Chances are, as a seller, you want your home to sell quickly and for the best possible price. The key to making that happen is first, to price your home competitively, and then, make the best possible first impression on a potential buyer – realizing that in the current market, buyers have lots and lots of inventory to choose from.

Effective staging begins with the mindset that once your home is on the market, it’s no longer really “yours.”  Potential buyers want to walk in and picture themselves in your home.  They don’t want to see your family pictures, evidence of your travels and your hobbies, and certainly not your clutter. Anytime I begin the process of helping sellers stage a home, I recognize that they’ve probably spent several years decorating and filling it with their unique tastes in furniture and home décor to make it home their own. Sometimes staging requires undoing some of that. 

Keep in mind that staging starts at the street, if a buyer were to drive by your home, what would their first impression be? Make sure your landscaping is inviting. Paint and plants are key to curb appeal. Trim trees and shrubs so that would-be buyers can see your home clearly, and it looks like it has been well maintained.

As for your home’s interior: embrace the 3Ps – 2Fs Formula: plantings, paint, pictures, fixtures and furnishings.

The entrance to your home says a lot. Be sure to make this first impression a pleasant one. The proverbial “Welcome Mat” is a great start. As the buyer moves into the other areas of your home, the most important thing that you can do is to make sure that you’ve removed all clutter, and cleaned out your closets.

Especially if you live in a small home, you want to convey that there is plenty of room, and clutter conveys the opposite message.

This can mean taking down any personal photos, rearranging or removing furniture to increase the feel of spaciousness, or simply exchanging any unnecessary knick-knacks for candles, books, or other simple items that don’t draw too much attention to themselves. I’ve heard some of my previous clients describe living in a staged home as “hotel living.”

Staging is simply an act of accentuating the value of your home based on first impressions. 

While it might seem time consuming on the front end, chances are that a well-staged home will sell quicker and help you to get where you want to be much sooner.

If you missed Tuesday’s team meeting, you missed a beach party! 

KW Partners celebrated under a beach umbrella wearing flip flops and sunglasses!  Don’t miss the photos of all the fun at our KWBraselton Facebook Page.

The team meeting and beach party were to celebrate the launch of SOS; Summer of Success Productivity Challenge!  All associates can participate by focusing on dollar-productive activities all summer long.

Every time you successfully complete a dollar productive activity, you earn an entry into our weekly drawing for fun, summertime prizes!  Prizes include a family pack of 4 tickets to a Gwinnett Braves Game.  Drawings will take place every week…so stay focused as the competition heats up!

A complete description of the Challenge and ways you can participate is published on our office intranet at www.lanierpartnersbarrowjackson.com!

Other highlights from the team meeting:

Mid Year GAR Forms/Contract Changes!!!  Learn all about the changes at GaRealtor.com.  You must be logged in to see the changes.

Heart warming RED Day stories were shared.

Market Statistics for Barrow, Jackson and Hall were discussed.  Published at the office intranet!

Celebrations for a fantastic April!  Top Listing Agent for April:  Bill Bythewood with over $2.1 million dollars in new listings!  Top Closings Agent for April:  James Glutting with over $17k in gross commission income!  Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The company financials are posted online at the office intranet!

Camp 443 begins May 21!  Relight your real estate fire with our Boot Camp this summer.  It’s not too late to sign up.  Call Dawn.

Keith shared all the details of his new Auction Company and how you can use it to close more business!  His presentation along with the Team Meeting powerpoint are posted at www.lanierpartnersbarrowjackson.com!  Just look under “Group Documents” and “Team Meetings”.

Save the date….June 2 is our next team meeting at 11am.  You never know what you’ll miss if you are not there!

Many people ask me, “why did you choose Keller Williams Realty?”

I always respond, “how much time do you have?”  If you have been around me for very long, you know I can get pretty passionate about our company and what it has done for me in the last three and half years and what I have seen our company do for so many other people.

I decided to join KW in October of 2005 after I had hit a ceiling in my real estate career.  I wanted to get excited about our industry again and more than anything, I wanted someone to show me how to take my business to the next level.  The training and more importantly, the coaching was exactly what I needed to break through that ceiling I had been banging my head against!  I learned how to turn my real estate “job” into a thriving “business” and later had the opportunity to share that experience with other people and help them reach their goals!

After coming over and immersing myself in the company, I learned to appreciate so much more…the associate leadership council, an opportunity to have a say-so in how our company is run; the fact that we are an open-book company and every agent can see how much we make and how much we spend and how much we have saved for a rainy day; the profit sharing system, the technology, the list goes on and on. 

But, the most important reason for me that I stay at KW is our people.  I love our associates and our culture, how we treat eachother and how we challenge each other.  I love the way we share with one another and grow together.  We have a family environment with national franchise tools and resources; the best of both worlds!

Our mission is simple and so powerful; to build Careers Worth Having, Businesses Worth Owning and Lives Worth Living.  We belive in God, Family, then business.

So, why did you join KW?  And if you haven’t, why don’t you?

Thursday, we had our first meeting of the Maximum Impact Club.  Together, we listened a cd by leadership expert, John Maxwell and then discussed our differing insights into the topic.

The topic was “Why People Do Not Reach Their Potential”.  John explained that people are like hot air balloons that have the capability of soaring, but we all have sandbags.  Sandbags are the weights on hot air balloons that keep them from going too far.  Sandbags on people act the same way; they weigh us down and keep us from reaching what we’re capable of.

John discussed four reasons people don’t reach their potential:

#1  They make choices that limit them.

“There is a choice you have to make

In everything you do.

So keep in mind, that in the end,

The choice you make, makes you.

#2  Time; they had no idea the process would take so long.

This one really hit close to home for me.  I am impatient when it comes to making things happen.  I have an idea or a vision of what I want to create and I get frustrated when I don’t see results right away.

John suggests understanding the “process”.  There are two realities concerning our potential:

         1-  There are things we work for, and

         2-  There are things we wait for.  Sometimes we just have to “crockpot” things.

#3  They fail to pay the price that their potential demands.

For everything you gain, you give up something.  Many of us miss out on opportunities because we are fearful of getting out of our comfort zone; we’re just not willing to pay the price.  John says, “many times, our challenges in life are not in understanding, they are in doing.”  Attitude affects ability.

#4  They fail to think creatively when problems arise.

Many people are brilliant at spotting problems, few take the energy to solve them.  They just tell someone or everyone about the problem, as they see it, and expect others to do something about it.

Finally, John explains that the key to reaching your potential is to have more solid reasons FOR reaching your potential than reasons AGAINST reaching it.  This sounds like a Big Why exercise!  If you’d like a personal consultation on finding your Big Why, please call me!

Next month, we discuss 14 Ways to Jump Start Your Life!  Make plans to join us and lift your lid!  Class date and time is at www.LanierPartnersBarrowJackson.com.

Want an extra $8,000?  If you’re a first-time homebuyer then we have a nice surprise for you.

Last fall, the Federal Government introduced a financial incentive to prospective first-time homebuyers — an income tax credit of up to $7,500. The rules were simple: you must have been a first-time homebuyer (as defined by not owning a home in the previous three years) and you met certain income restrictions.

The new $8,000 tax credit is available to those who buy between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009. It’s not a deduction, it’s an actual credit.  Unlike the $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit introduced last summer; this does not need to be repaid.

First timers who qualify can make no more than $75,000 in adjusted gross income if they’re single or $150,000 if filing jointly. The maximum tax credit is $8,000 or 10 percent of the sales price of the home, whichever is less. Three years residence in the property are required. As always, check with your accountant for details and be sure to submit IRS form 5405 when you file your taxes.

Our Red Carpet Awards Celebration on Tuesday has been the highlight of my week!  We all had such a great time at our Champagne Brunch complete with chocolate covered strawberries courtesy of Tiffany McWhorter at O’Kelley & Sorohan- thank you Tiffany!  And thank you Jeff and Jennifer with HomeStar for the embroidered shirts…we love those!

We had so much to celebrate!  Here are just a few of the highlights:

From the KWRI State of the Company Address:

• Keller Williams Realty passed Remax to become the 3rd largest real estate company in the United States!
• KW of Barrow-Jackson is in the running to be the top launching market center in all of KW for 2009!
• Keller Williams has formed a partnership to provide GROUP health insurance for all of its associates!

From the State of the South East Region:

• KW of Barrow-Jackson was the Top Recruiting Market Center in the region AND the #2 launching Market Center in the entire southease region!
• Bill Bythewood received a region WI4C2TS Award for his commitment to KW Culture!
• Our region was #1 in listings taken, written volume and profit share!

Finally, we recognized many hard won successes in our own office:

• Distinguished Service Award…………………Debbie Robinson
• Most Contributions to KWCares…………….Dianne and Rod Amburn and Mystie Upton
• Top Profit Share Earner……………………….Trina Davis
• Top Producing Group………………………….Premier Property Specialists
• Top Producing Team…………………………..Larry & Joyce Phillips
• Top Producing Individuals…………………….James Glutting, Stephanie Stapler and Tom Miller

And, in case you haven’t heard, Keller Williams Realty of Barrow & Jackson has sold more property in Barrow and Jackson counties than any other real estate brokerage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Way to go, partners!

I’m so proud of all of our partners for their determination to power through the shift and as I looked around the room, I was so grateful to be part of our awesome team!  Thank you for an amazing 2008 and I look forward to many more successes in 2009! 

March 2, 2009 1:05 PM EST

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Keller Williams(R) Realty Inc., announced last week at its annual convention in Orlando, Fla. that it is now the third-largest real estate franchise in the United States, surpassing RE/MAX(R) International. According to Steve Murray of REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information in the residential real estate industry, the Austin, Texas-based company claimed the number three spot with 72,794 U.S. associates at the end of 2008.

“The success of Keller Williams Realty can be directly attributed to the hard work and perseverance of our associates and the soundness of our economic and organizational models,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. “While others might be looking at this market and seeing fear and uncertainty, we have always approached it as our opportunity to shine and grow. And that mindset has paid off.”

The company has been gaining ground for the last three years, outpacing pervasive downward trends in the real estate industry. From 2006 to 2008, Keller Williams Realty increased its associate count by 52 percent, market share for its offices increased 83 percent and agent gross commission income went up 35 percent. Currently, the company has 679 offices operating in the United States. The company also shared more than $30 million in profits with its associates in 2008 through its company-wide profit sharing program.

“Through profit share, our phenomenal coaching and training and our technology offerings, we are offering agents their own ‘bailout plan’ for this market,” Willis added.

The company also announced that after years of searching for a partnership to provide its associates with affordable health insurance, they are moving forward with a solution.

The soon-to-be-launched Keller Williams Health Providers Program will include options for major medical, limited medical, catastrophic coverage and a separate cancer plan. The health insurance coverage is the first step toward a total wellness program for associates.

“We have always been very aware that as independent contractors, our agents face barriers to obtaining health coverage,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty. “We know that for many, this new option may alleviate some of the stress that they face in today’s economy. After all, our associates are not just our partners - they are our family.”

Last fall, the company also announced the launch of KW Commercial, a new division of the company dedicated to providing commercial real estate associates with specialized technology, marketing tools and resources. KW Commercial already has more than 220 active brokers across the U.S. and Canada.

“Our growth in the last year and now becoming the third-largest real estate company in the United States was a true team effort and a company-wide win. We are so grateful for all of the leadership and commitment our associates have shown to power through this shift,” added Willis.

About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with more than 690 offices and 74,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1990, has an agent-centric culture that emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. For more information, visit Keller Williams Realty online at (www.kw.com).

It’s hard to believe as I watch the gorgeous snowflakes falling from the sky that spring is just 20 days away.I’ve attached the March Events Calendar for our office and I’m so excited about all that it holds…

• Every Tuesday kicks off at 8:45 am with what I like to refer to as the Dawn Polk Personal Stimulus Package, otherwise known as Power Hour!  If you are not participating in Power Hour, we don’t want to hear you whining about the market!
• Join us this coming Tuesday at 11am for our Red Carpet Awards Celebration!  I’ll share with you some highlights from the State of the Company address from Family Reunion and we’ll celebrate the 2008 successes in our own market center!
• Two final meetings of the SHIFT Book Club this month!
• Two Scripts and Dialogs workshops; FSBOs and Expireds AND Sphere of Influence
• A FREE 3 Hour C.E. Course on REOs and Short Sales with our new attorney partner, Tiffany McWhorter of O’Kelley & Sorohan
• Converting Leads to Clients and $$ with Robert Stella
• Brand New!  Maximum Impact Club- Lessons in Leadership from John Maxwell.  Listen in as John shares decades of leadership experience and share your Aha’s with the group.
• Regional Training Event at Gwinnett Center- 24 Topics You Must Know with Holly Perry

Please check our office intranet, www.LanierPartnersBarrowJackson.com for all dates, times and course descriptions.

Well, I have been home from Family Reunion for exactly 24 hours.  I have been all fired up today and way too tired to do anything about it!  I can’t wait to share all the great ideas with you and tell you about all of the things that KW is bringing to our agents to help you power through the SHIFT.  I will share many of my Aha’s and Announcements at Tuesday’s Awards Celebration and in future blog posts and I get my energy back!!!

But, as I begin to digest all that happened and turn 100s of pages of notes into an action plan for the rest of the year, there are a few moments that stick out for me.  One of the best, as always, was the 10th annual Inspirational Brunch.  It was very apparent that our unique KW culture is alive and well, even in these challenging times.

Our beloved Chairman of the Board, Mo Anderson, featured three beautiful stories that really help us put it all in perspective.  The first one was about a KW agent who had a heart attack on the last day of MegaCamp in Austin this past August.  He and his wife shared stories of how his roommate (a Remax agent attenging as a guest) and many KW partners that came to his aid by praying, bringing food, putting his wife in a hotel in Austin during his hospital stay and so much more.  It was so touching to hear how our “family” circled around during his time of crisis and how grateful he was for all that support.

Next came a great story that we have shared as an office before.  Last year, I played a video in a team meeting about two softball players in a game that would change their life.  Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University hit her first homerun of the season, but tore her ACL just after rounding first base.  The rules of the game stated that if she were replaced, the homerun would only count as a single and if any of her teammates touched her, she would have been called out.  That’s when Mallory Holtman of Central Washington University, a player on the opposing team and the homerun leader in the league, decided to carry Sara around the bases so she could have the homerun that she had earned.  It was an amazing display of character that earned her the ESPN Sportmanship of the Year Award!

Here’s a link to the story:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jocw-oD2pgo

Another piece of the story that touched me was Mallory’s relationship with her coach.  She said that she had the opportunity to play softball at several colleges, but this was the only coach that believed in putting family and education first and softball second.  She said “that’s a lot like your culture here at KW, because Mo told us that you all put God and Family first and business second”.  

Sara, the injured player, shared that their lives had changed dramatically from this experience.  This one random act of kindness; this one little moment in time had propelled them toward what they were meant to do in this life.  WOW!  Think about that…you never know when something you say or do will change someone’s life forever! 

How can we reach out in this challenging market to agents who are struggling to hit their first homerun and change their lives forever???  Most companies are not offering the support, training, tools, coaching and accountability to survive this market!  Yet, the agents need it more than ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Reach out and help someone get around the bases.  It will change your life forever too!

This story ended with a beautiful song, The Wind Beneath my Wings, sang to these two amazing young ladies by a KW agent from another part of the county.  It was an inspiring moment, to say the least.  Everybody needs someone to lift them up and dust them off and encourage them to keep going!  Come into the office!!  Keith, Misty and I are here for you everyday and are always looking for better ways to be the wind beneath your wings!

The final story is the one that touched my heart the most!  Tune in tomorrow for the Emily’s story.

February 12, 2009       Seventy-five Keller Williams Realty associate partners in Barrow, Jackson, Hall and surrounding counties have been recognized by the American Real Estate University as “REO Specialists”, a designation which requires an intensive course of study and examination.  Fewer than one percent of all real estate agents have earned this recognition.

According to University president, A. Shane Mask, “these designees are uniquely qualified to assist homebuyers in the process of purchasing bank and HUD owned properties.  Their advanced training in BPO’s and understanding market finance options also enables them to assist lenders in moving non-performing asset inventories.  In addition, they are trained to be advisors to homeowners on how to avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.  That’s why today’s homebuyers and sellers need to be certain to work with real estate professionals who are completely up-to-date on the foreclosure marketplace and who are committed to providing the best knowledge and advice available.”

Keller Williams Realty’s Team Leader, Dawn Bullock Polk, explains that our associates are better equipped than ever to handle the demands of today’s market.  “Our associates are committed to helping our neighbors and communities through this foreclosure crisis.  While assistance with buying foreclosures is important to home buyers, home sellers can also benefit from a trusted real estate advisor that understands foreclosure prevention methods, the short sale process and creative financing options to open up the market to more buyers who can qualify for the purchase.”

Keller Williams Realty sales more homes in Barrow, Jackson and Hall Counties that any other real estate brokerage.  To learn more, visit www.KnowKWBarrow.com!