Oh NO! I'm ADDICTED!

Ok, I admit it! I am addicted to my Blackberry! When I first bought it a few years back, I REFUSED to sign on to have internet access.





My reasoning was, I don't want to work when I'm not at work! I bought it because I liked the look...THAT'S IT!



Fast forward three months...I sign on to have unlimited texts...after all, it's the way my kids communicate, so I better get on board.



Fast forward three more months and I give in and get internet access. WOW! At first, my thoughts were, "Cool! This is handy". After a while, I would find myself looking forward to the blinking red light! "Is it a text? Is it an email?" Oooh! The suspense!



Fast forward to this morning:


I'm ironing my white blouse for work. I have added water and I am waiting for iron to heat up. I see it blink red AND I THINK TO MYSELF "I BETTER CHECK MY MESSAGE!"



I almost picked up the iron to CHECK MY MESSAGES!



I am soooo not making this up! It was at that point that I decided, I truly am addicted to my Blackberry!



None of the other tell-tale signs worked. Not the texting while at a red light. Not the replying to emails while having a conversation with a co worker. Not even when I was responding to a "TWEET" underneath the desk at an office meeting!



So, what's a crackberry addict to do? :-)






Amanda Wernick

FUNomenal Realtor

Who's "Right"?

I have always said that Real Estate is ever changing and fluid...like a river...

So what happens when you, the consumer, gets thrown into the river that is heading over a waterfall?





A friend of mine has her Real Estate license. She currently works at an attorney's office helping people with Loan Modifications. She has seen her fair share of blame laid...First on the consumer, then on the loan officer and finally on the bank. She has witnessed tenants being evicted from their home with no clue or forewarning. It has made her miserable!

She is also a homeowner and landlord.

From the very beginning this tenant/landlord relationship has been tumultuous to say the least!



The tenants bounced checks the first three month which spiraled into huge check fees for her. She called to no avail to find out what was happening. Finally, one of the neighbors clues her in...Mom's been arrested...going away for 3 months...dad's back home...what to do?



She doesn't throw them out, or give them notice...she works with them..."Let's make payment arrangements...Tell me if you can't make the payment so that I can cover it for you"....etc.


But this last month was the final straw. Once again, no rent paid...she is two weeks into this.
No returned phone calls.
Finally she sends a certified letter.
"Dad" is now offended and feels threatened so has hired a lawyer!



Now, if she was a client of mine, I would walk her through this, be a shoulder to lean on and give her some sane advice...BUT...she is a friend of mine and it is difficult to keep my Realtor hat on! My first reaction is to tell her to lock them out of the house!

NOT GOOD ADVICE!



So, I calm down and say to her..."Now is the time for you to set up a consultation with an attorney. They are the only ones qualified to advise you on what steps you need to take legally. There's a process involved, and doing what I WANT to suggest will only complicate things.

I felt good that I detached myself and quickly put on my Realtor hat to offer sound advice...but that doesn't mean that I'm not miffed about her circumstances.

She was doing THEM a favor and this is what she gets? As a Realtor, I have to stay calm and say, "These things happen. Here is the name of an attorney who may be able to help you".



So I ask YOU...who's "rights" is it anyway?
Can you blame the tenant who has had a less than stellar record with regards to a payment history for hunkering down, not paying rent and consulting an attorney to see how long they could stay in the house rent free?
Do you blame the Landlord, who should have consulted with an attorney at the very beginning to protect herself from what has just happened?
Do you split the blame up the middle?
What are YOUR thoughts?



Amanda Wernick

FUN-omenal Realtor

How to Be Indispensable at Work | Parade.com

How to Be Indispensable at Work | Parade.com

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New Year means a New YOU!

Monday was officially the first day back to work after what seemed like an eternity of Holiday time!

Now it’s time to put on your thinking cap and see what you are going to do next?

Traditionally, most agents do not make the time to set up this strategy BEFORE the year ends, so this means that at some point, they wake up and think “ARGH! WHAT DO I DO NOW?”

You could start attending all the office meetings… (oh yeah, you did that LAST year and didn’t get any more business from it).

Now don’t misunderstand me, office meetings CAN be very beneficial…if they are held to empower you, the agent, by giving you information that is relevant to YOU and YOUR CLIENTS.

“Hmm…I know! I’ll meet with the marketing department and have them help me pick out a farm!” Yeah? Not so much…remember that farming COSTS MONEY…and money is only a SMALL part of farming!

Farming is about being out there and working the soil…can you imagine a farmer, sitting on his “laurels” and throwing seeds out of his window, hoping some will settle in, germinate and produce “produce”?

Not hardly! This is more like it:



Let me tell you what I KNOW works…and it’s not just ONE thing…there’s not one magic bullet in the bunch…

First, create a business plan. This is where it can get tricky. Most business plans are created with no consideration given to it 3 days later! Your business plan needs to be in front of you at all times to remind you why you got up this morning and why you do what you do.

Most people are not conditioned to think this way. The great thing is that you CAN and SHOULD condition yourself to think this way…not a 3 week New Year’s Resolution, but a live, viable, working plan that you tweak as you go.

Stay tuned for Part Two or call/email me so we can set a confidential appointment!

Amanda Wernick

Career Development Manager

Seven Gables Real Estate

714-837-7753

amandaw@sevengables.com