By Michael Port, Sponsored by In House Lender
Garrison Keillor may not be the first person you think about when it comes to business. But, he has a lot to say about success in business and what it really takes to get booked solid.

From his perspective, success happens when you follow these three principles:

“Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”

To me, the “be well” part is about taking great care of yourself and handling the personal problems, fears and challenges that keep you from getting booked solid. It’s about developing the confidence and courage you need to do your best work. The “do good work” part is about standing in the service of others - finding the clients you are meant to serve and doing great things out in the world. Its thinking bigger about who you are and what you offer the world.

Then, there’s the “keep in touch” part…

Most business owners know that keeping in touch is a critical part of growing their business. And, it is the key to building relationships - not to mention trust and credibility.

But, the sad fact is that most service professionals don’t keep in touch like they know they should. And, as a result, they miss out on opportunities, lose touch with prospects and fail to connect meaningfully with the people they are meant to serve.

And, when that happens, the opportunities to “do good work” are less and less. This negatively impacts the “be well” part.

This degenerative cycle repeats itself over and over again…until we break it by reconnecting with the people in our network and in our community.

We do this when we reach out to those who have the resources, ideas and connections we need to do our best work. Then we find powerful and meaningful ways to reach our ideal clients and referral partners. And, in the process, we become that resource and point of connection for those around us as well.

Some people call that the “Three Foot Rule,” which says that everyone within three feet of you either needs something you have or has something you need. I see it as something much more than that.

It’s the synergy, that spark of energy that manifests when we connect with others in a meaningful and powerful way. When that happens, opportunities are born, resulting in new relationships, new resources, new ideas and new ways to grow our business and serve our clients. We take that energy and then help others do the same.

So, what would happen if we made a commitment to keep in touch and to reach out and build relationships in a meaningful way?

believe that keeping in touch and giving back to our network has never been more important than it is right now. But it’s not just for getting clients and it’s not just because it’s the “right” strategy for building a business. But, for what it can do to transform our work, our communities and our world.

Here’s my challenge to you:

Make a commitment to keep in touch with your network in a personal and meaningful way. If you don’t know how to do that, get a system like the one we use to help you personally connect with as many people as possible. Either way, decide to keep in touch and give back to your network each and every day. Then, see what connections and opportunities life brings you in return.

More about Michael Port: Called a “marketing guru” by the Wall Street Journal, Michael Port is the guy to call then you’re tired of thinking small because he has lectured, trained, inspired, and provided coaching and consulting services to over 20,000 small business owners.

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He is the author of the national bestseller Book Yourself Solid, The Fastest, Easiest and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Then You Can Handle Even If You Hate Marketing and Selling.Click here for more information.

by Chris Wrightsman

If you think that what you don’t know can’t hurt you… Think again. Non-disclosure is a very big deal in the real estate industry and sometimes situations arise after the close of escrow that nobody knew or thought to disclose and the finger pointing begins.

An often overlooked way to protect yourself and your clients is by finding out the actual condition of the main sewer line while you are in the contingency period. Having a sewer line inspection done can help to put the buyer at ease while at the same time preventing the realtor from a potential lawsuit after the close of escrow.

What many realtors and homeowners do not realize is that in the L.A. area the homeowner is responsible for the main sewer line all the way out to the city connection. Their responsibility does not end at the property line. If there are problems under the street the repair costs can be astronomical. Finding out about any such conditions early on is key.

Some materials used for sewer pipes have a design life expectancy of approximately 60 years which means that many of the homes that are being bought and sold nowadays are on a system that is past its design life.

Often, conditions found during a main sewer line inspection are remedied by regular rootering or hydro-jetting (a high pressured water cleaning of the line). Sometimes more extensive problems can be found which may require digging up the line and making repairs to or replacements of a portion of the line or the entire system.

There have been instances of a homeowner believing they are connected to the city sewer and even being charged regular fees for such, only to find that they are on a septic or cesspool system. Although permits were pulled and fees were assessed for this service, the actual connection was never made. This can be a very costly item to fix and it is best to find out about it on the front end of the deal so that proper negotiations can be made.

Not even brand new installations are free of flaws 100% of the time. Usually new homes are under warranty but it is best to find and remedy any potential problems before they manifest themselves inside the home.

Remember, none of this system can be viewed without the aid of a camera. You can’t know the actual condition if you don’t have it inspected. When choosing an inspector the ideal choice would include someone who does not perform or sell repairs. That way you can ensure that you get findings and recommendations that are unbiased.

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Chris Wrightsman is the CEO of LaRocca Inspection Associates & Sewerline Check Professionals. He is a member of CREIA and a licensed general contractor. For questions or further information call (818) 951-7660.

Article compliments of Parker Rose DesignWith a growing family, San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers had outgrown the beautiful Santaluz Estate he and his family has called home for the past couple of years. With all of the furnishings moved to his newly-built home, Rivers was faced with the prospect of selling a vacant home in the very competitive San Diego Luxury Home market. His Realtor, Pen Caldwell of Prudential California Realty, suggested staging the Santaluz home.

“Unfortunately, I am constrained more now than in the past by the real estate market which has become more challenging today,” states Caldwell. “I view my job as selling my clients’ homes in the quickest amount of time possible and for the highest price. This home was vacant so recommending staging was a necessity.”

In fact, many Realtors and homeowners alike are turning to professional staging companies who play a critical role in the successful marketing of high-end real estate. While there is no substitute for an interior designer, there are alternatives that provide expertise and quality furnishings, resulting in the look and feel of interior design without the expense and the long wait. One pioneer in Southern California is Parker Rose Design, a San Diego California-based company that offers a hybrid service combining interior design capabilities with incredible speed and home staging economics.

Prudential California Realty’s focus on being the luxury real estate leader in San Diego County is enhanced by services like Parker Rose Design. “A buyer’s experience in viewing a home is best when enhanced by a professionally furnished home,” says Caldwell. “I truly believe that Parker Rose understands their business – helping agents sell homes.”

In the end, the decision to stage is often a financial strategy for homeowners who are dealing with one of their largest investments. “The cost of carrying a high end home for several months longer when the home remains vacant far outweighs the cost of staging,” says Caldwell. “I think it is the agent’s responsibility to inform his client about the advantages of staging.”

“With the amount of new building in Southern California, we saw a niche in the home design industry that consisted of builders and owners who need designs done quickly or on a temporary basis,” said Brian Pidgeon, President of Parker Rose Design. Pidgeon points out that Parker Rose allows the builder to wait until the final weeks of construction before making a model commitment. And when the home sells, the builder has the option to return, purchase or offer the furniture to the new buyer.

This fact resonated with homeowner, Phillip Rivers. “If I can invest a little in staging and save a few months of carrying costs, it’s a win-win prospect for us,” comments Rivers.

Part of a family of furniture companies calling San Diego home for over 20 years, Parker Rose is truly unique in the home staging and merchandising business. The company operates four showrooms and maintains over $10 million in inventory and accessories in 75,000 square feet of warehouse space.

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This article is courtesy of Parker Rose Design. To find out how staging can help you sell more homes, call Parker Rose Design at 866-406-9813 or click here to visit them online.

Despite changes to the world of real estate with the advent and growth of the internet, one burning question has stood the test of time. That ever present, elusive question: “What’s my home worth?”Now, by understanding a few basics you can leverage technology to answer this ever-present question easily, effortlessly and help position you as the expert you are. But first, it’s helpful to understand a couple of initials and how they impact your answering process: CMA vs. AVM.

Defining CMA & AVM
CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) is the report generated by agents and brokers based on an educated estimate guided by the agent’s own personal knowledge of market activity and the use of comparable sales. The report could include community information and personalization with branding by the agent.

AVM (Automated Valuation Model) is a process to establish a market value of a property through “scientific” measures, versus a subjective approach by a real estate professional. AVM reports usually include property valuation, comparable sales, and demographic information. Data base sources of AVM providers may include public record information databases of county, tax records, census, in addition to other proprietary databases. Personalization and agent branding can be easily included.

Comparing CMA & AVM

The table below compares these tools explaining the differences and similarities. But the BIG difference kicks in when you look at the variables from the Consumer’s Perspective.

AVM vs CMA

Let’s face it, web savvy consumers want to be involved in the real estate process. Internet use for finding and comparing homes is at an all time high and on the rise. It’s important to focus on the two major differences from the perspective of the consumer: AVM data is presented to consumers and agents in “Real time”, whereas CMA takes “time”. A custom CMA can take hours of research and preparation, whereas an AVM is instant information for both agents and consumers.

AVM reporting commonly requires just street address and zip code for report generation…that’s it! In-comparison, forms on lead generation sites or agent’s website with a submission form for “Home Value Analysis” requires numerous fields including square footage, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, garage size, etc.

AVM Leverage Strategies
Here are five ways you can save time, energy and WOW! your clients by leveraging AVM technology.

1. Save Time. A full Seller’s CMA can take a lot of time to prepare while an AVM can be generated in a matter of minutes. Considering that a Seller’s CMA is designed to “win the listing” its lifespan is sort-lived, perhaps no more than a few days.
   It’s perfect on the Buyer’s side as well. Generating a report can buy you time until a custom Buyer’s CMA is completed.
2. Short Window Success. Have you ever been pressed to meet a potential seller or buyer in a hurry? AVM’s only require an address to generate a personalized report with your unique branding. Be out the door from start to finish in five minutes or less.
3. Cross Check Your Estimate. A second opinion never hurts and when conducting a full CMA report, AMV reports are an excellent tool to verify and confirm your conclusions.
4. WOW! Prospects. If you have a handful of prospects, you can generate individualized AVM reports and answer their burning question: “What’s my home worth?” in minutes. Canvas a target neighborhood armed with custom reports and you’re sure to stand out amongst the competition.
5. Differentiate yourself from the competition.

AVM reports offer prospects value and answer an ever present question and can easily be personalized and branded with your photo and contact information, you’ll be different than the agent passing out note pads. (I have nothing against note pads…in fact I have 47 in my desk from various agents but they just don’t answer my burning question.)

Conclusion: in 2007, we will see more service providers developing services for real estate agents & brokers which include AVM reposting. AVMs cannot fully replace the CMA or agent’s inclusive market knowledge and perspective. But it can be a powerful value-added tool when providing property information to consumers and can be an effect strategy for leveraging technology.

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Take a FREE 7-day test drive of AVM Reporting in action and see what it can do for your business. Click here for more information.