Monday, May 27, 2013

Last Call

Hello all,

"Last Call"

Quick coffee on this lovely Memorial Day. Attached is the flyer for the golf tournament and party bus adventure next Monday. We could still use some golfers & bowlers. Great way to spend some time with your co-workers and support two great charities.
Enjoy the coffee,
Joe



    Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don't."  
 
~ Gloria Steinem 
 
OPPOSITES DETRACT! 
 
Don't you just love the irony of today's quote? Steinem implies that simply separating people into two categories is too simplistic, but at the same time, she uses that very same technique to convey her meaning! 
 
Learning what something is by defining what it is not has been an age-long practice in education. It's hard to understand light without knowing darkness. How could we appreciate quiet without suffering through loud and constant noise? 
 
While dichotomies or contradictions help us in our understanding, it's very dangerous to define everything we experience in this way, that it's simply one way or the other. Is every declaration either true or false? If so, what do you make of the next two sentences? 
 
The following statement is true. The preceding statement is false! 
 
Okay, all philosophical joking aside, it's easier to categorize the world into "is" and "is not," but we also realize that there are "shades of grey" between the black and the white. If we always expect people to act in just one of two ways, we're in for some nasty surprises. 
 
This world cannot be divided into two kinds of people, no matter how simply you look at it. Can we say that if you make war, you must hate peace? Or that if you love peace, you must not make war? This isn't politicizing - it's a simple observation that we all have within us the capacity for understanding and appreciating not both sides of a situation, but ALL sides. 
 
By avoiding generalizations that reduce everything said or done into good or bad, we open ourselves up to varieties of interpretation that allow us to make truly educated decisions. Sure, it's more complicated and challenging that way, but it keeps us from morphing into the very stereotypes we’re trying to avoid. Vive la difference!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Full Disclosure


Hello all,

"Full Disclosure"

I wanted all of you to hear this from me, I doubt you would hear it from someone else but you never know. I was invited to a two day high level Keller Williams training this past week, It was for owners and big team leaders. I knew a good bit about KW but I saw it as an opportunity to learn more about their culture. I do not want to go into too much other than to say it was a bit odd and just not my thing. I only made it through day 1 and did not go back for day 2. I am going to have a little fun but everything to this point is true. So I made a little youtube video of my experience to pass along to you all. Two things, no offense to anyone who is with us from KW and I hired actors and changed the name of the Company to protect myself in case it goes viral. Please click on the link below.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuRVtdCo-hw                                  

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe

Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"I hit anything that's close to the plate. I don't wait for that one pitch.” 
- Rod Carew
 
PLAY BALL!
 
With the start of the major league baseball season, a simple success formula recently heard comes to mind. It uses baseball words, but contains plenty of success wisdom.
 
Which do you think is more important, a home run or a single base hit? Most of us would choose a home run - even a "grand slam" home run. Most of us were also brought up to believe that someday our "ship would come in" - that all of our success or wealth or whatever would arrive at once, in one grand port call.
 
Funny thing is - more ball games are won with base hits than with home runs. Most ships arrive slowly in port - guided by tiny tugboats - and only after having navigated the wide oceans through a series of thousands of minor navigational corrections.
 
Yes! Big wins and successful journeys occur most often as the result of daily decisions - not life-altering, once-a-year, mega-decisions. Want to lose weight? It won't happen because you vow on January 1 to do it. It will be the result of your daily decision to walk, run, or work out. Want excellent health? Your daily, even moment-by-moment, decisions to ingest only healthy foods and avoid junk are the ones that will win the day.
 
The same holds true for your success in business. While a master plan at the beginning of the year is important, it's really the steps taken each day that produce the results. As you face each of the very small daily decisions, be careful to make only the right choices. By day's end they'll add up to valuable progress both on and off the field.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Happy Mothers Day

Hello all,

"Happy Mothers Day"

I would like to wish a Happy Mothers Day to all of the Mom's in the office. It is difficult in this business to keep the proper balance of life and work at times. I am very proud to have each and everyone of you in our offices. I hope you had time to spend with family yesterday.

Enjoy the Coffee,
Joe 

Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches."
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
 
"Somebody's boring me; I think it's me." 
~ Dylan Thomas 
 
NOT BED-TIME READING! 
 
There’s been a lot of heated discussion regarding the embellishment of facts in order to make an otherwise “true story” more interesting. You may recall that a "memoir" published within the last few years was scrutinized like a journalistic piece, and its author publicly shamed for previously claiming as fact many of the now acknowledged fabricated details in the book. 
 
So why would someone feel compelled to make up details about their life? If you began writing your autobiography today, would it consist of bestseller material, or do you think your life might not be exciting enough to inspire others? Jot down a possible Table of Contents. Look boring? What’s the solution? Live a more exciting life! 
 
Begin to imagine and act every day as though you knew you would be recounting the details and events later on. If you keep a journal or a diary, you’re already familiar with the idea, although you might not expect others to read it. A journal helps you to identify and solidify ideas for success, while a memoir puts your actions in front of the world to see. 
 
Boring job? Find the beauty in it, revel in the good you really do for others, or begin planning today your climb up the ladder or up an entirely different ladder. Boring relationships? Find new things to do, visit new places to do them, or start nurturing new associations with those whom you most admire. Boring personality? Expand your horizons with travel, exercise your mind with reading, and make a commitment to caring for and helping others. 
 
Start living the life you would be confident to share, and before you know it, your autobiography will go from “bargain bin” to “best seller”!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Sellers Market


Hello all,

"Sellers Market"


If you have a buyer who still thinks they hold the leverage you may want to send this out... Hope to see everyone at the Cinco de Mayo party tonight in Germantown.

 MRIS® - Real Estate in Real Time™

What Buyers Must Know Right Now

May 3, 2013  |  by Chris Sicks
Things change. Home buyers who do not recognize and adjust to the changes are going to have a hard time this year.
From 2007-2010 buyers were in charge. Sellers were so eager that they slashed prices and accepted many contingencies. Buyers could call most of the shots. If one seller wouldn’t make a deal, there was always another property down the street.
Not anymore. A shocking drop in the inventory of unsold homes means that today’s buyers are as disadvantaged as sellers were a few years ago.
I’ve provided you with two charts below that compare March 2013 stats with those from March 2008. First, look at the chart for sales contracts. Notice that sales activity has increased quite a bit.
Contracts March 2013 vs March 2008
Now, look at the chart for inventory. This is what today’s buyers need to digest. A larger number of buyers are trying to buy a much smaller number of homes than in 2008.
March 2013 vs March 2008 Inventory
Today’s buyers must understand that they face the stiffest competition we have seen since 2005. Therefore, buyers must:
1. Be ready to act — When the right home comes along, a successful buyer has to be ready to submit a strong offer quickly. Those who don’t will lose to better-prepared buyers.
2. Be ready to pay — Home prices are rising because of buyer competition. The two are inextricably linked. Don’t expect to pay last year’s price for this year’s listing.
3. Be careful — Despite what I just said in points 1 and 2, be careful. Many bad decisions were made in 2003-2005 because buyers were so eager. Trust your Realtor’s guidance when it comes to home inspections and other contingencies. Don’t overpay for a house you’ll regret owning.
There is some hope for buyers who do not get the home of their choice this spring: Summer and fall will be a little easier.
Buyers face the stiffest competition in March, April, and May every year. After that, things are less hectic. At the same time, this will probably be the most competitive summer that buyers have experienced in eight years.
—Chris Sicks has written about the local real estate market for the past 20 years.                                  

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe



    Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinions of the things that happen."
 
~ Epictetus  

NO FEAR! 
 
A well-known motivational speaker once said, "No one knows enough to be a pessimist." He also quoted statistics showing that a very high percentage of the things we worry about are either A) things that never happen, or B) things over which we have no control anyway. His point? Not only do we not have enough information to justify our worries, we also are virtually unable to alter the outcome of most situations.  
 
Our worst fears are generally of the unknown (not enough information). Our imagination runs wild, conjuring up worst-case scenarios. We become fearful, anxious, and even overwhelmed - yet the source of our fear is non-existent (except in our minds). Consider these oft-quoted phrases:  
 
"Think you can - think you can't - either way you're right." "As a man thinketh, so is he." "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours."  
 
In other words, by your thoughts alone, you control the outcome. Although there exist many risks to our peace-of-mind during uncertain times, we still have the ability to pursue our very best hopes and dreams. We may find that their achievement requires more effort than usual. Doubt may creep in. Nevertheless, as you have heard many times, "It's all in your head."