1:14 Minute Read. There is nothing sexy about the law, agency relationships and fair housing. However, it’s good to occasionally step back from marketing tips, goal setting and finer points of negotiating to remember the legal framework we operate within. Take agency relationships for example. When an agent calls me to sort through a transaction problem, the first question I ask is, which party is our client – buyer or seller? Knowing to whom we owe a fiduciary responsibility

38 sec read. How long will the coronavirus last? With the State of Michigan’s “stay-at-home” executive order, we have at least 3 more weeks of work stoppage with many predicting this could on for some time. Most real estate agents aren’t prepared to go months without income. So, what’s your plan? If you’re handling at least one transaction per month, you might have enough momentum to keep moving forward. If you’re handling less than a dozen deals each year, it might be wise t

1min 14sec Read Thinking of creating or joining a real estate team? The real benefit of participating in a team is leverage. Teams leverage time, skill, expense and most importantly profit. Team members can focus their talents and energy doing the tasks they enjoy most. A well-designed team is efficient, reduces redundancies and works in unison to maximize their ability to serve multiple buyers and sellers. And a successful team is often thought of as ubiquitous in the minds

1:26 Minute Read. Ever watch an agent nose-dive in this business? They never “just fail”. Instead, you can watch them slide into irrelevance one step at a time. During exit interviews, I keep seeing the same 4 issues pop up. Hopefully, this list will help you avoid these career-killing evils. Do these 4 tasks and you will succeed. Choose not to, and you are choosing to fail. And the choice is always yours. Every month, GRAR lists agents that quit. Never give up. Never be on t

1:33 Minute Read. I can admit when I’m wrong. For years I’ve encouraged agents to take a shotgun approach to their marketing efforts. You know, spray and pray. Like a shotgun that spreads tiny pellets over a large area, I thought doing the same with marketing would somehow create enough forward momentum to kick start a real estate career. But, here’s the truth. History has taught us that for real success, each agent must focus their marketing efforts with greater precision. H

1:47 Minute Read. Last week, we celebrated our 36thwedding anniversary. Being married this long has taught us something important about marriage and being agents: The business of real estate can bring heavy wear and tear on any marriage. Don’t get us wrong: we love real estate. Because of it, we enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Not only does it provide a great income, but more importantly, it has given us lots of freedom that most other professionals never experience. But the r

1:12 Minute Read. When asked why the Zestimate is so far off from our CMA, the common response is “Zillow cannot see your home, neighborhood, your upgrades or smell your neighbor’s cat’s litter box.” That may be changing. New technology has arrived that will shake up our industry in ways never imagined. ”Embrace new technology. Learn how to use it in your business.” In the August issue of their magazine Boundaries, ARELLO discusses the use of AI and how it applies to online

1:47 Minute Read. It all starts with your home office. Smarter agents develop peak performance skills and add more flexibility into their lives. The rest just hang around the office cooler and follow the herd. Old school brokers still promote office space, water coolers and floor-time. But, hanging around lack-luster competitors throughout your day will never transform you into a top agent. “Focus your career on flexibility and fulfillment.” Here are 10 great commandments for

1:01 Minute Read. I don’t want to claim that being a broker is somehow similar to being a parent. They are completely different. However, there is one unmistakable similarity. Our sons have finally reached adulthood and over the years we’ve tried to instill basic truths to help guide them in their decision-making. It drives us crazy to be ignored and then listen to them raving that somebody else enlightened them with the same facts we’ve been saying all along. It’s enough to

1:43 Minute Read. There is one paragraph on our purchase agreement that agents never ask about until they’re faced with paying thousands of dollars out of their own pocket in lost commissions. The West Michigan Regional Purchase Agreement is a very well written document. Like all legal documents, there is a reason for everything included in it. And, like all legal documents, it cannot completely cover every possible scenario. That’s where agent knowledge and experience must k

1:17 Minute Read. My wife and I manage a few real estate brokerages in West Michigan. On average, they’re smaller organizations serving specific niche markets. I mention that to say, we get the opportunity to see many agents serving various kinds clients under a variety of circumstances. In other words, we get to see what works and what doesn’t. Beyond training, experience, confidence and professional expertise, there is another element that builds success that many agents do

1:23 Minute Read. You know how it feels. Only days before a closing and you’re left helpless, watching your transaction unravel. It may be the most frustrating thing about our industry. Those hours you spent working (along with everyone else’s time) are gone – all of them. You can’t save every transaction that’s headed to the dustbin. However, here is an easy plan to decrease that risk. Once you know a transaction is dead, get your client out of it fast – before rigor mortis

1:53 Minute Read. Oh my. Seems everywhere you look there are life lessons for the taking. I dropped off my car at the dealership for servicing, putting it into the hands of highly trained, certified professionals. Late Friday afternoon, I was told the parts were not available. Given two choices, I could take the car home for the weekend and use it or leave it until the repair was completed. Serviceman #1 said it this way – “Mr Henderson, I don’t want to inconvenience you. We

2:21 Minute Read. Labor Day weekend is over. Summertime has unofficially ended. It’s time for agents to shift gears during the remaining months of the year. On Sept 3rd, Ruthie and I observed our 34th wedding anniversary. We celebrated by sailing Lake Michigan all weekend. We retired our old boat, Puff in the springtime and purchased a Catalina 30. It’s more room to stretch out in and very beamy which makes for a sturdy sail. We’ve not named her yet, so if you have any ideas,

1:20 Minute Read I bet you made a resolution or two on New Year’s Day. Keep 'em? Me neither. But now its Tax Day and if you’re like most independent contractors, you’ve waited until the last possible moment to write out that big check and send in your tax forms. In Springtime, I get questions from agents about the previous year's business. By now, it’s usually too late to do much about last year's taxes. In fact, it’s even a little late to prepare for next year because a thir