personal policy, how about a Code of Honor?