Naples Florida Real Estate

When I first got started in real estate down here in sunny Naples, Florida my mission was to break into the luxury market.  I knew it was going to be competitive but truth be told I HAD NO IDEA how competitive in fact it really was.

I did everything I could think of to obtain my first million plus dollar listing.  After all, I wasn't new to the real estate game I was just new to Naples.  I did open houses for other agents, cold called, sent post cards, got involved in the community.  I had a lot of close calls but to land that first listing was brutal. 

After doing a completely insane marketing campaign (10 different marketing pieces every three days) to for sale by owners and expired listings I finally got my first real call back.  It was from an Attorney out of Chicago who had his 1.8 million dollar home on the market for over 3 1/2 years and had since recently expired again.  He asked a few questions and agreed to allow me to preview the property while his cleaning lady was at the home.

I was SO NERVOUS when I went to the house.  I remember thinking to myself, geeez Shannon pull it together, you're not even meeting with the homeowner!  When I got to the front door I was greeted by Barbara who had known my prospect personally for several years.  She showed me through the whole house and talked about how great my prospect was and his wife before she had passed away.  See, this was "her" home in Florida.  She had always wanted a home in Florida and after many years they finally purchased a lot, built this magnificent house and not too long after she was diagnosed with cancer and passed away.  He didn't even like to come down anymore because the memories of her were too painful for him to bare. 

As I was walking through the home I noticed everything was in near new condition (much because it had hardly been lived in).  The master bedroom and bath was the last part of the house we looked at and as I was walking through the master bath I noticed this tiny plastic giraffe on a little ledge next to the shower.  It was a weird place for a nick nack and the nick nack didn't really belong but it was at that minute I knew I was getting the listing. 

Giraffes in my family have a special meaning.  My sister gave birth to the first little boy (after both sisters had 9 little girls together) this making 9 nieces and 1 nephew.  Unfortunately, little John was born with an irreversible birth defect and he died 10 short days later.  It was the worst family tragedy we ever experienced.

A few days before John's funeral, I was with my sister helping her shop for something to wear (she was probably trying to keep her mind off her pain).  She spotted a little silver necklace with a tiny little giraffe on it.  She held it up for me to get a closer look and asked, "Do you think John would've liked giraffes"?  I said, "Oh he would've loved giraffes". So there's the connection.

I did get that listing...and 8 months later I sold it.  I got both sides.  :)

Barbara called me while she was packing up all of my client's things to have shipped back to Chicago and said, "I was asked to give you a call to see if there's anything in the house that you wanted".

I thought about it for a little bit and said, you know, there's a little giraffe in the master bathroom.  I'd love to have that if he doesn't mind parting with it.  She sounded as if she didn't know what I was talking about and said she'd get back to me.

A few weeks after closing I walked into my office one day to see Barbara sitting in the lobby.  She apologized for taking so long to get "him" to me and in her hands was "John" the giraffe.  It was one of the best closing gift I ever received.

He sits between my computer screens at work everyday and reminds me whatever's going on...it's going to be ok.  Isn't it cool how sometimes we just know?

Since I just paid tribute to my friends here on Active Rain and gave thanks to Active Rain on Thanksgiving just two short days ago, I thought it only appropriate to give something of value in return on my 100th post. 

As I prepare for a fabulous open house I will be working (not sitting) tomorrow located at 6607 Ridgewood Drive in Pelican Bay, I took an opportunity to read what others have written about how to hold successful open houses and what to provide for the venture. 

I was amazed to see so many conflicting opinions about them and even more amazed at the advice I had read in the commenting section of other posts.  It's a curious subject in itself because it appears that open house posts are not well attended or commented on....INTERESTING.

My personal open house theory I've acquired through the 11 plus years of real estate (straddled between two complete different markets) consists primarily of this:

If you are not the life of the party at your own open house...who wants to come...who wants to stay.

I think one of the key elements is to "tastefully" keep people in the house as long as possible by providing some great conversation and information about the house, the market and whatever else it takes to give people the opportunity to savor the flavor of what it is you're offering.  Even if they're there for "decorating ideas" experiences travel and if you're making their experience in your open house a good one...who knows what it might lead to...buyers for other properties, listings, referrals etc.

Give them something they can hang on to!  Tastefully prepared property and neighborhood information in my book is a must!  Business card...yeah, ok if that's all you got but keep in mind in busy markets, attendees are going to gather how many business cards that day?  This is your chance to stand out!  Without doing that...you're going to be forgotten.  :(

I have just prepared something that I think not only people will like, but something that will TRAVEL.  In a market where agents and companies spend a "gajillion" dollars a minute on marketing material, one of the things I noticed (especially from developers) are these HUGE packages of oversized stuff that few have any idea of what to do with.  Now us Realtors usually stow it away in a big file cabinet somewhere so we can reference it later but what about the typical open house attendee...I'm sure they go home and place all that stuff neatly on their coffee table, right?  NOT! 

Instead...I wanted something a gentleman could (and would want to) put neatly in his pocket or perhaps a lady could fit in her purse...VOILA!

My little listing book.  Now understand the photo isn't true to size. The actual listing book is only about 4 1/4 x 3 3/4 inches in size and yes it does fit neatly in your hand.  So what's in it?  All of the single family homes listed in the neighborhood I'll be working in tomorrow.  As you know, some people use open houses to get an idea of what's available and YES, there are open house attendees who are actually in the market to buy properties.  Instead of the photo copied one line pages of blah blah blah, they're getting a full color picture, the basic 911 listing information and the remarks, right out of MLS.

They're also getting a full page statistic report on everything going on in Pelican Bay with regards to recent listing, pending and sales information (to entertain the analytical's) along with a couple of pages of what I do when I list properties.

As far as the other ideas are concerned:  No, I'm not pouring wine...I wouldn't do that in someone else's house.  I'm not baking cookies either.   It would be my luck that chocolate chips would be unknowingly mashed into the carpet...not in a 2.3 million dollar house...ok?! 

People want to know what we know and today...anybody can rattle off a bunch of stuff but I have yet to see an open house attendee bring pad and pencil to take notes on my wisdom nor do I believe they have photographic memories to correctly explain to a friend or family member what they heard hours, days and weeks later.

What they will get...is everything they need to MAKE A DECISION or pass the information to someone else who will.

These little books WILL travel...I know because I've seen them do it.  I used to put my personal listings in these little books and I was always amazed at the calls and emails I would get from people who had "acquired" my little book from someone I hadn't met.  Is it tedious, YES.  Is it worth it?  YES! 

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary are the things we do that nobody else has or will. 

So thanks for reading.  Hope you got something out of it and if you're in my neck of the woods, feel free to come by tomorrow or check out some of these other fabulous Naples Open Houses!

EDIT:  I posted "How To Build Your Traveling Marketing Book" which is a step by step "how to" guide referring to this post.

When you're thinking Naples real estate, Think Pink!  Shannon Lefevre, Smart Girl, Great Results!

I am a web statistics junkie!  I watch it throughout the day, everyday like some people watch a stock market ticker. It amazes me how in depth Google Analytics provides data regarding my website.  Here's a run down of the activity in the last 30 days regarding www.shannonlefevre.com/ 

What Countries are looking at Naples, Florida (in order of activity with 1 being the highest):
1.  United States
2.  Canada
3.  United Kingdom
4. Ireland
5. Australia
6. Germany
7.  Netherlands
8.  France
9.  Brazil
10.  Italy

What States are looking at Naples, Florida (in order of activity with 1 being the highest):
1.  Florida
2.  New York
3.  California
4.  Massachusetts
5.  Illinois
6.  New Jersey
7.  Pennsylvania
8.  Texas
9.  Ohio
10.  Michigan

How are they finding my site:
1.  Direct searches
2.  Google
3.  MSN
4.  YAHOO
5.  ACTIVE RAIN
6.  AOL
7.  Alexa.com
8.  LOCALISM
9.  ShannonSellsNaples.com
10. Listings from my emails I've sent to individuals

For more in depth information regarding keywords people are searching for and what Naples, Florida areas are most popular, call me!

Thinking about buying or selling Pelican Bay real estate?  The latest findings are as follows:

12 Month Activity (ending 11/23/07)
Total Listings:      341
Avg. List Price:     $1,280,532
Sales (2007):     242
Avg. % Sales Price:  92% of List Price
Avg. Market Time:  180 Days

If you are planning on making an offer in Pelican Bay, 92% is median difference between list price and sales price this year.  There may be better opportunities for you which I can help you identify.

Listing inventories are a little on the high side right now which is normal for this time of year.  Because of other factors it also means your buying power is better than it's been all year!

Average Sales Price (ending 11/23/07)
0-12   Months   $1,361,152    Down 11%
24-12  Months   $1,526,131  Up 21%
36-24  Months   $1,260,990  Up 31%
48-36 Months   $962,279   Baseline
*  Pelican Bay was showing a 4% decrease just 30 days ago and stable 60 days ago.

Prices have come down 11% for the last 12 months.  This latest trend started approximately 60 days ago.  There hasn't been a better time to buy in Pelican Bay within the last three years.  There are a great deal of people searching the internet for Pelican Bay related search terms.  I suspect traffic will continue to rise through season as it has throughout history.

Although I do not have a crystal ball and cannot attempt to predict the future, I have heard many people state that they thought now was the time to buy in Pelican Bay.  Last year at this time, many people were talking about looking instead of purchasing.  If you have any experience purchasing in a changing market, you may already know that as soon as a flurry of properties go under contract, the opportunities to negotiate lower prices dry up.

Some Pelican Bay property owners have opted out of attempting to sell their properties at this time which will further asssist the stability of the Pelican Bay market. 

There are subdivisions within Pelican Bay in need of listing inventory at this time including but not limited to:

Bridgeway Villas at Pelican Bay
Cannes at Pelican Bay
Carlton Place at Pelican Bay
Dorchester at Pelican Bay
Grand Bay at Pelican Bay
Las Brisas at Pelican Bay
Oak Lake Sanctuary at Pelican Bay
St. Andrews at Pelican Bay
St. Laurent at Pelican Bay
St. Marissa at Pelican Bay
St. Simone at Pelican Bay
St. Vincents at Pelican Bay
Tierra Mar at Pelican Bay
Villa Lantana at Pelican Bay
Villas at Pelican Bay

If you are interested in selling your Pelican Bay home or Pelican Bay condo but are not sure if you are in an area experiencing a high demand, please contact me. 

Bay Colony property owners should take special note:  There are buyers looking for Bay Colony properties at this time.  Most areas withiin Bay Colony need listing inventory with some exceptions.  Areas needing inventory include:

Brighton at Bay Colony
Carlysle at Bay Colony
Villa La Palma at Bay Colony
Marquesa at Bay Colony
Vizcaya at Bay Colony

For more information regarding Naples real estate, contact me direct!

When you're thinking Naples real estate, THINK PINK! Think Shannon Lefevre, Smart Girl, Great Results! 

It certainly the theme of the day isn't it.  Could not let it get by without thanking Active Rain and some of my favorite Active Rain friends for the following things:

Making me laugh when I feel like crying.

Consistently giving me support.

Opening up so I can get to know you in some cases more intimately than I know the people I am closest to.

Allowing me to be myself when I am not always on my "A" game.

Always making me feel welcome and a part of the group.

Giving me your time by reading my blogs and commenting on them as well as writing yours and allowing me to be a part of them.

Sharing your favorite tricks of the trade and helping me better my career and livelihood.

Sticking up for me when other commenter's take a low road.

Ardell,  Had it not been for your panel involvement at Inman (San Fran.) I may have never had the luxury of knowing these other people.  THANK YOU for taking the time to speak to us last August.  I hope everything is going great with your new job!

SEATTLE Area Real Estate - Active Rain ARDELL DellaLoggia - Seattle, WA Last Post: 11/02/07 11:22 AM          Posts: 310

Adam, You were my first new friend on Active Rain.  You support me and promote me like no other person here.  I am THANKFUL FOR YOU! HUGS! 

Long Island Real Estate >> Long Island Relocation SpecialistAdam Waldman - Long Island, NY Real Estate - Hauppauge, NY Last Post: 11/22/07 12:15 AM          Posts: 157

Jason, You were my second friend on Active Rain.  You and I bantered back and forth on countless posts and I think you are an amazing person.  You stood up for me when non-Cowboy fans tried to attack and posted comments faster than even I could.  Thank You For YOU! ")

Austin Texas Real Estate Blog (and other stuff) Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX Last Post: 11/22/07 01:06 AM          Posts: 170

Desiree,  I think you are SO great!  Your quick wit, funny pictures and icons and you too smacked someone down on one of my posts when they were trying to be a perv.  I can't wait to meet you!

A Sit Down from "Soprano Land" by Desiree DanielsDesiree Daniels, Mercer County, NJ, Real Estate - Robbinsville, NJ Last Post: 11/20/07 10:40 AM          Posts: 249

Paul,  You make me laugh, laugh, laugh!  I love your comments and your funny posts!  Thank you for the giggles...that's hard to accomplish right now but you do it easily! THANK YOU!

Paul's Scottsdale AZ Real Estate ChroniclesPaul Slaybaugh, Scottsdale Realty Executives - Scottsdale, AZ Last Post: 11/22/07 01:54 PM          Posts: 73

Candace in Candiland is so much greater than Alice in Wonderland!  You are the picture queen of the universe and if we ever get a chance to meet in person, RUN!  I will want you to teach me everything you know about HTML!  You are always a great support for me.  Thank YOU! :)

Arizona Real Estate - Gilbert Arizona Real Estate Gilbert Arizona Real Estate - Candace Robinson - Gilbert, AZ Last Post: 11/22/07 08:46 AM          Posts: 71

Brian,  You've got a great wit about you too my friend!  I love your sense of humor, your intelligence and how you too let people get a peek of your soul.  It's beautiful and I appreciate you! :)

Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate Blog Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate - Alexandria, VA Last Post: 11/18/07 08:28 AM          Posts: 182

Kathy,  You too my friend, have an awesome personality. I am happy to know you and thank you for all the support you have given me in the past.  Thank you for being a friend! :)

Kathy McGraw's Blog Kathy McGraw REALTOR®, Banning~ White Water, CA Real Estate - White Water, CA Last Post: 11/20/07 10:18 AM          Posts: 69

Tom,  You are always smiling!  I know that sounds funny because you probably use the same or similar picture but I can tell by your posts and your comments...you really always seem like a ray of sunshine that either I get the luxury of reading on your blog or when you bless mine with your presence.  Thank You! :)

Murrieta Real Estate Blog - Meet Tom PlantMurrieta Real Estate Expert - Tom Plant - Coldwell Banker - Murrieta, CA Last Post: 11/22/07 04:05 PM          Posts: 103

Kelly,  I kinda feel like I'm just getting to know you but what I know I LIKE ALOT!  You have an awesome personality and I love your posts.  Thank you for always being supportive of mine.  I hope we get a chance to meet someday.

Lake Zurich Illinois Real Estate ~ Your Lake Zurich Area RE/MAX Real Estate SpecialistKelly Sibilsky ~ Lake Zurich, IL RE/MAX Real Estate Agent - Lake Zurich, IL Last Post: 11/19/07 10:29 PM          Posts: 87

Ginger,  We skirted the same circles several times.  You too are somebody truly special here.  I love what you have to say and I appreciate the support you have given me.  I hope we get a chance to get to know each other a little better this upcoming year!

Ginger's Marin County Real Estate Blog Ginger Wilcox, Marin County Realtor - Belvedere Tiburon, CA Last Post: 11/12/07 05:55 PM          Posts: 66

Bill, If memory serves we didn't necessarily start out on the right foot but somehow we managed to get on the same page.  I think you're great despite what you think of the Cowboys or what I think of the...never mind! Hugs darling and Thank you for your support and silliness! :)

Metrowest Homes Blog Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate - Hopkinton, MA Last Post: 11/08/07 10:46 AM          Posts: 142

Danny,  You were the one who taught me that fantasy sports didn't have anything to do with jello or pudding.  :)  Plus you're always there with something sweet to say on my posts.  Thank you very much!

Danny's Blog Danny Thornton - Roswell, GA Last Post: 11/20/07 11:06 AM          Posts: 114

Joey,  We didn't get to know each other all that well but what I know about you so far, I really like.  I hope things with your family level out shortly and I hope I get to know you a little better.

Hemet Real Estate and Mortgage BlogJoey Aszterbaum, Hemet Home Loan Guy - Hemet, CA Last Post: 11/15/07 08:11 PM          Posts: 115

There were many more people I believe I am in the midst of getting to know.  For the sake of the length of this post and the fact that I am supposed to be entertaining real people in my house right now (I know..)  I gotta go....but I'm looking forward to building more relationships here on Active Rain and I so much appreciate the ones I have today. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! :)

Coming to Naples, Florida for Thanksgiving?

Good!  We're happy to have you!  Here are a few tips to consider when traveling:

It's supposed to be beautiful this week (highs in the 80"s during the day) with a slight chance of rain on Thanksgiving Day and possibly on Friday. 
See the 10 Day Forecast Here.

No Liquids!  Don't forget there is still a liquid ban.  Don't bring your liquids on the plane with you.  Checked bags only!

Bringing gifts? remember you can't wrap them before you come.  Airlines will make you unwrap your presents

If someone is picking you up at the airport.  We have a cel phone lot where your pick up person will be required to wait for your arrival.  Don't forget their cel phone number.

What To Wear:

Ladies:

During the day it's mostly casual attire in Naples, Florida.  Except for more formal country club and hotels, your regular casual attire should be fine.  If you're planning a Naples golf outing obviously normal golf attire will be appropriate, collared shirts, shorts or golf skirts are acceptable.  Don't forget your sunglasses and possibly a visor or hat.  Even in November the sun can be brutal.  If you're going to one of our fabulous Naples beaches or boating, normal beach attire is appropriate but please take special note: Naples is not South Beach or South France.  Tops and bottoms are required at all times.  Don't forget your sunscreen. :)

During the evening we're still mostly casual however most people prefer to dress up a bit if they're planning on dining in Naples, Florida on 3rd Street or 5th Avenue in Olde Naplesand some of the more upscale restaurants and night spots around town.  Again, most any attire is acceptable minus the tank tops and cut offs but you may feel better dressing it up a tad. Skirts, dresses and slacks are prevalent but you're not going to be the only one in jeans either. Wearing shorts are probably going to make you feel under dressed.  If you're planning on going to any of our night clubs...you'll definitely want to dress to impress.  Some clubs do not allow jeans, t-shirts or tennis shoes.  You might consider taking a sweater...it cools off a little at night and we still run our air conditioners on full blast regardless of what time of year it is.

Gentlemen:

During the day, it's casual for you too.  I primarily see gentlemen around 5th Ave and 3rd St. wearing collared shirts.  Long sleeves and short sleeves are both appropriate but dont' forget, its' supposed to be in the 80's.  If you get hot easy, you might want to go for the short sleeves.  Jeans are common as well as your casual pants and shorts.  You won't see too many tank tops in Old Naples but I doubt you will get kicked out.  At some of the finer hotels and country clubs, they will frown on tank tops and flip flops unless you're headed to the beach.  Going golfing?  Normal country club attire, collared shirts, shorts and pants are the norm.  Don't forget your visor or hat and your sunglasses...that sun will getcha!  Beaches and boatingon the agenda?  Trunks are still the rage but we do see some speedo type bathing suits occasionally...probably not recommended.  Tank tops, flip flops etc. are all appropriate.  You might consider taking a long sleeved shirt if you anticipate staying out til dusk or after. 

During the eveningwe're still mostly casual although 3rd St. and 5th Ave. are slightly more formal.  Casual slacks will be appropriate with long sleeved collared shirts.  Short sleeves are ok too but if you're fashion conscious you migh go ahead with the long sleeves.  A jacket is not out of the question either but not mandatory.  Ties are not necessary.  If you're hitting the few night clubs Naples has to offer, you'll want to dress to impress.  Some night clubs in Naples do not allow jeans, t-shirts, shorts or tennis shoes.  Pants and long sleeved shirts will be appropriate.

Thinking about buying Naples real estate while you're here?  Don't forget to make your appointment with me so I can show you everything fitting your requirements.  The more time I have, the better chance you have of seeing Naples properties that might be considered difficult to gain access to.  Many sellers will have guests in from out of town and late notice appointments can be difficult if not impossible to obtain.

On your return flight you'll be happy to know that our new Regional Southwest Airport is only a couple of years old.  It is run exceptionally well and checking in should be a breeze!  You still need to be checked in no less than 30 minutes before your flight and I would recommend getting there at least an hour before take off.

No Flip flops on the plane...well you can..but you have to take them off when you go through the metal detector and without socks...well...you might not want that experience.

I hope you enjoy your visit to Naples, Florida and remember, when you're thinking Naples, Florida Real Estate, THINK PINK!

That was a question asked by a gentleman who called today asking for alternative accommodations for his mother who was planning on making a visit to Naples, Florida in January.  He started of by wanting to know where other than the Ritz Carlton he might be able to find a place for her to stay because he was not excited about spending $700.00 per night especially if she plans to stay for the week to ten days he's expecting her to stay.  So we discussed alternative accommodations where I gave him the phone numbers of all the hotels that might fit their requirements.  Read more about the post I wrote regarding accommodations in Naples, Florida

Then he asked about rentals.  He stated that they stayed in a place in Pelican Bay last year for a week but couldn't remember the name of it.  My response was, you may have stayed in a place in Pelican Bay for a week but if you did, you or someone else made those arrangements with a private owner because there are no communities that will allow rentals for less than a 30 day period.  Many of those communities are stricter than that to ward off the unwelcome things that occur with lots of people traveling in and out of buildings etc. He gave me a little more information and I was then able to determine the building that he stayed in.  Still, you're probably not going to find a property manager who can rent out a unit for just a week.  There are REALLY strict guidelines and quite frankly, it's simply not worth it to the owner to get caught not adhering to the rental policy.  A colleague of mine has a client who's dealing with their homeowners association for that very thing...NOT PRETTY! 

I gave him a couple of property manager's names and contact information just in case he wanted to give it a shot anyway along with some rental  by owner websites that he might want to check out.  He was a great guy to talk to on the phone.  Great personality, easy going, cheerful...then after all that he says, "what are you getting out of this".  HUH?  he said, "well you're being awfully nice to be doing all of this for nothing".  I joked by telling him that I too lived in Texas for a few years and felt compelled to take care of my own but seriously, sometimes, that's what we do.  We provide a service without expecting anything in return.  Hopefully when that gentleman runs across someone who's thinking about doing something in Naples, he'll be nice enough to drop my name and number and if not...maybe karma will take care of me sometime down the road.

So the answer to "What are you getting out of this"?  So far...a great post for my blog!

For Great Service With A Smile, Think Pink!

Several people have asked lately where they should stay when they come to Naples, Florida.  Here are some fabulous accommodation options:

Naples Ritz Carlton Hotels 

Beachside located on the north side of Bay Colony in Pelican Bay or just south of Vanderbilt Beach.

Naples Golf  is located within Tiburon just under two miles from the beach on a golf course.

Both of these locations are awesome but if you were thinking something a little less pricey you might want to try:

Naples Grande Resort  Their proximity to the beach is still very nice (within a couple of blocks from the beach and less than a mile from Waterside Shops)

Another fantastic beach-front option is Edgewater Beach Hotel.  This one is older but has recently been magnificently renovated and is located closer to Olde Naples where there's great restaurants and shopping.  I recently had clients stay there and everyone who worked there could not have been more helpful and courteous.

Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club is another super option.  Again, this was the first hotel in Naples but has had some fabulous renovating done as well.  This is the closest Naples beachfront location to Olde Naples.

If golf and beach is not a requirement, you might try:

Trianon Old Naples hotel.

or

Bayfront Inn on 5th

Don't dally!  Make your reservations well in advance as season is quickly approaching.  Prices and availability are subject to change and Naples, Florida is a destination hot spot when it's cold in most other areas of the country!

For more information regarding Naples Real Estate, feel free to contact me direct!

The only thing more challenging than marketing to buyers and sellers right now must be marketing to Realtors.  Talk about a tough prospect base right?  I can hear it in the voices of the masses who call me wanting me to sign up for advertising and other various tools and services.  I'm sure times are really tough for them too. 

I'm inundated with so many email advertisements that I find it challenging just keeping my email box clean enough to handle my own business.  It's rare that any emails catch my eye anymore which leads me to believe that maybe my efforts are going unnoticed as well. 

Effective marketing is tricky since so many people and entities are going after our Realtor eyeballs but let me share something with my prospective vendors going after my business that doesn't work.

Example #1 

Here are excerpts from an email advertisement I received the other day:

Fellow Agent

One of these days -- very soon -- a customer is going to ask you:

"Which do you recommend, new construction or re-sale?"

If you are like most residential Realtors, you will stumble through some explanation about value, trying to push your prospect to re-sales where you have lots of information (the MLS) and away from new construction where you only have limited information. 

But it doesn't have to be that way.

For only $24 you can have access to *** with thousands of local models in all price ranges and information about hundreds of communities.  Information that is not available to the general public.  Information that lets you say, "Depends . . . what is most important to you?" and not worry that you may not have enough product knowledge to make a sale.

It also means contact and incentive information almost impossible to find elsewhere.

So don't be the Agent who can't answer the simple question, "What would this cost me if it is new instead of re-sale?" or the question "What community is offering a great deal?"

Excuse me?  Calling me and the colleagues in my industry lazy and incompetent is probably not the fastest way to sell me a membership

Example #2

Here's the subject line of an email I received within minutes of the last one:

Shouldn't YOU in an office that is Internationally recognized to improve your bottom line?

Does anyone want to try to figure out what that says?

Example #3

As I'm writing this blog I just received a call from a recording telling me my website isn't working and how bad my web development is....

Do these automated recordings work for anything???  It was positioned as if someone had just unplugged my server as if it were a real live emergency...WOW!

We could have some real fun by taking these three examples and rewriting them for Realtors but I gotta get back to work! 

Moral of this story:  Take a little care and consideration...provide a benefit and show up not your automated voice message and let's see what happens with sales!

I was contacted the other day by a colleague who had been told that another agent in town was looking at hiring a buyer's agent.  He was considering the position and had called to find out if I knew the agent and asked my opinion.  Here was my response:

Actually I've only dealt with that agent once that I can remember.  It was back when things were really crazy and I was checking mls about 10-20 times a day looking for new listings to hit the market.  A new listing had just been entered that matched one of my prospects so I called to make an appointment.  The lady on the other end of the line huffed when I told her I was calling to make a showing appointment for the house she had just entered in MLS.  She replied, "I just hit send 5 seconds ago".  I said, well that's great.  I'd like to see it within the hour.  She replied, no showings til next week.  HUH?  No showings til next week the owner's dog died.  Did the owners dog die and leave a mess in the house?  What's this 1 week mourning stage all about?  (Don't get me wrong...I AM an animal lover but seriously..no showings for a week)?  She said, NOPE, NO SHOWINGS TIL NEXT WEEK...call back then.  CLICK.  Well DAMMIT!

The next day I was talking to my contractor about the house we "knew existed" but couldn't "see".  Then I had a brilliant idea.  I said, Chris, You call this number, tell them you're a buyer and make an appointment for tomorrow.  Voila, appointment set.  So I met Chris at the house to see if this was going to work for our out of town buyers.  (Don't start feeling creepy...when the deal worked, I told the buyer and they wrote the contract...they didn't have to see it to believe it). 

When I pulled up to the driveway I noticed that the other agent was getting out of her car to meet both me and my contractor who had driven separately.  I got out first.  With big smile and hand outstretched far to shake mine she said, Hi...it's so nice to meet you I'm _______ ________ you must be Chris's wife.  I said uhm....NOPE.  I'm just the agent who couldn't get in to see the property yesterday.  My name is Shannon Lefevre.  GULP...oh uh well did my assistant call you back to tell you it was ok that we could show the property now?  Uh no surprisingly she did not.  Oh well I heard her leave a message for you...I just showed her my phone that I had in my hand and said, uhm no message...can we see the home now I have another appointment. 

She stuttered through the house and tried to regain composure while Chris and I determined that unfortunately the house was a total train wreck and that the floor-plan was so horrid that the only solution would be to tear it down which was not what my buyer was willing to sign up for...so NO DEAL.

The house remained on the market for nearly a year and did not sell.

The real estate moral of this story...this is a people business...people can gain information and access from more than one resource...lying gets you no where and sometimes one less candidate for an assistant.

The Shannon Lefevre moral of this story...don't tell me no.  I don't like it, my mother can tell you it's always been that way...and oh well heck, I'm just hard if not impossible to hold down!  Not to mention the word "no" sounds more like a starting bell at a horse race to me.

See you at the finish line! :)