By Gino Blefari
Last week, I wrote about the physical challenges leaders must face, like General Patton navigating his troops through dangerous battles.
This week, I want to talk about the mental challenges created inside our head. And who better to discuss when matters of the mind are at stake than Albert Einstein?
By Gino Blefari
We all have our heroes.
The altruistic, esteemed characters who, in our minds, occupy a space no one else can ever fill.
For me, one of those heroes is General George S. Patton, a man best known for his command of the Third United States Army during World War II. Not only does Patton win the title of hero because he was a brilliant U.S. commander and leader but also because he was such a man for my own father, who served under Patton during the Battle of the Bulge, a major World War II German offensive fought in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany from December 1944 to January 1945. (My father would go on to receive two purple hearts for his bravery fighting with Patton’s Third Army.)
By Sean Cawley
I’ve been asked on several occasions if I would ever list a haunted house.
And what better time could there be to think about that question than on Halloween? Haunted homes conjure up many images in my mind, from ghosts, ghouls and goblins to the movie Beetlejuice or even that Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland.
So, would I list a haunted house? Yes!
By Gino Blefari
This week I was in China with Earl Lee, HSF Affiliates LLC CEO, presenting to a group of 800 top-producing agents at the 5i5j Group Conference.
The market in China has had an unprecedented run, and I was asked to speak about the U.S home-buying and selling process, the qualities of a successful agent in America and the best strategies for connecting with clients and colleagues.
By Marsha Kotlyar
This summer I had the honor of participating in a panel discussion at the INMAN CONNECT Real Estate Conference in San Francisco.
The topic of the panel was “Winning the Listing: What Sellers Expect” and I was one of three professionals speaking to the large group of real estate agents. I enjoyed the experience and our panel shared a lot of insight, and so I thought I would share my 10 takeaways from the discussion.
By Gino Blefari
It’s been a terrific few days in New Jersey.
I was honored to speak to agents and managers of Bill Keleher’s Somerset-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New Jersey Properties; then sprinted over to Secaucus to address attendees of Tom Ferry’s 2014 Blueprint Conference. I loved both experiences and am in awe of the talent, passion and experience I observed in the professionals I met.
By Lisa Schultz
There’s no denying that technology has changed the face of the real estate industry.
However, the business of referrals is still a tried-and-true method for creating a successful book of business. In a sea of websites, blogs and social media that provide an endless – and oftentimes overwhelming – barrage of information, it can be difficult for a real estate professional to stand out from the competition, or even to get noticed. Content marketing has become an increasingly useful tool for agents looking to separate themselves from the pack.
By Carrie Foley
At this year’s Summit Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, one of the keynote speakers was Darren Hardy, best-selling author, public speaker and master motivator.
I recently read his book, The Compound Effect, and was intrigued to hear how he would customize his message to real estate agents. So, I sat in the grand ballroom at Summit and listened as he spent the next two hours engaging the group of hundreds while also connecting with each audience member individually.
By Jessica Botkin
From the inside out, millennials are changing the way real estate professionals do business. With thousands of property search apps available to them, millennials literally have an incredible wealth of real estate information at their fingertips. In fact, mobile searches are now the No. 1 way consumers look for a home.
By Jill Griffin
Over the past few years, staging a home for sale has become standard practice, rather than an option.
Sellers are incredibly receptive to the idea and often ask me what they need to do to get top dollar for their home long before I can even bring staging up.
Buyers now get confused if they walk into a home that hasn’t been staged or prepped for the market. Often, they ask, “Is this house in pre-foreclosure?” Or, “Is this a rental property?”
Thoughts on Leadership 