Sometimes, things just SNAP in your business. There's a time where you have to fling open the windows and declare, "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!"
Though I may not be to the point of window-flinging yet, I am about to declare that I am fed up with Top Producer 8i. I have written blogs on this in the past, and the more I use 8i, the more frustrated I become. Top Producer 7i was an excellent product, and while it took some time to get used to, it flowed well, and was put together in a manner that made using it fairly easy.
Top Producer 8i, on the other hand, seems to be very ungainly. It is difficult to navigate, and sometimes features that I really liked using on 7i are gone or extremely difficult to find or use.
I am considering making the switch to a program known as Agent Office, and I'm curious if there are any former TP users who made the same switch? Agent Office is used as the primary database software in my coaching program, but since I was already on TP 7i, I just stayed with it.
Agent Office is PC based, which I like better than internet based. It is also a flat fee, rather than a monthly fee, so I will actually be saving several hundred dollars a year.
If you have experiences with either TP 8i or Agent Office, good or bad, or if you can contrast them both, please weigh in!
I'd like to thank the academy, my friends and family, and the great people of Active Rain, who helped me get to where I am today... being honored with my first Featured Post!
After racking up nearly 200,000 points, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a silly post on business planning was featured on the Active Rain homepage. I had often wondered when and if I would be able to write something of "feature-able" quality. This helped me to see that it is possible, and it gives me a shot to keep writing.
The featured blog also reminds me that I should continue to make sure that I am putting effort into my blogs... because there's always a chance that many people may be reading them!
The applause have died down. It's time to work on the next one!
My business plan has finally blossomed to the point that my finances will be increased by several million dollars on Monday. Only one last thing has to happen, but it's a sure fire plan.
What is the plan, you ask? Don't bother clamoring for pen and paper, because I'll be kind enough to put it right here in my blog. In fact, I'll even email you a copy if you want to see it up close and personal.
Bill's Business Plan:
1) Think long and hard about what the winning numbers for the Powerball lottery will be
2) Purchase a powerball ticket wtih those numbers
3) Collect grand prize of several million dollars
Now, granted, some people will scoff at this plan, but you have to admit, there are very few points at which it can fail. Afterall, if all the steps are followed correctly, the end result will be great wealth for me!
Why are you still scoffing???
Now let's get to reality. Unfortunately, many agents out there have business plans that are either as crazy as this one (in different ways), or no plan at all.
Business plans are only as good as their parts, and in their execution. For instance, my plan is simple. There are not too many parts to it. The second step is simple - purchasing a ticket is an easy task. The third is simply taking the time to collect the winnings. The first step, then, is the difficult one. What action plan do I have? What knowledge do I need to fulfill the step?
Obviously the knowledge and difficulty make the first step the doozie, and that is the flaw in my plan.
The moral of my silly story is this: First, make a plan. Second, make sure that your plan is reasonable. Third, follow the plan. If you simply set goals but have no real, reasonable, tangible plan for getting there, then the goal is unimportant, because you won't obtain it.
Good luck with your planning for 2009!
I was contacted by a homeowner recently who was going to have his home foreclosed on. I have several programs to help homeowners in that situation, but they are all dependent on one thing - enough time to implement.
This homeowner contacted me on a Friday. His home was going to the foreclosure auction four business days later.
I immediately contacted investors and purchasers who would be interested in buying the home through a short sale, and had very positive response. Only one thing remained - the bank's cooperation.
Unfortunately, the bank who held the first mortgage would not work with me - they could not get an extension worked out for me so close to the auction.
Homeowners, if you are behind in your payments, get help IMMEDIATELY. If you are in South Carolina, contact me right away. There are several options that you may have available, but they are all time dependent.
I've had several calls lately from buyers who live up North, and they all seem to ask the same question: How's the weather down there?
The weather here is a great blessing, especially in the winter time. So far, there have been about two weeks where I needed a coat outside. We get snow a couple times a year, and if it sticks for more than 24 hours it's unusual. Ice storms happen infrequently but we'll usually get a coating of ice about once a year.
Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures in the nineties most of the season. I enjoy mornings and evenings in the summer!
Fall is beautiful, with all of the trees here changing into vast arrays of colors. Spring is gorgeous, with green plants everywhere!
Our weather is not very wild, though we have our rare moments. Come and check out South Carolina and enjoy our climate!
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Multi-faceted real estate team dedicated to the satisfaction of our clients. Our homes sell for an avg. of 2.1% more & sell in 30% less time than the local market average. We stand behind our service!
Our multi-faceted approach to selling homes is fueled by a desire to provide top of the line service, as well as a compassion for the needs of our clients. Utilizing the latest in technology as well as systems, our team is always pushing the envelope to find new and exciting ways to sell our homes fast and for top dollar!
If you want full service from a team of professionals who will personally keep you informed of every step in the real estate process, then give us a call or email us today! Don't take our word for the quality of our service. Check out our website, and look at the testimonials from prior clients. We are happy to provide a list of references upon request.
About Bill Kennedy:
Bill is the Team Leader of the Bill Kennedy Team and a Real Estate Trainer. He graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. and received a Master's Degree from the University of South Carolina. Prior to real estate, Bill was a police sergeant and police instructor.
As a REALTOR(R), Bill has risen to the top of his profession. He speaks and instructs at the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS(R), teaches many classes for his own Market Center, serves as the Career Development Chairperson, and has recently been made Broker-In-Charge. In the past, Bill has served as an Agent Leadership Council member. Bill has written articles for real estate trade publications, and teaches real estate safety seminars to help his fellow agents.
Bill's training tends to focus on Lead Generation (where to find business and when to seek it), Technology (what to use and how to use it), Scripts (what to say and when to say it) and Safety (how to stay alive!). He has taught classes on many internet related topics, IVR (telephone call capture) technology, emotional direct response marketing, personal prospecting, and much more.
Bill is a member of Craig Proctor's Coaching Program, which helps agents achieve high levels of productivity while increasing customer service and satisfaction. In addition, he earned the GRI designation (Graduate REALTOR(R) Institute) in less than one year.
Why is this blog entitled Chickenhawk Scratchings? It harkens back to Bill's past life, and might make a good posting someday. For now, just sit back and fondly remember this little guy!
About Keller Williams Realty - Keller Williams Realty is the 4th largest, fastest growing real estate company in North America. It has changed THOUSANDS of lives, including Bill's. If you are considering a change in companies, or if you are brand new to the business, Bill would love to share his story with you, and information about this AWESOME company that makes real estate FUN and PROFITABLE! It doesn't matter what part of North America you're in. Just give him a call, or drop him an email, and he'll give you the no-punches-pulled reality.
The service we provide covers many spectrums. Our primary focus is on
each individual buyer or seller.
Buyers - Not only can we represent you on a "typical" home purchase, but we also have expertise in foreclosures, HUD homes, VA homes, and investment property. Our claims are backed by many satisfied clients.
Our expertise with sellers is just as diverse. Whether you need to sell your personal residence, an investment property, raw land, or an entire portfolio of properties, we can help you. If you face foreclosure, there may be hope. We can help you explore all possibilities of getting your home sold prior to the bank taking it.
Builders, we have special programs for you. Whether you have one spec home that's been a thorn in your side, or an entire subdivision about to come out of the ground, we can help to maximize the return on your investment.
Pilots - Bill is an airpark home specialist. Airparks are private airports with homes on them. As a pilot, he found that he could combine two of his loves - aviation and real estate! To date, he has marketed homes on three Upstate airparks, and he has information on airparks throughout the country.
We proudly service Upstate South Carolina, including Greenville County, Spartanburg County, Pickens County, Anderson County, Laurens County and Greenwood County.
Cities include Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Spartanburg, Easley, Powdersville, Mauldin, Fountain Inn, Traveler's Rest, Taylors, Blue Ridge, Donaldson, Anderson, Lake Hartwell, Lake Keowee, Lake Jocassee, Dacusville, Pickens, Pendleton, Duncan, Lyman, Wellford, Landrum, Campobello, Laurens, Gray Court, Woodruff and more!
What our clients are saying... 
We have been in the market for a new home ... and are anticipating a move this summer. I work with computers and websites and this site is very impressive. My hats off to the IT Team that designed this site. If as much care and information is put into your work as you do with your website, all I've got to say is you must have one helluva' business. I've seen twenty five to thirty real estate websites thus far but none compare to this in any way, shape or form. I don't know if this will reach the people you work for but I hope it does. It's blown the twenty five to thirty websites I visited right out of the water. Not to sound to crude but it's finally nice to go to a website where they really care.
Thanks,
John G. Bartlett(Check out http://www.soldbybillkennedy.com/ to see what he's raving about!)
"As investors, we have dealt with many Realtors over many years. Bill Kennedy has done a better job for us than the others, and in addition has been unfailingly personable, honest and responsive. He has not tried to talk us into price reductions for quick sales, yet in an unfavorable market has found buyers when other Realtors have not. It is a pleasure to work with him, and we look forward to continuing to do so as the market improves and we sell off the rest of our holdings and retire."
"As a first-time home-buyer moving from out of state, we were skeptical of all Realtors. After calling Bill Kennedy on a house of his listing, we met with Bill. His advice and kindness was superb. He understood our needs and gave us useful and helpful advice. His knowledge of the entity is outstanding, yet if he didn't have an answer for something, he would find one from a reliable source. Bill is the kind of Realtor that, after working with him, you have no thought of using anyone else."
"The service of moving two families from Florida to South Carolina was excellent. Bill is very knowledgeable of market value and of our family needs. He is prompt in returning phone calls, and friendly -caring for the needs of our two families. Excellent customer service. Complete satisfaction!"
"I had to sell an airport property 1,000 miles away from my home. Keller Williams took care of everything for me with efficiency and courtesy. Bill is friendly, efficient, and honest. Thank you!"
"My family recently relocated from Greenville, SC to Greensboro, NC for a Job-relocation. We were in need of a Realtor to market and sell our home since we no longer resided in Greenville, SC. Our situation was quite unique because we didn't have anyone in South Carolina to assist us with getting the house ready to be sold and it was a challenge for us to travel there ourselves to get things accomplished. Our house was located in the Summerfield Community in Greenville, SC. We met with Bill Kennedy and he provided us with an awesome presentation and marketing strategy to sell our home. Most Realtors generally request that you sign a 6 month contract with them to sell your home, without any guarantees and they don't allow you to cancel the contract if you're unhappy with their services. Unlike your typical Realtor, Mr. Kennedy was so confident in his abilities to market and sell our property that he requested that we sign a four-month contract with a stipulation that if we're ever unhappy with his service, and we've given him at least 48 hours to resolve our complaint, we can fire him at our discretion. That was extremely impressive to my husband and I. Needless to say, we signed the contract and it was an outstanding business decision that we were extremely pleased with. Mr. Kennedy did an exceptional job marketing our property, keeping us informed on the status of the showings and assisting us with several other requests in order to get our house sold. He even met the "Goodwill" company at our home for a furniture pick-up, sent us our mail in North Carolina, and made sure that our house was looking good for each showing. What impressed us the most was the actual "Property Sale" itself! Mr. Kennedy sold our home within 40 days for more than the asking price with minimal out-of-pocket expenses for us. He assisted us with the counter-offer negotiations as well, He was there with us 100% of the way. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst, I would rate him a #1. I'm a very meticulous detail-oriented individual, so for me to rate someone as a #1, they would've really exceeded my expectations. I am happy to say that my husband and I were overwhelmingly satisfied with Mr. Kennedy's services and we would recommend him to YOU, and all of our friends and relatives in the Greenville area. Best of luck with the new addition to the "Kennedy" family and your Real Estate career, Bill!
"We appreciate the expediency of all aspects of having a carefree handling of all our business, considering we had to do everything from out-of-state. Can't wait to get to SC."
"Very pleased with all."
"You did what we asked..."
"You do what is expected."
"Bill Kennedy is a very nice person. He handles his work in a very professional manner. His office called me each week and kept me informed on what was going on with my property. Bill is very knowledgeable about the Real Estate market, and he works hard to sell your property. I would refer Bill to anyone."
I was very impressed with Bill Kennedy after a disappointing experience with a competitor prior to working with Keller Williams. Bill convinced me early on that he could do an excellent job marketing our house to potential buyers and making sure our house was noticed on the market by prospects. I was most impressed with Bill during the final days of our being on the market. We were faced with 2 options and even though one option was considerably less commissions to Bill, he nonetheless encouraged this option as it was in the best interest of his client. I would 100% recommend Bill Kennedy.
DISCLAIMER: Bill Kennedy disclaims liability for any damages or losses, direct or indirect that may result from use of or reliance on, information contained in the blog or for accuracy of comments or opinions of visitors to my blogs
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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