Closing out the year

Typically, at this time of the year, most folks like to reflect over the year and look forward to the next year coming.  While I believe it's good to 'reflect', I tend to not like looking in the past nearly as much as I like looking toward the future!  In everyone's life, there are always positives and negatives.  This year has been no different.  More positives than negatives I might add.  However, when you look toward the future, I get excited at what the possibilities are and want to work to get to those.  I might use the experience I gained from last year and previous to build on for future growth.  So, I would encourage everyone to do a lot of the following:

Goal setting:  Set goals you believe you can achieve and then adjust up by 10%.  Scary huh?  We, or maybe it's just me; but I tend to hedge my bet on 'sandbag' a little.  Be honest with yourself and get aggressive.  Really aggressive!!  This is just goals you know.  What's important is the process because if your working toward a goal, you're achieving the purpose and that's giving you direction.  You will be amazed at what you will accomplish doing this.

Organize: This isn't just physical but mental too.  Everyone on earth has exactly the same amount of time in the day.  So, what's the difference in people that get a lot done and those that don't get much done.  The first are probably more organized.  Think outside the box and go crazy with your ideas to improve your organization.  Get up a little early, read for 10 minutes, think about your day on what you absolutely have to accomplish.  If there is nothing to accomplish, make something happen that works toward your goals.  Sounds simple but it takes practice and patience.

Pray:  WHAT??  ARE YOU CRAZY??  How does that fit with anything???  This had better be your most important part of your day.  If you don't spend time in prayer, you will not really achieve the other two.  This is for YOU.  In business, your chasing solutions, customers, sales, etc.  Pray for yourself to give you peace, courage, wisdom, endurance.  In business, you need all of these so why not ask for it. 

This is just a very short list and description of things to think about for the next year.  I'm EXTREMELY excited for 2014.  Will there be struggles?  I would think so.  But, there will be many more successes so through it all, learn to use the struggles as opportunities for growth and was to make your successes even bigger and better!

By the way, here's a couple of good reasons to look forward to the days coming. 

Grandkids will make a bad day good so enjoy the day.  Enjoy the year and look forward to 2014

Trust your real estate agent?

I read an article about how a person bought a home in California who's agent encouraged them to be aggressive on their bid for the house because several disclosure packets had been sent out.  Later, the buyer learned they were the only bidder on the house and felt they could have gotten the house cheaper than what they paid for it.

I don't know enough about this story to comment directly to the story.  There are just too many variables.  However, even though the buyer was comfortable in putting in the bid (aggressive or not, they were still willing to pay the amount they paid for the house), the buyer was not happy with the agent.  Was it the agents fault?  I don't know.  Did the agent know more than what they were saying and pushing the buyer or was the agent duped into believing there would be a bidding war for this property and really didn't want the buyer to lose out on a good deal?  Bottom line, it comes down to communication on all sides and trust that your agent is looking out for your best interest.  Personally, I'm not big on 'low balling' offers on houses.  Don't get me wrong, I'll represent any contract that a customer want's me to propose but, I look at it that someday, I'm going to represent the sale of that house and do they want to entertain 'low ball' offers on their house?  There is a difference in low offers and fair offers.  All that is another story.

Your agent needs to communicate to you the clearest, most factual information possible looking out for the best interest of whom they represent.  Buyers need to know that agents don't know everything.  If there is a perception that your agent isn't clear about something in the transaction, questions should be asked.  Your agent should realize that it's not all about them but about the customer and be painfully clear with all facts and don't be afraid to say 'I don't know but I'll find out'.  Sometimes, that alone will build trust.  I know I've experienced that.  Customers will ask me a question dealing with my customers transaction that I don't have a clue about.  You can bet, I'm not going to lie to them.  I get caught in those!  Telling my customers 'I don't know' doesn't make me look dumb but I believe it gives the customer the feeling they're dealing with a human and my customer knows I'll be honest with them.

The next time you are working with a real estate agent, look for clues that they are earning your trust.  Do they seem knowledgeable about the market values?  Are they giving you both positive and negatives of the house?  Do they point out flaws that might not be readily visible?  Do they give you financing options?  Trust in your agent is very important throughout the transaction.  You should feel comfortable to ask any question you need to ask and trust that your agent has given you the most honest answer they can have.  That makes for a fun and rewarding and profitable transaction for everyone involved.