Andy Raffle, Yardley, PA Real Estate

I'm sure you're wondering how a Blog about political debates can be non-political but, I promise not to mention any of the candidates, their positions or their comments. That's not my problem. I already know who I'm voting for and I hope you do as well, I reall hope you just show up at the polls and cast your vote. It's important.

What I really hate is the fact that they have the debates, the formats are terrible; the moderators have no control, the participants don;t answer the questions and nothing gets done about it.

I'd be all for a non-moderated debate where the candidates simply went after each other - make it full contact as well, if you like. I'd also be for a moderated debate where if the candidate did not answer the question, the other candidate got a ten minute bonus to say whatever they wanted or where, if the candidate did not answer, the audience threw tomatoes at them.

I'll take ANYTHING other than the nonsense that they currently pass of as political debates. PLEASE.

Please try to keep your comment non-political, as well.

Thanks,

Andy

This question was posed to me earlier today as part of a month long challenge we;ve got going on in our office. Surely, we;ve all been asked this question before, even if t=not in those exact words. Every potential client must wonder "with all the different agents available, what's the difference?". It's a otugh question to answer as the tendencies are to either be modest or to beat my chest, neither of which will serve me very well.

After some serious contemplation, I came up with the following. I'd like to hear what some of you think "makes YOU different".

I'm Andy Raffle, professional Realtor with Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors in Yardley, PA. I've been licensed to sell real estate since 1995 in Pennsylvania and I am also licensed in New Jersey.

I bring some unique qualifications to the real estate business that I feel set me apart from other agents. I have a financial background which brought me to the residential mortgage business in 1988. This enables me to offer both Buyers and Sellers insight into financing trends and qualifications.

At about the same time, I began to actively work the distressed property market, accumulating a portfolio of quality residential investment property. This experience makes me ideally suited to work with buyers of distressed properties, as well as investors - as I have significant firsthand experience in that business.

I have bought and sold several homes of my own and moved my three children in the process. I understand the trials of moving a family and the importance of getting it right and putting the utmost thought and care into getting it right!

I work hard. Always. I spend hours a day employing the most proven yet most avoided sales techniques - COLD CALLING! Real estate agents, like other salespeople, hate to make phone calls but, it is those very phone calls that are the most effective tools at selling homes, or anything else. Active marketing sets me far apart from the crowd of passive agents.

I use the internet to market, not just to make friends. The internet is a great big universe all of its own. It's easy to get lost and disappear in the ether if you don't stick to your message. All of my internet activities; from my website to my Blogs are all designed to market your home and myself.

Andy Raffle sells Bucks County Real Estate. Check out my website for Yardley homes and information, search for properties, read my informative Real Estate Articles and read my Bucks County Real Estate Blog

Andy Raffle

www.askAndyRaffle.com

Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors

70 West Afton Avenue

Yardley PA 19067

215.493.9080x130

As I mentioned in the accountability article, I do really well at scheduling my mornings and dedicating them to revenue generating tasks, as I like to call them. After that, my day is pretty well "loose" and I'd like ot change that. Let's face it, this is a business where you can spend hours or days being busy on things that are not revenue generating or even close to revenue generating activities.

I've heard there are some good time management systems/programs and I'd like osme ideas of what you fine folks are using these days or what's worked for you in the past.

Thanks for your help,

Andy

Andy Raffle sells Bucks County Real Estate. Check out my website for Yardley homes and information, search for properties, read my informative Real Estate Articles and read my Bucks County Real Estate Blog

Andy Raffle

www.askAndyRaffle.com

Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors

70 West Afton Avenue

Yardley PA 19067

215.493.9080x130

Sometimes your surroundings can have as much to do with your success as any efforts that you make. Attitude is everything and even the best of us, when surrounded by gloom and doom and talk of how bad things are, cannot possibly maintain a positive outlook.

I'm fortunate to work in an environment that is tremendously positive and conducive to a good state of mind. There are, however, a couple agents in the office who seem to travel with a black cloud above their head. Every conversation revelves around how bad things are or how stupid everybody else is. After starting my morning with a motivational tape and a positive prospecting practice session, the last thing I need is to be enveloped in bad karma. What to do?

Change the conversation - Good energy overpowers bad. It's one of the reasons that I start every day with a gratitude list. This is not a business related endeavor but, rather, is for my spiritual well being. I can always find a list of thigns to be thankful for, even on the worst of days and, again, that positive state of mind can;t help but make me better at my business as well as in life in general. Splash on positive4 thoughts on that negativity and see if that works.

Tune out - If you can't make lemonade from those lemons try a trick that I use succesfully; headphones. If I'm working at my desk and distractions are about, I simply pull out my headphones and slap them over my ears. This accomplishes two things; first it deadens some noise and second, it makes people less likely to engage you in that conversation that you're trying to avoid.

Use the negativity as motivation - Nothing has quite the effect on me as somebody telling me something is impossible and can't be done. It's a challenge and I suggest that you take it the same way. And isn;t it nice to accomplish what somebody told you you could not.

Show them the light - there may be opportunities to show the naysayers that all is not so bleek as they imagine. It's certainly worth the shot as it will not only help someone else but, also improve your own situation by turning a former nagative influience positive. It's probably not wise to expend TOO much energy here but, a little effort could not hurt.

Vacate the area - This may sound extreme and seem unfair but, if you can;t negotiate your way around the negative energy, get away from it., It's only a matter of time until it infects you and you end up in the same position. Find a positive place where you can go about your business and meet your goals.

In the end, one way or another, it is imperative to keep a positive mindset and to do wwhatever it takes to get there. What are some of your seecrets and successes in accomplishing this?

Andy Raffle sells Bucks County Real Estate. Check out my website for Yardley homes and information, search for properties, read my informative Real Estate Articles and read my Bucks County Real Estate Blog

Andy Raffle

www.askAndyRaffle.com

Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors

70 West Afton Avenue

Yardley PA 19067

215.493.9080x130

Brookstone

Market Update

October 1, 2008

Brookstone is a subdivision of 2-story townhomes and single level condominiums (1st and 2nd floor condos available) built in three phases by Realen Homes, in Lower Makefield Township in the early 1990's.

All units include one car attached garages, fireplace and the amenities of the community which include a swimming pool, tennis courts, and walking trails.

Andy Raffle sells Bucks County Real Estate.  Check out my website for Yardley homes and information, search for properties, read my informative Real Estate Articles and read my Bucks County Real Estate Blog

Andy Raffle

www.askAndyRaffle.com

Coldwell Banker Hearthside, Realtors

70 West Afton Avenue

Yardley PA   19067

215.493.9080x130