Category: Succeed

Posted in community, Finding a great Realtor, goal setting, Just For Laughs, Motivation, Planning, Real Estate Bay Midland Saginaw, Realtor, Selling Homes, Succeed

Are You Getting Dirty?

Posted on by Your Real Estate Matchmaker

One of my favorite things about Springtime is getting dirty! And I mean literally. As I crawled around my front flower circle a couple of weeks ago, adding 252 annuals to the perennials, the parallels between getting dirty literally here in the flower garden and in life kept springing to my mind. How so?

If I had a before and after photo; the differences would be pretty clear.  When I walked out to that 14ft circle for the first time this year you would have seen leaves, dead stalks, weeds, and a whole lot of brown. There was nothing appealing except a stray tulip and the early blooming phlox that surrounds the outside of the circle.

First thing I needed to do was to find the appropriate tools – a hoe, shovel, and gloves. Kneepads were added later, on my second trip out and were much appreciated. 😊 Once I had the tools, the work began. Crawling around for more than two hours, I pulled weeds, dead flowers, & leaves from the ground, loosened all the soil and began the planting process. As I pulled all that dead stuff out and flung it out into the surrounding yard, I can say things looked even worse than when I began. And my body began feeling the ache of all those muscles I hadn’t used since last Springtime, afterall, who spends hours crawling around? It was hard work.

At the time of this photo I was sweaty, dirty, likely a little stinky, but very satisfied and joyful. There’s not much that brings a higher sense of satisfaction than a job that you put a great effort into with great results. Just like a flower garden – in order to bring success and have beautiful results in life; we need to get dirty. We need to ascertain what the proper tools are for the job, obtain them, and get to work. We need to clear away the old things & obstacles that aren’t valuable, that aren’t beneficial and replace them with new growth. We need to have a plan and implement it. And just like in this photo when the new flowers are so small they’re not really visible without a close inspection – life accomplishments are like that too. The job is not over just because we plant new beginnings. We need to nurture, water, and maintain the weed removal to obtain the optimal results.

I hope you’re out getting dirty today! Perhaps literally and figuratively. Never give up on your dreams, never quit finding a better way and never stop seeking improvement. There is nothing more satisfying than getting your hands dirty.

I’m a Realtor/Associate Broker who likes to get her hands dirty. I am dedicated to consistent self-improvement in negotiating, marketing, sales techniques, and service. Please let me know if you or anyone you know are looking to buy or sell and I’ll be sure to take excellent care of all I serve! Your referrals are always much appreciated.

Posted in Buying Homes, Finding a great Realtor, goal setting, home ownership, Motivation, Planning, Succeed

When Gratefulness Abounds

Posted on by Your Real Estate Matchmaker

I had a reverse thrill at my double closing yesterday. I mean closings are always good, it’s what I work for, right? And a double closing where I have the buyers and sellers is even more amazing. However, yesterday I had a newfound “reverse” sensation at closing. I was so excited, not for myself, but for my clients. And when I came back to the office to update my closing chart, I had an even more amazing realization. Let me tell you about both that wild sensation and realization.

Yesterday I closed on a duplex with both buyers and sellers who were repeat clients. As I came back into the room to give the buyers the keys and saw their smiling faces it hit me; the great journey that they’ve been on. It was only a few years ago that I helped them purchase a couple of flip homes and re-sell them. Then they started to purchase up-scale rentals, beginning with hard money loans til they could “prove their worthiness” in the banking industry standards. They took risks and it paid off. After a few years, I had the opportunity to assist them in purchasing a warehouse because their construction company had taken on some great commercial contracts and they needed space. Now they’re a huge success on a Regional Nationwide scale. And they’re just plain great people. They always have a smile, they’re always polite and funny and have a vision for even greater things. It re-inspired me. It challenged me and it just plain made me joyful realizing the success and the journey they have been on.  

As I handed them the keys I thought, what a great story and fulfilling of an American dream. It has been a joy to be even such a small part of it. And then I thought of my sellers who have come full circle, selling off their first investment property, where they had lived so long ago and selling to be near to their beloved grandkids.

When I returned to my office with all the documents, I looked at my updated list of the 1st quarter closings. There were 13 of them, with over 2.5 million in volume. I can remember my early days in real estate that I hoped for that number for the year! But, the most amazing thing that caught my attention was that when I looked at that chart; showing the addresses, volume, dates, and where the business came from – I discovered that 12 of 13 deals were repeat clients or referrals from clients. That is an incredible thing. I had to sit down for a second and reflect on my gratefulness. What am I grateful for? You!  Somehow, somewhere, you’ve had an impact in my real estate career &/or my life. I just felt I really needed to say Thank You. I am so blessed and so excited for what is to come.

It is easy to forget our blessings in this often-crazy world. Sometimes we get in a rut. Sometimes we forget to dream bigger when we’ve achieved our goals. Sometimes we forget to extend our gratitude. So I wanted to do that today. I am grateful for you. Whether you’re a client large or small, a friend, my cheerleader, my mentor, someone who has referred me, reads my articles, or all of the above – I am grateful for you. Dream Big my friends, and don’t forget to thank those who have helped you become who you are. You are my blessing.

Posted in goal setting, Motivation, Succeed

Vagabond Realtor Returns Home

Posted on by Your Real Estate Matchmaker

There was no greater groan heard than that of a certain teenage girl at the mere mention of Social Studies class. Learning about cultures and geography/travel was about as boring as it could get. Fast forward 20, well let’s be real – 30+ years and this girl now considers world culture, geography, and travel among her favorite and fascinating activities.

I think my love of culture and travel, which has led to new appreciation for both and including the awesome variety of geography around the world, all began with my first mission trip to Peru back in 2005. It was there, homeschooling my young children high in the Andes Mountains in a 3rd world setting that made those ole boring social studies and geography classes come to life. Since then, my travel days haven’t stopped and my experiences just keep growing.

In 2019 I started my domestic adventures with a two week trek West to work as a hired hand on a cattle ranch. It was some of the hardest work of my life but afforded me such experiences I never could have imagined. And my meandering route there without a schedule had me stopping to see Mt. Rushmore, historic towns, mountain hiking adventures, and more.

We can’t really have a story about 2020 without talking about the effects of Covid. It did unfortunately prevent my planned trips to Scotland and Germany. It did however allow me much more time in our great State of Michigan experiencing trails, beaches, and time for cabin remodeling.

After an intimate December wedding for my daughter, and an exhausting whirlwind of a year in real estate I took a short trip to Sedona, AZ where I could relax amidst nature and spend some quality time with myself. The trails were endless and the views were breathtaking. The vastness of the land and mountains is hard to put into words. The colors, shapes, and even vegetation are completely different than here in Michigan. The people and their culture are different too, even right within our own country. Can’t say Mother Nature gave me the best weather, as it seems I brought an end to their drought along in my suitcase. The Sedonians were very pleased about that.

It is always an adventure to roam our Country or travel abroad and I anxiously await the opportunity to go on my next trip as, I hope, we get a handle on this horrible pandemic. But, I must say that despite all the adventures, despite all the amazing vistas, history, culture, and real estate to be seen across the world; it is always good to come home, isn’t it? There’s just something about home that you just can’t get anywhere else. Here in Michigan, we’re never more than 6 miles from a body of water! We have rolling and flat farm fields, woods, water, and friendly neighbors. No matter what, nor for how long, nor where I go: it is always good to come home. I’m not sure what it is. Do you experience the same? Can you put it into words? It might be reuniting with my puppies and their wiggly little backsides, plopping into my comfy bed with its fluffy duvet, the smell of home, the familiarity of the neighborhood. I’m not really sure what it is. But, this vagabond Realtor is glad to be here, living and working right here in the Great Lakes Bay Area. I can’t imagine home being anywhere else.

Posted in goal setting, Succeed

Finish The Race

Posted on by Your Real Estate Matchmaker

It’s the last lap in the Mile Run and you’re feeling fatigued. It’s been a long 3 laps around the track with one to go. On the other hand, it feels like time has flown by. Unfortunately – a few other racers have zipped past you and you’re struggling to keep up in the pack. Can you do it? Can you pass them and cross that finish line before everyone else? If you don’t, have you failed?

Is your first response yes? Yes, if you didn’t cross that finish line in first place you have failed? Well, I’d say it is about perspective. Of course, if you’re a competitive athlete, primed and in top condition you may see anything but number one as a failure. But what if you’re not that primed competitive athlete? What if you’d been knocked down in a previous race and had broken your ankle and this was your first race back? What if you had never competed before? What if you had a physical disability that wasn’t going away? Imagine even if you were competing against these seasoned athletes and you had only one leg? Would your perception change as a viewer? Would someone with one leg, someone who was running injured, despite the injury still appear a “loser” to you? Or would you consider them valiant and associate words like perseverance & strength to them?

We may not be out running an actual 4 laps around the track against others. But sometimes our lives or jobs or even both can seem like a competitive race. Working in a field measured by sales figures for me, makes things at minimum, semi-competitive. Having been the number one agent four of the last five years makes me feel like that should continue. Certainly every transaction for me brings excitement – the joy of finding the perfect match, the creating of professional videos to market and making that call to sellers that “We have an offer” and to buyers, “It’s Accepted” are highlights and the most important part of my job. Those are what I work for, not the numbers. On the other hand, if I’m not “#1” am I a failure? I hope not but it is sure easy to be hard on ourselves.

Again, I say it is all about perspective. I have to look at the major changes that have occurred in my life this year. I need to look at all the people and families that I have impacted for the positive. I need to focus on all of my successes. I hope you can do the same. What race are you in? What goals did you set that you either blew by or blew off? Maybe you’re just lagging behind a bit and lack some inspiration to finish strong. Whatever it is you’re hoping to accomplish – recommit, reconfigure, restart, regroup and get going! A full court press in the 4th quarter is an excellent jump start for a successful 1st quarter. Get Going!

Posted in goal setting, Motivation, Planning, Succeed

Remembering Your Dream

Posted on by Your Real Estate Matchmaker

adult-armchair-beverage-846080Nestled under a downy soft blanket as the breeze dances through my hair, and the sun peeks over the horizon with the sound of small waves lapping just steps away. The strong black coffee in hand awakens my senses. Small almost imperceptible details come to mind in the stillness; the plip plip of acorns hitting the metal roof and rolling down to hit the deck, swishing of the reeds as they sway in perfect rhythm, light patter of chipmunk feet scurrying to ready himself for winter.

Ok – wake up! A scene from my most recent vacation is what I described above. In my mind, it is about the most heavenly of settings possible. So much so that after that short trip to an amazing lakefront cottage up north, followed by another vacation to visit my daughter and son-in-law in the mountains of North Carolina; I re-awakened a dream. An image that really I’ve had since childhood, back in the days when I was certain I would grow up to marry Grizzly Adams. I want a home in the wilderness and on the water. I want a peaceful refuge where I can interact daily with nature. I want a place where my family loves to gather and my grandchildren will want to spend the summers with me.

This wasn’t a new dream. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t even say it was a real dream as a kid growing up on the farm. I just thought it was a reality, a for certain kinda thing. When I thought of life as a grown up, it always included wilderness, water, animals, and of course family. But then I grew up and as I went through the twists and turns of this life that I love by the way – things were different than what I’d once imagined. And that’s ok since we certainly can’t map out our futures when we’re children. Many of the things that were important to me then aren’t so much now, and visa-versa. But going on that trip reminded me that “This is something I want” and before I’m too old to enjoy it.

We should all have dreams. If we don’t dream – we won’t know what to focus on, what to strive for. Where do we want to be in 5 years, 10, 20? How do we make it a reality? Every so often it is a great idea to reboot. To stop and figure out what is really important in life and be sure when everything is said and done, we’re happy with what we’ve accomplished and where we’ve ended up.

Now that I’ve been re-inspired and have put that home on a lake in a woods on my vision board; how do I make it a reality? For me, it is through real estate investing. Not something I’d have thought of 25 years ago. But I’ve done a lot of studying, and also having been in real estate for 12 years now I know that fact of the matter is, most people (about 90%) who are multi-millionaires do so through real estate. Whether it is as a residential or commercial landlord, development, or whatever. Now, don’t get me wrong – I don’t need to be a multi-millionaire to accomplish my dream, however that would be nice. I do need a steady stream of permanent income and a nice lump of funds for a purchase.

I set my business development goals as a Realtor for several years and have accomplished each one so far. I write them down, map them out, share them with my coach, etc. But I haven’t allowed myself previously to dream personally and I think that’s been a great oversight. Because what is accomplishing my work goal if it doesn’t change my personal life? What good is it slaving away, despite loving my job, if I don’t per se, “stop and smell the roses”?

I am feeling a newfound zest for life since I’ve made my commitment to have my own paradise to enjoy with family and friends. Work comes a little easier, and sacrifice of delayed gratification more realistic.

And certainly there will be sacrifice. I understand that the key to being where few people are is to start doing what few people do. That’s a line from a favorite author/speaker Brian Buffini.

As we see the current season changing from Spring to Fall, I encourage you to take a few moments and remember your dreams and make your own change toward making them a reality. Yours may be completely different from mine – most likely they are! Just like the beauty that comes from myriad of colors in the fall, life too is beautiful because each of us is unique. Realizing and achieving your dream might not be an easy journey but I guarantee it will be an adventure. Awaken your passion in life and the world becomes brighter.

Posted in community, Finding a great Realtor, goal setting, Midland Saginaw Real Estate, Motivation, Planning, real estate, Realtor, Succeed

Overcoming Adversity

Posted on by Your Real Estate Matchmaker

Come on, Rise to the Challenge, Persistence Pays, Stick with It, are all a few common phrases that we hear when people talk about facing adversity.  Can a couple words actually help?  What is it that really allows us to overcome adversity and why do some people do so well and others often seem mired down continuously?

 

I don’t think a phrase in and of itself is going to help us much when we are faced with adversity. And let’s be honest – we all face it and all too often whether it is in the workforce or our home life.  As a Realtor, I face it often.  You may think that sounds crazy, as many people’s perceptions and expectations of a Realtor are very low.  Granted there will always be agents who live up to that low expectation, just like in any field. However, as a professional with two degrees under her belt and more importantly, decades of experience I can tell you the real estate world is full of adversity of varying degrees.

 

In real estate I face a couple different types. The first is pretty plain and simple – how do I get enough business to survive in this dog-eat-dog arena?  The second is the type of adversity I face with clients.  Sometimes this is personal, but I’m focusing more on the struggles that we face in trying to close a deal.  A couple of recent examples have been, a buyer whose employer changed their manner of payment in the middle of a deal.  The buyer being a caretaker had always received one bi-weekly check for taking care of multiple people. Week 3 of the deal, the employer decides to pay by the patient and the buyer now receives 7 different checks.  This throws the lender into a fit. How can they verify the income? We’re involved with a big bank, supposed to close this next week.  Seller wants to walk because we should already have the clear to close and now we need to postpone. It all sounds ridiculous to us but this is out of our control.  We can’t do the bank’s work for them.  What can I do?  Well, yes I can rise to the challenge and be persistent.  What does this mean specifically?  That’s where overcoming adversity becomes possible – find out the specifics.  In this case I needed to speak with the lender daily.  I needed to speak to the seller’s agent daily to quiet their fears, to show them the income hadn’t changed, to talk to them about how putting it back on the market meant starting over and possibly a worse deal, etc. I needed to keep the spirits of my buyer up so they didn’t get frustrated over what seemed such stupidity and let them walk away.  It took an extra 3 weeks, but my buyer is now happily in his new home and the sellers walked away with their check.

 

How about when as a listing agent you recommend strongly that the seller make some type of improvement that you know (from years of experience) it will not only make their home sell faster and for a higher amount – and they choose not to follow your direction?  They may even think they know more about real estate than you do! What can we do?  Stay the Course of course.  Find those facts, show them homes that sell, dig up examples, find out how your seller’s brain works – will they respond to statistics? Or will they be more affected by photos of before and after? Approaching it one step at a time until you find out what works.

 

Your adversity is different than mine. We all have our own struggles.  Though the cliché phrases aren’t going to do anything, if we think about how those phrases came about – we are on the right track to overcoming.  What does it actually entail to “Stay the Course” or “Rise to the Challenge”? Figure out what the end result needs to be. Then step by step work toward that result.  Life is not full of many one way streets.  We may have to re-route or recalculate a few times along the way.  But if you have a goal/end result that is the most important thing.  Once we know where we want to be, we will figure out a way to get there.  It may not all be clear at the beginning.  But, we’re way smarter than we usually give ourselves credit for.  Decide what you want and then go. And as another familiar saying says, Just Do It!