You are here: Home / 2008 / Archives for February 2008

Face/Lift Part 2

By Filed Under: miscellany

I’m 1/5th done with the facelift.  I planned the work; that’s the easy part.   Now to grind it out, and make some sort of sense out of my sidebars.  I get to do this because I’m finding a voice.  As the mighty Athol says, that takes time.   You can’t fake authenticity, and you can’t fake originality.  You can enhance both ideas, but sincerity cannot be faked.

Anyway, Todd is right when he says those that come for advocacy (to serve) stick around, and those that show up for money don’t.

Finally: for your perusal:

genuinechris.com/boss  This is where you can EARN MONEY helping me achieve my goals.

and

genuinechris.com/guest-  My “let’s exchange guest posts to grow our readership” pitch.

More tomorrow, for now, I’ll watch the end of Cold Mountain, an unbearably dull movie.

The projects that I’m doing?   Oh, thanks for asking.  I’ll get to those sometime tomorrow.

Creative Commons Licensephoto credit: thinkpanama

Facelift…

By Filed Under: miscellany
image.png

imageSo this blog has needed a facelift for a long time. No, really.

I’ve been working on other projects (like getting my good friends and mentors… Tim and Julie Harris into the web 2.0 space.  I used the same BASE theme here as there, and here I’m going to change the look even more shortly. 

I’ve got the plan for facelifitng this thing, and I hope to improve it and not do what happened to the poor dude to the left of me. 

In the process, Issac Kelly at Servee has graciously taught me a ton about CSS, how I can use it, and the general rules of the “div” tag.  It won’t be perfect, but I walk unafraid.  (I can also give Issac my unabashed recommendation for ANY web work that you want.)

But, I’ve got something to give to loan officers.  And I’ve got something to add to all of us that work from home, or work in a lone wolf solo kind of way.  But–the thing is–visual stuff matters.  If it was just content, then this would be the only theme to use.  (And I’ve used it in an experiment, here)

I’ve got to ensure that this site doesn’t distract from what I can contribute.  That means that this place has to be quality, and then Tendayteam.com.  So it will be.  Since I’ve taken on more actual work than in any time in my life–trying to do 1mm/month in loans while branching out–I’ve learned a lot about getting things done.

One thing that has helped me is hiding my task bar in Windows, and going full screen with everything.  Especially in word.

Another thing is the use of instant boss.

I recommend trying that very much. 

Anyway, GenuineChris.COM will be face lifted today.

tendayteam.com will have its tweaks done tomorrow–but do check out tendateam.com/testimonials. 

In the Immortal words of Roots, I shall…proceed…and continue to rock the mike.

By the way, if anyone has some photoshop skills and can make a few low impact illustrations for this space, leave me a comment!

My Push Beats Your Pull Any Day.

By Filed Under: miscellany

Right now, I’m enjoying life. Thanks to Tim, and with the support of lots of people, I’ve changed the game in Real Estate. I’m working less, and making close to the same cash I was before. By less, I mean RADICALLY less. My job is mechanical, but as Mike Ferry and other people say…repetitious boredom pay off.

The gist is simple: Each morning, I call 30 Realtors. These are from lists of properties that MLS’s send me automatically. The search I’m looking for? Back On the Market. When a property goes back on the market, it’s for one of a few reasons. Most of the time it was expired and renewed. That’s a big part of it. But much of the time, it’s because some dirt bag loan officer is a salesmonkey and didn’t know his problems.

So, what I do is call the listing agent, ask for a referral to the selling agent to put the deal back together.

And you know what? I can average an ap or more a day. And a database entry, someone that I’ve tried to help.

Imagine this: If you’re a Real Estate Agent, and you’ve just had a listing not close. You’ve given up and returned the property to ‘active’ on the MLS. You get a call from a friendly guy, offering to put that back together…but first of all…offering to tell you the TRUTH.

Would this not appeal to you?

Would this not be a reason to work with a new loan officer?

It is, and it has been. One of my (currently) best referring agents is someone I called like this, and couldn’t get the deal done for. I pulled credit, took an ap ,and said, “This loan was fine in 2006, but there’s no longer a program…that will fit. There’s nearly no chance that this gets done, and your sellers should not… waste any more time with this buyer.”

The agent was relieved. Of course, they woudln’t mid a call every few months. Of course I could help.

I was a 50-house-a-year Realtor. I sold a ton in 2003-05, when you stuck a sign in the yard and answered your phone, and that’s all it took. Deals fell apart due to lender communication problems. So, let’s fix this.

Zillow? Are you Listening? You can make the RE commuity a better place if you respect Push a little bit.

Lie To Me, I Promise, I’ll believe.

By Filed Under: miscellany
image.png

image

Let’s think about this.  You can get a new job–one day–at McDonalds, and it’s MORE VALUABLE than being self employed for four years, eleven months???

This, kids, was sent TODAY.  TODAY.   Not 11/2006 when the chaos started, but TODAY. 

This is BACKWARDS.  You got a job?  State your income. 

You self employed: Ah, we want you to do it 5 years.

What lunatics are buying this paper right now?  How the hell is ING securitizing it?

 

Moving forward…as ever. 

I am back on the Wagon…

By Filed Under: miscellany

I am back on the Wagon and here is my proof, Chris is at the community center [..] December 25th. listen

Powered by Jott

For those three of you who noticed..

By Filed Under: miscellany

I chucked the header because it was pretentious, ametuerish and stupid.

9 Rules For Getting Along On The RE.NET

By Filed Under: miscellany

4Realz vs BHB: Un…imaginitive

The recent wankathon between everyone in the world  and Greg Swann was a blast. Best I can tell, Swann doesn’t care–at least not at the finger wagging level of everyone else.   Fun pissing contest, but beyond that, being in one camp or another makes no sense.  Like him or not (and I think he might have low grade Asperger’s ) Swann has been good for the conversation here and elsewhere, and good for the standards on the Internet.  Generation Y?  Get a thicker skin.  

The RE Net played too nicely for too long.  There are too many milquetoast, unsalty, unflavorful noncontributing blogs.   “Now’s A great time to buy.  Seth Godin is King.”  The trivial many.  Who wants to be in that category?  Most of us are–no doubt.  People that are only mentally able to generate one or two posts a week feel obligated to post every day and more.  Wattered down expansion pitching.  The desire (which I myself have had) to be accepted vs. the desire to contribute pull against one another.  The RE.NET has developed a lunatic herd mentality, and playing nice is the ultimate problem.

If we want to go all “Seth” on everyone–the beginning of purple cow: What committee churned out good ad copy?   Why be homogeneous? 

Fitting In, Vs. Making Money:  Different, But Not Exclusive Choices.

To fit in, there are the nine Rules for the RE.NET.  (Oh, I have been guilty of seven of them, minimum)

  1. Obviously, you have to profess your love for Seth Godin, Linking to him at least monthly.
  2. You must to be into social networking. 
  3. You have to really blog, daily. 
  4. And you can’t disagree too strongly, no matter how stupid the idea.  (News Flash: Push marketing, well executed, works consistently and makes people happy.) 
  5. You have to have contempt for push marketing.
  6. Any cause that’s supported by a few cool people deserves badges and buttons on the sidebar of your blog (ah,but don’t REALLY give any dough, just be recognized as ‘caring’). 
  7. Any new or different 2.0/social site is a must join, regardless of the fact that we are all already tumbling, twittering, linking, facebooking. 
  8. You’ve got to contribute to a big damn multi author blog. 
  9. Oh, and you must mention Zillow, Truilla and/or Redfin.

Nothing wrong with plain’ nice….but if the herd is traveling in one direction, how do you stand out?  What are you giving?  The above rules are subscribed to with zeal.  How do you make any cash doing what everyone else is doing?  You can’t post more.  You are working against a big lead.  Why would they pick you against someone else?  Your personality doesn’t even shine through much…because most people try to gain the approval of the RE net, rather than doing things for the people that close deals.

OK, OK, it’s not JUST About Money

There are a million valid reasons to blog–for me, right now, it’s personal development/improvement.   The cash is an ‘asisde,’  Since 2004 and I’ve made $118,000 from web 2.0 tools, and another $81,000 from first generation referrals.   4th quarter, 07, I generated $17,000 alone.  If I was in a more expensive market, it would double; remember: in Central Ohio, you live like a pharaoh in a $350k house (if you don’t mind freezing, humid winters and sticky hot summers).  Not my only source of income, but a welcome spoke on my wheel of business–you know? 

WHY though, do people blog for approval?  The approbation of some 26 year old somewhere will NOT cure the hole in their soul.  Talk about a path that I damn near went down.  How much can you earn for being approved of by a Real Estate Blogger 1200 miles from your home town?  Blogging is still novel and new enough that it’s profitable to cover a hyperlocal market–if you do it with a ton of style.   Betcha Joe gets business from his blog, and I’ll betcha the “RE Bloggers that blog for others” don’t.  But it feels like work.  It non trivial to churn content.  It’s easier to seek the weak praise of people by moaning the same ‘me too’ content.  Posts (like this one) delude good agents into thinking they are working…because the reward at the end is an attaboy from someone they digg.

So–and I want to know–why are you blogging?  Because you’ve been TOLD to?  Because you HAVE to be web 2.0?   Because you’re afraid to call your customers, and you want to do something that feels like work?

Blog with a purpose that you care deeply about.  Doesn’t matter what your passion is–if it’s worthwhile, if it’s interesting, everything else will follow.  Seek Ye First…and all shall be added. 

So…I ask you all:  What are you here to give?

Jott(?) baby, it’s great….

By Filed Under: miscellany

Jott(?) baby, it’s great. I hope all is well, but today the license examiner is in our office and we are having an absolute [...] blast. listen

Powered by Jott

Good morning fellow…

By Filed Under: miscellany

Good morning fellow readers,
I am at the gym I’m having trouble locating anybody to confirm who said thanks for you [...] promised I’m not being a dirt(?) bag but I don’t have time to [...] around and look for somebody I will do this again tomorrow.
Thanks so much. listen

Powered by Jott

Transparency: Would You Be Different If Everyone Was Watching.

By Filed Under: miscellany
videoe91f18fad742.jpg

I was accused of being “shady” once by another Realtor.  It got to me.  I was doing the Mike Ferry thing, and calling people for listings (this was before I knew who the heck MF was).   I was calling targeted neighborhoods when I had buyers.  “I have a buyer–do you know sellers.”   I got listings out of it (because the rule of thumb: the more people you talk to, the more listings you get).  This is when I was in my mid 20′s.  Anyway, apparently someone else had talked to someone I happened to call.  It was instantly assumed that I played dirty pool.  I was the new agent in the office, and Agents (salespeople, really) are high drama types.

Faster than the Internet turned on Greg Swann, I was an outcast.

I was stealing clients, a cardinal sin in a Real Estate Office.  I had–as a new licensee–11 or 12 listings really quickly.  This was novel, and people had a target on me. 

I was also keeping my method of client acquisition secret.  I’d made some gaffes in my new arrival as a RE/MAX agent, and the non producing majority was jealous, and looking for an excuse.  I figured if I let the cat out of the bag that you could call clients and get business then everyone would do it.  I thought that me pulling a list of people to call, scrubbing it against the DNC, calling it, making friends, listing their houses and making sales was easy.  Push marketing works, kids.

Anyway, the mistrust the incident had fostered made it literally difficult for me to work in my office.  My lack of skill at handling it compounded it.  After all–how could I have made this happen if not via crooked methods?  How could I get 11 listings in my first month with a brokerage without spending any money on advertising?

That’s when I learned…

Transparency Creates Trust.

A thought occurred to me: it was then hard (as it is now) to prospect for business.  I could show my methods, and people wouldn’t copy me.  Because few people would have the reserves to wade through the ‘nos’ to get to a yes.  So the offending agent, I took into my office a while later.  I said, “we had a misunderstanding, and for my part, I am sorry that I called a client you were working on–I never meant for that to happen.  I wanted to show you how I came across the number.”

Then I showed him my excel file, the calls that I’d made, and the notes that I’d taken.  He saw that my guy was just part of a list.  He didn’t have the mea culpa that I wanted, but he came to respect what I was doing to get business.  He didn’t pursue me from that point–he knew it was an honest mistake.  I invited anyone else to start hearing about what I was doing to gain business.  It wasn’t really a freak coincidence; I’d pulled a well targeted list, and was calling on people likely to close. 

So from that moment, I didn’t hide any of my methodologies, and I learned (though I didn’t have the name for it) that Transparency was really important.  Because information desires to be free, there can normally be few secrets or long term competitive advantages.  And, even if you told everyone every nuance of your business plan, a pale echo of what you’re doing is never going to threaten you.  You can’t replicate passion, soul, verve, moxie, desire, love by following a script.  As Scott Ginsberg said–there are no cover bands in the rock and roll hall of fame.

 

OH, By the way:  Monday I should have the my header done.  I learned an absolute TON about photoshop from “You Suck at Photoshop” so Thanks Lani via Bloodhound Blog.  It’s fun to do stuff like this, and it builds more skill than playing DTD

And In Case You Missed it:

April Rocks

So Do Todd And The Radical

Athol Kay Shows He has a Big Beating Heart behind all the pith and mirth.

Finally Ben Folds, Iron and Wine and The Postal Service all rock.  But Ben Folds?  All of his covers rock.  He could be the only cover band in the hall of fame.

It’s Thursday February…

By Filed Under: miscellany

It’s Thursday February 21st and [...] at the gym. listen

Powered by Jott

Yes, I made it to the gym.

By Filed Under: Achieving Goals

And the obseration? Oh, It is Love by HelloGoodbye is the friggin best cool down song on the planet!

http://genuinechris.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/voice-message.mp3 works only as a download because it’s encodd @ 8000hz which screws with flash players.

Generation Y is Kicking Our Asses

By Filed Under: miscellany

It’s happening a lot.  I’m 32 years old, and probably a youngish member of Generation X.  Generation Y–to me–starts with those using Facebook in College and later.  I gratudated from GWU in 1998 (though a $950 library fine kept me from getting a degree till 2001–and I just got in before the requirements chnaged).  I grew up on typing, to a point.  I remember in 7th grade, using a computer to turn in some vocabulary assignments.  My teacher, at that time, thought it was cheating because of the spell check function.

I was considered a radical.

Now?  I’m bumping into people that were using HTML/CGI/PHP since they were 11 years old.  13 year olds able to handle a LAMP stack.  Geographical boundaries are dissapearing so collaboration can happen instantly and everywhere.  People are adding value to projects–for free–all over this country, and despite the left leaning moves, I couldn’t be happier about the entrepreneurial ethos of Generation Y.

They can not just type, but they are fluent, can think.  If they can overcome the entitlement mentality–man alive.  The first generation to….is something everyone postulates, and I think that they will be able to accept fast change at a faster rate.

…….off to the gym

But in other news?  My kid has had back-to-back dry nights.  2.5 years old.  It’s a blast taking him to the potty in the middle of the night.

Big boy bed, here we come.

And today, I’m working.

Next Page »