A friend of mine sent me this powerful video.  Please view it and then look at my comments below.

We focus our attention on what the media tells us is reality.  Most of us focus on what the media wants us to focus on and we fail to see the opportunity that exists.  Today, many Realtors are focusing on fear and uncertainty.  When we allow the fear and uncertainty to take control of us it is difficult for our creative minds to go to work and take advantages of the opportunities that exist.

When dealing with our spouses, significant others or co-workers how many times do we focus on ones faults or one event and fail to see the big picture that includes all the good traits of that person?

When someone tells us something many of us take it as gospel and then believe what we choose to believe based on what we have heard. The old saying that there are two sides to every story is oh so very true.

When we go to work in the morning or come home in the evening do we notice the incredible sunrises, sunsets or cloud formations or do we miss them because we are too busy focusing on traffic, our destination or talking on our cell phones?

Let us open our minds and look at the BIG PICTURE.  Opportunities just may arise from this new way of thinking.

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent- Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

Those that know me know that I love the game of golf for many reasons.  Today I witnessed one of the most amazing feats in golf I have ever seen (sorry Tiger) and I have been watching professional and amateur golf since the early nineties. 

One of my favorite current golfers is Vijay Singh from the island of Fiji.  Vijay is known for his incredible work ethic. He practices his golf swing and  exercises relentlessly. He is currently 45 years of age, an age when most professional golfers are thinking more about the champions tour, not competing against and winning tournaments against the top players in the world that are in their twenties. 

Vijay is known as one of the best ball strikers on tour, second only to Tiger Woods in that category.  The one thing that has plagued Vijay the last couple of years has been his putting which has been inconsistent. Inconsistent putting has kept Vijay from winning even more tournaments.  Before the Deutsche Bank Championship started a few days ago Vijay said he was blocking out all the negative comments made about his putting over the past year and was repeating to himself "I am the greatest putter in the world".  He kept telling himself and his caddie this each day of the tournament and repeated it many times today on the course.

Vijay became a putting machine!  Today alone he sank breaking putts of 35 feet and 60 feet!  Sergio Garcia who played with Vijay said it was the most amazing display of golf he had seen and that no one can ever know just how good Vijay played today. Vijay not only won the tournament but also broke the course record!

Vijay won his second tournament in two weeks and earned another $1,260,000 and became the leading money leader for the year and increased his lead in the Fed-Ex cup standings.  He won today by an amazing 5 strokes over his nearest competitor, beating several world ranked players in their twenties.

Last week Reece Mack wrote the amazing blog Do You Want To Achieve Success? I'll Let You in on A Little Secret... which spoke about the power of visualization.  I know of many cases in which Realtors and other individuals have used visualization to achieve amazing success.  Elaine Northrop from Maryland used visualization in the nineties to surpass one million dollars in commissions in one year and buy a condo in Florida that had gone into contract with another buyer hours before Elaine decided to buy it. Elaine took pictures of the condo and "Saw her family having Thanksgiving Dinner" in that condo.  A month or so after Elaine returned to Maryland she received a call that the sale fell apart.  Elaine purchased the condo and her family had Thanksgiving dinner in their Florida condo that year!

Stop listening to all the negativity about the current housing market.  Tell yourself "I am the Greatest Realtor in the World" and beleive it!  Write it down and paste it on your bathroom mirror.  Repeat it to yourself throughout the day.  Convince yourself that you are the best Realtor and go get what is yours!

Conceive it, believe it, Achieve it!
Elaine Northrop

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent- Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

I started my real estate career in 1980 and if ever I have seen history repeat itself it is now, nearly 30 years later.  In 1983 I sold homes with interest rates of 17 1/2 %. Realtors dropped like flies because the attitude was "I can't sell homes with those kinds of interest rates".  Fast forward to 2008 and again Realtors are dropping like flies.  Same result as the 1980's. 

What separates those that succeed in any market and what is the common denominator for those Realtors that hang up their spurs, leave the business and look for other ways to support themselves and their families?  I have decided there are 3 traits common to all successful Realtors that allow them to weather any economic storm that causes real estate markets to change drastically.

The servant attitude

Every truly successful Realtor I have seen have all had what I call a "Servant Attitude".  By this I mean that they truly desire to solve a problem or help someone in need.  They thrive on finding solutions for any given situation whether it is finding the perfect home for a buyer or marketing a home no one else can market.  They are driven by their desire to help someone in need. In contrast, we have all seen those agents that are self serving and are driven by the attitude of "What's in it for me?".  They spend every commission before it is earned and all their advertising and actions are about them.

Vision - Every successful company has it

Ford motor and Toyota don't just manufacture automobiles and hope someone buys them.  They must have a vision of what consumers will be buying 1, 2, 3 and more years down the road.  They try to anticipate what consumers will be buying and why.  When the stock market skyrocketed a few years ago there was no foundation for its record upward movement.  2005 was the same for real estate.  It was an artificial upward swing with no foundation driven by stated loans and greed.  I heard Realtors, lenders and builders make statements that the market of 2005 would last for 5, 10 and even 15 years!  These statements had no statistics to back them up; they were all based on the euphoria that was prevalent at the time.  These agents "lived for the moment" without any regard for what would follow. The handful of Realtors that recognized this false sense of security were busy preparing for what the next real estate market would bring.  Idaho's upper end market is fueled by the California real estate market. When the California market is strong Idaho's upper end real estate market thrives. Through my friends here on Active Rain I kept hearing early in 2006 that the California real estate market was weakening.  There were signs that our own market was changing.  Whenever I suggested that our Idaho real estate market was changing and shared why I believed this I was told that I was wrong and that our real estate market was healthy and strong. All the signs were there that our real estate market was changing but only a handful had their eyes open enough to see it.

Systems put into place

Because of my belief that the real estate market was changing and my belief that Idaho Short Sales and Idaho foreclosures would sky rocket I created short sales pages for my Idaho Real Estate site that would educate the public regarding short sales and foreclosures.  By late 2007 my site was on the first page of Google for the term "Idaho Short Sales", "Short Sales in Idaho" and "Idaho Short Sales Assistance".  By early 2008 my site was number one on Google for these same terms and remains number one today.  I also have taken numerous short sales classes and in June of 2008 became a "Certified Short Sales Specialist". Early this year Realtors were really struggling and many came in to see me and asked what I was doing different. They asked why I was doing well when so many were struggling.  Many of these Realtors had no systems in place and had taken no classes to take advantage of the current real estate market. In fact when I asked many to accompany me to short sales classes in the spring they denied my offer.  They were "hanging on" and hoping that the real estate market would turn back around to what is was in 2005.  They are still waiting but now many are waiting tables at local restaurants.

Passion

Without a strong Passion for what we do we might as well find another line of work.  After nearly 29 years in the business I cannot wait to get to work in the morning.  I can't wait to put another system in to place, meet a new client, learn something new. I read everything related to real estate that I can get my hands on and I take many classes every year that are not even required.  This is because I am a spong and love learning everything I can. Passion drives me and keeps me excited about my career.  I can't believe I get paid for doing what I love so much!

Our MLS has lost over 3,000 Realtors and our own office has lost over 30 Realtors from the peak year of 2005. All this is happening while a hand full of Realtors are having great years.

If you are still surviving in this market congratulations! If you are still in business but struggling look at your own market.  What do you see happening and why? What trends are developing and why?  What systems do you have in place to take advantage of your real estate market for the next two to three years and beyond? Are you investing in the right classes to take advantage of the real estate market in your area for the next 2-3 years?

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

Karen George lost her battle with cancer today but she will never loose the love and respect hundreds of Active Rain members from across the country that were touched by this incredible woman have for her.

When I joined Active Rain in May of 2007 I was a lost little puppy. Karen is one of those that wrote some awesome blogs that helped me grow my presence on Google both with my Active Rain Profile and my own web site. 

When Karen was too sick last summer her husband Michael wrote a page for my site in an attempt to have it climb higher with the search engine rankings.  I did not expect this at all and told Michael it was not necessary. He did it anyway.  Many of you don't know but even when Karen was very, very ill and could hardly sit up she would write blogs here on Active Rain in an attempt to help us with the great advice she always gave.

If you have not read Karen's blogs I highly recommend you do.  99.9% of everything she wrote was to help you and I grow our business.  I read many of Karen's blogs and put the recommendations into action which is one of the main reasons I have had so much success on the web.

Karen was a giver.  When Karen was well she heard of an elderly man that was confined to his home due to an illness.  Karen purchased this man a notebook computer with internet access so he could communicate with his family and friends.

This is the type of life Karen lived.  She was a "giver" and cared so very much about others. When she gave Karen never wanted anything in return.  She took many of my calls and patiently explained things to me in layman's terms.  I hope we can all learn from Karen's giving soul.  If someone needs help, lets reach out to them in a loving way just like Karen did and would want all of us to do. 

We lost an Angel on earth here today but the heaven's are rejoicing and having a party.  Everyone throws a party when someone so special is coming to join them.

Thank you Karen for everything you did for me and for holding my hand when I didn't understand.  Thank you for your incredible knowledge and your desire to help.

You will be missed and I can assure you that this world was a better place because you were part of it.  I will continue to pray for Michael and will do anything to help him.

I love you Karen, Thank you for everything but most of all for your beautiful soul!

For the past several years Boise Idaho and Idaho in general has been touted as a place that is great for families and businesses. 

Early this year of 2008 Amy Bickers from the Kiplinger News Letter personally visited Boise Idaho and was very impressed asking the question "How do folks get any work done around here?"  Amy was referring to the Skiing, Snow Boarding, Fishing, Biking and Kayaking all offered in and around Boise and in most parts of the state.

Idaho is one of the most diversified states anywhere in the nation.  The northern part of the state has one of the most beautiful lakes and cities in the nation in Coeur d Alene and its natural lake all located near the Canadian border.

Central Idaho is an outdoorsman's dream come true.  The Salmon River offers some of the most scenic and breathtaking tours avid water enthusiasts will ever find.  If you like to kayak, fish, or take float trips you must put down the Salmon River on your list of places to visit.

South Central Idaho with it's vast farms that run for miles and miles are made even more beautiful with the massive Snake River that cuts through this vast farm country. This area is where the majority of the famous "Idaho Potatoes" are grown.

In the South West area of Idaho where Boise is located and where I was born and called home for my entire life the economy is one of the stongest in the nation.  There is a diversification of agriculture, technology, medical and service industries.  The Boise River runs through the middle of the city and the magnificent mountains located on the east side of Boise offer snow skiing, snow mobiling, cross country skiing and hiking just minutes from downtown.

Idaho Real Estate remains very affordable.  In Ada County where Boise is located the median price of a home stands at $235,000.  Homes in neighboring Canyon County just west of Boise are even more attractive with median prices well under $200,000.  In many rural areas of Idaho that are less than an hour from major cities good housing can be found for prices under $100,000.

Take the same tour Amy Bickers took that impressed her so much, Tour Boise Idaho

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

Early this year in 2008 Amy Bickers from the Kiplinger news Letter wrote about the best cities in 2008 in which Boise Idaho was name the 4^th best city in the nation

In that article Bickers asked the question, "How do any folks get any work done around here?  The skiing, snowboarding, fishing, biking and kayaking in Boise are an almost irresistible temptation to desert your desk".

Now Kiplinger News has written about "The Best Cities to Work and Play" and again the writers have named Boise the 4^th best city to work and play

The formula used to select the top 10 cities to work and play were based on not only past performance but with those cities that had all the right ingredients for future success. All the cities chosen had people in the creative classes such as scientists, engineers, architects, educators, writers, artists and entertainers.

Boise Idaho has long been recognized for it's beauty and positive business and family atmosphere.  Boise attracts the young at heart and the empty nesters as well. There is a nice blend of old and new housing which remains very affordable.  The median price of a home in Boise Idaho stands at $235,000 and the cost of living is very attractive. 

Boise Idaho is the home to Micron Technology, one of the largest computer chip manufacturers in the world and the home to the printer division of Hewlett-Packard.

The Boise River meanders through the center of the city with parks, restaurants, walking/bike baths and housing developments bordering the river for miles.  One can float the Boise River in the summer months or hike the mountains that border the city on the east side.  In the winter months Bogus Basin Ski Resort is less than an hour from Boise with many cross-country ski and snow mobile trails along the way.

Discover why so many people relocate to Boise Idaho every year.  Go to Boise Idaho Real Estate to learn more about this fascinating city and start your Boise Idaho Real Estate Search.

Take a tour of beautiful downtown Boise: Tour Boise

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

We have all had them.  Moments in life that impact us in a way that we did not expect and it changes us in a way we never expected.

Real estate is a tough business and it just gets tougher all the time. It is very demanding indeed. There is so much to learn and so much to absorb. I have spoken to many AR friends over the past year and lately spoke to my friend Tracy Santrock. Tracy and I spoke for over an hour early last week sharing the latest and greatest real estate technology, Search Engine Optimization tools, marketing tools and much more.

With all the success in my career over the past years I always felt there was something else I wanted in my life other than this busy world of real estate and I always felt it would have something to do with children.  In fact, when my broker asked me 2 years ago what I would do if I didn't sell real estate, I responded by telling him "I don't know but I know I want to work with children".

Over a month ago my sister asked if I would volunteer as a scorer for the Junior Golf Program my nephew is part of.  It required that I take a day off in the middle of the week to walk 9 holes of golf with 4 young randomly selected kids that were 11 years of age.  A the time I said "Sure" just thinking it would be a nice break from work and fun.

Well last Thursday was the day for me to be a scorer for 4 wonderful kids, Brandon, Chance, Michelle and Sky.  My job was to keep score and to make sure they all followed the rules of golf. 

Brandon hit his first drive on the first hole and I was in awe!  This kid is a Tiger Woods in the making if I have ever seen one!  This kid is averaging better scores than grown men on a very tough 9 hole course.  His swing is one of the sweetest, purest I have ever seen and I watch a lot of golf.  I told him to remember me when he goes on tour!

Chance had a smile and a happy go lucky attitude that just lit up the place.  It didn't matter if he hit great shot or a bad shot, his attitude and smile remained constant.  He pretty much guaranteed we all had a light hearted great time.

Michelle was a cute little blonde girl that seemed to just be out for a Sunday afternoon drive.  She didn't take the game too seriously and she has a wonderful genuine smile that will light up any room. She just remained very consistent and just kept "smiling" and was just as agreeable and kind as anyone I have ever been around.

Sky was very reserved and her golf game was not real good and I just tried to pump her up with words of encouragement.  It wasn't until the 7^th hole until I finally heard Sky say more than one word at a time when she said "Putt it, roll it, hole it" to Chance when he was getting ready to putt.  As I mentioned, Sky didn't golf very good that day and finally, here we are on the last hole.  Brandon, Michelle and Chance have all missed the last putt on the last hole which was about a 5 foot putt and would save par.  I looked at Sky and said "Putt it, roll it, hole it".  She just smiled at me and swung the putter.  The ball went strait in the hole!  Sky had a smile wider than Niagara Falls as she proceeded to get high fives from everyone!

I simply had the time of my life last Thursday and when it was all over I was kind of saddened that it had all come to an end.  What I felt from all those kids is hard to put into words. They all had something special they brought to the course that day and they all touched me in a special way.

I hope that in the hustle and bustle of your real estate career you have something away from the business where you can leave the cell phone in the car and give your heart and soul to something or someone that brings a joy to your heart and allows you to give something back to this great world. The world will not end if you miss a few calls over a few hours. Trust me, it will give you a balance and a purpose that we all need.

I don't think Brandon, Chance, Michelle and Sky have any idea what they did for me that day.

Go out and Putt it, Roll it and hole it!

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

I continue to be amazed at what I have been told not once but several times over the years.  In early 2005 a farmer contacted me and told me another farmer gave him my name.  It turns out this farmer had some land listed with another Realtor in our office but was unhappy and wanted me to list his farms.  After talking to my broker and the Realtor that had this farmers land listed I proceeded to list this farmers land.

A few months into our listing agreement my farmer client informed me the #1 reason he liked me is that I not only returned calls promptly but I would call him on a regular basis even if I had no new news.  Many of you are probably thinking "Duh"!  Get this...when I told the farmer I was just doing my job and doing what I was supposed to do he said "You don't get it George, I have worked with many Realtors over the years and you are the first Realtor that returns my calls promptly and calls me on a regular bases".

This farmer not only listed all his farms with me but referred me over 10 million dollars in new business from 2005 through 2007 and continues to refer me business today.

Just two weeks ago I had a home seller contact me.  I had my first meeting with this seller and his wife and followed up with them a few days later to give them the market information for their home and a marketing plan.  Over the past two weeks we made 3 different appointments to follow-up on getting their home listed but each time something came up with either him or me (my 1st granddaughter was born).  I had to reschedule two times and made several phone calls to keep this seller informed.

This seller and I finally connected last night and I got their home listed.  When I was walking out the door after listing the home the husband followed me out and said you know why I decided to hire you George?  I asked why?  He went on to tell me that he loved the way I stayed in touch with him and called him regularly to let him know what was going on.  He went on to say "I have worked with a lot of Realtors over the years through my construction business and you are the first to call me on a regular basis to let me know what was going on.  I have never had that before".

We can have the greatest

• Web site
• Marketing Plan
• Lead generation system

But if we don't communicate with our clients on the level they want us to all these tools mean nothing.  I have written many blogs in the past that I have never sent out postcards or newsletters.  I also do no print advertising.

I have always made a lot of phone calls to past and current clients/customers.  The phone is the most powerful tool I have and nothing has ever replaced it. I am known for returning calls promptly even when callers don't leave a message. If I see I have a missed call I place the same importance on those calls as I do on the callers that leave messages.  Many callers have been amazed when I do this.  I continue to receive more referrals than anyone in our large 50 plus agent office and owe it all to my communication with my sphere.

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

REMAX Mainstreet just posted a blog about keeping in contact with past customers/clients.  One REMAX agent, Jaqui Robbins offered this tip:

The day after Christmas she hits all the department and discount stores and purchases all the holiday dormats she can located.  She said she spends about $100 and generally picks up about 150 doormats and adds them to her existing inventory.

The following year on the weekend following Thanksgiving she staples a Holiday/Christmas card to each doormat and drives to ALL of her local client/customers, leaving a doormat with the attached card on the front porch.

She said her phone rings off the hook with people saying "Thank You" and invariably will get a referral from a past client that has family visiting from out of town for the holidays.

The agent went on to say that her past clients/customers have become so accustomed to receiving the doormats that if she is late in delivering she always gets calls asking if she has stopped delivering the doormats.

Now that is thinking outside the box!

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate. 

One thing that is a constant in our lives is change.  The real estate business has changed dramatically at least four times in the past 28 years I have been in business.  For many, change is a scary thing.  It takes us out of our comfort zone and many have a very hard time dealing with it.  Change is part of our personal lives and part of our business world and always will be.

Here are some things to think about when it comes to transitioning into all the changes of this lifetime.

Let go of the old  What has worked in the past does not work today.  A good example of this is that what worked just 2 years ago in the real estate market is not working today in many parts of the country.  Can you think of anything in your personal life or business life that has not changed in some way over the past decade?  Just because something worked 10 years ago does not mean it will work today.

Use your imagination and think of what can be. Those Realtors that started implementing ideas to take advantage of the Short Sale and Foreclosure market are doing quite well in this current market. In our area, those that sell commercial real estate and farm land are also having a banner year.

Anticipate changes before they happen.  In our area, many Realtors, mortgage lenders, title company personnel, builders and developers failed because they did not anticipate the market.  All the signs were there but many simply ignored the signs and have paid dearly for ignoring those signs.

Many will not change but say they embrace change.  Yes, I know many people that will tell you they embrace change but if you look at their lives they don't practice what they are saying. We may say that we embrace change and are open to it but what do our results say? 

Realize that nothing lasts forever and either does this current real estate market.  The old saying "This too shall pass" is oh so very true.  In my market Short Sales and Foreclosures will be a reality for at least the next 2-3 years. I positioned myself to take advantage of the current real estate market but I know it will change in 2-3 years and I am already planning for that change and have a plan to transition into the next market I am anticipating.

I cannot imagine a world without change.  It gives us opportunity to grow and expand our minds and offers us opportunities that may never have existed in the past. I have a strong belief that "Opportunities exist in every market".  I cannot look back on any phase of my real estate career where that has not been the case. 

I can embrace change and know that it is real or close my mind to all the possibilities that exist. 

 Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker 
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate.