Quick Skim

Can’t sell a property? Maybe the home’s chi — or energy — is out of whack. In the new book Sell Your Home With Feng Shui (AuthorHouse, 2007), authors Christine Ayres and Cindy Coverdale teach you how to use this ancient Chinese technique of placement to generate buzz about your listings. Follow the book’s bagua — that is, an energy map of space — and you’ll be able to start staging warm, welcoming homes that help give buyers the energy to make an offer. The 87-page book is full of photos and sales success stories to show you how it’s done.

                Buy the book

From the Book: 5 Feng Shui Staging Tips

Lure potential buyers with these feng shui style tips from the authors:

1. Curb buyers’ impression. Curb appeal is critical. Clear any trees or bushes that are blocking any windows or the front of the house. When buyers see the property, they’ll lift their gaze to see a clear, inviting path leading them inside the house. Also, use a welcome mat that is fit to proportion with the door and frame the doorway with matching pots of red flowers or evergreen trees on both sides for extra attention.

3. Enhance the bagua areas. Remember, bagua is an energy map of space that’s used in feng shui. For real estate, you’ll want to activate the career, buyer, fame, and wealth and abundance areas of the house. For example, for the buyer area — located in the front area of the inside and outside of the property — hang wind chimes that call buyers in. To activate fame chi — the center rear of the house — add a fire element like moving a fire pit or barbeque grill to the outside center of the house, or have a bowl of fiery, red apples in the kitchen.

2. Brighten it up. The color palette can help make a home more welcoming to buyers. If the interior of the home is painted in neutral colors, add bright pillows on sofas and chairs for bold accents. Use a vase of bright red flowers to liven up rooms. Also, paint the home’s outside trim

around the roof a light, bright color to make a home look larger from the outside and draw a buyer’s eyes up. To demonstrate wealth and abundance in the far left corner of the house, use purple, red, green, gold, or silver in the linens and furniture.

4. Put your best room forward. The “room of first impression” in feng shui is where you want to direct buyers first. This is the best room in the house and what will help you sell the home. Have the directional flow of the entryway point buyers toward this room, such as by having colorful, large artwork to attract attention to the room or using a runner rug to lead them there. Once in the room, show it off. Accentuate beautiful outside views, for example, by using a mirror to reflect that view inside the house. If it’s a family room, place a large chair or sofa directly opposite and facing the entry path — “an open-arms welcome to the buyer that says ‘Come on in, there’s a place for you here.’”

5. Enlarge the space. A common buyer complaint: The room is too small! You can increase it. Make sure the furniture is in proportion to the room — it may be time to downsize that king-size bed in the master bedroom temporarily. Paint one wall in a room a bright color for an eye-catching accent wall that can help enlarge and add dimension to a room, particularly for box-shaped rooms or spaces without windows. Expand the windows by hanging window valances above the glass so they’re not covering any part of the windows. Good lighting and natural lighting also can make a space feel larger.

Sneak Peek

“Staging real estate with feng shui can help expand a narrow market for a particular property and resolve inherent problems in the house that may have turned buyers away. Feng shui enhancements can make a small living room look like a great room or transform a difficult entry into a beautiful, welcoming space. It can help to sell an empty house. You do not have to put in years of study or hire a professional feng shui consultant to put these simple and straightforward principles into practice. … Often, simply shifting the placement of what is already present in the house can do the trick.”

About the Author

Christine Ayres has been a professional feng shui consultant since 1989 and owns the company Feng Shui Services, based in Lake Tahoe. She mastered feng shui after studying the Chinese technique for four years in Hong Kong. Co-author Cindy Coverdale is also a certified feng shui consultant and began studying transcendental energy in 1999.

Check back on Monday, Oct. 1, to read the authors’ responses to your previously submitted staging questions.

Posted on September 21 at 02:17 PM | Permanent Link | Add a Comment (3)

Here are the latest top sellers on business and investing, according to Amazon.com:

1. The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World, By Alan Greenspan

2. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, By Nassim Nicholas Taleb

3. Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, By Bill Clinton

4. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich , By Timothy Ferriss

5. Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes, By Mark Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne

6. Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

7. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t, By Jim Collins

8. Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-by-Numbers Is the New Way to Be Smart, By Ian Ayres

9. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, By David Allen

10. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, By Malcolm Gladwell

Posted on September 17 at 10:00 AM | Permanent Link | Add a Comment (0)

Quick Skim
In the face of an attack, 60 percent of victims will become paralyzed with fear, about 20 percent will fight back unsuccessfully, and slightly more than 10 percent will use self-defense moves to get away. “What would you do?” author Robert Siciliano asks in his second edition of The Safety Minute: 01 (Safety Zone Press, 2003). With NAR’s Safety Week under way, Sept. 9-15, Siciliano’s book provides a good refresher on ways you can stay safe on the job, full of safety tip lists and diagrams of self defense moves. If you do find yourself in a dangerous situation, you’ll know how to get out of it.

                   Buy the Book

From the Book: 5 Safety Tips

Pleading and crying have been shown to be ineffective defense strategies against an attacker. Instead, Siciliano suggests the following:

1. Embrace your fear. If you get a feeling that something isn’t right about a situation, trust your gut. Fear can be good for averting danger and it brings an adrenaline rush, providing you with an extra boost of strength. Fear also can sharpen your senses, allowing you to be more aware of your surroundings and acute to anything that seems out of place. Anticipate an assault so you’ll be ready to avoid or counter it. But don’t carry your fear on your sleeve — attackers look for vulnerability. Project confidence and strength. Be aware, alert, and ready.

2. Arm yourself with safety products. Whistles, personal alarms, self-defense sprays, and portable property alarms can offer you some defense. For example, personal property alarms are small and can be attached to a purse strap or belt. If you’re in trouble, you can use the device to emit noises as loud as 110 to 130 decibels, much louder than a whistle. Pepper spray is a more forceful deterrent, since the chemical when sprayed into an attacker’s eyes can temporarily debilitate him and give you a chance to get away.

3. Appear as if you’ve been defeated. If you are being overpowered by an attacker, suddenly stop struggling. This is the reversal technique. As you fall prey, observe every detail of your

environment, scanning for escape routes, weapons, and strike zones. Weigh your options for your next move. Once you have a plan, go from zero to 100 percent resistance with your body and voice, which will throw your attacker off guard.

4. Fight back. Your brain is your best self-defense, Siciliano writes. Strategize and visualize how you will defeat your attacker. But sometimes your brain may be telling you: Fight back! Use self-defense moves, such as gouging the eyes of your attacker to temporarily blind him or stomping down hard with your heel on top of his foot. Out of 26 bones in the foot, you’re bound to break at least one.

5. Survive. That’s your chief goal, after all. But how do you know if your survival rests on fighting back or playing victim? Experts in the past recommended not fighting an assailant, believing you’d be more likely to become injured. That perspective has slightly changed, depending on the circumstance. If an assailant wants your watch, money, or purse, hand it over and don’t risk getting killed or hurt over material possessions, Siciliano says. But if they want to relocate you or you feel the situation has become more of a threat to your safety, then fighting back may save your life.

Sneak Peek

“At no point does anyone sit us down and say, ‘Somebody, some day, might try to cause you a great deal of harm. Here is everything you need to know to prevent it.’ As a result, we are unprepared to confront violence. … Most of us when confronted in an attack situation freeze up and become overwhelmed with fear and panic. … All is not lost. With a little reprogramming we can get you into a frame of mind for avoiding dangerous situations and removing yourself from them.”

About the Author

Robert Siciliano is a speaker, trainer, and consultant on personal safety. He’s also a frequent speaker to real estate practitioners on staying safe while on the job. Siciliano is the president of the Safety Minute Seminars Co.

Posted on September 10 at 09:15 AM | Permanent Link | Add a Comment (3)

  The Savvy Woman’s Homebuying Handbook (Prosperity Way Press, 2007)
  By Tara-Nicholle Nelson
  — Janice Glavan, GRI, e-PRO®, Equitable, Scottsdale, Ariz.




  Flipping Confidential: The Secrets to Renovating Property for Profit in any   Market (Wiley, 2007)
  By Kirsten Kemp
  Real Estate Presentations that Make Millions (AMACOM, 2007)
  By Jim Remley
  — Amy J. Chandler, Optimum Real Estate Inc., Whitman, Mass.

  Sell With Soul: The New Agent’s Guide to an Extraordinary Career in Real   Estate (AuthorHouse, 2007)
  By Jennifer Allan, GRI
  — Noel Edrich, Home Team Real Estate, Sioux Falls, S.D.



  If How-To’s Were Enough We Would All be Skinny, Rich and Happy (Insight   Publishing Group, 2004)
  By Brian Klemmer
  — Debra Allen, ABR, GRI, Prudential Arizona Properties, Gilbert, Ariz.


Tell us what you’re reading. Send an e-mail to bookblog@realtors.org that includes the title of the book you’re reading and the author, along with your name, contact information, and your photo.

Posted on September 7 at 12:41 PM | Permanent Link | Add a Comment (0)

Public relations and marketing expert Steven Van Yoder responds to your previously submitted questions about his book Get Slightly Famous (Bay Tree Publishing, 2007).

Q: When you live in a big city where networks are often already established, how do you suggest getting acquainted with real estate reporters so you become a trusted source?

A: Start by familiarizing yourself with the local media outlets. Then, tailor your inside knowledge to the needs of the media. The first step in any media campaign is identifying relevant media outlets, and the key people within those organizations. Build a list of newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and radio and television programs where you want coverage. Visit your public library and familiarize yourself with the media resources available in the business reference section. In large urban libraries look for media directories (such as Bacons Media Source, Burrells, and others) that include information on thousands of media outlets.

Once you’ve identified the media outlets that seem appropriate for your business, get the names of key people, including relevant reporters, editors, producers, and writers. Look up articles written in the past year or so by their top reporters to learn the specific subject areas they cover and to better understand their interests and special angles. Then, you’ll be in a position to approach your targeted media and pitch them your expertise in a relevant way.

Q: How would you suggest putting your fame-building concepts into action if you’re a start up with little money? Where is the best place to invest money to generate fame when you’re just starting off?

A: What everything in the book has in common is that it doesn't cost a lot of money to implement. This is not a book based on hype or fancy brochures or slick ads. It's a modern take on the good-old fashioned virtue of understanding your customer and doing well by doing good work. Small businesses, especially those in start-up mode, should look for ways to specialize,

rather than being “one-size-fits-all” real estate professionals. Avoid going after a broad, undefined market, acting like a deep sea fishing vessel casting a huge net over the ocean.

A powerful strategy is cultivating a “super niche.” A super niche is when you can proactively target a particular market segment, get to know its inhabitants inside and out, and become the business of choice within your industry to members of that niche. Then, you specialize your products and services to the unmet needs of the most qualified prospects in your super niche.

This is what Tom Williams, of WestMark REALTORS® in Lubbock, Texas, accomplished when he began his career in real estate. Looking for ways to differentiate himself, he soon noticed that the majority of his colleagues gravitated to older, repeat clients who were comfortable with the home-buying process. Because conventional wisdom says that first-time home buyers are too much trouble and not worth the small commissions, Williams realized he could have this potentially lucrative market to himself. He threw himself into his newly discovered niche with great success, and his clients found his dedication, advice, and upbeat attitude refreshing.

Q: What can you do if the media keeps picking the least important information and the worst quotes from your interview? How can you make yourself more quotable?

A: Journalists have complete control over what they write, or don’t write, about your company. I suspect that if you’re landing interviews, but are not seeing the quality of coverage you’d like, you are not adequately preparing for interviews to ensure you give the journalist the best information they need.

Before interviews, ask journalists to provide short, e-mail lists of questions to help you prepare. Then, outline the messages you want to convey. Make sure your interview positions your business in a way consistent with your brand identity. Create an outline you can refer to as the interview takes place. Thorough pre-interview preparation will help you stay on track and remember the points you want to get across.

You must also learn to speak in a way that makes you worth mentioning. You must be able to express yourself succinctly and memorably. Practice condensing your key points into brief, clear sentences. A good quote ensures that you get mentioned in the final story. The better you become at speaking quotably, the more journalists will want to call you.

Q: The more exposure you get, the more at risk you become if something goes wrong, such as if you make a bad prediction or give wrong advice. How do you protect yourself from the backlash of fame if things don't go well?

A: This is a misguided concern. Nobody — your clients, your associates, or the media — expect you to preach perfection from the mountaintop. As a professional, you have expertise. As long as you don’t overreach, or make sweeping projections or opinions that are not based on the facts at hand, you’ll be fine.

As an expert, media resource, and thought leader, you must actively seek out new evidence that impacts your theories and assumptions. Keep on the lookout for statistics, case studies, and research that either substantiates or refutes your thinking. You don’t need an ultimate truth, but you do need to articulate your position clearly and have the relevant facts close at hand.

Q: With all the competition in cyberspace, how can you make your Web site standout from your competitors?

A: When evaluating your Web presence, ask yourself the following questions:

- How does your business look in the first couple of seconds when somebody types your name in to Google or another major search engine?

- Does your business come up at all?

- Do top Web sites in your industry link to your site?

- Does any media exposure appear in your search results?

The most effective strategy for boosting your online presence and findability involves sharing your knowledge, giving your expertise generously and frequently in a variety of online formats. Make your Web site a source of timely, objective information for your niche. If you specialize in working with older home owners, provide resources, such as articles, a blog, audio and video content, checklists and assessments that help your visitors better deal with the particularities of their situation.

On the Web, content is king. If your Web site is a useful resource, a hub for those seeking information related to your business, it will then quite naturally increase its findability by being relevant to your target customers. Strive to produce a few hundred words of new content at least twice a week to ensure that your Web site is search engine-friendly.

Q: How can a real estate professional gain positive word of mouth advertising about their services in their community?

A: In a high-touch, high-trust industry such as real estate, people do business with people, not faceless companies. Getting involved in your community will help you make valuable personal connections you need with members of your target market.

Identify clubs, networks, and associations where members of your target market congregate. Visit a few meetings and join organizations that show promise for advancing your business. Don’t just join, get involved and take a leadership position. The surest way to earn recognition and trust in networking is by positioning yourself as a leader and contributor to the group.

Consider opportunities for public speaking, which can be the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to establish yourself as a thought leader, and give you tremendous credibility that increases over time.

Identify trade shows, associations and conferences that customers and industry influencers are attending, and get on their panels or lead workshops. You don’t have to be there in-person to give a talk that reaches your target market. Online chats and teleconferences, using either your own or others Web sites or telephone lines, can help you reach a lot of people eager to hear your message.

Posted on September 4 at 11:46 AM | Permanent Link | Add a Comment (1)