Every week for the past four years, I've sent a newsletter to the Coldwell Banker network. As you may have heard, I recently decided to leave Coldwell Banker Canada. This was not an easy decision, or one that I wanted to make. Now, from my new home at Coldwell Banker Johnston Real Estate in Edmonton, Alberta, I would like to continue sending you a newsletter of a different sort. If you don’t want to hear from me, simply click the unsubscribe link at the end of this message, I hope however that you will want to keep reading.

In contrast to other newsletters currently in existence, Network News will feature humourous commentary, editorials, profiles, case studies, advice, contests, and news - content that I hope you will actually look forward to reading each month. The goal of Network News is to create an online community to boost referral business and give you a chance to get to know other real estate professionals across the country. Each issue will feature submissions from different brokers and agents – if you’d like to be featured in Network News just send your contact information and story idea to sara@teamjohnston.com and we’ll interview you and publish the story in an upcoming edition.

Be sure to visit the Network News "Blog" (if you don't know what a blog is keep reading) and post your comments about anything and everything. There you'll find our recommendations for visiting San Francisco for IBC 2006 and some funny real estate stories with lots more content coming soon, and we'd love to hear from you!

Sara.

Coldwell Banker Westburn Realty
Burnaby, BC
moe@coldwellbanker.ca

Awards Designation:
President's Elite

After 11 years in the business, Moe had built a very successful business at Coldwell Banker G. R. Paret Realty in Tillsonburg, ON, when last spring personal circumstances required his relocation to Vancouver, BC. Moe had a very well known name in Tillsonburg (pop. 15,000) where he had grown up, with a 10% market share servicing an area of about 80,000 people. Imagine picking up and moving to one of the largest cities in Canada, knowing almost no one! We talked with Moe about adjusting to his new home:

Was it difficult dealing with people, not knowing the geography of the city? I had some time to prepare while I got re-licensed so I spent almost two months learning the city. Having a friend like Terry Gardiner (Broker, Coldwell Banker Westburn Realty) really helped because he knows the city very well.

Did any of the Coldwell Banker products or services help you get re-established? Absolutely! Ultimate Service – specifically the “We keep our promises” guarantee has really helped. Clients know that if I don’t perform they don’t have to keep me. Plus, my connections in the Coldwell Banker network have lead to three referrals so far.

What advice would you give to someone relocating their business? Be loud about what you’re doing, no matter where you are. Be it a restaurant, bar, wherever…introduce yourself to as many people as you can and hand out as many business cards as possible. I’ve picked up a lot of leads this way. I’ve also offered myself out to other agents to run open houses for them and have been cold calling. I’ve concentrated on buyers as I find it is the easiest way to start out.

What have you been doing for fun? Vancouver has the most beautiful golf courses I’ve ever seen…need I say anymore?

Will we see you in San Francisco in February? My goal is to keep my head down and focus on my business for a full year, so I don’t think so. The 100th anniversary is awfully tempting though so I’ll keep you up to date on that.

Everyone’s jumping on the blogging bandwagon. Blogs written by politicians, musicians, novelists, sports figures, newscasters and other notable figures are appearing everyday. Blogs have become so mainstream that the word “blog” was Merriam-Webster’s word of the year in 2004. It has even become a category on the hit television game show, Jeopardy. Families now use blogs to keep in touch and teachers assign blogs as writing assignments.

For some, blogs are strictly vanity projects as they ramble on about their daily observations to family and friends, but blogs can be used to make political statements, promote products, provide research information, and give tutorials. Many Realtors are starting blogs these days – think of creative ways a blog could help your business. Having a blog on your website can also help improve your search engine placement.

It appears that blogging is here to stay. Thanks to easy-to-use programs and websites, the most technically challenged person can get a blog online - creating your own blog is as easy as typing and clicking.

Blogs of note: The Network News Blog, The Inman News Blog, Bay Area Real Estate News, International Real Estate Digest, Real Estate Marketing Blog

Blogs by Realtors: Greek Meek, Bud Murray & Bob Campbell from Coldwell Banker Pinnacle R.E., South Bay/Beach Cities Real Estate Info, Oakville Real Estate

Rod Stirling is a managing partner for Coldwell Banker Northern Bestsellers in Yellowknife - the #1 Company for Coldwell Banker worldwide in its size category. The first thing anyone ever says to me after meeting Rod and Tanis is "They're really nice people". I know Rod to be a dedicated family man and he has the worst dance moves on the planet. It must be true love for Tanis to grove with him to their favortie song, "Come on Eileen". They attend all the conferences together at tremendous expense to escape Yellowknife. Here are Rod's thoughts on balancing a successful career and marriage:

How long have you been in the business? I’ve been in the business for 21 years, working 70-80 hours a week, closing more than 100 - 120 ends a year with no assistant. This basically amounts to my being married to my job; I never turn off my cell phone – I’m always on call. I’ve been married for 20 years to a wonderful woman, who takes this all in stride, having a very successful career herself. Maintaining a successful relationship isn’t easy, but is incredibly rewarding and provides balance in my life.

How do you stay connected? In my job I'm happy to be home every night and don’t bring my work home with me. At the same time, Tanis doesn’t complain about missed dinners and sudden disappearances from special events; she is incredibly understanding as my clients truly do run my life.

What has been your favorite holiday? Overall, the best way we enjoy each other and our family is through travel. We have been many places – our favourite trip was a month long getaway last year to Australia with the kids. I didn’t even bring my cell phone with me, which kept a smile on Tanis’ face the entire time.

Coldwell Banker Northern Bestsellers
Yellowknife, NT
rods@cb.yk.com

Awards Designation:
President's Premier

"It's not about what's best for me, it's what's best for you."

I’ve always believed that the best way to get a message across is to be direct, keep it short and make it interesting. That’s what we hope to accomplish with Network News; send important information without creating an epic, and profile interesting people who are working hard at being successful in this industry and in life in general.  If you don’t like what’s being said or how it’s presented, unsubscribe and send Sara a nasty note…Just kidding you can send it to me.  I collect them to balance my swelled head from my amazing Ultimate Service comments…

Driving Backwards….But who’d want to…

A friend of mine recently commented that one of the best ways to avoid paying penalties on mileage for lease vehicles and rental cars is to drive backwards.  For those of you who don’t get it, your odometer won’t add up while driving backwards.  I pictured myself renting a Hummer at Budget and driving backwards from Edmonton to Calgary. Aside from the painful neck and obvious steering difficulties, I pictured the multitude of people who’d see this remarkable achievement as amusing and something to be revered. Then reality set in and I wondered how am I driving backwards in my life, and it came to me that spending time with negative people, or spending time in a negative environment is as big a waste of time as driving backwards.  The reality is there is nothing there for you, so spend as little time in those situations as possible. Spending time with people who make you feel good will not only improve your attitude, but the attitude of others towards you.  So the next time you find yourself feeling that negative vibe just remember you’re driving backwards and while it’s possible, it’s a lot more productive for you and those around you to drive forward.

Top 5 reasons to drive backwards:

1. It doesn’t add to your odometer .
2. It’s almost expected you’ll hit something so pick carefully.
3. You’ll get the attention you want.
4. People will see your best side first.
5. You don’t have to pretend not to notice people because you won’t.
   

We couldn't resist sharing this hilarious T-Shirt with you. Share your funny story on the Network News blog and you could win a Mr. Housing Bubble T-Shirt!

Over the years we've heard a lot of funny things that have happened when out showing or listing properties:

• showing a show home to a family...the kid disappears upstairs and no one thinks anything of it. Turns out he had to use the washroom and as it was a show home the plumbing was not hooked up. While pointing out the features of the kitchen...holy crap! Little nuggets started falling from the kitchen ceiling, almost hitting the agent and family in the process.
• taking an agent caravan to the wrong home and not realizing the mistake until you find the owner of the home in bed and she has no idea why there are 20 real estate agents in her house!
• unknowingly showing a grow house to an RCMP officer.
• walking in on a couple having sex who don't miss a beat so you just continue with the showing.
• walking in on a homeowner in the shower...

Share your crazy stories at the Network News blog - the author of the best story will win a Mr. Housing Bubble T-Shirt!