Battery Point

Battery Point is a lovely community conveniently located in Beaufort South Carolina just 3.5 miles from the downtown area. In addition, it is very close to Port Royal South Carolina and a very easy drive to head towards Savannah or Charleston from Beaufort County. This community is Neo-Traditional in design with lovely streetscape at every turn. The Charleston style homes line the street and grace the walking trails and side walks. From not only talking with the residents but also being one there is so much to love about Battery Point. This subdivision is located along the marshes of Battery Creek and a smart neighborhood design capitalizes this feature for all the residence in the community. All residents can enjoy the concrete lined walking trails and take in the water views. Morning walks on the trail allow you to view the Beaufort South Carolina sunrises and evening walks are a pleasure as well when the sunsets in the horizon. This community offers walking trails, pool, playground, pavilion, tennis, and a community dock. One of the favorite features for many of the residence is the waterfront and the ability to launch your boat from the community dock. It is a simple trip down the Battery Creek and you are in the major waterways of Beaufort County off you go. There are so many wonder attributes about Battery Point and the above mentions some main high lights. I look forward to showing you Battery Point as your Beaufort South Carolina Realtor.

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LESSONS I LEARNED FROM LOSING WEIGHT APPLIED TO REAL ESTATE

I am writing this blog post as a follow up to my last blog How to have happy clients from start to finish where I shared some simple principles to maintaining happy clients. I was so thrilled and excited by all of the comments I have decided to write again on a topic of simple principles but this time pertaining to your career and success as an agent.

I am sure you have you seen those before and after shots of people holding up there old pants in front of them showing off their incredible weight loss. Well, I recently dropped 30 pounds and while I am not ready just yet for my before and after shot I have learned some things that in reflection made me realize they are principles that can apply directly to my real estate career. First, I had to determine why I was gaining and it turns out it was a matter of input vs output. I was taking in more calories then I was burning off in a days time and when you do this over time you gain unwanted pounds. I needed to modify this chain of input vs output. How?? First you must identify what foods are good for you and what foods are not good for you. Second, how many calories do these foods contain and what should you consume in a day (total calorie intake)in order to start to loose weight. Third, develop better habits such as exercise and discipline. These are some key elements that are simple but require some further thought.

• First, I had a doctor help me identify according to my height and weight what my calorie intake should be daily. You see I had to seek the advice of an expert to help me identify what I should be doing.

Real Estate is not any different. Do you have real estate professionals that can help you identify what sort of activities you should be doing to further your career? How about a coach or a mastermind group. Other agents sharing ideas that work. What works and what does not work? Actually, this is one of the elements that makes Active Rain so fantastic learning what others are doing just by reading. I have learned so much from reading blog posts.

• Second, I needed to be educated about food. What foods are good, what foods are bad, which foods are loaded with calories and what foods are not?? Again, this may appear simple but it was something I had to learn. I truly did not realize that by eating crackers or a lot of carbohydrates (like I was doing) I was adding a huge amount of extra calories a day to my diet. I identified what my bad habits were. After learning this I have become more aware of what I am eating by reading labels, checking the calorie content and the fat content of foods. I started to learn what I should eat and what I should not eat.

Even if you are the most disciplined Rock Star Realtor around I bet you could learn something new and you may have a bad habit or two. By identifying what your bad habits are and cutting them out I am confident you will streamline your success. Sit down with a pen and paper and write down habits you have that are not benefiting your career and make an action plan on how you are going to break the bad habits. OUT with the Bad and In with the good. Put down those french fries my friend and grab a carrot!

• I had to sit down and set goals to determine what weight I would like to be in a week, two weeks, three weeks a month and so on. I had clear targets that I was trying to hit. Regardless of the different theories out there got on the scale every day. I was monitoring my success rate daily and if I was up I would work that much harder to get it down again. Most times when the scale was showing up I was able to identify something I did to cause it.

Do you have your real estate goals set? Do you know where you want to be in a week, two weeks a month or a year? How many listings do you want, how many closed transactions do you want, what is your income target? This list goes on and on for me and I am sure if you sit down you can clearly identify some of your goals. With out goals you are like a ship lost at sea with no clear direction. You do not know where land is or how to find it you are just being tossed and turned by the waves wandering aimlessly. Do not hesitate sit down and identify your goals TODAY! Start by identifying your short term goals what do you want to accomplish in a week, two weeks, three weeks and so on. Then identify your long term goals what results are you looking for in six months a year and so on.

• Exercise is key and while it is a struggle for me to find time I know I have to exercise. I am not perfect but I try and each time I go it gets better and better. It is a daily routine that I need to develop and work on each and every day to get healthy. It is what helps me to get the burn on and fire up the metabolism engine.

Real Estate requires a routine like exercise. Get up, get out there, go into the office, network, talk to other agents, go to open houses, learn your markets, go go go. No more sitting around! do not be a lazy agent! you have to exercise your real estate muscle to make it grow. You can do it go, go, go!!! GET OUT THERE AND GO!

A few final tips are believe in yourself, stay positive and take it one day at a time. You should know that as I write this this is also a reminder to myself. Trust me that this is my inner voice speaking to myself first and I do not take any position of being on a high horse. Believe in yourself you must. My market has over three hundred fifty Realtors mostly surrounded by water in a coastal area with islands in South Carolina. There is a lot of competition out there so I must believe in myself and my abilities as a Real Estate Professional.

2009 has proven to be a difficult year for many with the housing crisis. According to Wikipedia the definition of crisis is

A crisis (plural: crises) (from the Greek κρίσις) may occur on a personal or societal level. It may be an unstable and dangerous social situation, in political, social, economic, military affairs, or a large-scale environmental event, especially one involving an impending abrupt change. More loosely, it is a term meaning 'a testing time' or 'emergency event'.

A TESTING TIME: Did you notice that element in the definition. Stay positive, please just remember this is a testing time and the strong will survive all the more reason to get rid of bad habits, apply goal setting and work harder. Don't let them get you down!

Take it one day at a time check in with your goals, monitor your success rate, stay focused, get your coach or real estate mastermind group together, share ideas and watch your success. I will be right there with you doing the same. GOOD LUCK TO ALL BE A SUCCESS!!!

WE ALL WANT HAPPY CLIENTS RIGHT?

Have you ever heard about the book "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum? This really is a wonderful book that illustrates simple principles we learned in Kindergarten are good rules that apply to our lives even as adults. What I have found with my interaction with clients and from my prior work experiences customer service is key!! It is the simple principles that really add up in the long run. You may be have all the knowledge and facts about the market, you may know your communities inside and out, you may have experience under your belt but a simple fact always remains to maintain happy clients you must provide customer service. Great Customer service will gain you the respect you deserve for your hard work and also bring you those much desired after referrals that feed our business. I would like to outline a few things that are so simple but will really boost your relationships.

1. SMILE: Really smile and mean it! You have a lot to be happy about you have a client right there in front of you. A living breathing opportunity, a person, family or group of individuals who are trusting in you to provide them with guidance and help them make a large buying decision.

2. AS Your Smiling take a moment to yourself to be Thankful: I have always found that when I take just a moment in my mind to be thankful it really makes my smile grow. My customers can see that I really mean it. I am very happy and very thankful to have this opportunity to be working with them.

3. Keep in touch after your first interaction: This is SO very important. Real Estate is a large decision for many individuals. Snap decisions are rare and for most people they need some time to process what they have seen, what community they like, ect. Ask your client, " I would like to follow up with you after you have had some time to process this information when is a good time for me to call you?" This way they know you are going to call and know when to expect the call. Keep this type of interaction going throughout the process. As you get to know each other better it will just become a natural part of your agent / client interaction.

4. Send a Hand written Thank you note: As soon as I am finished showing property I go right to my desk and send a sincere Thank you note and drop it in the mail. The Key words here are hand written and sincere. You have no idea the impact this has on your client. We all like to feel appreciated and your client is no different. When they open up their mail and a personal message is there for them saying thank you it adds another element of Customer Service that will knock their socks off.

5. Listen: Have you ever heard the saying God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. Well it is true remember it is not about you! It is not about what you like! Listen to your clients. What are they telling you, do you know? Have you talked so much they can not get a word in edgewise. I like to really listen to what they want. I use this information when I search properties and as we look at them I can explain I made this selection for you because you mentioned you wanted a first floor master, or double ovens in the kitchen and so on. It makes a huge difference for your clients when you listen.

6. Do not Be Pushy: Have you ever had that waitress or waiter that has come up to your table and practically said yeah what do you want, all the while tapping their pen or their order pad and chewing gum in a ferocious manner. They make you think, you have to be kidding me why did this person ever think they would be a good server. Yes this is an exaggerated example and I am sure you do not act like this but remember your clients can tell if you care or not about their needs. If your out for a quick sale and really just care about your commission check it shines through. If this is the case for you it is time for an attitude adjustment. If you have done everything right in the first place there is no need to be pushy. It will be a natural progression that ultimately leads to the sale.

7. Have your clients best interest in Mind: I always like to think of my clients as a family member. Would I have my mother and father buy this house. Would I write up this offer like this for my brother. We have to take many ethics classes to be a licensed real estate agent for a reason be ethical. It makes a real difference in not only your relationships with your clients but also your fellow agents. You must ask yourself what type of business are your trying to build. One with a solid foundation to build upon or a short time pile of stones with no sustainability long term.

8. When the time is right ask for the sale: "Mr. and Mrs. Smith we have looked at the following properties and this one has you so excited. Does this seem like the right fit for you. We can go back to the office and make an offer on this home if you would like." This is not being pushy in my opinion. I am sure you have all seen this, that AH HA! moment when your clients found what they were looking for. I have found that when that moment comes it is time to move forward with making the offer. You are after all providing a service. What good would you be doing your clients if you do not assist them with the purchase when the time is right. So many agents not only Realtors but all type of sales people do not ask for the sale. You must! That is what you do after all. Remember, their is a difference between asking for the sale and being pushy.

9. Execute the contract and go for it: Now it is time to work hard dig in your heals get your focus together and negotiate, negotiate, and work hard for your clients. Try to get them the terms they are looking for. I have found that having a good team of people to assist you with the closing is very helpful. Get a handful of trusted lenders, a handful of trusted real estate attorney's and provide your clients with the options. Mr. and Mrs. Smith you can choose any attorney and any lender you wish and by the way here is a list of some reputable ones in our area. Having a good group of people working together to get the closing completed is a great help to you and your clients.

10. Follow up after the close: By now if you have done all of these steps you have happy clients. You have done all the right things to take care of your clients and developed a great relationship. Do not stop after the close send them a follow up thank you note. Send Birthday cards,Christmas cards let them know you are there and still working hard as a Top Notch Professional in your area. You know your clients have friends and family and you want them recommending you.

You see it is the simple steps that create a happy client. I did not make any promises that it would be easy it is still hard work but if you take it step by step and provide top notch customer service it will pay off in the end. Build your business one client at a time and go for it!

By Brent Brodie

Lowcountry Real Estate

www.brentbrodie.com

THE LAUREL

Today I thought I would share this easy tour from Homes and Land of Beaufort SC of our Laurel Floor Plan. This floor plan is one of our most popular plans and there is no doubt that affordability is a key factor combined with a functional floor plan that makes it such a success. From the beautiful frontage view, the elevated home providing great views from the front covered porch there is not questions why this home is a winner. A large open room greats you as you open the front door and just adjacent is another pleasant surprise a great open master suite that leads into an attached bath complete with a garden style soaking tub. All of our models now include the extras such as our gas hook up on the deck for a natural gas grill (that's right no more trips to fill your propane tank), natural gas hot water heater (no more tank of hot water burning up your electric bill), 2x6 walls and thicker insulation R-19 (lets talk energy efficiency now), recessed lighting, ceiling fans in all of the bedrooms + living room, smart wiring complete with a handy control panel nicely hidden away in the closet but very accessible. Picket Fences is a gated waterfront community complete is with a junior olympic pool, community dock, waterfront walking trails, stocked fishing ponds and an affordable lifestyle with low homeowner fees just $350 dollars a year. Call me today to find out more. www.brentbrodie.com 843-441-2835 brentsellshomes@yahoo.com

One of the many reasons I have always wanted to be a part of the Lowcountry Real Estate team, is that I wished to partner with the best. Lowcountry Real Estate is consistently the highest producing sales volume real estate firm in Beaufort County. Success does not just happen but it does come to those who set goals, plan, work hard, check on their progress and go for it. I also think it is so important to surround yourself with successful people and Lowcountry Real Estate has a track record for having high producing, knowledgeable and experienced sales agents. This is why I was so excited when I checked my email last week and had an update from our main office that said, lunch power hour at 12 noon. Why was I so excited about lunch? This was not any normal lunch this was a Lowcountry Real Estate power lunch and it was a great idea. It was not my idea so as I am writing this blog I am really just reporting on a wonderful idea that came from headquarters so to speak. This was our first power lunch and we split into groups. Each group had a list of questions all geared to generate a group brainstorming session and pool ideas of success strategies in our current market. What is working well? What is not working well? What can we do better? Having an opportunity to share and listen to my fellow successful co-agents was really fantastic. I recommend a power lunch for everyone. I left the meeting feeling excited, full of great ideas to help to assist my clients. I always want to stay on the right side of the track to be a top producer with a top producing real estate firm like Lowcountry Real Estate backing me up. Thank you Lowcountry Real Estate and thank you my fellow agents for a great lunch and for having the team work principle to share your good ideas and strategies. This was a collaborative effort that will only make us all stronger agents. Power Lunches for all!!