I brainstorm with dozens of real estate agents every month. I have sat down with literally hundreds of them over the years. And one of the primary questions I ask them is “Why would I list my home with you?”. I am constantly amazed that over 90% of them give the same exact basic answers.

They discuss the 50 websites they have access to, brag about their (or their company’s) market share, and present a standard marketing plan sprinkled with print media and open houses. Shockingly, these agents are puzzled when home sellers choose the agent with the lowest commission or the one who promises a higher sales price. When every offer is basically the same, wouldn’t you pick the one that puts the most money in your pocket?

In today’s world, where only 10% of the available inventory is going to sell this month, you need more than a listing agent…you need a LEADER. As far as I am concerned, there are three components to leadership:

1. Expertise

An agent must prove themselves as well versed in many areas in order to ask someone to follow them. Market trends like those discussed in this blog daily, interest rate movements, the changing mortgage landscape, knowledge of your competition (the other homes for sale that are also trying to lure any potential buyers), and being a raving fan of the community are some of the components that make an expert. Additionally, experts have others in their sphere of influence who are experts in other disciplines- mortgage, taxation, estate planning and more

2. Listening Skills

How can anyone help anyone if they don’t take the time to LISTEN? They need to understand your needs. What’s more important…price or timing? Why are you moving? Where are you going to begin the next chapter of your life? What are the reasons you bought your home (because it might give a clue to your eventual purchaser)? Great agents ask a lot of questions. If you find yourself asking more questions than the agent, you have not found a leader. Leaders listen so they can help their followers get the result that the followers desire. It’s called Servant Leadership.

3. Creativity

Once you are comfortable that an agent knows their stuff and that they care more about your result than their pay check, you need an agent who has unique solutions to the problem. Simply stated: How can they get your house to stand out with all this inventory? An agent’s marketing plan is what ultimatelyattracts potential buyers and, if your agent is just putting you in with all the clutter of the big websites on the Internet, you are doomed for disappointment. Single property websites, text messaging, QR codes as well as geographic, cultural and employment marketing strategies are crucial. Unique Open Houses that incorporate potential repairs, renovations or upgrades with the FHA’s 203K loan could be important as well. Or, you can also try anything else that’s “outside the box”.

As a consumer, it’s okay to follow when you find a true leader- one who is a creative, serving expert. Take it from me…they are rare.  However, when you find one, they are worth their weight in gold.

Special thanks to our friends at KCM Blog for this great post.

This is a questions that come up pretty often. The correct answer lies in section 21 of the REPC (Real Estate Purchase Contract) that defines “Days” and “Calendar Days” as the “beginning on the day following the event which triggers the timing requirement”. So, in a nut shell….days, means calendar days which is every single day of the calendar, this includes Saturday, Sunday and Holidays. However, the term is easily modified by an addendum.

I’m not sure who the first person was that said the above quote, but they certainly have a point. There are a few other ways to say this quote as well, such as: “If you do the same thing today as you did yesterday, don’t expect tomorrow to be any different”, or you may have heard “The definition of Crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. All of these quotes pretty sum up the fact that if you “do nothing, you will get nothing”.

We are heading into the last week of the first month of 2011 and I ask you…what have you done that will make this year your break out year? Over the past 3 years it’s been tough in the real estate industry. However, people are still buying and selling houses and there are fewer real estate agents in the market to help them. What have you implemented to either find them (prospecting) or attract them (marketing)? In other words…what kind of marketing and/or prospecting program have you implemented. What? you don’t have a marketing or prospecting program…well, then if you want to do more business than the occaisional friend or family member, you should really consider implementing one.