Why Shifting Into Neutral Can Fast Forward Your Advancement!

 There's an oft repeated tale about how certain hunters in Africa catch monkeys.  It can be very difficult to corral these intelligent creatures, so hunters have used a more inventive method...trapping a monkey by enticing him.  A small jar is placed at the base of a tree with nuts or other items which may attract the monkey's curiosity. 

The opening of the jar allows the monkey to place his hand in, but when he tries to withdraw it, he is unable to do so without letting go of the contents of the jar.  Believe it or not, some monkeys will stay there with their hand in the jar until the hunter comes back to trap them!  They are trapped because they are unwilling to let go of something they are doing which is working against them.

It's not just monkeys who get trapped by what we are unwilling to release.  While, most of us would not be tempted by peanuts or sweets in a jar, it's amazing the things we will hang onto rather than release them so we can move on.  As a Realtor, I witness this phenomenon all the time.  The peanuts are quite conventional; I've got to obtain this Price for my house...irregardless of the market or I must have this home even though I can't really afford the payments. There may be variations on these themes, but in the end they're still peanuts...unrealistic expectations held on to at the expense of moving forward and achieving our goals & desires.

The real estate process often involves the 3 main components of this story; the Hunter, the Monkey & the Jar of Peanuts.  Buyers & Sellers are the significant players in the real estate process.  Sometimes, there is a tendency to behave like the monkey with the hand stuck in the jar for a few peanuts.  Instead of drawing back, taking the hand out of the jar to reconsider options and listen to sound counsel, so many get trapped by the peanuts. 

Peanuts are the misguided rewards that we think we desperately need.  Peanuts are symbolized by the Price that the Property must be worth because so much has been put into improvements.  Peanuts talk to the monkey even though they have no audible voice.  They convince the monkey that if you hold on to this for long enough, you will get what you want.  Peanuts lie!  Letting go of false assumptions is what will bring fulfillment to the desire & this can only be done by stopping the action of holding on to those peanuts. 

Holding on to an Artificially Inflated Price which the current market cannot support is listening to the Peanuts Lie.  Refusing to let go of clutter that serves no useful purpose and is hindering the sale of your home traps the hand in the peanut jar.  Looking for the , perfect home, in the perfect neighborhood, with  the perfect neighbors at the perfect price etc. ad nauseum ensures that your dream will never become a reality because...I tell you truth...Those peanuts will lie to you & then trap you! Once you move into the perfect neighborhood, you can rest assured, it will no longer be perfect.

The Hunter represents market forces.  The market needs players so it offers attractive opportunities. The number of financing vehicles, housing choices & selling tools  available to home buyers and home sellers has created many options &  provided a diverse variety of peanut jars. The market doesn't really care which monkey is snared by the contents of the jar.  It knows that some monkeys will pass by it's offers & simply decide that peanuts just aren't' an attractive choice on the menu at the moment. 

The Hunter also figures that a certain percentage of monkeys will recognize a trap when they see one & won't fall for the ruse.  But, it gambles that enough monkeys will not figure out a very simply solution to the dilemma.  Simply, let go of the peanuts, release your hand from the trap, turn the jar upside down & then you can have your peanuts & not get trapped!  The monkeys who have their Freedom & Eat Their Peanuts as well are those who realize that sometimes you have to let go of an outdated or incorrect assumption or ideals in order to move forward.  Sometimes, the action you take to STOP doing the wrong thing is the most important action you take because it allows you to see more clearly the best solution & option available to you.

Instead of demanding the highest price, simply stop being unrealistic.  Instead of taking several jobs to support a lifestyle we cannot afford, simply stop spending more money than you make or sell your house & move to something more affordable. We would be so much further ahead. if we concentrated on simply stopping doing a few of the things that we are doing which impede our progress  Instead of thinking like the monkey who is committed to getting a few peanuts out of a jar at the expense of his life & freedom, we can stop and  let go of the peanuts  & choose intelligent solutions.  This technique works for real estate & for life!

© 2007 Audu Real Estate  All rights reserved

When I got the e-mail from my former neighbor this afternoon indicating that he was going to be on TV, my curiosity was peeked.  Tom has recently started a new venture in his life & is now an Eco-farmer in Hesperia, Newaygo County, Michigan.  Newsreporters were on his farm to interview him about a disturbing development that is affecting farmers across Michigan. The story featured on WZZM13 of Grand Rapids, Michigan indicates that there is a strange, unexplained phenomenon which has serious implications for Michigan.  Apparently, honey bees are dying, literally by the ton...for no known reason. 

Tom refers to his bees as "God's fertilizers"!  He practices organic farming and uses no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The WZZM 13 TV report indicated that he had started with 3 colonies & literally overnight, 2 of them had suddenly died.  This situation is being repeated on farms across the country.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason; some farms are affected and others seem, at least for now, to be unscathed.  The situation is affecting colonies in at least 23 States across the United States, even as researches plan to converge an urgent meeting in the nation's Capitol to discuss the issue.

If this continues unchecked, there will be serious consequences for Michigan's local agriculture.  In a state plagued by serious economic challenge, this is unwelcome news.  Already, 30% of the hives in lower Western Michigan have perished.  Various theories abound about probable causes including the strange weather patterns that have affected the state with unseasonable cold & warm spells, mites and a strange disease called Colony Collapse Disorder.

Research on Colony Collapse Disorder revealed some fascinating, yet somber parallels.  Apparently as this disease progresses, honey bees don't die...the worker bees simply leave.  According to research by Dr. Jamie Ellis of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, "Symptomatically, colonies with CCD can appear healthy as few as three weeks prior to collapse." All the worker bees simply disappear leaving behind, colonies full of honey, a few workers & the Queen. 

As, I drive past shuttered factories, homes for Sale on many streets  in Grand Rapids, Michigan & witness an increase in homes in foreclosure and short sales on my local real estate board, I am struck by an uneasy parallel...Michigan was the only state to suffer a Net Loss in population as so many moved out of the state due to economic conditions.

There are many reasons why this is an important story.  Nature is often our first responder to significant changes which will affect life on earth as animals, being closer to Nature, respond instinctively to changes in the earth's atmosphere.  Reports after the major tsunami  hit  Asia indicate that animals began to withdraw from the shoreline...apparently instinctively sensing something was amiss.  Unfortunately, curiosity propelled many human beings toward the danger & eventual destruction

Bees are the primary pollinators for crops.  Although, I find it annoying to be stung, the flowers in my yard need bees for cross pollination.  So do the trees & vegetables on farms across the country.  Bees are little creatures, but they contribute a very important service as they busily buzz around.  Let's hope that we can come to a true understanding of what is so rapidly decimating the population of these creatures & perhaps in the discovery come to a better understanding of the vulnerabilities of this earth home we all share.

Other Related Articles related to WZZM 13 News Story :

Collapsing Colonies by Joanne C. Taddwell of the Daily  Courier

Mysterious Bee Deaths Threaten Agriculture by Corrine Purtill of the Arizona Republic

Bee Photo Gallery

An intriguing & Strange Scenario...Are Mobile Phones Wiping Out Our Bees? by Geoffery Lean & Harriott Shawcross

© 2007 Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

In my previous post, I discussed how to determine if a home was a good choice for an Open House.  Now, we will focus on the right reasons to hold a home open.  This is something to take seriously.  We are asking homeowners to leave their home & let it be canvassed by members of the general public, for whom we cannot vouch their authentic interest, in the hopes that this will create a viable prospect for the sale of their home.  If we have not done our homework & prepared properly, at the very least, the effort has been a huge waste of everyone's time. 

Some of the reasons commonly given for holding an Open House are:  "The Seller's asked me to",   "I'm not getting any activity, so I need to hold an Open House,"My clients expect me to advertise their house, so I need to do an Open House," or "I'm not very busy so I have some time to do Open Houses."

Not!  None of the above is an optimal reason to conduct an Open House.  The Seller's asked me to - No, the Seller's hired you to give professional counsel & direction in the marketing and sale of their home.  Can you imagine this reasoning used in the following scenario - Patient to Doctor, "I need you to perform an operation because I've determined that this is the best solution to cure my condition."  No MD would acquiesce to a request like that simply because they were asked.  Professionals are hired to provide solutions and create options.  They are hired FOR their expertise.  Determining the viability of an Open House should be the responsibility of the real estate agent as one part of an extensive marketing strategy.

Reasons #2 - I'm not getting any activity on this listing, so I need to hold an Open House.  Holding an Open House will not magically transform a home with limited traffic into a hot portal of activity.  If a home is not getting showing requests, it's usually one of 2 things - a pricing problem or a staging problem.  No amount of increased exposure from a Open House will correct either of these 2 defects.  The solution is to discuss the limitations that an over-priced, improperly stage listing is creating for the Seller due to decreased showings, delayed offers and rapidly diminishing sale prospects.  Emphasize the fact that a well priced listing can NEVER be kept a secret!  Well Presented, Attractively Priced Homes are always Winners .  Successful Open Houses affirm this fact.

Reason #3 - I'm not busy and/or I need to show that I'm doing some advertising of my services. Not being busy is the very worst reason for an agent to hold an Open House which will not be successful.  New Agents and/or non-busy agents badly need to work in Open Houses that will guarantee them a good return on the investment of their time & energy.  One of the most debilitating things to do when your career is in a downward slide is to sit at multiple open houses which no one visits which guarantees that you will not be selling anything today.  There are methods to turn this particular scenario around...but we'll discuss that in a follow-up blog post.

Here are some right reasons to hold an Open House.

• Hold a home open to get buyers for the home you are Holding Open!  This is not counter-intuitive.  So, many times, I hear agents say, I'm holding this house open even though it's not a very good listing to get buyers.  Huh???  If it's not a good listing, why would buyers want to visit you there?
• Hold a home open to get buyers for YOUR other listings.  This demands that you choose very wisely the home that you are holding open.  You want people to be sufficiently wowed by your Open House that if they do not find this house to be the perfect fit, they are willing to trust your recommendations about what else they may want to preview. (This also holds true for other listings on your local MLS...the issue is building credibility & trust!
• Hold a home open to present potential future Sellers with a good pre-view of how you conduct your business.  An open house should feature examples of your marketing efforts.  These can include flyers & brochures that you have created.  This is a great opportunity to give visitors the opportunity to pre-view virtual tours or a real estate shows presentation.  Articles that you have written or blogged about should be attached to the Listing fact sheet along with other suggested homes to preview.  This can also be a great opportunity to highlight your local knowledge by creating virtual shows of the area in which the home you are located is in.
• Hold a home open to Talk with the Neighbors.  Statistics indicate that once a home is placed on the market, within 6-12 months, someone on the same street will be considering a move.  Don't know why this is...it just seems to happen.  Don't wait for the day of the Open House to call & introduce yourself.  Call a week before the Big event to Invite People in the Neighborhood to your Open House Party.  You know, they want to see the inside of the great home, extend an invitation!  Then while you're at the Open House, call again to remind them to stop by for coffee & donuts & get FREE information about what homes are selling for in their neighborhood.

Holding an Open House for the reasons above will dramatically increase the goodwill you generate with your current Seller Clients & will significantly increase your chances of getting many, many more Listings for your Open House Efforts.

Click here to read the previous Post:  Creating Captivating Open Houses

© 2007 Audu Real Estate  All rights reserved

Creating A Captivating Open House

When I entered the real estate profession 12 years ago, my broker told me that I would not stand a chance at succeeding if I did not do Sunday Open Houses.  When I transferred to another Broker a couple of years later, I heard the exact opposite advise, " Open Houses are usually a waste of time".  So which one was right.  Well, both were!  Open Houses are a waste of time unless they are prepared and conducted properly.  A well presented Open House is a strategy successful saavy agents use to effectively market their listings & skill set to the general public & create positive exposure for their clients. Unfortunately, many agents have never been given basic instructions about how to ensure that an Open House is worth the time & others do not want to put in the efforts to ensure that their time...which is money....is well worth it.

The fact is that Millions of Americans seem to find Open Houses to be an engaging hobby.  Don't ask me why.  Maybe, it's part of our morbid curiosity about how other people live; sort of like the house hunting version of tabloid voyeurism.  But if millions of people are going through Open Houses, largely hosted by real estate agents & our national statistics indicate that only 3% of homes are selling through Open Houses, then we have a 97% Failure Rate.  While many of these open house attenders will not necessarily buy a home they walk through, we are doing a dismal job of capturing prospects who have indicated that they are probably going to be buying sometime, somewhere.  Let's look at some vital issues which should be considered when planning to hold a house open.

The most important aspect of preparing for a Successful Open House is Picking the Right House.  Not every home is suitable for holding an Open House.  Have you ever gone on the Open House Needle in the Haystack Search?  The one which has so many twists & turns that you wonder if you'll ever find it?  There's a simple rule which will greatly assist in determining if a home qualifies as a good Open House Prospect.  It's this:  Can I Easily find this home (from a main road) by following a Maximum of 3 Signs.  You don't have to go to the house to ascertain this...simply take out your map & look!

Picking the Right House involves more than being able to locate the home easily for prospective buyers.  The right home is also a home that is priced to Sell.  Listing an Over-priced home is something we have all done at least once, but compounding the unfortunate error by continuing to advertise this embarrassing fact by holding it Open continuously is a disservice to the owner & the public. 

Perhaps, it would be better to be honest with the client and say something like this:  "Mr. Seller, as a contentious professional real estate agent, I have pledged to represent your interest to the best of my ability and resources.  Holding your home Open while it is priced significantly above the prevailing market will result in buyer's using your home to go shopping for a better deal elsewhere and eventually hasten the arrival of offers which are 20-25% below the average successful sale."  This simple conveyance of truth during a listing presentation may have the unanticipated, happy result of creating a Good Open House prospect because you have convinced the seller to create a Saleable Listing.

So in Summary, Here are Some Factors to consider in choosing the Right House.

The right house is:

• Located in area which can be easily accessed by no more than 3 Directional Signs & bring good traffic
• Priced at or Below the Current Market
• One which has Good Curb Appeal
• One Which Shows Well on the Inside...clear of excess clutter, clean & properly presented
• A Home which is Suitable for the Weather Conditions...ie. don't hold a vacant house with No Heat Open in Winter!

The Next Blog Post will Explore the Right Reasons to Hold An Open House.  Seller's hire real estate agents to ensure their best interests are served during the sale of their home.  Review the list & then look at your recent Open Houses.  Have they fit at least 3 out of 5 of these basic criteria?  Let's learn to work more effectively & efficiently to ensure that Open Houses are worth our time & the efforts o.

Touching the Holy...

From time to time, you find a book that truly nourishes the soul.  The book, Touching the Holy, by Robert J. Wicks is one of these gems.  According to Dr. Wicks, "True ordinariness is tangible holiness". He explores with profound insights, the works of the ancient dessert Fathers and incorporates he contemporary themes in psychology to bring powerful insights about why it is important to truly embrace who we are called to be as ordinary human beings! I'm not even sure how this book was recommended to me, but I'm so thankful to have the gift of reading & re-reading it.   

The clarity of conviction with which the ideas are expressed grant profound insight into understanding how important and necessary it is that we embrace who we are truly called to be...unmarred or diminished by a plethora of vain & tarnished misconceptions. I am struck by the fact that while there are so many "voices" that would try to manipulate or influence us, there will always resonate at the core...if we we will listen...the true calling of our ordinary being.

Quote from "Touching the Holy"  on Creative Positive Imagery:

 Writing by poet & Anglican divine Thomas Traherene:

You never enjoy the world aright

till the sea itself floweth in your veins,

till you are clothed with the heavens

And crowned with the stars,

And perceive yourself to be the sole heir of the whole world;

and more so,

Because men are in it who are

Everyone sole heirs as well as you...

till your spirit filleth the whole world,

and the stars are your jewels,

till you are familiar with the way of God

in all ages as well as with your walk and table

...till you delight in God for being good to all,

You never enjoy the world.

This quote from Touching the Holy spoke so expressively to me today.  I pass on the gift to you as well.