Are You Happy With 2016?

The two months left in 2016 may seem like a lot of time, but 2017 will be here before you know it. Did you meet your goals? What do you need to improve? I'll explain why now is the time to look ahead to 2017.

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As we approach the end of 2016, I want to use this installment of our career video blog to focus on 2017.

A lot of agents think that with two months left in the year, there is a lot of business yet to be done. Keep in mind, though, that we have two major holidays in that time frame. If you're working with a buyer, you really only have about two weeks to get them under contract to have any hope of closing before the end of the year. Right now is the time to really work on getting your business plan for 2017 together.

I can't stress enough how much you should focus on what you'll do to improve. How did your year go? Did it work out the way you expected? I can tell you, with the 87% failure rate in real estate, the majority of agents would probably answer 'no.' That doesn't mean that you're in the wrong business or even on the wrong track, although it could mean that you're working with the wrong team or company.

Don't wait for the end of December to think about your goals for 2017.

There are a lot of great opportunities out there in real estate, and unfortunately, I think there are some great people out there who won't stick with it and will lose traction. As you go forward, don't wait until the end of December to think about the processes and marketing skills that you need to improve upon. Where do you want to go with your business? What kind of market share should you go after? Do you have a database, or are you working off a paper pad?

I think that The 10X Rule is a great book to read. The reality of this book says that to achieve anything you want to do, you have to put 10 times the effort toward it. If you didn't achieve your goals for 2016 or you fell a bit short, then 2017 might be time to ramp it up 10x.

If you're with the wrong team or the wrong company, it might be time to talk with a different company. That could be our team, which is team-based and can help you through a lot of those growing pains, or another team that fits you better.

I hope you have an amazing end to 2016! If you have any questions for me or you're interested in learning more about our team, give me a call or send me an email soon. I hope to hear from you!

What Does the Changing Bradenton Market Mean to You?

I wanted to talk a bit today about whether the Bradenton real estate market is changing. We hear so much about how it's still a seller's market, but if you're in the market now, you may have seen that start to change.

Statistics show that inventory is still low and homes are still selling quickly. However, I would suggest that the market is changing because we're seeing less pending inventory month to month and the sales are rapidly changing.

Specifically what you need to look at are the neighborhoods and price points where this is going into effect. When you talk to clients about the market, you should always convey your expertise, but you can't tell every homeowner how wonderful it's going to be, and that you're going to get their home sold in the next 30 days.

Homes in the average price point around $300,000 are selling quickly, but as you get to bigger homes and those priced above $500,000, you'll see that there are up to 12 months of inventory.

The market is not the same everywhere.

As the market continues to change, you need to pay attention to smaller niche markets and not just look at the market all over the industry. It's just not as wonderful everywhere as some may have you believe. Understand your market and your inventory.

If you have any more real estate questions, please give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Why You Need to Build a Strong List of Vendors

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As industry experts, it's important that we choose vendors we know we can count on to refer to clients.

I've taken years and years and gone through many different vendors so that I can provide a list to my clients. You want to have a list comprised of everything from appraisers to surveyors to inspectors available for your client so that they can get through to closing and get you your check. You also want to be able to offer them vendors after the sale, like a handyman, plumber, or electrician. We sell great houses to clients, but there is no such thing as a perfect house.

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You always want to be that 
person a client reaches out to.

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I advise you to continue making that list of vendors on a daily basis. Put them all in your phone so that you have a name when you're in need of a vendor. It reinforces you as an expert and will keep them calling you when they're in need. You always want to be that person your client calls for anything they need.

As usual, if you have questions for me or you're interested in joining our team, give me a call or shoot me an email. We'd love to hear from you!