With spring and summer fast approaching it’s time again to gear up for the rush of wide eyed buyers, and anxious sellers. During this time of year as the old farmers say you have to make hay while the sun shines! So how can you be ready for the avalanche of new activity that is coming your way? Follow these simple steps:

10 Steps to Spring Time Success:

1. Build Your Listing Inventory – This is a terrific time of the year to take listings and let’s face it there may be no easier time of the year than now to find sellers who are willing to place their homes on the market. To ensure your success commit yourself to at least one hour of active prospecting each day!

2. Tune Up Your Listings – Review all of your current listings and ask yourself what could be better? Are the prices reasonable? Should the condition be improved? Now is the time to talk with your sellers about positioning their listings to sell! Also double check all of your MLS data. Is it accurate? How about the photos – Do they look good?

3. Get Organized – This could be your last chance until next fall to get your business organized. Ask yourself – What areas of my office if I organized them could help me the most? Now take action, set aside some time, and throw out those twenty year old MLS books!

4. Learn Technology – What piece of technology have you put off learning more about? Is it using e-mail? How about using a good contact manager? How about building an effective website?

5. Review you’re Buyer Inventory – Have you classified your buyers into groups, for instance - hot, medium, and cold? Nothing is more frustrating than showing homes to a buyer who won’t be ready to complete their purchase for another year. Take the time to qualify your buyer’s motivation and ability level now it could save you weeks of work and effort later.

6. Contact your Sphere of Influence – You’re sphere of influence is a terrific area to mine for new buyer and seller leads and the beginning of spring is an excellent time to either call or visit your network. You may also want to send them a gift – like garden supplies, or flower seeds to help them remember to send you referrals!

7. Contact For Sale By Owners – Private sellers catch the bug to sell more often during spring and summer. This is an excellent market to farm for new listings. Just remember to strictly adhere to the new Do-Not-Call guidelines. (www.fcc.gov) Try the simple stop, drop, and knock method. If you see a FSBO stop your car, drop what you are doing, and knock on the door!

8. Farm a “Hot Zone” – Review your local MLS statistics and ask yourself what is the hottest area of the market. Is it a certain geographic area of town? Is it a certain type of property? Is it a certain price range? Once you have identified a “Hot Zone” focus you’re marketing around attracting listings in that niche!

9. Check Your Supplies – Do you have enough business cards, personal brochures, and listing kits? Have you built a relocation kit, FSBO kit, or a pre-listing kit? These supplies can be critical when you are in the heat of a hot market! Stock up so you don’t miss an opportunity!

10. Cut the Dead Wood – You have a few dead beat clients in your inventory. These are good people who are just not ready to make a buying or selling decision. The time is now to cut those good folks loose and either place them politely back in your sphere of influence or refer them off to someone else.

It is never too early to prepare for a busy spring and summer selling season.
Superstars understand that preparation is often the key to unlocking the door to more closed transactions.

About the Author

Jim Remley is a speaker, author and active real estate broker with eight offices. He is also the owner of Pro Performer, the RealtyU® Affiliate in Southern Oregon. Jim won the RealtyU®, Rookie Instructor of the Year award in 2001 and the Pacesetter Award in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The RealtyU® network consists of 40 accredited real estate schools and colleges that serve 42 states and provinces in Northern America. Collectively RealtyU® has some 500 qualified and licensed educators that offer more than 6,000 different classes every year. RealtyU® is expected to once again educate over 250,000 real estate professionals in 2005, making it the largest real estate education and training network in the industry.