Kingston, ON

BODY PARTS GO MISSING

GANANOQUE, ONTARIO: Organ Thieves

"You've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves. Well....

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick. The replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and what happened to mine?

"You've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves. Well....

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago.

I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick.

The replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and what happened to mine?

I spent the entire summer looking for my thighs. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans. And then the thieves struck again.

My butt was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match my new rear-end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. But my new butt was attached at least three inches lower than my original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in favor of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning I was fixing my hair and was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush. This was really getting scary - my body was being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to me next?

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a turkey neck, I decided to tell my story. Women of the world, wake up and smell the coffee! Those 'plastic' surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts -stolen from you and me! The next time someone you know has something 'lifted', look again - was it lifted from you?

THIS IS NOT A HOAX. This is happening to women everywhere every night. WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

P. S. Last year I thought someone had stolen my Boobs. I was lying in bed and they were gone! But when I jumped out of bed, I was relieved to see that they had just been hiding in my armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my waistband"

~author unknown

** more comments can be see at Susan Emo/ Gananoque/ Leeds County

TOUR GUIDE OR REALTOR??

There are days when I feel the public just doesn't understand what we do or why we do it. From the people who just want to tour Open Houses to the ones that can't grasp the concept of a Buyer's Representation Agreement.

Of course we love nothing more than to spend hours showing people through listing after listing to have them decide they're just not ready or worse, go back to their brother-in-law or Auntie to prepare an offer for them. NOT! If I never hear the words "we want to sleep on it" again, I'll die a happy woman! You know exactly what will happen the next morning when you call . . .

"Congratulate us, we just put in an offer on that ranch you showed us yesterday! Isn't that exciting!!!??!!"

Why yes, "exciting" is exactly the word I was thinking of! Now don't get me wrong . . . I know there are personality types that need to think things thru and are unable to make a quick decision. I am not referring to those special few.

I'm talking about the ones I used to have that just loved the pleasure of my company for hours on end. I would find them exactly what they wanted and then find out they had Auntie Agent draw up an offer or worse, the listing agent draw up an offer for them. AFTER having the process explained to them over and over, in many different ways, I would cringe to hear them say, "oh were we not supposed to do that?"

Please note I said "used to". No more! I am the one agent locally who will not allow anyone to infringe on my time any longer without signing a Buyer's Rep Agreement. Now in saying this, I will tell you I have had a few 'Buyers' walk away from me but that only confirms my belief - they had no intention of buying thru me in the first place and I saved some precious time - mine! I can see absolutely no reason for a Buyer to not sign something that can only protect them unless they plan to provide someone else with the commission from their purchase.

In our part of the world, we have many agents from communities close by who advise their clients to have us, the local agents, show them thru the homes and to provide them with all the local information, only to have them run back to them to draw up the offer. It has happened over and over again. I honestly believe that the Buyer is totally unaware of what they are doing to us. I've even had cards sent to me thanking me for being 'nice enough to help them find their new home'!!

We can not be seen to negatively comment on another realtor can we? It would be me taken before our Ethics committee!

I now go to great lengths to fully explain our business to prospective purchasers. We do what we do with an expectation of compensation at the end of it, regardless of how long it takes to find their perfect place. They need to know this. I swear many believe we do this as a hobby or out of the goodness of our heart! I let them know that I will help them find their next home in many different ways and I provide them with a Buyer´s Package (thanks to Rick DeLuca and his Idea Club) to increase my credibility and show my competence. As he says, "It makes the process of buying a home MUCH MORE SERIOUS." Some of his quotes that I now use faithfully, are below:

"If we find a home today that fits all your needs, are you in a position to make the decision whether to buy it?"

Get them pre-qualified to determine their motivation. (Only appropriate in mid to low price ranges)

Home Buying Process ? explain how home purchases take place in your market area vs. the market they may be moving from. It is amazing how different they can be!

I now make sure they know the following: (I never assume)

"Whether You Find A Home By: ads, word of mouth, signs, Open House, Internet, I CAN SELL ANY OF THEM TO YOU!"

Explain to them the "How I Work For You" flyer that is in their package:

HOW I WORK FOR YOU

1. Tell me your most important considerations in selecting a home.

2. I will search for homes by...

Reading all ads of homes for sale

Checking homes on the Internet

Driving through selected neighbourhoods

Calling for sale by owners

Contacting expired listings - when permitted

Checking my company listings

Searching other real estate office's exclusive listings

3. I will be glad to make appointments to show you those that interest you.

or

Give you the address and you drive by to check the area and exterior. You call me if you would like to look inside.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

I absolutely ask them for the 3 most important things a home absolutely must have in order to even consider living in it.

I'm not too interested in their entire wishlist at this point. I need to khow the short answer. When I give them the address and they don´t drive by within 24 hours, they are not very motivated. They are no longer my top priority!

Hopefully, this is what seperates me as a professional Realtor from a Tour Guide!

The ABC's of Real Estate Marketing

Do you Does someone you know :0) operate their Real Estate business like this:

a) Advertise themselves (usually with their facial photo where someone can sit on it)

b) Bang a For Sale sign into the ground (on that special angle that makes others cringe)

c) Create an ad for the paper (maybe run it if they had a deal close that week)

d) Download the listing onto the local MLS (no other sites of course, that would take too much time)

e) Encourage their office to show it ("come on, I showed your mobile home last week")

f) Figure an Open House couldn't hurt (haven't met Nosy Nora next door yet)

g) Get on their knees and pray that it will sell ! (not that this would hurt in any way!)

This is the way that Real Estate has been practiced for the past 100 years (or so it seems)! And, it is still the way many Realtors operate today, however . . .
these traditional methods have proven to be less and less effective. That is why the latest technology and proven consumer innovations which go far beyond this antiquated ABC approach, need to be considered, implemented and co-ordinated with good old commen sense and a Golden Rule attitude.

We have to be seen as the Professionals we are. Continually striving to provide the best of service and innovation to our clients. Doing everything in our power to represent them with integrity and competence. No more excuses about how you don't trust computers. Forget about using their home as a lure to attract clients. If you don't know how to market you, your business or real estate in the new millenium than hire someone who does, or take a course, ask . . . help yourself to all that is available.

In saying this, don't forget the common niceties that your Grandmother taught you:

1. Remember your manners - be on time!

2. ALWAYS send a hand written thank you note ( I send 5 a day)

3. Have respect for another's property - take off your shoes

4. Ask everyone, "who do you know"? Find out what is happening in others lives

5. Live the Golden Rule: Do onto others as you would have them do onto you. This will always be the answer you are looking for for any question.

I would love to hear what others are doing that is BEYOND the traditional ABC's and also the lessons you've learned along the way. Together we can finish Great in 2008!

THE 3 R's of Real Estate

The 3 R's of Real Estate are not Reading, Riting and Rithmetic. For me they stand for:

RELAX

RELATE

REPLACE

The first one is all to do with emotion, ours! In real estate, like in life, we can feel we have been mistreated, disrespected and used. Some days more than others! And maybe rightfully so!! However, as professionals, we need to get over it quickly and put some steps in place to prevent it happening again. As the old saying goes; Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

So the ability to RELAX is all important.

We have an emotional cycle and we have to go thru each stage but we are in control over how long it takes for each cycle. Why have a pity party for a day when it could be just a few minutes? Take control of your emotions and learn to get into the RELAX mode quicker.

Once there, the 2nd R comes into play: RELATE

Everyone does the best they can do, at the time, with what they've got. There are very few people who would actually get up each day and plot against a Realtor. [Note I said very few not none :0) ] Maybe another Realtor? No, seriously - most people are just trying to live their lives and are concentrating on keeping their own head above water. Try to understand their perspective, their side of the story. Relate to who they are, where they are and what they're needing to do. RELATEand be RELATABLE.

And the all important 3rd R; REPLACE !

Replace the Buyer with a more serious, committed, qualified Buyer.
Replace the Listing with one that is priced to Sell.
Replace the Seller who feels they know more than you.
Replace the clients who have no intention of Referring you to friends and family.
Replace your negative outlook with one that will be productive.
Replace the negative news stories with uplifting ones of your own.
Replacethe 3 people you spend the most time with if they're not positive, happy people. (now I'm not advising you replace a spouse but maybe not spend as much time with them if they're negative lol)
Replacethe woulda, shoulda, coulda
Replace the "I can't " to "if I really wanted to I could . . ."

There is always more of everything we need. It is a multiplication factor!

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic got you here but my 3 R's will take you where you want to be!

See you at the next level, whatever it is,

** SEE MORE COMMENTS AT SUSAN EMO, GANANOQUE/LEEDS COUNTY