Dear Optimists, Pessimists and Idealists:

While you were all busy discussing the water in the glass, I drank it!

Sincerely;

The Opportunist

Question:  Which are you?

Been teaching the Real Estate Principles Class at Virginia Commonwealth University since January 2014 and it's been a blast!

I'd really like to hear your thoughts and comments.  Please let me hear from you with what's selling in your market, what's sitting, what's the price range that's getting the most activity, whatever you can share.

I personally don't believe all the hype the media continues to feed us.  The majority of home sales are still cash sales which typically means investors.  If you are in Real Estate Sales, then you are probably seeing a shrinking inventory as bank foreclosures are disappearing from the market and homes that have had a considerable amount of rehab / improvement are generating alot of activity.  The upper end homes in every market are still selling well, however the starter home market appears to be really slow (unless it's priced below market and has a ton of features and amenities that the competition doesn't offer).  The move-up / second home market is moving ok, but nothing stellar to report in that market segment as I see it.  

New construction is a market all to itself it would appear.  Most new construction is selling well, but I believe builders should be a bit more cautious than they seem to be.  As a group, builders are an extremely optimistic bunch.  They see the market as getting stronger almost daily.  As someone who's been in the business since 1981, I would be a bit more cautious.  I would build no spec homes, take larger amounts down before beginning and do whatever I could to ensure I don't get too many new home starts going at one time.  

I believe we will see a bit more of an uptick, but then I see a bit of a lull in the market across the board, all price ranges and all markets, that will last for a few year.  The Real Estate Agents that survive and thrive during this period of time will have to have been training, better skills and a laser like focus on the fundamentals to succeed.

Just my two cents.  I'd really like to hear your thoughts...

I hope these will help you close more deals, gain more trust and simply make more money.

Enjoy...

You’ll obviously feel better once you…sign the contract…and get your home under contract.

You know you can…trust me…to tell you the truth…right?

____, if you were buying this home…you would want the sellers to…do the right thing…and fix the defects…right?

_____, you know you can…follow my advice…because I have your best interests in mind.

You know we need to…sign the contract now…before we lose a great buyer.

I know you’ll…do the right thing…and fix any defects the home inspection reveals…right?

Once you…sign the contract…you’ll feel so much less stress.

When you…follow my advice…you’ll have a smooth transaction…won’t that be great?



Please click the tab above 'CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE' to learn how to take more listings, sell more homes, in less time, make more money and enjoy life more!

Jesse

804-537-0673

Also, if there is a specific objection you seem to get with some regularity, please send it to me.  I'll do my best to help so you won't get it any more.  [email protected]

Do you have what it takes to sell 100 homes?

Were you a 'born salesman'?  Do you have a gift of gab?  Are you an extrovert?  Outgoing?  Have tons of friends and contacts?  Are you just plane lucky?

Naaww...none of that crap ensures success.

Are you willing to study others that are successful? Are you willing to do what they do?  Are you willing to learn?  Are you willing to suck at it for a little while?  How about this, are you willing to feel a little embarrassed while you're learning and growing?

If you answered YES, not just yes; But YES (maybe even HELL YES!), then you ABSOLUTELY have what it takes to Sell 100 Homes!  That's the GREAT news!

The even BETTER NEWS...There are some good people out there who are willing to share with you how to get there.  To show you the shortcuts.

If you are looking for someone to be your mentor, I'd like to apply for the job!  Please click the 'YES, I'd like to apply' button above.  Fill in the application and get it back to me asap.  I'll get back in touch with you quickly and get you on your way to Selling 100 Homes a year!

Thanks and Make it a GREAT Day!

Jesse

I hope you all had a Great Thanksgiving!

Here are a few Motivational Quotes that i hope you'll enjoy.  I'll be back in the near future with more business building tips and techniques, but for now, please read and think about how you can apply these ideas to your business and life...
MOTIVATION

I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort

under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism.

                Charles Schwab
                (1862-1936)
                American Industrialist


TONE OF VOICE

It's not so much what you say
As the manner in which you say it;
It's not so much the language you use
As the tone in which you convey it.

"Come here!" I sharply said,
And the child cowered and wept.
"Come here," I said --
He looked and smiled
And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair
But the tone may pierce like a dart;
Works may be soft as the summer air
But the tone may break my heart;
For words come from the mind
Grow by study and art --
But tone leaps from the inner self,
Revealing the state of the heart.

Whether you know it or not,
Whether you mean or care,
Gentleness, kindness, love and hate,
Envy, anger, are there.
Then, would you quarrels avoid
And peace and love rejoice?
Keep anger not only out of your words --
Keep it out of your voice.

                - (author unknown)
                  Courtesy, Carole Moore

WORK

Nothing worthwhile comes easily.  Half effort does not produce half results.  It produces no results.  Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last.

                - Hamilton Holt


SUCCESS FROM CRISIS

Muhammad Ali once shared a story about growing up.  In this story, The Champ illustrates the principal of turning a negative into an empowering positive event.

As a kid growing up in Louisville Kentucky, Muhammad Ali's parents gave him a sparkling new bicycle. Growing up in a poor family, Ali never received many new things, so you can imagine his excitement as he took it to the gym to show his friends.

After gathering his friends together, you can imagine Ali's heartbreak when he went outside only to find his new bike was stolen.  He reported the theft to a policeman and promised that if Ali ever found out who took the bike, he would beat him up.   The policeman asked him if he knew how to box, which he didn't, so the officer taught him.

That was the start of Ali's boxing career.

To this day, Ali never found out who stole his bicycle.  But every time I get into the ring, Ali said, I look across at the other fighter and tell myself:

"That's the guy who stole my bicycle".

COURAGE

Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.  There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right.  To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires ... courage.

                - Ralph Waldo Emerson


Please do sing up for the early BONUS and tell me your biggest challenge.  I read each one and would like the opportunity to help if I can.  Have a POWERFUL day!

Here’s a few more phrases that I hope you’ll find immediate use for that can help you get a ton more business.

Use these when you’re talking with a Prospect

Obviously…you realize we should…set an appointment now…wouldn’t you agree?

You don’t have to…choose me now…let’s set a time to meet first.

Allow me to…set an appointment…to show you how I sold ____ homes last year.

You know you’ll be glad when you…meet with me…to get your home sold…won’t you?

I know that you…like me…want to…sell your home…for top dollar.

We really should…set an appointment…don’t you think?

It sounds to me that you know you ought to…meet with me…before you list with this other agent…right?

Please email me with your wins using these strategies and tactics, I really do get a jazz out of reading about your successes!  Also, please do send me your biggest challenges.  I’ve probably ran into it before and if I can help, that’d be a huge win for both of us, right?

To Your Success!

Jesse

Ok...Ok...Ok...Here are a few Immediately Actionable and Useful Objection Handlers you can use when following up on a lead.  Remember to say them with confidence.  When you see three dots (...) think of these as reminders to pause or breathe so your response will sound natural to your prospect / lead.

You can…feel confident…that I’ll tell you the truth…you deserve the truth don’t you?

________, you do want to…sell this home…right?

If what I have to say makes sense…will you…hire me…to…sell your home…when we meet today?

____, it goes without saying that you have to…feel confident…with me.

The choice is yours _____...you can choose to…meet with me today…or tomorrow…which is better for you?

_____, I know you need to sell…which allows us to…get started now…to get you to ___ in the time you need…won’t that be great?

With your busy schedule…would it be possible to …meet with me today…so we can get the process started?


I hope these help you reach your goals.  Also, please reply with whatever your biggest challenge is and I'll do my best to help you overcome it.

Have a GREAT Day!

Jesse

Just who the **** is Jesse Lennon why should I listen to him?  GREAT question!  I figured I’d say it to get it out of the way since I’m sure you were thinking it anyway.  I’ll give you a brief resume:

I earned my license to sell real estate in 1988 (had to take the dang exam twice before I passed it!).

Sold about 20 homes a year for 10 years or so.

Late 1990’s I decided to get serious and started to actually study how business REALLY gets done, SALES get made and TRUST is created instantly.  The results are pretty Amazing!

From 2001 – 2007, I sold 100 or more homes each and every year!

                No Gimmicks, No Advertising, No Open Houses, No Discounted Commissions & No Huge Staff!

                I went from working 24/7/365 (sound familiar?) to 3 ½ days a week (sweet)!

                I even created a simple Listing Game (I love playing games where I get to create the rules, don’t you?).  Simple Rules:  I don’t have to meet the seller; I don’t have to see the home; I take the listing at a price that I choose; Sell the home; get paid a Full Commission AND Have the Seller Love Me for it!  Cool Game don’tcha think?  I took about 40% of my listings that way my last two years in the business.

Retired from actively and aggressively selling homes in 2008.

Why this blog?  Why now?

3 Reasons:

1.       I am no longer actively involved in real estate sales and therefore I’m not concerned about my competition learning my closely guarded systems and secrets. 

2.       There are a lot of truly deserving agents out there.  Some of which are struggling right now even with the real estate market showing some signs of recovery.  And lastly,

3.       My wife convinced me that by making my system available to you, I have the ability to positively impact not just your life, but also the lives of your family, your clients, and all those you come in contact with.  Because of the impact this has had in our lives, it’s just plain wrong not to share it with others since I’m no longer selling real estate.   (My wife’s a nurse so she has a built-in ‘help make things better’ mindset.)

I hope you will use what I share here to make a ton of money and positively impact the lives of those around you.  I promise you will not always like what I have to say, and that’s ok.  Just keep an open mind.  If you like what you see here, please check back often as I’ll do my best to post something new at least once a week.

Thanks for your time.  I look forward to speaking with you again the near future!

Jesse