Carolyn Petrie

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about networking and making the best use of your time. Hopefully some of those tips were helpful. If you are becoming more comfortable with being out and about, what is the next step in helping your business grow? In the city I live in, Las Vegas, you can pretty much network 24/7 every day of the week and a lot of it is Free or inexpensive, i.e. $10-$20 fee to participate.

How do you decide if "joining" a networking referral group makes sense versus going to various events that do not require a membership? I am constantly receiving emails, LinkedIn and Facebook invitations to events that occur on a regular basis but do not require a membership. Some cater to a younger audience, some cater more to women - it pretty much runs the gamut. What to do?

From personal experience and years of investigating, being a member/officer, visiting and "checking things out", I can tell you that the answer depends solely on YOU. Ok, what does that mean?

1. What do you expect from a networking group?
2. Do you want to pay for a membership and make a commitment or simply go when you feel like it?
3. How much are you willing to work to give back to other members?
4. How strong is your referral network?
5. Do you prefer early morning, lunch or evening networking?
6. Are you interested in doing community service work as part of your networking?

Once you review and answer those questions, you are ready to start exploring your options. If you are clear that you do not want to make a commitment, either in money or time, stick with the non-membership events. To make these effective, you still have to be present most of the time so that people get to know you and trust you. Pick a networking group you enjoy and commit to attending their event at least once per month. People need to SEE you frequently. And then remember to give first to someone else. (see prior Blog on networking)

If you decide to make the commitment, I would recommend checking out various chapters of different groups. Time of day and day of the week will make a difference depending on your schedule. If you're getting kids off to school, early morning probably doesn't work. Think ahead even though now it's summer vacation. For years I got up and left my house in the freezing cold to make my 7am networking group in Connecticut. It was well worth it. If you are a B2B person, you want to be sure there are other B2B people in the group. Same thing if you are B2C, make sure you have a solid foundation in any group you are considering.

Ask what the minimum requirements are to maintain membership (is there a referral amount, attendance, etc) and be sure you can exceed the minimum. There is no sense in spending money and not getting any value. Value comes from attending the meetings and working to help others in your group. In many cases, there is only one person per profession. This is great and can really help build your business IF YOU PARTICIPATE.

Have you ever been to a networking event where people are consistently handing you their business card? No sooner do they do that than they are telling you exactly why you need their product or service. Once they get the inkling that you are not an immediate customer, they move on. Not sure how they determine that since you probably have not been able to say much as they ramble on about themselves and their product/service. Sound familiar? You bet, we've all been there wishing we were home. Networking is an art and it takes practice. It's about opening a door and allowing a relationship to begin.

How do you effectively open that door? When you approach someone you don't know at a networking event (don't stand around talking to all the people you do know), here are a few suggestions for conversation. Remember, you want to offer something to someone else, you are not selling them anything.

• Hi, I see that you are a __________. Tell me a little about your business.
• How do you market your business?
• What other types of professionals would be good networking partners for you?
• What can I do to help you? Whom can I introduce you to?

You will be amazed at people's reaction when you try this approach. You are offering to help them first. After a few minutes they should reciprocate by asking you similar questions. If they don't - you suddenly see someone across the room that you must speak to or excuse yourself to go to the restroom. Don't waste anymore time there.

Once you have exchanged a brief conversation with someone and it appears there is the opportunity for mutual benefit, ask for their business card and how they prefer to be communicated with, phone, email, Facebook ("Friending" someone you have met at a networking event is becoming more and more popular), etc. Suggest that you meet for lunch or a coffee to get to know each other better and learn more about each others' business goals. Then FOLLOW UP the next day.

You may find someone else at the networking event that would be a great introduction for the person you just spoke to, i.e. at the last event I attended I talked with a representative from a cleaning company. I had previously spoken with someone from a moving company. I brought them together and left them to decide if they want to get to know each other better. I simply made the introduction.

Here are few more tips for making networking worth your time:

• Wear your name badge on the right hand side. When people shake your hand they will be associating your name with your face.
• Have your name big enough on your name badge so that people can read it
• Have white space on your business card so someone can make a short note.
• Keep your own business cards in a separate but easy to get to place. I don't know how many times I've almost handed out someone else's card because I had them mixed in with mine.
• Take someone else with you - tag team networking is fun - it's usually easier to introduce someone else and give them a testimonial.

Not everyone will be a great match for you as a strategic partner but you never know when someone you meet might be able to help someone else you know. Every exchange is an opportunity to broaden your network. Have fun with it - commit to making introductions for others. We are programmed to reciprocate when someone does something for us. You will find the strategic partners you want if you allow yourself to build relationships through offering assistance to others.

After finishing my last blog on relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada, I realized I had left out so many of the suggestions I received from Facebook Friends and the fabulous agents I work with. While the beautiful weather, gorgeous landscape, great restaurants, lively nightlife, amazing entertainment and diverse community seemed like enough, it wasn't. There is so much more to living in fabulous Las Vegas.

I neglected to mention that Las Vegas, Nevada is 3.5 hours to the California beaches and close to several National Parks. I have visited Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Koleb Canyon, Death Valley and the Grand Canyon since moving here almost 4 years ago. All are within a 4 hour drive from Las Vegas, Nevada. And there's much more. Along with visiting these amazing National Parks, the surrounding areas have much to offer. Do buy an annual pass to our National Parks, three visits and you've paid for the pass for the year.

Visiting Utah is a treat any season you go. One of my favorite family owned restaurants is in Kanab, Utah - the Rewind Diner on the main street. Not open Sundays so stop in any other day. Great fresh food. Visit the National Parks from here, Bryce and Zion.

Cedar City has a wonderful Shakespeare Theater and Shakespeare Festival every year. I love to go up for the weekend and take in a play at the Shakespeare outdoor theater. It's cooler there in summer with gorgeous balmy summer nights under the vast Utah sky. Cedar City is another great point from which to venture off to Bryce, Koleb Canyon and Zion National Parks. You can see all the stars without the lights of the Las Vegas Strip interferring with the night sky.

Bryce, Zion and Koleb Canyon are all outstanding places to visit. Take in the awesome beauty of nature. Winter or Summer, the parks will fascinate you. In Winter there are many fewer people and there is a certain calm and tranquility that infuses you. Summer is bustling with activity and many more visitors. Just a few more reasons to come live in Las Vegas, NV. You will certainly not be bored if you venture out in Las Vegas and along the outskirts.

Spend a day or weekend at Delight's Hot Springs in Tecopa, CA about 90 minutes out of Las Vegas. A word of advice, this is at the southern rim of Desert Valley. Go when the weather is cooler and maybe take a ride through Death Valley as well. You can head on thru Shoshone, CA and have a bite and a beer.

So if you're tired of Winter - think about relocating to sunny, exciting, beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada. At Exclusive Realty of Las Vegas, our agents work with people everyday who are relocating. We'll help you get acquainted and find the right home for you, www.exclusiverealtylv.com.

Thinking about relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada? It's a great idea. After a recent trip to my home city of New York, I began to think about all the reasons I love living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Having been here almost four years, I feel entrenched in this community and its lifestyle. I came here after twenty-two years in Glastonbury, Ct. A beautiful Connecticut River town that used to be mostly farm land and orchards. That being said, I am and always will be a New Yorker first. And now, Las Vegas, Nevada. A Nevadan, and believe me, I learned to say it right.

So what makes this Las Vegas community so special? As a Social Media Director for a real estate company, I work with REALTORS whose clients continue to relocate to this sprawling desert community of Las Vegas, Nevada. They come from all over. Okay, so the weather is amazing. Summer is hot but dry and the rest of the year, absolutely phenomenal. Cold enough in December to enjoy the holidays but sunny almost every day. All that sunshine does make a difference in your outlook. No shoveling, scraping ice or windchill factor. That's not hard to give up for most people who are thinking of moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. And when its really hot its hot but when the sun goes down, we have no gnats, black flies or mosquitoes to ruin a nice meal outside. I enjoy my outdoor burger without OFF and cintronella candles.

Excellent restaurants abound, casual and not so casual in our Las Vegas community. Stage shows come from Broadway and performers are always passing through. If there's a concert you want to see, just stay tuned, it'll be here. Soon we will have our Smith Center for the Performing Arts - an amazing structure that will culturally enhance this community.

Of course, the simple beauty of the desert is another treat. Red Rock Canyon is magnificent anytime of the year. Hiking from easy to difficult, rock climbing, bike riding, etc. while enjoying the incredible scenery and energy of the canyon. Take a ride at sunset on the Scenic Drive, it will amaze you.

Don't forget Mt. Charleston, Nevada just 45 minutes from Las Vegas. its pine trees beauty and the 20+ degrees cooler it is in Summer. And if you have a hankering for Winter and snow, Mt. Charleston will provide that in all its beauty as well. Go ahead and ski, sled, enjoy a meal in the Hotel or Lodge. When its warm in the Valley, take a ride up and hike. Then enjoy a cold beer and a nice lunch at the Lodge.

All that being said, it is also a great time to buy a home here in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our highly trained real estate agents understand this community and all that it has to offer. Let us know how we can help and Welcome to "Fabulous Las Vegas".

Are you young, smart and savvy? Were you born in the 1980"s through the early 1990's? If so, you fall into the category known as Generation Y. Your generation is sometimes referred to as the Millennial or Echo Boom generation. This may be the perfect time for you to become a first time home buyer in Las Vegas, Nevada. With numbers just shy of the Baby Boom generation, you are a large force in American society. Many of you are out on your own, building careers and looking toward the future. There are currently significant advantages to buying vs renting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Technology savvy, concerned about balance between work and home, you are a generation with ambition and high standards. This is a perfect time for you to take advantage of theLas Vegas, Nevada real estate maket. You are out on your own and renting apartments, homes or condos here in the Las Vegas Valley. Either living alone or sharing with roommate(s) to cut costs, you may be missing an excellent opportunity to take advantage of a lower priced market and low interest rates. Financial considerations may make this a great time for you to become a home buyer in Las Vegas, Nevada.

One of our REALTORS®, Carol Dickens, CDPE, SFR has worked extensively with young, smart and savvy clients in their 20's and believes that the current real estate environment is a perfect opportunity for them to become homeowners here in "fabulous" Las Vegas. I spoke with Carol about a few of her experiences with Generation Y home buyers. You might see yourself in one of these examples or if you're my age, you might just see one of your kids.

One of Carol's clients was a young professional man who had rented a three bedroom, 2 bathroom home in Las Vegas for $1200 per month. He had two roommates living with him and each contributed $400 per month. He decided to look for a three bedroom, 2 bathroom home to buy in the same neighborhood in which he was renting. Carol recalls how impressed she was that he had done all of his homework, researching exactly what he wanted and how much he wanted to spend. After looking at many homes, he found the one story home in the Las Vegas area that he wanted. Check out Las Vegas, Nevada homes from $100,000 to $200,000.

• He found a home and his total monthly payment including, mortgage, taxes and insurance came to $700.00 month
• He kept his two roommates who continued to pay $400.00 per month
• Carol's client was now living rent free and had the tax advantages of owning a home in Las Vegas

Benefits of buying vs renting in Las Vegas, Nevada - a win win for everyone. Las Vegas homes for sale $200,000 to $300,000. Las Vegas homes for sale $300,000 to $500,000.

Carol was fortunate to work with two young, smart and savvy Las Vegas women who also benefited from buying versus renting:

• In one scenario, total monthly payment was reduced from $1200 to $900.
• In another scenario, total monthly payment went from $1600 to $900.

Take advantage of a Las Vegas real estate market that can make you a smart and savvy first time home buyer. The opportunities abound.