Career
Is The Grass Greener in a Virtual Office?
August 25, 2010 by Adele Coffman · View Comments
The short answer is YES! I changed companies in January of this year and I am so grateful that I did. My last company was seemingly “cheaper” than where I am now….but that is a very short sighted view of the truth. They were maybe less expensive…but they did NOTHING for me as an agent to help me grow my business. I worked there for over 17 years and got little to no real value from the company. But the owner of the company lives in a multi-million dollar home. Hummmm….
What I have discovered is that the future of real estate is changing VERY quickly and those agents who are still doing things the way they did just a few short years ago are going to be OUT of this business…unless they make changes.
What kind of changes? Well…estimates are that 90% of homebuyers start their search on the internet. A GREAT web site that shows up in the first page of GOOGLE is imperative. And let me share with you that this is NOT an easy task. At my new company we have SUPER SMART people making SURE we are ranked high in searches.
The above shows a Google search for the very general and much used term SCOTTSDALE REAL ESTATE. Our site is www.scottsdaleparadise.com number THREE after “paid for ads”.
The average agent is not able to accomplish this on their own…at least not without some expensive help. And even then having a system in place to manage the leads that come in is a challenge.
So…not only do we have a site generating GREAT leads…we have a system that quickly gets the prospect’s information out to our agents allowing us to contact the person with relevant information within a matter of minutes. People LOVE it when I call them and they are still on our site searching!
After making contact with a prospective buyer, eXp Realty has a really slick back-end contact management system that help me keep track of who I spoke to and what we said. No more little pieces of paper with notes on them! YEA!!!
Agents who are still counting on postcards, open houses and past client referrals are rolling the dice in my opinion. Especially since MANY of my past clients are upside down in their current homes…or have lost their job and are not in a position to make a move.
Don’t get me wrong…I still intend on serving my referrals with the same top notch service I have always provided…but I just think there is a BIG world out there and a lot of folks are considering Arizona as a place to invest in real estate. I needed a way to get to them. And at eXp …I have it!
But what about the VIRTUAL part…well…that is something I am totally convinced IS the NEW WAY of handling business. With a few clicks of my mouse I can be “virtually” face to face with my broker, the CEO or THE BEST tech support guys in the industry. Why spend HOURS pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to get a picture resized to fit properly on my web site? I just jump into eXp Virtual and ask for help. And I can actually share my screen to SHOW them what I am talking about so they can assist me. SO COOL….and productive. (and by the way…part of the deal with eXp is giving agents a web site/blogging platform)
On Monday’s we have what we call X Camp where agents across the country share ideas and information. This is what that “looks” like. SO productive and FUN!
With all of these cutting edge tools I have more time to do what actually MAKES ME MONEY! Face time with clients out in the field.
Now…if you are an agent reading this I ask…”What is YOUR Brokerage doing for YOU”?
Oh…gotta run…just got another lead I need to call!
If you are looking for a GREAT agent to help with your real estate need please give me a call at 602-504-3898 or 888-897-7821 x 114. Plus, I have a GREAT search tool on my web site that gives you the ability to search the entire MLS…just like agents do. Very COOL! 
Go to Metro Phoenix Homes and check it out! If you save even one home as a favorite, you will be prompted to enter contact information. If you do this…YOU can create and save as many searches as you would like. It is THE BEST MOST ACCURATE SEARCH OF OUR LOCAL MLS!!
Search The Phoenix Area MLS…Just Like Agents Do!
August 17, 2010 by Adele Coffman · View Comments
We are blessed to have one of the most sophisticated Multiple Listing Services (MLS) available…and I let my clients create searches and save favorites…just like I DO as an agent!
Without exception…if you are using ANY OTHER SEARCH…it is via a third party and typically NOT as accurate or comprehensive as the search you can do here…GREATER PHOENIX HOME SEARCH!
I decided to purchased this product directly from FLEXMLS…our local provider as I was constantly being asked about homes that were pending or sold that my clients had found on other web sites. It was frustrating for them…and for me! I wanted to offer my clients a way to get accurate UP TO THE MINUTE data.
The added benefit is that clients can “save favorites” that I can then review and get a better idea of what they are thinking would work for them. If a client is out-of-state I can go out and take additional pictures or even do a video of homes they have viewed online over and over. The listing agent likely does not show the not-so-great features of a home. Like it backs up to a busy street and would be noisy. Or the room that has ruined carpet and smells like cats. Or maybe is across the street from a school (which can be benefit to some buyers…but not all).
If you are looking for a GREAT agent to help with your real estate need please give me a call at 602-504-3898 or 888-897-7821 x 114. Plus, I have a GREAT search tool on my web site that gives you the ability to search the entire MLS…just like agents do. Very COOL! 
Go to Metro Phoenix Homes and check it out! If you save even one home as a favorite, you will be prompted to enter contact information. If you do this…YOU can create and save as many searches as you would like. It is THE BEST MOST ACCURATE SEARCH OF OUR LOCAL MLS!!
Life As A Virtual Real Estate Agent
August 1, 2010 by Adele Coffman · View Comments
Tomorrow morning I will get up and go to work…probably in my shorts and tee shirt…likely with my dogs resting by my feet. You see, I am lucky enough to be part of a TRULY VIRTUAL company, eXp Realty.
The environment they have created is unlike any other real estate firm out there that I am aware of. Not only is it the most productive place I have ever worked…it allows me to continue to meet my personal goal of providing WORLD CLASS service to my clients.
Everything I need is at my fingertips anywhere, anytime. I can manage the “massive” amount of paperwork required to put a transaction together without EVER printing anything.
But many Realtors can do that. Right? Well…eXp IS different. And here is why. What really separates us from the rest is that my brokerage actually has a Virtual Office. Here I can logon and meet with other agents not just in my local area, but from around the country. It’s not just a website where I can log in as an agent to do business. It kinda feels like a 3D video game/flight simulator style office. Here is what our Monday morning xCamp looks like.
What is xCamp? It is a free form learning session where anyone can lead a presentation on anything they think it worth sharing. All are presenters and all are collaborators. Some of the recent subjects have been about Gmail Google docs platform. paperless transaction management, word press blogging and electronic signature options.
Things like using electronic signatures really make life easier. Not only for me…but for my clients as well.
In our Virtual Office we can share windows. What does that mean? If I have something I need help with, I can just put it up on a virtual wall where others can see what I am working on and they can help me out. And these people are SMART! The best SEO and techie people EVER!
Agents who do not know what terms like SEO and wiki mean are falling behind the curve. The future of real estate is happening NOW. Technology is NOT going to slow down…but rather just the opposite. The business is changing quickly and agents who are not up to speed will be left behind.
We have nearly 100 various office spaces, everything from Conference Rooms to Training Centers to Classrooms to Library’s to Personal Offices. We even have a Radio Studio with the ability to live stream to the outside world. Oh, and did I mention that all meetings are recordable and able to be saved for future use. With 100’s of hours of classes recorded…I can learn ANYTIME…even at 2AM when I can’t sleep!
Soon we will probably be able to invite clients and investors into this space to be able to meet with them more quickly and efficiently than having to wait 3-6-9 months before my out of state buyers come to town. Can you imagine picking up your out-of-state client at the airport and knowing you are already “friends” and are on the same page with their wants and needs. If you spent time meeting with them virtually it would make the time you are showing homes WAY more productive.
It’s not for everyone…but I am sure glad I made the switch. I will do anything I can to continue to be ahead of the curve to be able to offer my clients the excellent service they deserve!
If you are an agent reading this and want more information…please give me a call at 602-504-3898 so we can talk…or go here to request more information.
If you are someone looking for a GREAT agent in the Phoenix, Az market to help you buy or sell a home…I would love the opportunity to chat with you.
PIf you are looking for a GREAT agent to help with your real estate need please give me a call at 602-504-3898 or 888-897-7821 x 114. Plus, I have a GREAT search tool on my web site that gives you the ability to search the entire MLS…just like agents do. Very COOL! Go to Metro Phoenix Homes and check it out! If you save even one home as a favorite, you will be prompted to enter contact information. If you do this…YOU can create and save as many searches as you would like. It is THE BEST MOST ACCURATE SEARCH OF OUR LOCAL MLS!!
Ah-Ha of the Day – To Farm Or Not To Farm
July 21, 2010 by Jamie Sistek · View Comments
Note: Ah-Ha of the Day was created with the real estate professional in mind, but may be applied in other industries and provide great information for home buyers & sellers.
What is farming? And no, not the farming that is done on Facebook’s Farmville or other application. Farming is a form of prospecting for new leads for your business. One form of farming is postcards sent to a specific area, could be any size such as a city, zip code, or subdivision, etc.
Do you think farming through postcards is expensive and not worth your time? Consider this idea…
Sending 500+ postcards for a one time shot MAY not be worth your time or money, but consider sending 100 cards 5 times to the same group, such as Just Listed, Open House, Just Sold etc.
It’s better to touch a small group 5 times than a large group once.
Please feel free to add an Ah-Ha or comment on any Ah-Ha given. I don’t have all the answers, but we can learn things together and collaborate to make things better!
Crush it!
Please let me know if you have any questions, anytime!
Jamie Sistek – REALTOR
“That Tickled Pink Girl”
eXp Realty
Email: Jamie@TickledPinkHomes.com
www.tickledpinkhomes.com
480-451-1400 – Direct
480-734-1971 – Cell
“Tickled Pink Is What You’ll be;
My Customer Service Is The Key”
Have you considered moving to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area or looking for a second home? Call Jamie at 480-451-1400 or email Jamie@TickledPinkHomes.com and let’s get started!
Realtors: Is your Real Estate Career or Company taking you where you want to go?
Need MORE business? Need MORE leads? What has your company done for you lately?
Ask Me Why… I joined eXp Realty
More Info: The World’s First Fully Immersed Web 3.0 Real Estate Company
View this article at: http://www.tickledpinkhomes.com/2010/07/ah-ha-of-the-day-to-farm-or-not-to-farm/
More than a Mission Statement
July 8, 2010 by Jim Nuth · View Comments
A mission statement is a vital piece of any successful business plan. As defined by Wikipedia,“a mission statement is a formal, short, written statement of the purpose of a company ororganization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a sense of direction, and guide decision-making. It provides “the framework or context within which the company’s strategies are formulated.” In the reading of this definition, one might think a mission statement needs to be many pages long in order provide all this information. And it could be, but not necessarily so… For example, my mission statement is short, simple, and to the point, but in every way answers all these questions from Wikipedia’s definition.
What is my mission statement… “Your Satisfaction is My Success”. You see, I truly feel that my focus as a service provider is ultimately to provide my clients with satisfaction. It all falls back on the “Golden Rule”, do unto others as you would have others do unto you. This action and attitude can only breed a positive and successful environment. If every action I perform in my daily business, or in my family life for that matter, is done with the sole intent to bring satisfaction to the party in which these actions are performed for… how could the ending result be anything other than successful? By making certain each of my clients is satisfied with the overall performance of my services on their behalf, I guarantee my clients will tell everyone they encounter of their positive experience with my services. This in turn is the start of the next cycle, with the next client, with satisfaction being the only goal for my client, and therefore engraving the destiny of my success.
My wife and I live this mission with our personal lives as well. So many people say marriage is a 50/50 deal, you have to give and take to make it work. My philosophy is different. I think a successful marriage is 100/100 (I know what you’re thinking, that’s 200%, that can’t be…. But it can). We all sometimes are not as attentive and giving as we should be, and that’s why we need to always give more, to pick up when the other spouse isn’t quite up to par. You see, when I give 100% in making sure my wife’s needs, wishes and desires are met, she doesn’t need to worry about herself, that’s my job. She then has the ability to give 100% of herself making sure all my wants, wishes, and desires are met. With each other always watching out for the other one’s needs, you never need to worry about yourself, your spouse has you covered. So with this in mind, marriage is not give and take… but rather a give and give.
Please think about my mission statement when receiving services from any business, and in your personal lives as well… Are you giving enough, and is someone else giving enough to you? I WANT TO!
Sacrifice…
July 8, 2010 by Jim Nuth · View Comments
Little is accomplished in life without some sort of sacrifice. As I reflect on the holiday we celebrate today, Independence Day, I think of all the courageous and dedicated people before me who had to sacrifice so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. Was this an easy choice for them, not necessarily, but it undoubtedly was something they believed in and felt worthy of the sacrifices that were ahead of them.
Everyone, has to make sacrifices to achieve their dreams and goals. Big or small, some things must be sacrificed in order to achieve what you don’t already have. The question… is it worth it? Every situation is different, however, if we never made the decision to move forward and try, where would we be today? The goal of weight loss, health improvement, and self improvement all are quite difficult and require a great deal of dedication and sacrifice… is it worth it, YES, we all know how much better we would feel, look, and enjoy our lives once achieving these somewhat simple goals. But, as a nation, we are very unhealthy and overweight. Why, because of the sacrifices we are not willing to follow through with to achieve these worthwhile goals. Our personal and business lives are very similar where achieving goals are concerned. I recommend we think about our goals weigh all the options and truly dedicate ourselves to WIN. Think if those before us and around us hadn’t conquered what they set out to do. Would we be free? Would we have the luxuries we have today? No-one knows for sure, but what you do know, and have control over, is the outcome of your goals dreams and desires… Achieve them! You will benefit the most.
I wish to thank all the men and women ahead of me and all around me for the sacrifices, big and small, that were made for themselves, and all of us around them, that made this Great Nation what it is today… Thank You! And Have a Safe And Happy Independence Day!
