After working with my wife for several years now, I can definitely see how powerful teams are. When I first started in real estate, many of my colleagues warned me about working with my wife. I can’t say that they were wrong. For some people I can see how working with your wife could be a problem. Every relationship is different. We have a strong relationship and I think it takes special kind of people to be able to work together. I think it is important to be able to control our egos. I have never really had a big ego anyways. I am pretty content and happy with what I can offer. That’s not to say I am not ambitious. I am very ambitious. I just choose to do it my way and not worry about what other people think. I am always conscientious about my ego.
Some advantages of working in or on a team are:
The ability to share the workload. It is harder for a single person to handle all aspects of the job while providing top notch service at the same time. Unless of course you are superhuman. Some areas of the business will suffer. Whether it be prospecting, marketing, websites, blogging, social networking, listing appointments, buyer appointments, writing offers etc
Increasing your brainpower. It is really nice to be able to bounce ideas off each other and leverage other partners special skills.
Having more time with family or doing things outside of work. For awhile, it seemed that real estate was the only thing I did and life was put on the back burner. It is important to be able to enjoy life.
This leads me to the main reason why we want to continue to grow our team. I think the biggest thing we are experiencing right now is the fact that we want to be able to take time off together. Therefore, growing our team with other team members is now our main focus. By having other partners, we will be able to take time off and enjoy life.
Here is a really cool video I watched recently regarding teamwork. I think those of you on teams or are thinking about building a team will enjoy it!
For the past little while I have really been wanting to write something about the team advantage and what it means to be part of a team. Over the past few days our team has been down in Niagara Falls to receive some team-based real estate training. We were very fortunate to go with our entire team. We felt this was benefical to us because we were able to take better advantage of all of the different breakout sessions and take in more information then we probably could of if we went by ourselves.
During the main keynote, the main speaker showed a video on team work. Please take a second to watch this amazing and hilarious video.
This video really hit home for us. Besides being very entertaining, it really demonstrates the power of a team. The first guy who started singing by himself didn’t make much of a song but as each singer came in, the song started to take more shape.. This is how we view our real estate team and the way it benefits our clients. We know that we can’t be everything to everyone but our team can be. The team advantage allows for us to share ideas as well as keep each other accountable. This in turn provides for a stronger environment for us to work in as well as enables us to better serve our clients. This is why we chose to work as a team.
Another experience we had was when Michael “Pinball” Clemens came on stage. What a powerful and engaging speaker. Pinball was a very successful CFL football player and coach for the Toronto Argonauts. He talked about his family, his experience as a player and coach. He was very modest and didn’t brag about his past successes. As a matter of fact, the reason he stopped coaching football was because he wanted to put his family first. I think the best thing I got from his talk was that when we work as a team, anything we do, effects what our team mates do.. For example, if I am not pulling my weight, then it is not only effecting me, but my other team mates as well. When we build up our other team mates, then we build ourselves up. I really liked the way he interacted with the audience on this point and I can see how he would have been an amazing football coach.
This quote from Pinball says it all:
If a team is one and you and I are on the same team, it means that I am you and you are me.
Check out this video and the above quote can be found at about 2:40 of the video.
If you ever get the chance to hear Pinball speak I think you will find that his message is powerful and motivating. He will definitely help you understand the power of having a strong team. A team that has team mates helping each other succeed. A team that is working for the same goals and not working independently.
A team should be a single cohesive unit that incorportates the efforts of every member to create a positive outcome and not working independently of each other.
Thanks for reading!
We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-newfree search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.
Here is a video I did for sellers who are thinking about selling their houses in Waterloo Region. Please check out the video and if you have any questions or comments please let us know…
Hi There, I am Warren McNeil from Team McNeil at Re/Max Twin City Realty in Kitchener
Today I am going to talk to you about a few things you need to do before selling your house. Selling your home can be a simple and straightforward process if you follow the right steps. In order to get top dollar and avoid headaches, it is important to do a few things beforehand.
Here are 5 things you can do before selling your house.
Number 5 – Get a Market Evaluation
The first thing you should do is get a market evaluation on your house so you know exactly how much you house is worth before you do any work. A realtor will advise you on things you should do and not do when preparing the house for sale. We will make recommendations on things such as updating, repairs, decluttering or staging.. You might not need to spend as much money as you think to get your house ready.
Number 4 – Mortgage information
If you have a mortgage on your house, you should find out if there is a penalty to pay out your mortgage early. We recommend calling your lender to find this information out.
Number 3 – Make repairs and perform other maintenance items
It s a good idea to do any necessary repairs around the house. We also recommend that you replace furnace filters, fill the water softener with salt, replace burnt out light bulbs, fix broken door handles and replace any cracked or broken windows. Consider hiring a home inspector before you sell your house so that you can find out if there are any unknown issues. If you fix the issues beforehand, then you can avoid surprises later when the buyer does their home inspection. The money you spend now on repairs, maintenance and home inspection could help you get more money later. Contact us if you would like us to recommend a good Waterloo area home inspector or other skilled professional.
Number 2 – Declutter, Depersonalize, Paint, Clean and Stage
- Decluttering: Decluttering will allow the buyer to visualize how big and spacious the rooms are in the house. People who are selling their houses often use their garages to store items from the house. Other options are offsite storage or storage pods.
- Depersonalizing: You should also consider depersonalizing your house. This is a touchy area and all I am going to say is just put yourself in the buyer shoes and try to view the house through their eyes. Keep an open mind and remember that the goal is to sell the house for the most money.
- Cleaning: One of the cheapest things you can do is clean. Buyers love looking at clean houses. If you are unable to clean on your own, consider hiring a cleaning service to help you. It will be the best money you ever spend.
- Painting: Painting is one of the best things you can do to make a house feel fresh and clean and to add more appeal. If you are unable to do a good job yourself, consider hiring someone to do it for you.
- Staging: Hire a staging profession to stage your home. It is amazing what a professional stager can do to help you get more money for you house.
Contact us if you’d like a recommendation for a professional organizer, a professional stager, a painter or a cleaning service.
And the Number 1 thing to do before selling your house is: Determine the best possible price
Pricing is the single most important thing to consider before selling your house. Your house will be worth a certain value based on its location, updates, condition and the recent sold comparables. When you hire an agent, don’t list your home with the agent who wants to overprice your property just so they can get the listing. List your house with the agent who takes the time to go through the comparables and provides valid reasons for their price recommendation. Homes that are overpriced often sell for less.
Whether you are a move-up buyer, relocating or downsizing, selling you house can be a smooth process if you follow these steps.
If you are thinking about selling your house in Waterloo Region and you would like to get started with a free online market evaluation of your Waterloo area home, please visit our website at www.clickthathouse.com or call us at 519-498-8118. Thanks for watching and see you next time!
We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-newfree search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.
I decided I would share our experience of our recent visit to Moose Winooski’s at Sportsworld Drive in Kitchener. When you first come into the restaurant you are greeted by a beautiful open gas fireplace with a huge stone structure surrounding it. Melanie and I were fortunate to be able to sit in front of the fire. The chairs were also really comfortable.. We sat in the new built-on addition which had what looked like a 30 foot ceiling… I didn’t really take a look around the rest of the restaurant, but I will have to say that if you are a sports enthusiast, this is definitely the place to be. I thought the fake moose heads hanging on the walls with the funny facial expressions were also a nice touch. The moose heads sort of reminded me of Montana’s but they definitely fit the theme of the restaurant.
For lunch we ordered chicken wings. The chicken wings were really good but I kind of wished they offered some other flavours such as sweet chilli Thai. The “medium” that we ordered were really good. They had a desert called the Kitchen Sink which sounded intriguing but we were too full. Maybe next time. Our waitress was also very friendly and accommodating.
The fireplace was my favourite part of our visit. I think sports enthusiasts will find the bathrooms accomodating… There were two 42 inch TV’s showing the Olympics and another TV integrated into the bathroom mirror… The TV in the mirror actually startled me but was very cool… I joked with the waitress and told her that they should install a mirror into the hand dryer.
In conclusion, I just have to say that Melanie and I were really impressed with the new renovations at the Moose Winooski’s in Kitchener. The restaurant made me feel very welcome, friendly and warm . They did a great job and highly recommend checking them out.
We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-newfree search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.
Hi There! I am Warren McNeil from Team McNeil and Re/Max Twin City Realty in Kitchener
The Internet has changed the way we all communicate in this world. As a realtor, we need to constantly stay current with technology and utilize these new methods with our marketing. Technology, if used right, can make a huge difference when marketing a home for sale. Gone are the days of the big MLS book. According to the National Association Realtors, 84% of people start their home search onlne. So hiring a tech-savvy realtor is more important then ever to give you that edge you need to sell or buy your next home. Here are the top 5 reasons to hire a tech-savvy realtor.
Number 5 – Website
It is important that a realtor has their own website. In my opinion, websites are not optional they are mandatory. They serve many purposes. A realtor’s website should be able to display listings with lots of photos, detailed desctriptions of the property and an area for virtual tours as well as provide an easy way for prospective buyers to contact the realtor.
Number 4 – Print advertising
A realtor who utilizes both print advertising and the internet is better able to take advantage of both mediums strengths. Marketing a house for sale in the newpaper and leading the buyer to the website for more information is crucical for maximizing the marketing of a property. You still need both! A tech-savvy realtor understands that many consumers still rely on traditional advertising methods. So don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Number 3 – Mobility
Realtors must be able to access email or text messages while in the field. Prospective buyers want information rightaway so it is very imortant for realtors to have a PDA such as a Blackberry or an Iphone.
Number 2 – SEO or Search Engine Optimization
Realtors who have good search engine ranking ensures that your listings get found on the Internet. Realtor.ca is a great website but it is not the only website to rely on when it comes to marketing your home online. Buyers also use search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing to look for houses. Realtors who have their websites optimized will have a better chance at getting their house listings found.
Number 1 – Web 2.0 – Social media
The internet has become more interactive over the past 5 years. Having a website is not good enough. Realtors also need to blog, do videos, Twitter and use Facebook. These are all methods that are important for us to connect with clients, prospective buyers and prospective sellers. Having a realtor that utilizes some or all of this technology ensures that you hired the right person to do the job.
The good news is, technology will continue to evolve. As new technologies come out we must harness their effectiveness so we can all do our jobs more efficiently!
Thanks for watching and see you next time!
Thanks for reading!
Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118
started in real estate, many of my colleagues warned me about working with my wife. I can’t say that they were wrong. For some people I can see how working with your wife could be a problem. Every relationship is different. We have a strong relationship and I think it takes special kind of people to be able to work together. I think it is important to be able to control our egos. I have never really had a big ego anyways. I am pretty content and happy with what I can offer. That’s not to say I am not ambitious. I am very ambitious. I just choose to do it my way and not worry about what other people think. I am always conscientious about my ego.
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wmcneil @ May 12, 2010 4:05 pm
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