2009 April AmeriSpec E-newslettter

AmeriSpec(R) Home Inspection Service - REAL Estate Inspector Online

April 2009

Finding Motivation in a Tough Market

When market conditions are tough, you often have to work harder than ever, and the outcome can still be disappointing. If you find yourself less than 100% motivated on some days, perhaps these quotes and ideas can help.

"How's business?" someone asks.

"Unbelievable!" you reply.

No matter what's going on in your world, that answer probably applies. If things are tough, all the more reason to give a response like this. Not only will it be interpreted as positive by others, but it could help to give you a mental boost as well. Certainly it's more inspiring than saying, "OK," or "I've seen better days."

Small things like this can help you through rough times and make good times seem better. Keeping a positive outlook is vital to maintaining the motivation you need for the complex tasks of the real estate business.

From experience, you probably know on average how many times you have to show a home before it sells. However, you still probably feel disappointment when you show a listing to a potential buyer who is obviously unimpressed. Instead, turn that into an acknowledgement that you are one step closer to your goal: every time you show a home to someone who doesn't make an offer, you're that much closer to the person who will.

That type of positive attitude not only can enhance your motivation, it will be evident to the home shoppers that you are the upbeat, positive type of person they might like to do business with in the future.

It also doesn't hurt to read a motivational quote every day. You can find calendars and websites that provide this daily dose of inspiration, but here are a few to get you started:

"Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself." - Coach "Bear" Paul Bryant

"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances." - Martha Washington

"The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity." - Winston Churchill

"I am a lucky man." - Christopher Reeve
"Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so." - Charles De Gaulle

"Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory." - Ghandi

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes." - Benjamin Disraeli

In This Issue

Finding Motivation in a Tough Market

Relax: Plan for a Vacation Experience that Doesn't Evaporate When You Return

Helping Clients with Foreclosures

Creating a Positive Office Culture

DID YOU KNOW?

The AmeriSpec® home inspection process usually takes two to three hours depending on size, age and condition of the home, and any additional services provided.

For more information please visit www.amerispec.com

Relax: Plan for a Vacation Experience that Doesn't Evaporate When You Return.

Vacations are invaluable times to rest, recharge, and reconnect with loved ones. However, when you return that wonderful vacation feeling simply flies out the window, making you wonder if it was worth it. You're not alone. According to author Dr. Pam Brill, for most people the value of a vacation disappears between 90 seconds and 90 minutes of returning to work.

Even so, vacations are worth it! They're a reward for your hard work as well as a chance to get a different perspective on life. Without them you burn out and lose productivity over the long run. The solution is to plan your work absence as well as your vacation plans.

Make sure everyone knows when you are leaving well in advance. Then, remind them again and again; this goes for clients as well as co-workers.
If you don't have an assistant, find someone to take care of each active client while you are gone, and make sure that person is fully briefed and introduce him or her to your client.
Follow through on all email, mail and pending tasks in advance.
Make reminder lists and to do lists for your return to help you get started again.
If you simply don't feel like you can be totally out of touch, try to funnel all calls through one contact person to reduce confusion.
Ask someone you trust to handle any emergencies; put that person's name and number on your messages while you are away.
Program your email, work phone, pager and cell phone to say you are on vacation and when you will return. Don't forget to include the name and number of your emergency contact person.
To keep calls from fracturing your whole holiday, set a specific time each day you will be available to talk if necessary, like first thing in the morning or at lunchtime.
Try to arrive home a day or two before you return to work. You'll feel less stressed if household chores, piled up mail, and similar things are taken care of before you tackle your work schedule.
Don't let things slide when you return. Stick to your usual organizational plans to keep things on track.
Don't let piled up work keep you from your exercise routine.
Exercise gives you more energy and stress relief.
Go to bed and wake up at your regular times, no matter how far you've traveled; it's the easiest way to deal with jet lag.

Careful planning before you pack your bags can really make a difference upon your return. Knowing tasks are being handled while you are away will make it easier to enjoy your vacation time to the fullest, and may help you to keep that "vacation feeling" longer than a few minutes on your return.

Helping Clients with Foreclosures

Not that long ago, it seemed like homeowners couldn't make a bad real estate investment. Now, some homeowners are at risk of actually losing their homes, while others see new opportunities to find a home at a bargain price. Either way, taking an active interest in foreclosures could be a plus for your business.

If you're interested in pursuing homes facing foreclosure, you may want to subscribe to a listing service like RealtyTrac. Services like this one maintains a national database of homes in pre-foreclosure that is updated daily.

Many of these homes may not be listed with a real estate agent, giving you the opportunity to negotiate directly with the homeowner. However, you still need to also contact the trustee for the property as well as property reports that could reveal any liens on the property.

Because a homeowner facing foreclosure probably can't afford to pay for any repairs the home may need, a professional home inspection is of added importance before negotiating a selling price. The costs of any needed repairs can then be subtracted from the offered price.

You can also help clients who are having trouble meeting their mortgage payments. If a homeowner who is delinquent in payments wants to keep his home, talking to the lender as soon as possible is advisable. Many lenders will work with the homeowner through a short refinance, a new repayment plan, or other viable options.

If the homeowner wants to sell their home, encouraging them to price their home realistically for a fast sell could make a great difference in their future credit rating. The faster the home sells, the less debt from missed payments and related charges will accrue. This is when your selling skills can make a major difference.

Making sure everything is in place to enhance the home's appearance and speed its sale will not only make a happy home buyer, it will also provide relief to your client - the strapped homeowner.

Creating a Positive Office Culture

Office culture is simply the reflection of the shared practices and values of a company's employees. Office culture is evident in the way people communicate and cooperate. It plays a part in how they use company processes and resources, and is reflected in the level of satisfaction people have with their roles.

To assess your office culture, start by observing what goes on around you. Notice how people interact - or fail to interact. Listen to what they have to say about their jobs, their associates, and their clients. Learn how your company is written about by others online or in the press. Take together, these sources can give you a fairly accurate view of your company's current office culture.

Once you determine your office culture, decide if it is in line with the company's stated mission and strategic goals. If not, you may want to make some changes to bring them into alignment.

Different types of office cultures benefit different types of companies. For real estate companies, clear communications, personal integrity, versatility, and client-focused operations are likely to all be highly desirable elements in your office culture.

Changing or refining office culture requires the involvement of employees. Change may start at the top, but it requires the continued involvement of all employees to maintain. Getting people to talk about how they think they can contribute to the company's success by helping to establish the right culture is one way to start. This encourages them to take a personal stake in your shared future.

You might bring groups of co-workers together to brainstorm ideas for change. Break them into categories like fun, communication, organization, and co-operation. Once lists are created, certain ideas can be selected to implement now with others held for later.

Once there is office-wide involvement, everyone should be ready to work together to implement the new enhancements to your office culture. At this point, it's important to actively cultivate the new office culture initiatives. Make sure everyone is following through and meeting their commitments regularly.

These efforts should result in an office where the culture encourages everyone to work together for mutual success while building a positive image for your company in the community.

AmeriSpec is a registered trademark of AmeriSpec, Inc. AmeriSpec services provided by independently-owned and operated franchises depending on location. Not all services and programs discussed herein are available at each office. Check with your local office regarding availability of services. See inspection agreement for details regarding scope of inspection and exclusions. Before following any of the cleaning information, methods, advice or suggestions above, always test a small area that is less visible first. Also, you should consult the manufacturer's care instructions and warnings before trying any of the above. Due to the general nature of the advice in this material, neither AmeriSpec, nor its individual franchises assumes any responsibility or accepts liability for any loss, damage, or injury which may be incurred as a result of any action inspired by information, advice or suggestions through this material.