Margaret Rome's Blog

Oops...I Did It Again!

It could have been an OOPS! But thanks to Kelly Kelley, it came out OK. She asked me to talk about how I work solo for an iSucceed Business Training and development call. We fit it in our schedules kind of last minute, and (as usual) I didn't have anything prepared. Thank goodness, Kelly is a great interviewer, and I'm sure she did some magic in the tape editing to take out my bloopers.

 With her help, we talked about:                                                            

• Having a Type E personality
• Not having an "assistant" but having "assistance"
• Working virtually using technology
• Choosing what to do myself and what to outsource
• The tech tools that make it all possible

There are still a few days left on iSucceed's free access, so it's worth a visit to their site. You could even take a few minutes and listen to the "How to Make It as a Solo Agent" conversation.

Let me know what you think?

http://www.homerome.com/

Baltimore,Md.

It is January 27th and it is 7:30 am. This is happening right now in Baltimore, Mind you the temperature is 21 degrees and the water temperature is a whopping 36.5 degrees. Lots of people are jumping in and exposing themselves for charity.

Here is the information about this yearly event in Maryland:http://www.somd.org/plunge/WhatsThePlunge.html

"Expose yourself to the coolest event of the year!Expose yourself to the 2007 Polar Bear Plunge and you'll be exposed to a spectacle like no other! For just $50 in pledges, Plunge participants take a quick dip in the Chesapeake Bay to raise funds for Special Olympics Maryland, the state's largest year-round organization devoted to sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Anyone can participate! (Under 18 requires parent or guardian signature.)Cool prizes for Plungers: With just $50 in pledges,
Plungers automatically get the official Polar Bear Plunge Sweatshirt, lunch courtesy of Damon's Grill, a group color photo, a 30-day membership to any Merritt Athletic Club and bragging rights over all the people who couldn't bear it. Plus, the more money Plungers raise, the more cool stuff they can get - like essential Plunge gear, a great ski vacation or even airline tickets.Personal Plunge Page: Plungers can create their own Plunge Web Page so that friends, family and co-workers can visit and donate right online.The event is open to the public, and all spectators are welcome free of charge. All proceeds benefit Special Olympics Maryland. "

It was a dozen years ago when I had an awful lot on my plate trying to balance everything.  Dealing with my mom with Alzheimer's while running a growing real estate business as a solo agent. One day my delightful husband inquired about my checking account. Now you need to understand that Lee is a Wharton School Graduate, and his checkbook balances to the penny - always.

"Your checkbook is a mess," he said. "You have no idea how much money you have." My answer, of course, was "Sure I do. It's within a couple thousand dollars." You can imagine the exasperated look on his face. He said, "If you reconcile your account, I will take it over."

I'm not sure that he even figured I heard what he said. But the next day I looked at my checkbook to find the address of the bank; how else would I ever know where it was located? I went into the bank and said,       "Please close this account and open a new one."          

I returned home and placed the brand new reconciled check book on my husband's desk.

There was that exasperated look again, but I think also a wee bit proud...as if I put one over on him.  I did what he asked. The checkbook was balanced and reconciled. I just did it differently than he would. It made sense to me. I could have spent hours, days, even weeks adding, subtracting, entering, and  deleting. But in the end I felt the bank would be right, so why should I do it? My time is much more valuable.

I have told this story lots of times. In fact, when I speak to groups it is one my favorite ways of explaining time management and how I am able to work without an assistant. It 's always interesting to see the reactions. Some people laugh and applaud, while others say, "Oh, my, you could have cost yourself hundreds of dollars!"        But I believe this is the way a Type E thinks. 

And yes, Lee still does take care of my account. I use the kind of checks that create a copy when one is written, so everything he needs is there. It's wonderful that I don't even have to think of this task any more. 

Oh, and while I was delegating....I no longer open my mail, either.

http://www.homerome.com/

Baltimore,Md.

This past week I was following up on some past invitations via email and phone calls. One real estate agent was embarrassed to tell me she was having trouble signing up. She stated that she kept putting  in January's date and she was getting an error message so she just gave up. It took a while to figure out what she meant. I did not remember having to fill in the date.

 Well, guys, it was asking to type in DATE. So I ask you when is a Date not a Date?

This is a date!                           This is a date!  

Sure hope I can get her to join! Has this date confused anyone else?

http://www.homerome.com/

Baltimore,Md

  This is what a typical house looks like in a Baltimore neighborhood.

 Here is a similar home with an addition.

                            These 2 houses are now where a "typical" house used to be.

This colonial was a brick rancher just a few years ago.

This is what is happening in a desirable neighborhood called Cheswolde in Baltimore City.

You find an area that you want to live and you make the house fit the needs of your family.  Any property that can be subdivided is being sold for the extra lot. Additions and new houses are "popping" up.

 On my morning walk today, I took all of these photos. Here is piece of land that used to have a house. Will there be one or two homes in the future? Will it be big or small. Guess it depends on what the people need. I will have to wait and see what POPS UP! 

http://www.homerome.com/                                                               

Baltimore,Md.                            

They put it right there in the press release for the whole world to see. This respected provider of online mentoring and training for real estate professionals, while announcing the Top 10 iSucceed Success Modules for 2006, slipped that four-letter word into the very last paragraph. Why would they do such a thing?

They say it's all a part of celebrating the 10 most viewed modules during the year. Seeing my module, "The Million Dollar Solo Agent," make the Top 10 list was a thrill, and I have Sharon Simms to thank for recommending me to the RISMedia folks. Sharon is also a mentor and has a new module available on Targeting the International Niche – something she has done so successfully. Sharon, of course, is typical of ActiveRain members in wanting to share her experience and wealth of knowledge. Several other Rainers also are mentors with iSucceed: Ken Deshaies, Teri Isner, and Wynne Achatz and…who did I miss?

But about that four-letter word. Well, read it for yourself:

"With this Top 10 announcement, iSucceed has decided to provide free unlimited access for the month of January. Agents can enroll by going to http://www.isucceed.com/, clicking on the Join Now button, and using the special promo code Career2007."

Rainers are always looking for ways to learn and improve as real estate professionals. So here it is – a chance to check out scores of helpful modules – FREE! 

Shall we start our own Top 10 List?

http://homerome.com/                                              

Baltimore, MD 

I've talked about numbers before, often. We always seem to be counting something in real estate – listings, days we've had a listing, showings, offers, sales, settlements, commissions.

Since joining this amazing group, I've counted ActiveRain's phenomenal growth to more than 8,000 real estate agents:

Active Rain Hits 1000 agents!

Active Rain hits 3000 Real Estate Agents!

7000 + Real Estate Agents on Active Rain

Active Rain is averaging 1000 Real Estate Agents Each Month!

And talked about some very special people # 1 on Active Rain!

Nima gave me Two Thumbs Up to Margaret Rome, I would give Three but I only have Two!

And I wrote about why you can always tell my listings by the number 944: What's In a Number? That's my 944 on the left.

We celebrate the number of days we've been married and you can find out by going to this site   http://www.re-date.com/ – Yes we have been married for 14,109 days, as of today!

Sometimes the number is an average, and you have to ask if it matters: Meaningless Averages ...I am not average!  

Or dial in the right frequency at the right time:  680AM is the number of the radio show,  12 noon on Sunday is the time on http://www.wcbm.com/

It might even be a numbered list that counts: A Dozen and a Half Ways to Make it Rain in Real Estate.

Counting  started early in real estate.   One of my first goals was  to win the 5/50 Award. When I had that one, I set my sights on the 10/100 Award, and also  won that one.

And now, today, I've reached another goal. This is my 100^th post on ActiveRain!  I'm as proud as can be, and grateful for all my friends and colleagues and fellow Rainers. I count you all as terrific additions to my life.

5/50 award

My next number... to get a total of 55 new Active Rainers! Wish me luck!

http://www.homerome.com/                                        

Baltimore,Md. 

We were recently reminded by Rich Jacobson to "BLOG, or Get Off the Pot!" I took his challenge to get someone I invited to join ActiveRain and then get busy and BLOG.

It was very much like getting a new listing. No, it didn’t just "happen," it took time and patience and even some work. To get a new listing you have to have someone call or refer someone to you. Or you can contact expireds or unrepresented sellers (FSBOs). You can run an ad or send out postcards. You can network with friends and colleagues through business and social meetings. We all have our special ways of getting listings.

Getting a person to join ActiveRain is not much different. You first have to make contact and then you have to let them know the benefits. What’s in it for them? How will AR help? Just like working with a seller, you have to explain what you will do for them.

A couple of weeks ago when I was a guest on All About Real Estate, among other things we talked about staging.   (I will be a guest again this Sunday January 14th at 12noon. Hope some of the readers listen in)

After that show I received this email:

Hello, My name is Joanna Bonicker and I am writing you because I just heard you on WCBM. I especially enjoyed the Home Staging segment. I am currently studying Interior Decorating and am leaning towards Home Staging as a career. I'm not sure if you stage all your homes yourself, but if you are ever in need of an assistant, please keep me in mind. I have attached a couple of pictures of a home I have staged and also my dining room decorated for Christmas. I know the last one doesn't have much to do with Home Staging, but I attached it just to give you a feel of some of my work so far. 

Thank you for your time, have a Happy New Year! Joanna 

So Joanna was sort of like a listing, she called in to talk about her business and I had the opportunity to help. By return email, I thanked her for listening in and sent a link to ActiveRain. Did Joanna join right away? No, just like you don’t usually get a listing on the first call. We emailed again and we spoke by phone. And I again invited Joanna to join. This time I gave her an assignment - to write a blog. And now here she is, with her first post (drumroll):  New Active Rain member referred by Margaret Rome

Let’s all welcome my new listing, um, I mean new ActiveRain Member Blogger!

http://homerome.com/

Baltimore, MD

Yes, I continue to answer questions about my listings. I answer without asking the caller's name, qualifications, or motives. I give information whenever asked.

You may ask, "Why do you do that?" Agents are trained to get information, like how much you make, and where do you work, and how many times have you been bankrupt? Maybe not on the first call, but they need this information so they can follow up. That means calling at dinner time to find out if you are still looking for a house.

I remember about a 100 years ago when I was looking for a home. I would see a "For Sale" sign and call to ask price, number of bedrooms, does it have a fireplace, etc. I did NOT get answers - I got questions: "Where do you live? How much do you want to spend for a house?...." And the follow up phone calls were intolerable. Back in the days before caller ID, I learned to change my name and phone number when I was asked.

Later, when I got into real estate, I vowed that I would not treat the public this way. I give out addresses, I give out price, I answer all their questions. In fact, I tell the caller up front that I will not ask for their name, and they can ask me anything. I tell them it is OK if they are working with another agent, I will still give them all the answers about my listings.

I tell them about my website http://www.homerome.com/ where they can go to see my listings - all of them have interior photos. I don't ask for anything but email address, and then only if they want daily notifications. I make it simple with these directions:

"You can find every active listing in the Multiple Listing System (MLS) by going to http://www.homerome.com/ and clicking on ALL LISTINGS. Be sure to put in your email, search criteria such as type of home and price range. Let's start with the county, e.g., Baltimore County, Baltimore City or Howard etc. You can narrow the search down to number of bedrooms, price range etc. You will be sent daily updates of properties that meet your needs, including photos, address, price etc. This is a free service to help make finding your special home easier."

Buyers use this site, sellers use this site, and friends, family and even other agents use this site. Anyone can keep up with all the active listings without having to talk with an agent.

Why would I do this? Because I have had wonderful success and love this real estate business. I don't "go after" the business; it comes to me by doing things this way. Many times the callers are so impressed with my willingness to share that they want me to take their information. They want to work with me. It seems the harder I try to not to get invasive with questions, the more they choose to share with me.

It happened again today when a woman found one of my new listings on the Internet. The caller from Texas only asked a couple of questions and didn't give her name.

 As I answered, we both realized this was not the home she needed for her family. Yes, it was in the right location and it was in the right price range, but it was certainly not large enough for her family of four children.

Before our conversation was finished, she wanted to know if I would consider helping her find a home when her family moves to Baltimore. She said she never has had an agent be so forthright with information, and she wants to work with me. She will continue to use my site for searching properties

When I started in real estate, I made that promise to give information freely because I didn't like how I was  treated.  

 Now I tell any caller anything they want to know about a property, and send them to my website for details and photos. After many years and hundreds of transactions, I'm convinced it's still the best way to build trust and confidence - and the business keeps coming!

http://www.homerome.com/

Baltimore,Md.