Barbara Todaro

Preparing for my Monday morning posts is similar to my preparing a lesson plan when I was teaching. Monday morning sets the pace for the week, and my first function is to be certain that our entire inventory is blogged on Monday morning. My continually submitting a variety of posts on our four subdivisions and one on each of our resale listings has ranked all of our inventory at the top of the first page of Google for a wide variety of searches. All of tomorrow's blogs will total at least 12. My day will start at 7:00am at the office, and I will finish my ActiveRain posts by noon. After I submit a blog, I do a Google search to make sure I did it properly, and it ranked in the top 5 on Google.

The reason I do the entire inventory at one time is because I like to leave the remainder of the week for other blogs about the inventory. I will submit additional posts on our open house events, new listings, pending sales and closings. There will also be generic posts submitted on new construction, managing and marketing. Of course, there is always an intermittent flavoring of jokes and, last but certainly not least, photos of Rocky.

Blogging has become a routine for me. It's one of my most important functions and I participate faithfully for fear my ranking on Google will decline if the frequency declines. I certainly have my blogging routine down to a science now.

The Whistle Stop Restaurant and Lounge is located in Zellwood, Florida near Apopka. This wonderful Todaro family owned restaurant is situated on a golf course in Zellwood Station and is open to the public. Adjoined to the Whistle Stop Restaurant is a banquet room with a capacity of 300 plus people. This room is spacious enough for weddings and anniversaries but also relaxed enough for golf luncheons.

If an outside atmosphere is desired the Whistle Stop Restaurant also has a screened porch that overlooks Zellwood Station's beautiful golf course. These pleasant surroundings make this porch a great area for an afternoon baby shower or cold drink from the bar after a hot day on the golf course.

For more information about banquets and monthly events, please visit www.WhistleStopLounge.com or call 407-889-5131.

Signage is a very important part of marketing, and I think most agents use signs, as long as their town bylaws allow it. There are also subdivisions that have restrictive covenants that do not allow real estate signs. However, the majority of the time, we will install a sign in front of the property that is for sale. In many instances, I've noticed that agents have no riders attached to that real estate sign.

Riders are a terrific way to tell the general public one or maybe two important details about the property. My team uses riders on every sign that we install. Many of our metal frames will hold two riders and our white sign posts will hold as many as we attach.

I have given a generous sample of twenty of the riders that we use. There are more. I buy as many as possible and sometimes create my own custom riders.

There are properties that have 5 bedrooms and one would not know that information by driving by, unless a rider stated those words. There are homes with a master bedroom on the first floor and unless a rider stated that detail, a potential buyer driving by would not realize that existed. Riders add the finishing touch to advertising with signs. Riders are very inexpensive and if many agents within the office purchase multiple riders (the least expensive way to buy them) then you can trade so that you have many messages from which to choose for your listings.

Heavily traveled roadways are a great place to have a SOLD rider and that's one of our favorite riders along with "I Love My RE/MAX Realtor."

Visit our three open house events this weekend in Franklin, Ma.

Meadowbrook Heights in Franklin, Ma is an active adult community of townhomes boasting a first floor master bedroom suite, 2.5 bathrooms, tile, hardwood, maple cabinets, granite counters, gas fireplace, first floor laundry and attached garage. Our open house event is Saturday and Sunday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Visit the The Todaro Team there every weekend. We're 50% sold.....Directions: Miller Street to Longhill Road to Grey Wolf Drive. Prices start at $329,900.

The Villas at Eagles Nest in Franklin, Ma. is a condominium community that is open to ALL AGE GROUPS. These luxury condos are absolutely beautiful and feature one level living with living space that ranges from 2,000 s.f. to a penthouse condo with 3,200 s.f. These two bedroom, 2.5 bathroom condos boast maple kitchens with granite counters, stainless appliances, 9' ceilings, gas fireplaces, large moldings, beautiful window layouts, private decks and much more. Visit The Todaro Team for their open house event every weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 1;00pm to 3:00pm. We only have three standing units and have started pre-selling building #5, our next condo building. Directions: Miller Street to Silver Fox Road to Eagles Nest Way. Hope to see you this weekend. Prices start at $385,900.

20 Palomino Drive at Dover Farms in Franklin, Ma is having their first open house event on Sunday from noon to 3:00pm. This contemporary colonial boasts three spacious bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, dramatic two story foyer, bamboo hardwood flooring, front to back living and dining rooms, oak kitchen with solid surface counters, tile, eating area to a very private deck that overlooks woods. There is central air, central vac, whole house humidifier and a one car attached garage. This 72 home subdivision is serviced by town water, town sewer and natural gas. Directions: Pond Street to Beech Street take your fifth right onto Paddock Lane to Palomino Drive. Offered at $389,900.

Harry D'Elia posted a blog this morning titled "real estate teams cover more ground than individuals." After reading that post, I decided to expound upon it with my thoughts of the team concept. Not everyone should have a team. All teams are not successful for one major reason. Success starts at the top and unless the team leader is a productive real estate agent, the team will not survive.

For the same reason that real estate offices fail, real estate teams will also fail. The team leader needs to be a high volume producer just as the broker/owner or manager should lead the way with production within an office.

I am a firm believer that most teams fail because neither the make-up of the team nor the reason for forming it are right. The members are together for the wrong reason. The team leader is not truly a leader but a person who wants to be a leader. When production is not imminent, the team dies a slow death. I've witnessed this happening in other offices. I never promote teams to be formed unless there is a purpose.

If one individual has an overabundance of inventory and cannot service any additional; if an individual wants to scale back his or her work; if an individual wants to prepare for retirement but wants income to continue; creating a small team is probably the solution.

There has to be a reason and production must already exist. Do not create a team with the thoughts of increasing your sales volume based on the efforts and production of team members. It doesn't work that way. If those potential team members were that productive, why do they need to join YOUR team? They could form their own team. The key to a successful team is the pre-existence of production. In my opinion, the team member's job is to accept the referral and work the piece of business, close it and follow through to the end of the transaction. The team member needs to be a seasoned agent with the skills needed to close buyers and sellers. This individual may not have a following or may not be a high volume producer, but the needed skills are in place. Have a plan and goals in place before you begin the process of forming a team, and make sure your purpose is valid. The cost of failing is excessive.