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What REALTORS® can learn from "Black Friday"

by Hilary Marsh, Managing Director, REALTOR.org

I just read a thought-provoking piece by Sean Carpenter about how to use some of same techniques that retailers and shoppers use in order to generate more excitement for listings:

"As I stood in line at Wal Mart to get my 'Door Buster Deals' early on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving," Carpeneter wrote, "I began to realize all the things a Realtor can learn from shopping's Super Bowl."

Read the entire post.

Posted on November 29 at 08:01 AM | | Add a Comment (0)

100 Reasons for Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving! During the month of November, we've been posting your comments about what you're thankful for. We haven't been able to post all your comments, so we'll continue posting comments after Thanksgiving. Today, blogger extraordinaire Frances Flynn Thorsen has many, many reasons to be thankful:

1. I am grateful for a large and loving family, the Flynns and Maliszewskis and Thorsens.
2. I am grateful to the core for two magnificent sons, Jens Holger and Andreas Holger. They swell my heart and make me very, very proud.
3. I am grateful for Ralf and a 33-year adventure that has taken us through blissful sunsets and some rapids that few other couples could survive.
4. I am grateful for Arizona, its warm and embracing sun, a new state to call home.
5. I am grateful for dreams that did not give up on me.
6. I am grateful for lessons learned in some sorry and stupid ass mistakes I have made over the years.
7. I am grateful for every single moment I have lived and I would not change a single second in my life.
8. I am grateful for the past and the memories attached to it.
9. I am grateful for the present and the memories we are creating today.
10. I am grateful for the future and the memories we will craft over time.

Read the other 90 things on Fran's list of things to be thankful for on her blog, The REALTY Gram.

Posted on November 26 at 06:10 PM | | Add a Comment (0)

Finding One's Way to FSBOs in This Tough Time

By Bob de Camara, CRS, GRI, Broker/Owner, Prudential Mountain Properties, Boone, N.C.

A few months back I found myself with more time than buyers. The buyers I had also were more difficult, with demanding requirements often not found in the MLS. It seemed like I was trying too hard, approaching the problem wrong, straining to reach buyers when I thought, “I wonder if there isn’t another way.” The thought occurred to me that another segment and avenue right under our noses was being overlooked. Sellers were in need, often more so than we as agents were. Having last cultivated this segment about 7-8 years ago in a strong sellers’ market, I was surprised to find how much more conducive sellers now were to our assistance!

Having a few buyers in my pocket, I went looking for their properties in the online newspaper classified “homes for sale” ads. With a legitimate buyer prospect in my pocket, I had a valid basis to contact them, even if they were on the Do-Not-Call list. After asking the sellers about the details of their home to see if it met the qualifications of my buyer, I would identify myself as a REALTOR® and ask to preview their home on behalf of my buyer client. I would always disclose that I was representing the buyer and refer them to our state’s mandatory agency disclosure at our Web site. I'd review the requirement in person with them at our first meeting. More often than not, the seller was delighted to have someone call expressing interest in their home.

Once at the home, I would find out much more about the home and whether or not it would likely suit my buyer-client's interest or not. If it did, I would discuss a non-representation fee agreement with the seller and arrange to show the property to my prospect. In the process of visiting the home and talking with the sellers, a natural rapport often developed. If the property would not suit my prospects, I would inform the seller of this and discuss the possibility of assisting them with the marketing of their property. In this situation, we offer sellers the option of continuing to try to sell their homes by themselves. If they're successful, they owe us no fee. Meanwhiile we work in the background, using our professional skills to “beat them to the finish line.” We also offer them the right to cancel the agreement at any time if they're dissatisfied with our services. It is truly a risk-free arrangement for the seller, a win-win for both of us.

In the short time we have been pursuing this strategy of seller assistance, we have garnered nine listings priced from $99,000 to $650,000 and have discovered many wonderful properties, which benefits both the sellers and current as well as prospective buyers. But the remarkable benefit has been the increase in buyer activity from yard signs and ad responses that benefit all our sellers, listed and otherwise.

These are tough times in the real estate business, but it comes down as always to serving people. Through reaching out to an overlooked, seemingly saturated segment – the sellers – we’ve found the right road to reach buyers, fulfill duty to sellers, and secure our own destiny in a time of unparalleled uncertainty.

Bob de Camara also holds the e-PRO certification and is a member of the REALTORS® Political Action Committee's President’s Circle and a Golden R. He's currently enrolled in the NAR Leadership Academy and a member of the NAR Communications Committee. He served as president of the Avery-Watauga (N.C.) Association of REALTORS® 2005. In 2007 he was named North Carolina CRS® of the Year, and in 2009 he'll be North Carolina CRS® President-Elect. Before entering real estate, de Camara owned a Midas Muffler franchise in Chicago. He's a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a B.A. in English, and holds an MBA from Northwestern University.

Posted on November 26 at 01:50 PM | | Add a Comment (0)

I'm Thankful For . . .

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, we're posting comments from our readers on what they're thankful for. Today's entry is from Gail Pullan of Altanta.


I am thankful for being a REALTOR®. This profession allows me to help my fellow Americans achieve that great dream, home ownership!

Posted on November 24 at 05:19 PM | | Add a Comment (3)

What I'm thankful for

by Hilary Marsh, Managing Director, REALTOR.org

I am thankful for the opportunity to make a difference in helping REALTORS be successful in what they do by understanding and using the resources their national association provides for them.

I'm thankful for my exceptionally intelligent and hardworking team, for my large network of fabulous colleagues, and for the warm and engaged communities of REALTORS and REALTOR association executives I have met online and in person.

I'm thankful for my managers, who help me grow professionally every day.

I'm thankful for my son and daughter, who are blossoming into wonderful young adults.

And I'm thankful for my sweetie, who has welcomed me into a new family with open arms.

Posted on November 24 at 05:17 PM | | Add a Comment (0)

In Some Markets, Buyers are Coming Back

By Robert Freedman, senior editor

Where are home sales heading? Who's buying today? Why are home prices struggling to find a floor?

We talked to NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun a couple of weeks ago in a video-taped session to get his views on what's happening in the market. His take? Thanks to increased affordability, buyers are returning in big numbers in markets that have seen the most dramatic decline in prices. But we won't see a market turnaround on a national basis in the short term without a boost to demand, he says, and that's going to take some serious public intervention such as an interest-rate buy down.

Take a couple of minutes to watch NAR's chief economist share his views on our new Web video platform called REALTOR® TV. Starting with this first interview we'll be bringing you these video-taped economic updates on a regular basis.

Posted on November 24 at 10:54 AM | | Add a Comment (0)

Time to Mail Your Thanksgiving Cards

By Wendy Cole, Senior Editor

Are your Thanksgiving cards to past clients in the mail?
Uh, what?
At a Thursday seminar called "What to do NOW . . ." for salespeople with innovative Chicago brokerage @properties, more than 100 practitioners sat with blank stares when company performance coach Rich Rogala asked if they'd mailed notes of gratitude to people who have ever given them business. "We have a holiday specifically designed for giving thanks," said Rogala. "Why don't you thank your clients?"
He promised to make templates of Thanksgiving notes available for anyone who needed them, but just tossing out the proposition to the room crowded with slightly maudlin salespeople triggered nods of appreciation from those seemingly starved for ideas about how to spend their work time productively. It's an emotional and relational business, after all.

Is anyone else planning to send out gratitude cards? If not, why not?

Posted on November 20 at 03:47 PM | | Add a Comment (1)

More of what REALTORS are thankful for

by Hilary Marsh, Managing Director, REALTOR.org

Last week's request on Twitter, a "micro-blogging" tool that limits entries to 140 characters, drew more responses from REALTORS® and others about what they are thankful for:

"Thanks to all the Realtors today who are adapting to the brave new world of real estate by helping their customers & clients navigate change." -- Emily Medvec

"I am thankful for all of our great clients who have helped us to have an amazing year in real estate in Metro Detroit." -- Maureen Francis

"I am thankful for all the wonderful people, clients and colleagues & business partners, who have come in to my life as a realtor-Fantastic!" -- Pam Buda

"Thankful for the opportunity to have everyday be different and to work with many great people, both clients and industry related." -- Tim McDonald

"I am thankful for loyal and patient clients and all my friends in the social networks." -- Joe Spake

"I am thankful 4my amazing brokers who make me feel like I'm top in sales whether I'm selling cribs or stuck home w/kids!" -- Cin Langston

"I am thankful for my friends and my family. They just keep supporting me through every up and down in this market." -- Cat Zwicker Grant

"While I am not a Realtor, I am thankful for the resilience of Realtors in the face of adversity - and their willingness to try new things :)" -- Chris de Jong, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Posted on November 18 at 05:00 PM | | Add a Comment (0)

How You Can Go Green—And Why You Should

By Marilyn Urso, CRB, CRS®

The Green Movement started back in the 1960s and ’70s when most of us were not particularly conscious of the environment and how quickly we were destroying it. Today, everything is green — or trying to be — from cleaning products to building products to cars. So it's no surprise that more and more consumers are looking to have healthier homes and save money on their utility bills. At least that's what I'm seeing in my market — how about you?

At the REALTORS® Conference in Orlando, Fla., this month, I was lucky enough to be in the first class of students for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ new green designation. There were 236 people taking the class, if that's any indication of the level of interest. It was two days filled with environmental and energy-saving concepts, ideas, and information that we can use to help our customers and clients in the buying and selling process.

There’s no particular green demographic; it spans all generations and cultures. As REALTORS®, it is not our job to be the green experts, but we do need to have the knowledge and the team of experts to help consumers get the answers they need regarding all aspects green. So I encourage you to start building that team—the home inspectors and energy audit professionals, the organic landscapers and interior designers, and the banks that can provide green loans, just to name a few.

At REALTOR® magazine online and REALTOR.org, you can search “green” or “smart growth” for a lot of ideas on how to go green in your real estate practice. You’re bound to become greener in the process—and, from there, you can determine whether NAR's new green designation is right for you.

Marilyn Urso is broker-owner of Long Island Village Realty Inc. in Syosset, N.Y. She is the GEO (Green Executive Officer), handling the marketing, technology, and green education for her office. Thanks to Marilyn’s efforts, Long Island Village Realty, Inc won the EPA/EnergyStar 2008 Small Business Award for its energy efficient operation. She has been a REALTOR® for more than 15 years. In addition to the designations above, she has earned the e-PRO certification and GRI, PMN and SRES designations. She’s a graduate of Douglass College.







Posted on November 18 at 12:08 PM | | Add a Comment (0)

What ForSaleByOwner.com said is SO not true!

by Hilary Marsh, Managing Director, REALTOR.org

Grrr...misinformation is so hard to erase! The RE.net has been in an uproar all day after a FSBO site issued a news release filled with false info about REALTOR.com.

Move.com, which operates REALTOR.com on behalf of the National Association of Realtors, has demanded a retraction of the release, and NAR is doing everything we can to counteract this with the facts. I'd love it if everyone reading this blog helps us spread the truth by re-blogging, tweeting, etc.


Contrary to what the ForSaleByOwner.com news release says....

1) They are NOT in a partnership with REALTOR.com
2) The settlement between NAR and the DOJ did NOT force REALTOR.com to accept FSBO property listings
3) Properties from sellers not represented by Realtors will NOT appear on REALTOR.com
4) MLSs still get to decide which listings to distribute to REALTOR.com

As Michael Wurzer explained on the Flex MLS blog, "So, this is just another version of a limited service listing, not some revolution in policy regarding FSBOs."

Also, as Laurie Janik, NAR's general counsel, told VAR Buzz,

"Please reassure your members that there are no unlisted properties on Realtor.com.

"We still cannot figure out the basis for the outrageous claims being made by ForSaleByOwner.com in this press release. No relationship exists between that entity and Realtor.com. Listings displayed on Realtor.com continue to be provided by the MLSs, and contrary to the headline, there is NO “agent free access to Realtor.com.”

Read NAR's official news brief on REALTOR.org.

Posted on November 13 at 08:15 PM | | Add a Comment (18)

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