Barry Owen

There are only a few things in this world we can all really expect to be able to count on - Death, Taxes, & CHANGE!

These are all equally inevitable and unavoidable, yet many people exert vast amounts of energy evading them.

I "get" the motivation to "cheat Death" . . . That's one cause I'll join without much thought . . . So I try to watch what foods and drink I consume and am careful while driving and how Ilive my life . . . I don't feel ready for that "Ultimate Change" because I think I have a LOT left to do while here.

Some folks get great thrill from cheating taxes . . . That might be fun but stands a good chance of facing the music in the form ultimate clash with the government. I think that if you don't want to pay the taxes you only have a few valid choices . . . Move to a place where the taxes are lower (and likely the services and protection of your way of life will be less secure) or join the politicians and see what you can do about legally decreasing taxes.

Cheating change itself is a complete exercise in futility. We do this in many ways, and it's seldom pretty.

There's disappointment, fear, denial, anger, PAIN, and a whole slew of emotions that emerge at some level with each and every change . . . and the real sentiment is: "Why can't things just stay the way they have ALWAYS been?"

Because in this world if there were no change, the whole system stalls into doldrums and ultimately dies.

Change creates opportunity for GROWTH.

Change offers a chance to move on - TOWARDS better/different things.

Change keeps us entertained.

Change brings new people and relationships into our lives . . .

and

Change removes some people from our lives.

In yesterday's homily, our priest said that change offers the chance to re-set the clock . . . or flip the hour-glass and begin anew.

Keep yourself in POSITIVE FLOW and celebrate change - I find it exciting as I consider the possibilities.

Best,

b

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

We are an accumulation of all of our prior relationships, experiences, accomplishments, joys and sorrows.

Some believe they can forsake all of that and be someone different in their professional role than they are in their personal lives . . . That there can a well defined chasm between the two never to intertwine.

Others are "All work, no Play . . . makes a dull life"

or "All play, little work" . . . FUN but not very lucrative . . . Gotta pay the bills somehow.

So, therein lies the enigma for many professionals who have what it takes to achieve high levels of success, but thwart their own success . . . They simply fail to learn this dance.

I believe you are who you are - warts and all . . . and you should be proud of it and DECLARE it to the world.

Don't attempt to change who you are for professional reasons.

AND

Don't sell yourself short when it comes to integrating your professional goals and aspirations into your personal life.

If you aren't reaching your professional goals and you are intentional protecting your personal friends, family, and acquaintances from your professional self . . . QUIT THAT!

I believe they will not take you seriously and will "dismiss" your career as a hobby . . . and will not refer business to you.

They've ALL gotta know that you are a driven professional and that you and your business NEED their support.

You must invite EVERYONE into your life fully.

We are not here to dabble in life . . . Life is too short for that . . . Let's get the most out of it.

It's OK for you to have different presences - Like a personal and a professional page on Facebook . . . or personal on Facebook and professional elsewhere (Linkedin) . . . Just be sure to extend invitations to EVERYONE to both places.

I think you might be surprised to see how many of your personal relationships have a great interest in the success of your professional self . . . and how many of your professional relationships who would be interested in knowing your personal self.

If you shield yourself, you limit your success.

Stop worrying about whether your friends and family "care" about your work . . .

they DO . . .

AND they would be honored to be a part of your success.

Go ahead and invite'm in :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

b

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

Seems like as the market slowed, Broker Open Houses have been swarming.

The up-side is that there's really no excuse for any REALTOR not to enjoy a good lunch on any given day.

The down-side is that if you are the one hosting the luncheon for your Seller, your invitations may get lost in the shuffle . . . and thereby low attendance.

The competition is fierce for attendance . . .for getting other REALTOR's attention.

In my market, I think I see @ 10 email blasted brochures DAILY . . .

I'm very quick to delete . . .

UNLESS . . .

Something REALLY catches my eye . . . Like THIS!

"See 5 Great Houses and WIN A NETBOOK"

Note . . . a FABULOUS PRIZE!

In this case a Netbook which I got for @ $315 ($63 per agent)

FOUR real Estate companies represented (5 agents) for DEEP exposure.

An eye catching brochure.

This Broker Open House has been announced by all 5 agents to their individual offices and the the entire local REALTOR public multiple times.

None of the REALTORS are on the hook for a heavy (expensive) luncheon, and we and our sellers all benefit from a robust attendance,

If you're gonna do something in this market . . . DO IT LARGE!

I'm just sayin'

Best,

b

PS . . . we invited the general public also :-)

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

It's that time of the year (again)!

For many people, the conventional wisdom is that they should pull their OFF the market through the holidays because of myriad "reasons" and wait til the Spring market.

My initial question is: "Has your motivation changed? Don't you want to SELL your home?"

Sure, there can be some inconveniences with showings happening while celebrating . . .

and sure you can listen to the "mass of men who lead lives of quiet desperation" . . .

and you can succomb to the dreary and cold winter weather and allow the Seasonal depression to "talk" you into complacency.

OR

You can CHOOSE to be BOLD and LIVE LARGE and stay IN (or ENTER) the market during this remarkable time.

After all, you would be doing your ultimate Buyer the HUGE favor of simplifying their Christmas Shopping . . .

They can simply buy YOUR house as the"Family Gift".

As other houses LEAVE the market, the adventuresome, motivated Sellers and Listing Agents dive INTO the market with great gusto and enthusiasm.

The choice is yours . . . Below is a list of 11 reasons to list your house during the holidays from Keller Williams Realty's Thriving in a Shifted Market book.

and below that . . . a tip from me for REALTORS who are interested in jump-starting their 2010 year NOW!

Here's my tip:

START WORKING WITHDRAWN LISTINGS!

Begin by previewing all of the houses currently available in your target area.

Now WATCH THEM!

As they withdraw from the market (and many WILL), give the owners a call to find out WHY?

Be armed with this list of reasons and head onover to take a slew of new listings.

The worst thing that could happen is that you could take a lot of listings in the next 60 days.

What would taking a LOT of listings in the next 60 days do for your business next year?

hmmmm

Any Sellers in Middle TN thinking about taking a break from the market?

Just give me a call as soon as your house is withdrawn, and we'll get rolling with getting it SOLD :-)

I'm just sayin'

Best,

b

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

Sunday morning, Deb and I both simultaneously said that we would LOVE a robust cup of Starbucks coffee instead of our usual (Less robust and less tasty) home brewed java . . .

We knew that our local Starbucks Opens @ 5:30 AM and the time was @ 6:45, so I grabbed my wallet and keys and drove the mile and a half to get the goods.

While driving there, I could almost smell and taste that fresh brewed coffee.

Strange but true, I was anticipating that first sip . . .with boyish excitement :-)

When I turned into the parking lot of the strip mall, I sensed that something was wrong . . .

I saw a cluster of "things" at the front door of the Starbucks.

My heart sank as I drove closer certain that there had been some sort of coffee catastrophe . . . and that I would not be able to get what I came to get.

When I got close enough to see clearly (Eyes still "morning Blurry"), I saw a SHOCKING display of "limited Service"

Instead of opening the store, they had decided to fill a few cambros with coffee and put them on a folding table and had a single employee serving coffee from those over-grown thermos's.

Unbelievable!

Perhaps I'm going over the top here, but 9/10 of the appeal of Starbucks is the ambiance of walking into the place and getting the sensation and warmth and the smell . . . and having a FRESHLY BREWED cup of coffee.

Luckily, there's another Starbucks 3 miles down the road . . . I went there and enjoyed the full experience.

Call me crazy, but there is NO WAY I'm buying my coffee from a cambro on a sidewalk when I can get the full experience 5 minutes away.

Next time you think about cutting your level of service for your clients, think again.

Your clients won't tolerate it . . . They'll go to your competitor.

Cut expenses? YES!

but not at the cost of reducing your level of service.

There are customers who will happily pay less for less service and/or quality, and that's OK!

If you say you're the BEST, you've gotta BE the best.

No compromising allowed!

I would have rather driven up and found that Starbucks CLOSED then to experience "less"

Consumers these days want ALL . . . or nothing . . . There's not much tolerance for "in-between"

I'm Just sayin'

Best,

b

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!