• Pick up a free list of homes!
• Get pre-qualified for a home loan.
• Ask questions about foreclosures and short sales.
• Discuss agency and disclosure requirements.
• First-time buyers and investors are welcome.

Well, I went door knocking today! Knocking on doors is one of the most successful ways for a real estate agent to find new business. I should know… for the first 5 years or so, I was a door knocker 3-5 days a week for at least 2 hours a day.

Over the past 30 years, I have always said “if I ever need more business; I would know what to do!” 

To be a successful door knocker you must be very stubborn and have faith that it will work. Most agents will give up if they don’t get a listing or a buyer the first day or two. It is very important to pick an area near your office or near your home which you are very familiar with. It is also important to know the neighborhood and the home values. I like to hit a lot of homes and not allow a long winded talker to take up my time. (I can always come back or call later if it really is a good lead)  

The best part of door knocking is knowing that my fellow agents will give up before they get out of the office! 

• First-time buyers running out of time to use the $8000 tax credits
• Unemployment is high almost everywhere
• Americans have again lost faith in the government nationally & locally
• San Joaquin County listing inventory has decreased almost 60%
• Closed sales in the county are down 35%
• Median prices are up by over 10%

I refuse to give up…I will work weekends, hold open houses and go door knocking… just like a brand new agent! Please help me find something more positive to blog about next week. Please comment…are you out there?

• A successful and internationally recognized brand name
• A structured business operating system with proven technology, marketing, advertising and training
• The most successful online advertising program available in real estate
• Economies of scale on all types of products and services that are absolutely affordable for even a one-person office

The power of a brand name!

Last week we signed a one-year deal with Zillow.com to feature your listings on their website above your competitors. What this means is that when buyers and sellers are searching properties on Zillow, all Realty World listings show up first. This delivers five times the amount of buyer traffic for your listings and huge exposure. We already feature your listings on Trulia.com, and with this new Zillow contract, you have the highest amount of exposure for your listings on two of the biggest real estate sites in the world.

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• Trulia Also Experiences Record Growth, Shift Towards Mobile in 2009  searchenginewatch.com)
• Zillow Wants a Home on Wall Street  gigaom.com)

The new “F” words in business…friend, fan, follow, farm, feed…is it all just a fad? No, I don’t think so! Facebook has over 200,000,000 people signed up and it is free.

Over 50 million professionals use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas and opportunities.

If you can’t find the time or you find it difficult to write a paragraph about yourself or your business why not sign-up on Twitter. Answers must be under 140 characters in length and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web.

If you would like to learn more about social networking; I would recommend this fun and easy to understand website. What Is Social Networking?

I hope to learn more! I will be attending a Realty World seminar tomorrow about how one can make the most of their social media, technology and online experience.

Carole Rodoni is a highly regarded speaker, author and advisor in the Bay Area Real Estate Industry. Formerly President of Fox & Carskadon Realtors, COO of Cornish and Carey Real Estate, President and COO of Alain Pinel Realtors, and now the President of her own consulting firm, Bamboo Consulting.

I had the pleasure to hear her speak at our Realty World convention held last August 14th and was very impressed by her knowledge. She seems to know what is really going on in the real estate market and also what is happening in Washington D.C.

Please take the time to listen to this lady…youtube.com or purchase her newsletter for $100 per year. http://www.bambooconsultinginc.com

Scott Leforce, President welcomed the Realty World brokers promtly at 9:00 AM at the “Brokers Council” as we all got down to business. One of the most unique characteristics about Realty World is the fact that our company is helped run by our brokers through a Brokers’ Council.

I was very impressed by “Featured Keynote Speaker” Carole Rodoni, President of Bamboo Consulting  and a Real Estate Industry Expert and News Columnist. Her comments and understanding of the current real estate market and our nation’s economy were “right on”, in my opinion.

The agenda also included:

• Keynote Speeches & Panel Sessions
• Exhibitor Hall
• Free Lunch
• Professional Agent Photos & Videos
• Prize Giveaways

The Realty World Strategy For 2009…”Our goal by year’s end is to have the largest online presence by our associates of any real estate company in the United States.”

www.realtyworldnca.com