{EAV:42eed61e787fa898} The real estate industry is in a constant state of turmoil these days with economic challenges, regulation that has changed our business and innovation in technology that most brokers and agents are not keeping up with.
Times like this can be exciting, emotional, humbling, and can be miserable enough to make you want to quit this business and go get a real job, or it’s a time filled with opportunity and growth, it’s your choice. Of course some of us don’t really look at our career as a job because we love what we do. That is the big test these days; do you love what you’re doing?
It wasn’t that long ago an agent showed homes, wrote up an offer, turned in the paperwork and went to a closing within 30 days. Well, we all know those days are over. Today we have short sales, foreclosures, tight credit requirements, appraisal regulations and the list goes on. Now, I am not being pessimistic about the challenges we face, I am just being realistic that it’s not business as usual, or maybe it’s just the new way of doing business, you think?
Recently I read that MAR, the Michigan Association of Realtors has formed a committee or advisory group that is working with the State of Michigan to raise the continuing education requirements for agents to renew their license. Now, that’s great news because our current six hours a year or eighteen hours every three years is a joke. It should be a minimum of 90 hours every three years, in my opinion. Here is a golden opportunity to raise the bar for our industry when it comes to continuing education. After all, with all the challenges and changes above, should it not be required to make sure everyone knows what they’re doing?
Now in addition to the economic challenges we face it’s a double edged sword when it comes to innovation. The consumer wants a better experience on the Internet search capabilities, mobile technology, and obtaining data for neighborhoods, communities and lifestyle. This may be an opportune time for REALTORS to become more tech savvy, start offering more complete information and become better educated on what’s expected from buyers and sellers.
Most resources today are available via mobile including calculators, document signing, major portals with complete listing information, open house registration, photography programs, mapping, and an array of Google tools, just to name a few.
If you’re in the real estate business for the long haul and expect to compete in today’s market, I would suggest you begin by doing the following:

• Get yourself setup to be found online with profiles, website/Blog with IDX, and a presence on social media sites.
• Get an education on marketing to today’s consumer.
• Spend a few hours a day working your plan of action online
• Get the proper guidance and consulting, so you’re not just getting overwhelmed with shinny objects.
• Learn to master Mobile Technology. The future is here.
What do you think, I look forward to your feedback, comments, and questions.
“Expect the Best” Mike

Andrew Wooten is always a hit in my book. He did an excellent job at MAR Convention discussing “Cyber Security and Social Media Safety.” Real Estate agents need to understand how to protect themselves and their clients while at the same time benefiting from the wonderful tools we have available to us with the Internet. You’ll want to follow Andrew after watching this clip on preparing for your travel, hope you enjoy.

Realtor Safety

The Rise and Fall of Advertising Media

Infographic presented by 2D barcode service Microsoft Tag.

Have you ever wondered if the real estate industry needs an overhaul? I’m talking about how we sell homes here, not fixing the economy. I have to assume that supply and demand will take care of that in the distant future. In the meantime, we are in a period of time where the opportunity exists for “Old School” models have a chance to re-position themselves to serve the e consumer with a whole new array of technology tools, systems and additional innovations.
The real estate industry has not really caught on to this innovation as fast as our new e-consumers have (Average age 34) Realtors (Average age 54). When I talk to REALTORS about how we are living in an exciting time for innovation within the real estate industry and it’s time to change, they look at me like a deer in headlights. With Geo located search, iPad technology, paperless transactions, mapping, lifestyle search, and much more, I see the industry becoming leaner and more professional in many aspects, yet much frustration and many overwhelmed. I also think we will become more specialized; breaking down responsibilities, activities and who uses what tools based on knowledge.

The Internet is changing the way we do business. These are profound changes taking place in our industry and I love it. However it really troubles me that brokers, owners, managers and agents are not buying into the educational opportunities that are being offered by so many talented sources. I think it starts at the top of any organization and that the National Association of REALTORS is certainly doing their part, as well as many state and local associations. I follow NAR closely and they are walking the talk and delivering the tools and message of innovation.

The broker, owners, and managers need to take a serious look at their mission statement as a company, share that mission with their agents and create enough passion, excitement and enthusiasm for learning that everyone buys into the plan. That means also holding our agents acountable to learn the new systems wheather it is forms online, RPR, listing syndication, or how to properly market their listings on the Internet. The advanced sessions of Blogging, Smart Phone Technology, Cloud Computing, iPad presentations, electronic signatures and forms also need to be part of the agenda for anyone expecting to compete in today’s real estate market.

I’ve met some really wonderful real estate brokers, agents and managers over the years, in addition to many real estate related ancillary business people who have inspired me by their conviction, dedication, and passion for the real estate business. That’s what makes my career so exciting. But, here’s a question for those who are falling behind. IF Not Now, When? Someone’s going to come along with a better mousetrap while you and your agents are resting in your apathy. It’s past that time to begin, but tommorrow is a new day. I believe our industry is operating on a new playing field and those who adapt will be very successful in the years ahead, what do you think?

“Expect the Best” Mike

Today I would like to draw your  attention  to 3 apps available for the iPhone, iPad and other smartphones and pads. REALTORS will find SignMyPad, DocuSign, and the  HP 12c Financial Calculator a benefit to their business.  These tools are a must have for real estate day to day business in my opinion.

SignMyPad  is the first ever PDF signature app available for download on Apple’s iPad. Once installed on your iPad, simply load a PDF (via iTunes or email), click anywhere on the screen and choose what you want to enter. You can place text, a radio button or checkbox, the date and your signature. No more printing documents to sign, then scan and email back. Do it all right there on your iPad!

A recent review stated  ”SignMyPad is one of these apps as it is a very simple idea, and it is will really help you do something useful on your iPad…this is a great app that will come in useful for a variety of people.”

DocuSign  is another nice app! You can send, track and sign documents while on the go – anytime and anyplace in the world using your Apple iPhone or iPad. With this app, they say you can do business faster.you can view real-time document status so that you instantly know what documents are completed and what still needs your attention.

Additional handy features allow you to add documents from Google docs, Box.net or use a pre-configured DocuSign Template. Instantly add iPhone photos of receipts to expense reports. Take a snapshot of a document, then drag and drop familiar œSign Here tabs on it for electronic signature.

You can also connect with a single sign-on to DocuSign™s web-based console. There is no need to enter multiple passwords from a small mobile keypad. Download from archives and view documents on your iPhone or iPad.
Another IPad must for REALTORS is the  HP 12c Financial Calculator. The Platinum version of the industry-standard HP 12c Financial Calculator adds the choice of time-saving RPN or traditional algebraic data entry as well as convenient editing features such as œbackspace and œundo keys. The 12c has been popular for real estate agent since the early eighties and has alway been my favorite. I no longer need to carry my old 12c around by having this app on my iPhone.

“Expect the Best” Mike

Well, here we go again my real estate friends with a few more new tools you may want to add to your box or you could be playing catch up in the future.

These are in no order of importance nor are they absolutely a must have, however you may want to evaluate the pros and cons of using or connecting.   Naturally, I would not be bringing these programs to your attention if I did not think you should use them.

This morning at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time a press release was issued that  Move Inc, acquired  the  award-winning company, SocialBios.com. This site will allow you to be able to see your social network connections in a new and exciting way. Last January SocialBios.com won the “Best New Real Estate Tech Start Up” award at Inman Connect.

This site will offer ways for agents and consumers to discover how they are already connected. It graphically shows the intersection between you and others as it can be tracked on social networks including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare and others.

I would suggest you get on this platform as soon as possible,  create your profile  and start exploring the site and the new connections it offers.  For more info, visit MOVE™s  blog post on Move Trends  and  www.socialbios.com. Oh, by the way, Realtor.com is owned by MOVE. (For what it’s worth)

Google+  has been around for just short of 30 days now and has well over 10 million members using their social media site.

Google Plus  has Circles to set up each contact to a circle; you just drag from your list to the appropriate group that you may have set up, for example: (REALTORS, Center of Influence, Ancillary Businesses, and Friends). Contacts can be added to multiple circles. You also have Sparks for Chatting, Hangout for live face to face video conferencing, and much more. There have been plenty of wonderful Blog posts written over the past 3 weeks about Google+ that I would suggest you read to become more aware of all the pluses. (No pun intended)

I highly recommend you just Google œGoogle Plus and start your homework. You should also take 5 minutes to view the  œInman Next Video  produced by  Chris Smith  which gives you some food for thought about Social Bios.

My point here is to make sure you take the time to establish a profile on Google with complete contact information. This will be required anyway if you decide to join Google+ at a later date.  Remember, if you plan to be found online, you need to be there.

“Expect the Best” Mike

It™s been a busy month with plenty of  new changes taking place in the real estate industry for REALTORS.  When an agent tells me they™re overwhelmed, I feel like saying, well life is overwhelming, so get with it and quit giving excuses. Technology, innovation, change and new laws are going to continue to overcome our old ways of operating in the real estate industry, so we may as well embrace it and enjoy the ride.

The other excuse I hear frequently is, I just don™t have time to learn all this stuff. What you™re saying is, I refuse to learn and I™m not willing to pay the price to become found online.  You see, it doesn™t cost much money to get yourself setup online by Blogging, setting up Social media sites, participating in conversations online and engaging others, it just costs time, and plenty of it to get started.

So What™s the solution?

First of all, you need to make a commitment to embrace change, innovation and technology and be willing to spend the necessary time to learn the essentials.  That may require you attending several educational sessions being held in your area, going online to attend webinars that relate to Blogging, social media, syndication, and other current Internet marketing programs. It may also require that you hire someone to help you get set up on various programs in order to get you started. Back in 1993, I hired a sixteen year old neighbor kids to tutor me 6-8 hours a week on computers. To this day, I am grateful for what I learned from that sharp young man.

The second thing a real estate agent needs to do is be willing to invest in the proper equipment for their business. Most real estate educators would agree that in today™s market a smart phone is a must, using forms online is a must, and being in a position to present electronically is a must. The applications available today for smartphones and iPads is unbelievable for productivity time saving programs, photography, time management and communication.

The bottom line solution is to dig in, make the time investment today. Your clients and customers are shopping online, are they finding you?

œExpect the Best Mike

Well, I just signed up for the ground-breaking nationwide certification program for front-line hospitality workers called the Certified Tourism Ambassadorâ„¢ (CTA) designation, sponsored by the Team Lansing Foundation and the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau. Not that I need anymore designations at this point in my career as a REALTOR, but to make 2011 even a better year for turning every visitor encounter into a positive experience, thus creating a brand culture of quality service. That™s what attracted me to this program. It appears that the program stretches well beyond the hospitality industry to take in Government employees, bankers, REALTORS, and many additional occupations. Anyone that is directly or indirectly involved in serving visitors to the Greater Lansing area, would qualify to take this 1/2 day course.Who better would benefit from this opportunity than a REALTOR? After all, we are usually one of the first to make contact with those individuals coming to our wonderful Tri-County area. Besides, the high level customer service shared in the 1/2 day session, I™m sure that upon completion I will know my community better, meet new friends that have the same passion for the Greater Lansing area that I do, and provide me with additional tools for the future.So, for $20.00 and an afternoon of my time, I figure it this way; I owe it to my career, my community and myself personally to become a certified Tourism Ambassador for Greater Lansing, Michigan. I™ll keep you posted.By the way, you can sign up here if you™re interested.

œExpect the Best Mike

Google provides many tools for REALTORS – Which Ones Are You Using?  Real Estate marketing with Google – Agents, R U using it? Sellers, R U Expecting It?  What do people see when they find you online? I used to hand out a business card, most of the time now, I say just Google Mike Bowler Sr. That way  it gives the consumer or those interested in real estate an opportunity to get the bigger picture on what’s happening in the Greater Lansing real estate market.Real estate agents have a wonderful opportunity provided by Google to set their business plan in motion starting with the Profile. Here is where you can add content that explains the services you provide, your contact information, photos of your listings, your professional photo, and additional links that lead prospects back to your website. (You do have your own website, right?)

Google Maps –  More people search for businesses online than anywhere else, so it’s important to make sure your business listing can be easily found on Google.com and Google Maps. You can also use maps on your profile and each listing you enter into Google Base.

Google Base  is a place where you can easily submit all your listings online, which we’ll make searchable on Google. Using the proper keywords in your content is important to include to create better content for what consumers are searching.So, you maybe asking why would a real estate agent make Google Reader and Alerts part of their business plan? The short answer is Education & staying informed. Google Reader also allows me to share interesting market updates, articles, and news with friends, contacts, and followers. Alert can be set up for you company name, your name, you community name etc and you will be notified via email when any news, Blog posts, or Internet content mentions that name. Do you know what is being said online about your company? You should be make this part of your overall package.

Another Google tool that helps drive additional traffic toward your business is when you are using Google Bookmarks. You have the opportunity to comment on real estate updates, your own Blog posts (You do Blog, don’t you?) and other Blogs. These Bookmarks show up frequently on page one of Google, again based on proper keywords and good content.

Google Docs comes in real handy for additional forms, flyers, or documents you need to share with clients and customers. They can be emailed or shared online by link. As we continue to become greener in this business forms online makes more sense.There are many other Google tools available for REALTORS to make their business much more productive. This is just the beginning and it’s what sellers deserve and should expect. Have fun, and feel free to post your questions, comments, and/or even hit the Like button.

 œExpect the Best Mike  

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRESColdwell Banker Hubbell  Briarwood1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax:  888-832-6203email: Mike@MikeBowler.comWebsite for Clients: MikeBowler.com

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Sharon and I took a little field trip downtown today to the Lansing City Market. It was pretty busy for a Saturday afternoon and parking was very  convenient. As we entered the first thing I spotted was the fresh candies and fresh bakery  items. I said to myself, yes a loaf of  cinnamon  raisin  bread just might be my prize before leaving here.  You can buy fresh produce, bake goods, organic foods, meat, fresh fish, flowers or ice cream.

The $1.6 million project had it’s grand opening of Lansing’s historic City Market in late April, according to Capital Gains the opening week had over 4000 visitors.  The market is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday-Friday. And on Saturdays, it’s open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

We ended up getting my bread. plus a ice cold mocha on the way out as planned.  I would encourage you to make a visit, take the family and help support our local businesses. Lansing is a great place to live, work, and play.

 œExpect the Best Mike  

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell  Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax:  888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com  
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
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