I’ve had so many requests from others to share some of the “Juicy” stories and even the not so juicy stories of the fun and adventures along the way to closing.

OK, so I’m listening.  I’m putting this together TODAY with my assistant.  It’s going to be fun, a place to connect with others, share stories, vent and learn.

Are you working with REO sales?

The market is full of REO (Real Estate Owned) properties right now.   According to a recent press release from RealtyTrac.com, there was a 9 percent increase in the first quarter of this year.  http://www.realtytrac.com//ContentManagement/PressRelease.aspx?channelid=9&ItemID=6180 The press release goes on to say that “It’s very likely that we’ll see the number of REOs increase again now that most of the moratoria have been lifted.”

What does this mean to you, as a real estate professional?  More Work!

While it can also mean the possibility for more income, if you’re involved in a deal that is an REO, it will almost always mean more administrative work.

Of course, these deals are what many buyers are looking for.  The news is plastered with the statistics and buyers are seeking bargains.  However the follow-up involved with these transactions (not to mention the extra paperwork) can be overwhelming and extremely time consuming.  One of our clients recently told us she called and emailed the title company for the REO lender about 20 times before she got a reply.  This was of course before she started using our services.

1. She was told “we’re very busy”.   Wow!

1. If you don’t have an assistant or a transaction coordinator, then you’ll be the one doing all the extra work, which will cut into your time for prospecting and lead conversion as well as your free time.

So you have three options:

1. Do the extra work yourself.
2. Hire and manage your own assistant.
3. Do what many other agents have done and use the services of the Online Closing Team.

Check us out at www.OnlineClosingTeam.com and be sure to view our testimonial page.  There you’ll see what others have to say about our services.  Then, give me a call and let’s discuss how our team can help you coordinate all of your transactions.

I’ll even let you in on a little secret about how some of our clients don’t even pay a dime for our services.

Committed to your success –

Best wishes,

Michelle Spalding

No One Gets Paid Until Something Closes

Knowing how to effectively manage your deals and the many things to watch out for can dramatically increase your income as well as reduce the time you spend handling them.

Increase your free time and income generating opportunities.  Don’t do another real estate transaction without first going to  http://tiny.cc/FormsToolKit for complete details.

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I found something I thought you would be interested in. I am excited about it, so I just signed up as an “Evangelist”!

This company (ThinkTQ.com) has developed a new training system that helps people achieve their goals sooner (personally and professionally) — by giving you the tools to immediately produce better results.  Their starter package costs nothing but 2 minutes of your time.

They are the ONLY people in the world who can show you…

* What you are doing RIGHT — so you can do MORE of that…

* What you are doing WRONG — so you can do LESS of that…

* Exactly what you need to do DIFFERENT to accelerate your success.

To introduce their new product line, they are giving away 10 million audio CD training programs covering different areas of your performance: setting goals, making plans, team-building, organization, time management, your attitude, etc.

You should get one before they run out! There’s no obligation to purchase anything.

The idea is to simply choose one area of your performance, either a major strength… and make it stronger… or a limiting weakness… and eliminate it. Either way, this program focuses on personal improvement in a whole new way.

They have all kinds of simple on-line tests, assessments, workshops and a Daily Lessons in Excellence email training program that really works! I highly recommend it.

To sign up, just go to http://www.ThinkTQ.com/Gift

Enter this number in the Gift Certificate box: 110308

Let me know what you think of your free TQ Gift.

Talk to you soon.

Michelle Spalding

www.OnlineClosingTeam.com

I’m in town visiting a friend who is getting married later today.  I really love the beach especially the old Florida beach towns like Flagler.  Earlier today I went for a walk to enjoy the fresh air and check out the local real estate market.  Boy, are a lot of homes for sale here!   Unfortunately, I noticed that almost all of the real estate signs that had info tubes or info boxes on them had no papers in them.  Out of all the signs I walked past in my 1 hour long walk, only one had flyers, and it was a FSBO.

Now, I totally understand the way that flyers work, that most of the time the neighbors take the flyers and aren’t interested in purchasing the home.  But others like me, who are serious about relocating to the beach, find this troubling.  While I’m pretty savvy and can look this up on most websites, I thought how about the buyer who isn’t as geeky as me.  He or she may pass this home by and go for one that’s easier to get info on.

As I walked, I recalled a client of mine who uses a great service that has totally eliminated his need to stuff boxes with flyers. Here’s a link to the site to learn more about it – http://tiny.cc/N9F89 .  Basically, it’s a toll free service with extensions that you can record all the details about the home and me, a buyer could easily call and get everything I want.  Best of all for the agent or investor is that my info is them captured by the phone system so you can call me later to see if I got everything I needed and maybe sell a home.

It also totally eliminates the need to stuff those boxes with paper.  For someone like me to is always looking for ways to “go green” and make life easier, this seems like a no brainer.

So I contacted this company today and found out how simple it was to use and decided I needed to share this with you.  They even offer a free 12 chapter e-book on real estate marketing  to generate you more sales, just click on this link to get your copy http://tiny.cc/N9F89

Take a moment right now and visit http://tiny.cc/N9F89 to see for yourself.  It cost nothing to learn more and to receive their 12 chapter e-book.  If you like what you see, then incorporate it into your business.  If not, I’m sure you’ll still learn something in that e-book that can help you.  Either way, you can’t lose.

Enjoy your weekend.

P.S.- If you have a cheap fixer upper the Flaggler area for sale, let me know.  I have a friend who is cash buyer looking for a great deal.

The market is full of REO (Real Estate Owned) properties right now.   According to a recent press release from RealtyTrac.com, there was a 9 percent increase in the first quarter of this year.  http://www.realtytrac.com//ContentManagement/PressRelease.aspx?channelid=9&ItemID=6180 The press release goes on to say that “It’s very likely that we’ll see the number of REOs increase again now that most of the moratoria have been lifted.”

What does this mean to you, as a real estate professional?  More Work!

While it can also mean the possibility for more income, if you’re involved in a deal that is an REO, it will almost always mean more administrative work.

Of course, these deals are what many buyers are looking for.  The news is plastered with the statistics and buyers are seeking bargains.  However the follow-up involved with these transactions (not to mention the extra paperwork) can be overwhelming and extremely time consuming.  One of our clients recently told us she called and emailed the title company for the REO lender about 20 times before she got a reply.  This was of course before she started using our services. She was told “we’re very busy”.   Wow!

If you don’t have an assistant or a transaction coordinator, then you’ll be the one doing all the extra work, which will cut into your time for prospecting and lead conversion as well as your free time.

So you have three options:

1. Do the extra work yourself.
2. Hire and manage your own assistant.
3. Do what many other agents have done and use the services of the Online Closing Team.

Outsourcing is the simplest way to grow your business.  Bringing on a Transaction Coordinator to manage your REO deals as well as any others will free you up for more income generating activities.

Check us out at www.OnlineClosingTeam.com and be sure to view our testimonial page.  There you’ll see what others have to say about our services.   I’ll even let you in on a little secret about how some of our clients don’t even pay a dime for our services.

Committed to your success.

Once upon a time there was a Realtor who was very frustrated with her business and her personal life.  She was making a pretty good income, but she was exhausted by the number of hours.  While she was very grateful for the success, she longed for the excitement that she felt when she first started her real estate business.  She’d followed the advice of those who mentored her, continually sought out education and in the process, had created a steady amount of business.  Her clients loved her and she worked hard for them, but she was really struggling to maintain her energy and sometimes her sanity.

As her business continued to thrive and grow she decided the next step was to hire an assistant.  About that time, the market around her slowed down. Unfortunately the slow down in the market didn’t make her less busy, in fact, it was quite the opposite.  It was taking her more and more time to connect and convert her prospects.  Not to mention that with the struggles in the mortgage industry, REO listings and part-time cooperating agents, it was taking much more of her time manage her transactions from contract to close.

She was torn, she loved what she did, but couldn’t maintain the pace much longer.  She was fearful of hiring someone from a monetary stand point and actually considered getting out of the business.

Then, a colleague told her about a great service he was using that had changed his business and his life.  He explained he’d found a company that will manage his transactions from contract to close and that didn’t charge him until closing.  He’d done the math and to hire someone in house to coordinator his deals with their skills and experience he’d have to close more than 125 deals a year.  This new service provides him with his own coordinator who will create an online file for him, coordinate appointments, keep him and his clients updated, chase paper, manage the other parties and solve problems.  When he started using their services he was only closing about one transaction a month.  Since then he’s increased his business to about three or four transactions a month and without missing a beat, his coordinator is there to handle everything for him. His clients are always pleased that they can easily track the status of the transaction online and that he has a coordinator making sure that everything gets done. This service gave him back many hours of time which he reinvested of into growing his business.  He also found more time to spend with his family and really loved his work again.

The frustrated Realtor contacted the Online Closing Team at Transaction Management Consultants and started using their services.  Instantly she found more time for her business and her personal life.  She even found time to take long overdue vacation with her family and they all lived happily ever after.

THE END

It’s no fairy tale and no dream; there really is a team to help you for a fraction of the cost of hiring someone in house.  There are no employees to manage, no payroll taxes and no computer program to purchase.  The Online Closing Team has years of experience, proven systems and has skillfully managed thousands of transactions for our clients.

For complete details on the services that have changed the lives of hundreds of Realtors, go to www.OnlineClosingTeam.com/success.  There you’ll find complete info on how our services can help you with your business whether you’re closing one transaction a month or ten, or even more…..

I travel a fair amount and generally rely on others when I arrive at a new location for info on the best food in town.   I’m not big on chain restaurants and prefer to dine where locals eat.  It’s been a great way to meet new people and almost everyone likes to chat about their favorite place(s) to eat.  I’ve also discovered, the people will tell you about their favorite wine shops, hair dresser, seamstress or anything else you need if asked.  Most people are very eager to help and share their knowledge. 

Recently while reading one of my new geeky books, I came across info on the website Yelp.com.  This website is for posting reviews about restaurants and every other business you can imagine.  It’s like asking someone “what is the best blank in town?”  or “what do you think about blank?” and getting multiple replies from different points of views as well as contact info and directions on how to get there.  It’s also a great place where business can register their company, and then ask others to write reviews which helps others learn about a business.

After discovering this great site, I checked out a sampling of my clients and several businesses I work with regularly and discovered that only one of them was listed.  I also learned that in February of 2009 they had over 20 million visitors to the website.  That’s a HUGE amount of traffic and has prompted this blog post to let you know of this valuable, FR*EE website that will provide you with an opportunity to list your business, get reviews and benefit from some of that traffic.  It will also be a fun place to check out new places and explore something you’re maybe not even aware exists, right in your own city!

So when you have a moment, go to http://www.yelp.com  register as an individual and start reviewing and enjoying the information from fellow Yelpers about what’s great in your area or one your visiting.  As a business owner go to http://www.yelp.com/business and register your business and then solicit reviews from past and current customers.  If you’re a client of Transaction Management Consultants, be sure to take a moment and write a quick review about our services after you’ve registered. 

Let me know if you found this helpful, by posting a comment

Every once in a while I come across something that almost seems too good to be true.  Always wanting to see the best in people and situations, I like to test things before I cast them aside as unbelievable. 

Well, Google 411 is truly one of those that seems to good to be true, but it totally is. 

This service allows you to dial a toll free number (800) goog- 411, speak the location and name of the business you’re looking for then it will connect you.  Best of all it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE!  

Check out more details at http://www.google.com/goog411/   I’ve stored the number on my cell so when I’m out and need to find a business, I can without having to look it up on the internet on my phone.  I’ve found it so much faster and easier to use.   The service will also connect you so you don’t have to write down the number, no more scrambling for a pen or trying to remember a number.  There are other features like additional information and you’ll get the address of the business as well as the phone. 

Try Google 411 – for yourself and let me know what you think of this service.

Have you ever stopped and thought about how much you’re paying the person who handles your administrative work?  Sending faxes, filing papers and making follow-up calls?  Are you the CEO and Administrative Assistant in your business? 

Did you know it is estimated that the average experienced real estate agent or real estate investor spends approximately 19 hours managing a transaction from contract to close?  The time spent managing the transaction has significant financial implications you, as a business owner as well as the amount of money you’re earning.     

Let’s assume you plan to make $75,000.00, per year or about $37.50, per hour based on a 40 hour work week.  If you spend 19, of your hours, managing a transaction the cost to you is in excess of $700.00, per transaction!  Not to mention the lost opportunity costs because of the time spent in the office, on the phone (generally on hold), sending faxes, emails or filing.  

Hiring an assistant is an excellent way to help you spend more time on income generating activities.  An assistant or coordinator with experience in real estate can instantly impact your business.  Managing an employee however can have it’s own unique challenges. 

Thanks to the internet, there are virtual assistants and virtual support companies that specifically assist real estate professionals.  While rates and services vary, let’s assume you are opt to have a coordinator manage your transactions from contract to close. 

With an average fee of just $325.00, per transaction, generally payable at closing, you have immediately given yourself a raise of almost $400.00, for each transaction closed! 

• Hiring a transaction coordinator, either virtual or in your office will immediately provide you: 
• The ability to focus on your core business, selling homes
• Greater control into the transaction activity for you and your buyer/sellers 
• Central location of information through a private secure website managed by your coordinator
• A budget friendly to grow your business

In addition to giving yourself an immediate raise by having a coordinator manage your transactions, you will also be gaining more time in your day.  There are so many things you could do with that additional time, such as take a vacation, enjoy a day on the golf course, work on calling all past clients to keep in touch, attend networking functions, volunteer, and the list goes on and on. 

Opportunity doesn’t knock twice.  Putting yourself in the path of opportunity and not at a desk or on hold is the best way to increase your productivity and earnings. 

Now that we are more than half way into the year, take a look and see where you are.  Remember it is never too late to change direction and get the assistance you need to start building the business of your dreams.  

For additional information on the services of nations leading online closing coordinating team, visit www.OnlineClosingTeam.com.