Realty World Northern California & Nevada

I was on the telephone with John Pinto of Realty World – Pinto & Associates last week and he commented on some of the initiatives we are hammering hard on with our Q&A and consumer forums that are accessed from your Member Site.

During the conversation he mentioned the concept of blogging about the life of a transaction. The more I thought about it the more ingenious the idea became. Crafting your blog with layman terminology and dropping the backroom closing table speak; one could easily write about the daily happenstances’ of opening and closing a transaction with incredible detail to a “soap opera” style story of the experience.

Presenting problems, challenges and the respective solutions to a successful transaction is certainly noteworthy and interesting to others that may find themselves in similar situations.

Thanks for the idea John! This is undoubtedly something everyone can write about and post!

Did you know that the property inspection industry in the State of California is unregulated? What protection does your inspector offer should a condition in the property not be identified in the report and become a problem down the road?

It is imperative that the property inspector is qualified to provide your client with a professional assessment of the condition of the property they are investing in. It amazes me when I come across a REALTOR® who doesn’t know whether the inspector carries General Liability, Errors & Omissions (E & O) and Workers’ Comp insurance. You will find that a reputable home inspection company’s E & O will not only provide protection for the homebuyer or seller, but also the REALTOR, often referred to as “Referring REALTOR Coverage”.

Although the inspection industry is unregulated, the California Trade Practice Act Chapter 338, enacted in 1996, encourages courts to consider the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the California Real Estate Inspection Association(CREIA) when determining whether an inspection meets the required standards. To find out if an inspector is a member of either association go to http://www.ashi.org/ or http://www.creia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

So, REALTOR and homebuyer and homesellers beware…qualify your inspector!

Okay, I know what you’re thinking… networking is showing up at some event where there are lots of people to meet, you shake hands like a campaigning politician, introduce yourself, and pass out your bundle of business cards one at a time. Do you know there are some people that actually perceive ‘networking’ to be just that? In this new wonderful world of online social networking sites that seem to pop up faster than gophers at a golf course, we can network to our hearts content without even changing out of our pajamas and leaving the house. Then again, there still are those grocery stores, community events, and other social gatherings that may very well present some great opportunities for you.

Networking is about building your social sphere, allowing you to develop and maintain favorable business relationships. So, what are some characteristics that enable one to become a Supreme Networker?

1. Immediate Referral Follow-Up: This is critical and should be a priority when you receive any viable business referral whether it’s in-person from a friend or an online prospective customer. You need to stay on top of these contacts. Are you aware that today’s consumer “expects” a response from a business professional within one hour? Missing that timeframe could mean the difference between making or breaking a potential business transaction.
2. Trust: Whether someone is referring you to a contact or vice-versa, there must be trust. Why? Because it is something we earn and once you’ve obtained someone’s trust, your reputation and credibility is on the line. Think about it… no one would refer a qualified contact to you unless there was absolute trust in your ability to handle it professionally and appropriately.
3. Positive Attitude: There is a reason why you should surround yourself with positive people… because it is contagious. Having a positive attitude can turn you into a “people magnet.” Associates and others alike will flock to you. They’ll want to be around you. And, they’ll likely want to introduce you to friends, family, and other people they know. And so on and so on.
4. Listen: The art of networking is dependent on learning from others. It’s not talking about you, you, you. Take the focus off yourself. The more you listen to another person’s experiences, wants/needs, and get to know them, it will be much easier for you to establish a relationship with that person.
5. Be Sincere: There is no worse situation than speaking to another person who’s plastering on a smile and gritting their teeth trying to look happy when you know full well that it’s a complete facade. If you don’t show you care and are truly sincere, it will show. People pick up on insincerity right away. Give people your complete attention, show them you care and that you mean it.
6. Be Grateful: Express your sincere thanks to business associates and clients at every given opportunity. Extending gratitude toward others will help you to cultivate relationships, which may lead to increased business referrals.

Hope these brief tips will help you become more successful in your social networking strategies.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!