The 24/7 Business of Real Estate - What's That About?

The Business
Is your real estate agent available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?  If you're an Agent, is that the way you're working your business?  Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why it seems to be the nature of the real estate business, or why you have to do it? 

In my 20+ years in the field of real estate, I've experienced a plethora of individual Agent styles and Client personalities that fascinate and entertain, when observed from a distance.  But when in the midst of a deal, and in the seeming struggle to create and maintain a flow of business, there is so much to be done, matched by a sense of urgency about EVERYTHING that it can make this business feel heavy and intense and OMG...dramatic!  (Drama kings and queens...you know what I'm talking about, hmmmm???)  Every detail seems to be so critical that when missed or "less than perfect" when completed, it creates a whirlwind of reactivity that tends to exacerbate that perception.  Without realizing it, we are so focused on those details, we lose sight of the big picture. Not that the details lack importance - simply that we get out of balance and before you know it, we are working all day, every day. Not only do WE think we have to do this, we teach our clients it IS what we do!  Thankfully, we can choose to do it another way. 

Is there a choice?
If we're willing, yes.  What I have learned is that there is a certain way of thinking that provides an avenue for us to participate in this business with a sense of ease and calm, and yes, even productivity.  There is an opportunity to engage in a way that provides a better, cleaner, nearly uplifting experience, not only the Agent and the Client, but for everyone linked together in a particular transaction: lenders, escrow officers, attorneys, assistants, contractors, inspectors...the list goes on.  It begins with us, in our own minds.  Through our growing awareness and desire  for this to BE, we have the power to impact the lives of many people, which in fact, ripples out into the greater population, making a positive contribution in the world.  And, we are benefitted when that good returns to us in the form of more joyful connections and relationships, and a more succesful life and career.

The Way It Works
It starts with an Intention.  Beginning the day with quiet contemplation, whether with a cup of coffee at the dining room table or sitting on a cushion in a beautifully designed meditation room, setting an Intention for all the components of the day to work with effortless ease is half the job.  In as little as 5 minutes, it's possible to lay the energetic groundwork for ease and grace to be our experience, if that is what we want.  In these few moments of stillness, we DECIDE on the qualities we want our day to hold.  What is meant by QUALITIES is not about conditions or circumstances; it is a feeling of: joy, ease, abundance, prosperity, beauty, connection, love.  Attune with the quality you want to experience, let yourself feel it, then speak that word for yourself, and know that is what will show up.

It continues through focused thoughts.
If something is becoming difficult or strained as you engage in business - or otherwise, notice where you're coming from.  What is driving the conversation?  Are  you afraid the deal might fall apart?  Or that you will lose a client?  What if it does?  What if you do?  Is that the worst thing that can happen?  It seems that we are allowing our fear of loss to lead our lives.  When we are so attached to THIS deal, or the business of THIS particular client, we are out of alignment.  Our lives are focused and centered around something that is completely beyond our control and our FEAR of that loss, puts ALL of the power in the hands of clients, thus we work non-stop, putting the business first and foremost, as family and relationships take a backseat. 

Here is the Truth about How It Works:  The universe is ALWAYS AND FOREVER working in your favor.  Take a look at how nature works.  Do the trees struggle and strain to blossom and grow? Or have you noticed that they continue to bring forth new leaves, grow more branches, getting taller and wider each and every day?  Even when a branch is cut off, new growth emerges in the place where it was cut.  In the very same way, if a deal or a client in your business is causing you to feel upset, and everything seems to be going awry, it may be time to let go so that something new can come forward in your business.  Maybe by losing this client or this transaction, a better one will show up!  What would it be like to work with a client who lives and gives generously, who appreciates all the work you've done, and who understands and who listens to you because your professionalism and expertise are valued.  AND what would it be like to have a client who respects and values the fact that you too have a family, friends and a life that is balanced and harmonious?  What if?   

It's time to let go, my friends, because IT IS POSSIBLE to have all of this and more.  It's time to loosen our grip on those things we hold so tightly, and allow more of life to just flow. We need to recognize that our resistance is holding us in place, and by the simple act of allowing our fingers to open and relax, and our hands open to receive more of what we want.  It is our nature. It is why we are here, to be in and participate with all of the good there is.

Knowing all joy is available for you....
Lori
 

Commissions Are Negotiable!

What a HOT topic on this hottest of weeks in California!  And thanks to The Real Estate Agent Group on Facebook (a closed group) for providing a great forum for discussion among agents.

The following question was posted on Wednesday, July 3rd:  “Why do I keep taking commission cuts to get deals done?  Is that also normal for all my fellow agents out there…?” 

Several agents responded with great input and suggestions, but I have a different perspective to offer into the conversation.

The question I would ask Billy, or anyone else who is wondering why we allow ourselves to feel pressured by Clients, is “What do you believe about the compensation you receive?  What do you believe about the time you spend working on a deal, and the level of service and expertise you provide?" Have you ever stopped to consider what you really think and feel about this somewhat controversial topic? 

When asked to reduce our fee from a company standard as required by most Brokers, most of us have our conditioned response, a knee-jerk reaction perhaps? Or maybe some scripted material from a coach or trainer – effective when put to appropriate use, but not necessarily our own.  We’re pretty good at attending seminars and buying into coaching programs, yet we are befuddled when it comes to claiming our compensation for services with much conviction. 

So the question I’m asking requires a little deeper self-inquiry, if we really want to know what’s going on.  The result may ultimately shift our paradigm and, if taken to the next level, will allow us to have a completely different experience when next we engage in this conversation with a Client.

Making a broad assumption here, we’ve all heard about “the law of attraction,” a concept that has become more broadly understood and utilized in our culture over the past 20-30 years (although, the teaching itself goes back hundreds, if not thousands of years).  The chart-topping movie “The Secret” brought the teaching of this spiritual law into the mainstream as more and more people have become aware of the power of “getting what you want simply by thinking it so.”  And, it’s true!  The law of attraction starts with a recognized want, need or desire, followed by focused attention on that thing until it comes to fruition, and manifests in form.  Or… it does not come, and we find ourselves in a less than satisfactory experience, like the one presented in Billy Barr’s question.  

The real power of this universal, spiritual law of attraction is found in the often hidden realm of our subconscious mind.  Each and every one of us has been taught from the moment of our first breath, through our familial and societal conditioning, how to be, think and feel.  We learn right and wrong, good and bad, pretty and ugly, nice and mean, with very little freedom, let alone encouragement, to actually discover our own, unique sensibilities….about anything!  Point being, most of what we learned was taught to us by others, and as a survival mechanism, it seems to have worked best to stay within those socially-accepted boundaries.

Understanding the critical nature of our beliefs as the root cause of what happens in our lives is paramount if we are to move beyond mediocre circumstances into the greater-yet-to-be that life wants for us.   Knowing where we came from and why we believe what we do is very useful.  But the fact of the matter is, we can change our entire experience by changing our beliefs.  We have to know that we are free to make a new choice, formulate a new idea, and evolve those old beliefs into new ones that work for who we are today.   

So, what does this all have to do with Billy’s question about why it seems like he has to cut his commissions?  It’s this.  The Law of Attraction is ALWAYS at work, whether you understand  it or not; it is always, always, always  bringing into your life a thing, experience or circumstance that is a direct reflection of your underlying, core beliefs.  If you believe you have to reduce your commission in order for a Seller to list with you, then that is true for you.  If you believe you don’t ever have to, then you don’t.  If you believe you provide valuable service and your compensation is a reflection of that service, then the conversation between you and your Clients is easy.  Know your truth, and speak it with conviction.  When your thoughts and actions are aligned with what serves you and your Clients best, and causes harm to no one else, the universe conspires for all good things to be delivered, including full compensation.

May we all know expansive self-worth, joy and abundance in every transaction!