Richard Barbee

I am so proud to be a Realtor. I have earned several designations in residential real estate. I have devoted myself to education and growth over my 5 years in this field. But now, I am very excited to be a CCIM candidate and to be taking the 4 CCIM core courses. Having just finished 102, I am now empowered to perform detailed, comprehensive market analysis.

This information will be very profitable for working with investors of residential properties. I feel that my mindset is improving and my skills are increasing. My approach to buying and selling residential properties is becoming far more analytical and objective.

Gaining the ability to assess a property systemically is highly advantageous to a Realtor. I would encourage all my colleagues to take one or two CCIM core courses. They are expensive, and I know that times are tough. The trainings last 5 days. There is a great deal of calculator work, analytical thinking, and challenge.

But nothing worth having comes easy in real estate. During this time of slow movement, take time to improve your mindset, increase your skills, double your analytical abilitiy, and gain confidence.

Opportunity is here...............

I am sitting in CCIM 102 right now. This is a 5-day training sponsored by the CCIM organization in Chicago. This training focuses on Market Analysis for commercial real estate.

Now, I do residential and commercial work. I hold the GRI and CRS in the residential arena. I am a broker here in TN. However, I am pursuing the CCIM and CPM in order to practice more professionally and build a diversified business.

Why would I spend $1100 on a CCIM training in these hard times. I can think of three reasons:

1. Education / Knowledge is Power - The more I know, the more I can work the system and build my business. The smarter I am the smarter I sound to other professionals that I may meet. Opportunities are everywhere, we may just not know about them. I've never met a person that knows too much about real estate.

2. Learning Motivates Me - Growing and learning feels productive. I think it is both directly and indirectly productive. When I attend trainings, i get around other motivated (or desperate) folks. I like the energy I get from other motivated people. I want to be known as an up-and-coming broker. At times, I need energy and motivation from outside sources. Information and growth do that for me.

3. Better Customer Service Means Referrals - More than once, I have sat in a training and realized my ignorance. I love those moments. It means that I am becoming a better broker. Serving others well in real estate also means that I do my utmost to be an expert at what I do. When I know how to analyze the market more effectively, I impress business owners and earn more referrals.

I hope you find time to grow, to learn, to realize what you don't know........

What are the sellers thinking? I have found myself asking this several times. When introducing buyers to a new property during the first showing, I am keeping an eye out for any signs of water damage, moisture, mold, drainage problems, etc. Water is the biggest threat to the structure and function of a home (except for earth-ending meteors, nuclear explosions, or a 3-year-old).

Outside the home, water damage can be observed in several ways. One of the easiest places to see water damage is the guttering system. If the guttering system is not functioning properly or is not sealed well, water can find its way into the vulnerable places of the exterior. The purpose of the guttering system is to get water away from the home effectively. If the gutters are clogged, water overflows and gets near the foundation. If the gutters are not sealed well, the water can get between the gutter and fascia board to create wood rot.

Another significant exterior water issue is the grading angle of the ground from the foundation. The building code holds that the ground should have a down angle of 5 to 10 degrees for the first 10 feet from the house. When looking at the ground around a foundation, it is important to take note of how the rainwater flows. Does a big hill in the side yard force water near the foundation? Does the yard layout encourage a ponding effect? Are there signs of standing water around the foundation?

For the basement or crawlspace, poor exterior water management will show up. Standing water, high moisture, water stains, mud, and more can indicate that exterior water drainage is not working properly.

The last exterior issue that I consider is the roofing. Obviously, missing or raised shingles and poor or missing flashing can be a very negative sign of water damage in a home. When water enters the bottom near the foundation, the overall structure and footing of the home is in danger. When water enters the top of the house, all sorts of annoying and dangerous things can happen that may or may not affect the foundation.

When examining the interior of a house, I begin by looking at the ceiling. The ceiling is very telling of any water issues. The material used to form the ceiling and the walls does not react well to water exposure over time. Many stomp-finish or popcorn ceiling reveal any repair work easily. The more difficult ceiling pattern is the smooth-finish. Still, it is good to look closely at the thihs area.

More to come later.................

Quite honestly, I expected to be very bummed out today. My candidate did not win. However, I have felt rather encouraged after considering a few of the following:

1. We live in a fantastic country - As many have remarked on television, it was only 40 years ago that the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed. Now, we have our first black president. We can argue about his bi-racial genetics or that his father was Kenyan, but nevertheless, he does represent a significant milestone in U.S. history. I will pray for him and hope the best.

Moreover, our country is filled with good, giving, hard-working people. My mind keeps going to the problems: illegal immigration, debt, international challenges. But, America is still filled with people that pray, give to charity, help the needy, wave to a neighbor, and so on. I have decided to appreciate what our country has to offer right now. Baseball, fishing, church, movies, and much more make living here a pleasure.

2. God is still in control - I believe that God is sovereign, that God is in control. I am not one of those that considers our new president to be evil. I just think that he has been influenced by some very negative people. Our country is bigger and greater than any president or congress. However, those with power can make life far more difficult, discourage real estate, punish achievement, and diminish investment. God has a plan, and it is for good. Let's believe that.

3. In TN, the Republican party took over majority control of the State Senate for the first time since the Civil War - Wow!!!! In a time when all has looked lost for the Republican party, this was a major victory. Now, I am not saying that the Republican are the answer to all the worlds problems, but I do believe that they represent the kind of pro-business, pro-growth, pro-values approach we need.

4. The U.S. Senate has only 54 or 55 Democratic Senators, rather than 60 - So, it wasn't a total loss yesterday. A filibuster can still stop any crazy, radical legislation.

So, anyway, just a few thoughts I've had. Let's look to a brighter day.

I have been asked to provide a brief description of BNI for those that are unfamiliar with it.

BNI is Business Networking International, Inc. It was started in CA by Dr. Ivan Misner. Now, BNI has a presence in all 50 states and several countries via local chapter and regional directors.

The idea of BNI is to bring together "unique" professions into a local chapter in order to build trust and refer business. By unique, I mean only that no 2 paints, electricians, or Realtors can belong to the same chapter. Each chapter is limited to one representative from each professional category.

Through weekly, structured meetings, the members of the local chapter act as a sales force for each other. Chapter membership is highly competitive and very desired. Professions such a financial planner, CPA, insurance producer, and Realtor can benefit greatly from membership and participation.

You can search www.bni.com for a chapter in your area. Go visit a chapter and judge for yourself. Most chapters meet in the morning, once per week. Some complain about early morning meetings, but it can be a real boost to your day's productivity.

I have gotten 3 of my biggest referrals ever from my local chapter. I was invited to be President of my chapter for 10-08 through 9-09. We have renewed our motivation and are changing our culture.

Try it!!