So you know your MLS database, you know your market, and you know what your area has to offer from schools to entertainment–but do you know what your prospective clients are thinking right now?

Knowing that can help you add a string of happy clients to your database this season.

According to a June 2013 survey of U.S. home buyers by Harris Interactive and Trulia.com, this year’s crop of home buyers is worried about, well, just about everything.

Here are the overall “Worry Survey” results:

The top concern overall is that mortgage rates will rise too high too soon and price buyers out of the market, followed closely by home prices rising too fast. What’s the main difference between hotter markets and average ones? Buyers in hot markets don’t seem as concerned about qualifying for a mortgage.

Brett Figueroa is a personal success coach who worked under Tony Robbins for 6 years, and who has delivered more than 3,000 presentations worldwide. Brett says that there are three primary factors that put someone at the top of their game.

The Ultimate Goal.

Remember the movie City Slickers? What is your “one thing?” The one thing you want to truly make your life feel complete. “Too many people,” Brett says, “go through life with a notion of what they want, without ever figuring out exactly what they want.” Do you want to retire in a beachfront estate? Create a happy family? End world hunger? [Read more…]

I once heard the expression, “Communication is the lubrication in your organization.” That couldn’t be truer, especially in the world of business. You simply can’t over-communicate when dealing with clients. I find that the best way to eliminate the constant state of reactivity in which most of us work is to employ proactive communication strategies, such as the following:

Make a list of the people with whom you correspond regularly.
Take note of all the recurring questions that you have to answer time and time again. Then ask yourself how you can provide the information to these individuals in advance. For example, let’s say you’re a real estate agent, and you know that during every transaction you are going to receive a telephone call from the buyer regarding the home inspection report. Instead of being at your client’s beck and call, why not create a document that provides the answers to these frequently asked questions? This would cut these questions off at the pass, save you time, and allow you to provide better overall customer service.
[Read more…]