I know they were all alive just seven years ago when terrorism cost the lives of three thousand American citizens. That headline goes beyond sensationalism. It is rude and insensitive. 

The article goes on to say that one in three members of the NABE, “…Said the housing boom can be described as a ‘serious National bubble.’ Then later in the article three in four said they would “buy a house today if they intended to use it as their primary residence.” 

Would someone please tell these academic fools that housing is local in nature? While many major markets suffered and are suffering from the overzealousness of investors followed by the overzealousness of foolish subprime lenders, there are many markets that are healthy and many more that are suffering a softening but nothing close to a collapse. 

These gloom and doom headlines supported by a minority of questionable economist opinions feed the problem they are describing. While the facts support the opposite conclusion. Even the economists own research supports the opposite conclusion. 

In the same article, “Asked to look five years into the future, 42 percent expected US home prices to remain flat, 41 percent said prices would rise.” Then how did 34 percent of the same group call this a bubble that is fed by a threat bigger than terrorism.

Let’s give credit where it is due. “59 percent still say there is no national housing bubble, only significant local bubbles. Another 8 percent say there’s no bubble at all and that the market is functioning correctly.” 

Hooray for those groups. They got it right. There are some local bubbles where there were hundreds and thousands of development parcels and homes developed and built in anticipation of future sales and the sales that were feeding that demand was investor speculation (Boise and Sarasota to name two).

In late 2005 and through 2006 the investors realized that the boom was being fed by their own demand so withdrew. This left tremendous inventory in some cities or areas of cities.

Unfortunately, in 2006 this was immediately followed by the secondary market lenders realizing that they had allowed a foolish combination of underwriting standards for the previous five years or so. They were buying loans that allowed buyers to have both, little or no down payment and marginal credit. How this happened (and who should be prosecuted for it) is a mystery that will likely remain unsolved. 

The result was in some communities around the country, particularly where there were high priced homes and with less sophisticated buyers; many of these mortgages were used to purchase homes. That created additional pockets of excess inventory which stalled prices in those areas.

Now the majority of lenders loaning jumbo loans, over 417,000 have stopped funding these high-end loans for some period of time. This will further increase inventory and dampen prices in some areas. 

Notice the language, dampen prices in some areas. Most of the country is experiencing a normal buyer’s market that normally follows a long healthy seller’s market. 

The latter group of economists put it perfectly. The market is functioning correctly. In 1986 after two to three years of a soft buyer’s market not unlike what we are experiencing now (although it was driven by different causes) there was a long strong period of a healthy seller’s market with steady appreciation. 

There was a momentary softer buyer’s market around the Gulf War in 1991 (although not caused by it) followed by over a decade of a healthy buyers market that lasted until 2006. If we learn from history strong seller’s markets last longer than softer buyer’s markets. 

So again the economists got this right. The same article said 58% of the economists predicted a ‘meaningful’ recovery in U.S. housing markets before the second half of 2008 or in the second half of 2008. The majority of the other 42% predicted the recovery in 2009. 

This is completely consistent with history. This two or three years of soft buyer’s market with slightly flattening prices will likely be followed by five or more years of a healthy seller’s market with equally healthy price appreciation. 

REALTORs® all learned in their first Real Estate class that the market is driven by supply and demand. So as long as there is an increasing population of people with reasonable or better incomes, the demand will keep the market healthy. 

Add to that the fact that the Federal government repeatedly states that they realize that the Real Estate market is critical to the health of the economy and they will do whatever is necessary to keep mortgage money available. 

It all adds up to a principal residence continuing to be the safest and smartest investment for a person living in this fabulous nation. (Just be careful of areas that have experienced rapid appreciation for more than twenty-four months. There could be a windfall or just a fall looming.) 

If you are associated with Real Estate, please separate the sensationalism from the truth. If you are in most communities in this country everything, is pretty normal.  Prices are appreciating a little slower but still appreciating. Houses are on the market longer. Buyers are fussier. Yes, it is tougher to sell Real Estate. But you still have one of the best jobs in the world with more personal freedom and opportunity for success than any other business person or professional on earth. 

If you are in one of those tougher markets, my heart is with you. You do have an uphill battle for another twelve to twenty four months. You have my strongest wish that you can survive and succeed through this.

I love this business for what it provides to our society, the people in it, and the strong bright professionals that make me proud to be a part of it.

Rich Levin is a nationally known coach, educator and speaker. Rich has been in the Real Estate Business for over 30 years with the last 15 dedicated to coaching and speaking. His specialty is working with productive Real Estate Agents and Brokers taking them to their highest levels of production and performance in their business and in their lives. He is a regular contributor to various Real Estate publications and has spoken at events from small offices to NAR convention as well as coaching top Agents from across the country. He is CPBA and e-PRO certified.

Contact him at 585-244-2700 or visit http://www.RichLevin.com. Ask Rich a question at http://www.AskCoachRichLevin.com�

For many this past year has been difficult. Many Agents’ have left the Real Estate Business and others are struggling and probably thinking of leaving this wonderful business. But some Agent’s are having their best year ever. How do you ask? The answer is that these Agents simply shifted their state of mind. You may think that this sounds hokey but it is true.  It is grounded in medicine, how your body works, your psychology and how your mind works is critical to your success. 

By regularly applying the following simple process you will shift from concern and procrastination to focused, positive accomplishment. 

There are three basic ways to shift your state of mind.

First, do ten to twenty jumping jacks to get your blood flowing. 

Second, as you do the ten to twenty jumping jacks I want you to say the following, “Today is a great day for my business.”

And third focus your thinking and focus your mind on what could happen that day to make it a great day.

Think about this. You are sitting at your desk.  You are bored, or tired, or feeling lazy.  Your shoulders are slumped your mind is focusing on some aspect of your business that reinforces your negative mood.

Then, your mobile phone rings and you can’t exactly remember where you put it so you run around to look for it.  You find it, slightly out of breath. 

The person calling is a past Client who tells you that he/she is getting married and wants you to list both houses and sell them a much bigger one.  The new spouse is independently wealthy and not only are they going to buy a big house from you but they are willing to be completely cooperative on price because they realize the nature of the market.  Plus they want to invite you to the wedding and introduce you to all the people in the spouses sphere as their REALTOR®.

After that call your state changes from a mild depression to focused, energetic and enthusiastic.  It happened in an instant.  And it happens because three things changed.  First your physiology changed as you ran looking for your phone, then your focus changed as you got the great news.  Then as you understood the nature of the call the meaning of the news kept expanding and getting better in your mind.

You don’t need this example to really happen although it would be nice, you can change your state of mind by simply doing the above three steps.

Now that you have started to shift your state of mind you need to put steps into place to reach the goals you set.

Create a strategic business plan. What I mean by that is create a plan that is both realistic but also includes the steps to accomplish the goals that you set in your plan.

You accomplish this by first committing to spend thirty minutes a day for a maximum of fifteen days on your business plan. This creates the habit. After all, it is the health and the success of your business we are talking about here. 

As you start your day powerfully day after day this leads to more successful days, as those kinds of focused days, those days full of accomplishment, stack up day after day your business rises to its next level. 

Begin your habit of taking five minutes a day before you open your e-mail each day, what I call five to thrive. Then take thirty minutes once per week before you open your e-mail to add focus power and leverage to your day and your week.

In those five minutes before you open your e-mail you are going to do three things.

1.     Record new appointments, sales and listings that occurred in the last day … and as you do … look at your numbers for the week, the month and the year.

2.     Consider what your priority project is for the week and where you are in relationship to its accomplishment.

3.     Choose the action you will take that day to reach your appointment goal for the week and to move your project for the week to completion.

Then once a week take a half hour instead of five minutes.  Choose one day of the week.  On that half hour day, in addition to doing the previous three things; you will also do the following three things.

1.     Choose a priority project that would be of greatest benefit to you.  Or look at what project or system you are working on and your progress over the past week.

2.     Choose what you want to accomplish on that project or system for the next week. 

3.     Schedule time in your calendar to do the things toward the completion of that project that will move that project forward or get it complete.

Never give up on this habit.  If you do nothing on the project or haven’t even chosen a project, never give up.  Just keep that weekly appointment with yourself.  I promise you that within a week or two you will both have a project chosen and you’ll take action toward it.

I just mentioned a mantra of mine; Five to Thrive.

F-Focus
I- Insight
V- Vitality
E- enthusiasm

The five minutes a day are going to give you focus all day, insight into your business that you have never had before, vitality which means energy for the day and enthusiasm for your business and toward the people you encounter throughout the day.

Now, this is not for everyone.  Some of you enjoy your lousy attitudes so much that you don’t want to change it.  You are so certain that your days can’t be that good simply by taking responsibility for your state of being.  And you may have other reasons you discount these ideas. 

For those of you committed to having a great business and a great life, put what I have written here into practice starting today. 

You have my sincerest wish for a successful year. 

Rich Levin is a coach and speaker whose focus is teaching Agents to understand and control their business. Through that understanding achieve exceptional happiness and wealth in their life. Take control of your business, register for a 2009 Strategy Session. Rich is President of Rich Levin’s Success Corps Inc.  Contact him at 585-244-2700 or rich@richlevin.com.�

By Rich Levin

The market is tough. There is no reason to sugar coat it. Many Agents are experiencing challenges for the first time in their real estate career. Clients with strong credit are being challenged by the lenders. Homeowners are not putting homes on the market. Buyers are submitting low ball offers. Foreclosure and short sales are happening in record numbers. Buyers are negotiating harder. There are obstacles at all stages of the transaction. On top of all these issues people are frozen waiting to see what will happen with their jobs, the economic bail out, Wall Street, and the Madoff scandal just adds to the uncertainty.

An Agent Client and I looked at her numbers for the year and we realized that out of forty three deals she had had eleven deals die. The year before in 2007 she had four out of fifty die; the year before that she had forty nine, with no dead deals. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Fortunately, it is not all gloom and doom.

The truth is that many Agents will not survive this era. But those that know how to or learn how to get through it will not only survive they will thrive in the healthy market that will follow. My Clients and many Agents are utilizing creative marketing and building their skills with their business practices to succeed. Here are some examples.

1. Freddie Mac has recently loosened their policy for the amount of short sales they will accept and I am sure many other lenders will follow suit. This will open up a stream of homes on the market. Yes they will be more difficult sales. And yes the Agents that learn to sell them will be more successful.

2. Investment Real Estate is extremely hot right now. The sharpest investors know that this is the best time to buy and they are out there looking for desperate Sellers. The sharpest Agents are honing their skills in finding and working with these savvy investors. An Agent Client in Southern California recently had an investor buy a 4-plex rental property for $84,000. That’s right I said $84,000 in southern California. The deals are out there. Real Estate continues to be the most safe, stable investment with the highest returns over the medium and long term. Income property investors have not only been unhurt in the present financial debacle, most are thriving.

3. Literally, there has not been a better time for first time home buyers in thirty years. The $7,500 tax credit now available, low interest rates, low prices, and lots of inventory to choose from; is a shopper’s dream. Agent Clients who have been fussy in the past about working in higher price ranges are exploiting the opportunity of first time Buyers. One said to me, it’s the easiest work she has done. She is strong, confident and bold about their opportunity.

4. Get to Know your Lenders. Instead of sending your Clients to the big lending houses, get to know your local banks. Create a relationship with the people there. They have portfolio money. They offer some of the best terms available and they are eager to lend.

5. Conventional 5% down mortgages with Seller Concessions are widely available. Ten or fifteen years ago it was unheard of for people to buy a home with no money down. You can easily thrive on what is available. Yes there may be additional paperwork, glitches and delays. That’s why you get paid so much. The not so secret, secret is simply to prepare your Buyers for this extra paperwork and the glitches and delays. Then when it happens they are ready for it and grateful to you for the heads up.

Loans are still being funded so search them out and take advantage.

6. In some markets, short sales and foreclosures make up the majority of the sales. The Agents embracing the need to do what it takes to deal with these more difficult transactions are surviving. While those moaning, groaning and fighting over the more difficult transactions are going broke. Find Brokers that are dealing with these properties and align your self with them.

7. Be an expert. Right now people are afraid of Real Estate because of all the news reports. This is the time to effectively communicate to your spheres of influence and past clients what is really happening in the market. I suggest you send out a postcard this week with a headline that says “Find the Golden Opportunities in this Crisis.” Put on the mailing that this is a great time to buy. Describe some of the opportunities I have mentioned in this article. Inform your sphere that mortgage money is readily available. Be smart and find lenders to underwrite these postcards. When you are the voice of opportunity and optimism in this time of uncertainty you will both succeed through it and boom as the healthier market ensues.

8. Move up Buyers can buy property that was previously out of their reach. In every market there are modest price ranges that are pretty healthy and higher end price ranges that are pretty soft. Buyers are getting top dollar for the modest price ranges and truly amazing buys on property that they couldn’t afford two years ago. Find those price ranges in your market. Look for the modest home owners with stable investments and employment. You will make sales that will even surprise you.

9. Watch your numbers. Know what your goals are. Know how many appointments per week you need to reach your goals. Know your monthly open sales and listing goals. Compare your sales and listing results with previous years and against your goals. Smart, successful business people know to watch their numbers more carefully in a more challenging market.

10. Cut expenses. Yes I know this is self defeating as I am a Real Estate coach and coaching is an expense. More Agents are hiring me than ever before because of proven results. That’s the key. Cut expenses that don’t show proven results. Cut personal and professional expenses to a minimum. Your family will understand this is a temporary situation.

Most importantly, now is the time to be positive, to be optimistic. You have a choice; you can dwell on the negative or search for the positive. You control your attitude at every moment. Learn to snap yourself into a peak state. Attitude is the only way you can survive this tough market with joy. The smart and resourceful Real Estate Agent will make it through. Find the opportunities. You have my sincerest wish for a successful year.

Rich Levin is a coach and speaker whose focus is teaching Agents to understand and control their business. Through that understanding achieve exceptional happiness and wealth in their life. Take control of your business, register for a free 2009 Strategy Session. Rich is President of Rich Levin’s Success Corps Inc.
Contact him at 585-244-2700 or rich@richlevin.com

By Rich Levin

Every Top Agent today operates their business under a new paradigm. The old paradigm of prospecting for hours a day, focusing on listings and letting the buyers work with other Agents is over. The mentality of make service a low priority, forget marketing, sell them and forget them is doomed to become extinct, thank goodness.

The new paradigm is what I call the “Whole Business” approach and is the new rule of the day.

The “Whole Business” approach is operating your business with attention to all ten systems required of every successful Real Estate career. The ten “Keys to the Business of Your Dreams.”

It is not necessary to perfect all ten systems at once to sell a lot of Real Estate. In fact, one of the keys to your success is recognizing which system is your highest priority.

There are Five Primary Systems, Two High Level, and Two Personal Systems and One Foundational System. I’ll share them with you in that order.

The first is “Planning, the Key to your Peace of Mind.” There are many ways to plan. There are two important parts of planning that should be tackled first. The first is choosing goals that motivate you. The second is to find the best measures to monitor your results against those goals on a weekly and monthly basis.

The second primary system “Lead Management is the Key to Reaching Your Goals.” Once you know your goals and how many clients you need to reach them, you focus on the ways to generate leads, your skills at turning those leads into loyal clients and your systems for contacting the leads you generate, then staying in touch. In other words, you focus on generating more business and more importantly, you stop losing so much of the business that already comes your way.

The third system “Marketing and Networking is the Key to Your Long Term Success.” Getting marketing right continually elevates your production while getting it wrong squanders a lot of your money. Getting it right means understanding who are your best markets, what message you are sending, and the best media to send it. With the right planning tools it is easy to measure the return on investment of your marketing expenditures. Some Agents build high level businesses with networking. We coach others with equally successful businesses that network far less and produce high level results with marketing alone.

The fourth System “Service is the Key to Your Client’s Happiness. We say and get universal agreement that, “There is more business in good service than there is in most prospecting.” We teach the traditional definition of service, “A standard met or exceeded.”

Setting service standards requires checklists and/or whiteboards, regular communication and your commitment to Integrity. That is, keeping your word, fulfill your service promises including expressed and implied promises. We recommend that our coaching clients set aside an hour per week to contact all Sellers and Pendings before they have a chance to call you with that “emergency.”

The fifth and last of the Primary Systems “Presentations and Negotiating are the Keys to Your Confidence.” Great presentations require attention to preparation, communication skills, and plain old practice and experience. There are basic presentations to sellers and buyers. Then there are subtle presentations when you show property, and write offers. Finally, there are advanced presentations for price reductions and the myriad negotiations in every transaction.

Every Agent who wishes to achieve high levels of production must work on all of these Systems and Keys. The challenge is choosing which system to work on next and knowing when to move on to the next.

The sixth system “Assistants is the Key to a Life You Love.” I believe most Agents came into the business with a dream for high income and personal freedom. Both of those lofty ambitions are possible, only with help. Those Agents who reach high levels of income struggle with personal freedom when they do everything themselves. And vice versa, those Agents who focus on personal freedom struggle with high production.

The other high level system “Technology is the Key to Your Efficiency”. This is easier than you may think if you follow a simple rule. Your results lead your technology decisions. Every smart technology choice is driven by whether or not it contributes to your results. Hardware, software, your Web presence, and Web marketing, can be mind boggling and costly.

The next two systems are personal. You can build a successful business without them. The question is can you enjoy that business and your life without them?

The eighth system “Quality of Life is the Key to the Happiness of Your Loved Ones.” A successful Real Estate career has some odd challenges, like learning to take a day off, take a long weekend, and learning to spend quality time with those you love. In your business these must be addressed as systems to perfect or they slip away. Sadly, as they slip away so does your quality of life and your relationships with those you love.

The ninth system “Personal Finances is The Key to Your Wealth.” This too encompasses unique challenges for a Real Estate Agent. Managing finances on a strictly commission income is one challenge. The psychological challenges of acquiring wealth are often surprising. So we add this to the Systems that require your attention to achieve the Business of Your Dreams.

Finally the last system which is not so much a system but an attitude is “Self Belief, Self Affirmation and Self Esteem” which without this system none of the above can work with very much satisfaction.

There is a paradigm shift in building a successful Real Estate business and career. The “Whole Business Approach” defines that shift.

Rich Levin is a nationally recognized Coach, Trainer, and Speaker. His specialty is taking Real Estate Agents and Brokers to their highest levels of production and performance in their business and in their lives.

For more information on how you can implement the ten systems and Rich Levin’s “Whole Business Approach” into your business, visit us on the web at www.RichLevin.com or register for a One Hour Business Planning Session to examine these systems in your business.

You can also register for “The Rich Levin Success Club” and receive tips, articles and other information from Rich to take your career to the next level and beyond.

Contact Rich Levin’s Success Corps Inc at 585-244-2700 or Info@RichLevin.com

By Rich Levin

You are at a listing presentation and you know the seller is interviewing other Agents.  Would you like to distinguish yourself as the best? 

Of course, here’s how.

It is on an age-old proven sales concept that is taught in high level sales training in every major corporation.  In Real Estate it is a subtlety that most Agents simply don’t build into their skill set.  Those that learn and use this skill stand out and win against the competition.

Have you ever lost a listing and could not figure out why?  The seller says that they had more confidence in another Agent.   This skill is the reason they will choose you.  They may not recognize why, they just have more confidence in you.

Sample Seller Script

Here’s an example, then I’ll break it down for you so that you can apply it for yourself.

Agent, “Do you know the number one complaint owners, like you have about their present REALTOR®?”

“The Agent doesn’t communicate or loses touch.  It’s one of the simplest things and one of the most important.  I know some of the best Agents in town who sell a lot of homes that have the best intentions but just don’t follow up like they should and you fall through the cracks.”

“I set aside an hour each day, just for staying in touch with my clients.”

“You don’t want to be in the dark, uncertain and uncomfortable.  I want you confident that we are both doing everything we can to get your property sold for the most money in the shortest time.”

“I like to make these calls between eleven and noon on Thursday mornings, what is the best number to reach you at that time?

AABC: The Breakdown

There are four steps to this presentation skill.  They are subtle and easy to learn.  You must practice to be natural with this skill, AABC.

1. Step one is the Action you take.  In the example above, communicating regularly.

2. Step two is the Advantage you bring that differentiates you.  In the example above it is setting aside an hour each day.

3. Step three is the Benefit to them.  In the example above it is making them certain, comfortable and confident.

4. Step four is the Close, asking for a decision.  In the example above it is asking for the specific number to be reached on a specific day and time.

AABC

Action: What you do

Advantage: Your distinction

Benefit: What’s in it for them?

Close: Asking for a decision

This has been taught by Fortune 500 Companies decades before Anthony Robbins was a twinkle in his mother’s eye.  Most Agents miss the mark on this in today’s competitive Real Estate market

To hit a bulls eye use AABC as your secret weapon.  You will begin to notice sellers and buyers having more confidence in you, relaxing with you, and trusting your judgment.

Sample Buyer Script

“Would you like to have the advantage of seeing the newest properties on the market, every day?”

A–The Action: “Every day, often twice a day I will search for properties that are new to the market.”

A-The advantage “In our area there are nearly three thousand Real Estate agents.  Every day some of them are placing new properties on the market.  Within hours, often less, I make sure that you are aware of any and every property that even remotely matches your desires.”

B-The Benefit – “You have the best opportunity to find the property that has the most of what you want, before you are in competition for it and you often get it at the best price.

Many of the homes I sell each year are those fresh listings that have only been viewed by my buyers.  It’s fun for me.  It’s the best way to gain you the competitive edge.”

C-Close – “Do you want me to contact you each day, as soon as we become aware of any property in which you may be interested?

If I call during the workday with an excellent choice, something that looks perfect, would you be able to come fairly quickly to see it?”

You will find AABC is your secret weapon.  While other agents present their same old way.  The buyers and sellers to whom you present see, hear, and feel something different, something more.  They will more easily sign exclusive contracts, with less commission challenges.  They trust you and make your job with them easier because they strongly believe in your efforts on their behalf.  

A Few Subtleties

I like to start with a question.  Do you know?  Have you heard?  Would you like?

The Action can be very simple.  It is your Advantage the way you do it differently that makes the distinction.

The Benefit is always one of more money, best time frame, and/or more ease and convenience.  That is WIIFT; What’s In It For Them.

The Close is critical.  In addition to confirming their agreement, it makes them an active participant in the process.

In my work I occasionally accompany Agents on listing presentations, Agents who take over a hundred listings a year.  Once they begin to apply AABC they immediately express to me that they feel, hear, and see the difference in the way their clients responded to them.

This is an advanced skill that raises your effectiveness, enhances your relationships, and your results.  It requires preparation and practice.  It is a secret weapon that can shift your work and your career into the next gear.

For Rich Levin’s information about our coaching programs call or visit us on the web at www.RichLevin.com

Rich Levin is a coach, trainer, and speaker.  His specialty is working with top producing Real Estate Agents and Brokers taking them to their highest levels of production and performance in their business and in their lives. 

Rich Levin is President of Rich Levin’s Success Corp. Contact Rich directly at 585-244-2700 or rich@richlevin.com.�

By Rich Levin

About Being Human

Funny thing about most human beings all over the world, nearly every one of us feels more comfortable with people we believe are similar to us over people we perceive as different. When you are in a foreign country you are likely to feel affinity to people you meet from your home country. When in a group of people you will most likely feel affinity to the person who shares your religion or your occupation.

You can build greater relatedness, greater affinity by finding and demonstrating things in common, hobbies, interests, or backgrounds.

You make the other person more comfortable when you match speaking pace and mirror behavior.

These are the ways that spies infiltrate organizations, policeman build confidence with suspects, and top salespeople build rapport with clients.

Powerful Rapport

Perhaps the most powerful way to gain confidence and build rapport is to recognize then behave consistent with a person’s personality and behavior style.

Personality is perceived through your behavior and communication. If you are friendly and outgoing you will not need to adapt to easily build rapport with other outgoing people. But if they are quiet and introverted then you are going to need to consciously adapt to have rapport.

Therefore, if you can recognize another person’s behavior style and you know the way they would mostly like to be approached; then you adapt your behavior. You gain rapport more easily which leads to more trust, greater cooperation and ultimately a faster more committed agreement to list with you, purchase the property, trust your advice in a negotiation, and refer you to others.

Conflict

On the other hand conflict often occurs out of misunderstanding based on people’s different behavior and communication styles.

I’m sure this has happened to you. You are speaking clearly and making sense. Yet the other person doesn’t cooperate, doesn’t seem to trust your judgment or your advice. All too often this happens because you are communicating in a way that doesn’t match their style.

You can learn to recognize the other person’s style and adapt to it. You will create greater trust and cooperation by recognizing the other person’s behavior style; then adapting your behavior so they are more comfortable with you and more trusting of you and your advice.

Identifying Behavior Styles

Identifying behavior style is the first step. As you learn to recognize and identify behavior styles you will naturally learn how to best approach and communicate with each style. Then it is a small step to learn to adapt your behavior to achieve better relationships, avoid, prevent and resolve conflicts.

How do you recognize behavior styles? What are the characteristics that alert you?

There are many amateur ways to try to learn to do this. The professional way, the method used by top corporations, top Real Estate organizations, and the most successful salespeople is to use the researched, tested, and proven methods of a DISC assessment.

Identifying Behavior Styles

Many people have been exposed to abbreviated or corrupted versions of the actual DISC assessment. So, if you think you are familiar with DISC, please read on. (The following information is derived from my study of DISC, my certification and use of the tool and methodology with hundreds of clients.)

DISC is an abbreviation for the four basic personality styles.

The “D” of DISC is a Dominant person, results oriented style, quick to anger, and eager to fight back in conflict. High “D’s” are often quite successful but not always nice people. Does that sound like you or someone you know?

The “I” of DISC is an Influential relationship oriented person, friendly and optimistic who wants to move away from conflict. High “I’s” are fun but sometimes you question their sincerity. Does that bring someone to mind?

The “S” is a Stable Steady trust oriented person, emotionally more passive, yet strong and tolerant of conflict. High “S’s” are the strongest team members and excellent negotiators but they are not easily forthcoming with their thoughts and feelings. Do you recognize a high “S” in your life?

The “C” in DISC is the Conforming process oriented person, prone to fear and worry, watching for conflict and avoiding it. High “C’s” alert you to the potential dangers and drawbacks of your plans. They are excellent at implementation. But they can appear pessimistic. Perhaps you recognize that style in yourself or someone you know.

Not Quite That Easy

It is human nature to want to pigeon hole our self and others into one category, one style. It would be convenient and would make life easier if everyone were clearly one style. It’s just not true or accurate. Each of us is a combination of these four styles. In each style we rank on a continuum from virtually none of that style to that style fully dictating our behavior.

Some people are clearly dominant in one style. I am one of those. I am a high “D” Dominant, very focused and results oriented, quick to anger, and attracted by conflict, successful but not always nice.

Most people are a combination of styles. My wife is very strong in two styles. She is both a high Influential “I” and Stable “S”. Her Influential style leads her to be very people oriented but only after she takes time to decide if she trusts the person. That latter cautiousness is part of her Stable style.

When I hired my Administrative Assistant I purposely sought out someone who was strong in two styles. I wanted someone who was both a high Conforming “C” organized and systems oriented and also a high Dominant “D” focused on results. Certainly I wanted her resume’ to be strong and her skills to be what I required. In addition I wanted to be sure that her behavior style would work with mine and was well suited for the position she would fill.

The DISC Assessment Does It

The quickest and most effective way to learn to recognize the different styles and how to adapt to them is to obtain a full formal DISC assessment on you. At RichLevinDISC.com you can see a sample of a full DISC assessment.

A DISC assessment clearly and specifically identifies a person’s level of each of the behavior styles.

The DISC assessment is a questionnaire you complete online in about ten minutes. Within minutes you receive a full 22 to 26 page DISC assessment that details your behavior and communication style including your ‘Ideal Work Environment,’ ‘Do’s and Don’ts, of Communicating With You,’ ‘Keys to Motivating You,’ Areas for Improvement and more.

The first step in gaining the skill and insight into recognizing styles and adapting your behavior is understand your own DISC style.

It then becomes easy to apply your understanding to quickly learn about the characteristics of the other styles.

As you learn to recognize each style you learn to adapt your behavior and it becomes natural to develop connection and trust that leads you to greater success in your business and your personal relationships.

Common Question Answered

The question often asked is whether one style or another is more likely to be successful as a Real Estate Agent.

Statistically High Dominant “D” and High Influential “I” styles are higher performers in a sales environment including Real Estate.

However Stable Steady “S” styles are the strongest negotiators. And some of the most successful mega company owners are very high Conforming “C” style. So, each style can achieve exceptional status and results in specific positions throughout the Real Estate profession. As you more clearly understand your style you can choose the most successful direction for your career.

There’s More

This is the first in a series of articles to lead you to build the skills that will make you a much more powerful and successful communicator. In future articles you will receive detailed information on each style, how to recognize and adapt your behavior to each, which styles are more likely to be in conflict with each other and how to increase compatibility and many other subtleties of the styles.

All of this information and more is included in a 35 page manual “LEARNING and UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION, PERSONALITY, and BEHAVIOR STYLES,” that you can receive in addition to your DISC assessment. If you wish to order a DISC assessment for you and others and/or you would like a copy of the manual go to RichLevinDISC.com.

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By Rich Levin

Stewart Arulson sold over thirty homes last year. He sold over forty the year before that. In fact he has sold between thirty and fifty homes for the past five years. He is eager to get to another level, the next level.

When an Agent like Stewart calls me about coaching I know that his next level will occur from hiring the best people rather than from refining his skills, increasing his prospecting, or acquiring the hottest new lead generating tool or system.

Most Agents find hiring Real Estate assistants and buyer specialists challenging. There are specific skills and a process that we use with our clients that has proven to be extremely effective in hiring the best people.

Job Profile – Skills & Style

You are destined to hire badly unless you are clear on the skills and best personal style that will be required for the job.

Will the job require organizational skills, computer skills (what programs or applications), graphic design skills, communication skills, and/or selling ability? These are skills.

Do you need someone that is great with people, well organized, results oriented, a team player or a team leader? This is personal style.

You clarify the skills and style required by writing down what you want that person to do. Then review it yourself and possibly with a trusted spouse, broker, or coach discussing the appropriate skills and style for the specific tasks and responsibilities of the position you wish to fill. I call this creating your job profile.

DISC Assessments

To understand and determine personal style we use a DISC assessment. There are four basic personal styles.

1. Results Orientation

2. People Orientation

3. Team and Trust Orientation

4. Process Orientation

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages for specific job responsibilities. You may look and say that you want all four orientations.

Unfortunately human beings are not made that way. A wrench may be used as a hammer. But using the wrench as a hammer does the job poorly and ruins the wrench. A human beings make-up is appropriate for certain jobs and not for others. Mismatching the style to the wrong job gets the job done poorly and “ruins” the person and possibly their relationship with you.

The First Step

So, the first step is to create your job profile. List the roles, jobs, tasks, and responsibilities you want the person to accomplish. Then deduce the skills needed and the style best suited for those jobs.

Locating the Best People

There is always a temptation to hire people that are recommended to you. More often than not it doesn’t work out.

So, I believe in addition to telling everyone you know that you are looking; I strongly suggest that you advertise for the position.

Once you have the job profile described earlier, it becomes very easy to write an effective ad for the position.

Here is an example.

Administrative Assistant: 15 – 20 hrs/wk $10 – $15hr + bonus, high level computer skills & highly organized with ability to multitask, coordinate projects and work independently. Email resume to:

Or a simpler version:

Administrative Assistant: 10 – 15 hrs/wk $10 – $15hr + bonus, very computer literate, highly organized, excellent people skills and able to work independently. Email resume to:

The simpler the ad the more responses you will get. There are a lot of people looking for this type of position so I favor spending a little more on the ad and letting it pre-qualify the candidates.

Notice that there is no phone number. If the candidate for an admin position can’t e-mail a resume’ you don’t want them. Also, I am not sure what the formal etiquette is but I suggest that you do not have to respond to resume’s that do not interest you.

Reviewing Résumé’s

What do you look for in a resume’? You want to see the level of neatness and language that you would be pleased to represent you, the work experience that indicates the skills that you desire, plus consistency of employment and longevity on the job that shows reliability.

The Phone Interview

Many people ignore this step or simply haven’t considered it. It is a hug time saver in addition to providing information you might not otherwise obtain. I suggest a brief phone conversation to determine whether you have a candidate you wish to take the time to interview in person.

Prepare two starter questions. One question is a litmus test question that gives you a clear indication of their suitability for the position. For example, if working independently is necessary you might ask, “Tell me about the job that required you to work most independently.”

The second question is specific to the resume’. Perhaps, “There is a six month gap between jobs. Please tell me why.”

These two questions open a conversation in which you listen for two things. Obviously you are listening to the answers to the questions. As importantly you are determining if this is the voice, if this is the demeanor that you want representing you on the phone in your business.

You can leave the conversation with the comment that you will be in touch if you are interested in a personal interview. Or you can schedule an interview.

As we schedule the personal interview we explain that a DISC assessment will be sent to them and we will need it complete before the interview. It takes ten to fifteen minutes.

We use a DISC assessment from Target Training International Ltd. This is sent to them by e-mail and you can have the result within minutes of their completing it. You can contact us for more information on this.

I do not use the DISC as a strict determinant of qualification for the job. I do use it as a guide to give me insight into the personal style and potential tendencies the candidate may have.

The First Personal Interview

After the phone interviews you will probably reduce the resumes and candidates to less than five, often just two or three.

We schedule an hour for each interview. That may seem like a long time. It is wise and necessary. Consider that you are going to work with this person for thousands of hours. In a very real way you are placing the pace and extent of your success in their hands. Consider this and you will choose to take the time to ensure you choose the best candidate.

Have a complete list of interview questions prepared. Our list has 24 basic questions then we add real life situational questions that pose actual situations of what to do when faced with a difficult client or making a difficult choice.

One corporate executive told me that he interviews for at least a half hour if he is interested in hiring the person. He said, “Rich, they may be able to fool you for a while but after a half hour of answering your questions they wear down and you start to see what the person is really going to be like to work with day after day. I don’t use a time measure. I do know that my list of question takes over a half hour to ask. It is built to ask the same thing a couple different ways.

By the way, please be sure most of the time is spent with the candidate answering your questions, not your answering theirs or your elaborating on the position.

Preparing the Best Candidate

This first personal interview is the best time to prepare them for any parts of the job that you feel may be particularly challenging for them. This is the time when you can tell them the “bad parts” and get their agreement that they can and will handle them.

At our first interview I said to my assistant, “Rebecca, I want you to know that I have fired two previous assistants and it was my fault both times. I appear like a nice guy. And I am a nice guy as long as the work is done well. I am even nice the first time mistakes are made. But I have very little patience for repeated mistakes. In the past, I have not expressed this clearly enough. So, I would tolerate mistakes even say it was OK when it wasn’t. Then I’d get fed up, just blow up and fire the person. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t make that mistake again. So, even the smallest mistakes that bother me even a little I will point out to my new assistant as soon as I see the error. And that would be the healthiest way to work and ensure a long successful relationship. Can you live with that?”

I actually went on to say, “And in the past when my assistants work was not at the level I wanted but I knew they had worked hard on it, I would say it was good and make the corrections myself. Again, I resented this more each time I did it until it became intolerable. So, if your work isn’t everything I want it to be I am going to pass it back until you are operating up to the standards I want. Can you live with that as well?”

When an Agent is looking for an administrative assistant I suggest at this first interview you prepare them for their job changing as you grow, as the market or the myriad of other things from forms to laws change. I suggest you explain that theirs will be an exciting and dynamic position, seldom boring and often challenging. As above I ask their agreement that they embrace that.

Some of you may be thinking, ‘who would ever want to work with a boss like that. Everything I said was true and the person who would work with me was one that made it through my rigorous interview process. She knew she was selected for her work ethic and that she would be appreciated for that.

The Final Steps

Other important elements to hiring the best people include structuring compensation at the outset with the job profile then at the second interview negotiating the compensation.

Training, supervision, and motivation are obviously very important. These last steps are subjects on their own and this article is already long enough. So watch for part two and we’ll cover the balance.

Until then, live, love, and be happy.

Rich Levin is a coach, educator and speaker. He and his coaches’ specialty is working with productive Real Estate Agents and Brokers taking them to their highest levels of production and performance in their business and in their lives. Rich has been in the Real Estate Business for over 30 years with the last 15 dedicated to coaching and speaking.
If you would like to schedule an hour with Rich to a complete a Business Plan for your individual business Contact him at 585-244-2700 or Rich@RichLevin.com or Register for “Rich’s Success Community” and receive ongoing tips, articles, and product discounts. Contribute your thoughts to Rich’s ongoing conversation about how to succeed in your business and your life at RichLevinBlog.com.
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By Rich Levin

Yesterday, a friend said to me, “Rich, now I know you shouldn’t do business with friends.” I held my tongue because I completely disagree with the sentiment. In my opinion you should always do business with competent friends and never do business with someone just because they are friends.

He explained that he had put his house on the market eight months earlier with his best friend’s wife. She was not able to sell it. So he hired an Agent who sold a lot of the homes in his neighborhood.

Very proudly he said, “The Agent told me to do some work on the house. We took down my wife’s quilts that were hanging on the walls. Pulled up the carpeting in two of the upstairs bedrooms to show the hardwood floors and spent about $800 in paint and minor repairs. The house sold the first weekend to the first buyer who saw it after the work was done.”

The first Agent, friend of wife, said she liked the quilts on the walls. And she said the new buyer might like the (old) carpeting. Was this incompetence or wanting to placate a friend? Either way, it cost the original Agent the listing, over six months of time and expense, plus possibly the relationship. Obviously, it cost the client in many ways as well.

The secret to getting your listings sold is to convey to the Seller what it will take to make their house show its best. I know. This is not much of a secret. Every Agent knows this. But, do they do it? The ones who do this get their listings sold, the ones that don’t waste time and money.

If you are not sure what to tell a person, here are a few tips and you can search “Real Estate showing tips” on the web to find many more.

1. Less is usually better than more, less pictures, less furniture, less on the walls, less on the counters and less on the floor.
2. Lighter is better than darker. Put bulbs in every fixture, the highest wattage recommended in darker rooms. Turn on all lights and open all curtains.
3. Freshen up paint. Shampoo rugs. Expose hardwood. Wash windows. Make bathroom fixtures and kitchen surfaces shine.
4. Place a few planters with fresh flowers near the entrance, mow the lawn, trim the edges, and in winter (in the north) keep it shoveled, salted, and/or sanded.
5. On the outside paint the most street visible areas. Stand in the street and look at the paint or siding, shudders, curtains, plants, grass, drive way, roof, chimney, etc.
6. Trust your instincts: If you think something should be done, generally you’re right, do it!

As part of your listing presentation offer to make suggestions that will make the house sell faster and probably for more money. But, don’t make those suggestions until after you have signed the

paperwork. Some of the time you will offend the seller with your suggestions and cost yourself the business.

I suggest you say something like. “If you like I can make some suggestions that will get you more money and probably sell your property faster. I promise that if I ask you to spend $10 it is because I am certain you will get a $100 more for the investment. Would you like me to make those suggestions if we choose to work together?” Then tell a brief anecdote that illustrates your success with this. If you don’t have one, start doing it and you will soon. Or, use my anecdote from the beginning of this article saying, “This is a common scenario. An owner hires one Agent that does not make these suggestions. The home languishes on the market for months. Then another Agent is hired. They make these suggestions. The owner follows their advice and like magic the property sells very quickly. It is such a waste of your time and delays your plans that I feel I must offer to do everything that will get you the most money, prevent your frustration, and free you to make the move you want.”

We coach Agents who are selling hundreds of homes a year. Most of them were selling a whole lot less than that when they began coaching with us. After years of coaching success we know what the difference is between Agents that constantly struggle and Agents that are wildly successful in their business. Much of the difference is these basic things they do consistently and conscientiously. Advising the seller as above is one small part of one of those basics systems.

If you would like to learn how to build money making, business building habits and systems into your business that will take you to the income and career you desire.

For more information on how you can implement a powerful listing presentation into your business, call or visit us on the web at www.RichLevin.com

Rich and his coaches specialize in working with Real Estate Agents and Brokers taking them to their highest levels of production and performance in their business and in their lives.

Register now for a Business Planning Session. I promise you will learn the habits and systems that produce huge results, and you will have taken a giant step toward realizing all of your dreams! Contact Rich directly at 585-244-2700 or Rich@RichLevin.com�