As we find ourselves facing a new year ahead, I figured now is a perfect time to introduce January’s Business Spotlight. There isn’t a better time to have Fabia MacNair from Styling Spaces over for a little face-lift in your home. Check them out. A new year brings change. Introducing Styling Space Home Staging!! Selling or staying - We’ll make your space a better place! Are you working on your dream home or getting ready to sell?  Either way – Fabia MacNair and her team from Styling Spaces can make your home a joy to live in and magazine worthy all at once. Fabia has the ability to see what others cannot – a picture, a clear vision as to how a space can look if given the chance.  She also works with her clients to understand what they want to achieve in their living space, and ensures h... 01/03/2012

I am wondering if it is at all possible to have the option to post-date blog posts? My life would be so much less complicated if this option was available.    This is my wish...   That is all...     12/29/2011

I don’t know about you, but I certainly had a beautiful Christmas holiday. I cannot however, believe how fast the time has past. I truly hope however you celebrate the holiday season, you took time for yourself and your loved ones. New Year’s Resolution Anyone? About this time of year, everyone starts to decide what New Year’s resolution they will undertake. You have some of the most popular…lose weight, get out of debt, buy a home…the list goes on. Does anyone really stick to their resolutions? After talking with family and friends over the holiday season, I determined that while most people select a resolution, not everyone sticks to them. So, why if this is the case, do we make the resolution to begin with? I triumphantly pick a new resolution each year. I strive my hardest to attain... 12/27/2011

This holiday season remember cyber criminals aggressively create new ways to steal money and personal information. Scammers use many techniques to fool potential victims, including; Fraudulent Classified Ads and Auction Sales Fraudsters receive an order from a victim, charge the victim’s credit card for the amount of the order, then use a separate, stolen credit card for the actual purchase. They pocket the purchase price obtained from the victim’s credit card and have the merchant ship the item directly to the victim. Consequently, an item purchased from an online auction but received directly from the merchant is a strong indication of fraud. Gift Card Scam Be careful when purchasing gift cards through auction sites or classified ads. It is safest to purchase gift cards directly from ... 12/20/2011

Effective listening is an essential and valuable skill. Unfortunately becoming a good listener takes time and practice. 3 Stages to Listening Hearing:  Hearing just means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying. For example, say you were listening to a report on zebras, and the speaker mentioned that no two are alike. If you can repeat the fact, then you have heard what has been said. Understanding:  The next part of listening happens when you take what you have heard and understand it in your own way. Let’s go back to that report on zebras. When you hear that no two are alike, think about what that might mean. You might think, “Maybe this means that the pattern of stripes is different for each zebra. Judging: After you are sure you understand what the speaker has said, thi... 12/19/2011

With Christmas just around the corner, I’m sure you’re feeling the stress. Year end drive to meet sales goals. Planning for 2012. Holiday shopping. Social events. Phew! This time of year people tend to spread themselves too thin – we’re trying to be everything to everyone – especially Real Estate agents – its part of who you are – trying to make everyone happy! Something has got to give and most times it ends up being you!  Year end burnout can be a lousy way to celebrate an otherwise successful year.  If you allow yourself to be pulled in a million different directions you’re not doing anyone, least of all yourself, any favours and you may also end up jeopardizing your critical planning and forecasting activities for 2012. Be Proactive – Manage the Madness of the Season Delegate, Deleg... 12/12/2011

We are excited to share with you December’s Business Spotlight. This month, we welcome Safe Air Ontario – a company dedicated to removing those pesky odors from your home. Check them out below and please do share this information with your family, friends, and Associates. Safe Air Ontario’s Mission We are dedicated to helping our clients obtain a healthy environment inside their homes, business, hotels, daycare centres, automobiles, boats and RVs.  Our staff are fully insured and certified in Ozone Shock Treatment, Air Quality Testing, Mold Inspection, Infared, and Home/Building Inspections Ozone Shock Treatment Ozone, “or activated oxygen” You have probably heard this as a bad gas that is polluting our planet. In the summer we will hear the term “Ozone Days”. Well, Ozone actually clean... 12/08/2011

  Effective communication skills are essential for success in real estate. Clear communication is the foundation of a good agent-client relationship however communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information.    Here are 5 tips for effective communication:   1. Be a good listener. Effective listening is an essential and valuable skill. Unfortunately becoming a good listener takes time and practice. Effective listening is challenging, in part, because people often are more focused on what they're saying than on what they're hearing in return.   2. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don't try to be coy when you're attempting to be clear in your communication. You're not running for a political office. Be clear and concise.   3. Do ... 12/06/2011

In order to become a top producing real estate agent, you must know how to implement some key factors within your business. I have talked about these things in great detail – creating a flawless real estate system, How to add value in the lives of your clients’ and how to mange your time. Sometimes even though we have the information right in front of us and the steps to take us from A to B successfully, it can often become overwhelming. How to remember everything, keeping track of what you’ve done with what client. I get it; it can all be not only time consuming to kick-start, but also frustrating if you just can’t get it right. Allow Top Producer to Revolutionize Your Real Estate Business Top Producer is undoubtedly a state-of-the-art CRM program designed specially for real estate age... 10/25/2011

I am completely stoked to introduce November’s business spotlight. I know you might be thinking “Hold on Ness, it’s only October.” I know. I just couldn’t wait. Dilly Dally {Photography} I first met Ally at my children’s school and was completely captivated by her gentle nature and warm heart.  I have fondly watched Ally grow a brilliant photography business.  She is fun, outgoing and most importantly, patient! She has mastered lifestyle portraiture specializing in Natural-Style Infant, Child, Teen, Maternity and Family photography. Now guess what?! She is joining the real estate industry. Eeeekk!!!! Real Estate Photographer in Halton Hills Recently, she made the decision to kick her business up a notch and venture into the real estate and commercial industry. I had the pleasure of view... 10/25/2011

For all the times I have tried to explain the importance of social media, this video puts everything I have said and believe in into perspective. Check it out. 10/13/2011

Hey Everyone,    I just wanted to pose a question to everyone out there. If you could just comment and provide your two cents, I would greatly appreciate it.    WHY DO YOU THINK HOME SELLERS BECOME DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR AGENTS? Thanks for your help! 10/13/2011

Deciding to become a team leader is often a difficult decision to make. Running a team comes with a lot of responsibility and stressors. Due diligence is required in order to reach a high level of productivity. The Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations said conflict management can be described as: "Negotiating and resolving disagreements. People with this competence handle difficult people and tense situations with diplomacy and tact.  Spot potential conflict, brings disagreements into the open, and helps deescalate. Encourage debate and open discussions and orchestrate win-win situations." The problem is...not everyone is equipped with conflict management skills. What happens when conflict walks through the door? The important thing to remember when working... 01/13/2011

We've all heard it. We've probably all used the profound word before. *GASP* ...STRESS! I'm stressed. He's stressed. She's stressed. We're stressed. Real estate in and of itself can be stressful. I'd be lying if I said otherwise. Being an entrepreneur is stressful. Being in business is stressful. Hell, LIFE is stressful for Pete's sake. We get it. But, what does it really mean? What does it look like? How can we manage it? Can it be managed? Stress. It's raw form. Just what does it mean? When we think of stress, we think of the events, life circumstances, business relations and events that cause us stress. "Driving around town umpteen times with the same buyer stresses me out." "This seller isn't listening to my advice and its stressing me out." "If that Associate barks one more time ab... 01/13/2011

A while ago I wrote a blog post "5 Killer Steps to Motivate your Unmotivated Real Estate Team". I wanted to include part of this blog post in this series because I think motivation is a huge necessity. It might be difficult to keep yourself motivated. Never mind the thought of trying to do the same for a group of people that are looking to you for direction. Talk about accountability eh? Motivation is a Driving Force for Your Team In the beginning stages you might find it extremely easy to motivate yourself and your team. Your team is new, you're full of piss and vinegar and your really not focused on any negative aspects because you might not have had anything negative happen right away. In walks conflict. In walks the members that just don't feel like working today. In walks yourself ... 01/11/2011

In 1991, Angeles Arrien said a speech at the Organizational Development Network based on the work of Milton Olson. From this speech the below Lesson from Geese script was transcribed.  It circulated throughout the United States and later reached worldwide.  I, like many others, find it interesting the simple lessons we can learn from Geese and their nature. Lessons from Geese Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of each other. Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it sudd... 01/10/2011

What does Diversity mean to you? Does valuing diversity come easily? Diversity can have a copious amount of meanings. Depending upon in what relation you are referring to, diversity can take many forms. But since, we are in real estate. Let’s talk about diversity within your team, your brokerage, you clients, your business life as a whole. Diversity in business as set forth over at Wikipedia says: “Business diversity is the business tactic which encourages diversity to better serve a heterogeneous customer base.” Diversity Expands Past Colour I like to think of diversity as going beyond the mere colour of a person’s skin. I think diversity forms itself in many ways. Skill level, values, morals, life events, life circumstances etc. Having said that, I think diversity can certainly be a ... 01/07/2011

While studying Social Service Work, I took a course that examined the Dimensions of Teams and Small groups. The course taught me about group development and the behaviours associated when forming groups. We studied the Tuckman Model which was first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965. Tuckman’s model introduces 4 stages that he believes are essential in order for groups to grow and deliver results. When devising a real estate team, I believe it is important to understand Tuckman’s model to gain insight on how a group forms and eventually begins working together as a collaborative team. A Small Group Is Harris & Sherblom who wrote Small Group and Team Communication, describes what a small groups means to them. “A collection of 3 to 20 people who are interdependent; influence each other ov... 01/06/2011

Written By Our Guest Blogger The real estate team can make a lot of sense – for the right people. It needs to not only make sense for the REALTOR® creating the team, but also for the REALTORS® and other members making up the rest of the team. Below are a few things to consider before forming a team or joining one. So, You Think You Are Ready to Start a Team? The agent that usually decides to start a team is a top producer that just can’t handle their business volume on their own any longer. Great news, your business is booming but now you can’t successfully keep in contact with all of your current clients and follow-up on new leads in a timely fashion. So, you decide to take the plunge and start looking for help. You might unwittingly start your team with baby steps, like hiring a full... 01/05/2011

To kick off the New Year, I have put together an awesome 7 part series discussing real estate team building. Is this Series for You? If you are a Realtor® who: Works with a real estate team Manages a real estate team Thinking of joining or starting a real estate team Then this series is for you. Rockin’ Realtor® Team It takes effort to work collaboratively with a team. It’s not just about you anymore, its about the team. As a team you should be working cohesively together with one common goal. Teams aren’t for everyone. However, understanding the process of forming a team, building upon the team and succeeding are extremely important. Over the course of the next 7 business days, I’ll publish a new part to this series. Feel free to post comments, ask questions, give advice or even discu... 01/05/2011