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Is 30 the New 60?

Blog Contributor Being a REALTOR®, Personal Fulfillment, Young Pros in the Spotlight 33 Comments

By Brian Copeland This week, I turn 40 and my future with you is, well, uncertain.  While we’ve never defined “under 40” as what the Young Professional Network’s age limit is, it has turned into an awkward elephant in the room no one is willing to talk about.  So, let’s talk about it. We’ve heard “young and young at heart” …

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REALTOR® Survival: Worth It or Not?

Blog Contributor communication, Professional Development, YPN News 2 Comments

By Brian Copeland In late 2010, Rock The Vote commissioned a hefty research project on political issues as they relate to young adults.  Some of the findings surprised especially the political parties.  For example, 36 percent say that it doesn’t matter to them which party is in control of Congress.  A whopping 83 percent say that their generation has the …

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Is YPN The Next BIG Referral Engine?

Blog Contributor Sales & Marketing, Young Pros in the Spotlight 4 Comments

By Brian Copeland I’ve been a part of many referral organizations in my short real estate career.  Some have been a wasteland of nothingness.  One or two others have been the Promised Land of Income.  In my time, however, I’ve never seen a new force of referral energy emerge on the scene until now.  The YPN referral network is booming. …

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Avoiding REALTOR®-to-REALTOR® Referral Nightmares!

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, communication, Managing Your Agents, Professional Development, Sales & Marketing 7 Comments

By Brian Copeland Over the past few months, I’ve been catching wind of a LOT of referrals between YPNers.  As Daddy Goose, I’m so proud!  As Daddy Goose, additionally, I think it’s important we chat a little about how to handle those agent-to-agent referrals. Three weeks ago, I sent out three referrals to three different REALTORS®.  None of those agents …

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Taming the Lion Inside

Blog Contributor Personal Fulfillment, Professional Development, Young Pros in the Spotlight 9 Comments

By Brian Copeland I recently had a lively discussion with one of my Baby Boomer, dearest real estate friends on the phone.  Of course, it was on the phone, that’s what Baby Boomers do.  They want to meet and talk on the phone all the time.  I had asked her if we could just e-mail, but she insisted on a …

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Congratulations: The Best and The Worst

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, Personal Fulfillment, Young Pros in the Spotlight 2 Comments

By Brian Copeland If you are a young professional and have entered the real estate profession any time from 2004-2007, I want to be the first to congratulate you. When you can no longer consider yourself a whippersnapper and Lady GAGA music is now playing on the Golden Oldies station, you can then say one thing proudly as a REALTOR®, …

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Futurecasting Our Destiny

Blog Contributor Professional Development, YPN Events, YPN News 7 Comments

By Brian Copeland NAR Leadership Summit 2010 is underway this week in Chicago, Ill., and YPN is out in full force.  I have experienced no clearer message over the past few months than this…NAR is serious about training, raising and nurturing the future.  In a greater culture that sometimes dwells in the past and present, it’s overwhelming to know that …

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Pre-Counseling Lessons From The Trenches

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, Helpful Tools, Homeownership Education & Counseling, Mortgage Loan Limits, Working with Clients 2 Comments

By Brian Copeland Anyone who knows my business knows I pride myself on strong counseling of all my clients prior to any signed documents.  It’s the secret sauce of my business. This week, I messed up…bad! During the hustle and bustle of NAR Midyear, I had a remote buyer counseling session.  I was so busy that I condensed the normal …

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Writing Our Discriminatory History

Blog Contributor Code of Ethics, Diversity, MidYear, YPN News 6 Comments

By Brian Copeland I grew up in a hometown notorious for its horrible discriminatory history.  In 1956, the high school was bombed when 12 students of color were desegregated into the school.  Today, I look back on such acts and honestly cannot believe they happened.  It seems like some goofy urban myth that someone would want to discriminate. Today, from …

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Cabbage Patch Dolls, 1982 and A Mad Rush

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, Sales & Marketing, Short Sales & Foreclosures, Working with Clients 6 Comments

By Brian Copeland In 1982, I faintly remember my mom going to fight at Kmart for the newest batch of Cabbage Patch dolls.  It was a big deal.  They were the hottest toy.  All the little girls (and some boys) wanted one.  It was only a few weeks to Christmas.  It was a recipe for opportunity or disaster.  She could …