Agentjason 2.0

Favourite 4 Letter F-Word

My friend Margaret Rome writes a seemingly provocative riff: Favourite 4 Letter F-Word

Here's what I know for sure...if you take a chance and end up offending someone, the fact that they are offended has nothing to do with you...it's all about them. Here's the alternative: Stay in the center, play it safe, be boring, bland, etc. and soon everyone will forget you. A far worse senario in my mind.

Can't talk now, in a meeting

Yesterday I called someone on their mobile phone. THEY ANSWERED! When I started the conversation, I was told, "I can't talk now, I'm in a meeting." Now, I know two things about this person:

1. The cell phone & everyone else runs this persons life/schedule. There's no proactive control of the SmartWeek as Floyd would say, and

2. They only think of themselves most of the time.

I've always found it a little strange that people feel bad (or a little embarassed) when they've interrupted someone in a meeting or other activity calling a cell phone. Here's my attitude: You answered your phone you idiot so no one interrupted anything but you!

If there's a chance you won't want to have a conversation, don't answer. What message are you sending to your caller? That you're not as important as the person I'm with now? Most of the time that non-verbal message will be sent to someone with much thinner skin than myself.

The MLS-All you really need?

This is an email that came into my old agent email address. It's obviously aimed at FSBOs who want to advertise to agents. Once you get to their site, here are a few quotes I find interesting:

Our e-flyer program is perfect for home sellers who want to advertise their property for sale. Send the e-flyer of your property to thousand of realtor by using our record of realtor emails.

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is the key to Home-Sales Success.

"The MLS" is the secret to success of real estate sales, directly responsible for about 4 of 5 sales nationwide.

Yes, and if the MLS was all you needed to sell a home, why is it that every MLS system has a category called "expired listings". One more thing to think about: If your seller clients knew you were willing to show homes that weren't listed by a Realtor, how do you think they would feel. The logical conclusion is a dismantling of the MLS and we'll all just be buyers agents.

Your individual actions do matter...a lot.

Should you raise your commission?

There is a lot of talk in our industry of "protecting your commission". Maybe the way you can compete is to change your thoughts to "raising your price". Read Seth's link for a little perspective.

Link: Seth's Blog: Cheaper.