Your First Day In Real Estate

Your First Day In Real Estate

Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0053 Safety First

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Recently there was an article in the papers about a real estate agent was attacked while inspecting a vacant house. "According to police, the agent was doing a walk-thru of the house. As she entered the basement, a man grabbed her and began to assault her. The woman was able to fight off her assailant who ran from the house, police said." As Realtors, we must remain vigilant and take precautions to protect ourselves.

I've shown vacant homes before where It was apparent that someone was staying there. Showing vacant homes can be dangerous particularly for women and even the client. I'd recommend for all realtors to carry some sort of protection because you never know when a situation like this can occur and your life or your clients may be at risk. Stay safe.

To be honest, I'm always prepared when showing homes...or holding open houses - at least I feel I am. I carry a product that I bought at Sports Authority (among other things) - it shoots further than most, does a rapid fire release of pepper spray. My advice is if you are threatened fire it and go - don't hesitate and don't look back - get the heck out of there!

Do’s

Meet the buyer at the office. First it's never optimal to meet anyone you don't know at a property, you should first, meet them at the office and then show them houses. We are the only profession who agrees to meet a client fully on their terms . Does your lawyer, doctor or dentist do that? Even your insurance salesman doesn't meet you in the parking lot!

Never precede a buyer into a house. Let them go in first, and you follow after they are well in the house, always follow behind, and never allow a buyer to block the exit. You stand nearest the exit. Leave the door open. Unlock other exit doors as soon as possible.

Be careless with the truth. Use polite lies or exaggerate truths to avoid going with buyers into danger areas. For example, “ when going to basements or stairs say you have a bad back.

Never show property after dark.

Never show a home alone if you suspect squatters

Do not show vacant homes to clients that you have not previously met in person, The vacant homes present danger to anyone, especially to our female realtors. .

Preview the home to take note of escape routes and danger areas like dead ends. Arrive before your buyer and unlock the doors.

Use a buddy system. Always make your office or someone aware of where you are going when you are out previewing vacant listings. Have a check-in system with a fellow agent. Be on the phone (or fake being on the phone) when your buyer shows up, and let them hear language such as, "Oh, the Smiths just showed up! I'll call you. ...let a team member know where we are and the contact information for the person(s) we're meeting (names, phone numbers, even auto tag numbers)--I'll make that phone call right in front of the party in some cases. Follow up with your check-in buddy at the end of the visit so they know you are safe.

Have someone/office staffer calls to check on you during this time. There are apps for phones that can fake call you in x amount of minutes.

Get a Man. The kind of people who are violent to women are intimidated by even the mere presence of a man. At minimum, have someone with you; such as partner up with another agent and preview each other's vacant listings.

Have some type of a defensive spray and be ready to use it without any hesitation.

Don’ts

  • Do not get distracted.
  • Do not hold OPEN HOUSE ALONE! Have a partner or spouse, or even better a loan officer to work with you as a team. There are "open house home shoppers" who are looking to steal jewelry or prescriptions or are just scanning the house for their comeback. Most of the time, they are professionally dressed, and not suspicious. Always be proactive.
  • Never let your guard down. Safeguard yourself.

Self Defense

In some states receiving a license to carry a concealed weapon for lawful self-defense, you are undertaking a great responsibility. Regarding the legality of carrying various forms of protection -- pepper spray, tasers, handguns -- that will of course vary among jurisdictions.

Carrying pepper spray (or a gun) may be illegal in your area, without permits, so check your local police/sheriff for guidelines. Crime is illegal too. Which would you rather be? -- dead or alive and paying a fine for carrying?

If you use the weapon in self-defense the law will protect you only if you have acted within the law. It is clear, however, that the law protects people who keep their tempers under control and use deadly force only as a last resort. Take the weapons course and learn how to protect yourself.

Handguns aren't for everybody -- if you're not familiar with them, please take a course or two before purchasing one. You will live with that split moment decision the rest of your life. When you are talking deadly force, be sure that you are in the right of the law.

Those who are choosing to arm themselves with weapons should, therefore, be armed also with the most indispensable weapon of all KNOWLEDGE. Our Association offers safety classes to our members.

Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0052 Geographical Farm vs Territory

Today's lesson is one that I promised I would talk about a few weeks ago and that is the Geographical territory that we are going to cover. How far are you willing to go to get business? So we determine that by looking at our home base, our home office, our headquarters. We will say this is the center point of our office location. Now we can look at that map and visualize a circumference.Then ask yourself what about traffic? What about gas prices? What about territory? How far are you willing to spread  thin  to make money? And will you be losing money in the process of thinking you will go 100 miles to make $5000?

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0051 Door Knocking Rocks!

I went out door knocking last week for the first time in a long time. I love daylight savings and thought I would revisit this lost approach. My results after only four days totalling 6 hours and roughly 300 doors? 1 listing, 1 buyer, 3 pounds and 100's of connections. Those are amazing odds. Especially when you figure I make 100-300 cold calls a day with less results. I am so stoked on this that I am going to go out every day! What a great way to make money and lose weight. You can go to YouTube or Itunes to listen/see the whole testimonial.

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0047 50 Things I Hate About Real Estate Agents

50 Things I Hate About Real Estate Agents maybe my most controversial podcast. Enjoy.

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1. When they pronounce Realtor as Real-a-tor

2. When they don't answer their phone

3. When they talk to fast or don't make sense

4. When they put their graphics on crooked

5. When their business cards look like crap

6. When they don't have a website

7. When they don't use a branded email

8. When they dress like crap

9. When they lie about things, experience

10. When they act all that

11. When they try to aha! gotcha!

12. When they play hero and screw up the deal

13. When they hang up the phone on you

14. When they don't shut off their cell phones

15. When they answer their cell phones

16. When they do loans and sell homes and Amway

17. When they threaten people

18. When they talk to my client 

19. When they play stupid

20. When they don't follow up

21. When they make their buyer pretend their not locked

22. When they don't leave a card

23. When they forget to pull their open house signs

24. When they teach others how to sell in their green years

25. When they the lights on and door open

26. When they watch tv at open houses

27. When they come in from out of area and make me take over the transaction and they get paid

28. When they don't refer out a deal that’s out of hier area and know they should

29. When they are late...very late

30. When they use the wrong photo. IE glamour shot, high school, banquet, tuxedo, or on the phone.

31. When they smell bad, like smoke or b.o.

32. When they don't text or try to learn how

33. When they write their business info on the card

34. when they leave the combo un-scrambled

35. When they don't leave feedback

36. When they treat their clients bad, actually i like it if I get the deal but if it fails

37 When they take timelines casually or nonchalant

38. Write multiple offers on homes

39. Work short sales when they have no clue what to do

40.Show short sales to buyers who won't commit

41.Show homes after my offer is accepted just in case.

42. When they talk down on the economy

43. When they talk down about an area.

44. When they give advise without the contract

45. When they steal a key from the lockbox

46. When they take terrible photos of a home

47. When they spend their time volunteering at the office

48. When they poo-poo new ideas like the internet

49. When they don't agree with the new contracts

50. When they do lighten up

 

To get access to all of my FREE training programs visit James Festini.com, I appreciate the feedback and comments in Itunes and YouTube...Thank you. This episode was brought to you by Mojo Selling Solutions at MojoSells.com. The creators of the Mojo Dialer, the automated dialer system I will not live without. I hit my 100 contacts a day in less than 4 hours people. Also brought to you by Landvoice.com. They search and deliver my expireds and for sale by owners leadseveryday into my inbox, with clean phone numbers ready to dial. A no brainer money maker and totally worth it....now get to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0030 The Mindset of Success

Our 30th Episode, wow. I felt like giving so I gave a full length episode. I guess there is no stopping me now. That is the mindset of success. One episode at a time and I find myself with endless amounts of enthusiasm for this project. Please take the time to comment and let me know you appreciate what I am giving here.

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0027 Conversation with Matt Ferry

Today I have a conversation with Matthew Ferry. Matthew Ferry is a revealer, illuminator & awakener whose point of view creates instant transformation in peoples lives.

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0021 Cash for Keys

This post is not an alternative to legal advise so don't take it for that. The views and opinions I have formed here are from real world experience and trial and error. Foreclosure and evictions is a serious subject and I always strongly suggest that you seek legal advise. Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last 3 years, you have undoubtedly heard of the term "cash for keys." In today's episode I go through the  In's and outs of the process. Let's start from the beginning. When a home is foreclosed on and there is an occupant still in the home the bank wants them out. They want them out fast and they want them out with no harm done to the property. It used to be that after the foreclosure or trustee sale date there would be a period of anywhere from a week to a month before the bank would have a representative knock on your door and offer a cash for keys. I recently had on in which the home went to trustee sale at 9 am and a knock on the door was a 3 p.m. that day. Now this is not a tutorial for homeowners as much as it is for agents helping occupants.

If you are one of the unfortunate ones who had a short sale fall apart and now much help a homeowner relocate you will be able to answer a few questions. Especially the first one. So, when they ask how long before I get kicked out you can assure them no one is going to kick you out for a few weeks. More importantly that they don't think of it as being kicked out. They have gone through enough. Unless there is a good reason to argue with the foreclosure I explain to them the process of the cash for keys.

I tell them that once the home is foreclosed on the bank will hire a real estate professional to determine occupancy. The worst thing they could do is not answer the door. If they are not home and the agent leaves a note that they should call them. That the agent is not the bad guy. He is here to assist you and negotiate the terms of a relocation.

Now you will also hear the great tales of the cash for keys someone once got for $10,000 to move out. Please tell me in the comment section that you have seen this. The highest I ever was involved in was $4,000. The strange part about that one was the guy was already out, it was a $60,000 condo in the rough part of town and he still go the money. So it goes to show you nothing is predictable.

Here is where honesty as an REO agent come in. The banks always send me out to check occupancy and if occupied negotaite a cash for keys. They will say something like offer $500 and you can go up to $1,500. It is so hard for me to not just walk up and say,"Hey the bank will offer you no more than $1,500 to got out in a week," and be done with it. Usually, and more often lateley the occupants have become more saavy about cash for keys and have read amounts online to suggest thousands are posssible. So are almost always prepared to negotiate...up.

Please comment...especially in ITunes, it helps my ego want to do more.
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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0020 Foreclosure Timelines

Foreclosure Timelines. A rough idea of what a homeowner should expect in California when the home is foreclosed. Please consult and attorney cause I am not one.

One of the most common questions I get from a homeowner in distress is how long does it thke before I get "Kicked out?" As hard as that is to answer that without putting yourself in a legalposition there are many places on the internet that can advise them along thier way. This episode is the scenario that in California is for now the standard. I would not qoute any solid dates because there are so many variables that go into the foreclosure that banks hlaf the time don't even follow the rules. Not that they get around the timelines and speed them up but more the opposite. Make sure you visit Itunes and subscribe to the podcast. I am now on Stitcher too.

Please comment...especially in ITunes, it helps my ego want to do more.
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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0018 The Do Not Call List

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0015 Lead Qualifications

Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0015 Lead Qualifications

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0014 The Iphone Part 3

Access to this podcast requires a Premium Membership Visit JamesFestini.com/Training for details

Please comment...especially in ITunes, it helps my ego want to do more.
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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0008 Social Networks

Social networks are all the buzz. I am Certain this will be a topic we will be visiting often. This lays a basic foundation to get you started.

Please comment...especially in ITunes, it helps my ego want to do more.
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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0006 Mojo Selling SolutionsInterview 2

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0003 Mojo Interview 2

Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0003 Mojo Interview 2

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Your First Day In Real Estate Episode 0002 Mojo Interview

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