Wednesday, March 28, 2012

To Help Our Students Pass The Florida Real Estate Exam The First Time

www.climerrealestateschool.com

At Climer School of Real Estate, we are so dedicated to being certain that our students pass the Florida real estate exam the first time they take it, that we forget that all schools don't feel that way. We want our students to pass the Florida real estate exam the first time they take it. It costs thirty one dollars every time that you take it.

As we have become more visible on the the internet, Kathy has been informed by people that call in from other parts of Florida, that went to other schools that all schools don't seem to care if their students pass the Florida real estate exam the first time.

At Climer School of Real Estate, throughout class, I sell study aids to my students. I don't sell them anything that they don't need.

The basic item that anyone needs to pass the Florida real estate exam is what I call the "skinny book". The real title of this book is "Florida Real Estate Exam Manual for Sales Associates and Brokers" by Linda Crawford. This book is an outline of the textbook by Linda Crawford that we use in our basic "Principles and Practices of Real Estate" class.

The advantage of the "skinny book" is it leaves out a lot of stuff that is in the basic text book by Crawford that we use for our basic class.

The "skinny book" has just the essentials. It also has four hundred practice questions. You will notice these questions are very similar to the questions on the Florida real estate test. Does it have the answers? It not only has the answers, it has a short paragraph explaining the answers. It also has a CD disc with more practice questions.

One of my students told me the "skinny book" is worth the twenty dollar price just for the first fifteen pages. This is information about how to study and prepare for the Florida real estate exam.

Kathy and I consider the "skinny book" as minimum study material for the Florida real estate exam. We are constantly amazed to learn that many of our competitors don't make this valuable book available to their students. Obviously, there is not a lot of profit in it. We think we owe it to our students to provide it and encouage them to spend the twenty bucks for it.

We use this book in our Florida state exam review class. This is a two day class that we teach twice a month. In this class, I cover everything that is on the Florida real estate exam.

Since we have become more visible on the internet, we have discovered many people that need this class but they liive in Florida City or Panama City. A trip to Orlando would be burdensome. We found a solution for these people.

I went into our classroom a few months ago and taught this cram course to a empty room. There was no one in the room but me and a recorder. The recorder didn't ask any stupid questions and it did not need to take a break every hour. I got the entire class on eight audio CD discs. We sell this set for $45 through the mail.

You can call Pam at 407 822 3926 if we can help you pass the Florida real estate exam the next time. I told you the pass rate is 51% for first time takers and 33% for retakers.

To help our students pass the Florida real estate test, we put nine real estate math videos on You Tube. This has proven to be a good idea. It is free. It has helped students from Key West to Pensacola. Watch all nine of the real estate math videos if you need help with the math on the Florida real estate exam. Call Pam if we can help you at 407 822 3926.

By the way, Andy Brown is the Best Real Estate Instructor in Orlando and The Climer School of Real Estate is the Best Real Estate School in Orlando.
If you are looking for online Real Estate training, The Climer School of Real Estate has the best online real estate classes in Orlando. www.ClimerRealEstateSchool.com 407-822-3926

Monday, March 26, 2012

What A Wonderful Career Selling Real Estate

     Have I told you what a wonderful job selling real estate is?  How much money do you want to make?

     Fifty thousand per year, one hundred thousand per year, can you do that?  Where do you work now?  What do you do?  Is someone paying you by the hour?  Is someone paying you by the week or month? 

     Do they pay you whether you produce or not?  Many people don't produce.  That is OK.  A security guard at the bank doesn't produce anything but he is essential.  A salesman at a furniture store produces sales.  Isn't the furniture deliveryman just as essential as the salesman to the sucess of the business?  Yes, he is.  The deliveryman can not do more.  He can only deliver as much furniture as the salesman sells.  The way he gets paid is out of his control. 

     In real estate, the real estate salesman gets paid almost always on commission.  Since this is true, your potential to earn money is vast.  All you have to do to make more money is sell more houses.  This sounds simple.  It is simple. 

     The security guard at the bank is told by his boss when to show up at work and when to go home.  This is not the case in real estate.  No one tells you when to start or when to call it a day.  If you want to make more money, more than you want to relax, show up early and leave late.  You don't have to do that but it is an option if you want to make more money. 

     Another option is to be more effective with every customer that you deal with. Most real estate salesmen that do well have learned sale more by being more effective and to sell more by understanding people and salesmanship.  They have learned how to ask the right questions and say the right things at just the right time. 

     This information and education is available to those that want to learn it and make more money. 
    
     Prospecting for customers is a learned skill.  Learning to ask the right questions to qualify a buyer for a certain mortgage amount is also a learned skill.  Most new Realtors learn this skill very quickly.  Most real estate agents that are doing well have learned to manage their time.  They do the important stuff first and let the unimportant stuff go. 

     Almost all the people that start selling real estate and stay with it move their income up.  Some move it up a lot.  Some move it up a little.  Some move their income up quickly.  Some move it up slowly.  almost all real estate increase their income as the years go by. 

     One day, it gets so easy, you can not imagine doing anything else.

     www.climerrealestateschool.com

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Can You Get Real Good Real Fast?

     Yes you can get really good, really fast.  It is amazing how quickly you can improve sales skills once you are aware that you need to and you start working at it.

     Answering questions with a question is a skill that I teach in my 45 hour post license class at Climer School of Real Estate.  This is a pretty basic skill in salesmanship.  A lot of my students have never heard of this before.  This is a essential skill to learn.  I encourage my students to start practicing this all the time, not just when you are with customers. 

     When their fellow student asks,"Where shall we go to lunch today?".  They reply" We could go to Nick's Diner or we could go to The Wing House.  Which do you prefer?"  Ending with a question has multiple benefits.  If nothing else, it keeps the conversation going. The other party has to respond.

     I encourage them to ask more questions when they are showing houses to buyers.  Ask them questions and learn about them. Ask them questions about their hobbies.  Ask them questions about their kid's hobbies.  Ask them questions about their old house in Chicago.  Ask them questions about their new job.  Ask them questions about everything.  Keep asking questions. 

     The natural next step would be to learn to answer questions with a questions.  When they ask questions like,"Are there lots of kids in the neighborhood?", you can reply "Are you familar with the fair housing act of 1968?"


     When they ask, "Will the sellers take less?".  You can reply," How much did you want to offer?"  When they ask you, "Will the sellers hold a mortgage?", you can reply,"How much did you want to put down?".  When they ask,"Will the sellers leave the swing set?", you can reply "Did you want me to put that in  the contract offer?". 

     You don't have to always answer a question with a question.  It is OK to answer their question and add a question.  Such as:  They ask," What is the price of that house at 123 Main street?".  You reply,"It is 295,000 dollars.  Is that a comfortable price for you?"   They ask,"Is that house in the XYZ school district?"  You reply,"Yes, it is.  How many children do you have?"

     Start practicing asking questions and start answering questions with a question.  The next time someone asks you," Where should I go to real estate school to get my Florida real estate license?" You can respond with a question,"Did you want to go to the best real estate school in Orlando?  Have you been to Climer School of Real Estate's website at www.climerrealestateschool.com ?"

Sunday, March 18, 2012

I Hate No. I Like To Hear Yes

     If You have a Florida real estate license that has never been renewed, here is four little questions that could change your life, increase your income, make your real estate career so much more interesting,teach you so much stuff you won't believe it.

     Is that a big stack of promises?  Don't take my word for it, just try asking these four little questions.

     Start by finding a bunch of phone numbers for a bunch forsalebyowners.  I assume you know what that is.  Where do you find these phone numbers?  You can find them in the front yards of prospects.  You can find them in newspapers where prospects advertise.  You can find them on websites where prospects advertise.  They are everywhere and they want to sell their houses.  They want to sell their houses and they are not listed with a Realtor.  Is that a prospect?  What if I told you ninety per cent of them will list with a Realtor soon?  Is that a hot prospect?  If that is not a hot prospect, what is?  These guys are hot prospects by any definition. 

     Dial the number.  Ring,ring "Hello"

     "Is this the folks with the house for sale?"  Isn't that a great question?  I want you to ask questions that they will say yes to.  Unless you misdialed you are going to get a yes.  I love yes. It is music to my ears.  " Yes, this is the people with the house for sale."  I love yes. I hate no. Yes. It just feels good.
Isn't  that wonderful? Yes.  Feel that yes.  Listen to that yes.  It is motivating. Yes. I can hardly wait to ask the next question.

     " Is it still for sale?"  Yes again.  This is fabulous.  I love it.  I feel so accepted.  I feel loved.  Yes.  It is music to my ears.  Yes.  It is becoming a habit. Let's go with the next question.

      "This is Ron Climer with XYZ Realty are you folks working with Realtors by that I mean if I had a customer could we work something out?"  Say that the way I punctuated it.  My eighth grade English teacher would give me a F for that sentence.  Say it the way I punctuated it.  You will hear a yes.  "Yes, if you had a customer, we could pay you some commission."  Yes, yes, another yes.  I love it.  This is too easy. This is almost fun.  I love yes.  Yes.  I am affirmed.  I am complete.  Yes.  I love hearing yes.  Yes is exhilarating.  I am so excited I can hardly remember the next question. 

     "Great.  Could I stop by and take ten minutes and look at your house this afternoon at two or would five be better for you?"   " Sure, We will be glad to take ten minutes and show you our home.  Could you make it five thirty?"   Another yes.  I am loving this.  This is too good to be true but it is true.  I love yes.  It is too cool.  This is fantastic.  Yes, yes, yes.  Here comes the next question.

     "Can you give me the address and directions?"  Yes, they know their own address.  Another yes.  If I can only get as many yesses on the next call.  I love yes.

     If people are giving you a bunch of no's, maybe you are asking the wrong questions.  Try these from Ron.    www.climerrealestateschool.com

Friday, March 16, 2012

If You Keep Going In The Direction You Are Headed, Will You End Up Where You Want To Be

     If your goal is to have $100,000 cash in the bank, and you keep spending more than you are making,how long will it take to accomplish this goal?  If your goal is to lose weight, and you keep eating more calories than you burn, how long will it take?  If your goal is to list six houses per month and you don't contact any prospects, what is your likelihood of success? 

     Most of the time, the actions we need to take are obvious.  We need to concentrate on actions.

     Success usually comes from plodding along one day at a time.  Small success repeated every day turns into big success

     Get a goal and head toward it.  Don't head away from it.  Step one is to set the goal.  It is like a map. So you will know what you need to be doing.  Doing it is the hard part.  If you can't do a lot, do a little.

     If you can't read a book, read a chapter.  If you can't call all the expired listings, call one.  If you can't save $1000 a month, save $100.  If you can't save $100, save $25. If you can't go to the gym for two hours, go for thirty minutes.  Keep heading towards where you want to go.

     http://www.climerrealestateschool.com/

Saturday, March 10, 2012

A Twenty First Century Reputation

     Times have changed.  It is the twenty first century.  The internet is a business reality. 

     Granpa created his reputation over a lifetime.  Today your reputation is on line. Whether you like it or not.

     Do you have a You Tube account?  Can I look on You Tube and learn anything about you?

     Do you have a website?   Can I Google you and find out about you and your business?  Are there any Google reviews for or against you that I will see when I Google you? 

     What if I go to Facebook?  will I find you?  What do people say about you? 

     Is anyone following you on twitter?  Are you following any one? 

     Do you have a profile on Google, Yahoo, Amazon, Trulia, Active Rain Linkdin?  If not, why not?

     Have you written any blogs?  Are they worth reading?  If not, why not?

     Do you submit articles to Ezine Articles.com or any other on line publication?

     You can ignore the internet today.  It certainly is expensive to do so. 

     Create a web presence for yourself.  I can't think of anything you might be doing where a strong web presence won't help you.

     If you don't know where to start, open a Google account.  Start a blog on eblogger.  It is free.  If you are in real estate, open a free account at Active Rain.  Open an account at Trulia.  Open a Zillow account.  Open a Facebook account. 

     This is not rocket science.  This is not a goofy idea.  This is what customers, clients, prospects employers and employees expect from you in the 21st century.

     Don't wait.  You have waited too long already.

      www.climerrealestateschool.com

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Florida Real Estate Licenses Expire On March 31

     March 31st will be here in about three weeks.  Look at your real estate license.  The expiration date is right on your license.  If you can not find your license, check yourself on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation's website.

     You would not want to find yourself selling another agent's listing on April 10th and they told they checked your license status and since it expired last week , they won't pay you half of the commission. Could that happen?  You bet it could.  It does. Don't let it happen to you.

     Procrastinators unite.  If you need continuing education or post license classes, this  is the last minute.  Call Kathy at 407 822 3926.  If you are taking these classes on line, be sure the school has a Florida real estate school permit.  Look for their ZH number on their website.  Save yourself the aggravation.  Call Kathy at Climer School of Real Estate in Orlando. Read the Google Reviews.

     www.climerrealestateschool.com

What Can I Do If The Listing Agent Does Not Submit My Offer To The Seller?

     It is March of 2012.  I am teaching a post broker license class at Climer School of Real Estate in Orlando.  I thought we were in the middle of an economic depression.  My students assure me that we are in a BIG seller's market.  A major problem today is getting your offer on short sales and bank owned properties accepted.

     Let me address the two separately.  When you make an offer on a short sale, be certain that you understand that the seller owns the house.  The bank does not own the house.  The bank can not accept or reject your offer.  The seller owns the house.  Only the seller can accept your offer.  The bank might decide whether or not we go to closing but only the seller can accept or reject your offer.  Understand this important point. 

     If you have a concern that your offer is not even being shown to the seller, mail a copy of the offer to the seller at the same time that you contact the listing agent.  I assume that, as a competent Realtor, you are able to find the seller. If you are concerned that your offer is not being submitted to the seller, mail a copy of it to the listing agent by certified mail return receipt requested instead of email.  Better yet why not suggest to the listing agent that you and he conference call the seller to submit the offer. Why would he object to that?

     Assuming the buyer's agent is smart enough to find the seller, would the buyer's agent be breaking any law to mail a copy of the offer directly to the seller?  Would they be violating the code of ethics of the Association of Realtors?  I don't see how.  What legitimate Realtor would object to that? 

     I would not want to do this all the time.  If a particular agent had a local reputation of  NOT submitting offers timely, this might prove to be an effective strategy.  Most of the time reputations don't happen with no truth to them. 

     If, as a buyer's agent, you can not find the seller, I suppose you are at the mercy of this unscrupulous agent that does not submit all offers.

     With a short sale offer, have your buyer offer to pay the seller two thousand dollars in cash at closing.  If the listing agent tells you that you can't do that , ask them to modify the offer to suit the sellers and initial the changes and submit the counteroffer back to you.

     A lot of the advice in this article depends on how much effort you want to put into getting your offer accepted.  This article started when one of my students told our class that she had made six offers on REO properties with a particular agent in her market that had a reputation for not responding to offers.  No call back , no response at all.  My students inclination is to not show her listings. 

     If I suspect I will have an occasion in the future to be showing this agent's REO listings, maybe it would be prudent to pave the road ahead for my next offer. 

     Maybe, if I believe my offer was not submitted to the bank,seller, I should turn in a complaint to the Florida Real Estate Commission alleging that my offer was not submitted to the seller. In Florida, when a complaint is made, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is required to investigate the complaint.  This will create a little bit of work and aggravation for this unscrupulous Realtor that did not submit my offer.  This is also going to create a little bit of work and aggravation for me. 

     This may seem a little bit extreme.  This would be analogous to a victim of domestic violence calling the police every time her husband hit her.  If she doesn't do this the abuser will keep on abusing.  If there are consequences, maybe he will quit.  Maybe he won't but,after time, a pattern will be established.  What is the message?  IF YOU DON'T SUBMIT MY OFFERS, EXPECT A COMPLAINT TO BE FILED WITH THE FLORIDA REAL ESTATE COMMISSION.  I did not complain to the Association of  Realtors.  I complained to the Florida Real Estate Commission.  That is the folks that can suspend your Florida real estate license.

    In Florida, it is a violation of the real estate license law to NOT submit all offers unless we have written instructions from the seller to not submit certain offers.  There is no law requiring the listing agent to respond to the buyer's agent unless there is a counteroffer. The real estate law does require the listing agent to submit all offers.  If you think your offer is not being submitted to the seller, turn in a complaint to the Florida Real Estate Commission.

     Maybe we need to be tough and have a reputation for being tough.

     If you think you are violating some rule or law by mailing that offer to the seller, would it be okay if your buyer wrote a letter to the seller (bank ) and told them how much they like the house and ask them to please, please, please accept our full price offer by contacting my Realtor at ---------?  The truth is you have no control over what your buyer does.  If he contacted the seller via mail or email, you would have no control or responsibility for that.

     If you are going to take the time to show a house to a buyer, don't let an unscrupulous listing agent stand between you and a well earned commission. 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

How To Get Your First Listing

     You graduated from Climer School of Real Estate.  You passed the Florida real estate exam.  The Department of Business and Professional Regulation has issued your Florida real estate license.  You have an employer.  You have one thousand new business cards.  You have already mailed out 200 Ijustgotintorealestate letters to your 200 closest friends.  Not one of those friends has called to list their house with you.  How can you get that first listing.

     You could call a for sale by owner.  You could call a expired listing.  You could call a foreclosure victim.

     What if one of your 200 friends called you and wanted to list his house?  Do you know how to fill out the paperwork?  If not, when would be a good time to learn how to fill out the paperwork?  If you do not know how to fill out the paperwork, you can not get a listing unless you meet a prospect that knows how to fill out the paperwork.  Good luck with that.

    Step one: Learn to fill out the necessary paperwork.
    Step two: Contact some one that wants to sale their house.  Who would that be?  For sale by owners want to sale their house.  Expired listings want to sale their house.  Foreclosure victims should want to sale their house. The alternative is very unpleasant. 

     You could hold a open house and hope that a neighbor that wants to sale will walk in.  It could happen.  It has happen to me. 

     You could start a blog and start blogging about a certain neighborhood.  Maybe someone that lives in that neighborhood will read your blog, decide you are the neighborhood expert and call you.  That will probably work better to get your fiftieth listing instead of your first listing. 

     You could knock on every door in that neighborhood and give them a free refrigerator magnet. What a great idea.  You could start a neighborhood newsletter. 

     You could put magnetic signs on your car with your name and phone number.  Do those work?

     What about floor time?  If your company has floor time, you could volunteer for that.  Maybe someone will call in and want to list their house. 

     Where else can we find that elusive first listing? 

     What if we read the newspaper and we read that the XYZ company is getting a new president.  What would happen if we called the old president and asked him if he is moving? If you know where the new president is coming from. could you call him and maybe get a referral and a buying prospect. 

     Here is a simple idea.  When you get your first listing, mail out 200 post cards to the neighbors announcing your new listing.  When it goes under contract, send out 200 post cards to the same neighbors telling them it is sold.  When it closes send out 200 more post cards asking the neighbors to welcome their new neighbors.  From all of those cards you should get at least one or two phone calls.  Maybe some one will call and send you a buyer.  Maybe someone will call and list with you.

     Prospects are everywhere.  Get in touch with them.  Call them.  Email them.  Write them a letter.  Don't wait for them to contact you. Contact them.  If you are waiting for them to call you, be easy to find.  Wear a name badge.  Give out lots of business cards.  Be visible. Google yourself.  Can you find yourself?  Get that first listing.  The second will be easier.

    If we can help contact us at www.climerrealestate.com   

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Can I Teach You To Communicate With Questions

     Can I teach you to communicate with questions?  Do you want to learn this skill?  If you will learn this  skill, you will sell more real estate. 

     Don't tell people that the sky is blue.  Ask them, " What color is the sky?"
     Don't tell people that their payments are $1000 per month.  Ask them," Is $1000 a month comfortable?"
     Don't tell people that kids go to XYZ  school.  Ask them, "Is XYZ school the school you want?"
     Don't tell the people that the house has a pool.  Ask them, ' Do you think the kids will enjoy the pool?"
     Don't tell them that your company advertises on TV.  Ask them," Have you seen our ads on TV?"
     Don't tell people that classifieds ads don't work.  Ask them if they read classified ads?
     Don't tell them that your company has all the tools to get their house sold. Ask them, "Do you think the tools I have shown you  is enough to get your house sold?"
     Don't tell people the weather is wonderful.  Ask them, "What do you think about this weather?"

     What is the difference?  Can you see the difference?  If you can see the difference, how would it affect your income if you started asking instead of telling?  Why don't you try it?

Thursday, March 1, 2012

A Lesson About Recruiting New Real Estate Agents From The Ocean

     When you go out in the ocean to fish, you don't just fish anywhere.  You go to a reef or a wreck.  This break in the ocean floor attracts little fish.  Little fish attract bigger fish which attract bigger fish.  This is a good place to fish.  Fish where the fish are.

     If you are trying to recruit new real estate agents to your company,  go where the new agents are.  They are at Climer School of Real Estate.  Look at our Facebook page.  You can see our students.  There is their picture.  If you would like to offer them a job, link to our website. www.climerrealestateschool.com .  This is free. This is lucrative. This is easy. 

     Many, many, many, many of my students have left my school and earned big money selling real estate.

     Why would you not want to link to my website and recruit these winners?  Call Kathy 407 822 3926