Best Winter

Hello All,

"Best Winter"

I consider myself a cautiously optimistic person. I believe the office is full of good hard working agents and in the long run things will always work out (optimistic). However I am always looking for bumps in the road or hurdles we need to get through to achieve success (cautious). The biggest hurdle we face every year is the winter slowdown. I usually write a piece this time of year advising everyone to store their nuts because it is slowing down and the winter months can be difficult to navigate financially. All signs in the market and in the offices suggest this winter might have a different outcome then recent winters. Inventory remains as strong as it was in the spring, activity is steady and it seems as if most everyone has business going on. No promises and knock on wood... This could be the best winter we have had in a long time. 

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes softly and sits on your shoulder."

 

~ Anonymous
 

 

DRAW YOUR OWN MAP!

 

Imagine you've planned the trip of your dreams - say from North Carolina to Colorado. You've charted all the roads, have a fist full of maps just in case, and have your priorities straight in your mind. You get started on a beautiful sunny day, and begin enjoying the ride.

 

Late in the day, as you approach the Mississippi River, you drive straight into a bank of heavy fog. You turn on your lights, but still cannot see 10 feet ahead. Just because the highway is out of sight doesn't mean you've lost your way. Continuing on the path you've set for yourself, you soon break out into the sunshine again - still headed in the direction of your dreams.

 

In perspective, consider that the trip represents your life's goal - your first priority. Steering your vehicle down the highway hour by hour represents your efforts to reach your goal. The fog bank illustrates the momentary interruptions and obstacles encountered on your journey.

 

As day #2 begins, you find that you've come to an unexpected intersection - one that's not on your map. Confused, you pull over and examine the map closely. Stay to the right and you'll end up in Colorado. Take a left and you may arrive at an unanticipated, yet equally wonderful destination.

 

OK, let's cut to the chase! Sometimes your priorities change, don't they? Just as you think your goal is in sight, a new opportunity arises. Remember the saying that "life is a journey - not a destination"? What's exciting is that YOU are in control of the steering wheel, and whatever destination you choose is OK - so long as it's YOU who has made the choice.

 

Happy motoring!

       

End of Year Events

Hello all,

"End of Year Events"

We talked about this at the sales meeting last week. There are three all office events coming up, the details are attached. This Rel Estate thing can be difficult, we are fortunate to have an atmosphere of sharing and helping out. These three events are a great opportunity to spend some time with your office mates and celebrate the wonderful year we have had! Short version... Parties coming up and I want to see as many of you there as possible. 

                                   

Thursday, October 22nd 5:30pm-8pm

Park Potomac Office-RSVP to Max!

Tuesday, November 17th 11:00am-2pm

Montgomery County Fairgrounds

PLEASE RSVP to Carol’s Potluck Invite

Monday, December 14th 6pm-10pm

Grillmarx in Clarksburg

Stay tuned for invite!

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Things themselves don't hurt or hinder us.
Things simply are what they are.
How we view these things is another matter.
People think what they will think; it is of no concern to us."

 

~ Epictetus
 

 

DON'T LISTEN!

 

Someone once said, "When I was in my twenties, I worried about what others thought of me. When I was in my forties, I didn't care what they thought of me, and when I was in my sixties, I realized they weren't thinking about me at all." Who hasn't had a parent or friend tell us "What will people think?"

 

How easy it is to let the influence of others govern our actions. By listening to others, then carrying out our lives to the tune they wish us to play, we are but puppets. One of "Aesop's Fables" addressed the same issue.

 

It told of an old man, a boy, and a donkey making their way down a hill. As the boy rode, while the old man led the donkey, they overheard a neighbor comment about the shame of making the old man walk. The next turn in the road saw both man and boy astride the donkey, and the next passer-by shook his head at the shame of putting such a load on the poor donkey. By the time the two reached the final turn in the road, they were seen carrying the donkey on a pole.

 

The message, of course, was that we should not live our lives to satisfy the expectations of others. It is up to us to set a clear direction for our own lives, and then follow that path to the exclusion of others.

 

It's really about choices, isn't it? We get to make our own choices in life. When we fail to do so, we have still made a choice - that being to let others make our choices for us. As the final days of the year approach, it's an excellent time to let your vision take hold, to set a bold new direction for your life in the coming year. Make some choices - no matter what "they" think!

Sales Meeting

Hello all,

"Sales Meeting"

We are having a sales meeting tomorrow and I would love to see as many of you there as possible. We are trying out a new venue at the MRIS building in Rockville and we would love to get your feedback afterwards on the location! We will also be talking a little more on the switch to Mark becoming the primary Broker, great time to ask any questions about it if you like. Below is an email Dana sent out Friday with more information.

Happy Friday. This is a friendly reminder that our next sales meeting is this coming Tuesday, October 13th at 10:00am. Breakfast will be served. The meeting is at a NEW LOCATION-MRIS BUILDING! The parking lot is going through construction so park in any open spot you can find or the garage. CLICK the link for directions - http://bit.ly/1hukpK6 See you there! 

                                   

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Strength of numbers is the delight of the timid.
The Valiant in spirit glory in fighting alone."

 

~ Ghandi
 

 

COMMITTEE COMFORT!

 

It has been said that "a camel is a horse created by a committee." You've probably witnessed the process yourself. You put any twelve decision-makers in a room together, and they can't seem to make a decision at all. Worse yet, they create something that is comfortable to all members - a camel of their own making.

 

Ghandi says numbers are the "delight of the timid." At some time or another, we all want the comfort of being surrounded by others with interests common to us. Maybe it's on sales meeting day when the discussion turns into a gripe session. Maybe it's in the break room, around the proverbial "water cooler," or in a training class we've just taken. Wherever the group meets, the results are often the same - a lack of action backed up by all the reasons that justify the inaction.

 

Ghandi also says the glory is "in fighting alone." Look around. Do you see one or two individuals who spend little of their time with the group? Sometimes called "loners," these are usually also the over-achievers, the top producers in life and business. They know where they're going and they don't need your approval to do it. The committee says they aren't "team players."

 

Being human, it is certainly normal to seek the comfort of others. In the case of those few individuals described as "the Valiant in spirit," however, their strength comes from their accomplishments. In each of us, there is also that "Valiant" spirit - the part of us that wants to strike out on our own. You can do that by resigning from the committees of your life. Elect yourself President and Chairman of the Board of your own future - and make it unanimous!

Phone Vs Email

Hello all,

"Phone Vs Email"

Mark, Al and I are often asked to get involved in situations that come up with agent disputes, deals gone south, bad lenders, egos in the way... Obviously our goal is to always help you work through the deal and get it to the table so you get paid. One thing we notice is a lot of the situations start because of a miscommunication in an email. Email is great for communication however we always need to remember the other side can easily misconstrue the meaning or tone of the email. This can lead to email "battles" that escalate out of hand and cause more damage then they should. What I would like to ask you to consider is picking up the phone and call the other side at times instead of sending an email. I really believe if you make the effort to work things out voice to voice early on many of the issues that arise in an email chain can be avoided. Not meant to be a sermon we have just seen a lot of this lately.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for"

 

~ William Shedd
 

 

CAST OFF YOUR SAFETY NET!

 

Taken any chances lately? Have you a had a strong desire or some sense of wanderlust, but feared the consequences, or simply thought better of it? Just remember the old adage, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

 

It'Of course we all desire a sense of security, and we don't relish the idea of courting danger. But look back on some of your most satisfying accomplishments - didn't they result from taking action that you or others first thought might be risky?

 

If we always stick to the path most travelled, we'll never discover anything new about our world or ourselves. Fearing the unknown will never allow us to understand it. Only by coming to understand the risks we might take can we develop the confidence and the courage necessary to overcome the dangers associated with trying to achieve our imaginative goals.

 

Don't allow yourself to be numbered among those who look back and wonder, "What if . . ." A well developed plan of action and some caution in its execution are advisable, but by all means move forward! Staying where you are and following the status quo is easy and safe, but it's likely that your dreams go way beyond where you are now. Don't let those dreams remain unrealized because you're afraid of the hazards involved in making them come true.

 

Like the ship in the harbor, you were built for greater things. It is the very meaning of life to struggle for what we most want and push the boundaries of our understanding, thereby improving the quality of our life and even of those around us.

 

Finally, consider the words of Brooks Atkinson, who said, "This nation was built by men who took risks - pioneers who were not afraid of the wilderness, business men who were not afraid of failure, scientists who were not afraid of the truth, thinkers who were not afraid of progress, dreamers who were not afraid of action."