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10 Things to Do (or Not Do) at a Conference

Blog Contributor Classes & Education, Helpful Tools, MidYear, Professional Development 2 Comments

By Kelly Reark We were all standing around complaining about our feet hurting in the shoes we chose, wondering if it was our third or fifth cup of Starbucks that day, when the idea hit me that maybe I should put together a quick list of dos and don’ts for anyone attending one of our marathon REALTOR® conferences throughout the …

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Unclutter Your Space and Your Mind

Blog Contributor Managing Your Office, Personal Fulfillment, Technology & Social Media 5 Comments

By Kelly Reark Uncluttering: A great New Year’s resolution for all of us.  Clutter comes in many forms.  We advise our sellers to de-clutter their homes when preparing them for the real estate market.  We shred old papers in an effort to clean out our offices of unnecessary transaction documents.  We send clothes from our stuffed closets to local shelters.  …

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Market Stats Can Be Your Best Friend

Blog Contributor Sales & Marketing 1 Comment

By Kelly Reark OK, I’m ready.  Elections are over.  The holidays are around the corner.  Bring on the buyers. Here in Florida, our season is just about to start.  What are people expecting, and what are you going to do about it? My advice is to study your market, and practice how you will handle objections from buyers and sellers.  …

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Powerful Networking

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, Helpful Tools, Networking, Sales & Marketing 1 Comment

By Kelly Reark What ways do you network with your fellow real estate agents?  Do you walk away from a happy hour or business card exchange really knowing much about them or their business? Likely not. Do you ever wonder why? Having a pocket full of business cards is one thing, but getting to know other real estate agents is …

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My Deal Needs CPR… Again

Blog Contributor Business Challenges, Buyers, communication, Homeownership Education & Counseling, Short Sales & Foreclosures 1 Comment

By Kelly Reark I have been representing a buyer since June of this year when he made the decision to put in an offer on a short sale.  We aren’t closed yet, and it has been a bumpy road.  Our journey actually began in January of 2007, but who’s counting? There are many ways that this deal could die along …

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The Power of Positive Thinking

Blog Contributor Helpful Tools, Personal Fulfillment, Professional Development, Sales & Marketing 2 Comments

By Kelly Reark Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with some other real estate agents within our local association’s Board of REALTORS®. I noted something while I was talking to each of them that I want to pass along to all of you. There’s no question that this real estate market is challenging and unique.  There are agents out …

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Take McGruff’s Advice When it Comes to Your Computer

Blog Contributor Data Privacy & Security, Safety, Security, Technology & Social Media 3 Comments

By Kelly Reark I am here today to talk to you about the importance of using protection. Seriously. Protect yourself from viruses and other digitally transmitted diseases. With all the forms of protection out there, it would be a shame for you to be exposed. I use several [explicative deleted] words to describe computer viruses and hack jobs that are …

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Think Green This St. Patty’s Day

Blog Contributor green, Sales & Marketing Leave a Comment

By Kelly Reark With St. Patrick’s Day fast approaching, my Irish brain has been picking up on all the green in my environment. So I thought that we’d avoid a pinch by adding a little green practice to our life!  Here are some ideas to get you going Green: “Think Globally, Act Locally.” OK, this one is easy. Think about …

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Let the Statistics Do the Talking

Blog Contributor Closing, Sales & Marketing Leave a Comment

By Kelly Reark This week, I thought I would share some striking real estate statistics from my small local market area.  Gasparilla Island is only a snapshot of what is happening locally, and hopefully what is or will be happening across our state and country. In the first quarter of 2009, only two contracts closed on Gasparilla Island.  The second …