Don Wixom

This article was written by Ken Budka of Freedom Personal Development and I wanted to share it with you, especially after this long wacky election. I hope you enjoy it and NEVER be afraid to invest in Idaho Real Estate!

Fear once had a very basic purpose-it ensured our survival as human beings. This intense, natural instinct is rarely necessary in our modern society today. Though you might feel panicked when you are running late or doing something for the first time, these situations can't compare to what a cave-man must have felt when a saber tooth was about to eat him for lunch.

Fear is All About Imagination

We are incredibly creative, and have an outstanding ability to create fantastic scenarios in our minds. Our thoughts are so powerful that they can produce measurable physical responses within our body, even when there is no real danger.

When it comes to the pursuit of goals and dreams, fear is often present. Our mind is constantly chattering, playing the "what if" game, and creating negative images that can interfere with our success.

You can use this "what if" scenario to your advantage to help overcome fear. To illustrate this, consider one of your goals that causes you stress. For example, you might need to give a presentation to a group of your peers next week. Nothing like a little public speaking to stir up the butterflies in you stomach!

For 2 minutes - jot down all the positive outcomes about giving the presentation and reasons why you will be successful. Don't edit, just write, and let your imagination run wild. There is something extremely powerful about writing things down. It removes the swirl from your brain. You get to organize your thoughts (which your brain loves to do) AND you get to see them in a tangible form. Your list will probably contain multiple entries, possibly a dozen or more.

If you are having trouble coming up with reasons you will succeed, partner up with someone and ask for input. Many times an impartial observer can see your forest much clearer than you can when you are stuck in the trees.

Review each item on your list, taking a deep breath after each one. Practice being relaxed with your breathing. Take full, deep breaths that reach the bottom of your lungs and expand your belly. Exhale completely after each breath and imagine the stress leaving your body.

Finally, as you review each point and take a refreshing, deep breath:

Visualize achieving or experiencing each of the positive outcomes you wrote down. Spend a moment daydreaming and experiencing your success in your mind's eye. Our imagination is the most potent tool for creating our life experiences. Much of who we are is a product of what was first created in our minds. When you picture something and spend time formulating a clear image, you are imprinting that image onto an internal "film" that guides us. The actions we take after formulating our "film" are largely automatic, in support of that program.

The best way to overcome fear is to replace negative images with positive ones. Harness the power of your imagination, and use it to create positive images that support success. Every time you experience a twinge of fear, immediately think about one or more of the positive images you have created. See yourself conquering your fears, and celebrating victory instead.

With practice, an amazing transformation will begin taking place; you will become stronger, and experience greater clarity and conviction each time you feel fear. The real magic is that fear itself will diminish a little faster each time.

It all starts in your mind's eye. You have the ability to change your mind's channel at any time. Just do it.

Be Free!

Ken Budka
Speaker

Many sellers think about taking their home off the market during the holidays. This may be the best time of year to find a serious, qualified buyer who may be in town visiting family for the holidays. This article spells out some good advice for sellers during this time of year. When you are thinking of buying a home, think of Idaho Real Estate! Call Don Wixom for quality service throughout the year!

Should I Take My Home Off the Market During the Holidays?

Written by Blanche Evans

When you look at your November and December calendars you may find the months already overloaded with seasonal obligations -- shopping, entertaining, children's pageants, charity work, decorating the house, and so much more. If you are also trying to sell your home, you are under extra pressure to keep your home in "showtime" condition. And that could be the last thing you need before the holiday spirit is broken.

It is understandable why you would be tempted to take your home off the market during the holidays. And the list of justifications is long. If you are too busy, buyers may be also, and you may find your efforts unrewarded by enough showings. And what if you do get an offer? You may be faced with the possibility of packing and moving during the busiest time of the year. Besides, you can give your house a rest, and it will have better momentum after the holidays. Better to just pack it in and start fresh in January, right? But wait! Most top Realtors agree that taking your home off the market during the Christmas season is a mistake. The house surely isn't going to sell off the market! What is the advantage of that? So you're busy. Let your Realtor do the work. You can leave in the morning, go to work, go shopping, and let your Realtor take care of things. The holidays are a wonderful selling period. Why? Because most people take off work sometime during the season. The husband and wife are both off and want to see houses. Most agents like the holidays because the buyers have more time, and they can look at homes together.

Before you take your home off the market, consider the following points:

Although buyer activity may appear to slow down, the buyers who are actively looking during the holidays are that much more serious. Agents believe the home market is no more affected at Christmas than during other "busy" periods. If that were so, the market would shut down throughout the year as families concentrate on spring weddings, June graduations, summer vacations, and autumn back-to-school activities. Many buyers deliberately choose to shop for a home after the busy spring and summer rush. They know that it will be easier to look, and that negotiations will be less stressful. They may not have children, or they may have grown children, so moving to accommodate the school year isn't a consideration. Finding the right home at the right price, however, is. Relocating families often don't have a choice when they can leave for their new destination. Although 68% of transferring families have children, many families have to transfer during the middle of the school year. These families are that much more motivated to get their families settled in before either the January semester begins, or to arrange for the move during spring break in March. If you sign a contract by New Year's Eve, the timing couldn't be more perfect.

At Christmas time, our culture focuses on family and the home. Preparing for the indoor activities of winter is one of the most enjoyable periods of family life. Allowing buyers to view your home during this most hospitable of seasons lets them better picture their own family life in the attractive environment you have created. When is your home ever more beautiful and inviting? You have cleaned and decorated, and your home looks like a picture postcard. If the results are good enough for family and friends, they will surely be good enough to impress your buyers. Get the family team on board to do a five-minute blitz pick-up every morning to keep holiday messes to a minimum. With reduced inventories and motivated buyers, you will have all the members of the MLS on your team. You may find you have more showings than you would if you marketed your home during a busier time of the year. If you do get a contract, you can arrange the terms to suit your needs. If moving duringthe holidays isn't an option, you can put in the closing date of your choice. Most peoplecan close 30 to 60 days after a contract is written, so there is plenty of time.Possession and closings are very negotiable.

Whenever you need help with Idaho Real Estate in the Boise Real Estate market, contact Don Wixom at RE/MAX Advantage

Housing Trends in the Boise Real Estate Market:

Let's take a look at the recent activity from our Intermountain MLS Data for Idaho real estate activity in the Boise area:

Boise Capitol

The following chart shows activity comparisons of number of homes sold in any given month from 2004 through September of 2008 in the Boise Valley. 2005 was obviously the peak year for Idaho Real Estate as well as for real estate across the country. There seems to be more opinions that we have reached the bottom of the pricing range for the Boise Idaho Real Estate Market: Now we hope to see the numbers of homes "sold" start to climb again as we reach toward 2009.

As you can see below, sales of Boise area homes climbed again, in March, April and May of this year!

Historically, more homes are sold, in our area, between March and August. June however, took a little dip as many people were on vacation and the interest rates were just a bit high. July outperformed June by just 15 units!

For September, this is the first month of '08 that has passed the previous year's sales numbers! With 43 more homes sold in September over the numbers in August, this shows things are on the upward move & will certainly support the fact that we are at the bottom of our pricing for the Boise area. It's a great time to take advantage of buying a home in Boise or to search Nampa homes for sale!

Though we anticipate more activity this coming Spring and Summer, prices won't seem to change much.

For more details on the value of your home or for a specialized analysis of your home, please contact Don Wixom at (208) 880-5039. There are some great buys on homes, low interest rates & a great, diverse economy in our valley... Go buy a house! Boise ID homes for sale!

Idaho real estate appreciated at a rate of 2.9% throughout 2007 with a total appreciation rate of over 57% for 3 years!

This year has remained very steady with a "normal" amount of activity. I believe with low interest rates and an excellent job market, the Boise Valley will experience another slight increase in values and more activity by Spring of 2009. The number of units sold in May had nearly reached the sales trends of 2007 with 1040 homes sold in one month! June, July & August have dropped off a bit, but holding strong just under 1,000 homes sold each month! Now for September, surpassing both the 1,000 unit barrier as well as outperforming September of 2007!

You can also view the State of Idaho Real Estate with more graphs and some information from our Idaho Association of Realtors!

As far as who is doing all the selling; above you will see a bar graph showing the top real estate offices in Canyon County. RE/MAX Advantage continues to be blessed with "Outstanding Agents, Outstanding Results." "Nobody sells more Real Estate than RE/MAX".....even in the Boise ID Real Estate Market!

Read about the #1 Real Estate Office in Canyon County!

Since July of 2002, RE/MAX Advantage in Nampa, Idaho has held the number one market share position in Canyon County. This means more exposure for your property listings and more inventory to select from if you are buying. RE/MAX agents, statistically, out perform the masses of licensed sales people in our industry. Having more experience and higher education, our agents are true professionals in their field. In Canyon County, RE/MAX Advantage is #1 at selling Nampa Homes, Caldwell Homes and homes throughout the area!

If you have real estate needs or wish to invest in this growing market we live in, please don't hesitate to contact me soon for a quick consultation on how we can meet your needs. It's a great time to buy Idaho Real Estate!

Boise Real Estate and Nampa Real Estate, when purchased with the advice of a Realtor, may be the best investment you can make! Contact Broker/Owner, Don Wixom for your own personal real estate advice....(208) 880-5039.

Please don't forget to bookmark this site or even this article and take a moment to cast your opinion on this current real estate market on the right side of this page. I do my best to keep the statistics updated monthly, so please come back!

I found this article about public speaking very interesting, because a) I enjoy speaking in public, b) it's a "sales thing" and of course, c) I always want to become better at what I do.

So, what does this have to do with real estate in Idaho? Well, if you are selling your home, you are ultimately giving a presentation. When you review the 7 reasons below, take a look at what your homes in Idaho are saying to their audience.

I hope you can find a good take away in this article. Whenever you have a home in Nampa or a home in Boise to sell, contact Don for all of your real estate needs in Idaho.

7 Reasons Why Speakers Flop

By Mark Sanborn

Few qualities create a more vivid impression of a leader than the ability to speak in public. The higher a leader rises within an organization, the more frequently she is called upon to address others. Ironically, hapless leaders are offered little or no training to develop their speaking skills. A fortunate few ooze natural communication talents, but the vast majority must labor to sharpen their speaking skills of else suffer from their deficiency.

As a professional who makes his living giving speeches and seminars, I have sat through hundreds, if not thousands, of executive presentations. Most of the speeches I have heard (or endured) have been less than memorable. Far too often, the presentations have been painful, not only for the speaker, but also for the audience trying to feign interest.

The majority of presenters, even those who flopped dramatically, were well-intentioned. They had a message they believed was relevant, or a passion they were eager to share. Moreover, they stood to gain something, whether support, respect, or credibility, by delivering a masterful presentation. Clearly, nobody sets out to destroy his reputation with a mind-numbing speech. Why, then, do communicators fail so miserably when they have every incentive to excel?

Thoughts and emotions require technique to be successfully communicated. Consider putting in golf. Without technique, it doesn't matter how brilliantly you wish to hit the golf ball, or how shrewdly you've accounted for the slope of the green and the speed of the putting surface. In the end, only good form and practiced skill allow you to consistently make great shots. Public speaking is no different.

Public speaking, like any skill, must be developed. The more often you speak, the better you become - IF you learn from your mistakes. The fastest gains to improve your speaking ability come when you eliminate potential sources of disaster. While I've observed great creativity in flopping a speech, there are seven common reasons why speakers fail.

1. A disregard for time

Long-windedness - speaking beyond the allotted time - may be the easiest way to alienate an audience. Strangely enough, it seems to be epidemic among business leaders. Speaking overly long is rude and smacks of arrogance and self-importance. It suggests to the audience that the speaker values his presentation greater than the time of his listeners or anything else on the program.

The length of a speech shouldn't be a function of title or power, but a function of how long a person has agreed to talk. Start on time and stop on time. Not only will your audience respect you for it, but also you will demonstrate respect for your audience.

2. Unclear purpose

Here's the million-dollar question of any presentation: What's the point?

I'm puzzled by the number of leaders who ramble through a speech without saying anything of substance. I'm equally dismayed by the number of leaders who cram 21 bullet points into a 30-minute presentation. Communicators frustrate people when they rattle off reams of information without pointing the way to practical application. If you cannot identify a concise, worthwhile purpose for the presentation, you probably shouldn't be making it.

Design your speech the way the pros do. Begin by asking, "At the end of this presentation, what do I want listeners to think, feel, and do?" Good presenters speak to the head, the heart, and the hands.

3. Inadequate preparation

There is no excuse for "winging it." The best speakers are borderline neurotic in their preparation--even if their demeanor suggests otherwise. Presenters who come across as brilliantly unscripted likely spent hours practicing in order to appear "off the cuff."

If you paid for a ticket to a Broadway show where none of the actors had practiced in advance, you would demand your money back. Too bad the audiences of executive leaders don't get the same privilege. Each speech is a transaction. Your listeners are paying attention, and you owe them a worthwhile presentation in return.

4. Failure to capture attention

The scarcest resource in the world used to be time; today it is attention. The average listener is bombarded with messages from many different sources. From email to radio to voicemail to cell phones, everybody is trying to tell us something, and your attempt to give a speech is just one more bombardment.

Your content and delivery had better grab the audience's attention right out of the shoot. You don't have the luxury of "warming up" your audience. Hit them square between the eyes with something that will break their preoccupation with the thousands of other stimuli clamoring for their attention.

Most importantly, make your remarks relevant. Postmoderns are less interested with the question "Is it true?" and more interested in the question "How does it affect me?" Yes, you need to be intellectually honest to prove your points, but never forget to demonstrate that your message matters to the listener.

5. Pomposity

Ego-driven leaders are more concerned with what followers think about them than with what followers do because of them. Rather than influencing their listeners, pompous leaders attempt to impress the audience. In doing so, they manipulate rather than inspire.

A preoccupation with self is deadly to a communicator. Self-absorbed leaders speak in order to get their needs met rather than to meet the needs of the audience. Unfortunately for speakers, audiences are quick to pick up the scent of a pompous communicator and they will tune out any presenter perceived as arrogant.

6. Boredom

Today's audiences are filled with people who were raised on MTV. This generation spent its formative years watching music videos that contained 150 images in the course of a minute. For them, watching a talking head is about as stimulating as staring at a blank computer screen.

A speaker who entertains never fully flops. Don't get me wrong: entertainment by itself is not a worthwhile goal for an executive presenter, but is sure beats the alternative, which is to be boring. For a speaker, the value of entertainment comes from its ability to mentally engage listeners. I've found the best way to educate is to slip good ideas in on the wings of entertainment.

Great restaurants know that the presentation of cuisine is as important as its preparation. Speakers would be wise to take note: presentation and perception go hand-in-hand. The best communicators use the sizzle to sell the steak.

7. False endings

I've seen the following scenario play out hundreds of times. A speaker starts to conclude, even tells the audience of her intent, and then tells a pithy, witty story. The audience responds favorably, and the speaker gets a rush. "Wow, they liked that. I've got an even better story," she thinks to herself. And then she ends again with another story/quote/challenge. Like a junkie in search of another fix, the speaker keeps ending until there is no positive response, but rather visible signs of disgust. By then, it is too late to recover.

Conclude concisely. Each false ending weakens the message in front of it. A simple rule to remember: good endings only happen once.

Summary

The beginning of excellence is the elimination of foolishness. You can ramp up your speaking performance by analyzing your last presentation with these seven questions:

1. Did I stick to my allotted time?
   
2. Did I develop and present purposefully?
   
3. Was I thoroughly prepared?
   
4. Did I capture attention at the very beginning?
   
5. Did I positively influence listeners?
   
6. Was I appropriately entertaining, or at least not boring?
   
7. Did I end only once?
   

An affirmative answer to each question virtually guarantees that your next presentation won't be a flop. Not only will your communication be flop-proof, but you will likely be perceived as an articulate and effective speaker.

About the Author

Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio for leadership development and remarkable performance. He is an award-winning speaker and the author of two recent bestselling books, The Fred Factor: How Passion In Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary and You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader: How Anyone Anywhere Can Make a Positive Difference are bestsellers. His newest book The Encore Effect: How to Give a Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do released in September 2008. To obtain additional information for growing yourself, your people and your business (including free articles), visit www.marksanborn.com, www.fredfactor.com and www.youdontneedatitle.com. For information about having Mark speak for your group, call 303.683.0714.

Debt-Free Living, what a concept, but is it possible in our society?

How about some humility and servant-hood in our leadership in this country, would that be a nice thing?

Idaho has been blessed with a low unemployment rate, however, there are those who seem to continually depend on public assistance when they are capable of working a normal job.

Spending of American dollars to help other countries is generous, but maybe generous to a fault. I believe in furthering Democracy, but let's take care of the home land first!

Check this quote out...

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." -- Cicero , 55 BC

Always looking out for your next move on Idaho Real Estate, Don Wixom