Gary White FlexIt Realty~Real Estate & Updates, Grand Rapids & West Michigan

Someone asked me this question and my answer.....Yes.

We are all working hard to market properties, make sure the properties are exposed to as many buyers and buyers agents as possible.

We make price adjustments, we change colors or remove furniture.  We rearrange the furniture to optimize the rooms size and flow.

We have landscaping brought up to a new level with plantings and scrubs, little trees anything to make the curb appeal better.  We put up a barrier fence so the trash cans don't show.  We trim, we prune, we cut, we nurture the ground to attract more buyers so when they venture buy our little patch of ground with our sign out front it turns their head and they set an appointment.

We smile, we mail, we advertise, we call, we email we do it and hope that it means our clients home sells before the competitors down the street or in the next neighborhood. (who by the way is doing many of the same things)

Why did I say YES?  Because we watch the competition and anticipate adjustments so we are first and get the largest impact for our clients first.  Why did I say Yes?  Because we are constantly monitoring the market and our marketing tactics not only for our clients well being but so we spend our budgets wisely.

So the answer is yes....when something doesn't work we change and when the market changes we make more adjustments...it is more fluid than we think in this business we love called Real Estate.

Embrace change and enjoy the results.....I don't know who said it, so don't ask, you'll only embarrass me.

I have listened to agent after agent tell me....

1. Nothing is selling.
2. Do you know how many listings are on the MLS now! 
3. It seems like there is a listing on every corner. 
4. I am doing everything!
5. My clients aren't listening...they have to drop the price!
6. My clients have been complaining we haven't had any showings in a month.
7. I am just spinning my wheelings wasting money on ads.
8. A friend told my client their house should be selling, change Realtors!
9. I print out all the solds and pending and mail it to them....I don't think they get it.
10. If I don't sell something soon I'll have to think about a part time job!

The last few years have be glorious with sales happening almost as soon as the yard sign went up with multiple offers in some cases having to be considered.  Well get a grip.....that time has pasted and so has the easy sales.

  Monkey see, monkey do is not going to get it done.  All the latest gadgets won't work either.  It is going to take all your experience to be successful.

It is time to work!  And I don't mean just talk about work, I don't mean find another job but if you must then that is what you do if you can not figure out this market.  Work means get aggressive....don't put an ad in the magazine and wait for someone to call.  Or just place an ad in the newspaper or on the Internet sites, mailings...do all of them and do ads that get attention. 

Do your ads look like everyone else's?  If they do you won't be seen.  Make your marketing standout.  How simple....what makes you stop in your tracks?  I use a gorilla in some of my ads.....yes a 30ft gorilla, I also use free reports coupled with feature listings attached to virtual tours and send buyers to my website.  Do more not less....if you are doing less expect less!  Then expect expired listings too!  I advertise for hard to sell listings!  Now think like that....why would I do that?  Simple everyone who's home has not sold by the agent they thought was the best at the time told them it is the market, they have a hard to sell listing right now........OK, I sell hard to sell listings!

You would be surprised at the number of phone calls I get from people that tell me they have a hard to sell listing.  So what are you doing....listening to all those agents that are telling you how tough it is in the market?  Are you listening to the TV and the market reports?  Well here is a stat for you since that is what you are listening too......the market is going to get worse before it gets better for all those agents you have been listening too!

You can do this and it is not going to be easy, yes it will take work and it will take time and investment.  You will emerge the market leader in your market when things turn back, and they always turn back....so listen to yourself.  Do what you know you have to do and start selling again.  I visited an office today and the sales leader had two sales for the month!  I had that the first week of the month!

You will have to keep on top of every listing, you have to know every change in price, solds and expired listings in your listing areas anything less and you will not sell.  It is time to be aggressive. 

How are you keeping your listings selling?

Have you considered the options that the public has to find and purchase real estate?

1. Internet, this is the number one search source, not so only a decade ago.
2. Magazines
3. Cable TV
4. Newspapers
5. Infomercials
6. Bank ads, refinance for zero closing costs
7. Direct Mail
8. Free trips to spend a few days at the new resort that is part of the new "ultra complex" offering golf, boating, green space, hunting, hiking, club house, shopping...spend three days viewing your new lifestyle.
9. Flat rate realty services, pit a price any price....you will probably find something, pay up-front!
10. Menu Real estate services, pick how much or how little service you want and advertising after the initial ad that is optional too, and yes pay first in nearly all cases.
11. MLS, searches for FSBO's, Realtors, Brokers, Auctions it is all there.
12. IDX search sites
13. Vacant land, these are listed
14. Investment properties, listed in multiple formats
15. Residential, private sights and multiple formats too.
16. Commercial, more selective and less public because the audience is not as big.
17. Buyers Agentsand then the certified Buyers Broker or Agent too.
18. Flexible contracts.....meaning a balloon some place....but it sounds good to the public.  Creates leads.
19. No money down...the old land contract with a new name.
20. Rent to own
21. Money back at close to buy furniture or that new car to put in the garage.
22. The traditional Realtor and brokerage

This is just a few options.  I could fill the page with hybrids. 

So the traditional Realtors way of doing business is under siege or is it?  I read a book "Waging War on Real Estate Discounters"....didn't seem like war....I was in a war.  It didn't seem like I needed to change much to keep my clients and gain new ones.  The pros have been doing the suggestions for years.  Good service, communication, negotiations, closing techniques, financing all the things that are part of our daily business.

What is changing?  The speed at which a response is expected.  If you get an email or phone call and you do not respond with an hour they are someone else's prospect.....that simple.  All emails are copy forwarded immediately to my phone.  All office call that are not answered by the forth ring hit my phone, the staff knows this too!  Now many make it to my phone!

I was selected by a client because I was the first one to respond.  He made 20 calls to various agents and brokers!  He had calls coming back to him for over a week, after I had my agency disclosure already signed!

So if you want business you are going to need to respond faster.  That is one of the key elements of the "new Internet buyers".  Everything is instantaneous, cell phone calls, downloads and your response is expected to be the same way.

How are you keeping up?

Have you considered the options that the public has to find and purchase real estate?

1. Internet, this is the number one search source, not so only a decade ago.
2. Magazines
3. Cable TV
4. Newspapers
5. Infomercials
6. Bank ads, refinance for zero closing costs
7. Direct Mail
8. Free trips to spend a few days at the new resort that is part of the new "ultra complex" offering golf, boating, green space, hunting, hiking, club house, shopping...spend three days viewing your new lifestyle.
9. Flat rate realty services, pit a price any price....you will probably find something, pay up-front!
10. Menu Real estate services, pick how much or how little service you want and advertising after the initial ad that is optional too, and yes pay first in nearly all cases.
11. MLS, searches for FSBO's, Realtors, Brokers, Auctions it is all there.
12. IDX search sites
13. Vacant land, these are listed
14. Investment properties, listed in multiple formats
15. Residential, private sights and multiple formats too.
16. Commercial, more selective and less public because the audience is not as big.
17. Buyers Agentsand then the certified Buyers Broker or Agent too.
18. Flexible contracts.....meaning a balloon some place....but it sounds good to the public.  Creates leads.
19. No money down...the old land contract with a new name.
20. Rent to own
21. Money back at close to buy furniture or that new car to put in the garage.
22. The traditional Realtor and brokerage

This is just a few options.  I could fill the page with hybrids. 

So the traditional Realtors way of doing business is under siege or is it?  I read a book "Waging War on Real Estate Discounters"....didn't seem like war....I was in a war.  It didn't seem like I needed to change much to keep my clients and gain new ones.  The pros have been doing the suggestions for years.  Good service, communication, negotiations, closing techniques, financing all the things that are part of our daily business.

What is changing?  The speed at which a response is expected.  If you get an email or phone call and you do not respond with an hour they are someone else's prospect.....that simple.  All emails are copy forwarded immediately to my phone.  All office call that are not answered by the forth ring hit my phone, the staff knows this too!  Now many make it to my phone!

I was selected by a client because I was the first one to respond.  He made 20 calls to various agents and brokers!  He had calls coming back to him for over a week, after I had my agency disclosure already signed!

So if you want business you are going to need to respond faster.  That is one of the key elements of the "new Internet buyers".  Everything is instantaneous, cell phone calls, downloads and your response is expected to be the same way.

How are you keeping up?

Have you considered the options that the public has to find and purchase real estate?

1. Internet, this is the number one search source, not so only a decade ago.
2. Magazines
3. Cable TV
4. Newspapers
5. Infomercials
6. Bank ads, refinance for zero closing costs
7. Direct Mail
8. Free trips to spend a few days at the new resort that is part of the new "ultra complex" offering golf, boating, green space, hunting, hiking, club house, shopping...spend three days viewing your new lifestyle.
9. Flat rate realty services, pit a price any price....you will probably find something, pay up-front!
10. Menu Real estate services, pick how much or how little service you want and advertising after the initial ad that is optional too, and yes pay first in nearly all cases.
11. MLS, searches for FSBO's, Realtors, Brokers, Auctions it is all there.
12. IDX search sites
13. Vacant land, these are listed
14. Investment properties, listed in multiple formats
15. Residential, private sights and multiple formats too.
16. Commercial, more selective and less public because the audience is not as big.
17. Buyers Agentsand then the certified Buyers Broker or Agent too.
18. Flexible contracts.....meaning a balloon some place....but it sounds good to the public.  Creates leads.
19. No money down...the old land contract with a new name.
20. Rent to own
21. Money back at close to buy furniture or that new car to put in the garage.
22. The traditional Realtor and brokerage

This is just a few options.  I could fill the page with hybrids. 

So the traditional Realtors way of doing business is under siege or is it?  I read a book "Waging War on Real Estate Discounters"....didn't seem like war....I was in a war.  It didn't seem like I needed to change much to keep my clients and gain new ones.  The pros have been doing the suggestions for years.  Good service, communication, negotiations, closing techniques, financing all the things that are part of our daily business.

What is changing?  The speed at which a response is expected.  If you get an email or phone call and you do not respond with an hour they are someone else's prospect.....that simple.  All emails are copy forwarded immediately to my phone.  All office call that are not answered by the forth ring hit my phone, the staff knows this too!  Now many make it to my phone!

I was selected by a client because I was the first one to respond.  He made 20 calls to various agents and brokers!  He had calls coming back to him for over a week, after I had my agency disclosure already signed!

So if you want business you are going to need to respond faster.  That is one of the key elements of the "new Internet buyers".  Everything is instantaneous, cell phone calls, downloads and your response is expected to be the same way.

How are you keeping up?

Have you considered the options that the public has to find and purchase real estate?

1. Internet, this is the number one search source, not so only a decade ago.
2. Magazines
3. Cable TV
4. Newspapers
5. Infomercials
6. Bank ads, refinance for zero closing costs
7. Direct Mail
8. Free trips to spend a few days at the new resort that is part of the new "ultra complex" offering golf, boating, green space, hunting, hiking, club house, shopping...spend three days viewing your new lifestyle.
9. Flat rate realty services, pit a price any price....you will probably find something, pay up-front!
10. Menu Real estate services, pick how much or how little service you want and advertising after the initial ad that is optional too, and yes pay first in nearly all cases.
11. MLS, searches for FSBO's, Realtors, Brokers, Auctions it is all there.
12. IDX search sites
13. Vacant land, these are listed
14. Investment properties, listed in multiple formats
15. Residential, private sights and multiple formats too.
16. Commercial, more selective and less public because the audience is not as big.
17. Buyers Agentsand then the certified Buyers Broker or Agent too.
18. Flexible contracts.....meaning a balloon some place....but it sounds good to the public.  Creates leads.
19. No money down...the old land contract with a new name.
20. Rent to own
21. Money back at close to buy furniture or that new car to put in the garage.
22. The traditional Realtor and brokerage

This is just a few options.  I could fill the page with hybrids. 

So the traditional Realtors way of doing business is under siege or is it?  I read a book "Waging War on Real Estate Discounters"....didn't seem like war....I was in a war.  It didn't seem like I needed to change much to keep my clients and gain new ones.  The pros have been doing the suggestions for years.  Good service, communication, negotiations, closing techniques, financing all the things that are part of our daily business.

What is changing?  The speed at which a response is expected.  If you get an email or phone call and you do not respond with an hour they are someone else's prospect.....that simple.  All emails are copy forwarded immediately to my phone.  All office call that are not answered by the forth ring hit my phone, the staff knows this too!  Now many make it to my phone!

I was selected by a client because I was the first one to respond.  He made 20 calls to various agents and brokers!  He had calls coming back to him for over a week, after I had my agency disclosure already signed!

So if you want business you are going to need to respond faster.  That is one of the key elements of the "new Internet buyers".  Everything is instantaneous, cell phone calls, downloads and your response is expected to be the same way.

How are you keeping up?

Have you considered the options that the public has to find and purchase real estate?

1. Internet, this is the number one search source, not so only a decade ago.
2. Magazines
3. Cable TV
4. Newspapers
5. Infomercials
6. Bank ads, refinance for zero closing costs
7. Direct Mail
8. Free trips to spend a few days at the new resort that is part of the new "ultra complex" offering golf, boating, green space, hunting, hiking, club house, shopping...spend three days viewing your new lifestyle.
9. Flat rate realty services, pit a price any price....you will probably find something, pay up-front!
10. Menu Real estate services, pick how much or how little service you want and advertising after the initial ad that is optional too, and yes pay first in nearly all cases.
11. MLS, searches for FSBO's, Realtors, Brokers, Auctions it is all there.
12. IDX search sites
13. Vacant land, these are listed
14. Investment properties, listed in multiple formats
15. Residential, private sights and multiple formats too.
16. Commercial, more selective and less public because the audience is not as big.
17. Buyers Agentsand then the certified Buyers Broker or Agent too.
18. Flexible contracts.....meaning a balloon some place....but it sounds good to the public.  Creates leads.
19. No money down...the old land contract with a new name.
20. Rent to own
21. Money back at close to buy furniture or that new car to put in the garage.
22. The traditional Realtor and brokerage

This is just a few options.  I could fill the page with hybrids. 

So the traditional Realtors way of doing business is under siege or is it?  I read a book "Waging War on Real Estate Discounters"....didn't seem like war....I was in a war.  It didn't seem like I needed to change much to keep my clients and gain new ones.  The pros have been doing the suggestions for years.  Good service, communication, negotiations, closing techniques, financing all the things that are part of our daily business.

What is changing?  The speed at which a response is expected.  If you get an email or phone call and you do not respond with an hour they are someone else's prospect.....that simple.  All emails are copy forwarded immediately to my phone.  All office call that are not answered by the forth ring hit my phone, the staff knows this too!  Now many make it to my phone!

I was selected by a client because I was the first one to respond.  He made 20 calls to various agents and brokers!  He had calls coming back to him for over a week, after I had my agency disclosure already signed!

So if you want business you are going to need to respond faster.  That is one of the key elements of the "new Internet buyers".  Everything is instantaneous, cell phone calls, downloads and your response is expected to be the same way.

How are you keeping up?

Have you considered the options that the public has to find and purchase real estate?

1. Internet, this is the number one search source, not so only a decade ago.
2. Magazines
3. Cable TV
4. Newspapers
5. Infomercials
6. Bank ads, refinance for zero closing costs
7. Direct Mail
8. Free trips to spend a few days at the new resort that is part of the new "ultra complex" offering golf, boating, green space, hunting, hiking, club house, shopping...spend three days viewing your new lifestyle.
9. Flat rate realty services, pit a price any price....you will probably find something, pay up-front!
10. Menu Real estate services, pick how much or how little service you want and advertising after the initial ad that is optional too, and yes pay first in nearly all cases.
11. MLS, searches for FSBO's, Realtors, Brokers, Auctions it is all there.
12. IDX search sites
13. Vacant land, these are listed
14. Investment properties, listed in multiple formats
15. Residential, private sights and multiple formats too.
16. Commercial, more selective and less public because the audience is not as big.
17. Buyers Agentsand then the certified Buyers Broker or Agent too.
18. Flexible contracts.....meaning a balloon some place....but it sounds good to the public.  Creates leads.
19. No money down...the old land contract with a new name.
20. Rent to own
21. Money back at close to buy furniture or that new car to put in the garage.
22. The traditional Realtor and brokerage

This is just a few options.  I could fill the page with hybrids. 

So the traditional Realtors way of doing business is under siege or is it?  I read a book "Waging War on Real Estate Discounters"....didn't seem like war....I was in a war.  It didn't seem like I needed to change much to keep my clients and gain new ones.  The pros have been doing the suggestions for years.  Good service, communication, negotiations, closing techniques, financing all the things that are part of our daily business.

What is changing?  The speed at which a response is expected.  If you get an email or phone call and you do not respond with an hour they are someone else's prospect.....that simple.  All emails are copy forwarded immediately to my phone.  All office call that are not answered by the forth ring hit my phone, the staff knows this too!  Now many make it to my phone!

I was selected by a client because I was the first one to respond.  He made 20 calls to various agents and brokers!  He had calls coming back to him for over a week, after I had my agency disclosure already signed!

So if you want business you are going to need to respond faster.  That is one of the key elements of the "new Internet buyers".  Everything is instantaneous, cell phone calls, downloads and your response is expected to be the same way.

How are you keeping up?

It is amazing how things change and yet they stay the same.  The faces change, the methods may have a new twist but the plot is the same.  So is the end result.

I used to watch twilight zoneand think that Rod Sterling had to be a twisted individual, then came Stephen King...now he is a sick puppy!  I read the novels, books and short stories and none can compare with what happens everyday in the real world.  I can not for the life of me imagine how to come up with plots, and deceptions that are used by brilliant writers, but con men can do it in real life with ease.

We find loans with stated incomes, or we used too.  We find applicants for these loans out of the home that brought them so much joy when they first opened the door.  We find mock professionals that are doing what they can to survive before they move on to the next job that will offer the opportunity to make a fast buck.  Leaving behind those that truly work so hard to make sure they do the right thing to make their profession something the public can still believe in.

We see construction trades swoop in when a disaster strikes in the name of help, mercy, faith and caring to provide services, for a price to the victims of storms and natural disasters only....to flee with funds and never fulfill the promise.  Leaving behind the professional tradesmen to cope with the aftermath of the dirty deeds.  Making the blemish hard to erase from the minds of those that needed and wanted so badly to believe good people were stepping forward to give them a hand back to normalcy

Real estate agents that look for the commission first....for the easy score.  When it isn't easy anymore they too move on with haste leaving behind those that have worked so hard and honorably to provide clients with a service that requires faith, goodwill and a legally binding result.

One thing I know, it isn't the sign of the times...it is our society for as long as people can remember.  The great depression saw people swoop in and make millions on land deals, bogus investments, taking the last penny before fading back into the darkness of our society. 

The ones in any profession that has lasted the test of time have done so with integrity and earned a solid reputation because of honesty and service.  So when you select someone to represent you or provide a service what do you know about them?  Didn't you spend hours earning your money.....why give it to just anyone....why not make sure you know more than a name or company they are affiliated with right now.  Maybe tomorrow when you call they won't be there but you can bet the professional who has earned the reputation will get your call transfered to his phone.  It takes more than a yellow page ad, more than a business card, more than a direct mail flyer...it takes a conscious effort to make sure you are represented by a professional.

Just some thoughts that have been with us for a hundred years on making sure who you hire is going to really represent you in the manner you intended.

Selecting a professional is easy when you take the time, ask questions, feel comfortable and know they are reputable.

We all know that curb appeal is the first thing that a buyer sees.  What about your curb appeal?

Ever notice when some people walk into a room everyone's head turns to see who it is?  Have you noticed when certain people attend a function that the buzz in the room goes up when they arrive?  How is your entrance perceived?

Some of you may remember the book "dress for success".  That was more for the corporate world.  It outlined everything from clothes, shoes, attitude the works.  Today dress even in the corporate world has changed immensely.  Then enter our profession.....what do people think?  Cowboy hats, flowered shirts, sandals, tee shirts, blue jeans mixed with a few suits, ties, sports jackets, dress shoes and we represent the sellers single largest investment in most cases!

Are you offering the honey or are you feeling the sting?   

Some of the way we dress is the image we want to project.  Have you seen the grunge look?  Black finger nails, lipstick, hair, clothes....morbid is how it makes me feel. I saw an agent dressed like this!  I was surprised but not concerned.  It wasn't my house she was going to list!  Yet others living in climates that go with looks that fit the climate and expected mood fit right in.

I understand they are supposed to view us based on our value, our knowledge, our ability to market their property....would you list with you?  Would you get more listings if you made a slight concession in your wardrobe?  I dressed for years in a suit and tie.  Today I still wear a tie.  Why....simple it sets me apart.  Do my prospects think I am old fashioned or do they think I am a business person representing their best interest.

Whats in your closet?     Do you have dollars hanging there waiting to be cashed in?

I was given the opportunity to list a property because I was the only one that showed up like a business person on time!  What does that say?  They didn't care if I could sell their property....to them I looked like I could and I was on time. 

So are you forgettable or memorable?  Do you have the curb appeal to get to the presentation or is it a formality that the seller lets you go through before graciously walking you to the door and saying, "we'll give you a call after we think things over".

What we show the public is our image.  Our image extends much further than our clothes, our cars, our driving habit, flipping the bird to a well deserved idiot only to find them to be your next listing appointment....sweet!

How do you assess your curb appeal?