Lansing, Michigan Real Estate

Blog by Mike Bowler CRB, GRI, ePRO, RECS, SRES

Lansing, Michigan

I am prepared to employ the latest techniques and services for your benefit, just like you've grown to expect from a professional. Real estate transactions are complex, involve large assets and demand competent representation. Marketing properties, home selection and financing are just a few of the skills today's consumer looks for when they select a real estate professional. I am prepared to offer my clients the knowledge and expertise to counsel them in relocating, buying, investing or selling the family home. In today's market, you need someone who knows what they're doing and will work hard to get the job done. My knowledge of the real estate market, negotiating skills, and ability to listen to clients' needs and desires keep me ahead of my competition. "Expect the Best" Agents Visit: http://mikebowler.net

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Lansing, Michigan Real Estate

ePRO'ers Have New Options For Advanced Training & Education

Sep. 18, 2008

Categorized in: Education

Tagged with: course, education, epro, real estate, webographer

Now ePRO Designated agents can take an advanced 12 module course available 24/7/365. These course modules provide the opportunity for working professionals to learn at their own pace while enhancing the skill sets necessary to compete and excel with today’s web savvy consumers. REW™ professionals provide consumers with a positive and profitable Real Estate experience.

REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW) certification teaches Agents and Assistants how to best utilize today’s most popular web-based technologies - the solutions for an all inclusive, consumer-centric web presence.

Candidates learn how to establish a profitable, consumer-facing, all-inclusive web presence — an effective, online “Business Strategy”; Embracing technology - real estate technology providers (hardware, software) have established technologies for the self-serving agent, looking to establish an all encompassing web presence around their good-name.

One more way to differentiate yourself in today’s real estate market is to take this course and promote it with your ePRO designation.

“Expect the Best” Mike

As a real estate trainer and consultant, I’m available to assist you in all your marketing plans, technology, and taking your real estate career to the next level. Contact me if you’re interested in hiring a personal coach and consultant to help develop your business or just want to network.

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Certified ePRO Trainer

Direct Line: 517-492-3400

Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Agents
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Are We Competent? Realtor Code11-12 Says We Need to Be!

Sep. 3, 2008

Categorized in: Education

Tagged with: agents, code of ethics, consulting, education, real estate, realtors, technology

85% plus, of all buyers are shopping the Internet for real estate prior to ever contacting a Realtor. back to school Here are some questions to ponder: 1. Is it our duty, based on Article 11 of the Realtor Code of Ethics to provide our sellers with the adequate information on the quality and quantity of tools made available to expose the sellers home to the marketplace? 2. Are we competent in marketing real estate to today’s e-consumer? 3. Are we demonstrating the skill and the knowledge that is needed to be competent?

Here’s what Article 11 says: (Please note: I am referring to service only. Property type is yet another issue.)

The services which REALTORS® provide to their clients and customers shall conform to the standards of practice and competence which are reasonably expected in the specific real estate disciplines in which they engage; specifically, residential real estate brokerage, real property management, commercial and industrial real estate brokerage, real estate appraisal, real estate counseling, real estate syndication, real estate auction, and international real estate. REALTORS® shall not undertake to provide specialized professional services concerning a type of property or service that is outside their field of competence unless they engage the assistance of one who is competent on such types of property or service, or unless the facts are fully disclosed to the client. Any persons engaged to provide such assistance shall be so identified to the client and their contribution to the assignment should be set forth. (Amended 1/95)

Here’s what Article 12 says in part:

REALTORS® shall be honest and truthful in their real estate communications and shall present a true picture in their advertising, marketing, and other representations.

What stage do we as Realtors fall into when it comes to marketing homes in today’s market?

Here’s what Wikipedia Encyclopedia says about Competence.

Competence is the ability to perform a specific task, action or function successfully.

Competence a standardized requirement for an individual to properly perform a specific job

In psychology the four stages of competence relate to the psychological states involved in the process of progressing from incompetence to competence in a skill:

Unconscious incompetence

The individual neither understands or knows how to do something, nor recognizes the deficit or has a desire to address it.

Conscious incompetence

Though the individual does not understand or know how to do something, he or she does recognize the deficit, without yet addressing it.

Conscious competence

The individual understands or knows how to do something. However, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires a great deal of consciousness or concentration.

Unconscious competence

The individual has had so much practice with a skill that it becomes "second nature" and can be performed easily (often without concentrating too deeply). He or she can also teach it to others.

My point in asking these questions is to make a point, that we can never stop learning in real estate. There are many wonderful opportunities for each of us as practitioners to continue our education. What do you think?

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Cetified ePRO Trainer

email: mike@mikebowler.com
Visit: MikeBowler.net

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Golf and Real Estate....Food for Thought

Nov. 14, 2006

Tagged with: agents, career, education, lansing, managers, real estate, systems, tools

Wow! I can't believe we had 65-degree temperatures here Thursday (November 9^th) in Lansing, Michigan. It makes you want to go sell a house. The front page of today's paper showed a man out on the golf course enjoying the opportunity and it made me think of how Golf and Real Estate are so much alike. I use to play a lot of golf prior to my knees acting up, that's like an agent who use to sell a lot of real estate until they burnt out.

In golf, weather conditions change your game; in real estate market conditions change your approach to business.

In golf, if you want score well you have to have the right equipment. In real estate today the right equipment means being on top of the best technology to provide great pictures, websites, and communication.

In golf, if a golfer wants to score well, he or she needs to know the course. Do we know your market? The inventory of what's available, schools, amenities, tax rates, transportation etc.

In golf, they say your score depends on 75% mental attitude; you have to have a vision of how the shot is going to turn out or feel the swing. In real estate, we have to believe the results are going to be that new listing or sale. We have to picture the results. "Those who believe they can, and those who believe they can't, are both right.

In golf, you should always play the course, not your opponent. Sometimes we in real estate worry too much about our competition instead of focusing on the services we can provide each buyer or seller.

In golf, we have the drive, the approach, the chip and the putt. We call that activities in real estate, like leads, prospects, open houses, FSBO's, expired listings, relationships, and presentations.

In golf, sometimes the hazards like sand, woods and water can challenge our game. We in real estate experience that with slumps along the way, problem files, challenging sellers, buyers, co-op agents and vendors. However, by chipping out and getting back on course we keep our focus on the end results.

In golf, I know most pros have coaches who may assist the golfer on mental attitude, stroke improvements, and various segments of their game. It's also important in real estate that an agent has that support system. We have managers; staff, systems, tools and many agents today even hire a coach to boost their income and accountability.

In golf, most golf pros practice, drill and rehearse daily to perfect their game. Realtors who want to be pros are also subject to practicing their presentations, scripts and staying on top of marketing techniques to survive in today's world. How can we expect to win customers and clients over to our side if we don't practice, drill and rehearse?

In golf, they call it good edict to replace divots, fix ball marks, treat every player with respect, count all your strokes and use the proper amount of clubs. We in real estate have a great code of ethics provided by NAR that gives us the guidelines and rules to follow. The golden rule goes along ways when working with other Realtors to compliment, communicate and look at them as true peers of our industry vs. just competition.

In golf, they keep score and have a handicap. Are you keeping score of your real estate career? What's your handicap? Vision, goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics are what Realtors need to succeed.

If a golfer wants to hit a great shot, they have to keep their head down. Realtors, I say keep your head up.

Some practical things to think about as we prepare for another exciting year in real estate, what do you think?

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