Hawaii

A Sunny Day of Chess and Real Estate in Hawaii

01-20-07

Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (808) 384-5645

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Mobile: (808) 384-5645

I am writing this post from the Gazebo at The Town Center of Mililani, while running a rated chess tournament today. I am wearing the official Hawaii uniform of shorts slippers and my Century 21 golf shirt embroidered with my information on it.

A realtor friend of mine questioned why I take an entire day off to run these events? "Aren't you too busy to be hanging out at the mall all day"? HCF Logo

What that agent doesn't seem to grasp is that:

I really enjoy giving back to the community
A fair percentage of my business comes from friends and neighbors who I know through these activities.
I get a lot of work done while running the tournament. (once each round starts I have an hour and a half to kill)

Today was a classic day and it is not over yet. I have about 3 more hours until the tournament ends.

While setting up the event, a regular client of mine called about a townhouse he wants to sell to another of my clients (who he hasn't met yet). His other friend wants to buy an apartment house I have an open listing on. And he wants to buy a house I sold to his friend a couple of years ago. Did you follow all of that?

About an hour later the guy who owns the apartment house walked up to me at the shopping center. I haven't seen him in a couple of months. Is this a sign?

In the last two hours I have given directions and information on our chess club to 4 different families. I have given my real estate card to 5 people, including two of the chess families. All while the chess rounds played on. Since arriving I have seen a few dozen friends, neighbors and clients. Three loan officers, two Realtors, and a few of my old chess students. This beats sitting in the office.

I have returned my e-mails, posted responses on AR, updated my website, made a series of phone calls, sent out a couple of comparative market reports and am now writing this blog. The weather is beautiful, it is sunny in the low 80s with a nice tradewind breeze. Not a bad day of work.

Just think that other agent who is probably home watching TV thinks I took the day off.

When I get home I am installing my new big screen TV, just in time to watch:

Da Bears!

Aloha from Sunny Hawaii,

Randy L. Prothero (R), CRS, GRI

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Mililani Links:

Mililani Town Association: http://www.mililanitown.org/
Mililani Drug Free: http://www.Mililanidrugfree.org/
Mililani Chess Club: http://www.mililanichess.org/
Real Estate Sales: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Mililani Blog Posts:

6 Comments

Are You Involved in Your Community? If Not, Get to It.

12-28-06

Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (808) 384-5645

view my blog

Mobile: (808) 384-5645

I know most top agents have strong community ties. If you do not, you should really think about giving back to the community that is feeding your family.

You get a several benefits from volunteering:

You help improve the community you live in and are selling homes in.
You make many new friends and increase your network.
I find a many of my clients look me up because they or one of their friends know me from one of my community activities.
Your clients and other agents will respect you a much more.
It gives you a great sense of pleasure to know you made a difference.

Here is a list of some of my activities in my community:

Commissioner, Hawaii Civil Defense Advisory Council
Vice Chair, Leeward Region of the Honolulu Board of Realtors
President, Hawaii Chess Federation a 501(c)3
VP, Mililani Chess Club a 501(c)3
VP, Mililani Drug Free a 501(c)3
VP, Mililani Garden Homes 1 AOAO
County Vice Chair, Hawaii Republican Party
Coached indoor soccer
Volunteer for American Cancer Society
Volunteer for American Heart Association
Volunteer currently and in the past on several School parent groups
Worked 4 years in the State House of Representatives
Volunteered on many political campaigns including the Governor's

My intention is not to brag, please believe me this is not my intent. I am trying to make a point. Look over this partial list of things I am currently involved with and things from the past and just think about how big is my network of friends. When I decided to go into real estate, one of the factors in my decision was the shear number of people I know and that know me. What a natural line of work for an experienced salesman who knows so many people. The list doesn't even mention all the people I have done business with for over 20 years locally.

Do I exploit these areas, absolutely not! I am not stealth either. Mine and my wife vehicles have my signs and on them. I have golf shirts made up that have my name, company and designations embroidered on them. I wear them almost 7 days a week. I also have large signs at the malls in our community with my face and slogan, making me well recognized. I never push my business on any of the other volunteers; I don't need to and feel it is tacky. People continuously approach me or send me referrals. I can't even go to the store without someone stopping me to ask about the market.

I do send my Christmas Cards to most of my volunteer contacts, but do not solicit them in any other way. I also donate websites to most of these groups, some have a donated by banner on the bottom and some do not.

So the question is, are you involved in your community? If the answer is yes congratulations, if the answer is no, what are you waiting for? DrugFree

One last thought...

A new agent in my office two years suggested I cut back on all this volunteering. After all it was taking time away from my business. He also thought I was spending too much money on marketing and stated he would never make that mistake. He is no longer in the business.

If you volunteer in your community in ways you think other agents should consider please share that with us.

Aloha to all and have a Hauoli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year in Hawaiian)

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