No Matter Which Groundhog You Listen To, You Should Sell Before Spring!

No Matter Which Groundhog You Listen to, You Should Sell Before Spring!  Depending on which Groundhog you witnessed today, you may have less time than you think to get your home on the market before the busy spring season. Many sellers feel that the spring is the best time to place their home on the market as buyer demand traditionally increases at that time of year. However, the next six weeks before spring hits also have their own advantages. Here are five reasons to sell now.

1. Demand is Strong

Foot traffic refers to the number of people out actually physically looking at homes right now. The latest foot traffic numbers show that buyers are still out in force looking for their dream home. These buyers are ready, willing and able to buy…and are in the market right now! Take advantage of the strong buyer activity currently in the market.

2. There Is Less Competition Now

Housing supply just dropped to 3.9 months, which is well under the 6 months’ supply that is needed for a normal housing market. This means, in many areas, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers in that market. This is good news for home prices. However, additional inventory is about to come to market. There is a pent-up desire for many homeowners to move, as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. Homeowners are now seeing a return to positive equity as real estate values have increased over the last three years. Many of these homes will be coming to the market in the near future. Also, new construction of single-family homes is again beginning to increase. A study by Harris Poll revealed that 41% of buyers would prefer to buy a new home while only 21% prefer an existing home (38% had no preference). The choices buyers have will increase in the spring. Don’t wait until all this other inventory of homes comes to market before you sell.

3. The Process Will Be Quicker

One of the biggest challenges of the housing market has been the length of time it takes from contract to closing. Banks are requiring more and more paperwork before approving a mortgage. There is less overall business done in the winter. Therefore, the process will be less onerous than it will be in the spring. Getting your house sold and closed before the spring delays begin will lend itself to a smoother transaction.

4. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up

If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now. Prices are projected to appreciate by 5.3% over the next 12 months according to CoreLogic. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30-year housing expense with an interest rate below 4% right now. Rates are projected to rise by three-quarters of a percent by the end of 2016.

5. It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and determine whether it is worth waiting. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than your health? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should? Only you know the answers to the questions above. You have the power to take back control of the situation by putting your home on the market. Perhaps, the time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire.

That is what is truly important.

The EXIT REALTY BEND “FLYING BOCCINOS” & “VOLOS” BOCCE BALL TEAMS COMPETE & GIVE BACK

There are few things in life that bring me more joy than giving back and paying forward to others….and….of course….playing bocce ball.

On Thursday, August 20th, five licensed professional Realtors from Exit Realty Bend, armed with three cadets from the Oregon Youth Challenge, hit the Bocce Ball Courts in Bend Oregon! Nearly twenty bocce ball courts were temporarily constructed and placed on the beautiful green grass at Bend’s beautiful Farewell Bend Park. On a perfectly beautiful and sunny day in Central Oregon (we tend to see about 300 such days each year), some 68 teams, amounting to 272 participants, mostly Realtors and mortgage lenders, and at least another 100 spectators participated in a one-of-a-kind fundraising event.

The annual event, sponsored by AmeriTitle of Deschutes County and 10 Barrel Brewing Company, was the largest bocce ball tournament yet ever for Bend. Volunteers from real estate companies, mortgage companies and many others who just wanted to give back served as judges, the court construction crew and needed staff.

The laughs and smiles were everywhere. Joyful noise of celebration and contorted body movements strategically placing the balls were heard and seen all afternoon. Food and beverage vendors were placed strategically around the tournament field and of course, the beer, provided by 10 Barrel flowed at a brisk pace all afternoon.

For Exit Realty Bend this was a bit more than all fun and games. Don’t get me wrong. The afternoon was incredibly fun. Spending time, outdoors in Bend, is always fabulous…..but today was even better. Exit agents, Nathan Matlock, Mary Brouillette, Scott Blackwood and I made up “Team Exit #1, the Flying Boccinos.” Team Exit #2, The Volos,” was made up of Exit agent and school teacher, Nici Mazziotti, and three of her students from the Oregon Youth Challenge Program. Cadet Medina, Cadet Goldfaden and Cadet Salazar were granted the afternoon off from their demanding schedule to join us.

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And yes, there is a good reason why we included Cadets from the Oregon Youth Challenge.

The Oregon Youth Challenge Program is especially close to my heart. In 2007, my son, Anthony Mazziotti, was given the opportunity to change his life at this school, known as the “school of second chances.” Located in Bend, the Oregon Youth Challenge School is just one of more than 35 Youth Challenge Schools in the United States, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. As a potential high school dropout, my son entered the school that changed his life and consistently changes the lives of some 20,000 kids every year. In fact, just two years after his graduation from the Oregon Youth Challenge, my daughter, Nici Mazziotti accepted a position as a teacher at the school. Both inspired me to write a book called, “The Challenge: How 144 Letters Changed My Life, The Life of My Son, And May Change Your Life Too.” My book is scheduled for publication in March of 2016.

When I heard of this charitable event, I decided to sponsor two teams representing Exit Realty Bend. I made the decision to use our $250 entrance fee to go toward the selected charities chosen by the event sponsors and then decided to go one step further and establish a $500 scholarship for one graduate of the Oregon Youth Challenge each year. So, it was only right to have three Cadets and their teacher from the Oregon Youth Challenge be part of our team for the event!

The three Cadets were dressed in their required “military style fatigues,” and drew the attention of the hundreds of participants and onlookers. It isn’t every day you see 16-18 year olds dressed in fatigues, let alone participating in a community bocce ball tournament….but I wanted everyone there to take notice. I hoped many would engage in conversation with the Cadets to learn more about the personal struggles and the personal journey each Cadet has taken to change their lives. I hoped that my fellow real estate agents and mortgage lenders would see past the beautiful sunny day, the festive surroundings, the food and beer and even the flying bocce balls. I wanted them to see three beautiful young faces of kids who had fallen, but were brave enough to get up and take command of their lives! It worked.

What an incredible day. My heart is filled.

Long live Bocce!

EXIT REALTY’S JIM MAZZIOTTI LATCHES ON TO A “PERISCOPE” TO CREATE ANOTHER SHOW ON THE INTERNET

BEND, OR – Let’s face it. Back in 2009, when the real estate world was upside down and bubble’s could be heard bursting from every corner of the country, one Realtor was looking to separate himself from the ordinary.

Enter, stage right, Jim Mazziotti, the principal managing broker and franchise owner of Exit Realty Bend, located in beautiful Bend, Oregon. Inspired by a Canadian by the name of Kye Grace, Mazziotti moved on an idea to be the first real estate company in the United States to conduct a LIVE 56 Hour Open House and using a virtual doorstep approach to lure in more than 2000 people, from all over the world to watch 56 continuous hours of streaming content, LIVE, from their computers on a platform called UStream.tv.

The show was a hit. People loved it. Vendors that Mazziotti worked with and interviewed about their companies LIVE to the world loved it. Others, mostly other real estate agents, scratched their heads and wondered what Mazziotti was up to.,

Since 2009 the Internet and LIVE streaming video has grown up. So now, Mazziotti is at it again, and it all begins on Monday, August 17th from 4pm to 7pm Pacific.

Using one of the newest video streaming platforms recently introduced in March, Mazziotti will present a LIVE show using PERISCOPE, a trendy new application that gives anyone with an iPhone the ability to broadcast LIVE from anywhere in the world! The FREE app

“What I love about PERISCOPE is that viewers can get totally involved in the broadcast, “said Mazziotti. “Imagine, in the first 10 days after PERISCOPE was introduced to the iPhone ap store, more than 1 million users downloaded the app!”
I’m guessing by now there are tens of millions who have turned on PERISCOPE,” he said.

“Listen, I’m going to where the people are going, today…not tomorrow.” I have never been one to sit around and wait for others,” Mazziotti commented. “

So on Monday, August 17th and beginning at 4pm pacific, Mazziotti will be streaming LIVE from Bend’s Pioneer Park on PERISCOPE and using the title “EXIT REALTY IS LIVE AT PIONEER PARK IN BEND OREGON.” Joining Mazziotti will be Craig Witt, the North West President for Exit Realty Corporation International and 22 agents in the Exit Realty Bend office. “I am hoping to hear from hundreds of clients, customers and agents from all over America and the world, “ Mazziotti said.
“We will be having fun and telling the world about the fabulous company we work for and inviting them to experience EXIT like never before,” he concluded.

Realtor Magazine Features Exit Realty Bend Agent Kelli Shanks

I am now is my 21st year in the real estate business. I’m still learning and have so much to learn! And every once and awhile I experience exhilarating personal success. I must admit, however, that there is nothing more exciting for me than to experience the success of those around me in my company.

Today I have attached an article written by Mary Beth Klatt for REALTOR MAGAZINE, the official magazine of the National Association of Realtors. Each month the magazine has a number of articles which feature expert commentary and insight to trends affecting the business of real estate. This month, Realtor Magazine featured one of my very finest agents in my firm.

In the July-August 2010 edition, our company was featured in an article called “Going Wide With The Web,” and how Exit Realty Bend had embraced technology by offering the very first LIVE Open House ever offered on the Internet for 56 continuous hours. It was a very gratifying accomplishment for me….but…reading about one of the young agents in my firm is even more gratifying.

The article by Ms. Klatt speaks of KELLI SHANKS, an agent, just three years in the business and quickly and effectively becoming a true and experienced real estate professional like few around her.

Enjoy the article.

MIND THE GAP

Look for expired listings you believe can still sell, but make sure you know how to approach the owners.
APRIL 2015 | BY MARY BETH KLATT

Expired listings can be a tricky source of new business. When another agent couldn’t get a property sold, should you step in and try to take the listing yourself? It’s a practice that some look down on because it’s often construed as stealing the original agent’s business. But if you do it the right and ethical way, it could be a great avenue for new agents to build their client base.

It is a violation of the Code of Ethics to solicit a seller who is already bound to an exclusive listing agreement with another agent. When a listing expires, any agency contract the seller is subject to presumably ends. But double-check before making a pitch for the seller’s business. If, in fact, the agreement is over, then you can solicit the seller.

There are a couple of reasons rookie agents should consider doing this. For one, expired listings are a way to identify people who are still in need of real estate services. So if you’re looking for clients, here’s one way to find them. The owner of an expired listing is also likely unhappy with their original agent and could be convinced to give another professional a shot. Kelli Shanks, associate broker at Exit Realty Bend in Bend, Ore., learned those benefits when she mined her MLS for expired listings in early 2012, eventually landing one worth more than $500,000 that had expired with a top-producing agent.

As part of a workshop, Shanks’ principal broker, Jim Mazziotti, challenged her and other agents to knock on the doors of expireds on New Year’s Day that year. Mazziotti promised a $500 bonus to anyone who secured just one listing on that holiday.

“So I looked over the list and found one especially nice home that had expired on this snowy and cold New Year’s Day,” Shanks says. “‘I can do this,’ I said to myself.”

That morning, Shanks drove to the city’s prestigious Awbrey Butte neighborhood and knocked on the door of a two-story, four-bedroom home. The owner, as it turned out, wasn’t immediately ready to try his hand at selling again because he was still disappointed that his home didn’t sell the first time around. But Shanks discovered a few tactics that helped win his business.

Show your follow-up skills. Shanks says her prospect didn’t even know his listing had expired because his previous agent didn’t inform him. It’s fairly common, she says, that behind an expired listing is poor communication between agent and client. So if you’re trying to get an owner to relist with you, good communication is paramount. Shanks’ prospect told her that she contacted him more in a week than his previous agent did in six months. Because he was discouraged by the experience with the first agent, “it took a few months from the time I knocked on the door for him to list with me,” Shanks says. “After repeatedly reassuring him that that was not the way I worked, he finally gave me a chance.”
Demonstrate your faith in the sale. Owners of expired listings may have lost confidence in the ability of their property to sell. So if you want to convince them to relist with you, you need to show them your belief that it will sell. That starts with choosing expireds you actually do believe in. Shanks chose her prospect because his home represented a part of the market she always wanted to get into. “It was exactly the kind of high-end home I wanted to list and at a price I wanted to expand my business into,” she says. “Having some knowledge of how the agent had marketed the home, I knew I could provide a marketing package that would get this home sold.” Shanks assured her prospect that the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom house with a three-car garage would be appealing to buyers. Getting neighbors aware of the listing would be critical. She later walked door to door, passing out 200 flyers.
Be prepared to fend off objections. Even if you’ve got all the right talking points down when you approach an owner of an expired listing, it may take a lot of convincing before they’re willing to work with you. Shanks’ prospect needed reassurance that she wouldn’t neglect communication the way his previous agent did, but he also worried about Shanks’ lack of experience. In her first year as an agent at the time, she noted that her principal broker had more than 20 years’ experience and would be guiding her along the way. Shanks also gave her prospect a written performance guarantee with nearly 20 points underscoring what she would do to get the property sold, including always returning his phone calls.
It turns out that because she didn’t sign the owner that first day of January 2012, Shanks didn’t clinch Mazziotti’s $500 offer. But Shanks eventually got something even better. She was able to secure the listing nearly nine weeks after her presentation, close on the property, and convert a very disappointed home owner into a lifelong client who recommends her to others and points out how her professionalism may also help them.

Tenacity is paramount when pursuing expired listings. “The most important advice I could give would be to be professional in your attitude and the way you dress,” says Shanks. “Make sure that you follow up consistently, and do what you say you’re going to do.”

EXIT REALTY BEND WINS NORTHWEST DIVISION TOP AWARDS AGAIN

Local Real Estate Company Makes A Habit Of Being On Top

Bend – Jim Mazziotti., the principal managing broker and franchise owner of Exit Realty Bend has a stated goal for his company. He wants to be the #1 office in the Pacific Northwest for the Exit Realty Corporation each and every month.

Announced in the Northwest Division “EXIT MOMENTUM” magazine, for the months of February & March, 2015, Mazziotti’s Exit office once again, brought home the hardware. The magazine named his office and agents at Exit Realty as award winners in several categories for February and March of this year!

Exit Realty Bend received the #1 office designation in Sales Volume & Total Closed Ends for both February and March. In addition, Exit broker, BECKY BARTOW was the #1 agent in Sales Volume for February, while RIAN PALFREY, principal broker finished at #4. Other February awards went to RIAN PALFREY for being the top agent in CLOSED ENDS, while GREG JOHNSON, broker, finished #2.

For the month of March, RIAN PALFREY finished #1, while JUANA BEEDE, broker, was #2 & KELLI SHANKS, broker, finished #4 in Sales Volume. Additionally, RIAN PALFREY finished #1 and JUANA BEEDE finished #2 in Closed Ends.

“It’s all about training, said Mazziotti. Our company focuses on building a business, a real business, from day one and most recently integrated additional outside training from the top real estate coach in North America, Tom Ferry.” He concluded by saying, “I’m serious about providing the real estate agents at Exit Realty Bend with the finest training anywhere…and these awards speak to that.”

Exit Realty Bend is located at 354 NE Greenwood in Bend and can be found at http://www.ExitRealtyBend.com or contacted at 541-480-8835

A PROVEN TRACK TO RUN ON by Jim Mazziotti, Franchisee of Exit Realty Bend

    The story of how my
    10-year old son sold
    me on purchasing an
    Exit Realty franchise

I grew up in a small Iowa town, which at one time was the train center of the Midwest. In 1892 the mighty Chicago Great Western Railroad chose Oelwein, Iowa as its repair facility for all rail cars and locomotives. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railway Company had already made their way into town, so the little city was no stranger to trains. Powerful and majestic engines would shake the ground as they slowly travelled from the big Midwestern cities, to our community, from all directions.

Over decades it became a little city where powerful locomotives rambled through the middle of town dozens of times during the day. The smell of diesel meant money…so we didn’t seem to mind it one bit. It was likely someone in your immediate family worked for the railroad, in a service capacity, or in a business made possible by the railroad and its thousands of employees. At one time in the early 1900’s my grandfather and his brother, James founded Mazziotti Brothers Real Estate and owned 28 homes on the west side of town; quite an accomplishment for an Italian immigrant who had only recently come to America with a few bucks in his pocket. Most of the homes were rented out to fellow Italian immigrants who came to work on the railroad, almost as immediately as they disembarked ships delivering them from Italy to Ellis Island.

Stories revolving around railroading were commonplace in our home, and still hold a place in our home today. To this day, I remember hearing my kindergarten teacher, Sister Mary George, tell our class a railroading fable. Forty-five years later, I told a slightly modified version of this to my 10-year-old son when he asked about my opening a new real estate office. One day my son asked me, “So dad, what are you gonna call your company?”

I said to him, “Well Christiano, it has come down to two choices. If I open it myself I think I will call it Mazziotti Brothers Real Estate, in honor of my grandfather and your great grandfather, Papa Francesco Mazziotti. My other choice would be to open up as an office called EXIT Realty.” “What’s the difference?” he asked. “Well,” I said, “If I open up my own company I will need to build it from the ground up…kinda like a railroad company that has to buy the land, lay the track and pound the spikes, assemble the boxcars and build the powerful locomotives to pull the cars. I will need to train the employees and the people to keep the records of when and where my train goes and how to handle the money. And I will need buildings to repair the boxcars and the locomotives when they need fixin’.”

He scratched his head and looked up at me. “What’s your other choice?” he asked. At that very moment it became clear to me. I thought to myself, why on earth would I try to build my own railroad, so-to-speak, when EXIT Realty already has one of the most powerful and finely tuned operations in North America? EXIT already has assembled a real estate railroad in a box.

It was then when I realized a railroad passenger car can’t get anywhere on its own. It needs the ground that supports the tracks, the locomotive, the systems and the expertise of many. It needs everything that a railroad company has in place, and without it…it has nothing and can travel nowhere. This is exactly what EXIT Realty can do for me, and isn’t it funny how telling this fable to my son, brought everything into focus?

      “Why worry about building a
       locomotive when the most powerful
       team in real estate already exists to 
       help you grow? Why worry about
       your boxcars when they have already 
       been built and loaded with superior
       training and exceptional technology,
      along with passenger cars full of EXIT
      Realty professionals ready to help you
      achieve your dream? “

Why worry about building a locomotive when the most powerful team in real estate already exists to help you grow? Why worry about your boxcars when they are already built and loaded with superior training and exceptional technology, along with passenger cars full of EXIT Realty professionals ready to help you achieve your dream.”

But I needed to make absolutely sure that EXIT was the company they had represented themselves to be. In materials I had gathered, I had highlighted a key point. I was struck by their corporate promise that states, “EXIT Realty Corp. International will achieve the ultimate in success if we all approach real estate franchising from the point of view of the other person’s dream.” So…would they really? I mean, would they really care about my vision, my thoughts, and my dream?

 “Why on earth would I try to build my own
      railroad, so-to-speak, when EXIT realty 
      already has one of the most powerful and
      finely tuned operations in North America?
      EXIT has already assembled a real estate
      railroad in a box!”

On May 2, 2006 I made my way to Portland, OR on an invitation to attend an event called “60 Minutes With EXIT” featuring, then U.S. President, Tami Bonnell. This would allow me the opportunity to hear from her, and to perhaps meet her. What happened next is not what I expected. As I was introduced to Tami as an agent considering a franchise, she said to me, “Outstanding, it would be an honor for me to meet with you one-on-one. I would love to learn more about you and hear your thoughts about my company. Do you have a few minutes?”

Let me be honest, in the years leading up to this, I had talked to several territory sales people for some of the biggest franchise names in real estate. Never had any company President ever initiated an invitation to speak to me. Frankly, not one knew I existed.

I was blown away. In that conversation with Tami, I learned that EXIT was the “real deal.” Tami listened…I mean really listened to me. When I described my dream for an office in Central Oregon she heard my every word. When she spoke, it was from the heart. For more than an hour, perhaps longer, she answered every question and provided a fresh approach to the real estate business like I had never heard.

Shortly after our meeting, I purchased the EXIT Realty franchise. But the story doesn’t end there…it was just the beginning. I opened my office on the same day that Steve Morris, EXIT Founder and Chairman, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of introducing EXIT to the world and opening his corporate headquarters. And throughout the worst economic downturn since the great depression, Tami and EXIT has been there…every step of the way. Now, as the CEO for EXIT Realty Corp. International, Tami is still only a phone call away.

Take my train story and run with it on your own. Why try to build your own railroad when the EXIT railroad track has already been laid, from coast-to-coast, across North America? Why worry about building a locomotive when the most powerful team in real estate already exists to help you grow? Why worry about your boxcars when they are already built and loaded with superior training and exceptional technology, along with passenger cars full of EXIT Realty professionals ready to help you achieve your dream.

Can A Book Change Your Life?

“I remember the date. In fact I still have the receipt,” said Jim Mazziotti, the principal managing broker and franchise owner of Exit Realty Bend, in Bend, Oregon.  “Yep, it was June 13th, 2010, and after reading a review on Amazon,com,” he said. 

If you knew Jim Mazziotti, affectionately referred to as “MAZZ” by his friends and colleagues, you would know the guy really is an “outside of the box”  personality.  In 2010 he was credited as holding the first ever open house in America that ran consecutively for 56 hours and streamed it LIVE on Internet TV.  For 56 hours viewers and those who attended the event watched as MAZZ, along with participation of twelve agents, spend the entire time (with the exception of two showers and timely bathroom breaks) at the open house…even as he slept in a bed provided by one of a number of sponsors set up in the living room (yes, the living room) of his open house event.  So it is little wonder that he has held back for over 3 years before, what he calls, “The Big Reveal” at Exit Realty Bend.

The date and the receipt he speaks of was that for the book he purchased at his local Bend Barnes and Noble.  The book was The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. “Honestly, I have read the book three times and I just knew it could make a huge difference to the twenty agents in my brokerage and me, but the final motivator was hearing Darren Hardy speak at our Exit Realty Corporation International Convention in October.  So, I came home, read the book again, put together a Mastermind Group and took eleven folks through the journey, “ he said.

For four weeks, Mazziotti, eight Exit agents, two prospective agents and his 31 year old daughter, Nici (soon to secure her real estate license), made their way through the 162 pages of The Compound Effect.  Each week reading, completing worksheets and discovering that “learning without execution is useless.”  So now….at the end of four weeks was MAZZ’s BIG REVEAL!

At the conclusion of the fourth and final Mastermind get-together MAZZ announced to the entire group that he was putting into action all that he had learned from the book and had decided to put into action The Compound Effect, which is the principal of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices.  The principal also speaks to the importance of teaming with an “accountability partner,” so what better than asking the eleven participants in the group to promise to help keep him accountable!  “I have eleven of my friends and colleagues to support me during my journey…so how can I fail?” he said.

So at the final meeting MAZZ made his “BIG REVEAL” to the eleven participants….and…..to you!  “I knew that I wanted to not only make my BIG REVEAL to eleven others in the room, so I decided to send my BIG REVEAL to every EXIT associate in North America through the EXIT ACHIEVER. “I am asking that every EXIT associate be my accountability partner from now and until the September 2014 Exit Realty Corporation International Convention at Disneyland, “Mazziotti stated.

Directly as a result of reading The Compound Effect, Mazziotti has set three goals using the compounding effect of change.  First, he has set a goal of losing 43 pounds (just over 4 pounds per month) by October 1, 2014.  Secondly, he has set a goal to complete the manuscript for a book he is authoring called “Letters To My Son: How 123 Letters Changed My Life,” also by October 1, 2014, and thirdly he and those participating in the 4-week journey will allow viewers to follow their newly created FACEBOOK page LIVING THE COMPOUND EFFECT, to follow their journey actually living the compound effect.  “My goal is to make a difference in my life and those around me….and this is just the beginning,” Mazziotti concluded.

For more information on how to establish your own Mastermind Group on The Compound Effect contact Jim                                  Mazziotti. He can be reached directly on the LIVING THE COMPOUND EFFECT page of Facebook. 

Have An Extra $2000? The Most Incredible Money Grab Of 2013!

If you are an Oregonian you’ve gotta read this!

This is not an advertisement. This is not a political statement supporting one party or the other (Frankly, I am so tired of it all).  This DOES affect you if (1.) You Are Currently An Oregon Homeowner or (2.) You Ever Plan to Purchase a Home in Oregon (primary, second home or investment). This is SERIOUS! Yesterday I spent my entire day in Salem, Oregon at our beautiful State Capitol.  While I was there I was able to meet with several Oregon legislators as part of a delegation of fellow Realtors.   We were there to discuss with them proposed HOUSE BILL 2001 (HB2001). I bet you haven’t heard much about it.

Now trust me…I have a busy life like you….but this house bill is more than I could ever believe might pass in our legislature.

I know that some of the readers of this blog have already moved on to, what they think, are more entertaining or interesting things….but I assure you….there is likely NOTHING more important that you do today than read this and take immediate action! 

The Oregon legislature is considering the passage of HB2001 and will MOST CERTAINLY act on it this session.  If acted upon and voted affirmatively, the results for future homeowners and affordability for current homeowners will be stunning!  I promise you, this is not a “sky is falling” false alarm. This is real and this is now!

The Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) for Oregon homeowners has been part of Oregon law since 1913. This deduction helps Oregonians realize the dream of homeownership by allowing an average of $2285* in tax savings every single year!  In 2009 (the latest statistic I had available) more than 601,000 Oregon families and individuals have claimed this deduction. Without this deduction thousands of interested future homeowners would find that they simply would not be able to afford a home.  Many homeowners would be crippled as well! Quite simply…the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) is an effective and necessary tool that facilitates homeownership.

HB2001 would devastate our Oregon economy and severely hurt FAMILIES, CHILDREN and FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS!  So, what can YOU do TODAY?

I am asking you to contact YOUR own Oregon state representatives.  You will find their emails and contact information by just going to google and searching.  You MUST send an email to our Governor.  You can find his email template by going to google and searching “Governor of Oregon.”  Lastly….you MUST…(and I mean MUST) contact the following legislators:

Representative & Speaker of the House, Tina Kotek at email::rep.tinakotek@state.or.us

Senate President, Peter Courtney at email: sen.petercourtney@state.or.us.

I beg you……don’t wait!  Do this now.  If the mortgage interest deduction is eliminated or reduced, home values will likely begin to decline, hard-working families will be crushed and our beautiful State of Oregon will be crippled!

If you don’t know what to say, here is my suggestion:

————-
The Honorable ______________________

I am asking you that you not support House Bill 2001 and protect the mortgage interest deduction for the citizens of Oregon.

Supporting and voting for HB2001 will devastate our state and hurt the citizens of Oregon! The Mortgage Interest Deduction is and has been an effective and necessary tool that facilitates home ownership. A vote to eliminate the Mortgage Interest Deduction would hurt families, children and especially first-time homewoners.

As a citizen of Oregon I ask that you NOT vote for the repeal of the Mortgage Interest Deduction.

Respectfully,

Joe Taxpayer
123 Anyplace In Oregon Street
My town, Oregon
————–

Be sure to place your name, address and city.

If you need more information just send me a note!

* this number is based on an average 25% income tax rate

Communicating & Connecting – How “De-Friending” Affected Me Today

Just minutes ago I “de-friended” a Facebook friend.  Now, I know what you may be thinking here. You may be thinking that Facebook friends aren’t “really” friends at all, right?  Well, I agree that those of us on Facebook who have gathered a community of “friends” have nothing more than internet acquaintances. Surely, the Internet has changed so much….and it has even redefined “friends.”  God help us all.

My “de-friended” friend actually is (or was) a friend.  I have known him most of my life, since the age of 12.  Heck, I guess that would be some 45 years.  We live apart now, and have for years, but our small town roots and common interests have always been a link that could not be broken.  If I saw him today (or maybe I should say, yesterday) we would greet each other like the old childhood friends that we are.

When Facebook became available I immediately began to search out for long lost buddies & friends from childhood. I, like perhaps you, anxiously placed former girlfriends, teachers, classmates and relatives in the search box hoping for a connection allowing me the opportunity to perhaps just say hello or, at the very least, see if they were married, have kids and have the kind of job I would have expected.  You know, the real poop.

Have you “de-friended” someone on Facebook?  I hadn’t.  And when I did today I felt like I was cutting a thread that has held us together. Funny, isn’t it?  Who would have guessed something like Facebook would have the power to dig into my emotions and feelings?   Not me.  When I clicked the button it was another goodbye in our almost half-century relationship.  I did so with apprehension and a bit of sadness.

My friend is passionate about a couple things. One of which is politics.  And our political thinking is quite different…..ummm….about as far apart as you could be.  But I found his comments to be angry….very angry.  I discovered that my posts, comments and “tongue-in-cheek” cartoons  were taken as some kind of personal attack on him and all those who believe in his political mindset.  After his last diatribe I came to the conclusion that not only do we disagree on politics, but that his comments were borderline anger management issues.  After his last incendiary comment I posted back nothing more than an anger management site link. No rebuttle…..just the link.   I had no more words for his comments.  To my surprise, his wife came back with a comment that she was insulted by the link I had responded with.   Well, that is where it stopped today.  My intension is  certainly not to insult anyone….I mean, that would defeat the intended purpose of Facebook (if in fact the real purpose of Facebook is not what I suspect:  to gather information about millions of us to be used and sold in marketing, human trends and in data gathering).   I clicked the “de-friend” selection tab.

As a certified speaker, trainer and coach with the John Maxwell Team, I have trained on communication as a leader of my company.  The events today caused me to pause and reflect on commincation.  I went back to my materials from my Maxwell training and notes from his book (I have more notes in margins of books than you could imagine),  Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.  In John Maxwells book he addresses five connecting principals and five connecting practices of top-notch leaders…something I aspire to be.  I went back and searched for an answer to my communication issue.

In John Maxwell’s  5 CONNECTING PRINCIPALS I reviewed Connecting Principal # 2: Connecting With Others.  It brought to mind what I learned long ago from Dr. Maxwell.  That is, connecting with people is not a skill….it is an attitude.   Was I trying to convince my now “de-friended” friend to join my team?   What attitude did he demonstrate? What attitude did I demonstrate?

John Maxwell says this, “What I l have learned is that connecting is never about me. It’s about the person with whom I’m communicating. Similarly, when you are trying to connect with people, it’s not about you—it’s about them. If you want to connect with others, you have to get over yourself. You have to change the focus from inward to outward, off of yourself and onto others. And I know you can do this, because I did! You can connect with others if you’re willing to get off your own agenda, think about others, and try to understand who they are and what they want. If you’re willing to learn how to connect, you will be amazed at the doors that will open to you and the people you will be able to work with. All you have to do is keep reminding yourself that connecting is all about others.”

In the many Facebook posts and re-posts and comments with my “de-friended” friend I honestly tried to connect with reason, passion, humor and yes, sarcasm from time to time.  But the truth is, I failed to communicate……I can do better.  My goal in my business is to seek out and discover ways to increase the value I provide others.  Always.

I’ll take this experience and grow from it.
I hope you might too.

Listen to this story by Jim Mazziotti at: http://www.spreaker.com/page#!/user/exitrealty/i_just_de_friended_a_friend_on_facebook

Amazing Isn’t It? Usain and Teamwork

 Amazing isn’t he?  Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was one of the stars of the 2012 Olympics held in London, for sure. He probably will be back in Brazil in four more years as well. He is incredible.

Today I read a great article by Erica Christoffer, a Chicago-based multimedia journalist and senior editor with Realtor Magazine (http://speakingofrealestate.blogs.realtor.org/2012/08/22/economic-hurdles-call-for-team-mentality/).  In her article she spoke of a conversation she had with the National Association of Realtors Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun.  In the conversation Lawrence talked about how he had noticed Usain slow down just before he stepped over the finish line in his individual races, confident that he had clinched the win.  But when it came to the TEAM relay, he never seemed to let-up as he ran full speed through the finish.  Maybe you noticed it too.  I know that I did.

Lawrence attributes this to a “TEAM” mentality. He says that studies have shown that athletes perform better in a TEAM environment.  In her article, Christoffer played on that observation….and frankly, it got me thinking about how I have seen this work first hand in my own real estate office…..and as a matter of fact, just last week.

Our office and especially the EXIT franchise model is a “TEAM FIRST” type of company.  Working closely with other EXIT associates is strongly suggested and supported….unlike many offices which have an almost “me against you” method of operation. Perhaps not intended, but surely felt.  I know…..I have been in an office where I felt uneasy and often felt like I was in a fight-to-the-death competition with my fellow associates.

Last week I asked 10 agents in my EXIT Realty Bend office, who had recently been part of a JOHNNY LOEWY TRAINING event,  to come to an evening event. I promised to provide pizza and plenty of soda to drink (real estate agents love to eat). In return I requested that each attendee make a minimum of 10 calls to expired, terminated and For Sale By Owner listings in our local area.  I also offered to reward each agent with $10 for each appointment set and $100 for each listing secured as a result of the appointment set at our evening event!  Not a bad deal, right?

On CALL NIGHT just 5 agents, 50% of those invited showed up.  Actually, quite good for an after-hours event.  We ate and we talked. We reviewed our scripts and our goals. We talked about setting appointments, who to call….and that we had 90 minutes to schedule a goal of 10 appointments each.  Now, not all agents were geared to work the phones with the intensity that scheduling 10 appointments would take….but all 5 engaged.  After all….this was a TEAM event! All five, some who seldom (or never) make the dreaded cold call, felt comfortable because we did this as a TEAM.  Certainly each call made was an individual event, but like Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt the individual accomplishment was also for the success of the TEAM!  Agents listened to other agents make the calls. We celebrated when an appointment was set….and we tried to figure things out, as a TEAM, when the person on the other end of the phone line didn’t appreciate the solicitation or even hung up.

The results?  Well, I know that not one of the five who participated would have otherwise made these calls by themselves.  But because we fed off each others energies appointments were set!  One agent participant, Kelli, is one of our newest agents.  I believe she felt comfortable and almost relieved in not having to go at this all alone, in a quiet room and at a desk with only a list and a phone.  I know…. I’ve been there…and I’ve done that.  But like Usain she ran with the baton, and once it was handed to her… did fantastic!  Kelli secured 8 appointments!  Yes, 90 minutes and 8 appointments!  At the end of the evening we all celebrated our TEAM accomplishments….and yes….one runner was the fastest, and it was Kelli.

Yesterday, Kelli walked into my office with a NEW listing!  Her first home listing!  I know it was a result of her hard work and initiative…..but I also know it was because of the TEAM!  Together we are so powerful and I love our TEAM here at EXIT! How could I not?

So, the lesson learned….. plan your next event in a “TEAM” event.  Watch how each participant is inspired by others, feels the competition of finishing the race….and best of all, celebrates their success and that of the TEAM!

Oh, by the way….Kelli received $80 for the eight appointments set and $100 for securing a listing.  This is TEAMWORK at it’s best, don’t you think (I will post her photo on my www.facebook.com/exitrealtybend page soon)?

I love my TEAM here at EXIT REALTY BEND!

Jim Mazziotti is the principal managing broker and franchise owner of EXIT Realty Bend located in Bend, Oregon, a community of 80,000 located at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in the high desert of Central Oregon. Yoju can find him on Facebook and contact him by email at mazz@propertiesinbend.com