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Source: www.sodahead.com

This week, I’ll be taking a quick break from the Calgary real estate scene to attend Mike Ferry’s One-on-One Retreat, “The Art of Selling,” in San Diego, California. It’s not all sun, surf, and sand for me however. I’m constantly honing my skills and constantly keeping myself abreast with all the latest industry trends and developments. Now, I caught myself in a reflective mood and while packing my things for the trip, I thought of how, as a realtor, you could spend ALL your time attending seminars with each real estate guru offering the “Latest Magic Pill” on how to sell a lot of real estate–while sitting in your pajama’s at home doing nothing.

It’s true that while the Internet and the tools and technology have made things easier, the basics of selling, nevertheless, are what have enabled my success.

When I started my career, there were less seminars or conferences that I could attend. A lot of what I know today I learned from mentors and first-hand experience, which in itself is a good way to understand the ins and outs of any industry. Which brings me to the idea behind today’s entry: I thought I’d share with you a few ideas on how to be a great salesperson: based on my own experiences and the ideas of people I met over the course of my real estate career.

Being polite and friendly will win you friends—and clients

Early on in life, we learn that, to make friends, we needed to be friendly. I learned from selling in the Calgary real estate market that being polite and friendly makes you more approachable. Not everyone you meet is a potential seller or buyer, but people will never forget that positive and energetic realtor. Who knows, they may even refer possible clients to you – especially when you ask them to!  No matter how many people you’ve talked to in a day, make each person feel as though he’s your first customer. Let them know you are a professional realtor and ask them if they know anyone who could use your help. Also, never forget that a sincere smile and a firm handshake are sure to win over potential clients.

Do your homework

If you want to be a great salesperson, it’s also important that you know your product very well. People looking for property want someone who has extensive knowledge of the real estate market, one who can answer their questions and give great advice.  Aside from knowing everything about a house or a project that I’m selling, I keep abreast of real estate trends and developments. This way, I can give clients a better assessment of how a potential investment will turn out.

Be honest and straightforward

Aside from being well-informed and having a positive demeanor, another winning trait of a great salesman is honesty & integrity. An honest salesperson won’t hide the bad if any are present; instead, he or she will present both the pros and cons of a particular decision or purchase so the potential buyer can weigh their decision carefully.  A rewarding career in real estate hinges on your reputation. Don’t forget that word does travel fast. If you sell someone a lemon and pretend it is not, people will find out about it and there will be repercussions.

Becoming a great salesperson is not only about being able to close the deal. It’s also about building relationships. By doing my homework, working with integrity and honesty, and treating everyone with respect, coupled with hard work, I’ve managed to build a network of satisfied customers who won’t hesitate to put in a good word for me or refer me to a possible seller or buyer.  That is my secret to being a great salesman/realtor in the Calgary real estate market.

Bryon Howard is a top-producing real estate agent with Re-Max House of Real Estate in Calgary, Alberta. He is in love with his high school sweetheart, an enthusiastic dad, and crazy about endurance sports. To learn more about Bryon and his real estate tips, head on over to his website

Know someone who is looking to make a decision in real estate? If you know any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate within the next six months, would you forward this email to them or reply with their contact information? I’ll send them important information about the Calgary, AB surrounding area real estate market and politely ask for their business. I greatly appreciate your valued referrals; it’s the only way I build my business.

Free Market Report on value of your home: www.CalgaryMarketSnapShot.com

Source: baptistmedicalgroup.org

Healthy living is a topic that never gets old in the Calgary real estate industry. At the end of the year, when the idea comes up, someone is always bound to start along the lines of “I will start exercising/eating healthy/sleeping early next year.” The intentions are there, but somewhere along the way, we all get sidetracked at one point or another.

I know that drastic lifestyle changes can be difficult to do, but from experience, I’ve found that they become second nature by doing them repeatedly. Let me share with you three things that I try to do every day.

Get enough snooze time

Sleep is as important as eating right and exercising. Without sleep, your body cannot repair and restore itself, which reduces your immunity and makes you prone to illness.

Now, this one involves our bedtime habits so if you are the type to keep the television, laptop, phone, or tablet on before hitting the sack, you may want to reconsider your pre-sleep habits. Recent findings show that our gadgets’ displays are mimicking daylight and are, in turn, fooling the brain into thinking that we should be up and about instead of sleeping. Essentially, using a backlit device for over an hour will, likely, lead to sleep loss.

For the restless types among you, a Calgary real estate colleague of mine swears by this tip: sprinkle your bedding with lavender water. Lavender is a well-known antidote to sleeplessness. Of course, your mileage will vary with this tip and I have to admit I haven’t tried the idea myself, but if you have some extra lavender water lying around, have a little fun and experiment!

Having some fruits every day

The “apple a day” adage has been around for quite a while now and the funny thing is, it is something that is often overlooked. Before I run out the door to make some inquiries relating to the Calgary real estate market, I try to eat some fruits in the morning. If I don’t have time, I make a smoothie. This way, I’m able to get a fruit into my day.

Speaking of smoothies, I’ve picked up quite a few recipes and one of them is a personal favorite: strawberry-banana smoothies. This one is straightforward and easy to make. Simply combine 2 cups of frozen strawberries, 2 medium bananas, 1½ cups of almond milk, 1 cup of orange juice, and a tablespoon or two of honey in a blender and mix it until smooth. This recipe makes 4 servings, so you have enough for the whole family to share. And because it uses almond milk, it’s perfect for anyone who’s lactose intolerant.

Get moving

Everyone complains that they don’t have time to exercise and go to the gym. That said, your fitness program isn’t limited to the gym. If you’re mindful of your everyday activities, you’ll find that there are so many ways to sneak in exercise into your busy schedule.

One form of exercise that I do a lot is walking. I try to do this when I’m reviewing houses for sale in Calgary. It’s easy, really. What I do is park a little farther away from my destination so I have an excuse to walk. Three brisk 10-minute walks every day can help decrease your chances of getting heart disease, so get walking and keep your heart healthy.

Another way to exercise is by taking the stairs. When I’m making calls or visiting colleagues in the Calgary real estate industry, I try to avoid taking the elevator, especially when it’s just one or two flights of stairs. Not only do I save on energy, it also helps me get some exercise into my routine.

There are many other ways you can do to stay healthy next year. All it takes is some determination and a bit of mindfulness.

Whatever you opt to do, I wish you all the best of luck in your pursuit of great health in 2013!

Know someone who is looking to make a decision in real estate? If you know any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate within the next six months, would you forward this email to them or reply with their contact information? I’ll send them important information about the Calgary, AB surrounding area real estate market and politely ask for their business. I greatly appreciate your valued referrals; it’s the only way I build my business.

Free Market Report on value of your home: www.CalgaryMarketSnapShot.com

Bryon Howard is a top-producing real estate agent with Re-Max House of Real Estate in Calgary, Alberta. He is in love with his high school sweetheart, an enthusiastic Dad & crazy about endurance sports. To learn more about Bryon and his real estate tips, head on over to his website.

Source: dorward.ca

At the end of each year, clients and friends are often eager to know my opinion about the state of the Calgary real estate scene, or, on occasions, even the whole of Canada. I often receive questions like: “Is next year a good year to buy a home?” Another popular question people tend to ask me is: “Will my property’s value appreciate next year?”

I can’t say that my take on the real estate industry is definitive, but I did notice a few trends which I will use as basis for some of my projections in this blog.

Zeroing in on Calgary

Based on economic indicators and real estate figures this year, I can see Calgary’s residential real estate market growing even bigger in 2013, thanks in no small part to the solid economy and strong consumer confidence.

Industry insiders will tell you that 2012 had the highest level of sales activity in the last five years. That’s a good sign and indicates a stable economy. They expect to see this sales activity increase even more in 2013.

What does this mean for buyers and sellers and homeowners? Here are a few things that I see happening in the Calgary real estate industry in 2013:

• Stable property values – Homeowners can rest easy knowing that the value of their investment will appreciate or at least remain stable as employment growth, rising incomes, and low mortgage rates will help sustain demand for housing. In addition, net migration is expected to increase to 20,000 people largely due to the oil and gas sector which is a key industry and is a major factor in generating growth and prosperity. MLS sales are seen to increase by 15.7 percent or 26,000 transactions because of net migration. Moreover, sales prices in the Calgary region are projected to rise by 2 percent or $411,000 and by another 2.7 percent 422,000. 
  

• Good time to buy a home – In recent years, more Calgary residents have been buying property, due to the low interest rates.  With low interest rates expected to continue next year, it’s a good time as any to consider buying a new home.
  

• Good time to sell – A recent report on the Calgary real estate market showed that single-family homes were most sought after in 2012. More than 60% of sales of residential properties were single-family homes that cost below $450,000. So if you have a single-family home and would like to move to a bigger one, you have a good chance of selling it in 2013, especially if it’s under the $450,000 price point.
  

• Strong activity seen in certain Calgary neighborhoods –Killarney, Hillhurst, Marda Loop, Mount Royal, and the Foothills exhibited strong activity resulting in the values of properties in these areas to increase.       One of the reasons that in these areas easily moved is because of their strategic location and proximity downtown.  If you have a few properties in these neighborhoods, next year seems like a good time to sell it, especially with rising demand.
  

• Office real estate increases in value– Calgary’s office real estate market has also strengthened this year, compared with 2011. One indication of this is the premium rates that office spaces in certain Calgary areas demand.

The 8^th Avenue S. W. Strip, particularly, has been listed as the second most expensive street in Canada, next to Toronto’s Bay Street. With its proximity to retail streets, easy access to transportation, and available parking spaces, it’s no wonder that this particular street in Calgary demands an average of $55.33 per square foot, at $76.50 square foot being the top rent.

As you can see, Calgary’s real estate market is strengthening and continues to grow. From the looks of it, moreover, this trend will continue in 2013. Homeowners, buyers, and sellers in Calgary can be confident that real estate will remain a good investment.

Know someone who is looking to make a decision in real estate? If you know any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate within the next six months, would you forward this email to them or reply with their contact information? I’ll send them important information about the Calgary, AB surrounding area real estate market and politely ask for their business. I greatly appreciate your valued referrals; it’s the only way I build my business. You can reach me at this number: 403-589-0004

Bryon Howard is a top-producing real estate agent with Re-Max House of Real Estate in Calgary, Alberta. He is in love with his high school sweetheart, an enthusiastic Dad & is crazy about endurance sports. To learn more about Bryon and his real estate tips, head on over to his website.

It’s the New Year and the frequent topic of discussion at the beginning of each year is our list of resolutions.  Well, I have accumulated quite a few over the years while working in the Calgary real estate market, and I’ll just say that I have made quite a few realizations over the years about resolutions.

Change is a Gradual Process

It is one thing to desire to change and it is another thing to actually realize it. Resolutions are great and everyone has a list somewhere. These lists usually have eating healthy, exercising more, calling friends and family more often, or even something as mundane as taking the trash out on time.  Now, all these resolutions are great, but I think we have to be nice to ourselves and not expect that we should accomplish everything in our list in one go. It’s like searching for a home where you don’t simply take the shotgun method and scour the entire Calgary real estate market in one day. Instead, you visit one or two open houses in a day, take note of what you like or not like about the property and methodically go through your list of requirements. It’s the same way for changing ourselves via resolutions—we take things slowly and methodically. First, we choose one particular resolution we want to tackle and, second, we stick to the resolution until it becomes habit. In my case, I wanted to cut down on sugar so I decided to cut down my soda intake. I told myself, instead of drinking soda, I would drink water instead. After a month, it was wonderful to see that I had created for myself a new, healthier habit! It’s really about being patient, mindful, and methodical.

Making Your List

I tend to think resolutions are starting to become pretty generic at times. While it’s great that a lot of individuals are getting conscious about their health, their eating habits, or just trying to connect better with friends and family, sometimes, you have to wonder if those resolutions are indeed yours or someone else’s. If they aren’t your resolutions or you don’t feel too strongly about the particular list of changes, chances are that you won’t stick to them. The great thing, however, about the start of the year is that it is a good chance to assess what we truly want to see in our lives. Now, it doesn’t have to be these large and abstract goals, though those can be great too. However, if a goal is too daunting, just go for something simpler and mundane. In my case, I opted for simpler goals which I thought I could easily accomplish without getting sidetracked. Here’s my list from a years back that should illustrate my idea:

• Take my family out to more cross-country skiing trips
• Have a fresh fruit smoothie everyday
• Join a marketing seminar/course
• Figure Twitter out
  

Think Small, but Genuine Change

My list fits a broad idea of what it is that I’d like to see in my life or attain for myself. For example, I know that I may not know everything there is to know about the Calgary real estate market so I am always in favor of education or at least keeping myself up-to-date. I want to have a healthier diet, but I was not too keen, at that time, on following a strict regimen so I opted for having a fresh fruit smoothie as often as I could. In short, I was looking for specific and attainable goals which worked well for me and I knew I was passionate about.

Now, before this blog post becomes a lot longer than it should, I’ll just end it with this reminder: Be patient with yourselves, go for the things you care about, and stick to your resolutions. With that, have a happy New Year!

Know someone who is looking to make a decision in real estate? If you know any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate within the next six months, would you forward this email to them or reply with their contact information? I’ll send them important information about the Calgary, AB surrounding area real estate market and politely ask for their business. I greatly appreciate your valued referrals; it’s the only way I build my business. You can reach me at this number: 403-589-0004

Bryon Howard is a top producing real estate agent with Re-Max House of Real Estate in Calgary, Alberta. He is in love with his high school sweetheart, an enthusiastic Dad & is crazy about endurance sports. To learn more about Bryon and his real estate tips, head on over to his website

Whether you are searching through a list of houses for sale in Calgary or capturing a moment you want to hold on to, taking photos and storing them is an interesting outgrowth of recent technology.  Naturally, when we gather with friends and family, especially during the holidays, we’ll be taking a lot of pictures. Truth be told, we’ve become a trigger-happy, photo taking lot as most of the devices we carry with us have built in cameras which are “good enough.” In fact, there’s a recent adage that goes along the lines that the “best” camera you can have is the one that’s in your pocket. Well, if we make a quick survey of the items we usually have with us, a point and shoot camera is not one of them, let alone the larger, more capable DSLR. So which camera is most likely to be in someone’s pocket then? The funny thing is that our mobile phones which take on the workhorse role of taking pictures simply because these items are usually with us. Interestingly enough, phones and tablets have something else over most point and shoot cameras and DSLRs: phones and tablets can connect to the cloud. This in turn means that anyone can quickly and easily share photos on the different social media networks or simply store material in the different cloud storage services. Well, what’s a tech related article without some recommendations and, to that effect, I’ve found some applications that made saving to the cloud possible.

Picasa Web Albums

Picasa is Google’s free photo app which has both a desktop and a web component, the Picasa Web Albums. It allows you to edit, add cool effects, organize, and share your photos on Google+ or email. I like most its geo-tagging and face recognition tools. It scans faces and once you’ve matched it to a name, helps you do the same to the rest of your photos.  With geo-tagging, it pegs your photo on a map to show where you shot it, which is ideal for those sightseeing photos all of us take. In my usage case, geo-tagging is a real convenience while doing research or listing several houses for sale in Calgary. There are also many editing and enhancing tools that go beyond the basic red-eye correction, cropping, fill lights, auto contrast and color features. If you’re an enthusiast, you’ll have fun tweaking your pictures. All these features are quite handy as well given that sharing and minor touch-ups are going to be in the top spots of the list of things to do with your recently taken photos.

Instagram

By far the most popular choice, Instagram, isn’t only an app but also a social network. I play around with my pictures using the filters that are included with the app. Moreover, the interface is simple and easy to get into. In addition to the quick photo editing capabilities of the app, its social component is what is really going to drive its usage as anyone can directly share on Flickr, Tumblr, and Facebook–very convenient for a realtor who is researching a few houses for sale in Calgary. All in all, Instagram is user friendly and it is just wonderful to have when you’re taking all those memorable moments that simply have to be on your online album.

Dropbox

I used Dropbox mainly for document-sharing but since they updated the app, photos and videos can now be automatically loaded onto the cloud.  Opting into the auto upload feature is one time deal, after which the Dropbox client will extract images from your phone or tablet.  Dropbox, in this regard, is particularly competitive and is doings its best to encourage users to test this new feature. In fact, if you upload often, you get 3GB of storage space added 500MB at a time. Unlike Picasa or Instagram, there is no editing or enhancing features but you can easily share and access pictures anywhere you are in the world.

Touchnote

Now, Touchnote is one app every person who loves postcards should use. While it may not save photos per se, it does take photos and send them as postcards, literally the printed on paper kind. Better yet, you need not step into a post office. Simply create your postcard and go through the app’s easy to navigate interface. Speaking of interfaces and options, you can rotate images, zoom in, add a 220-character text overlay, and, when you are done tweaking your post card, you can send it to a specific address. The app isn’t for mobile devices only though. You can send postcards from your computer and from your Facebook account. It’s a pretty nifty, but simple to use app that has a novel approach to keeping in touch.

Well, there you have it folks, three storage solutions for you mobile tech users and 1 novel way to share photos with friends and loved ones. There are more apps out there waiting to be used with the “best camera in your pocket” device, but these apps are what I frequently use to take and store pictures of houses on sale in Calgary, family gatherings, vacations, and other things which catches my fancy.  Happy New Year!

Know someone who is looking to make a decision in real estate? If you know any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate within the next six months, would you forward this email to them or reply with their contact information? I’ll send them important information about the Calgary, AB surrounding area real estate market and politely ask for their business. I greatly appreciate your valued referrals; it’s the only way I build my business. You can reach me at this number: 403-589-0004

Author Bio:

Bryon Howard is a top producing real estate agent with Re-Max House of Real Estate in Calgary, Alberta. He is in love with his high school sweetheart, an enthusiastic Dad & is crazy about endurance sports. To learn more about Bryon and his real estate tips, head on over to his website.