A&P, you havent been in the business very long at all.
Everybody at some point in real estate hits a wall regardless
of their approach. Case in point a high powered agent friend
who works out of a Yonge St office bought her first house
in the Beaches for 800K and subsequently didn't do a deal
for 6 months. Our top team that grosses a gazillion often
has similar spells. The leader of this team is flat out
brilliant. Maybe you should come back in five
years and share your experiences.

Mistake, in 20 odd years I have met one agent that
hasn't had a dry month, keep in mind her price point
is entry level.

Did a deal with her and at the end she started to rant
and rave at me, I just listened and nodded.

Her, totally out of the blue: "I've never had a dry month in my decades of real estate sales."

Me: "Oh you must be related to Lucky"

Her: "I've missed all my kids birthday parties, school graduations, christmas dinners.........

She was super duper angry and I didnt' know what the
hell to say, I just kept quiet and listened and tried
to get away from this angry lunatic.

You stated something to the effect that if you were unhappy cold calling etc. that you would rather go back to your old job.
Now, unless you were a well paid CEO, I assume your previous job didn't pay that well at least in my eyes and most others.

I would state, I would rather shovel manure 8 hours a day to make multiple 6 figure TAXABLE income rather than go back to a 5 figure J. O. B.
you see, I do not LIVE to work, I work to live!

No nerve has been hit on me but I hope I hit yours.
How much do you want to retire on per year? If it's something like $50,000, well depending on your age, you'll probably need to save that much per year starting now for the next 20 years. Are you able to do that at your present income? At your previous job?
I know many couples retired with annual $40,000 in pension and they are struggling!
Geez, don't you agents talk about anything other than the weather with your clients? Look at their lifestyles. What happens in a divorce? My last 3 sales were divorces with the clients on their late 60's. Guess what happens? Your net worth gets cut in half. Do you know anyone who has cancer or A similar debilitating disease? They can't work! I happens unknowingly. Theor life becomes a struggle. Most times people need to sell their house for CASH.

So after this little talk, you are still in love with selling Real Estate to gross $150,000, I am afraid I cannot help you. I have given you a reality check that few realize and no one talks about.


NANVARAC; grossing $150,000 a year is NOT making $150,000 a year. It is far from it. Practically half of that is what a person has earned when you calculate, cost of doing business, medical, retirement, sick days, vacation pays, bonusses.

PERKY; why don't you ask your broker the monthly cost of running the office and then calculate his income. It's simple and easy to do if you have a little business background or considered becoming a broker. It is a well known fact that a top agent earns more than the broker. Also look around, talk to the brokers, ask them how much they made selling, how they did it, the hours they kept.
That's how I know! Plus being in this game for 26 years.

First I think there are really 2 kinds of agents here...

The 10% who Do over 25 deals a year and treat this as a real business..witrh profit and loss.. and everything else

then the 90% that sell 4-6 homes a year..treat this as a hobby and always talk of enjoyment..of the job or business..and will never ever even make close to grossing 100k much less netting 100k..

and either group is fine...My choice is to be in the first group..real estate is not my hobby..or passion..its my job..my profession..my business...

So I have to treat it as such..I feel bad for a seller who needs to sell and gets stuck with agents who treat this as a hobby..as a guy who talks to expireds everyday..

I hear the pain and frustration that the agent..didnt do anything..just didnt do anything...

If this is your hobby..and you just want to enjoy it..and dont care about the monwey fine...

but dont you guys dare say things to us..who treat this is a business and use this to feed our families

Also..

if you thinking you are going to be making 100k..by just being internet savvy, blogging, seo, and open houses and floor time..


you have been sold a dream..usually by some broker..who hasnt sold a home in a million years and usually wasnt even good at it..

Because if you are grossing 100k..and you are spending an money to get leads..you are not netting 100k

100k

minus commission splits usually 50%-30%
minus business expense-youyr websites,seo, direct mails, advertising equipment etc...

Whats left after those things..oh did I mention gas?
computers your cell phone etc..Most of you never even considered that...

There is really only 3 ways to grow a successful real estate business

1. You wait for it passive ly..referrals, seo, floor time, open houses..wait and pray approach..

2. You go buy it..which was my usual approach..until now..advertising, branding, postcards, flyers, newspaper ads..etc..ppc,..etc..

Which I can assure you work less and less in todays market..dont believe me..go run a full page ad

3. You go AFTER it..which is my new approach..Go after it hard everyday..Fsbo , expireds, cold calls, just listed just sold etc...

again if some of you..who this is your hobby..fine..im cool with that..those who earn less than 100k and just wanna have fun..


but me lucky and lots of agents..we want a huge income to feed our families, etcx..

we are willing to pay the price..

and since when is hard work, sacrifice, wanting to make a million dollars..since when are these traits not admirable?

since when is taking the easy way..being complacent...more admirable?

why are you guys not rooting for us to make a million..or 500k or whatever..or at least admiring the work ethnic?

You are very presumptuous to assume we treat this like a hobby because we don't cold call or door knock.

This is my FULL TIME JOB. This is how I help FEED MY FAMILY. This is how I PAY HOUSEHOLD BILLS and PAY FOR MY KIDS MEDICAL/DENTAL BILLS. This is how I pay for our vacations, and our pleasure items, and our pets.

nd a word of caution to you magic pill agents..

my first broker a remax broker was once the #1 agent in the county doing over 200 transactions, when I met him he had 250 listings..him and his team of 10.

He got those listings from buying business direct mail, ppc,
newpaper ads, bill boards, bus benches..etc.

He was earning 2 million dollars a year in GROSS commission.
he was spending 3 million dollars a yea in expenses on those marketing cost..owning a franchice..office expenses etc..

In 2008 it all came crashing down..he went broke, bankrupt. loss the franchise..his wifee left him, his investment properties went in to foreclosure...

Some agents here thought they make 30k-40k a year..

have you looked at your profit and loss statement...?


did you really earn 30k-50k?? are you sure?

the best year I ever had in 2009,..My gross commissions was about 250k..my net barely 150k and thats before taxes and other stuff..shocking huh?

and Im was and am with a 100% commissiuon company..imagine if I was with a real brokerage..

you would subtract another 30-50% of my income to the broker...

wait im sorry..

im talking to the agents who keep saying things like..
i need to enjoy this, i need to have fun..

thats a hobby..to me..

if you are needing to feed your family..

what does enjoying it..or having fun..have to do with it?

and I dont door knock..just for the record..but I would if i had to..period.

and perky why dont you read what your fellow realtors are saying..

about just waiting for business and all these magic pill stuff..

is that any way to treat something you need to feed your family?

How do you get business perky?

and can somebody please name even 1 agent they know that does 50 plus transactions

from passive blogging, seo, open houses, floor time..?

just name me #1 cause im willing to learn if it is in line with my goal of 50 plus transactiuons..

but remember the difference between lets say brian buffini, craig proctor, mike ferry..is they have a system..a duplicatable, replicable system with a road map for reaching goals...


if you dont know anybody doing 50 plus deals from open houses, floor time, seo and blogging..

its not a system that duplicatable and scalable and can be repeated..

and that wont help me..i need a road map to 50 plus transactions..lucky has given us one..very genourously..

anybody else has a proven system...? or just more magic pill , pie in the sky stuff?

There is no reason NOT to enjoy and have fun doing your work.

I get PROBABLY 90% my business from my online activities (referrals from out of the area agents finding me online, buyers finding me online, sellers finding me online). The other 10% are personal referrals (SOI) and office/franchise generated (much of which is ALSO from the internet, but also from direct mail and print advertisements). This is an estimate but suffice it to say, MOST of my business comes from my online work.

I make more than enough money to pay my bills, feed my family, and have fun too. I do not have to "motivate" myself to "get to my work" because I enjoy what I do and how I do it. There is nothing wrong, immature, or shameful, in that.

What makes 50 transactions the "magic number?" That's a bar you've set for yourself. Not everyone has to reach your bar to be successful or to not be considered a "Hobbyist."

The arrogance of people with mindsets like this are what disgusts me with this business.

well what disgust me in this business,

is the fact of magic pill peddlers..

as if having a website or blogging or social media in any way guarantees business...

secondly is the ridiculous scorn for hard work...

as if hard work is something to be jeered...or ridiculed..

and yes I have personal goals in this as a BUSINESS..

so what? sue me..

Im aiming for 50 transactions
about 400-500k in income...

yes its a GOAL..written..mines personally..

and yes i have INCOME goals..me personally...

and yes i dont mind HARD WORK to achieve my goals..

any real dream has sacrifice attached..if you guys think not..just grow up already..

i dont mind if agents dont have any goals, struggle, not willing to work..

I dont care..but dont step on my dreams and goals..

or my willing to sacrifice and do the darn work..

d on internet conversion..weichert is one of the best..but here is a profit killing venture..

weichert gets 30% mostly in my market..
then on wlan company generated business another 30%..

in my market the weichert agents who do under 200k..starve to death..even if they produce somewhat..

I generate my own business..and soi the company gets minimal..

just my thing..

my focus is profitability..

and fyi..

i love what i do..

and I love having money to take my kids to disney and do stuff that my 100k income allows..
cruises, vacations, etc...

Dont knock me for wanting more for me and my kids...

Lindenmoe, Once again, nobody is peddling magic pills. None of the methods, including yours offer any guarantee of success. None of the methods are easy. Cold calling is great for anyone who wants to do it. Ranting about the stuff you rant about assumes that everyone but you and your cold calling buddies are stupid idiots who don't understand the bottom line numbers.

You have denied saying that yours is the only way that works but that message is in all of your statements about how wonderful it is on the Mike Ferry mountain. How many actual closings have you had so far from this new method of business gathering? When you have made your first hundred thousand from this method let us know.

The fact that you guys thinks that you need to lecture people about how much money it takes to be successful is beyond insulting. Talk about how to do it your way all day long, nobody who matters minds that at all. Talk about your income potential and motivational stuff to your hearts content. Every market has people who make killings with every different prospecting method there is.

SEO and blogging are not overnight methods by any stretch of the imagination. My suggestions in that arena are for people to plant seeds that will come in down the line. In the meantime I have suggested cold calling, fsbos, expireds and all of the other methods as a more immediate way of getting business.

Gross commission is about as meaningful as the window sticker price on new cars. It's just a number.
A half a million only means something if that's what you keep, that's what you pay income tax for and that's what you spend on non business related costs (including savings).
But most franchises make their awards programs about gross commission dollars (or transaction sides). So that's what agents recognize.

an you are correct in obviously in the wrong post..

those who are here wanting to learn about cold calls and calling...those are the ones that matter to me..

this year 4 closings directly from the ferry system..
total gross commission..from ferry alone $34,000
net commission $32,500
i pay a $750 transaction fee for each closing..
these 4 closings came from calling people...

no marketing cost with that whatsoever just picking up the phone like mike ferry suggested..and using the specific script he gave..

you guys are in the wrong post trying to bash me..read the subject to this post..

its about calling people everyday..so obviously people that come and view this post are wanting to learn more about calling..

and dont assume all agents know about gross vs net buddy...
and BIG DISCLAIMER here..

I dont know of any sysatem besides mike ferry that can bring me a closing check in the nexzt 90 days without spending money or learning backlinks,on page..direct mail,ppc advertising..having websites that convert etc...

So please enlighten me..im open minded...

I talk mike ferry in here cause this is a CALLING thread buddy...

you in the wrong thread...

maybe you should post your thoughts in the 400 people a day call me..

which is flat out lying...

and visitors is nothing..lets talk leads and conversions...
the only numbers that count