Mission Forge

At least 6 months before you start applying for rentals check on your credit and solve any outstanding collection items if you owe somebody money and they send it to collections you absolutely have to get that solved and paid off. Have several months with no late payments. Make sure you save up several hundred dollars for the application process as you may have to make multiple applications. And t...

Is it Manipulative to pull a listing from the market and relist it as new?  Some say yes and some say no.  Legal pressures are restricting the practice, even though old listing data is never erased and can be more indicative of the underlying story than is a longer Day on Market figure.  What are your thoughts?

Who pays the brokerage commission on a real estate deal? Is it the buyer or the seller, or both?  Headline news stories about lawsuits are bringing likely change to this question.  But how much change really?  The industry had already prepared for this many years ago.  Nevertheless, the evolution of the process is continuing.  The best thing a buyer can do is be informed.  The best thing a seller...

Small hinges swing big doors. This summarizes my topic on this episode. The results of big goals will not be known for months, sometimes even a year or more. If you're successful and can break down your larger goals into monthly, weekly, and even better, daily tasks then you're going to feel the small rush of success and accomplishment as you achieve those smaller goals that you are sure will lead...

Have you ever heard that you should 'Measure twice and cut once'? Of course, we all have. But what I'd never heard until recently 'If you don't measure you can't measure wrong.' What a concept! The results of not measuring can be quicker and more accurate than those using a tape measure or other measuring tool. The method of scribing can teach us about improving our real estate practices, efficien...

I am endorsing Ruth Larson for James City County supervisor in the Berkeley district. Ruth is the best person for the job. She didn't ask me to do this endorsement. I felt that I wanted to raise awareness for her campaign. She has the experience and the knowledge to continue to serve the citizens of the Berkeley district with excellence.  Here is her webpage if you want to know more.  https://vote...

Where are you most productive?  Should you be working from home or from the office?  Are you distracted at home?  Does the office give you the structure needed to stay on task? Or is it vice versa?  What about working in the field, way from home and the office?  Do you have the tools needed to be productive when you are on the road?  And lastly, how much business are you doing while you vacation? ...

Podcast on MLS---Focus on the needs of the client. How do cooperation and compensation help sell? A listing broker offers to compensate a buyer broker who pairs a buyer with the listing. What is syndication?   The broadcasting of listings, similar to songs on radio stations How many do you need to subscribe to as an agent? It really depends on several factors, namely the geography you cover.  But...

This amazing story ties the physical and spiritual worlds together.  It involves a sad tale or two with a joyous rescue from an observer who just wanted to help someone feel better.  The ensuing results have helped others and it is not over yet.  I hope you enjoy learning about Matthew's Cross.  There is always something positive to grab on to and amplify.

AI has been with us in many ways for a while.  If you are a google user you have experienced life with AI.  In fact most of the larger companies have tapped AI on some level.  Many using chat bots to field consumer calls.  Those experiences have mixed results, don't they.  I find sometimes they are extremely easy and beneficial, yet other times I just wish I could get that helpful human on the lin...

Good to get these kinks ironed out if you have not made a foreclosure offer before or in a decade some things may have changed or need refreshing. Also in a low inventory market you owe it to all of your buyers to know every available listing on the market, such as FSBO, HUD/FHA VA While I am not anticipating a serious foreclosure boom, there will always be some and since there have been so few, t...

The following is directly from the Virginia Realtors' Advocacy page and is linked below.  The information about payment due at order was gained from a group conversation with legislators and is not able to be documented at this time.  It is suggested that the ordering and payment be performed directly by the seller.  Agents may wish to start taking a facilitators role in assisting owners to perfor...

Affordable housing 2/15/23   Major issue with affordability is highly complex.  Not hard to understand really, just has 1000 moving parts. As it has many causes it is likely to have many solutions. Possible approaches to poke the bear of affordable housing shortages are: a)1st is education and understanding the playing field and the breadth of the problem in your area. Lean into your local REALTOR...

Here is a guideline summary from the business department of James City County. 1. Application for Business, Professional and Occupational License: All businesses must complete and return by mail or in person - no faxed, scanned, or emailed applications accepted. Original ink signature only. 2. Fictitious Name (also called Trade Name, Assumed Name, or DBA): If you are doing business under a name ot...

As Reported RIS MEDIA in the January 2023 edition from the NAR Power Broker Roundtable. Moderator Is Kymber Lovett-Menkiti, President ot Keller Williams Capital Properties in Washington DC. After a discussion about the impact of rising interest rates on the housing market. Is it a respite, a worry signal, simply cyclical?  She querried 4 power brokers about how they are supporting their agents in...

Bold Prediction notes brought to us by Atlantic Bay Mortgage Dr. Yun, Chief Economist from National Association of Realtors. Stats Pending home sales coming down due to higher interest rates.  Often there will be a burst of pent up demand pendings will stabilize. Interest rates connection to the 10-yr. treasury yields.  30 year fixed rate hit a 20 yr. high.  Buyer confidence is there but they cann...

Take risks more than you think you should Confront others less then you think you should Stand up for your self as in advocate Listen to all feedback and consider what others are telling you. positive/negative or otherwise if/when you listen you will be told and be among the few. my best life has come from my family.   Manners are powerful. I don't think there is an exclusivity to a spiritual expe...

By Aditi Sangal , Adrienne Vogt , Maureen Chowdhury and Elise Hammond , CNN Updated 10:06 p.m. ET, January 5, 2023   The House has adjourned until noon Friday after Rep. Kevin McCarthy suffered a stinging 11th defeat in the race for House speaker.  After three days of voting, this is now the longest speaker contest in 164 years.  McCarthy has continued to negotiate with a group of hardline Republi...

Learn your options Reels Instagram and FB, Tiktok, Stories, Youtube Shorts,  GOAL-make you relevant and contemporary by using the 'coin of the realm' in a way that is not threatening to your sensibilities.  Make a goal   minimum of 1 per month, increase to 1 every week or 10 days Do not appear or speak in these videos (you can but you do not have to) Learn the platforms and the value of the sound...

It's been the drum beat for years. Get started on video. It's not too late. If you do not start soon, you will miss the boat.  I know this causes anxiety in agents who struggle with not starting video. I talk to them and they beat them selves up for not being involved in video.  So I have this click bate podcast title... (I added the ? to be more realistic) Don't use video in your RE. I have to qu...

Use of Google calendar:  18 ways to streamline & be much more productive. Work Smarter, not harder. #missionforge 1. Calendar can be shared with others via permissions-save time, polite,professional 2. Events can be emailed to others to act as invitation or confirmation,polite, professional, eliminates error 3. Calendar can be printed or saved to PDF-saves time and effort when documentingfor t...

10 FAST and LOW COST things to do between now and 1/1/23 to start the hear on the right foot~START NOW! $30 Send 20 notecards to 20 past clients (or prospects)—message, it’s been a while, how have you been.  Wishing you the best new year.  No biz card, no mention of RE. $75 5 Pop-bys A level $15 each $25 5 pop-ys B level $5 each $5 5 pop-bys C level $1 each, such as 7-11 gift card or Starbucks Gif...

10 FAST and FREE  things to do between now and 1/1/23 to start the hear on the right foot~START NOW! Review all profiles to ensure they are up to date with current content, best recent picture, most recent bio.  Comb CRM for deletions, additions, updates.  Make a point to add more than you think you can. Look at all of your social platforms and make sure they reflect your personal brand image (bus...

Ties of this story to Real estate have peaked my interest.   #1 was the notice of bond being tied to his parents home on the Stanford campus #2 was the use of the word commingling of funds, which is also a big no-no word in Real Estate #3 was alleged use of those funds to by real estate in other countries such as the Bahamas.   Bankman-Fried [SBF] will be back at the home he grew up in, a house in...

Be well if you are grieving. Prayers to you and to the one who went before you. Navigate well.