Monday, April 28, 2014

Real Estate Commission

Hello all,

"Real Estate Commission"

On Friday I had the pleasure of sitting in a three hour town hall meeting with the Real Estate Commission. Overall it was a good experience because I came away with the knowledge that as a company and agents we are doing things the right way. The one thing that was mentioned that concerned me a bit is making sure the documents are getting back to our clients. If you are ever called in front of the board one of the things they will be looking for is that copies of all listing agreements, buyer broker agreements and contracts are given to to our clients after they are signed for their records. Please make sure this is part of your business practices. At the next sales meeting I will talk about some of the other things that I came away with.

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe 

Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
"It's important to let people know what you stand for. It's equally important to let them know what you won't stand for."
 
- B. Bader
 
ARE YOU POLITICALLY CORRECT?
 
How careful we must be today - to avoid the slightest slight to others. If we continue, we will become totally homogenized - each looking, acting, talking, and walking like each other. The unique identity into which we were born will mellow, fade, and eventually become transparent.  The gifts and talents we have to offer will be so diluted as to go unnoticed.
 
What ever happened to our right to speak out against wrong?  Why do we allow ourselves to be hushed and shushed when we verbalize our expectation of respect from the very young?  Why are we so sensitive to what "they" think of our actions when we attempt to do good?
 
Each of us is uniquely individual.  We are one of a kind, not just an ingredient in the soup of humanity.  Each of us is born with the ability to make a difference, to contribute our talent, to expect the best.
 
We have the ability to set standards for ourselves, to choose the principles upon which we live and serve.  We also have the responsibility to teach our children "what we stand for" as well as "what we won't stand for."  By unashamedly living those principles, and expecting the same from our children, we help set the course for others who have not the strength to do so.  We are the example.
 
Political correctness, as it applies to granting full respect for others is perfectly acceptable.  Political correctness, as it is often applied as a choke-chain to restrain the desire to uphold what is right, is a gross misuse of the desire for simple courtesy and politeness.  Let's just drop "political" and be correct!

Monday, April 21, 2014

Batteries

Hello all,

"Batteries" 

I have written about this in my Monday Morning Coffee before but I believe it is worth mentioning once or twice a year. I am writing this on Easter Sunday afternoon on our porch at our Florida Condo. The sun is shining and there is an adult beverage near by. Life and our business are so crazy that it is very important that we take time to shut it down and recharge the "Batteries" from time to time. It is hard to imagine that if we went at it 100% all the time and never took time for ourselves that we would be serving our family and clients to our fullest potential. When I left town Tuesday morning I was beaten and tired, today I am rested, fired up and ready to get back at it (there is a glass of Grand Marnier next to me talking as well). So if you do not have anything planned pull out the calendar and get to it! A weekend with your better half, summer vacation with the kids or a golf get away with the boys or girls. You will be a better Father, Mother, Brother, Sister and Real Estate agent when you get back.

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe 

Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." 
 
~ Anonymous 
 
TIME TO FERTILIZE! 
 
You see them out there, all the folks in the neighborhood fertilizing their lawns for the spring growing season. It’s like a competition, to see whose yard will win the prize for “greenest.” But are they really trying to be the best, or just trying to be better than the guy over the fence? 
 
Well, forget about fences, because the grass grows greenest where it is quite simply tended the best. You can’t blame the fence for poor lawn quality on this side. You and you alone are responsible for discovering the gardening secret that will yield the pleasure and satisfaction you seek at home. 
 
Perhaps you might learn such secrets by building a better relationship with your neighbor, sharing and comparing cultivation routines. They say that good fences make good neighbors, but it should always be about what’s on this side, not that one. “He who leaves his house in search of happiness pursues a shadow.” 
 
If you’re not happy with what you’ve already got, you’re not going to find it "out there." You may learn a lot when you cross the fence and experience the world, but you can only learn satisfaction at home. Once you’ve got that, fences won’t matter anymore. 
 
Why? Because now you’ve carefully cultivated your own green grass, for your own feeling of satisfaction and not for a sense of competition. Now you can carry your watering can over the fence, and tend the grass wherever you may be. Happy gardening! 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Second Quarter Sales Contest

Hello all,

"Second Quarter Sales Contest"

For those of you who missed the sales meeting we are having a sales contest between the three offices for the second quarter. The contest will be based on total sales volume and the goals for each office are:

Potomac 71M
Germantown 60M
Aspen Hill 18M

Whichever office exceeds their goal by the highest percentage wins. The winning office will enjoy a pool party happy hour at Lakewood Country Club in July. Happy Selling!

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe


Monday Morning Coffee INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "Learn to let go. That is the key to happiness." ~ The Buddha PLEASE RELEASE ME! Remember the song "Please release me, let me go"? If you've ever felt that someone or something had a hold on you and wouldn't let go, perhaps you needed an "attitude adjustment." Why? Unless you are literally chained to a wall, people and things don't have a "hold" on you. It is you who have taken hold of them, and refuse to let go. It's so easy to latch on to the situations, relationships, and baggage of others - believing it possible to have some control over their outcome. The result is never-ending worry, sleeplessness, feelings of helplessness, and other symptoms of being "out-of-control." Anger is another matter - there seems to be so much of it today. TV shows are full of it. Anger is directed at family, the boss, the spouse, or anyone else in sight. Yet anger results from feeling that things or people are not doing what you think should be done. Anger is felt when you can't control the outcome. The truth is we are only in control of our own lives and actions - nothing more. Buddha had it right when he said, "Learn to let go." Martin Luther said, "Let go and let God." Regardless of who said it, or how it was said, letting go will open many doors of happiness in your future.  

Monday, April 7, 2014

Golf Tournament

Hello all,
This year for the golf tournament we have made the registration online and easy. You can use your credit card, get airline miles, have a fun day away from the office and support a great cause. Click on the link below for more information.



Enjoy the coffee,
Joe


Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
"You will become a great philanthropist in your later years."  
 
~ Chinese Fortune 
 
THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES! 
 
Today’s quote was lifted from an actual fortune cookie that a friend opened after a recent dinner at the local Chinese restaurant (Lucky Numbers: 34, 15, 26, 38, 17, 8). It’s got to be the best cookie fortune ever! Its positive message is twofold, a doubly wonderful possibility for the future. 
 
Becoming a great philanthropist is hopefully founded on the premise of becoming very wealthy, so the fortune seems to imply that not only will my friend become rich, but that he'll also be responsible enough to put that wealth to good use. 
 
Capitalism is a “necessary evil” of this global age, and it creates a sense of obligation to help those less fortunate. Or to help them to help themselves, primarily through the improvement of education systems throughout the world. 
 
The idea of the dog-eat-dog corporate mentality (see “The Apprentice”) is becoming outdated. Selfishness is no longer in style, and trampling everyone else down is no longer seen as the best road to success. More and more “celebrity” entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Paul Newman, and Richard Branson are teaching a message of social responsibility. 
 
Even if my friend never attains the kind of wealth those gentlemen have built, it's still certain that the cookie’s fortune will come true, because everyone has a responsibility to help others, no matter who you are, where you live, or the balance in your back account.