When You're Stuck...

Are you a slave to your job?

Alarm Clock

Are you overworked and exhausted?

Exhaustion

Do you just feel stuck?

Stuck

Do you cringe at the costs you're paying for childcare while you're at work? Or are you intimidated by the prospect of returning to work and the associated childcare costs?

Childcare

Does your debt keep piling-up with no end in sight?

Debt

I remember feeling all of those things.

My earning potential was limited and yet my debt was this massive obstacle staring  me in the face every moment of every day, and I had no hope of paying it off without a corresponding massive change in my income.

It was a vicious cycle. No matter how many extra shifts I took; no matter how many days I didn't spend one penny more than required to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs; I couldn't get ahead.

It was demoralizing. And it was frustrating. Because I knew that I was smart; I knew that I was a hard-worker; and I was motivated to build a life I could be proud of. I just didn't know how to do it. That

stuck

feeling is horrible.

Work Smarter, Not Harder.

I realized I needed a career--not just a job. I searched online but every position that sounded perfect for me required the college degree that I didn't have. And here's the thing about college degrees--they aren't magic. You can feel stuck and broke, overworked and dissatisfied with a degree too. So degree or not, this applies to you.

What I wanted was to be a in position where there were no limitations. Where whether or not I succeeded and to what extent was totally up to me and how

hard

smart I was willing to work. Where the rules that had governed how I thought about work went out the window, and I could, for once in my life, take a chance on

ME

.

All that to say, I've been where you are. And I can show you the blueprint for how get from where you are to where you want to be. Wherever that is! Your real estate career may not look exactly like mine. That's okay. That's good, actually. You have probably spent many years structuring your job/career based on what someone else (your boss, maybe) wants or needs it to be. Or having a recruiter or interviewer decide whether you're qualified enough for the job you want.

That can stop now. Be your own boss. Own your own business. And reach your potential.

We should meet! Email or call me to set up a time to chat.

Where Do You Belong?

I’ve been with Keller Williams for my entire real estate career and I cannot imagine working anywhere else! For a number of reasons—the interdependent business model, the continuing education/support/coaching opportunities, and technology resources (the list goes on!)—I truly believe it is the best brokerage, bar none. That’s why I started this website and why I serve in leadership roles for the company. But…

There are other solid brokerages out there that might be a better fit depending upon your personality, goals, working style or preferred business model.

No matter where you ultimately decide to put your talents to work, make sure you’ve asked the questions (and received the answers) you need to make an informed decision. To help you a bit with that, I’ll share the 5 questions I’d encourage you to ask real estate brokerages before you decide which one is right for you.

What business model does their company employ? Is it an independent model in which you are completely on your own as an agent—essentially owning your own business with all the risks and rewards that can entail?

Is it a dependent model, in which you are an employee subject to their rules, regulations and job descriptions?

Or is it an interdependent model (Keller Williams fits into this model)? As you may have guessed, an interdependent model combines many of the best parts about independent and dependent modes. In this model you get all of the perks that come with a big name brokerage: name/brand recognition, access to technology, educational, coaching, staff and other resources. At the same time, you get to build your own business under the brokerage’s umbrella. You get to set your own goals and build a business that is the size and scope you want.

What are their commission splits and office fees? Do you ever sell enough that you get to keep 100% of your commission? This is a very big deal. You need to know how much of what you bring in is going to go back to the brokerage and for what. And whatever that percentage is, you must decide whether you think it’s a fair tradeoff for the support and resources you’re getting from that company and how it compares to the other brokerages for whom you could work.

At Keller Williams you do get to keep 100% of your commission, once you’ve reached your annual responsibility to the company. As of this writing, once I’ve paid $19,000 to Keller Williams I get to keep 100% of any other commissions I make.

What kind of training is provided and, if so, what does that training cost? You’ll want to know what kinds of educational opportunities exist for you at whatever brokerage you select. And I mean formal, established programs. If you want to move into a leadership role, is there a curriculum you can follow to learn what you need to know to do that? If you want to start investing in properties and being a landlord as part of your business plan, does that brokerage have a program to help you be successful in that venture? Is there a mentoring or coaching program established at that brokerage, in which you could be matched with a more experienced agent who has a career similar to the one you want to pursue for yourself?

Ask to see a list of the educational and coaching programs that brokerage offers and make sure that the things that are of interest to you are available.

What kind of technical support is provided and what does that cost? By tech support, I don’t mean someone who can fix your computer if it breaks, although that is worth knowing too! When I talk about technology in this context, I mean does the brokerage provide you with the following:

• A Website

• Contact Management Database

• A Personal Mobile App

• Listing Syndication (and how many sites?)

• Technology Training

• Marketing Materials

What kind of support/support staff is provided? Does the brokerage have administrative support to offer you? How about transaction coordinators to handle the paperwork and manage the due dates associated with the purchase or sale of a home? If so, how many hours per week will you have access to that support and for how much money? Will they provide you with a computer, a printer, copier or other practical support you need to do your job?

These questions are by no means a comprehensive list of things to ask, but I think they are the five most important ones and a good place to start in drafting your list of questions.

I do office tours regularly for prospective agents (some already licensed and some who are not). If you haven’t taken one already, but would like to come in, ask me some questions and learn more about Keller Williams and careers in real estate, click on the Get Started page and send me a message.

Floating

We see so much on social media about doing MORE—I know I post about it a lot myself. While it’s no secret that I LOVE my work, it doesn’t feel like work. It’s truly a passion however, sometimes I feel the need to unplug and slow down.

Many articles and blog posts have been written about self-care—so many, in fact, that I think sometimes we tune out when we hear the phrase.

But I’ve been thinking a lot about what self-care is, and working to make time and space for it in my schedule. I am by no means perfect at it! There have been weeks where I didn’t do nearly enough, if anything, to rest and re-charge.

I keep trying to do better! Perhaps you are too. Maybe we can help encourage one another.

One of the most enjoyable ways I have found to unplug is floating. Float centers are something that entered my awareness fairly recently. Basically, it creates an environment in which external stimulation such as sound, touch and light are eliminated or significantly reduced. You enter a tank which contains about a foot of water, rich in Epsom salt. The salt makes you extremely buoyant, so it’s easy to float. You can read about some of the benefits of floating here.  

I’ve seen some physical benefits from floating. My lower back pain and headaches have diminished significantly.

The forced unplugging has had less tangible benefits too. I’ve had the most amazing encounters in the tank while I pray/meditate. I have remembered much-loved songs from my childhood, which has brought me so much joy. (If you know me at all, you know about my passion for music.) I’ve had dreams from a long time ago jump up and down and say, “hello again!” while I’ve been floating.

Some floating sessions are just quiet and peaceful. I don’t have any inspiration strike or walk out with a significant take away. And that’s great too. Sometimes all I want is time to rest and just chill. That’s important to keep in mind. Just the act of relaxing is a win.

If you just find being in or near water calming, I recommend a book called the Blue Mind. It's a great read about the relaxing power of water. (Note that the link above is an Amazon Affiliate link, which means I receive a commission should you purchase the book through that link. If you’d rather purchase the book without using my affiliate code, you may do so here.)

If you are interested in trying floating, here are some of my tips:

• Schedule it for a time that allows you to go home and rest after. Your hair will be wet. You’ll be relaxed. The last thing you’re going to want to do is go back to work or run an errand, etc.

• Have a prayer, meditation or song to focus on while you’re in the tank. Certain places give you the option to listen to music. I prefer listening to music at the beginning and at the end. But I prefer silence in the middle. I need quiet so that I can be receptive to the words and songs God wants to give me. 

• You might feel a bit itchy when you first get in.. it’s normal and it will pass. Don’t freak out. Just breathe, let go and enjoy the full experience.

• Don't drink caffeine beforehand—you want to be as calm and relaxed as possible. One time I had a diet coke before I went in and it was enough to amp me up and prevent me from relaxing and quieting my mind. 

• Follow the float center’s instructions regarding the cooler shower beforehand and using ear plugs and vinegar in your ears afterwards. 

If you’re in the Tacoma area, the float center I go to is the University Place Urban Float. I highly recommend.

The Thing We're Not Supposed to Talk About...

There's a list of things that we're not supposed to talk about in polite conversation, right? And money is one of them. But sometimes things need to be said and we have to get real and get honest because when we do we can help other people save money or make more of it.

The former is the reason for this post.

When I meet with aspiring agents, or with people who are starting to consider real estate as a career, I share the information that I think is critical for them to know. And some of that is about the costs associated with studying for a license. (There are others associated with actually being an agent, but I'll address those in another post.)

The online course I recommend, and the course we follow in our office when we teach the live version of the class, is Rockwell. It's not cheap. As of this writing, it runs approx. $489 plus tax.

Yeah.

That face you're probably making now is the same expression I see on the faces of many of the people I meet with during career orientations.

And some of them look at other education providers, many of which are less expensive than Rockwell.

So why do I recommend such a relatively expensive study program?

It's really, honestly because I think Rockwell is the best. That's all. The curriculum is comprehensive and strong; you get access to online courses AND textbooks with quizzes and final exams; and their test prep (the CRAM section and 12 sample exams) set you up for success on the real thing like no other system I've reviewed.

I have had students who chose one of the less expensive options succeed on the exam. But more often than not, I'll get an email or call from them because they're frustrated by the material or because they took the licensing exam and failed after weeks or months of studying. They then usually end up paying for the Rockwell courses, so when it's all said and done they've paid the $489 plus another $200-$300 for the other course and a failed licensing exam.

Not a huge savings after all.

Success rate-wise, Rockwell boasts an 86% and 87% first try pass rate on the National and State exams, respectively, in Washington. The average for the others is 58% and 63%, National and State. So, if you're a person who prefers statistics to anecdotal data from an agent and blog writer, that's for you :-)

(By way of a disclaimer, I'm not on Rockwell's payroll, they don't send me free stuff and they have no idea I'm writing this post.)

As always, feel free to leave your comments and questions below or watch my 1+1=4 Math Video here. Thanks and I'll check back in here again soon!

Are You Stuck in This Vicious Cycle?

(This post contains affiliate links.)

What percentage of people in the United States would you guess are living paycheck to paycheck? Are you one of them?  If I told you that 50-percent of us fall into that category, would you believe me?

If you think that's a high estimate, hold on to your hats because the actual number is worse.  

More than three-quarters of workers (78%) who earn less than $100,000 per year, are one unexpected expense away from a big financial mess. I don't know about you, but that number is scary to me. (You can check out the full story here.)

Additionally, and very much relatedly, 71-percent of full-time workers say they have some kind of debt. Of those, 56-percent of them say they don't believe they will ever get out of it. Think about it--if you're living paycheck to paycheck because of debt, and something unexpected comes up, you go into more debt to pay that expense. So, it's kind of a vicious cycle, right?

Consider the emotional toll that belief takes on a person. Working full-time, unable to get ahead financially, operating under the anchor of debt, and believing things will never be any better. What does that do to our collective mental, emotional and spiritual health? The cost of our debt-culture goes beyond a financial one.

Let's talk about the culture of debt while we're at it. It's become more than just acceptable--it's marketed as desirable. Many people get their first credit card offer at 18--I've heard stories of credit card applications being included in freshman move-in packets at colleges! College itself has become synonymous with debt too. Can't afford tuition? Here's a student loan you can spend the rest of your adult life paying off. Want something now, but can't afford it? Why wait? Just fill out this credit application and walk out of the store with it. You deserve it.

We think it's an unavoidable part of adult life, but it doesn't have to be and it really shouldn't be. It is crippling. If you're struggling with debt or just want to learn how to create a budget and make a financial plan you can live with, I cannot recommend Dave Ramsey's books enough. The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness is one of my favorites and a good place to start.

Freedom

In contrast to that 78-percent number, only nine-percent of full-time workers earning more than $100,000 per year reported that they struggled to make ends meet.

What does that tell us? Well, it tells me we need an increase in income and a shift to a debt-is-not-okay mindset. And it reinforces for me one of the big reasons why I'm such and advocate for real estate and Keller Williams in particular.

Streams

I’m a self-help junkie and every book I read about entrepreneurship or financial freedom says we should have multiple income streams. That we should be diversifying where our money comes from so that our financial futures are not subject to the whims of one bad boss or the ups and downs of one market. 

If I told you that as a Realtor I have four businesses functioning simultaneously and generating four income streams for me, would that pique your curiosity? The first is the most obvious--I represent buyers and sellers and earn commissions on each transaction I close. Income stream number one.

You might be surprised how many agents don't leverage the other three opportunities: referrals, profit-sharing and investing in real estate. Please don't be one of them! I love talking about possibilities and coaching other agents, so click here and let's schedule a time to meet!

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