Quite a few of us were recently licensed and posted about passing our tests and picking brokerages... so how about some updates? What are you working on?

I'll go first!

I've got one listing in negotiations, a possible second listing on the horizon (and the purchase of their new house) and a friend who wants to know how much her house is worth but probably won't actually list. I need the practice, so I'll shoot her a CMA.

I actually got a good buyer from answering the phone at the office the other day. Renters with good credit looking to buy their first home. I've shown one house to them and have three more scheduled tomorrow.

My broker is allowing me to do open houses on his listings this summer. The buyers I meet are mine with no referral fee, and he pays a higher commission split if I sell his listings, so it's worth a try. I've got a reasonably priced house on the biggest lot in the neighborhood scheduled this Sunday.

I'm excited that I'm actually working. I've been licensed for just over 30 days, so being busy is a good thing!

I signed on to work with Weichert (a franchise, not a corporate owned brokerage). I am enthused and find that the broker and the owner are both very encouraging, supportive, and helpful.

The office is very busy.

I have a few things in the works; possible new listing, possible open listing, and a couple of buyers buzzing around.

Office does open houses every weekend, and I will probably check them out this weekend to see how they're "done" and maybe jump on the bandwagon next weekend or the weekend after.

I got my license in April.

I have two closings scheduled for tomorrow. Knock on wood that they both close.

The first is working with a buyer who is a friend from my previous job. Closes at 9:00.

The second is a seller that is a referal from an out of town agent. Closes at 1:00.

I have another house listed and I'm working with one other buyer.

My struggle was negoiating counter offers, inspection notices and where does all the paperwork go:)

I started in April, I closed one buyer in June, I have 19 people who say they want to buy or sell, but arent quite ready...and I have a listng Appt on Monday in which I'll get both sides of....

all in all, I'm pleased, but those 19 need to get off their butts and make a decision!

Looks like at least some newbies are doing a good amount of business! Congrats to us all! I can't wait to just get those first few deals under my belt so I don't feel like such a pest to the seasoned agents in the office. They're all really nice and seem to like me better than the other new agent, but then again she's 84 years old and constantly screws up their phone messages. In my office we're expected to work as a team whenever possible, but this woman is infuriating to talk to because she can't ever hear you. =)

Started in March, have closed 3 sides (1 listing and 2 buyers). Have 3 pending now (1 list and sell, and 2 buyers)

I have however had 4 deals this month fall apart... it's gut wrenching.

..."but then again she's 84 years old and constantly screws up their phone messages."

Bless her heart. I don't know if I should feel sorry for her or be impressed by her. Either way, I can't imagine starting anything at 84. Treat her like you would want your mother or grand mother to be treated.

I do, but it's hard. Yesterday she got a call from someone asking her to PLEASE stop leaving messages on his answering machine, as he is NOT a real estate brokerage and she's been leaving messages trying to schedule showings for weeks. No wonder no one ever calls her back......

I've been licenced about 8 months. I closed two in which I represented the buyer, and closed my one residential listing a few weeks ago after a long and arduous deal. I've also collected a nice fat referral. I currently have only one listing, but it's a doozy at $975k. However, it's a commercial listing that could take a while. Years.

I am surviving. I've had a couple near-misses that would have put me in the "thriving" category.

I am currently putting a few hours a day into FSBO's. I dunno, it's like a light went off in my head and it was due to some advice someone gave here on the forum. Anyway, it's helped me to realize, on a visceral level, that these are HOT PROSPECTS who are literally putting a sign in the yard saying "I'm a hot prospect!". And it seems to really suit my personality. Yesterday a little old lady invited me into her home, and I talked for over 20 minutes with another FSBO after we noticed each other's tires (BFG AT's) and came out of the closet as hunters <g>!

Anyway, my feling right now could be summed up as "list or die". I have about... jeez... probably a solid dozen "buyers" who ain't buying, and running around with them is getting excruciating. That's when I can actually get them to go out. I have one buyer I'd call "hot", and I have an investor who seems hot IF I can find the right owner-carry rentals for them. But I want listings. I want them for the business that comes with them. Both buyers I closed with this winter were people I met at my listing. So I want listings, and I don't care if they are overpriced and need lots of handholding; I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!

This is a tough business to keep one's chin up in; I've been discovering that as I've had a couple fairly brutal setbacks in the last couple months. My broker is very supportive bordering on optimistic for no good reason; I've found that I need to temper his optimism with some b*tch-slap reality. He'll say things like "You'll be SLAYING in a couple months!" which makes me feel good at the time, but the reality is that in this market (and perhaps any market, this is the only one I know) it is a HUSTLE out there, and one certainly cannot assume success! You have to go out and get it. Or fail.

My SOI has been supportive in general but has not generated much actual business. My one hot buyer right now is SOI; I may get a listing from SOI soon, but every dime I've put in my pocket so far (about 20k) has been directly or indirectly attributable to my listing. That's why I'm in "list or die" mode. I will have some listings in a few months, or I'm gonna be in trouble. So, I will go get some listings and working the FSBO's seems like the place to go for that.

Sorry to ramble on... I guess I really SHOULD start blogging! :-)

-jeff

ok...add 2 more listing Appts to my reply! :o)

Started in January, had 3 closings by March, 2 listings by April. Then came a couple of rather of slow months, with only 4 new listings, and then at the end of June holy heck broke loose, and I have 11 listings, and will close on 5 listings(possibly 6 - its a domino effect case - they have to sell their home to buy another) in the next 90 days.

Considering I have worked in the real estate business as a support person, and this is my first year as an agent, I am not sure if you consider how I am doing as ok, or good. However, I'm not gonna complain!

My first year will be over at the end of August.

4 buyer closes: SOI referral, SOI, open house, SOI

I've got...3 or 4 buyers on the string; they're warm at least.

No listings...and I'm thinking that I might end up as a buyer's agent; I love everything about it. Listing is scarier for me (although not so scary I wouldn't do it!).

Been at it for a couple of months now. Closed 4 sides in July, one was a list and sell. Two deals fell apart. I have two scheduled to close this month (fingers crossed). Seems like I was busy, busy, busy for a month but nothing really going on for about a week now.

Been licensed since Feb, so far not one transaction. I have focused on mostly FSBO's & Expired's.

Lots of phone conversations, lots of letters but no takers.

I've been re-doing the letters and have tried new key words in conversations, but nothing yet.

On the bright side...I'm not discouraged, I haven't gone crazy, I'm learning and having fun...but will have more fun once I get some transactions under my belt

You're working fsbo's. That good...at least we know they've raised their hands and let us know they want to sell real estate...

But let me ask you something...If you recieved a phone call and a follow up letter, or someone showed up on your doorstep and started talking to you, plus this person showed up everyday or so, which one would establish a quicker relationship...?

Stop calling them on the phone and sending letters...while doing that, somebody is out there talking to them face-to-face...who do you think has a better chance of winning the listing?

I realize why agents don't do this...it's less confrontational and less of a chance of rejection when you call on the phone and send out letters...That's why you need to learn SALES...

When you start seeing them face-to-face and start asking for appointments, you'll start getting appointments...