Where Real Estate Dreams are Made...and Come True!

I posted a Challenge Question yesterday asking other Realtors if they had created or would like to create a SOCO based on their sales statistics.  In responding to a comment from Bill about SOCOs, I noted that our SOCO at Dreams Realty (in Northern Nevada) is simply: "We sold a House Every 17 hours last year (2011)!"

A SOCO is a Single Overriding Communication Objective that you can use in your advertising and promotion/marketing, to get across a quick, TRUTHFUL, and catchy message about your company's value to, in this case, home buyers and sellers.  In either case, selling a home every 17 hours over the entire year IS A BIG STORY (we sold 515 homes last year), and reverberates with buyers and sellers BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES YOU KNOW AND ARE WELL ENGAGED IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE!

SOCO's are quick and to the point, BUT THEY TELL A BIG STORY. 

So, the Challenge remains: look at your sales stats, etc., and create a SOCO to share with us on Active Rain!

Did I mention "We sold a House Every 17 hours last year?"  It made me think that all Realtors and companies could do the same if they analyzed their data and came up with "statements" based on any number of sales statistics.

So, here's the challenge:  TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR STATISTICS FROM LAST YEAR and join us in this post in placing your STATISTIC(S) in the COMMENT section.  Let us all see your SOCO (Single Orverriding Communication Objective).

I know I've been absent for a time, but we're still cranking out the business, and planning, planning, planning!

    Their flyer was titled: “Free Market-Info Community Services Event” and they drew a packed house at the South Valleys Public Library in Reno.

    The awesome ladies and one fine man were four of my my Realtors at Dreams Realty: Elise Westerlund, Mary Mihaila, Angeles Wanco, and Claire & Shawn Kirby.  The five of them took community outreach to heart, and developed a wonderful 90-minute evening seminar for the local community.

    They had made arrangements with local Attorneys, a Certified Public Accountant, and a Mortgage Lender, (where Spanish speaking translators were available), and scheduled the event not as a real estate sales or promotional event, but as a true community services informational event with a Q/A session with the professionals. 

    The Attorneys covered loan modifications, state mediation, the pros and cons of short sales & foreclosures, deed in lieu, and information on one of Nevada’s laws that went into effect last October and hugely impacted REO in the state. 

    The CPA (and a crowd favorite) spoke about tax consequences, 2012 capital gains tax and the IRS, and Exemption Law through 2012.  The Mortgage Lender discussed Hamp 2.0, HARP, how quickly can you buy after short sales and foreclosures, and their overall credit implications.

    Finally, my team of exceptional Realtors presented information on the process of short sales, foreclosures, and loan modifications.

My SHOUT OUT to my Realtors is to ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPLAUD THEIR TENACITY AND CREATIVITY IN PUTTING TOGETHER AN ATTRACTIVE FLYER THEY CIRCULATED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND WORKING WITH THE LOCAL LIBRARY TO SCHEDULE AND PUT ON THE EVENT.

KUDOS TO MY FOUR AWESOME LADIES…and ONE FINE MAN!

It's always exciting to promote great talent to positions where she/he can achieve personal success and business achievement.  Today I officially promoted one of my truly loving Realtors to be the Manager of my Property Management Program. 

Bonnie is licensed in California and Nevada, and is a lover of animals, knows them as family, and seeks to find rentals to accommodate the "family pet" and the children as well. 

Welcome, Bonnie Star; you really are a "star" to all of us, and yes, we expect great things out of you, and are confident you'll be rockstar material!  Congrats from me, and Dr. John!

Some of you will recall the story I posted a couple of weeks ago about the "Reno Occupy" squatter who broke into one of my REOs, changed the locks, and moved in his "street art" furniture.  I met him at the door while on the phone with police.  He was ultimately removed from the house, and later my staff removed his abandoned furniture.  THE GREAT NEWS IS THE PROPERTY HAS NEW OWNERS.

Yes, that's exactly what I said to the ex-felon who had squatted in one of my REOs, set to close in a week.  He was one of the Wall Street Occupiers planted in Reno.

I received a tip from a property preservation company's plumber that there was someone living in this upscale property.  This guy had taken down my real estate sign, my postings, and had the door locks changed on the house.  He had a phoney rental agreement, and as it turned out he was indeed an ex-felon who did prison time in California.  

As I was on my way to the house, I called my field staff and asked them to meet me at the location.  They weren't there when I arrived, and after getting the police on the phone I pranched up to the front door.  Remember, I was an undercover cop years ago. My adrenaline was ramped up and I was ready for the encounter...and, of course, with the police on the phone.

Three hours later the squatter and his belongings were removed, he was cited, and my locksmith was re-keying the door.  Curiously, I found a couple of fliers at the property: one was advertising "Bank Transfer Day" (sponsored by "Occupyreno") urging people to transfer money out of the big banks, and into local banks and credit unions.  Another flyer was an AFL-CIO flyer "America Wants to Work" promoting a "Good Jobs and Safe Bridges" Rally.

There are a lot of things people are entitled to in America, and we support so many causes and charities, but illegally re-keying a home that's not yours, creating a false rental agreement, and squatting in a property owned by another (to which you have no legal right) IS NOT AN ENTITLEMENT...and is offensive!

P.S.  The house was also full of furniture, spray painted with "Reno Occupy" -- that I wil have to pay to be removed...also offensive!