Inspired Real Estate For Today

In my previous post, I discussed how to determine if a home was a good choice for an Open House.  Now, we will focus on the right reasons to hold a home open. 

This is something to take seriously.  We are asking homeowners to leave their home & let it be canvassed by members of the general public, for whom we can not validate credibility or authenticity, in the hopes that this will create a viable prospect for the sale of their home.  If we have not done our homework & prepared properly, at the very least, the effort has been a huge waste of everyone's time. 

Some of the reasons commonly given for holding an Open House are:  "The Seller's asked me to",   "I'm not getting any activity, so I need to hold an Open House, "My clients expect me to advertise their house, so I need to do an Open House," or "I'm not very busy so I have some time to do Open Houses."

Not!  None of the above is an optimal reason to conduct an Open House.  The Seller's asked me to - No, the Seller's hired you to give professional counsel & direction in the marketing and sale of their home.  Can you imagine this reasoning used in the following scenario - Patient to Doctor, "I need you to perform an operation because I've determined that this is the best solution to cure my condition."  No MD would acquiesce to a request like that simply because they were asked.   

Professionals are hired to provide solutions and create options.  They are hired FOR their expertise.  Determining the viability of an Open House should be the responsibility of the real estate agent as one part of an extensive marketing strategy.

Click here to continue reading this article...

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved

When I entered the real estate profession 12 years ago, my broker told me that I would not stand a chance at succeeding if I did not do Sunday Open Houses.  When I transferred to another Broker a couple of years later, I heard the exact opposite advise, " Open Houses are usually a waste of time".  So which one was right.  Well, both were! 

Open Houses are a waste of time unless they are prepared and conducted properly.  A well presented Open House is a successful strategy many  saavy agents use to market  and sell their listings & skill set as a real estate consultant to the general public. Unfortunately, many agents have never been given basic instructions about how to ensure that an Open House is worth the time & others do not want to put in the efforts to ensure that their time...which is money....is well worth it.

The fact is that Millions of Americans seem to find Open Houses to be an engaging hobby.  Don't ask me why.  Maybe, it's part of our morbid curiosity about how other people live; sort of like the house hunting version of tabloid voyeurism.  But if millions of people are going through Open Houses, largely hosted by real estate agents & our national statistics indicate that only 3% of homes are selling through Open Houses, then we have a 97% Failure Rate. 

While many of these open house attenders will not necessarily buy a home they walk through, we are doing a dismal job of capturing prospects who have indicated that they are probably going to be buying sometime, somewhere.  Let's look at some vital issues which should be considered when planning to hold a house open.

The most important aspect of preparing for a Successful Open House is Picking the Right House.  Not every home is suitable for holding an Open House.  Have you ever gone on the Open House Needle in the Haystack Search?

Click here to continue this article... 

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate  All rights reserved

From time to time, you find a book that truly nourishes the soul.  The book, Touching the Holy, by Robert J. Wicks is one of these gems.  According to Dr. Wicks, "True ordinariness is tangible holiness". He explores with profound insights, the works of the ancient dessert Fathers and incorporates he contemporary themes in psychology to bring powerful insights about why it is important to truly embrace who we are called to be as ordinary human beings! I'm not even sure how this book was recommended to me, but I'm so thankful to have the gift of reading & re-reading it.   

The clarity of conviction with which the ideas are expressed grant profound insight into understanding how important and necessary it is that we embrace who we are truly called to be...unmarred or diminished by a plethora of vain & tarnished misconceptions. I am struck by the fact that while there are so many "voices" that would try to manipulate or influence us, there will always resonate at the core...if we we will listen...the true calling of our ordinary being.

Quote from "Touching the Holy"  on Creative Positive Imagery:

 Writing by poet & Anglican divine Thomas Traherene:

You never enjoy the world aright

till the sea itself floweth in your veins,

till you are clothed with the heavens

And crowned with the stars,

And perceive yourself to be the sole heir of the whole world;

and more so,

Because men are in it who are

Everyone sole heirs as well as you...

till your spirit filleth the whole world,

and the stars are your jewels,

till you are familiar with the way of God

in all ages as well as with your walk and table

...till you delight in God for being good to all,

You never enjoy the world.

This quote from Touching the Holy spoke so expressively to me today.  I pass on the gift to you as well

When I got the e-mail from my former neighbor this afternoon indicating that he was going to be on TV, my curiosity was peeked.  Tom has recently started a new venture in his life & is now an Eco-farmer in Hesperia, Newaygo County, Michigan.  News reporters were on his farm to interview him about a disturbing development that is affecting farmers across Michigan. The story featured on WZZM13 of Grand Rapids, Michigan indicates that there is a strange, unexplained phenomenon which has serious implications for Michigan.  Apparently, honey bees are dying, literally by the ton...for no known reason. 

Tom refers to his bees as "God's fertilizers"!  He practices organic farming and uses no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The WZZM 13 TV report indicated that he had started with 3 colonies & literally overnight, 2 of them had suddenly died.  This situation is being repeated on farms across the country.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason; some farms are affected and others seem, at least for now, to be unscathed.  The situation is affecting colonies in at least 23 States across the United States, even as researchers plan to converge an urgent meeting in the nation's Capitol to discuss the issue.

If this continues unchecked, there will be serious consequences for Michigan's local agriculture.  In a state plagued by serious economic challenge, this is unwelcome news.  Already, 30% of the hives in lower Western Michigan have perished.  Various theories abound about probable causes including the strange weather patterns that have affected the state with unseasonable cold & warm spells, mites and a strange disease called Colony Collapse Disorder.

Research on Colony Collapse Disorder revealed some fascinating, yet somber parallels.  Apparently as this disease progresses, honey bees don't die...the worker bees simply leave.  According to research by Dr. Jamie Ellis of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, "Symptomatically, colonies with CCD can appear healthy as few as three weeks prior to collapse." All the worker bees simply disappear leaving behind, colonies full of honey, a few workers & the Queen. 

As, I drive past shuttered factories, homes for Sale on many streets  in Grand Rapids, Michigan & witness an increase in homes in foreclosure and short sales on my local real estate board, I am struck by an unsettling comparison...Michigan was the only state to suffer a Net Loss in population as so many moved out of the state due to economic conditions.

There are many reasons why this is an important story.  Nature is often our first responder to significant changes which will affect life on earth as animals, being closer to Nature, respond instinctively to changes in the earth's atmosphere. Reports after the major tsunami  hit  Asia indicate that animals began to withdraw from the shoreline...apparently instinctively sensing something was amiss.  Unfortunately, curiosity propelled many human beings toward the danger & eventual destruction

Bees are the primary pollinators for crops.  Although, I find it annoying to be stung, the flowers in my yard need bees for cross pollination.  So do the trees & vegetables on farms across the country.  Bees are little creatures, but they contribute a very important service as they busily buzz around.  Let's hope that we can come to a true understanding of what is so rapidly decimating the population of these creatures & perhaps in the discovery come to a better understanding of the vulnerabilities of this earth home we all share.

Other Related Articles related to WZZM 13 News Story :

Collapsing Colonies by Joanne C. Taddwell of the Daily  Courier

Mysterious Bee Deaths Threaten Agriculture by Corrine Purtill of the Arizona Republic

Bee Photo Gallery

An intriguing & Strange Scenario...Are Mobile Phones Wiping Out Our Bees? by Geoffery Lean & Harriott Shawcross

© 2007 Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

This past week was an adventure...the cost-a-fortune-college-trip adventure!  We just got back from a long trip up the east coastline to visit a few universities with our son.  Just prior to the trip, a scary Northeaster storm rammed the areas where we were headed.  Then on the way into New Haven, CT, news of the Virginia Tech massacre was filtering in on the airways.  With so much going on, including flooding reports in many areas, we were actually grateful that our final destination was simply blustery cold rain & moderate winds. 

We passed several areas which still remained covered by standing pools of ground water, the result of excess amounts of rain in a short period of time.  As I buried deeper into my winter coat to protect myself from the elements, the coldness of the rain was just one more element to plow through.  This rain was not refreshing...it was simply cold, dreary & depressing. 

We met all sorts of individuals on this trip.  There were the parents of fellow students, who like us were accompanying sons & daughters on a new phase of their life journey.  It was refreshing to talk to them; sharing stories about our children's dreams & accomplishments.  The students we met were also amazing.  Talking to young men & women who had optimism, hope and a desire to excel, was like refreshing rain that wipes away the soot & grime that dirties up life's lens.  In the wake of the sad news about Virginia Tech that we now began to understand in more detail, these promising young scholars nourished hope  in my soul and bathed away the cynicism & fear that shrouds the ability to see the sun through the clouds.

The term rainmaker has become a much tossed about term in business.  In ancient folklore, a rainmaker was one who was believed to have magical charms to produce rain in the community.  Today, the term describes someone who becomes known for achieving excellent results in a profession or field such as business or politics.  It's interesting to see how this term has evolved in modern usage.  Rainmaking today is not a function of luck or charm, it's the beneficial result of diligent, disciplined hard work.  The key is understanding that not all forms of rain merit consideration as being helpful or beneficial.

Storm clouds that dump excess amounts of rain in quantities which can not be adequately or properly absorbed do more harm than good.  In my zeal to accomplish things quickly, I have sometimes resembled a storm cloud.  I've come to recognize that feelings of irritation, anxiety, anger & impatience are not precursors to the highest good in my life, no matter how well intentioned my goals.  When decisions...personal or professional...have been made with the heavy laden energy of storm clouds, the deluge has not yielded the best results.  Like the storms clouds which dump massive quantities of rain with unimpeded fury; decisions with negative energy can result in massive devastation ...and can derail a promising transaction.

Refreshing rain has some distinct qualities.  First, it falls in the amount necessary at the time & it does no harm.  A little pitter, patter of rain on sun scorched earth is not tremendously helpful for a region ravaged by drought, and my lawn almost always looks better after a little thunder & lightening has increased the nitrogen content of the soil.  So, effective rainmaking is not about being comfortable or nice, it's about doing what is best for the right reasons.  When I run ads in a medium which I know yields limited results just to pacify a seller, I am making not practicing effective rainmaking...I am succumbing to the process of creating waste.  When I hope that a home will sell although the seller is unrealistic in pricing & presentation, I risk creating the makings of storm clouds which will eventually burst with a fury that can be destructive. Yes, truth be told, I've been guilty of both of these types of destructive tendencies.

Effective rainmaking requires the discipline of being grounded.  It's a curious combination of light & dark, soft & hard, practial & yet intuitive.  Sometimes difficult decisions have felt akin to being hit by a bolt of lightning.  Coming to the realization that changes in my company or location were necessary were not easy, but the aftermath has been much greater freedom & confidence in the path that I have chosen.  Effective rainmaking also strives to leave in its aftermath, a better situation than what preceded its arrival.  Sometimes, this is the only reliable indicator.  Peering through the rain does not allow for accurate judgements in most instances, but if you are able to evaluate the results of the aftermath, it becomes quite clear what sort of results, a rainmaking effort has achieved.  In financial business sectors, effective rainmakers succeed by bringing in new business on a largely consistent basis & are well rewarded financially & professionally for their successful efforts.

At Audu Real Estate, every client is given the opportunity to grade our services and to receive a gift certificate for their honest evaluation.  We know that we cannot respond appropriately to what we do not know.  While most of the comments are very positive, I have found it is equally important to fully explore situations which were perceived by a client to be less than what was expected. 

By choosing to harness constructive criticism to improve, we strive to become better rainmakers and to refresh and readjust areas of our lives & business that could use the cleansing power of a good downpour!  Developing a system of continual evaluation also protects against the reactive and often disasterous consequences of reacting blindly in the midst of a storm.

© 2007 Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

Choice!  This word has irrevocably changed the real estate landscape in Grand Rapids, Michagan & every community in this country.  Never  in  history have there been so many options available to real estate consumers and agents who work with them.  This virtual potpourri of offerings has created a peculiar challenge...How does one properly discern important differences and accurately evaluate the value propositions offered by very different paradigms of service in a real estate transaction?

Today consumers in need of real estate services can list on the MLS only for a Flat Fee, hire a Discount Broker, Advertise their own listing on-line through Craigslist, Trulia or Zillow.com, Find a Home from any one of a Million Websites, go through the Traditional Brokerage Model, or simply decide to forgo any representation by planting a sign in their yard declaring their desire to be the Unrepresented Seller.

Yes, we've got Options galore.  However in spite of this, I find that although clients arrive at my office armed with listing and  mortgage detail sheets, many are only nominally prepared in advance of our meeting to understand important elements of the real estate process.   Many confess to being overwhelmed by the vast volumes of information they have spent weeks and months pouring over.

The current situation in the real estate industry reminds me of the innumerable options that present themselves whenever we decide to venture out for a meal.  The restaurant section in the Grand Rapids, Michigan phone book has one of the largest number of offerings... pages & pages of restaurant locations...choices galore.  While its' nice to have so many options, I can tell you this... if I received a call from a friend just as I was about to head out for a meal inviting me to her home for dinner, I'd change my dinner reservations at just about any restaurant in a heart beat!

Recently, my husband & I were talking about what makes home cooked food so special.  So much so, that many family style restaurants actually advertise that their food is "like home cooked."  Now, I'm talking about good home cooking...as I know some disasters in the kitchen can make even fast food seem like a great dining experience.   

We came to the conclusion that perhaps it's because the person cooking is doing so with clear & loving intention. A home cooked meal literally erupts with mouth watering flavor when the ingredients used in its' preparation are locally produced, fresh and lovingly prepared. When there is a desire to bring wholesome goodness, creativity, & proper nutrition to loved ones & friends...it's almost as though the food itself responds differently.  I suspect that some of the most imaginative chefs and cooks in well loved restaurants cook with this type of joie de vivre when they create menu items for their guests.

Successful Real Estate Transactions are also impacted by some of these same principles as they also incorporate local flavor & regional distinctions.  In recent years we have witnessed numerous attempts to make the real estate process a function of simply processing information & disseminating information. It is like taking the burst of flavor out of the transaction by trying to provide a one style fits all method of conducting business.   It is becoming increasingly apparent that far more than information peddling is involved to create a truly successful sale.  Simply rolling out an assembly line of pre-packaged entrees in the hope that the consumer's attention will be grabbed by some canned content written by Mr. Anonymous to Ms. Everyone is boring & easily recognized for what it is...Assembly Line Real Estate...No Real Skills Required!

Initiating a search on-line for the the term real estate for any major community or city in the country easily yields hundreds of thousands of selections.  The sponsored links (paid advertisements) are often owned by large affiliate real estate conglomerates who have the money & resources to buy position.  Fiercely desiring the first dibs to the consumer's eyeballs, these types of sites provide mega million bytes of information.  But is this really ALL that consumers want?  In the age of Abundance... Differentiation becomes the King!  The rise of Blogging is a direct response to the need by consumers & service providers to handle the underlying need for differentiation.  On-line consumers are indicating:  I don't just want to know what you know...I want to know why you think it's important & how your superior level of knowledge & training can be of benefit to me in my particular situation.

Recently, Active Rain, in recognition of this profound shift introduced a site called Localism.  The implications of this site are gargantuan.  Localism, now in Beta Testing is designed to provide consumers with information about their neighborhood and communities from the professionals who live and work there.  On Localism, we meet real people, documenting life as it happens in a particular community everyday.  Now, you can't beat that for a real estate version of home cooked goodness!

The truth is that when everyone has access to every listing, the value of information alone diminishes. Consumers are finding it more difficult to sift through this deluge of information to synthesize a more elusive, and far more valuable quality called Relevance.  Relevance is what provides meaning to my life & choices.  Relevance is what informs me about the viability of a particular home or neighborhood in relation to my life circumstance.  Relevance is what ensures that the transaction I am entering into does not disintegrate into a nightmare because I had just facts without the benefit of applied wisdom.

Wisdom is the ability to translate knowledge into meaning thereby creating Relevance.  Real  estate practitioners who understand that their role is to provide Meaning in the transaction will see their Value Soar.  Real estate agents who provide Meaning in a context that honors and responds to the expressed desires of their clients with sensitivity & integrity will be continue to be Relevant. Real estate agents who create Relevance within the context of the transaction will find their services to be irreplaceable. Like a home cooked goodness which beats a restaurant experience for daily service time after time, these agents will be sought after because what they provide is uncommon service in an increasingly cluttered field of Irrelevant links.  This is so unlike the assembly line offerings that bombard potential real estate consumers everyday, but fall short when it comes to Relevance, Relationship & First Hand Community Knowledge.

© 2007 Audu Real Estate  All Rights reserved