I wrote this article for our Association newsletter in April of last year. The years may not be this year or last year however, I think that there is still meat in the message. Let me know what you think.

The home buying and selling season……

Has started! Aren’t you glad? It seems as though it has been a long time coming but 2006 really wasn’t that bad. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 2006 was the third best year in history. Now for some more good news, 2007 is slated to be the 4th best year. Personally, my feelings will not be hurt if it came in being the best year ever, and, I’m sure that you feel the same way. Right? We start the day before the sun comes up, ok, some of us do, and we are still going way after the sun goes down, ok some will.

Man oh man it is really good to be EMPLOYED again. We now have a buyer and/or seller under contract. We are attending office meetings, going on tour even hosting open houses. We are doing everything we can to get more business and stay busy. WOW we are feeling energized again, what a feeling! There are times the spouse or significant other has to set an appointment with you just to say, hello remember me, or re-introduce their loving and patient self to you. Sure beats the times they are asking, “When are you going to get a real job?” doesn’t it? Of course, I have NEVER (tsk, tsk) been asked that question but I understand that it has been asked of some. Please do not ask me to disclose any names.
So let me ask you this, what did you do when your business was slow? Did you rehearse all of those scripts & dialogues that we have been given over the years? Did you review or update your listing presentation? What about taking a designation class to improve your skills? Even the largest of agents are always looking for ways to improve. Let me also ask you this…if the old saying “Practice makes
Perfect” is true then shouldn’t we be practicing all of the time. What about the revised version of the old saying “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect”. Eric Lindros the hockey player once said “It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts; it’s what you put into the practice.” Albert Pujols is quoted as saying “That’s why you practice for a month-and-a-half in spring training. To get ready for (days) like today.” Then Tiger Woods said “No matter how good you are you can always get better and that’s the exciting part.” Here are big names in different sports that see the importance of getting better, practice, even though they are at the top of their chosen profession. They don’t want to buy into their own press of how wonderful they are or were. They only want to get better. Albert Pujols is always taking batting practice and then during the game when time permits will double check his swing by checking the replay. Tiger Woods has hit thousands maybe millions of golf balls and still goes to the golf range to hit more so he is not surprised by the
weather or golf course.
So let me encourage you to become the absolute best that you can possibly be. We all reflect on each other, we are a team even though we are working for different companies. Our homerun, our goal or our
hole in one is when our clients reach their next level of homeownership. Let me leave you with just a one more great quote on being the best that you can be………Babe Ruth, one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and the first to hit over 50 home runs in one season said “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”

It is good to know that I work with a great group of individuals who never give up and give it all they have for everyone they serve.