Real Estate is more than selling houses.

Real estate is about more than just selling houses. It is about community and a better life for everyone who lives within it. Being a real estate agent takes dedication to that community, not just making money. As agents, we live within the communities where we work and building it up is as important for our own families as it is for those who have less than we do. It is an investment in our town, our neighbors and our families.

New agents must make a name for themselves and there are ways to do that and help people at the same time. Joining clubs and organizations can not only help build your business, but will also help build your reputation as a community leader. If you only join to help you make money though, people will be able to tell, so you have to mean it. Join something that actually means something to you.

Here is a list of organizations for those agents who wish to help out.

  • Boys and Girls club
  • Boy Scouts or Girl scouts
  • Coaching team sports
  • Historical society
  • Board of Realtors
  • Local politics
  • American Legion
  • American Veterans
  • Red Cross
  • Crisis centers
  • Knights of Columbus
  • Volunteer for hospitals, fire stations, food banks, Food kitchens or even toy and food drives

All of these and many more are great ways to give back to your community and make connections at the same time.  ZMG Construction is a perfect example of giving back to the community. They are involved in several organizations, like AMI Kids, which helps troubled youths, as well as the Boy Scouts of America. From Crime Stoppers to CECO, an education center for disabled children, ZMG leads by example. It is precisely this kind of giving back that makes for a really good company. Some of these organizations can be a lot of fun and everyone needs a little bit of fun in their lives. Enjoy the experience and make new friends.

Helping your community to be more sustainable is also a great way to give back. After all, you live there too and want to make sure that it is preserved for future generations. You can suggest ways for your clients to “green their home” and make it more attractive to buyers. Upgrading outdated appliances is a great way to start, as well as “heat as you go” water heating system. If they are going to replace a floor before selling, suggest that they use bamboo for a wood floor. Bamboo is much more sustainable than regular wood as it grows much faster than trees.

No matter what way you decide to join in, make a difference. People will notice that and your business will see the difference as well with more referrals. You will feel good about what you are doing and be successful at the same time. Your reputation will grow and people will know that you have roots in your community as well as a deep feeling of responsibility for it.

 

 

Tech School Promises

Am I the only one who is tired of the late night commercials for technical schools that promise a fast and easy “degree” and a guaranteed job as soon as you finish their courses? I know that dozens of people here are “degreed” and “certified” and they cannot find a good job. By good job, I mean a full time position in an acceptable environment. With benefits and a reasonable expectation of being able to continue working there for a long time.

I don’t care if they schools have placement assistance. Its hard to find a job right now and if you don’t have any skills or training, it is even harder. THAT is what they should be telling young people – you need more than high school to get a job. So get trained in something so you have some skills to offer.

Sing-a-longs

My grandfather used to play the piano at family gatherings and we would all sing along to a lot of fun songs. I loved the music class in school, too. Its a good thing most schools have some kind of music enrichment for kids.

I especially loved the times when we could sing songs in the round. Do you remember any of the songs like, “Row, row, row your boat?”

Top Radio Hits

The friends who are coming to my high school reunion are making a request list of songs that they want the DJ to play. They started with a list of personal music favorites that have memories for them.

But there were a lot more hit songs than what they remember. I decided to look up the list of Billboard’s Top 100 hits for each year we were in high school and make sure that the DJ plays at least the Top 10 songs from each year.