I wonder how many people in general look at their relationships with others and say, “Gee, I wish I had done this, or said that, or taken a little more time with so-and-so.” I’m really grateful for the many sides of people in my life and that I am getting to see and know all of them. There seems to be one common thread among the ones I admire and call friends, and that is the fundamental desire to push outside every box we seem to have been placed in.

REAL ESTATE BARCAMP ORLANDO 2011

It’s been a week since REBarCamp Orlando, and after arriving home, with two stranded Massachusetts folks, Speaker Leslie Lambert and Moriss Partee,stranded from hurricane Irene,  I am finally getting unpacked and re-organized.

Planning this year’s event quickly became a BIG job when the numbers of attendees rose over 300, then 400, 500 and finally 640.  While I didn’t expect all of them to show, we did calculate that we had over 533 in attendance, a pretty great turnout for events like this. The biggest fear for me was keeping it REAL, and keeping the integrity of a true BarCamp style event intact.

We had a few folks outside their little RE BarCamp shells,..they wanted to get up on the board, get in front of an audience, just could not wait to “present.” So, we decided to mix it up, again , keep it as organic as possible. A large white board held pink stickies with attendees “Need to know” subject matters, and white session facilitators “Will help you know” topics.  I’m not sure it worked exactly like that, but it kept the board from filling with session hogs and gave more people a chance to collaborate and to really think about what the needs of the attendees may be.

There were some bumps with vendors and product pimpers, but that won’t happen again so easily,.. you just live and learn as they say! As in any BarCamp, the organizers got great ideas as well as to how to keep that from being an issue in future events.

The highlights for me were somewhat different than for others, for first-timers etc.  This is my third REBarCamp,.. but many of the attendees who were also speakers at the Florida Realtors Conference were actually friends of mine. Yes, friends that I met online during my initial dive into social media. Others were online only acquaintances until REBarCamp Orlando where we had our first “in real life” meetings. 

In any other circumstance, that might be a little weird for some who are not as social, but I have a gift.. it’s that I am from the South. I swear I inherited some ability of intuition about people and when you add the most beautiful part of social media to that, (how social media enables you to learn about people on a deeper level than casual friendships), it just makes for the perfect opportunity for REAL friendships and networks that extend way beyond our business lives. Meeting Diane Guercio and Amy Cesario for the first time after nearly three years of online friendships was like running up to hug a sister you had known all your life, but never laid eyes on. It was wonderful, happy, and yes, brought a little tears, but it was not strange or forced because through social media, I knew them before they ever arrived. Wouldn’t you like to know your customers like this before you ever try to help them? Can you see my point?

All the above may seem a little gushy so for your non-gushers here is also the reality – Social Media and Networking events like REBarCamps give you much more than any other conferences you can attend. Hands down. You want to know how something really works, if it works, you need to get to a RE BarCamp.

So, here are questions that people ask us social media event gushers about all the time:

1. What”return on investment” do you get? 
2. How do you make money with social media?
3. Do you use it for business only or personal use?
4. What do you get out of planning a Real Estate BarCamp?

Simple answers:

1. Business relationships build referral bases, provide you with education from the school of hard-knocks, provide you with money-saving and making tips that you can’t get from a book, and those you can get from a book – or online.  The adopters of social media, who “get it,” will share their knowledge,.. and expect you to do the same. I’m constantly working it, but Social media increased my business by 65% this year. That’s no peanuts!
2. Applying what I just said in #1. You build the relationships, it will come. I have had 6 incoming referrals from others I met at REBarCamp 2010! I’ve made five  direct referrals to my friends of social media. I’ve increased my business by 65% in one year from direct social media marketing efforts, and my sellers are thrilled to see their home being exposed in so many venues. I have acquired buyers directly from social media efforts..and it’s not slowing down.
3. My business is me. “Me” is who I am on a business page as much as a personal page, just in a dress (sort of), and with a certificate that says, “I know a little something about,….and I can help you, and yes, it’s my job, and I hope to get paid for it sooner or later.” People know I’m a Realtor on my profiles, for sure.
4. I get a lot of satisfaction, seeing agents get excited about their businesses again – it’s a synergy that I can’t explain adequately in words, but it’s inspirational. I also have a network of industry leaders, Realtors, vendors, association executives that I would never have met , that I am closely associated with that have given me much more than I have given in return! Plus, I believe in “Pay It Forward.”

This year, I thank my early influencers once again for all that I learn from them.. both on and off the Real Estate Island. MikeMueller of AreWeConnected.com, Diane Guercio – Realtor, Towne and Country Real Estate, Mass., Lesley Lambert, Realtor, Western Mass; Bobby Carroll, Dakno Marketing, N. Carolina; Amy Cesario, Realtor, Denver, CO; Jeremy Blanton, 210 Consulting, Myrtle Beach; and my Ra-Ra sisters (a Mastermind group formed after REBCORL 2010), Chris Griffith, Bonita Springs; Cyndee Haydon, Clearwater and Janie Coffey, Miami and mentors Bill Lublin, Amy Chorew, all of whom were at Real Estate BarCamp Orlando among many others who helped make this one a memorable event. These are some REAL people, and REALLY smart people of REBarCamp Orlando 2011. When’s our next event?

Don’t Gamble With  Your Home Search

People still buy homes in Tallahassee, Florida without Realtors. Yes they do. Unfortunately, those buyers often end up with issues that they have no clue as to how to solve, much less have a clue as to who can solve their dilemmas.

A few years ago, I answered the call from a buyer desperate and sitting in a moving van wondering where his family was supposed to go because his transaction fell apart at the closing table. The attorneys for the seller, where he had unknowingly agreed to close, kept a binder check, and hurried him out the door because it was almost 5:00pm. He was desperately calling Realtors out of a real estate magazine, and I happened to be his fifth call. (more…)

Realtors work with customers from all walks of life, all demographic backgrounds, and all nationalities. Personally, I have helped locate homes for Finding homes on the internet is one way that people first encounter their possible future homes. Despite all the videos with soothing music and professional staging, the experience of actually walking into a home is totally revealing to buyers. House-Hunting can be fun, it can be enlightening and it is a zen experience when a buyer finds their home!

Some buyers come to Realtors with expectations, with urgent needs and with high demands for attributes that can limit their home-finding possibilities. Savvy Realtors are helpful in opening the minds of these kinds of buyers, to calming concerns that can be remedied and in presenting options for homes that may not, at first, been homes of consideration for these buyers. Experienced Realtors are observing their customers during showings, listening to conversations, and engaging their customers to constantly understand their needs and desires. Realtors often work with multiple buyers at the same time, all with varied needs. The chance that while showing property to one buyer, they may see other homes that other buyers may be interested in is a strong possibility.

Communication, openness between a buyer and their Realtor is a fundamental element of house-hunting. If you can remain calm, if you can open yourself to trust your real estate professional, you may find the zen that allows you to look beyond your limitations and expectations. Realtors are not kidding when they say, “When you walk into the home that is right for you, you will “know” it.” They are true zen moments, no need for words, just the feeling of, “This is my home!”

I’m working with a cash buyer today, but I couldn’t help but thinking that a renter might consider this… a 203K renovation loan to purchase a distressed property could save them thousands,.. and double their investment value in 7 years AND enjoy a tax savings of $15,947. Just take a look at the chart below.

A purchase of 50K, Roll in the 30K for repairs with a 203K loan. Take a 15 year mortgage, and it will be paid off in 7 years… and look at the EQUITY in7 years!  I think the only thing left to say is, “When are we meeting to look at these properties?” The time to purchase a home is right, the properties are there, but you need to be ready to go! For an investment planning appointment contact me today.

Renting vs buying – 15 yr

A Blog Challenge and Talk Tallahassee Blog

One of my social media mentors Riccardo Bueno with Diverse Solutions is holding a challenge, “31 Days To Build a Better Blog” .  I’ve subscribed to the challenge, consisting of exercises to help me build this blog, Talk Tallahassee, into a more informative, focused blog. Part of the challenge is to come up with an elevator speech. To me,  it seems like a mission statement.

So, if we met at a networking event here’s what I’d say:

Hi I’m Debbie Kirkland, I’m a Realtor and I write a blog called Talk Tallahassee. I’d  love to have your input on my posts so that I can help people learn what makes Tallahassee a great place to live and why it’s a great place to call home.  Here’s my card, can you take a look at it sometime this week and give me a call?

I’ve been blogging now for about two years, and my goals were to provide information to buyers of real estate who are not from Tallahassee with a resource of information and an insight into what the Tallahassee community has to offer. For sellers, it is a way to showcase your neighborhoods, your homes, and what it is that you love about them. I admit, it’s been a little scattered. finding time to write while working has been another challenge all together!

In my listing presentations, I always ask my sellers to write a little something about what they love about their homes, what attracted them to purchase, and what they want to share with a new owner. I make those statements a part of my presentation to home buyers and to my marketing plan. In the same way I ask my sellers to help me, I’m going to solicit your help in this challenge!

I want this blog to be an arm of not only of my real estate interests, but a source of information that people enjoy reading and will pass along to others. I’m here to sell some real estate, but more than that, I’m here to help people make decisions about buying new homes, investment properties and second homes.  I want your help, so I’m asking you to comment, participate in the posts, conversations, etc. What do you want to know about Tallahassee, about real estate?  Help me make this blog better for you and for others who are reading it! Ok, here we go @Ribeezie!

Mr. and Mrs. Home Buyer, what’s the thing you hate most about home shopping? I bet I know! ( been around long enough to hear the stories). Could it be that you are riding around, calling on real estate signs and getting different Realtor every time you call. I bet before you get home, you’ve got 15 home listings in your email,… from 15 different Realtors. Congratulations  you have just become a “Drip!”

(more…)

Just because the Federal Tax Credit for first-time home-buyers ended earlier this year, there are still assistance options for Leon County, Tallahassee, Florida first time home-buyers.

One of the options is the Leon County SHIP Program. SHIP stands for State Housing Initiative Partnership. SHIP is funded from Florida Housing, Community Development Block Grant, and Housing Finance Corporation. When buying a home in the Unincorporated areas of Leon County. To access these funds, buyers must qualify and meet eligibility requirements for Income, by Definition and Home Criteria. (more…)

Real Estate values are available, but how do you find them?  That is the question everyone seems to be asking. I hear from folks all the time who say to me, “If you come across a great real estate deal in the Tallahassee area, the Quincy area, the Gulf Coast area, or a foreclosure, a fixer-upper, a bank-owned property, call me!”  I’d be happy to,…but there’s a catch. You need to hire our Tallahassee real estate team!

This is my full-time job. Looking for real estate deals, scouring property records, driving neighborhoods, meeting with home or property sellers, making contacts with people who need or want to sell their Tallahassee area real estate is my life, every day, nearly 90 hours every week. I have an organized real estate team that helps me coordinate real estate buyers. Their biggest job is determining who is a SERIOUS buyer and who likes to ride around in a car and sight-see. My team only work with serious buyers, who know how much they can spend, who have a

budget, who need a certain rate of return on their investment and who have time-lines for accomplishing their purchases.  The sooner we begin working together, the sooner you will poised to purchase. If you think that you will luck up on a bargain on your own, think again. You are very likely to get caught in legal quagmires that you can not understand or do not have time to deal with, or at the very least waste precious hours and hard-earned money by making mistakes that will  ultimately sour you on your real estate purchase. Don’t be one of those consumers.

(more…)

A good Realtor will have a few questions for prospective buyers. a great Realtor will explain their policies with you upfront. Honor your Realtor and you will receive the ultimate in customer service. Remember,.. this person is about to spend hours setting up systems that will help you find the perfect property, in her/his office, databases, communications, multiple listing service as well as even more time researching or previewing properties that may meet your needs and providing those to you. (Did you know that most Top Producing Realtors work between 80 – 100 hours a week?) Ultimately, even more time and money is spent in advance in showing you properties, driving to and from, taking time from other customers, family and friends to devote just to you, (often into the night and on weekends and holidays!) So, before a Realtor just pops up to “go and show,” there are a few questions they will ask of you as well! (more…)

One of the best attributes of the network of people in real estate is that they are loyal. Loyal to their customers, loyal to the industry and loyal to those  with whom that they do business. One of the ways I accomplish this is by networking with other Realtors who refer business to me and conversely, allowing me to get to know who I would make outgoing real estate referrals to as well. Face to face connections, social media connections and industry leadership participation are just a few ways to accomplish a viable, reliable real estate referral network.
I am constantly reviewing and altering my business model. Picking up creative methods of marketing, utilizing the latest in technology and social media venues keeps me on my toes and reaching the customers I need to be successful and to sell properties for my customers.  Did you know Realtors have an Ethical responsibility to constantly educate themselves? Yes, it is specifically stated in The National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics!

I’ve been fortunate enough to organize a Real Estate BarCamp in Orlando the day before the Florida Realtors Conference along with a leadership team at Florida Realtors. This is a really important, FREE event for Florida Real estate agents and brokers, staff, etc.  It is a chance for them to ask the questions and get the REAL answers from others in the industry or in businesses that support the industry and who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise. Attendees will have an opportunity to hear over 30 sessions over 30 subject matters!.. maybe more!

Lesley Lambert, a Massachusetts Broker said,  as with all un-conference camps, “The law of two feet” applies.  If  you don’t like the session you are in, simply walk down the hall to  another one that suits you better! I have learned more at BarCamps and PodCamps than I could have learned in a year of college courses.”  I feel the same way. There is a lot of information to process and much to learn, and venues such as Real Estae BarCamp is just one of them. Keeping current, utilizing tools that help me connect to customers is as rewarding as it is a necessity. Sellers demand more exposure for their listings, buyers are searching more using tools that we did not have available several years ago. My job as a Realtor is to give buyers those resources and my reward is selling them their next home or investment property.

Susie Blackmon, Chris Griffiths Bonita Springs, FL  and Debbie Kirkland, Tallahassee, FL had this to say about REBarCamps and what they garnished from their involvement over the years.

Ask me about my marketing plan for sellers. Ask me how I use technology to sell homes and to reach buyers of all ages. I will be happy to share it with you. Connect with me via the social media icons to the right!