Contributors
There’s an old saying with respect to both Realtors and their clients that, “If you feed them they will come.” One of the fun things you can do whenever you hold an open house is to create a theme for the open house. For example, for the July 4th weekend serve cupcakes with red, white, and blue icing. You could also serve mini burgers or hot dogs that you heat in the microwave. When you put out your open house signs, tape on a sign above the property address that says, “Free Refreshments!” While this approach may not net the right buyer for the house, it’s a great way to introduce you to that neighbor who may be thinking about buying or selling in the near future.
Give Your Open House a Theme
October 13, 2011
The Ten Percent Rule
August 18, 2011
I was at a conference where an agent who was speaking said that he made $1 million in commissions. When he was asked about his marketing budget, he said he spent $950,000. Needless to say, this agent wasn’t managing his resources well. To avoid falling into this trap, limit your total marketing budget to 10 percent of your gross commissions. If your income increases, you can spend more. If it decreases, cut back. This simple approach is one of the smartest ways to keep your business profitable.
Did You Deduct Petty Cash Expenses?
June 16, 2011
Many agents forge
t that business supplies are deductible. For example, did you deduct for petty cash items like pens, pencils, keys, notepaper, hammer, tape, stamps, etc.? The IRS accepts “cash” write-offs up to $25.00 if you have a receipt or if you record the cash amount in your appointment book by the date and the amount.
Tax Tip: Depreciations
June 9, 2011
If you had a bad year in 2010
without that much income, ask your CPA or tax professional whether you should expense or depreciate any major purchases you made such as a computer or smart phone. For example, a $1,000 item is worth a $150 deduction in a year where you are in the 15 percent bracket. In contrast, that same item is worth $280 if you take it in a year where you were in the 28 percent bracket. Also, don’t forget to deduct the costs for your internet provider plus any other web hosting or web design services you may have used for your business.
Expose Your Listings to an Extra 4.5 Million People
February 17, 2011
Here’s a great tip from Pete Flint, founder of Trulia.com. Trulia typically has about 5 million unique visitors per month. What’s interesting is that out of the 5 million people visiting Trulia, 4.5 million are NOT going to Realtor.com. Thus, if you want more web exposure for your listings, make sure that post your listings on both Trulia and Realtor.com.
Who is your choice for Inman’s Most Influential Person in Real Estate?
November 17, 2010
Greetings,
I have a special request. Bernice has been nominated as one of the most 100 most influential people in real estate. The voting is open through this Friday. If you would like to vote for her (or someone else on the list) please visit
http://www.inman.com/news/2010/10/27/peoples-choice-real-estates-most-influential
Thanks for your support and Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely
Shane Bowlin
General Manager, RealEstateCoach.com
