Do you stand out from the other real estate agents when you are going for a new listing? We all would like to think that we do, but how do we know for sure? Have you ever gone back to a seller after losing the listing and ask why? If you haven’t, you should. You might be surprised what you’ll find out. Believe it or not, it’s not all about the marketing plan or pricing the home correctly. It’s more about how you present yourself and if you take into considerations their emotions.

Recently, good friends of ours were selling their house as they realized that they had no more room in their home. They decided that they would interview several local companies prior to listing their home. After interviewing three real estate agents, my friend called to tell me about the agents she interviewed. Needless to say I was intrigued about the appointments and who she had chosen. And, after listening to her, I knew I needed to share her experience with my Skirt’s friends.

The first agent she interviewed was 15 minutes late, not a good start, but to the agent’s credit, she did call and let them know that she would be late. When the agent arrived, she was dressed very casual and explained that she had been at her child’s school to participate in a classroom event. The agent asked if they would give her a tour of the home, which they did. After the tour, my friend decided that it would be more comfortable to sit at the kitchen table since she was sure that there would be a lot of paperwork being shown. Wrong. This agent started the conversation with how bad the market was, not a lot of things are moving, but she would give it her best shot. She asked what they would like to see the home priced for and then asked what they owed on it. Once this discussion was completed, she told them roughly what she thought they should list the home for. She was going to go back to the office and do a CMA, complete the paperwork and bring it back to them for their review with the contract for them to sign. Now, did I mention that this agent was a friend of theirs?

Agent two was scheduled for that afternoon. This agent showed up on time and was dressed in a business casual outfit. Once again, this agent asked them to give her a tour of their home. During the tour, she took notes, and asked if they had cable and internet. She also commented on the décor of their home and made some suggestions on how to get it ready to sell.

Also, during this process the agent began by asking them questions on why they were interested in selling and what they liked about their home and neighborhood. When they had completed the tour, agent two asked if they could sit at the dining room table as she would like to share with them information about herself and her company. Once they were seated at the table, she pulled out her computer and asked if she could use their internet connect as she would not only like to go through her presentation, but show them how she and her company would market their home on line. The opening page of her presentation had a picture of their home as well as a personalized cover with their name and address. Like any good listing presentation, she had included her glamor photo, resume, client testimonials about her and the company information, a typical marketing plan and a brief CMA for them to use as a base for the pricing discussion. Upon reviewing this customized presentation, the agent provided them a hard copy for their review.

Agent three was scheduled to drop by that evening around 6:00 PM so that the owners could take one child to football practice and the other to a dance. The agent showed up right on time and with a complete dinner for four. She said that she knew that it was rather hectic running your children to the various after school events and also interviewing real estate agents. This agent asked for the tour of their home, she discussed ways how they could get their home ready for sale, mentioned that she worked with a stager on all homes that she listed to get it buyer friendly, took pictures of the various rooms, and took notes. Once she completed the tour, which took 35 minutes, she reminded them that she would be meeting with them again the next morning at 10:00 AM to review her customized listing presentation that talked about her company, the local market stats, her resume (she had only been in real estate for a short time) as well as review a temporary listing detail page for her company’s website, a marketing plan and an open house schedule.

Can you guess which agent they chose? If you said agent three, you are correct. I asked her why they went with this agent. ‘First of all, she thought about my family when she brought the dinner for four. She had already told me that the first meeting would be for gathering information from us about our home and our goals. She asked us which other companies we interviewing and she was very complimentary of each of them. I like the fact that she was teaming up with a home stager so that my home would stand out from the others, and although I knew in the end I was paying for this stager, I didn’t have to pay for her services up front. And, when she came back the next day, she had a complete package for us that included the marketing plan and calendar of events for our home, we saw what our home was going to look like on the internet, the CMA and last but not least the contract for our review.’

So, when you are preparing to go on a listing presentation, take time to make sure that you are dressed professionally, arrive on time, that you have done your homework, that you listen to them about their home and let them tell you the features that drew them to the home. Have a complete marketing package that shows them their home and tells them what you are going to do to ensure that potential buyers will come through their home.

When I first heard the term, Wabi Sabi, the first thing that sprang to mind was hot mustard. The term is not common in our culture, nor is the mindset. Quite simply, Wabi Sabi is the art of imperfection. It is embracing the imperfections in our life, and relaxing with the knowledge that nothing can or should be perfect.

I often incorporate Wabi Sabi into my staging consultations. I want buyers to have that immediately positive reaction when they tour your listing. Of course the house should be clean, uncluttered, and beautifully presented. But, that extra something, that thing that speaks to buyers and says “this is home”, is more important than any detail. When we create a too-perfect environment in a home for sale, we run the risk of leaving buyers feeling cold, as if they couldn’t see themselves living there because it doesn’t feel real. Yes, this is a completely delicate balance between presenting the listing well so that the buyer feels that the house offers everything they lack now, and being so perfect that they can’t imagine paying bills at the kitchen table or washing the dog in the bathtub.

I had a poignant lesson in the art of Wabi Sabi when I sold my own home. Because I’m in the business of making homes beautiful, especially when they’re listed for sale, my own home was nearly perfect for every showing. I prided myself on thinking of everything, and even had a few little touches to embrace the theory of Wabi Sabi so that the house didn’t feel too staged. One morning, before I had a chance to dive into my daily cleaning routine in case the house was shown that day, my phone rang. It was a real estate agent who wanted to let me know that “they were just around the corner and should be there in a few minutes.” When she heard the confusion in my voice, we both realized that she had left a voice mail message on the wrong phone earlier in the morning, so I had no idea that a showing was about to happen.

I let her know that the house wasn’t “perfect”, and there were dishes in the sink, I hadn’t vacuumed, no cookies were baked, and it just wasn’t in the condition it usually was for showings. The agent assured me that this was fine. I did stress about the showing as I drove around waiting to return to my house. Later that day I received a call that we had a full-price offer from the buyers. They loved the home, and the fact that there were dishes in the sink and it wasn’t perfect, really helped them feel that they’d be right at home there with their big family. “It felt like home” was the comment relayed to me about the condition of the house when they toured it. That was exactly what they needed to see, and had I insisted on perfection by delaying the showing to make things just right, the offer would not have arrived. Good lesson!

We all love the look of beautiful furniture showrooms or model homes, but couldn’t imagine living in them. Mannequins and airbrushed magazine covers offer a perfection that would be frightening on a real person. Perfection is unrealistic, and the pursuit of it can rob you of your peace of mind.

In real estate, the pursuit of perfection is particularly complicated. So much of the industry is dependent on others, as you navigate deals that include clients, other real estate agents, tradespeople, lenders, inspectors, and everyone else! Try brainstorming ways in which you can incorporate Wabi Sabi into your day, for more a peaceful mindset. When you can let go of expectations and focus on what you can control, transactions get easier, and interactions go more smoothly because you’re focused on the process not the outcome.

Guest Blogger: Diana Hathaway-Timmons
email: Diana@DHTimmons.com
website: KeepYourZen.com
253.514.8892

While Amway did not end up making me the money I had imagined, it did teach me a lot about how to look at my business and my life. At that time, Amway recommended a path to success that included three things: ‘books, tapes, and functions’.

Here’s what they meant:

Books: Amway recommended reading one book each month. That book was written by someone like a Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie or an Og Mandino. They were books that had something to offer that would make you a better person.

Next was tapes: At that time (pre-CD days), you were supposed to subscribe to the tape-of-the-week. Each tape was made by someone more experienced in the business and listening to them provided training for becoming better at your (Amway) job.

Finally, functions: There were weekly meetings, monthly meetings, and great, big, out-of-town meetings. They were educational too, but their real purpose was to put you in touch with positive people who were moving on in their lives.

While I only stuck with Amway for a few years, I carried the philosophy into my real estate career. To this day, I continue to read books that will help me understand myself and others and help me be a better person.

I continue to take advantage of opportunities to learn more about real estate, stay on top of the business, and become better at what I do.

Finally, I learned that it was better to be around positive people than negative ones. Those friends who are always complaining about life, how unfair things are, and yet do nothing to change their lives for the better – I don’t hang with them any more. I prefer to be with people who get up each day and believe they can make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

So while Amway didn’t make me rich in the sense I had expected, it actually made me richer in a far greater way. I know that I have been a better person and REALTOR® because of it.

Guest Blogger: Crissie Cudd
email: CrissieCudd@WatsonRealtyCorp.com
website: CrissieCudd.wordpress.com
904.254.0980

For most people my guess is that your career looks a lot more like ‘Grey’s’. ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ doctors dash from patient to patient, put in long hours, and never know from one day to the next what’s in store for them. ‘Private Practice’ doctors set appointments with clients, they never discuss discounting their fees, they take vacations, and they always know what their schedule looks like.

In real estate, we often tend to be RE-active instead of PRO-active. We allow our customers to dictate our schedules and then complain because we have no life. And thanks to the internet, we even allow our ‘patients’ to self-diagnose by telling us what homes they want to see.

The internet should be one of our tools, but not one that replaces the value we bring to the table. Can you imagine going in to see a doctor and saying, ‘Doc, I saw an ad on TV that I think will treat what I think I’ve got so I want you to write me a prescription.’

No sane doctor would do that. She would ask questions, run tests, and do her own diagnosis before prescribing anything. But we allow our customers to call us and demand to see a home right then that they have found, and expect us to jump and run for them. Other professions don’t operate that way. And top agents don’t either – if they want to have a life.

The doctor/patient relationship is a good analogy. There are three parts to setting the proper relationship with customers:

1. Ask lots of questions and explain why you are asking (just like a doctor making a diagnosis)
2. Have a system in place so that you make sure you treat everyone the same (provide handouts to every customer explaining how you work)
3. Always hold the first meeting with the customer at your office (again, just like a doctor)

I developed a Buyer Interview form that I have used and taught for years to avoid forgetting to ask something important. I recommend using it with every single buyer. I suggest agents develop handouts that look professional and explain the buying process so that they establish a habit of covering all the bases with each person. Finally, meeting the buyer at your office sets up the image that you are a professional, just like other professions.

So how about we run our own ‘practice’ like those glamorous folks on TV? We let our ‘patients’ know what to expect, how we operate, how the process works, and we do our own diagnoses.

Then maybe we’ll see a show about a bunch of beautiful people who sell real estate for a living. Ooohhh! I can hardly wait. I hope Catherine Zeta-Jones plays me!

p.s If you’d like a copy of any of my forms, please email me and I’d be happy to send them out!

Guest Blogger: Crissie Cudd
email: CrissieCudd@WatsonRealtyCorp.com
website: CrissieCudd.wordpress.com
904.254.0980

I studied communications in college and quickly became fascinated with my line of study. Personality styles, body language, group interaction, business and personal strategies – you name it, I’m intrigued by how we communicate with one another. In fact, I often refer to myself as a ‘communication junkie,’ always on the prowl for methods to achieve responsible and effective interaction. I love to talk it, analyze it, learn about it, learn from it. I actually believe in the possibility for all of us to ‘just get along,’ and so I often play the role of mediator when situations get uncomfortable. The mediator in me is just one aspect of my personality type, and knowing it allows me to use it to my advantage.

By understanding your own personality style, as well as the style of the person with whom you are communicating, you just might realize a strategy to propel your sales to a higher level. It’s worth a shot, right? You’re up for ideas on how to improve sales, right? Play along with me for a moment…

There are a large number of methods to determining personality types and a zillion more methods to dissect the data, but for the purpose of this post, I’ll stick with the tried-and-true SOCIAL STYLE test used to determine if I am a Driver, Expressive, Amiable, or Analytical. (While we’re at it, grab a pencil and piece of paper and take the quick test to determine your own style if you don’t know it already.)

Anyone that knows me isn’t surprised that my primary style is dead-even between Driver and Expressive. I like order, I like productivity. But I’m also an open book, using my experiences and thoughts to relate to and teach others. I’m diligent on behalf of clients, and I can be pretty darn persuasive when it comes to closing time.

My tendency as an Amiable and Analytical person is also even as my secondary style, or that style I use in stressful situations. Makes sense. I want harmony and justice. I sometimes get so hung up in the details or trying to be right, I can’t see the big picture. High levels of customer satisfaction are very important to me, and I can’t stand errors in billings or contract details.

That’s enough about me. Here’s a snapshot of each style for your own reference:

DRIVER

• Decisive in action and decision making
• Likes control; dislikes inaction
• Prefers maximum freedom to manage self and others
• Cool, independent, and competitive with others
• Low tolerance for feelings, attitudes, and advice of others
• Works quickly and impressively alone
• Seeks esteem and self-actualization
• Has good administrative skills

EXPRESSIVE

• Spontaneous actions and decisions
• Likes involvement
• Exaggerates and generalizes
• Tends to dream and get others caught up in those dreams
• Jumps from one activity to another
• Works quickly and excitedly with others
• Seeks esteem and group identification
• Has good persuasive skills

AMIABLE

• Slow in making decisions or taking actions
• Likes close, personal relationships
• Dislikes interpersonal conflict
• Supports and actively listens to others
• Weak in goal setting and self-direction
• Seeks security and identification with a group
• Has good counseling and listening skills

ANALYTICAL

• Cautious in decisions and action
• Likes organization and structure
• Dislikes involvement
• Asks specific questions
• Prefers objective, task-oriented, intellectual work
• Wants to be right, so collects much data
• Works slowly, precisely, and alone
• Seeks security and self-actualization
• Has good problem-solving skills

Knowing what makes us tick – including the aspects of each style – allows us to then be proactive in communicating with others. We have to just look for a certain set of clues – manner of speech, use of time, etc. – to evaluate another person’s style, and wah lah! we’re at least on the right track to understand and appreciate another’s viewpoint, his/her priorities and the pace at which s/he moves and makes decisions. They call this ‘style-flexing,’ and the knack for adjusting to another person’s style can be the difference between a pointless or healthy conversation – even a closed sale!

Consider this grid:

*Assertiveness is the degree to which a person attempts to control situations or the thoughts and actions of others. Responsiveness is the readiness with which a person outwardly displays emotions or feelings and develops relationships. Wikipedia gives a decent background on these concepts.

In human interaction, we are natural reciprocators. That is, we have a tendency to give back those emotions that are being given to us. In a responsible communication, if I work toward understanding and adjusting to your style, you’ll naturally adjust to mine. I can pick up on your pace and priorities simply by looking around your office, listening to indication of feelings or analytics, and even the tone of your voice, your arms, and the height at which you raise your hands, if at all. (There’s an entire new lesson in mirroring and modeling and neurolinguistic programming that I could insert here, but I sense an end to our attention span in sight and will wait for a future post…how responsible of me!)

Once I have an inkling of your style, I can then adjust my own. In a selling situation, I’m aware of and can address what you’ll get hung up on (details, timeline, possibilities, etc.) before we sign a contract. In a customer service situation, I’m able to work towards managing expectations before you even know you have them.

Here’s a final summary to take note of in trying to maximize your own ability to style-flex:

If it’s been a while and you need a refresher or are intrigued with the topic, try another method of determining your personality via the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. It’ll no doubt spin you off into another universe of fascinating reading. Please come back, though. I enjoy communicating with you.