Develop a Compelling Value Proposition

Posted on 16. Mar, 2010 by Robert Albanese.

Does your company have a developed Value Proposition that provides a strong platform for talent attraction, retention and lead-generation, and fosters a positive company culture? A Value Proposition is the primary reason why a prospect should “buy” from your company, rather than a competitive firm. For a real estate organization, the Value Proposition should include, [...]

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7 Steps to Reinventing Your Leadership Style

Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by Robert Albanese.

How often have you heard people say “if I could just start over again, I would…” and statements of that type? Please read the following statement and then stop for a few moments and just think about it.
“If you want to completely reinvent your leadership style, you can. But you must plan well and then deliver [...]

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Protecting Consumer Data in the Real Estate Industry

Posted on 27. Jan, 2010 by Robert Albanese.

As we begin the new year, I thought that it would be a good idea to write a brief reminder about the importance of protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in our business practices.  It is important to keep in mind that PII is captured in many ways, some that immediately jump out at us, and [...]

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The “Rent to Own” and “Lease Option” Alternatives for Homebuyers

Posted on 06. Jan, 2010 by Robert Albanese.

If you desire to own your own home, but are unable to secure conventional financing today, you may want to consider houses for rent with an option to buy, using a lease option contract. It can make your rent money work for you. Typically, many rent-to-own homes offer generous monthly rent credits that reduce the [...]

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Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers: A Winning Culture

Posted on 11. Dec, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

This week, during the launch of the newest Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate franchise, I was struck by the presence of something unique and identifiably “Metro” that is, it’s culture.  At the launch it was very clear that Kevin Levent is undeniably a great leader and a person who has won the support and [...]

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How to Win the World Series of Real Estate (For Agents and Leaders)

Posted on 11. Nov, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

It has always struck me how analogous the behavior of high performing sports teams is to that of high performing sales teams. If you have any questions as to whether this is true or not, please consider the following.

In both situations, highly talented individuals are asked to contribute to a team effort
Both are highly rewarding [...]

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Selling Through the Cycle

Posted on 23. Oct, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

From years of observation, it is clear that phases in the real estate market can be tracked by changes in inventory levels, home prices and number of homes sold (sides) year-over-year. The ‘initial phase’ of a real estate recovery is indicated when three essential trends emerge.

Inventory levels begin to fall, implying an initial increase in [...]

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Future Selling Will Require Increased Knowledge of Financial Tools

Posted on 01. Oct, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

Four and one-half years after we entered this downturn, many real estate professionals still attempt to close transactions through the sole use of traditional forms of financing. By traditional, I am referring to ”30-year fixed”, “ARMs” and “Balloon” mortgages. Yet these financial tools can hardly be seen as applicable to some marketing methods which are becoming  more and more prevalent as each year passes.
Real estate auctions [...]

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Economic Predictions for 2010 and Their Implications

Posted on 15. Sep, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

The following is a series of observations regarding the effect of economic factors on the real estate industry during 2010. Predictions of economic change have been extracted from the September 2009 edition of the “Kiplinger Washington Letter” and “Special Business Costs” editions Vol. 86, Nos. 35 and 36. Implications, conclusions drawn and potential action steps [...]

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The Executive Suites Model: Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Executive – Seattle, Washington

Posted on 01. Sep, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

(From a phone interview with Keith Nelson, CEO)
As early on as 1991 with only 25 agents, Keith Nelson, CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Executive in Seattle Washington was already experimenting with alternate business models. Over time, his concept of “executive suite” type locations has emerged as a strong operational alternative. The basic [...]

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Effects of Reducing Office/Size Costs – Current vs. Future

Posted on 21. Aug, 2009 by Robert Albanese.

Building expense is a formidable, recurring fixed cost for real estate organizations and the fact that office size increased dramatically between 1990 and 2005 only added to the severity of this situation. During the same period of time, real estate agents were becoming increasingly less and less attached to the idea of working in a [...]

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