I was doing a little Surfing on the Net. I was looking for Real Estate agents web sites hoping to find some that would be interested in exchanging links. A great way to get additional Exposure for your Listings by the way.

I came across what appeared to be someone advertising a couple of properties for sale in an area that I really like. The odd thing is thAT IT appeared to be a real estate add but no mention of a company name. I made a quick enquiry by email and sat back to wait. The following day I received by email a list of about 20 properties for sale including the ones that were in the add.

The add included such things as Price, descriptions, and address. It looked as if the email message had been sent from somewhere in the Midwest. And because I am in Portland Oregon I immediately thought ” Ahah! Must be and Investor dumping properties.” But wait a minute, I think  I recognized a couple of the addresses. I quickly checked our MLS and found that about 1/3 of the properties on the list were Listed for sale with a variety of different local real estate companies. In fact of those that were listed, they had been on the market for quite some time. I then checked the tax records and noted that all of the Owners were different. No where in any of the MLS listings was there any mention of the person who sent me the email.

The email that I had recieved was somewhat like the following. ” Thanks for inquiring about the properties I have for sale. Read them over if you want more information about 1 or more please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks Martha ”

Anybody run on to this before? What do you Think? And don’t just give me that Confused Dog Look either.

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Two days ago while having coffee at My_favorite_coffee_shop_University_Park_Coffee  in North Portland, I witnessed an Older Lady discussing with the teller the appropriate amount for a Tip. After the Lady left, the Teller and I had a good laugh as I shared with her a story about Gratuity_and_Poor_Service.  The young lady working behind the Coffee Bar agreed with me and my story completely.

This morning when I walked into University Park Coffee for my morning wake up call the young lady was waiting. She told me that yesterday evening a group of friends and her had gone out for dinner and drinks. They were taken aback by the poor service that they received. In fact she made a point at telling me just how poorly they were treated for what appeared to be no reason at all. Before they left she mentioned my story to her friends. They all had a good laugh and left deciding that the poor service they received deserved no tip.

On the subject of Good Service and Gratuity in any service oriented industry, good service has its own rewards. They can come in the form of tips or even advancement in position or new jobs.

In Real Estate a bi-product of Good Service is the recommendation ( a referral ) from our clients to others. These are the highest forms of compliments that we can receive. Like wise if we perform badly we are likely not to hear from our past clients at all. And sometimes we wish we would not hear from them if they were terribly offended.

The Reward for  Poor Service does nothing to further the cause of this great nation. In deed the reward for poor service be it a tip or a referral does great harm. The reward for poor service is a validation to those providing the poor service that we accept there minimum standards as good enough. If we continue to reward minimum standards a downward spiral effect will eventually erode the great work that our ancestors started, that work that once said you were getting the best because it is MADE IN THE USA , be it a product or service.

Rewarding Poor Service degrades us all and is a slap in the face to those providing excellent service be they Wait staff or Real Estate Agents.

Keeping your Seller Happy is of course what we all want to do. Yet too often we substitute sound business practices with expensive activities that do not produce results under the guise that we are keeping our Seller’s Happy. With only so much money available to be spent especially in today’s market, working Smart is imperative.

There is only one activity that will keep any Seller happy and that is a Sale. Yet there is not a day that goes by that I don’t read or hear those awful words ” You have to keep your Seller Happy “. Mean while each and every year we spend untold hundreds if not thousands of dollars on seminars, books and the like, hoping to find new ways to advertise and promote our properties. Yet when push comes to shove many of us immediately cave in to the old mantra of Keeping Our Seller Happy.

The one thing that we are taught early on in our business as professional real estate sales people and Broker’s is to promote our selves as professionals. After all we do have a license by the State to conduct real estate activity. And don’t we all participate in continuing education as required by the Real Estate Agency in order to maintain that License. Yet we often allow ourselves to be manipulated by those who would employ us for our expertise and knowledge into working passive marketing techniques that we know will produce little or no results.

I ask you. How much respect would you have for your Doctor or your Attorney if they allowed you to dictate to them how they should conduct their business while representing you?

It is time for us all to stand up, create and execute a plan for marketing our homes with conviction. For we are the professionals and it is time we started acting like it!

Real_Estate_Broker_Herb_Hamilton’s_Portland_Or._MLS_&_Buyer’s_Web_Site  Let Your next Home find you!

” A Real Estate Transaction With Herb is one You will Profit from “

 9. The closest thing you have to a Master Bath is the Cats litter box.

 8. Family gatherings of more than 5 people have to be held on the Patio.

 7. Your outdoor recliner can not be extended to a full recline.

 6. Your friends would rather meet at the Bus Station than at your house.

 5. The Children bump their heads while climbing into their bunk beads at night.

 4. Your tired of walking the 6 blocks home from your parking spot.

 3. You owe less money on your current home than you do on your old car.

 2. Interest rates remain the lowest they have been in decades.

 1. Realtors(r) are buying everything they can.

This is the greatest time in years to make money. Not on the backs of others despair but in real opportunities awaiting around every corner.

Many of the ideas being floated today in green technology, environmental concerns, energy conservation, cost cutting measures for homes and businesses. The list goes on and on. Anywhere you here a voice of concern there is an opportunity.

Building a new business around concerns opens the way for additional opportunities. What new opportunities you ask? Let me tell you about my friend and Client Mac.

Mac was laid off from a construction site. Like many others in times of prosperity it is easy to overlook your budget. The cost overruns by the builder were putting him out of business. My friend Mac saw an opportunity where others seen despair and or financial disaster.

Mac found that most of the forms used as curbing for concrete foundations were being provided by a few large companies. No matter who you called the prices were similar ( expensive ) and the condition of these forms were often in disrepair. Not only that but there was very little flexibility to the forms. Standard sizes only were available requiring the builder to modify or create odd sizes for custom floor plans. Pretty much take it or leave it was the attitude of the forms companies.

Mac set out to build his own sets of forms. He made them out of a heavier material so as to add longevity. Several options for size were made available for flexibility sake. Finally Mac bought several flat bed trailers needing a little attention from a transport company upgrading there fleet of trailers. The rest was pretty easy. Contact the builders and deliver a better product at a better price.

The story doesn’t stop here though. Mac also discovered that the employees working for him had needs. It seemed as if every time Mac turned around one of his delivery drivers was unable to make it that day due to a sick child or something similar at home requiring someone do the babysitting. Most of Mac’s employees wives had jobs that were dependent upon them being there as they were easily replaced. What to do?

So Mac put together a small local magazine devoted to child care and day care services. A free advertisement magazine for the local baby sitter and for professional services as well. Advertisers flocked to this publication to advertise there wares. Before you know it Mac’s little helpful magazine turned into a full time enterprise. Macs employees had an easy time finding those baby sitters for there children when mom was away at work and Mac had another source of income and employees who were at work instead of at home.

Point is folks we can all play the blame game and do nothing. Or we can choose to stand up and take control of our own futures. Which path will you choose?

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