Archive for the ‘Agent Life’ Category

Should You Lease or Own Your Car?

Aug 4, 2008 Agent Life

Recently my husband and I were looking at a new vehicle for his business. We were presented with 2 options: Buy the vehicle or we could lease it.

We were mulling over the tax benefits of either choice when it dawned on me that many real estate agents probably don’t realize the different benefits when buying a car either. (I never had to think about it, as I owned my car before starting the business and still own it!)

Many agents probably do not even give a second thought about the different options to getting a new car, many probably do not even think of it as a business purchase! However, your car is very important in your business, and when getting a new car you can take advantage of various tax deductions.

Here is the major difference between owning and leasing your business vehicle:

Owning means you can only deduct the interest from the purchase if you finance it. The principle is not deductible. You will also have to calculate depreciation when doing your taxes.

When leasing, the entire lease payment can be deductible. (Assuming the vehicle is used primarily for business purposes).

If you’ve been looking for more ways to take deductions as a real estate agent, deciding to purchase or lease a car is an important decision. Before making any purchase or entering a lease agreement, be sure to consult with a trusted accountant to help you make the best decision. (Hey, you wouldn’t want someone to sell a house without a professional - using the services of a tax professional can be beneficial as well!)

Rate this:
2.5

Tags: , ,

Be Professional and Kind to Other Agents

Jul 24, 2008 Agent Life

This is a post I shouldn’t even have to write, but too often I see agents just being downright rude to one another. Some will bark orders or demand the sun and the moon from you, others will insult you for everything from your appearance to your success. Then of course there are agents with the “why should I do anything for you?” attitude and others who have nothing but dirty ulterior motives of stealing your clients and your business.

If you find yourself in an office full of these types, it can be very difficult to stay positive about your business. It can also be equally as difficult to not lose your temper or start snapping back at them. If you are one of these “not so nice agents”, chances are you’re not even aware how your actions and words might be reflecting on you.

So think about how you act in the office: Do you show up in blue jeans? Do you whisper about people behind their back? Do you act like you’re the only person in the office that matters?

I hope none of my readers have these problems, but remember to be professional and kind. It can go a long way, and maybe it will even rub off on the other not-so-proffessional-or-kind agents. If need be, consider changing offices or even having a meeting with your office manager.

Rate this:
2.5

Tags:

Available Realtor Designations From NAR

Jun 27, 2008 Agent Life

Are you aware of how many Realtor designations are available from the National Association of Realtors? Many of us are familiar with designations such as CRS and ABR…but have you heard of RSPS or ePRO?

If you haven’t taken the time to check out the latest available designations from the National Association of Realtors, you may want to do so now. Many of these designations for real estate professionals can be helpful in furthering your real estate career. You can view their list of Realtor designations available <a href=”http://www.realtor.org/education/realtor_university/designation”>here</a>.

If you haven’t earned any of these realtor designations yet, what is stopping you?

Rate this:
2.5

Tags: , , ,

How to Have the Best Realtor Tour

Jun 26, 2008 Agent Life

Many agents are always looking for ideas for Realtor tour and how to have the best Realtor tour that attracts many real estate agents - and hopefully their clients. Realtor tour is the day of the week that depending on your multi-list you host your home open only to other real estate agents. It can be challenging for many real estate agents however to entice enough agents to visit the Realtor tour and make it a worthwhile endeavor. So today I’m going to share some ideas for Realtor tour to help you have better real estate agent open houses and not disappoint your clients.

Here are our tips on how to have the best Realtor tour:

Serve food: Many broke, starving agents LOVE food. What you serve is up to you but you will ideally want to have easy to clean up and easy to eat foods. You’ll also want to try to stay away from foods that other real estate agents may be allergic to, such as peanuts.

Have a raffle: Raffles are a great way to entice other realtors to stop by in hopes that they will win. The more enticing your prize is, the more likely other realtors will take the time. High dollar amount gas cards, restaurant gift cards, and other gift cards are very popular and will help you have the best realtor tour for a higher agent turnout.

Give stuff away: While raffles are nice, there’s nothing better than knowing you can walk away with something in your hand. We’ve had turkey give aways (a store voucher for the amount of a 10 lb. turkey) near Thanksgiving. With food and gas prices rising, this can be very costly for you, but can also be a great way to gain exposure. Another, less expensive, popular option is free scratch off lottery tickets.

Pre-Sell: You’ll want to make sure every agent knows that your listing will be open so they can plan to attend. You can’t have the best Realtor tour if no one shows up! Send them emails inviting them to tour or create a flyer to distribute. You may even want to call a few agents and personally invite them. Also make sure you note it in your MLS so it will come up in the tour date’s listings. (And be sure you also say “raffle” or whatever hook you are using to have the best Realtor tour.

Tour other agent’s listings: Sometimes you have to give a little to get a little. Make sure that two weeks prior you try to drop by as many realtor tours as possible. Exchange business cards and talk about their buyers and invite them to check out your newest “must see listing” when you have it open on Realtor Tour.

These ideas for realtor tour will help you have the best Realtor Tour ever. If you have any great ideas for Realtor tour to have the best Realtor tour ever than be sure to leave them in the comments below!

Rate this:
2.5

Tags: , , ,

Real Estate Summer Survival Tips

Jun 18, 2008 Agent Life

A few years ago I went touring with some clients for an all day house hunting extravaganza. It was a hot day and we must have gone looking at houses for 8-10 hours as they were from out of town and had a very limited schedule to work with.

By the end of the day, I was one exhausted and sunburned real estate agent from going to house to house on a hot summers day. It was then I learned a few very important ways to surviving as a real estate agent in the summer.

Here are some of my real estate summer survival tips I will share with you:

1. Wear and Bring Sunscreen: Sunscreen just can’t be emphasized enough. I use a baby sunblock with an spf of 50 now and reapply it to my face every 2 hours at the bare minimum. Many agents never think they would get sunburned while showing houses, but if you find yourself with clients scrutinizing over a yard, it is easy to become sunburned in just 15-30 minutes unprotected in the sun. Be sure to have some to offer to your clients or to remind them they may want to put some on if you’re itinerary might have you in the sun.

2. Wear cotton: Many agents struggle with what kind of clothes to wear as a real estate agent, especially in the summer. Cotton is one of the most breathable and comfortable fabrics for hot summer heat, so make sure you have at least one or two 100% cotton outfits. You’ll be able to stay cooler if you’re touring homes that don’t have the air conditioning turned on.

3. Drink water: Keep a cooler in your car packed with bottled water for you and your clients. If you know you have a day of house hunting, you may want to consider freezing the bottled water ahead of time so it stays colder longer.

4. Take Breaks: If you’ve gone four or five hours and still have more houses to look at, stopping for lunch can be an excellent way to refresh and relax. It also gives you some one on one time with the client to get an idea of what features they like so far about the houses they’ve seen. You’ll be amazed at the boost of energy you both have after a short break.

5. Be careful of what you leave in the car: Many things such as cell phones, GPS systems, or even your keypad can fry if they are left in a hot car for too long. If you must leave something in the car, make sure it is out of direct sunlight in the trunk or under your seat.

Do you have any tips to share about surviving the heat of the summer for real estate agents? Feel free to leave your real estate summer survival tips in the comments below.

 

Rate this:
2.5

Tags: , , ,

Older Entries