Monday Morning Coffee

Hello all,

“Talk Tracks”

I really enjoy listening to experienced Real Estate agents who know what they are doing talk with their clients or other agents. There is an element of calmness and confidence they have developed throughout the years. They have learned “Talk Tracks” at seminars, trainings, from other real estate agents and experience over the years. Listing presentations, contract negotiations… they always know what to say at the right time. This is not a skill that they have achieved by accident, they pay attention, learn and practice. Earlier in the week I posted on the office Facebook page (if you do not follow it go to Facebook and search RE/MAX Town Center) an excerpt from RBI on the September local market stats. I have never heard a better way to describe why all Real Estate is local. Please click on the link below and give it a listen, then another listen, then one more, then practice… The winter cocktail party season is closing in fast, as the expert people will be approaching you with questions about the market. You ability to answer questions calmly and with confidence will put you ahead of the competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ksAzw-YGhTk

Doty will be in tomorrow instead of today to do the accounting.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Only the educated are free."
 

- Epictetus

READY TO BEGIN AGAIN?

Have a child or grandchild who graduated this last year?  Whether it's high school or college, commencement exercises mark the end of a full curriculum of education - or do they?  In fact, why not ask the graduate?

After four or more years of study, homework, reports, science projects, and exams, many graduates would quickly answer that commencement marks the end of their education.  In fact, you can often hear students reinforce that line of thinking in their lament, "I'll never pick up another book as long as I live!"

The definition of "commencement" leads, however, in another direction.  It is the beginning, not the end, of a bright future.  It is the beginning of a life-long quest for knowledge, not the slamming shut of the books that opened so many new doors.

If it's been a few years since you graduated, perhaps you might also benefit from a renewed commencement - by opening some new doors to your own life-long learning curve.  When's the last time you attended a workshop, bought a recorded educational series, or thought about taking college courses or embarking on a new degree track?

No longer are books the only on-ramp to education. Distance learning over the Internet, tapes, videos, workshops, seminars, and many other educational resources are yours for the taking.  Why not let your graduating family member be the inspiration for your own commencement?  

Monday Morning Coffee

Hello all,

“Business Planning”

Have you seen Mark walking around the office with a gleam in his eye? It is not because of the new outfit or fancy new tie you just got, it’s because BUSINESS PLANNING season is here! I will let the man speak for himself, grab a cup of coffee, click on the link below and enjoy Mark explaining the importance of business planning.

http://s1180.photobucket.com/albums/x411/remaxtowncenter/?action=view&current=FocusOnSuccess.mp4

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Only the educated are free."
 

- Epictetus

READY TO BEGIN AGAIN?

Have a child or grandchild who graduated this last year?  Whether it's high school or college, commencement exercises mark the end of a full curriculum of education - or do they?  In fact, why not ask the graduate?

After four or more years of study, homework, reports, science projects, and exams, many graduates would quickly answer that commencement marks the end of their education.  In fact, you can often hear students reinforce that line of thinking in their lament, "I'll never pick up another book as long as I live!"

The definition of "commencement" leads, however, in another direction.  It is the beginning, not the end, of a bright future.  It is the beginning of a life-long quest for knowledge, not the slamming shut of the books that opened so many new doors.

If it's been a few years since you graduated, perhaps you might also benefit from a renewed commencement - by opening some new doors to your own life-long learning curve.  When's the last time you attended a workshop, bought a recorded educational series, or thought about taking college courses or embarking on a new degree track?

No longer are books the only on-ramp to education. Distance learning over the Internet, tapes, videos, workshops, seminars, and many other educational resources are yours for the taking.  Why not let your graduating family member be the inspiration for your own commencement?  

Monday Morning Coffee

Hello all,

“2011 = 2012”

I was talking with Mark about business planning for 2012 (more to come on that next week) and he was pointing out the time to start planning for next year is now. Traditionally Lisa and I would start looking at her business plan for the following year around the end of November or beginning of December. After hearing his reasoning for starting now I took his advice, Lisa and I sat down with a glass of wine over the weekend and got to work. After doing an initial review one thing stood out, (which is the point of the coffee this week) for two reasons it looks like a lot of the business she generated this year will be moving to 2012 closings which I imagine is a trend throughout the office. The first reason of course is short sales, between the 2 office we have 57 short sales under contract. This is business that we generated in 2011 and in a traditional market would have closed this year. However being short sales we do not know when they will close, it looks like they will move into the first quarter of next year. The second reason is consumer confidence, many clients have started the process but pulled back a bit because they are not sure of the economic future. The short term angst of course is closings will be down for the end of the year, however if we keep our eye on the big picture it sets up well for 2012. If we do all of things we are suppose to do now, business planning, marketing, hitting our sphere, taking the new Buffini course in February… Plus you add in the overflow business moving to the first quarter next year we could pick up a lot of momentum for the year. So let’s keep the foot on the peddle, finish the year strong and out work the competition.   

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If your riches are yours, why don't you take them to t'other world?"
 

- Benjamin Franklin

LEAVE A LEGACY!

In one of William Bennett's books, he tells a story about Ben Franklin's death. It seems that old Ben made a special gift in his will. In it, he left 1,000 pounds to the cities of Philadelphia and Boston with specific instructions. They were to set up a program of loans to young men under the age of 25, married, and who had successfully completed an apprenticeship, needing startup money for a trade or business. The money was to be loaned at 5% interest. The loan program was to continue for 200 years.

At the end of 100 years, the two cities were to withdraw $100,000 each for public projects, and continue lending the balance as stated above. At the end of 200 years, the fund was to be split between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boston, and Massachusetts. In the year 1990 there was $6,500,000 in the fund. For 200 years, Ben Franklin helped young men get started in business by making those funds available, and had $6.5 million left over.

Just think of the many ways you and I could benefit our families, the community, or the lives of total strangers if we just took the initiative exhibited by Ben Franklin. By setting up a similar fund that earns just 5%, it would contain $17,292,581 at the end of 200 years. The purpose could be educational loans for family members.

Set aside $1,000 now and add just $100 per month to it for ten years, earning 5% on loans made from the account, and the fund would have $17,157. After the ten-year period of adding $100 per month, no more money is added and it continues to be loaned at 5% for the next 190 years. At the end of 200 years, the fund would contain $181,141,192. At that point, it could be converted to an outright "grant" program to which family members could apply for education funds.

Instead of focusing on just your immediate family, think about the legacy you could leave by planning much further into the future. Thanks to the "future value of money" concept, you could provide valuable support to many future generations. It's just a thought, but why couldn't we give it a try?

Monday Morning Coffee

“#1”

I was sitting in my Doctor’s office about a month ago when I noticed on the wall there was a framed picture of the cover of the March 2010 issue of Washingtonian magazine. The picture was touting one of their Doctor’s as one of the “2009 top Doctor’s in the Washington area”. Being me, my first thought of course was that was two years ago. What happened last year and should I trust him to my slightly high Blood pressure and cholesterol? Then I got to thinking about how RE/MAX is really bragging on the JD Powers award for 2010 and what if we don’t win it in 2011?(side note: no Real Estate Company has ever won it for both buyers and sellers in the same year until us). If we don’t win it next year are we no longer number one? Do we want to push it if there is a chance of this happening? Then I learned (and please don’t tell Lisa) that I was wrong! The new number one logo and the JD Powers awards are not related. It is a long story that we heard but in the end RE/MAX, because of its dominance in so many category’s has the right to call itself the number one Real Estate Company on the planet! Total volume, transactions, volume per agent, transactions per agents… the list was very long. So nobody sell more real estate then RE/MAX and the #1 logo is here to stay! I encourage all of you to go on RE/MAX.net and download the new logo’s and use them to your advantage. Your email signature would be a great place to start. See Below:

Don’t forget, 9:30 sales meeting tomorrow in Germantown.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"No matter where you go, there you are."
 

- Unknown

YOU CAN'T HIDE!

In an old "Peanuts" comic strip, Snoopy sits listening to Linus and Charlie Brown having a conversation. Linus asks Charlie, "Do you ever feel like running away?" Charlie answers, "Of course . . . sometimes I feel like I want to run away from everything." In the next panel, Snoopy is seen considering their conversation as he thinks to himself, "I remember having that feeling once when I was at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. I climbed over the fence, but I was still in the world."

If you've ever tried climbing "over the fence," a.k.a. getting away from it all, you undoubtedly also realized that you were "still in the world." It's actually quite difficult to get away from yourself, isn't it? The good news is - there's no need to.

The phrase "You have no problems, you only think you do," carries the solution. No matter what you consider a problem, it's really the way it affects you that is your concern. If someone has been short with you and you feel hurt, you might try running away from the hurt. If you do, you'll find that the feeling of hurt goes with you. Only when you stop, plant your feet, and say, "I'm not going to feel hurt," will the problem go away. In other words, it's not you that needs to go away, but the concern itself, and you are the one to send it packing.

Remember when Dorothy ran away to the Land of Oz? Her problems only multiplied. She was chased by a witch and strange flying monkeys. Her mind conjured up a Tin Man, a Scarecrow, and a Cowardly Lion to help her. Her imagination led her down a Yellow Brick Road in search of a Wizard who wasn't a wizard at all. Consider what great lengths she went to in order to solve her problems. Yet, only when she confronted the Wizard face-to-face did she realize there "was no place like home."

The next time you have the urge to run away, leave your "ruby slippers" behind. Just sit down face to face with your "Auntie Em." You'll be amazed at the outcome.

Monday Morning Coffee

Hello all,

“Park Potomac”

I wanted to give everyone an update for the timetable on the new office. We will officially be open for business October 12^th, furniture is being delivered 10/7, Phones and internet installed 10/10 and the copier delivered 10/11. My schedule starting next week will be spending the late mornings (10:30-12:00) in Germantown then heading to the new office for the afternoon. Teri and I will have a lot of work to do to get everything in place so I expect this to be my schedule through the end of October, after that things will return to normal. I would like to ask the Germantown agents to hold off coming to the new office until the week of 10/17, things will be a little crazy at first and we need a couple of days to get our act together. However starting the week of 10/17 I would love to see you all make a trip (individually or a group) to the new office one afternoon, I can give you a tour, lay of the land…  We are very excited about everything and hope you are too.

Enjoy the Coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Learning is the fountain of youth.
No matter how old you are,
You mustn't stop growing."
 

- Taoist Meditation, Deng Ming-Dao

KEEP A YOUNG MIND!

Don't believe the phrase "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Creativity isn't only for artists, writers, or musicians. Creativity isn't just what is represented by a canvas or a novel or a song. We can all be creative in our own way, and the most common way that we can all do this is through learning.

As long as we continue to learn and to try new things, we keep our minds fresh and young, and we engage in the act of "creating ourselves" continually. Today's world presents plenty of opportunities for learning, especially about the environment, other cultures, and technology. Technology itself provides ever-easier ways of accessing knowledge through computers and the Internet. And no one is too young or too old to start!

Look around you at the most vital and energetic seniors you know. What do they have in common? A continuing interest in learning and sharing their knowledge and experience with others - so they are engaged constantly in the process. They keep their minds challenged and young, and in so doing, feel younger in body and spirit. They are certainly different than in their youth, but they continue the learning that began there.

Each new phase of our lives brings us new challenges and opportunities for growth. Growing older necessarily means learning new things. We are constantly creating ourselves in this way, and we can adapt ourselves to any situation by that continuing act of creativity that keeps us young