In the age of technology, isn’t it nice to receive a card in the mail? It is much more memorable than receiving an email or a text message. The person who sent it took the time to write the note, put a stamp on it, and put it in the mail. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling to know someone cares about me that much.

Wouldn’t it be a nice gesture to send a thank you card to a client, business associate, or even a prospective client?

Here are some ideas:

• Thank a fellow Realtor for selling one of your listings.
• Thank a mortgage broker for a job well done.
• Thank a prospect who just signed up for IDX on your website.
• Thank a prospect that took the time to call you.
• Thank a home seller for listing with you.
• Thanks for a referral.
• Thank a potential home buyer after showing them properties.
• Thank a prospect for filling out a CMA form on your website.
• Thank a friend request on Facebook.
• Thank a prospective seller after a listing appointment.
• Thank every open house attendee.

You get the idea. Try to send out 5 cards or notes per day and see what kind of response you get. I think you will be pleased. Soon you will think of more and more fun occasions to send cards.

Eric Pakulla, a Realtor® with RE/MAX Advantage Realty in Maryland, talks about handling FSBO’s, expireds and past customers — and how having a positive attitude can have a huge impact on your business.

For Sale By Owners have been a huge part of his business over the past 10 years. He got started by taking Mike Ferry training courses, and still uses those practices today. Although 33% of his business comes from HomeGain, the remaining portion comes from FSBO’s, expireds and past customers.

He says his advice to working with FSBO’s is simple. What is it?

BONUS: During this call Eric provides a “phone script” that makes it easy to call up potential new clients!

Listen to the HomeGain Radio Clip (approx 14 minutes):

Eric Pakulla was the first real estate agent to earn one million dollars from AgentEvaluator (home buyer and seller leads) and is nearing the two million dollar mark, and has been the Nationwide HomeGain Top Performer since 2005.

Listen to more HomeGain Radio calls.

The weekend before last, (April 10-11) was National Open House weekend.  Pushed by local Realtor associations and brokerages, this was to be an all out assault meant to encourage home buyers to take advantage of current low interest rates, high inventory (in some areas) and the federal tax credits (only good for contract through the end of April).

But was it a good idea?  And did it work?

In the Washington Metropolitan area, I will go with an unequivocal no…and no.

We are fortunate to be in a market that is clearly recovering.  As an indication, lenders are giving many “close-in” DC neighborhoods the stamp of “stable” — up a notch from the previous designation of “declining”.  We have been seeing the return of multiple offers on properties that are well priced in many localities.

Artificially Producing A “Fire-sale Perception”?

So what did National Open House weekend do for us in the close-in DC Metro area?  Well, it surely made many employees at The Washington Post happy, where open house ads took up more space than we’ve seen in over a year.  The result?  A perception of a higher absorption rate that diluted the number of potential buyers going to each open house.

The “Open HouseFest” vs. The “After Party”

One of my sellers REALLY wanted me to hold his house open last weekend because he thought that his garden was looking particularly beautiful.  He owns a home in a highly desirable area of Northwest Washington, DC and the house itself has tremendous curb appeal. Continue reading this post

In just five weeks, on Monday, March 1, HomeGain will kick off its second HomeGain Nation Live Real Estate Forum in San Francisco.

HomeGain Realtor members* are invited to attend this complimentary, 1-day event to network, discover new strategies and learn how to advance plans for a successful 2010!

We are also pleased to offer member attendees a complimentary Sunday night reception, Monday lunch, and a 1-night stay at the world-renown Fairmont San Francisco.

If you have not received your invitation, or would like more information, please email us and include your contact and/or membership details.

Follow the event on Twitter #homegainnation to get clues for how to win some great prizes at the event, including: Continue reading this post

HomeGain rolled out its November/December 2009 newsletter for Realtors, called “Agent Success Newsletter“.

The digital real estate newsletter included:

• Feature Story: Announced the results from HomeGain’s Q4 home prices survey which showed that the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit spurs home sales and stabilizes home prices. Special thanks to the Realtors and members of the press who attended the December Press Call. News coverage of the home prices survey includes: Boston Globe, Real Estate Economy Watch, UPI, Dallas Dirt, RISMedia, Inman News, Sellsius Blog, DS Magazine, Housing One Magazine, OC Metro Magazine, Staten Island Real Estate News. Read all news stories.
• Agent Question of the Month: I recently noticed the new “Agent Video” feature for my AgentEvaluator® and AgentView subscriptions and wanted to know if HomeGain has any best practices or tips for making my Intro-video? Get answer
  
• HomeGain News: Two Realtor members earn $500,000 from HomeGain; Home Improvement and Staging Survey results were released; HomeGain launches a Share the Smiles campaign for Realtors (don’t forget to send in your photos!); HomeGain moves its office to a new location in Emeryville.
• Agent Success Awards: We congratulated the newest AgentEvaluator Platinum Club, Gold Club and Silver Club members (16 real estate agents inducted).
• Customer Advocates: For October, Chris Johnson was the winner and for November, Charles Koo was recognized.
  

Sign up here to receive HomeGain’s FREE Agent Success Newsletter

Read past real estate newsletters

Two more members have earned over $500,000 in gross commissions from HomeGain business; HomeGain inducts a total of 18 agents into its elite clubs

HomeGain today announced the induction Therese Albertini of LifeStyleMOVES and Carl Medford of Windermere Properties of the East Bay into its elite HomeGain AgentEvaluator® Diamond Club. HomeGain’s Diamond Club now has 23 members.

Therese Albertini stated: “Service, commitment and caring are three attributes you want from a business partner. Our relationship with HomeGain has been wonderful for our company and those we serve. Helping families and individuals achieve their homeownership dreams is what makes our team passionate about what they do. Thanks, HomeGain, for your partnership over the years.”

Carl Medford commented: “We have closed 2 1/2 times the business this past year than we have ever done in any previous year. And the year isn’t over. Thanks, HomeGain!”

HomeGain also announced the induction of 16 HomeGain member agents into its other elite clubs, including:

• Five new HomeGain Platinum Club members (now totaling 352 members who have earned $125,000 or more in gross home sale commissions from AgentEvaluator)
• Six new HomeGain Gold Club members (totaling 279 members who have earned $75,000 or more)
• Five new HomeGain Silver Club members (totaling 231 members who have earned $50,000 or more)

“We are pleased that we can quantify the continuing success of our members using AgentEvaluator,” stated Louis Cammarosano, General Manager at HomeGain. “AgentEvaluator now has nearly 900 elite club members. We are proud to that such highly devoted and successful real estate agents have chosen HomeGain as their marketing partner.”

Read the full press release

Read October 1 press release: HomeGain Inducts 39 Members Into Its Clubs

Read more HomeGain Club news

Read more HomeGain press releases