I am hearing a lot of whining from real estate agents in Detroit. We are hard hit here. But do you think those agents will change their habits? Will they do something that they haven't done? Or will they sit by the phone and wait for that call?
I have an agent in our office. They have no listings, they have no buyers.
- Are they calling expireds? ................NO
- Are they knocking on doors? ...................... NO
- Are they putting out fliers or advertising .................... NO
- Are they blogging? ...............................NO
- Do they have a good website? ....................NO
- Are they working harder or working more than 40 hours? ...................NO
- Are they complaining Heck Yes!!!!
Do I feel sorry for this person? Unfortunately no. I have talked to them about blogging. Have they taken the step. NO. It is easier to complain about no business. Easier to talk to others about how hard the business is. Easier to scour for news about other Realtors that are failing.
But Metro Detroit homes are selling! Sure the commissions are smaller. Sure it is tougher to put a deal together. Sure there are less buyers.
Are you going to wait for the wind to change? Or are you going to change your course. 
The wind is there. The business is there.
GRAB THAT BUSINESS!
HOMES ARE BEING BOUGHT AND SOLD ACROSS THE COUNTRY
PEOPLE ARE MOVING!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET YOUR PIECE OF THE PIE? Don't sit around and work yourself out of the real estate business.
photo courtesy of http://www.freephotos.com
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My Month of December quote:
~ Mark Twain”
Russ Ravary
"helping make your move easier"
your local Metro Detroit Realtor helping clients like you sell and buy homes through out the entire Metro Detroit suburbs. I love showing and selling Oakland County and Livingston County Lake front homes too.
Those who are sitting in the office are doing just that sitting, no longer can do that and expect to be successful. No one is beating down the doors anymore but there are buyers and sellers out there.
We all have to adjust to the "New Market" and you're so right - there are buyers out there; you just have to work harder to get them.
You said it, Russ! It's kinda like Voting in the U.S. We always tell people that if they don't vote, and the winning canditates don't govern to their liking, they've got no room to complain, because they did nothing to influence the outcome. Same with real estate or any other business: If you do nothing to influence the outcome, you have no reason to complain!
Thanks for your post. Waiting for a walk-in, waiting for "the" call, waiting for the hot lead, waiting for the referral, in most cases just equates to .... well, uh, waiting?!
when I saw things going down hill..i tried to figure out the best way to adapt..and I am hanging in there....so you are right, we gotta do something... !
Do nothing ... earn nothing. There is work out there if you get out and hustle it up. Like a friend of mines says, go out there and kill something and drag it home for Pete's sake, an quit you whining...
hmmm... so, Mi isn't in the dumper? I think I would do some consulting or find something else until it turned around as apposed to making 1/2 of what I did for the 3rd yr. in a row.... sometimes it's just sour lemons and not lemonade. no?
Thanks for the great post! I am having my best year ever in this market so I say "Bring it on". When someone whines about it that's what I tell them. Work harder than those crying and you'll be laughing all the way to the bank!
I couldn't agree with you more!
On the up side, this market will most definitely weed out those who are part time realtors. There are too many realtors who are in this business as an extra income and don't give it 100%. Those that wait for business to come to them instead of going out to get it can't survive long in this market, leaving the clients to those that are willing to give it their all. Yes, the numbers are down, the commissions are smaller and the work is harder but, as you said, there are clients out their if you're willing to go find them.
kudos to the doers!
Russ, I got an email from one of the agents in my office yesterday asking what I was doing to get all of these listings. I wrote her back to say that I am working my tail off, thats how.
Russ, You are so right! There may be less business, but it is still business if you go after it!
Old habits die hard. Two things that my wise old grandmother taught me:
She was right on both counts.
Russ- you make a great point here... we just need to earn the business.