Affirmations of Wealth - V. John Alexandrov

I And @ 550+ other folks had a great opportunity yesterday. The MAPS Coaching group with Keller Williams International offered a great coaching call interview with V John Alexandrov led by Dianna Kokoszka VP MAPS Coaching. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my expectations were high given the fact that I have never seen Keller Williams Realty International do anything "on the cheap." At 8:50, my calendar reminder dinged me to let me know that I had this call at 9. My first thought was to blow it off . . . I was sitting at a desk COMPLETELY covered with paper in a variety of tangled piles, the phone had already begun ringing incessantly (several on-going Broker issues), and I was frantically trying to get the Training Calendar for September completed . . . This was NOT a good time for an hour long break - or WAS it? I took my chances, dialed the number and tuned in.

John Alexandrov's information and approach was very familiar to me. He presents in a very knowledgeable and matter of fact way. As I listened, I heard many recurring themes from much of the thought of the great thinkers of all time. I believe his "concerns" are the same concerns that great thinkers (Wise people) have pondered for as long as we humans have had the capacity to think. Given that Alexandrov was tackling a topic with such a long tail of documented thought by virtually every philosopher, I was interested in hearing his approach . . . How could he improve/enhance this message? Clearly, the work of a great writer oftens means tackling a great challenge such as this and writing in a way (language) that makes it more easily understood by the reader. Deepak Chopra figured this out with his writings about mind body medicine and sensible Western Interpretations of often difficult to grasp Eastern thought.

The program kicked off with: "Money Conciousness - You ARE what you think - We are taught throughout our lives our own money DNA/Genetics. We have Money Memories created by our parents' beliefs about money and other people in our environment . . . Things such as - money is the root of all evil - money does not grow on trees etc . . . i'm betting you've heard a few of these?

When we are BEING who we are intended to BE, we gain control of our lives - Following our passion and adding adding value to ourself and to to others is where to begin - The HAVING (of affluence/wealth/money) will take care of itself. BE first - Then HAVE! BE the change you wish to see in the world. When you are being your authentic self, everything flows more easily.

This course of thought brought to mind the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho which was life-changing book for me several years ago. His premise was that most people drudge along in less-than-satisfying careers for years and years all the while saying to themselves: "I am working so that one day I can REALLY do what I want to do with my life" . . . and they work through all of the best years of their lives and never get around to fulfilling their passion. It's SO easy to fall into this abyss - and the years pass by unnoticed - INVEST YOUR LIFE WISELY - You OWE this to YOURSELF and those in the world you will influence as you let your true light shine.

Back to Alexandrov . . . Ghandi said (paraphased) If you BE - Your reality will soon reflect
So how do we discover who we really are? - what we want from our lives? Our authentic self? THIS takes COURAGE . . . Requires you to LOVE YOURSELF and have a deep respect for yourself . . . Without these things, you have no basis to start. Ask yourself: "Am I willing to commit to who I am?

When you have an idea as to who you are, you then consider your environment and relationships . . . Ask Yourself: What around me is not supporting my authentic self? What/who are the obstacles I am allowing into my life that are keeping me from finding myself? We MUST let these obstacles GO - LET GO! and move towards what/who IS supporting us. This doesn't mean that you flush all of your relationships down the toilet, but it does mean that you consider how you invest your time with them. If the time you invest with a person is fun but not supportive of your self, then you want to do it for the fun of it . . . Just know what you are doing - live INTENTIONALLY (these are all my ad-lib to Alexandrov's message) - MOVE AWAY from those "victim energy suckers" who try at every meeting to convince you that you cannot have your dreams . . . and/or that you must HAVE before you can BE.

Time is an investment - invest it wisely and purposefully - Remember the Law of 2 Feet in Open Space Technology - If at any time you are in a place where you are neither contributing or receiving anything of value, then have the RESPONSIBILITY of using your 2 feet to take yourself to a place that IS useful.

With all of this in mind when it comes to building a business, Alexandrov affirms that every business should really be a community all about profitability, support, sharing . . . In my recent caoching sessions, I have often referred to the original Keller Williams Realty model developed by Gary Keller and Joe Woods as being a "VILLAGE" with it's leadership of "Elders" (The Associate Leadership Counsel)

Retain POWER OVER MONEY as a RESOURCE or TOOL . . . DO NOT LET THE MONEY MAKE YOUR DECISIONS FOR YOU . . . If you know something is in your best interest and will support you then do NOT let Money keep you from doing it . . . It's OK to bust the budget once in a while (within reason) . . . You MUST invest in yourSELF

Erase the word "need" from your vocabulary - It communicates whiny needyness - Choose your words carefully - speak intentionally with empowering words to communicate confidence and self worth . . . words like "Intend, expect . . . " What we profess is what we create - You have to determine what you REALLY want in life and then stake your claim . . . Then TAKE ACTION about it . . . True faith is ALWAYS demonstrated physically through ACTION.

Erase any guilt you have about money

Your OBLIGATION is to be profitable. There is NO lack of money . . . the only "Lack" is your belief that you deserve it to enhance your life, use as a tool . . . don't be ashamed of it when you have it.

COACHING IS CRITICAL!

If you REALLY want stretch yourself and find yourself, you MUST hire a coach (Life coach or business coach or both)

Your affirmations MUST be alignment with your SELF . . . You can't know if they are in alignment unless you DO know your Self.

And finally . . . If you're not in control of your own mind thensomeone else IS.

Thank you V John Alexandrov for continuing this human conversation such a smooth way. I highly recommend his book Affirmations of Wealth and will be doing this book for our book club in September.

G'day!

b
Barry Owen
http://www.theowengroup.net/
Simply living the FourFold way in Open Space!

In "The Village" - 37212 ROCKS!

Nashville is famous for music . . . Initially country music, but the real Truth is that there is music of every kind throughout the city . . . and it seems like everywhere you go you tend to run into people in the music industry . . . Ask anyone "not from around here" how they ended up in Nashville, and they'll usually say: "Music brought me here." Much of the hub of the music scene centers around MUSIC ROW which is just on the edge of downtown Nashville. That's where many of the studios and record labels have their offices . . . and it was recently "enhanced" by the installation of a ROUNDABOUT with a somewhat controversial statue MUSICA by local artist Alan LeQuire - and close to the Schermerhorm Symphony Center home of the fabulous Nashville Symphony and the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gulch . . . Hmmm . . . What else? ENDLESS great restaurants - Easy access to all interstates - Wander to the other side of Music Row and you end up in the area affectionately known as "The Village" Hillsboro Village where the infamous PANCAKE PANTRY (so famous, I don't think they have a website) - where EVERYONE in Nashville has been for breakfast (including the stars) . . . and then there's VANDERBILT MEDICAL CENTER and Vanderbilt University . . . I could sit here ALL DAY posting links to other things close by - Like Centennial Park - The point is: THIS AREA IS HOT . . . and within walking distance of ALL of this (or a short bicycle ride) brings us to The Enclave at Hillsboro Village where my wife Debbie has WONDERFUL condominium listed for sale. This unit is priced at $549,900 and is on the top floor on the back side of the development. It is 2 Bedroom and 2 bath with a study - the 'Panorama" floor plan and is ready for immediately occupancy. This would be an IDEAL second home for someone needing dual residency in Nashville and somewhere else (a corporate suite) or for a Vanderbilt University or Hospital. The development has secure access and is chock full of amenities including exercise facilities, a great clubhouse . . . Very cool center garden . . . and is a good community of folks of all types - from young professionals to world travelling executives to retired folks with dual residences to company executive "quarters" for visiting professionals. This is the quintessential location and a great place to live . . . oh yes - I forgot to mention the CONCIERGE service. All of the pictures in this post come from the EnClave -
More information? 615-425-3617


























and finally - MORE GREAT PICTURES OF NASHVILLE

b
Barry Owen
http://www.theowengroup.net/

More Mortgage stuff

Yesterday, I co-hosted a session with a Mortgage Lender to educate and inform other local REALTORS in more depth the scope and meaning of the mortgage company issues we are all facing. The presenter Daniel Ramer with Pinnacle Financial Partners had put together a great presentation with powerpoint - "Evolution of the Mortgage Market".The one fundamental bit of information I gleaned from the session that I figure most people do not know is that the mortgage issues we are facing - That is, the large mortgage companies closing their doors resulting in the media reports of 1000s of people losing their jobs, are in trouble because:

There are currently nearly "$7 TRILLION dollars out there in sub-prime loans - a good number of which were done (imo):

a. Fraudulently
b. Not in the best interest of the consumer
c. Extremely risky

Many of these loans were structured as adjustable rate loans and are now in their adjustment periods meaning that the payments are increasing dramatically and the borrowers are not able to pay the higher amounts . . . Most of the loans were high LTV (Loan to value) - often 100% or more meaning the borrowers have NO EQUITY . . . and home prices have edged down slightly so the troubled home owners are stuck with mortgage payments they cannot afford on a house they cannot sell because it is worth less than they owe . . . thus leading to a high rate of defaults and subesquent loss of the "confidence" of the large investors that bankroll the mortgage industry. The bad news was that this has not fully played out yet . . . There are MANY more loans out there that have yet to reach their "Adjustment Periods" . . . We've just hit the tip of the iceburg with respect to this folly.

Contributing factors were that there was LOTS of money available to lend out. These high risk loans were very profitable for investors because the rates were higher . . . so investors were very generous . . . and when times get REALLY good, greed comes into play . . . Mortgage lenders/Brokers began to get more creative in the fierce competition for the customer. MANY new people entered the industry - Seemed that just about anyone could hang a "Mortgage Broker" shingle and make decent money - The industry was moving away from "Service and advice and this made way for the abuse of GLAMOUR PRODUCTS"

Who pulled the plug?

Liquidity . . . The investors that "supplied the money" for all these good years saw the writing and hit the brakes . . . Now, there is less money out there to lend . . . and risky loans are no longer the game . . . This is resulting a "shrinkage" of the industry. The "Fly by night" mortgage companies cannot survive in this new environment - These are the guys going out of business.

What the media LOVES to report is the flurry of criminal Investigations . . . Every day, it seems there is another story about mortgage fraud . . . This is affecting the entire real estate industry, because often when mortgage fraud occurs several people in the process hace contributed (Real estate agent, appraiser, loan originator etc) . . . These investigations will continue.

The end result is the same as it is with ANY industry facing a down-turn or challenge . . . This debacle will result in a redistribution of the market share. The fair and honest professionals in the mortgage industry will capture more market share and those who have misbehaved will be sussed out . . . As Gary Keller Said "Real Estate will RAT YOU OUT!"

THE GOOD NEWS!

We're being FORCED by this to get back to the basics of good business - Treat people fairly - build a solid business founded on honesty and service. The lenders and REALTORS who are "on the up and up" are busier than ever in these "Hard times."

Now, I know that when someone buys a house, I can be assured that they actually CAN afford the payment :-)

Thank you to Daniel Ramer for much of the content in this post.

b
Barry Owen
http://www.theowengroup.net/

Mindset over media!

We had a negotiation under way the past few days. Things were going well. The initial offer from the Buyer was @ $60,000 below list price which you would think might not lead to anything exciting, but we all worked on it diligently and found ourselves a mere $10,000 from agreement. Our Sellers had decided that they would be happy to "meet in the middle" and that we could then move on to a smooth closing. The Sellers made what we thought would be the final counter-offer on Sunday night.

Monday morning - I missed the news story - but there was another "doom and gloom" story on one of the national mainstream morning talk shows. The Buyer happened to be watching and was converted into a believer that the real estate is, in fact, doomed to die - The sky is definitely falling. So the Buyer FROZE in their tracks with respect to our negotiation and reversed course - dug in their heels and refused to budge on the price. This morning, we're still $10,000 apart. What was a very constructive and friendly win-win negotiation has now become a process of great frustration for everyone involved. The Buyer is scared and refusing to budge . . . The Seller is angry because they have given and given and given and the rug now seems to be pulled out from under them . . . and so here we are . . .

The Nashville, TN real estate market is an anomaly with respect to the national news. We are having the 2nd best selling year of the HISTORY of real estate sales in Nashville. There are frustrations - There are ALWAYS some frustrations in ANY market - We're doing OK! Those who carry a positive mindset through this barrage of negativity fed by the media are simply going out there and transacting business and not allowing these negative undertones become self-fulfilling prophesies.

In the conference I recently attended for Keller Williams Realty, I heard several times that it is times like these when the value of a REALTOR INCREASES for the client. NOW, more than ever, is when the Buyers and Sellers must disable their national news feeds and LISTEN to the LOCAL EXPERTS who have learned and studied the LOCAL MARKET CONDITIONS . . . These LOCAL conditions are the environment in which we are transacting business.

I am not delusional and living in denial. There ARE issues in the marketplace. Virtually unregulated lending practices by renegade mortgage companies have led to a debacle that has caused much angst in recent times. So the market shifts . . . it does NOT die . . . People STILL have the need/desire to buy and sell real estate. The only affect this mortgage debacle has on today's market is that it has resulted in the tightening of lending practices, SO:

Now when a Buyer is approved, we know they REALLY have the money and means
Appraisals are no longer being inflated to justify inflated (for qualification purposes)
We know that those folks in the market are MOTIVATED

A shifting market in any industry results in an organic redistribution of market share. Certainly, many REALTORS will leave the industry . . . Those who remain will be the ones with a positive mindset that carries them through.

The smart and sharp REALTORS are educating themselves locally . . . This means that networking with other industry professionals increases. We talk directly to the LOCAL mortgage folks to get their perspective. We talk with the statisticians among us. We adjust our way of doing business so that EVERYTHING we do is INTENTIONAL (on purpose). We keep reminding ourselves that this negative undercurrent of the media is a consistent distractive force, and we consistently educate ourselves so we can appropriately advise our clients.

If you're in the market to Buy or Sell a house, TURN OFF THE TV and through your own network discover a knowledgeable guide to navigate you through YOUR LOCAL real estate environment. Find a great, knowledgeable REALTOR and a reliable Lender . . . Surround yourself with the RIGHT people who have the RIGHT positive attitude, and you'll find success in ANY market . . . regardless of what the morning show reports.

Best,

b
Barry Owen
Principal Broker and Productivity Coach
Keller Williams Realty - Nashville - Green Hills
http://www.theowengroup.net/
www.activerain.com/barryo

Market commentary

We have a listing in an area that is often affectionately known as "BRentioch." This is a unique area that is very convenient to interstates 65 and 24 - Not far from the Nashville Zoo - Just a hop to Brentwood (actually the same zip code 37027 but the house is in Davidson County while Brentwood is in Williamson County ) and SHOPPING GALORE at Cool Springs Galleria . The neighborhood is Called Sterling Oaks. The price is $327,900, and the home is nearly 3000 square feet of sheer perfection. These Sellers did virtually EVERYTHING we asked them to do prior to listing. Fresh paint - Clean as a whistle - AND features a FULL basement (unusual to have a basement in Middle Tennessee). Not only that, but 1/2 the basement is @ 3/4 finished and has a full bath. Just a little paint and drywall work, and you add @ 650 square feet . . . and there's STILL another 600 SF of storage space.

Below are some pictures. First I wanted to comment on the state of our market as it relates to this particular listing. Given the superb condition, great location, and reasonable pricing any rational human would expect this home to sell quickly with an aggressive marketing program. We certainly have been marketing aggressively for 50 days - have had several showings, great feed-back, one offer that did not pan out . . . so why has THIS house not sold?

More comments after the pictures of 5717 Sterling Oaks Drive

The answer seems to lie in the undeniable TRUTH (Reality) of the marketplace. Our weather is unbearably HOT (100 Degrees for nearly 4 weeks now), so folks are less inclined to look for real estate. The mortgage debacle that is currently unfolding has many people leaving the field of play and standing on the sidelines either because they have no other choice (financing is no longer possible for them) OR they simply want to let things settle down before purchasing. The REAL truth lies in a quick review of the market activity in the past 2 months (since we listed this house for sale).

There are currently 69 houses (12 new construction) available in the $300,000 - $350,000 Price range in the area. This is the DIRECT competition vieing for Prospective Buyer's attention.

28 houses (20 New Construction) are pending - under contract - not yet closed

26 houses (10 New Construction) have closed in that 2 month period

See? Houses are STILL selling - The New construction homes are capturing far more buyers than the resale market. Many of these new construction Pending and Closed would have gotten under contract several months ago and are now reaching completion (Early Spring Buyers).

So, the good news is that Buyers are still Buying. The bad news is there is a lot of competition out there for the Sellers - The message is: "Only competitive pricing, great condition, and aggressive marketing will capture the attention of the Buyers."

The profound thought for the day is that a GREAT market tends to make us REALTORS look sharp a smart . . . In a TOUGH market, REALTORS must BE sharp and smart and innovative. I am a true believer that there is no such thing as a bad real estate market - ESPECIALLY here in Tennessee. Let's ride this wave together - Great things almost always emerge from times of stress.

Hope you have a great day!

Best,

b

Barry Owen

Principal Broker and Productivity Coach

Leading our Associates to success and Balance!

Keller Williams Realty - Nashville - Green Hills

http://www.theowengroup.net/

Minset over media

The past week, I spent 3 days in Austin, TX attending the Mega-Agent Camp for Keller Williams Realty. Probably 50% of the information had to do with mindset and the remaining 50% about Lead Generation. In ANY business - Without Leads, there are no clients - Without clients, no sales - Without sales, no possibility of PROFIT which isn't the ONLY reason to be in business, but ranks up there in the top 2 or 3 reasons for most people.

The underlying message is that the market is what the market is. We cannot individually control it. We are riding the wave by balancing on our boards. Certainly, we will experience times of relative effortlessness and times of excruciating pain a hard work . . . It is only our personal resolve to succeed that keeps us going . . . and if we can keep our mindset positive, we be effectively choosing not to participate in good OR bad markets . . . We are simply committed to our foundational reasons for being in business in the first place and we NEVER cease the activity of Lead Generation.

Lead Generation is simple making meaningful contact (building relationships) with people who may be future clients or may be sources of future clients. The computer age has us all moving so quickly that many folks are resorting to email and/or direct "snail mail" to drive their lead generation efforts - When in fact, it is DIRECT belly-to-belly, face-to-face interaction that prevails. There is NEVER a time to stop this activity . . . "The seeds of failure are planted during times of success." Don't rest on your laurels.

Maintain a positive mindset and establish a long term (forever) ritual of "right" lead generation activities and your business will thrive - in ANY type of market . . . regardless of your industry.

I wish you great success,

b
http://www.theowengroup.net/
other blog: http://activerain.com/blogs/barryo/

Nashville - Sylvan Park - REAL Community!

As we gain new and exciting homes for sale (listings), we'll share some information here about the houses and the neighborhoods. This just seems to be the "right" thing to do . . . especially when the house as much character as this one. Sylvan Park is a very trendy, close-in, old & established neighborhood. I remember when I first got into this business that Syvan Park was one of the first Historic Neighborhoods to catch the Renovation/Rehab virus . . . and that was before it was "COOL" to renovate. This was in the mid-1990's. We watched in amazement as values sky-rocketed.

This is a relatively small neighborhood with immediate access to the inner highway loop (440), bounded by a Public Golf Course - Mcabe Golf Course and very "Walkable" with a classic fruit and vegetable stand and a variety of interesting restaurants and coffee shops . . . This is REAL COMMUNITY.

Debbie Guthery Owen (my wife) is the listing agent on this property at 205 53rd Avenue. This is a VERY cool expansion, renovation . . . It started as a small cottage home and grew a 2nd

floor . . . The floor plan is WIDE OPEN and VERY livable. Rooms sizes are great. Cool back yard . . . and just 1 block from the recently (mostly) completed GREENWAY One block the other direction takes you to Bobbie's Dairy Dip

ALL WALKABLE from this house. The price is a reasonable $259,900. Maybe

we went a little crazy with the pictures, BUT words just couldn't do it justice :-) There's more information on this property at THE OWENGROUP WEBSITE Stop in and check it out . . . We also have the capability on that site for you to browse other available properties. Contact Debbie for more information. When it comes to knowing real estate in Nashville, Debbie is the BEST!

Signing off for now . . . Hope you have a great day!

b

Selling your home in Tennessee? - Pricing tips

This week, I attended the annual "Mega-Agent Camp" and the Mega-Technology Camp in Austin Texas (The home of Keller Williams Realty). This consisted of three jam packed days of information and strategies for navigating this somewhat tricky real estate market - and LOTS of time with Gary Keller, one of the greatest real estate minds on the planet. There were over 3000 Associates present from all over the country. Many of these REALTORS are working in real estate markets that make ours look GOLDEN.

One quote that caught my mind was that all real estate markets are really "A Tale of 2 Markets." The first (and the one getting all the media coverage) is the 80% of the listed homes that are priced higher and/or are not in the condition that the market will bear. These homes tend to sit on the market for long periods of time and are contributing significantly to the HIGH inventory of homes for sale. These Sellers may have priced it high with the rationale that they can always reduce later . . . and then when the house fails to sell, they into an exercise that was coined "chasing the market" . . . meaning that they go into a cycle of reducing the price over and over again until it finally sells. Unfortunately, these folks often end up netting less on their sale than they would have had they priced at or slightly below market value from the start.

The "other" market is the 20% of home listed for sale that are priced perfectly and in great condition. "Priced perfectly" means that when considering the listing price, they studied the CURRENT ACTIVE LISTING INVENTORY (Their competition in the marketplace) rather than the sold comparables (The traditional approach) . . . and initially price slightly BELOW their competition. This "Other market" doesn't get much media attention because THESE are the folks selling their houses - often QUICKLY - and sometimes with multiple offers resulting in a final selling price higher than the listing price. The media does not report this because it is GOOD NEWS and doesn't fit the doom and gloom mold that seems to pervade with respect to reporting the real estate market.

One final thought . . . If your home is in good but not GREAT condition and you do not have the means to improve it prior to listing it for sale, these Buyers are NOT forgiving. They are very discerning and will not hesitate making what they believe to be "fair" offers. These offers are often well below the listing price. Pricing has become CRITICAL for success in selling a home in Middle Tennessee - as well as most other markets in the country. Don't get yourself caught in this "chasing the market" vortex - It'll cost you lots of time, energy and frustration and will likely net you less money at the closing.

Price your home RIGHT and SELL it with your first listing.

Best,
b
Barry Owen
Principal Broker & Productivity Coach
Keller Williams Realty
http://www.theowengroup.net/

Keller Williams Train the Trainer

This past week, I had the privilege of being able to attend a 2 day session led by Kay Evans (one of the 2 owners of the SoutEast Region of Keller Williams Realty). She was nothing short of masterful in her presentation. The class was held in the Clarksville, TN market center - This meant that I had a 45 minute drive each morning and evening. While driving, I thought of all of the people in the world who make such a commute every day of their working lives . . . and how I take for granted the smooth 6 mile hop from my home to my office.

The associates in the Clarksville market center were very gracious and welcoming. The class was very up-beat - LOTS of participant interaction. Kay Evans kept things interesting with an amazing collage of stories and practical exercises. The class culminated in an opportunity for each participant to prepare a 15 minute presentation to be video recorded in front of a small group of associates. Even though I have educated folks for years, my nerves were on edge as I approached this task. I prepared well and had my presentation dialed in to take exactly the 15 minutes . . . but as I was doing it, the 2 minute warning came sooner than I expected - I shifted my presentation, dropped a couple of non-essential points and concluded exactly at 15 minute mark . . . at which time, the group determined that they had mis-read the clock and had actually given me only 13 minutes . . . I said: "Keep the camera rolling and let me pick up the pieces I had dropped." I finished and felt very good about the presentation. I did see the video later and learned a lot about myself. I certainly could use a little more "animation" and tended to leave out bits of information along the way . . . Always room for improvement.

Upon my return, we celebrated Tyler's 18th birthday - He is NOW a MAN! Deb and I had a lot of fun finding a variety of "man-appropriate" gifts and saluted his man-hood all day. Today, we put together a party for him at a friend of his house (with a swimming pool). We grilled hamburgers and hot-dogs and we adults stayed out of the way while the "kids" played. There is no question in my mind: Tyler's 18th Birthday will be memorable for him. Deb has REALLY done a wonderful job of raising Tyler. He is a fine young man.

Tomorrow, I journey to Austin, TX for another training program - This time the Mega-agent and Mega-Technology. These are annual events, and this will be the first time I will have attended. Good timing for me as I have several agents coming to me for coaching who have aspirations of achieving mega-agent status. I certainly need to be fully equipped to help them.

My "job" continues to evolve nicely. It was nice to see my first "real" paycheck this week - It kinda made it all much more real. The general response to my coaching interviews continues to be better than I expected. I truly believe that we will do great things with this Productivity Coaching Program.

Looks like I'll be doing another Open Space event for another local Keller Williams Realty Market Center. I accidentally discovered this when I bumped into the Team Leader during the Clarksville training. I am hopeful he will give me the real dates soon so i can reserve the date :-)

I will try to blog a few times while in Austin.

Til then,

b
http://www.theowengroup.net/
Simply Living The FourFold Way in Open Space!

Perfect timing

28 meetings into this new adventure, and I am beginning to see some patterns emerging. Thus far, the folks that I am talking with were the first to call for appointments - I booked @ 35 appointments without having to "market," which was a good sign for the validity and timeliness of the coaching program. As it happens, I am discovering that most of these early meetings are folks who have great interest in real estate and are having a variety of difficulties finding their niches ALTHOUGH . . . 20 minutes into the conversation, I seem to be able to uncover the true intention. ALL of these folks already KNOW what they want to do. They're simply uncertain as to how to get there.

I can honestly say that I witnessed a few personal transformations and self-realizations right before my very eyes. I am also seeing a large proportion of these folks having great interest in plugging into the coaching program with little regard for the cost and full cognizance of the derived benefit. The general tone is one of refreshing excitement as each of these folks understands the new commitment of our community to their individual and collective success.

My days have been very full and exhausting. I am not accustomed to having a full schedule of 4 (or more) hour-long consultations each day . . . sometimes losing track of time and forgetting to eat the mid-day meal . . . In between meetings, there is plenty to do - Several "models" to develop . . . just maintaining the calendar is proving to be somewhat of a challenge. One thing is certain - my list of things to do is growing longer each minute. I have 2 remote trainings in the next 2 weeks and can return from those to a more "normal" schedule of a mix of interviews and coaching meetings.

The real estate market continues to be excruciatingly fluid. Even the "Experts" have thrown their hands up in the air and said that they have no clue what to expect. The only thing I know for sure is that we REALTORS MUST be at the TOP of our game like never before. This is "survival of the fittest" time, and the rules change daily. I do not believe that seniority means a hill of beans . . . It is going to be those who keep themselves educated and current with the news who will prevail.

The prefect timing of this is that those folks who wish to survive this anomaly in the economic environment need coaching more than ever before. These times call for PURPOSEFUL action and serious accountability for DOING RIGHT ACTION. I'm not only saying this about REALTORS . . . this applies to EVERY person out there working to pay the bills (darn near everyone). This is not a time to be reactive or sluggish or assumptive (Taking for granted that things will stay as they are in your safe little bubble) - ANYONE'S career could turn on a dime with no warning whatsoever.

It is now time to re-evaluate personal passion and God-Given talent and to pursue purposeful action along a path that supports your unique abilities. No longer does it make sense to flounder along in a "quasi" career . . . Dig deep within, find that passion, find a coach/accountability partner who will be committed to helping you get there . . . and proceed with reckless abandon.

I am reading the book "OUTRAGE" . . . Just started reading it - suggested by my Father-in-law who said it would piss me off . . . 20 pages into it . . . He's right . . . It HAS! But the timing for it couldn't be better - This country and political world is and has been SO misdirected and mischievous for so many years that I believe the populous has lost virtually all faith in the ability of the governing bodies to perform. Generally speaking, they (politicians, CEOs, and influential people) should ALL be dethroned to make way for a leadership that is tuned in to the fundamental beliefs of community - Lose the corruption and scandalous manipulation of policy and authority to the benefit of the rich and privileged . . . and find a way that actually delivers the promise of the constitution.

Folks, it's time for us to get off our butts and do something about getting things right. The first thing we MUST do is get our own personal affairs in order. Simplify our lives, identify and follow what has heart and meaning for us personally, Show up and be present in our communities, pursue truth and authenticity with everything we do, and MOVE-ON . . . QUIT LAMENTING THE PAST - No more inquisitions - Let's put all of that seemingly incessant finger pointing and get on with this thing called preservation of our community so our children and grandchildren will have something worthwhile when we're gone. Part of this "worthwhile" is being sure that these children and grandchildren see and learn good manners, ethics, moral standards, authenticity, accountability for actions, love, family, community . . .

I think I'm rambling . . . Perhaps I can assimilate these thoughts more clearly in a later post :-)

Over 100 degrees AGAIN in Nashville . . . Time to get back to the painting project - Kids head off to the 1st day of school tomorrow - Deb's got'm out shopping for new shoes to fit the newly required UNIFORMS for all public school students.

Hope you have had a great week-end,

Best,

b
http://www.theowengroup.net/
Simply Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

End of first week

Well . . . We did the Staff retreat - WOW! Who would've expected that 4 people could gather at 8 AM and identify over 20 "Issues and Opportunities" around the theme - How we're going to co-create the FLAGSHIP Market Center for ALL of Keller Williams Realty! ??? In a mere 15 minutes, we were cruising forward and tackling the tough issues before us. We each knew that we had only allotted 2 consecutive 3 hour sessions for this retreat, and so there was very little time for "dilly-dally." (As I often say to our children) when it's time to move along with a quickness. Amazingly, we addressed EVERY issue raised before ending on day 2 at which time we each took a long look at our individual lists and notes and breathed heavy sighs of satisfied fatigue. The excitement was high even though the sheer volume of effort ahead of us appeared to loom as the highest of mountains to scale.

For me, I had scheduled myself each afternoon this week for Initial Interviews - 3 (hour & 1/2) meetings stacked up . . . The mornings were my only time to gather thoughts and work on further development . . . AND . . . I was "office-less and computer-less" until Thursday Morn . . . In a short 2 days, I pretty much set myself up in my new physical space, assembled the reports of proceedings from the staff retreat, handled several complex Broker issues, continued to untangle some dangling details with some real estate (sales) business I am wrapping up . . . It was quite a whirlwind.

The most exciting part of it is that (for the most part) what really needed to be done got done. I completed the proceedings by mid-morning on Friday . . . and feel nicely settled in my new space. Best I can tell, I already have more than 10 associates interested in participating in the coaching program . . . I must now generate a "matriculation process" and adjust my calendar to accommodate the coaching meetings . . . beginning next week :-)

Meanwhile, we are studying the proceedings and extracting actionable items, delegating some issues to the appropriate Agent Leadership Counsel Committees, and creating a fresh, new 411 for the Market Center that reflects the NEW ViSION for our market center. We are all moving forward with a clarity that I have never experienced with any other team. Our challenge will be to continue with implementation as we "re-enter the fray" of the onslaught of "mundane" issues that arise (emerge) throughout every day in a highly productive real estate office.

An exciting AHA was that we actually run 2 companies . . . An "Agent Services Company" with which we Train, Consult, Recruit, and Support our associates . . . and a Real estate firm responsible for handling the more worldly, mundane duties of processing more than 100 complex real estate transactions with a lean staff of 5 people each and every month . . . all the while cognizant of the fact that our VISION includes increasing out membership by 20 highly productive associates and our productivity to an average of over 60% EACH AND EVERY MONTH (@ 3 times the national average Office Productivity). Call us crazy, but with the clarity we have, we're not scared :-)

There will be more on these pages as things progress. I try to get on the blog at least once a week and would love to post more frequent, brief messages but the days have not afforded me that opportunity...So I am relegated to longer and less frequent.

I have a birthday coming soon - 45 Years Old - Feeling good, but tired . . . and starting to realize the need to pay attention to taking care of myself thanks in large part to frequent reminders from Deb. I have been avoiding going for a physical because I have this doctor phobia that keeps me from scheduling the appointment. I have this misguided belief that if I go the doctor he'll find something wrong with me . . . so if I don't go . . . all will be well. I'm aware this is grotesque denial and have promised myself that I will finally make the call on the day of my 45th birthday . . . A birthday present to myself :-)

The next challenge will entail actually getting me to show up for the appointment.

Without naming names, I will also occasionally write a bit about some of the coaching I am doing. I have learned some incredible things about the people I have met with thus far. . . and I feel like I have already had a few opportunities to witness "life changing" AHAS as a result of the thought processes stimulated by the framework of the meeting. In essence, it flows from "Who are you? Describe yourself to me. Likes and Dislikes - How does a person win or lose with you? Are you happy? This is a time to speak your truth . . . and then about family - Who and where are they? What are they doing? etc . . . and then business - How's it going? Are you happy with your production? Balance of life? What are your goals? etc

and the REAL kicker . . . "If I were a genie and could give you your ultimate scenario, what would you be doing?" THIS question (after all the prior introspection) seems to be the one that is popping the cork. I have already had 2 people just blurt out that they think they're in the wrong career - at which point, the conversation shifted to exploring what next steps they might need to take to begin pursuing their REAL passion and stop with this real estate stuff.

Anyhow . . . I could write a book here but am doubting that there is anyone out there that would possibly read all of this, so I'll pause now having had my therapeutic interlude with the blog.

This week, I'll be digging in further and working out the kinks in my new skin - "Productivity Coach" rings comfortably for me - I am feeling good about all this :-)

I wish you the best,

b
Barry Owen
www.theowengroup.net
Simply Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!