Happy Mothers Day

Hello all,

"Happy Mothers Day"

As we were celebrating Mothers Day I got to thinking about all of the hard working Mothers we have in the office. I knew we had more women than men in the office but I have never looked at the exact number, so... We have 144 MRIS ID'S currently of which 95 belong to the women, 67%. Happy Mothers Day to the Mom's, thanks for being with us and your kids should be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished! 

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." 

~ Henri Bergson 

 

"All things change; nothing perishes." 

~ Ovid

 

HAVE YOU SPRUNG FORWARD? 

 

The changing of the seasons presents several opportunities throughout the year to consider how life itself changes and how it remains the same. Hearing the first frog calls of spring feels at once reassuring, and also just a little unsettling. 

 

It’s consoling to know that the spring will always follow the winter, that autumn will always follow summer, and so on. But of course, the pattern also points to the fact that another winter has got behind us, and while we enjoy the offerings of spring, that winter season is now gone forever, and there is one less winter in the seasons of our lives. 

 

But the flowers and birds of spring also remind us of the futility of dwelling on seasons gone by. “Be here now,” they tell us, “because the party’s just starting!” The vestiges of the past year haven’t really disappeared, they’ve only morphed into something different and new (again). And the memories don’t vanish; they persist, unchanged, for as long as our minds can hold them. 

 

It’s a basic law of physics that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, so “turn yourself in,” and allow yourself to be subject to the rules of nature. Everything that you can be, you already are. You just have to make the change, like the butterfly from the chrysalis. Then summer will be here before you know it! 

2014 Vs. 2013

Hello all,

 

"2014 Vs. 2013"

So far this year has a completely different feel from last year. In 2013 we had a decent start with an incredible Spring market, around mid March the floodgates really opened. Then in mid June interest rates went from 3.250% to 4.5% overnight and things came to a grinding halt over the summer. Things picked back up in October and we had a decent end to the year. This year things have started slower than expected, it is starting to pick up but we have not seen that big spring surge. It will be interesting to see how things unfold over the next 3-4 weeks. Did we start slow because of the weather and the spring surge arrives or is it going to be a little slower this year than predicted? If things hit hard in the next couple of weeks it could still be that huge year that was predicted. Nothing in the economic news suggest a steep change in the interest rates this year so at worst we will stay consistent for the rest of the year. My money is still on the big surge coming...

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance." 

 

~ Samuel Johnson 

 

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! 

 

How many times have you heard it? "Don't work harder, work smarter." This modern cliche has almost become an annoyance - its meaning seems so obvious that we don't even pay attention to it anymore. But such simple sentiments often bear closer consideration, especially since they become cliched because of their inherent truth. 

 

You see, sometimes it really isn't how hard you try. Think back to high school: some students studied for hours for an exam and did poorly, while others studied a few notes and highlights for thirty minutes and got A's. Sometimes it just came down to smarts, but often it came down to how well prepared and organized the students were. Performing well on an exam or project doesn't necessarily reflect higher intelligence - it reflects ability to apply intelligence or strength efficiently. It's qualitative instead of quantitative. 

 

Expend great effort inefficiently and you may well end up farther behind than if you expend less effort in a more resourceful manner. The whole goal should be progress, not the total expense of your resources. It's those folks who can analyze and implement an approach that requires less effort who enjoy the greatest success. We all want to minimize our investment and maximize our returns, right? 

 

If you find yourself trying so hard and not getting anywhere, you're probably experiencing a deep feeling of discouragement. Help yourself out by looking at changes you can make to help you focus more on the solution to the task. Eliminate energy spent that isn't producing results. 

 

Apply a little effort on a consistent and targeted basis, and you'll achieve the progress you're seeking. Jacob Riis observed, "When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before." 

Real Estate Commission

Hello all,

"Real Estate Commission"

On Friday I had the pleasure of sitting in a three hour town hall meeting with the Real Estate Commission. Overall it was a good experience because I came away with the knowledge that as a company and agents we are doing things the right way. The one thing that was mentioned that concerned me a bit is making sure the documents are getting back to our clients. If you are ever called in front of the board one of the things they will be looking for is that copies of all listing agreements, buyer broker agreements and contracts are given to to our clients after they are signed for their records. Please make sure this is part of your business practices. At the next sales meeting I will talk about some of the other things that I came away with.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"It's important to let people know what you stand for. It's equally important to let them know what you won't stand for."

 

- B. Bader

 

ARE YOU POLITICALLY CORRECT?

 

How careful we must be today - to avoid the slightest slight to others. If we continue, we will become totally homogenized - each looking, acting, talking, and walking like each other. The unique identity into which we were born will mellow, fade, and eventually become transparent.  The gifts and talents we have to offer will be so diluted as to go unnoticed.

 

What ever happened to our right to speak out against wrong?  Why do we allow ourselves to be hushed and shushed when we verbalize our expectation of respect from the very young?  Why are we so sensitive to what "they" think of our actions when we attempt to do good?

 

Each of us is uniquely individual.  We are one of a kind, not just an ingredient in the soup of humanity.  Each of us is born with the ability to make a difference, to contribute our talent, to expect the best.

 

We have the ability to set standards for ourselves, to choose the principles upon which we live and serve.  We also have the responsibility to teach our children "what we stand for" as well as "what we won't stand for."  By unashamedly living those principles, and expecting the same from our children, we help set the course for others who have not the strength to do so.  We are the example.

 

Political correctness, as it applies to granting full respect for others is perfectly acceptable.  Political correctness, as it is often applied as a choke-chain to restrain the desire to uphold what is right, is a gross misuse of the desire for simple courtesy and politeness.  Let's just drop "political" and be correct!

Batteries

Hello all,

"Batteries" 

I have written about this in my Monday Morning Coffee before but I believe it is worth mentioning once or twice a year. I am writing this on Easter Sunday afternoon on our porch at our Florida Condo. The sun is shining and there is an adult beverage near by. Life and our business are so crazy that it is very important that we take time to shut it down and recharge the "Batteries" from time to time. It is hard to imagine that if we went at it 100% all the time and never took time for ourselves that we would be serving our family and clients to our fullest potential. When I left town Tuesday morning I was beaten and tired, today I am rested, fired up and ready to get back at it (there is a glass of Grand Marnier next to me talking as well). So if you do not have anything planned pull out the calendar and get to it! A weekend with your better half, summer vacation with the kids or a golf get away with the boys or girls. You will be a better Father, Mother, Brother, Sister and Real Estate agent when you get back.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." 

 

~ Anonymous 

 

TIME TO FERTILIZE! 

 

You see them out there, all the folks in the neighborhood fertilizing their lawns for the spring growing season. It’s like a competition, to see whose yard will win the prize for “greenest.” But are they really trying to be the best, or just trying to be better than the guy over the fence? 

 

Well, forget about fences, because the grass grows greenest where it is quite simply tended the best. You can’t blame the fence for poor lawn quality on this side. You and you alone are responsible for discovering the gardening secret that will yield the pleasure and satisfaction you seek at home. 

 

Perhaps you might learn such secrets by building a better relationship with your neighbor, sharing and comparing cultivation routines. They say that good fences make good neighbors, but it should always be about what’s on this side, not that one. “He who leaves his house in search of happiness pursues a shadow.” 

 

If you’re not happy with what you’ve already got, you’re not going to find it "out there." You may learn a lot when you cross the fence and experience the world, but you can only learn satisfaction at home. Once you’ve got that, fences won’t matter anymore. 

 

Why? Because now you’ve carefully cultivated your own green grass, for your own feeling of satisfaction and not for a sense of competition. Now you can carry your watering can over the fence, and tend the grass wherever you may be. Happy gardening! 

Second Quarter Sales Contest

Hello all,

"Second Quarter Sales Contest"

For those of you who missed the sales meeting we are having a sales contest between the three offices for the second quarter. The contest will be based on total sales volume and the goals for each office are:

Potomac 71M

Germantown 60M

Aspen Hill 18M

Whichever office exceeds their goal by the highest percentage wins. The winning office will enjoy a pool party happy hour at Lakewood Country Club in July. Happy Selling!

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

 INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "Learn to let go. That is the key to happiness." ~ The Buddha PLEASE RELEASE ME! Remember the song "Please release me, let me go"? If you've ever felt that someone or something had a hold on you and wouldn't let go, perhaps you needed an "attitude adjustment." Why? Unless you are literally chained to a wall, people and things don't have a "hold" on you. It is you who have taken hold of them, and refuse to let go. It's so easy to latch on to the situations, relationships, and baggage of others - believing it possible to have some control over their outcome. The result is never-ending worry, sleeplessness, feelings of helplessness, and other symptoms of being "out-of-control." Anger is another matter - there seems to be so much of it today. TV shows are full of it. Anger is directed at family, the boss, the spouse, or anyone else in sight. Yet anger results from feeling that things or people are not doing what you think should be done. Anger is felt when you can't control the outcome. The truth is we are only in control of our own lives and actions - nothing more. Buddha had it right when he said, "Learn to let go." Martin Luther said, "Let go and let God." Regardless of who said it, or how it was said, letting go will open many doors of happiness in your future.  

Golf Tournament

Hello all,

This year for the golf tournament we have made the registration online and easy. You can use your credit card, get airline miles, have a fun day away from the office and support a great cause. Click on the link below for more information.

http://www.golfdigestplanner.com/25773-8thAnnualCharityGolfTournament/

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"You will become a great philanthropist in your later years."  

 

~ Chinese Fortune 

 

THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES! 

 

Today’s quote was lifted from an actual fortune cookie that a friend opened after a recent dinner at the local Chinese restaurant (Lucky Numbers: 34, 15, 26, 38, 17, 8). It’s got to be the best cookie fortune ever! Its positive message is twofold, a doubly wonderful possibility for the future. 

 

Becoming a great philanthropist is hopefully founded on the premise of becoming very wealthy, so the fortune seems to imply that not only will my friend become rich, but that he'll also be responsible enough to put that wealth to good use. 

 

Capitalism is a “necessary evil” of this global age, and it creates a sense of obligation to help those less fortunate. Or to help them to help themselves, primarily through the improvement of education systems throughout the world. 

 

The idea of the dog-eat-dog corporate mentality (see “The Apprentice”) is becoming outdated. Selfishness is no longer in style, and trampling everyone else down is no longer seen as the best road to success. More and more “celebrity” entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Paul Newman, and Richard Branson are teaching a message of social responsibility. 

 

Even if my friend never attains the kind of wealth those gentlemen have built, it's still certain that the cookie’s fortune will come true, because everyone has a responsibility to help others, no matter who you are, where you live, or the balance in your back account. 

First Quarter

Hello all,

"First Quarter"

Overall the weather was not our friend in the first quarter for the region. Year over year the number of transactions are down about 8% however the volume is up around 7%, this is due to the average sales price going up. With the prediction out there that the number of transactions will be going up by 10% this year I believe we are set up for a big second and third quarter. I am very pleased to say the year over year sales volume for the three offices is up 30% for the first quarter! This is because of the increase in sales price but most importantly agent growth. Thank you all for being the best of the best and being a part of our offices!

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Despair is the price one pays for setting himself an impossible aim." 

 

~ Graham Greene 

 

THE TORTOISE OR THE HARE? 

 

This weekly column often encourages you to reach high and focus your energy towards achieving your dreams. What happens when the dream eludes you, or you feel that you're not measuring up against the standards of your peers? 

 

Sometimes we do set our sights too high, or expect to reach them in an unreasonably short period of time. Just as important as establishing a goal is to map out an intelligent route. It's not usually all Super Highway between where we are and where we want to go. There are often plenty of other roads leading to and from that freeway, and you shouldn't drive 70 mph on a narrow two-lane country road! 

 

But... what better place to slow down and enjoy the scenery? It's these paths that define the greatest part of our experience, and we shouldn't overlook them because we're so focused on the ultimate objective. Strangely enough, the things we see and experience along the way often lead us to change our path - or even our destination. 

 

Ignore the worry-warts and over-achievers who want to know why it's taking you so darn long to get there. There is no time limit on success. You'll get there when you get there, and you won't be too old for it when you do. Success is sweet at any age, but it tastes best washing down a lifetime of experience, pleasure, and pride in one's work. 

 

Achievement is a certificate that never expires, and there's no "due date." With the right attitude, you'll find small successes every day to keep your outlook positive and your life moving forward - at your own pace. When you make it clear that you are in the driver's seat and enjoying the trip, others will find themselves wanting to get on board. Happy motoring!