RE/MAX Hallmark Blog

LIttle Changes Matter

Watching an athlete digging down deep when it is most needed is something we all like to see. A pro golfer bearing down, or a hockey player stepping it up when everything is on the line is amazing. There is nothing better.

What about in our business of real estate? How often do we as realtors step it up? For some of us, it might be not enough. Imagine what our business would be like if we were determined to be better at every aspect of our business in a consistent manner. It doesn't take a big stretch to produce exceptional and better results.

Imagine being more engaged with our clients - past and present. Imagine listening more intently and purposefully. Thinking more creatively, following up just a bit better and reacting just a bit less.

The little changes matter and often deliver major returns. Try tweaking your thoughts and your actions just a bit and watch how things turn out differently.

 

The "need" to own real estate is strong

I have never been one to be a "big" investor in stocks and bonds. Don't really know much about this sort of investing, although I do realize the importance it plays in the scheme of things. I suppose I look at the stock market as an quick reference indicator to how things are doing out there in our country and abroad. For me the stock market is so fickle, reacting to so many triggers - it's hard for me to get a handle on it. That's why I primarily stick to real estate investing - preferring long term holds (real estate) over short term. Real estate is something I know and something everyone needs.

Today's stock market is a bit concerning. It seems collectively the markets have decided that the US is headed for a double dip recession. This way of thinking is fueled by terrible job creation rates, the sorry state of the US economy and the continual lack of a plan to get things in financial shape. Europe is in a mess for the most part with talk now of Italy, Spain and Portugal soon needing a Greece like bailout. It doesn't seem good for the short term, BUT what can we - the average consumer and investor do about it all?

We need to think long term rather than reacting to daily news bursts about economies. What little confidence we have in various economies would be shattered if we followed our various news sources with their spin on the negative. Sure we must be aware of how things are, but in the long run - there is nothing much we can do about it.

Keep going about our business. The real estate market will have its ups and down and quite possibly we are heading into a "down period." The down period will consist of fewer sales and a softening on price acceleration. But the need to "own" real estate is strong locally.

In the fall, our real estate markets will continue to be fueled by low mortgage rates, immigration, the local economy, and supply. When the housing supply picks up, turnover will slow down and price acceleration will ease. 

So buy those investment properties, people need a place to rent. Buy a principal residence, in the long term your asset will grow, and if you have the need, buy a recreational property - your choices are great.

One other thing - quit watching and listening to negative news spins - it's all done with a purpose.

9:13

When I look back at the last three months or so it all seems so confusing and amazing to me. I don't really know what compelled me to want to take a hard look at my health. I wasn't necessarily feeling unusual, or stressed out about any health issues. For many years I had done what I think most of us do, I got a yearly check up with my GP. The usual stuff, some blood work, check for prostate problems, etc. Every year I just continued on with a clean bill of health - pretty routine.

One day I was with a friend of mine who told me his story. He is younger than me and decided to have someone take a serious look at his health. He did and found out he had the beginning of prostate cancer, and because of his proactive stance, he was able to solve his health problem before it got out of hand He told me his medical team saved his life. That was enough for me.

I got in touch with Doctor Elaine Chin of Scienta Medical here in Toronto. Dr. Chin of Scienta specializes in proactive health care - not waiting for something to happen to take action. From the very beginning I was treated professionally and thoroughly. The Scienta staff must of taken a pint of blood out of my system to be analysed in four different labs. I had a stress test (emotionally and physically) nutritional assessment, colonoscopy. I spent a night in the sleep disorder clinic. Than I had an ultra sound on my abdomen. 

After the ultra sound, Dr. Chin called me up to tell me they found a tumour on my kidney. She told me not to worry, but for the life of me I found it difficult to comprehend myself having a tumour on any part of my body. Didn't tumours mean cancer, and didn't cancer mean big big problems? Didn't my blood work indicate I was fine? Yes - she said - but very often this type of tumour doesn't show up with blood work. Ok - now what? I was told the chances of having cancer were 50-50 and that they wanted and needed to do a CT right away. Within days I had an appointment at Sunnybrook for the CT, which confirmed the tumour. A couple of weeks later I met with Dr. Nam, urology surgeon and genius at the Odette Cancer Clinic at Sunnybrook. Dr. Nam sat me down, told me I had basically two choices. He could do a biopsy on the tumour which he didn't recommend since the readings are often false and tend to stir up the tumour if it is cancerous or I could get it taken care of through surgery. I chose the surgery.

Within 45 days I was laying on a stretcher outside of operating room 6 at Sunnybrook. It all seemed surreal to me. I was calm, and prepared and certainly in good hands. I remember being wheeled into the operating room and thinking how complex it was. So many lights, people and instruments.

I was told they were going to put me to sleep now, I happened to glance around the room one more time, taking it all in. I noticed the clock on the wall - exactly 9:13.

When Dr. Nam came to visit me in recovery I asked him how the surgery went. Spectacular he said. Spectacular - what an odd word I thought. But it made sense to me coming from Dr. Nam. I asked him if the tumour was cancer - he said it didn't matter. He went in assuming it was and got everything. I was extremely sore, drugged up but relieved.

Three weeks later, on my follow-up visit with Dr. Nam he told me that the tumour was in fact cancerous. Being proactive saved my life or at least saved me from serious health problems in the years to come. The type of tumour I had doesn't really show up as a problem until it is too late. I was very lucky says Dr. Nam.

So - why do I share all of this? I think it is important to tell my story - one person may take action which could help their life - just as I did because of the words of my friend.

I am back now full time at work just four short weeks from major surgery. Last night I actually slept for the first time on the side of my incision without any pain whatsoever. That is big!! My followup with Dr Nam only includes ultrasound every 6 months. Dr. Nam tells me the chance of my type of cancer recurring is less than 5%. I will take those odds any day.

 

 

 

In the trenches

An overnight success.... how many times have I heard these three words when people are talking enviously about someone else success. 

Success doesn't happen by accident or overnight, but success in whatever we do takes discipline, commitment and time. And than more time.

Follow the success paths of anyone of consequence and you will see what I mean. Any sports figure or entertainer has put in the time to arrive at their pinnacle. Many stories have been told of now superstars and their time on the road - slugging out their material in small clubs, night after night. Sport figures are no different - riding buses in the minors - year after year to hone their craft. It is a crueling existence, only comforted by the dream of making it one day.

And the dream and commitment to the dream makes it happen and tolerable. Imagine going from town to town night after night for few dollars - performing in front of sparse and often hostile crowds - sleeping in cars or in dingy hotel rooms. Now imagine what that existence would be like without the dream of one day making it. No one would choose that way of life without the dream.

It's necessary and important to put in the time in the trenches. Tough times make a difference in the long haul. New to the business realtors need to understand the journey and embrace it. Often they view the successful realtors in our business and immediately follow their now patterns - forgetting that it took many years of slugging it out in our business to get where they are today.

My advise to any new realtor is to not focus on what a top producer does now, but figure out what they did to get where they are. Talk to them about the early years, how they honed their skills - what they had to overcome to become what they are now in business. 

 

 

How real are your goals?

We all have goals, or at least have some kind of idea of what we want in the form of a goal. But do we just give goal setting and dreaming lip service or are we committed to the goal fulfillment?

I think the thought of having a goal is enough comfort for many of us and actually gets in the way of us achieving our goals. We tend to get comfort by having the illusion of a goal as enough without actually doing anything about it.

How many times have you listened to a smoker and heard him or her say they were going to quit smoking when January 1st rolls along or some other significant date, while they were reaching for another smoke. Or the story of an out of shape person saying :saying as soon as the weather improves....as they lounge their time idly away on the sofa.

Goal fulfillment is a problem in the workplace as well. Many of us think of ourselves as good realtors when in fact we have the habits of non producers. Happens all the time.

So how do you know if the goal you have set is really a goal you want to achieve? In my coaching I have used this test. Determine the most priceless thing in your possession. I don't mean houses or cars, but something which is incredibly priceless to you. Could be a treasured photo of a loved one, sea shells which hold personal memories, or a beat up old guitar given to you by someone special. Ask yourself if you are willing to risk this priceless object to achieve what you say you want to achieve. If the answer is yes - then your goal is real. If the answer is no - then you still are giving lip service to goal setting.

Next - put that priceless object on the line. With someone, commit to losing the object if your goal isn't achieve within a specified time. Give the object to that person, to be returned to you if and only your goal is reached.

Takes guts, but it is a true test of your goal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be Engaged, Be Prepared and Be Happy

What makes a great realtor? Maybe to try to answer that question it is best to start with what doesn't make a great realtor.

From my many years of being in this business and helping realtors build their business I can tell you for a fact that being disengaged doesn't cut it in our business. So many realtors take the path of least resistance, of just existing through the days. For some reason, the idea which is planted into each and every one of us from the day we start in this business is defeating. We are told that now we can set and plan our own schedules. While in fact we do have this liberty, many of us take it as a green light to unaccountability. I believe it is much easier for a person to have a set schedule, to have to show up to do the work. In most other fields other than real estate, we would be accountable to a superior - in our business we are accountable to ourselves. There sets the problem. We have trouble answering to ourselves. Most realtors are prone to inactivity if given the chance - and lets face it - in the industry we are given the chance to hide out.

To be great in this business we need to embrace the idea of accountability to ourselves first. We must choose the path of running our business as a business - with systems. In my experience, great realtors get down like everyone else, they have bad days - but they are quicker to resurface from under the covers.  Keeping on track is so important by not reacting to the shifts in our moods and market.

I talked with an agent friend of mine the other day. He has been in this business for 20+ years and came to the realization that he was going to have down days and that was ok - it was all part of the business. He was clear  the down days we not going to overwhelm him as in the past.

So great realtors get it. They know each and every day has to be a day of business building. Great realtors own the accountability for their success - they realize in order to grow they need to be engaged, be prepared and to be happy.

Would I want to know?

What would you do? As realtors we have enormous responsibilities. We have a duty to disclose information which is substantial or potentially substantial to the decision making process of our clients. Of course, if the information is confidential to our client - there is a line which isn't to be crossed. But what happens when the situation or information is blurry?

Many time I am asked by our realtors about information they have on a current listing. Some examples may be - there was a suicide in the home several years ago - do I need to disclose that to potential buyers? A neighbour across the street has a habit of playing his music loud ? A member of the family died naturally at home - does that need to be disclosed?

Certainly there are many examples which can be relayed. 

If I am representing a buyer, I have to be very diligent with my work. I need to ask questions. I need to find out what is important for my buyers in living in a neighbourhood. Are they overly sensitive to noise? Are they concerned with crime? A good habit many buyer reps get into is to canvas the street on behalf of their buyers. Meet the neighbours and ask them about their experiences living in the neighbourhood. Any problem houses of note? Some realtors go as far as connecting with the local police department to get a report on crime in the area and problem houses. Any buyer rep worth his or her salt will go the extra mile for their buyer. It is one of the many strong reasons to enter into a buyer representation agreement.

As a buyer rep, I wouldn't stop with canvassing the neighbours or police department. I would directly ask the seller, through their realtor of any problems or problem houses they know of in the immediate vicinity - and I would make the request in writing.

As a listing representative, I need to know what is important to disclose to the public. Information that would have a direct bearing on the value of the property being marketed. Issues like known structural problems or pest infestation are natural to disclose - but what about some of the not so certain issues? 

A noisy neighbour across the street certainly doesn't have any long term effect on the value of the property being sold, a natural death in the home shouldn't either. But what about a suicide or murder? The stigma may cause problems for many.

When in doubt, disclose all known information to the people you are representing and let them decide. As a coop broker, ask a lot of questions. And when in doubt - ask yourself this question - if I were buying this property would I want to know?

 

 

Enough is Enough

When is enough enough? Realtors work in the service industry - does that working environment mean we have to accept abuse from the public for their interpretation of our services provided?

Is there ever an appropriate time for us to stand up to the public for our rights as realtors? For clarity let me give a general example.

A seller lists her  property with one of our realtors. The process is clear and true to form. As an aside, this particular seller has a bit of history to go along with their listing. It seems that the seller was able to have her property listing cancelled from a previous broker. I suspect that the seller wore the other brokerage down.

This seller wants me to cancel the listing one of my realtors now has on her property. For no particular reason other than the seller was able to do it before. The seller is pulling out everything to convince me how evil my realtor and company is for not cancelling the listing, when in fact we have done everything to uphold our end of the contract. I suspect the seller wants to either sell it herself from a contact generated from our work, or the seller wants to carry on her actions with another victim real estate company. The abuse levelled at our firm and realtor is creative and unfounded.

My dilemma. Do I cancel the listing and just move on, or do I take a stand ? Of course I do not want to clutter my life with people who are abusive, but for the life of me I have had enough of people like this thinking they can waste the time of our realtors.

I told this seller that I would respectfully suspend the listing, since I was told that she didn't have any intention of selling the property - but that was not enough for her. Red flags all around with that insistence.

What will likely happen is that this seller will file a consumer complaint with the Real Estate Council of Ontario and I will be called to task to explain my actions.

Moving away from problems is most often the right thing to do, but in this case - I believe enough is enough and a stand must be made.

 

Getting out of a "funk"

We all get into a "funk" from time to time. Little energy, motivation, and drive. I am no different.

Over the years I have been able to develop a strategy to help get me out of the low periods quicker.

First of all - I am clear on the feeling I am having at the present time - not to be too weird - but I embrace the low period for what it is. I do an assessment of why I am feeling the way I am - usually putting down on paper all my thoughts and reasons for the present "funk." After the evaluation, I spring into action. I get doing something - knowing the longer I wallow in the present state the worst I will be. Bad vibes have a strong tendency of feeding on itself.

Being a realtor, I make some calls, connect with people, or simply get out and about to meet people face to face. The action is an incredible tonic for building up my confidence, and self worth.

So next time, instead of feeling down for a long periods of time, get out and do something. Your spirit will immediately pick up.

A Check Up from the Neck Down

The last few months I have been going through some medical tests - nothing prompted by feeling ill or caused by a concern. Just a result of my age I suppose. I undertook a detailed medical journey to find out how I was doing at the ripe old age I am. I had extensive blood work done, various stress tests perform, professionals poking at all parts of my body. 

I am in pretty good shape - nothing of concern other than I really could stand to lose some pounds (didn't need the prodding to tell me that.) My fitness isn't too bad considering. I am not allergic to any food group which is good I suppose and my insides are functioning well including my colon. 

The colonoscopy gave me some concern. I had heard the stories from friends. After all, the action taken by the doctor in the procedure wasn't what I would call inviting. The pre work undertaken is worse than the procedure, friends told me. What I experienced was that it was a piece of cake on all courts. My good doctor at Toronto Western was nice enough to give me some outstanding drugs so I didn't feel a thing other than a fantastic high after the procedure. The prep work for the procedure wasn't even that terrible - just lots of drinking of some tasteless fluid followed by the quick exit of same fluid. Not bad at all. I go on about the colonoscopy simply because we all need to have one done - eventually. The procedure does save lives and isn't a problem. If you haven't had one and are over 40 - consider it now.

So, last night was interesting. I went to the Sleep Clinic at Sunnybrook Science Centre. I was hooked up with all sorts of wires put in place to monitor my sleeping pattern. They wanted to find out if I stopped breathing while sleeping, if I snored (YES!) and how deep of a sleep I got. The room I was given wasn't the best but they did have wifi at the hospital so I was able to pass some time with the help of my IPAD. I think I ended up getting about 5 hours of sleep and was surprised how easily I took to the environment. I should know the results in a few weeks.

 

 

 

 

What's next? I have been told from my friends that I shouldn't stop now - the physical check up was important but perhaps I should consider a psychological check up !! With friends like that - who needs to have a professional evaluate me!!

If you have been putting off getting a full medical - DON'T. It could save your life.