“Perfectionism is a form of self abuse.” The above is a quote from the NINJA Selling weekly email. As often happens . . . synchronicity . . . This message is timely and relevant. The theme for this week seems to be all about ways people in the their own way of seeking success. The NINJA message went on to mention the importance of focus on improvement over time . . . not perfection . . . because . . . odds are not in your favor that you will achieve perfection, so that expectation will indubitably result in “Failure” – That is – abandonment of the mission due to frustration with yourself. The trap is one of FEAR! This is deep seeded fear of “shipping” a flawed product resulting in embarrassment in the event your “critics” identify a flaw and pass judgement on you. The older I get, the m... 06/27/2019

Now that you’ve taken care of everyone else . . . What have you done for yourself recently? Last week, I treated myself to a week on Cape Cod with my Family. I arrived Friday Evening, and this is the first photo I snapped from our waterfront deck. I intentionally insulated this experience by completely unplugging from all technological communication other than taking photos. On the first day, this was not easy. I found myself thinking dangerous thoughts about all of the mayhem that would likely ensue as a result of my absence from the biz. Upon waking Tuesday morning, I resisted the HUGE sense of “responsibility” I felt and suppressed my urge to check in with the business world. How could I be so irresponsible as vacate my post as CEO and Principal Broker of a thriving Real Estate firm?... 06/26/2019

A fool and his money are soon parted! “The simple but hard to follow rule is this: Only borrow money to buy things that go up in value.” Seth Godin NAILS it with this post – The tyranny of small debts, compounded We seem to be in a world in which “making money” trumps morals and values. The desire for more money (and things) clouds judgement, and many folks end up in deep tapioca (debt). Seth’s comment that debt which compounds is the real killer . . . when you’re paying interest on the interest owed, you’re losing the game. Simple things like loyalty and integrity and simply doing the “right” thing become scarce, as “we” participate in the “BIG GRAB” with little concern for long term ramifications. Of course, our leaders at every level (County, city, State, National, Organizational, Pa... 06/25/2019

When you’re a believer, quitting or selling out is not an option. Vision is clear, Purpose is resolute, and mission accomplishment is a foregone conclusion. This is not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneurs (REALTORS) know this all too well. I’m not sure that we “became” Entrepreneurs . . . We were born this way. Through the years, we’ve been labeled “Dreamers with delusions of grandeur”, drifters, and maybe even FOOLS by the people who witness our dogged determination to make something out of nothing. Maybe they’re right. We gamble everything and lose . . . frequently. They marvel at our resilience as we jump back on our feet, brush ourselves off, renew our vows to the mission and dive back into the fray with reckless abandon. We are quintessentially indefatigable in our burning desire... 06/24/2019

Nashville homes for sale - Home sales are still fairly brisk compared to the same period last year, and prices are still rising. 3461 homes closed during the month of May compared to 3135 for the same month last year and increase of 10.4% 8254 homes are currently listed for sale and not under contract in the Nashville MLS the median price of Nashville homes sold was $318,000 compared to $280,000 the previous May and increase of 13.6% the absorption rate of homes based on May sales and current inventory is still only 3 months 473 condos sold during the month of May compared to 403 for the same period last year The median price of Nashville condos increased 2.6% year over year to $232,000 The absorption rate of condos in Nashville based on May sales and the current inventory is 2 months N... 06/18/2019

Like a box of chocolates June 12, 2019 was the 1st #TNBroker19 Broker Summit offered by TNREALTORS, the Tennessee Association of REALTORS. This was a full day of great information, and the production was top notch. We heard from the TN Secretary of State Tre Hargett who got things rolling on a good note. His key points centered around why TN is drawing so many businesses to relocate here from other states and countries . . . Low taxes & Low Debt were the big draws – An interesting take on Colleges – Measure colleges based on output rather than enrollment, and that we need to “hold the line on accessibility to college” – and validation that “Trade School education” is important for people who are not inclined to attend college who can benefit with a career that provides solid income and ... 06/14/2019

We are not addicted to Amazon.com! We are addicted to the convenience Amazon.com provides. My daughter’s laptop was stolen from her car on her way to Nashville for a visit. BUMMER, eh? She will only be here for a few days, so I wanted to get a new one for her before her departure. I remembered that I had bought the computer from Amazon about a year ago. Yesterday morning @ 6:30, I logged in and quickly found record of the purchase under the “orders” tab . . . clicked the “buy again” button, selected the home address for delivery and confirmed the payment source, selected the “Free with Prime Same Day Delivery” and confirmed the order. Last night @ 6:15, a little red car drove up the driveway in #OwenHollow (The dogs alerted me) and the driver left a box on my rear stoop . . . The car re... 06/13/2019

Seth Godin’s timeliness is uncanny! Here’s a link to today’s blog post The Learning/Doing Gap This morning, I am heading to a full day class – NAR TECH EDGE Will it be worth the time invested? What will I learn? Will what I learn be relevant and how might it enhance my doing? Seth suggests this: “The thing we usually seek to label as ‘learning’ is actually more about ‘education’. It revolves around compliance, rankings and “will this be on the test?”” and “What happens if the learning we do is accomplished by always engaging in it in conjunction with our doing?” “And what happens if we take a hard look at our doing and spend the time to actually learn something from it?” None of us enjoy squandering time, energy, or money. I’m a believer that the most important thing we can do is to be ... 06/11/2019

Keep on riding that wave! Some days are better than others. Some weeks are better than others. Some months are better than others. Some years ROCK while some others not so much! Whether in the good or the bad, what’s remarkable about you is your resilience. I see you rolling with the punches and soaring with the updrafts. This resilience wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for your dedication to doing whatever it takes to do the right things to keep yourself moving forward. Through your several years with us on this planet, you’ve been building a huge wealth of knowledge from your myriad successes and failures. Don’t ever forget how you got here . . . The things you do when you succeed and things you do (or don’t do) when you fail. We’ve all developed a tool chest of habits, and I believe i... 06/10/2019

There are: 88,538 Email messages in my primary gmail account 122 email messages in my primary gmail account (All Opened) 17,186 Email Messages in my primary gmail “Sent” folder 6424 unopened email messages in my primary gmail “Social” folder 52,652 unopened email messages in my primary gmail “Promotions” folder 755 unopened email messages in my primary gmail “Spam” folder 11,521 Email messages floating around in email purgatory (Archived) unknown number of deleted email messages (Several Hundred Thousand) I received 91 new email messages in my primary gmail account yesterday I “unsubscribe” to @ 5 unsolicited Mass Email campaigns every day I also have another gmail account for my Open Space Consulting These are my numbers today . . . What are yours? If you are sending unsolicited email ... 06/08/2019

There are many very knowledgeable professionals in on-line groups (facebook). If you have a question – ANY question – about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, there’s a self-proclaimed expert just a few taps and clicks away. We all know that, if it’s on the internet, it MUST be true, so . . . We turn to the internet for answers about medical conditions, fixing stuff (cars, computers, appliances, & etc), Psychological diagnosis, diets for weight loss or health, exercise . . . It’s ALL there, right? I have one question: “If you don’t know what you don’t know, how can you be comfortable that the information you find on the internet is true and/or accurate?” There are lots of folks out there who love to give advice to others. Most of these folks never even claim to be experts . . . No one is there ch... 06/07/2019

In this digital world we’re in, things often don’t go as smoothly as we want. The “Red Flag” that danger lurks is often in the form of of a declaration on the box (or website advertisement) . . . “EASY INSTALLATION!” . . . “Some assembly required”. We expect an experience commensurate with these promises and are frequently disappointed. Missing parts . . . special tools required . . . nonsensical directions . . . Thanks go to The National Association of REALTORS for the material for this particular rant. They launched this “great MVP program” whereby members can do a task and get rewarded with free stuff. Sounds great, right? Well . . . Here’s a facebook post I wrote when I was trying to get the coveted webinar: “Is anyone else baffled by the NAR MVP program? Way more complicated than i... 06/06/2019

The cost of Drama within any relationship and organization is immeasurable. Everyone deals with it differently. Most avoid it and scurry off to “safer places”. Some try to kill it with harsh confrontation resulting in acceleration of exacerbation. Sometimes, it’s for good and valid reason . . . A response to a toxic force in the mix. At a minimum, the direct repercussion is a decline in productivity. Even worse is the presence of the most destructive relationship sentiment . . . resentment. No Leader enjoys dealing with this quagmire that could turn Happy Happy to misery in a New York minute. My observation is that the emergence of Drama is almost always a surprise until we start connecting the dots. We can look back into the not too distant past and see discontent brewing . . . and the... 06/04/2019

I cannot BELIEVE I am writing this post. My livelihood depends on Home Buyers and Sellers hiring me or one of the Vital Few Real Estate sales professionals of Pareto Realty. Every minute of every day, we work tirelessly to be the best REALTORS we can be. We pride ourselves on our knowledge and dedication to learning as much as we can, so we can deliver nothing but the best service to our loyal clients. After all, we are “commissioned” to serve and protect our Principals (Home Buyers and Sellers). Indefatigably, we study the Local, Regional, and National trends in the economy as they relate to the health of the housing industry . . . from housing starts (New construction), to new products, to the myriad and always morphing mortgage lending guidelines and products. Day in and day out, we ... 06/03/2019

“They” have super-human powers. Yep! “they” can brainwash just about anybody into believing that doing this thing is dangerous, foolish, and a HUGE waste of time, energy, and money. Of course, “they” have tried EVERYTHING and NONE of it worked for “them”, so how could it possibly work for us? “They” cast doubt and squash optimistic enthusiasm. Don’t listen! Test EVERYTHING your mind can conjure just in case it doesn’t work for “them” but DOES work for you. “They” want you to stay stay small and safe. Don’t allow “them” to define your success (or lack thereof) based on “their” limited beliefs. Everyone’s a critic, and “they” all mean well (Bless their hearts). Now that we’ve cleared the air of all of the DANGER that lurks within “their expert Opinions”, let’s pose a different set of ques... 05/31/2019

Isn’t it mind blowing how HUGE everything is? There are SO many people . . . and each one is unique. Other than food, shelter, love, and safety, we all have many similar needs and wants. We want to belong – to be a part of a community – and to be a contributor. We strive to be worthy . . . to make a difference for those we serve. So who do we serve? Are we serving the (right) people who need us most? How can we help those who need what we have to offer find us? This is the challenge for “Authentic marketing.” It’s more simple than you might think. Begin with clarity of passion/purpose. Who are you, and what’s your cause? How closely aligned with your passion (who you are) is the service or product you are providing? How are you communicating your promise to the people who are craving to... 05/29/2019

Imagine a world in which the CEO prioritizes people over profits. How could this be? After all, CEO’s of Corporations are responsible for financial RESULTS. Why would any Board of directors allow the CEO to go rogue by valuing people over profits? This behavior is risky, irresponsible, and even sloppy. It’s also a WINNER! Consider this TED Talk of Chobani Yogurt Founder and CEO. “It’s time to admit that the playbook that’s guided businesses and CEOs in the last 40 years is broken,” Hamdi Ulukaya He’s right! The playbook that’s guided businesses and CEOs in the last 40 years is no longer relevant . . . This also applies to many other business “norms”. The Real Estate Sales Industry is in transition with respect to compensation models. The current model has been the way it is for as long ... 05/28/2019

In this video, I outline one of the most important reasons to use a real estate agent and it's about relationships.  Not only is the relationship you have with your agent important, the relationships that you agent has with other agents in the market can make all the difference in the world.  And for sellers, you should want a real estate agent who is committed to you and protecting your interests and not just about making as much commission as possible.  05/27/2019

Dependable Homebuyers is looking to purchase homes that are distressed in the Nashville area. They give homeowners the option to sell their home regardless of the condition or need for costly repairs. Excessive repair is often something that keeps many homeowners from placing their home on the market. When using a traditional real estate agent, the owner of the property is expected to make the necessary investment in order to get the home in top shape in order to get the top value for it.When Dependable Homebuyers approaches a property, they look past the curb appeal. They are not concerned if the grass is overgrown or the landscape is lacking. They are fully prepared to make a reasonable offer in order to get the customer the top value for their home. The experts of the company know ho... 05/23/2019

This reason is also true for any Home Buyer who is Frustrated with the process. Buying or selling a house is a HUGE endeavor. It’s an important and complex process that requires the participation of a wide diversity of people (as many as 40+ People in a single transaction), prominent potential for conflict, and strong desire of all parties to have a smooth path to resolution (the closing). Every transaction has it’s own personality because everyone involved is human and inherently imperfect and subject to “outside interference” in the form of personal matters, other ongoing business, and the ever present possibility of “Murphy” showing up. For things to go smoothly, the FIRST thing is for each and every person involved in the process to show up and be present. This means that we must al... 05/23/2019