For all my realtor and originator friends… I found a great motivational story that I wanted to pass on to you but instead of just telling you the story I decided that we all can use the entire web-site, it’s awesome! Save it in your favorites and take time to read from it everyday. One of my favorite stories so far is Fear of Public Speaking, it’s my biggest fear, most of you that know me would not think this of me … it’s so true, I admit it! I have tried before and I am just a mess! I told myself, “Alanea! snap out of it, you can do this; so I am now challanging myself and letting all of you in on it. I will even ask some of you to be my critics by practicing in front of you. I need to do this! I will do this!! Anyway, here is the awesome web-site.
Archive for 2010
CHOICE TITLE’S MARKETING REP. HAS FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Friday, April 9th, 2010Market Loves Louisiana
Friday, April 9th, 2010I know we all are frustrated with the media and their continuing practice
of trying to scare us and our clients away from real estate, but there is
rainbow appearing from the storm. In not one, but THREE places; Louisiana
in general, Baton Rouge and New Orleans specifically have been held out as
the best or most improved market available…nation wide!
What a boost for our spirits, let alone our wallets! Let’s look at what is
being said –
Forbes magazine in their article “10 Best Places to Relocate” listed New
Orleans as a great place for young, new, entrepreneurs. That we have been
seeing an influx of people looking to cash in on the rebuilding of the
city, new businesses that are opening and our great real estate prices. Go
figure…
An article earlier this year named the Thibodaux-Houma corridor as the #1
area in the nation for home value appreciation, close to 10% annually. Some
of our best gems are hidden away in our beautiful wetlands!
And Baton Rouge couldn’t have a better image nationally than if they went
out and hired someone (I thought we did!) to write glowing accolades of our
market. Local Market Monitor declared the Capital Region to be stable for
the next 12 months, much credit to our agents and citizenry since we never
did let our home pricing get as insane as some in California, Florida or
Nevada. First American CoreLogic’s Home Price Index showed a 3.1% increase
in home prices in January and Louisiana overall having a statewide increase
of 4.8% (2.5% if you include distressed properties).
With all of this good news, we need to be sharing it with every client we
have in our database. Who knows whose kid just graduated from college and
is looking for some place different to apply that newly earned degree; or
has a friend or relative that’s lost a job in one of those aforementioned
awful markets that needs a new beginning. There are a million opportunities
out there, our job is to let them know that it’s better here. Hope has
indeed found fertile ground.
Don’t wait for the Market to come to you, CREATE YOUR MARKET…
Friday, April 2nd, 2010This past week I was talking to an agent and of course the regular questions came up, “You Busy?”, “Whatcha working on?”, “How’s your business?”. Then she said something profound. She said, “I am not waiting anymore, I’m going to Create a Market!”. The more we discussed it, the more concentrated her market became, until she had a laser point focus on what her niche was going to be. While I don’t want to give her hard work away, I will share the process. And next week discuss what I see my Niche may become.
As a professional you have to separate yourself from everyone else. You need to determine what YOUR focus is going to be…YOUR niche. By targeting your business to a few markets you not only protect yourself from the competition, but you shield yourself from the state of the economy. If you do this successfully, your clients won’t now what they did without you. I know of an agent in our area that was/ is the “short sale expert”. Even when times are good you will get referrals for your specific market. In an arena of generalists, people in need will seek out the specialist.
What is your Niche? First ask yourself, what is the competition NOT doing? Is there a Niche they have failed to fill? It is very easy to become the expert of something no one else is doing. Then determine if what you are currently doing relates to this “prospective niche”, you can’t be an expert in one area one day and a completely different area the next. Then ask yourself, how can I differentiate my business from others? How can I create the perception that my market simply cannot live without me. What do I have to offer?
Time to Focus…Decide what your client looks like, define who they are, and more importantly where do you find them. Too many times people stop focusing before they reach their client. “First Time Home Buyers” is not a niche…”Young, Married, plant workers in the Ascension Parish Area” is a niche. You know who they are, you know where to find them, and better yet, it is easy to ask other people to market your niche. Make sure your niche is different, and make sure your niche is viable. No point going after “Young, Married, plant workers in the Ascension Parish Area” if all the plants are laying off workers.
The Unpaid Sales Rep… Ask yourself where is you client? Does your niche have an association? Where do they gather? How do you get to as many of them as you can, efficiently? I know a Disability Insurance sales rep whose niche is dentists, at the end of each graduating class guess who is making presentations at the state school of dentistry? As you position yourself as THE expert, the leaders of these groups will seek you out.
The only constant is change… Re-evaluate your niche, when it gets old go through the process again. Look where you market has been, how it evolved (and it will) and where it is going. Develop new products and services to add to your Business, competitors will respond to your success and you will need to grow to stay ahead. The secret to niche marketing is being able to evolve with time.
Gareth Beale is the Marketing Director for Choice Title LLC, you can respond here, or contact him directly Gareth@choicetitle.com
http://twitter.com/gareth_beale
His weekly Blog can be found here.
Don’t Let Negative Attitude Block You from Your Success
Friday, March 26th, 2010It is no secret that I have been focusing on getting to that “Next” Level this year. I have read several books recently from management to marketing , but without the right attitude no amount of knowledge can get you past whatever is blocking you from your goals. Recently I was discussing this with Ryan Lowe and shared my desire to write a blog on the subject, my problem was I am no expert on the matter nor do I wish to research it and take away from my current focus. “Just use my Blog posts”, was his answer. Hopefully his generosity is reciprocated in the additional exposure to his website and upcoming book. Ryan is an inspiration to all that know him which is only topped by his charisma and willingness to help a friend. Thank you Ryan for your help.
Don’t Let Negative Attitude Block You from Your Success
Originally Written By Ryan Lowe 02/02/2010
Blatantly Stolen By Gareth Beale 03/25/2010 (with permission) 
The other night I was reminded by a close friend of mine why I decided to write the book “Get Off Your Attitude.” She had mentioned that she thinks that most people let their negative attitudes block them from their successes in life. It could be any type of success; it could be in friendships, marriage or their career. We discussed several possible reasons for this, and the ones that really hit home to me are your past, your current situation and the influence of your circle of friends. The reason why these hit home to me is because they are areas in which I have personally struggled. Please note that I am writing these blogs and the book because I have know how it feels it how these areas can drain you and keep your from your success. Our past is something that always reminds us of where we have been, and too often we let it dictate our present and our future. This is a habit that I think we have all struggled with at some point in our lives, and some of us have never learned how to let go of the parts of our past that haunt us. We simply must learn to let it go. No one on this earth can change it, rewrite it or relive it. We must accept that it is over. The one thing you can’t do is forget the lesson. There is beauty in every lesson of our past, and is the most important aspect of our past. Have you ever noticed that when we first choose not to see the lesson, that it just keeps coming back at us until we do?
Your Past
I firmly believe that one of the most powerful things we can do to discover these lessons in life is to journal. I write in my journal every day. I write down the good, bad, and the ugly. I write it down and move on. This is one way that can help you know that you are moving on and that you are a student of life. Whether your current situation is good or bad, always remember that it will change. We all seem to think that the current situation is forever, but it is important to realize that it is only for a season. This is true whether you are in a bad relationship, a bad job, or in a bad financial situation.
Your Current Situation
One of the things you can do to get into a better current situation — it doesn’t matter what it is, how bad it seems, or how long you’ve been in it — is to have a game plan to make it better. You also must have goals. Your goals and game plan will keep you on track to a better situation. One the things I have learned is that you can’t change this overnight, but you can work on it a little bit daily and take it one day at a time. This will put you in control and it will definitely help you to develop a better attitude. The people you are surrounding yourself with will dictate your future. I remember growing up and my mom and dad always saying things like, “birds of a feather flock together,” or my favorite is: “You lay down with dogs and you will get fleas.” I never really understood it until I was older and I must admit I didn’t listen to them. I thought I could hang out with anyone and I could keep on moving towards my goals in life. Take it from me, it does not work that way. You must surround yourself with people that are on the same playing field you are on. If you are looking to live a great life and you are looking to better yourself, you must. I remember going to one of my first motivational seminars at a young age and the speaker said, “If there is someone in your life that consistently stresses you out, get rid of them.” I did exactly what he said and it worked. I focused on others that could lift me during tough time. Remember also that you don’t want to be the person that they want to get rid of, and so make sure you bring value to your relationship to them. The way you can do that is to be positive with them and be truthful when it comes to helping each other.
Your Friends
One of things you can do is write down the top five people you surround yourself with. Ask yourself, are they bringing a positive effect and bringing joy to your life and are you doing the same for them? Also, you must ask yourself, “Are these individuals people that you can trust and are they people you wan to help achieve success their own lives?” This will be one of the most important things you do to help yourself achieve and maintain positive attitude.
Keep in mind that these three areas are only a few that I decided to write about in this blog. There are more that I will discuss in future blogs and in the book. I strongly welcome your feedback and I ask you to please let me know if this has helped you and if you have any suggestions on how to work on these areas and make them better. I love to hear how people have gotten of their attitude. Also, please feel free to share this blog with any of your friends who you think will benefit from its message. I truly want help others reach their dreams and goals in life with a positive attitude.
New RESPA Guidelines to change REO Procedures???
Friday, March 12th, 2010RESPA Section 9 covers the rights of the buyer to choose the title company in a purchase transaction. Sec. 2608 of 
RESPA under the heading of Title companies; liability of seller states:
(a) No seller of property that will be purchased with the assistance of a federally related mortgage loan shall require directly or indirectly, as a condition to selling the property, that title insurance covering the property be purchased by the buyer from any particular title company.
(b) Any seller who violates the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be liable to the buyer in an amount equal to three times all charges made for such title insurance.
Now ask any realtor, banker, or asset manager and this is not the way the REO market has been run. In fact it was the complete opposite, statements like “seller to choose closing attorney”, or “title company seller’s preference” is not only the norm but expected. The original idea was that systems and tools could be put in place to handle large volumes of closings. RESPA obviously saw some risk for corruption, or at the very least, dealings that may not serve the consumer.
The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) must have finally heard this loud and clear because they have now made a dramatic change to their REO addendum on Section 2B, page 1 line 4 to state, “The closing shall be held at a place so designated and approved by the Purchaser.” I would imagine we will start to see many banks follow FNMA’s lead in the future. We’ll see…
For more information on REO Properties go to our Closing 101 section or contact Gareth.
Saints
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010New Orleans Saints more of a litmus test than you may think
“It’s Just a Football Game, is it really going to change your life”, That’s what was being said to me as I kneeled on my hands and knees hoping that the football Gods would somehow speed up the fabric of time and end the Super Bowl with the Saints leading. It got me thinking this morning, would the New Super Bowl Champs change my life? Well maybe it would change my life in a 6 degrees of separation kind of way. Stick with me because this could get messy.
I am sure everyone noticed the roadside Saints merchandise tents popping up all over town. Well there is a reason that they are there, people are spending money. I myself spent $112.00 on new hats for the kids, a more feminine jersey for my wife, the NFC championship hat (the Super Bowl hat is notoriously ugly, and once again they didn’t disappoint) and some sort of car flag that lets everyone know I am a card carrying member of the “Who Dat Nation”, and please don’t steal my car. All this before the Saints even won “The Game”. Who knows what I will be purchasing now, Reggie Bush Bobble Head, Lock of Drew Brees’ hair in a super dome locket, Colts toilet Paper?
So if I’m typical of the middle class, mid thirties, balding, chubby (in a good kind of way) family man, and I’d like to think that I am, then we all went out spent some money on frivolous Black and Gold Stuff. Why is this out of the norm? Well for the last 8 months to a year I, like my chubby brethren have been hording our dimes and nickels like the Monopoly Banker holds on to blue 50’s. I’m talking meatloaf instead of New York Strip, hitting the 89 button instead of 93 button at Shell, the whole nine yards. Heck I re-gifted kids Christmas presents. Not that I made any less money, but I watch Television and by the looks of things I thought by now we would be half-way to Mad Max Beyond Thunder Dome type living (if you haven’t seen it, you should). Now before you do something crazy like eating your one year emergency food supply, I am no expert on world economy. But it felt good, putting the brand new Saints cap on my son’s head, and I went one step further this week and booked a weekend to take my wife to a Mardi Gras Ball. The Saints Winning the Super Bowl, makes us feel good. Maybe good enough and for long enough, that some people who have been too petrified to buy a house, actually pull the trigger and purchase that house that they are qualified to buy. Even if it was previously owned by Tina Turner’s hair dresser (Ubiquitous Mad Max reference).
I don’t really care what tax credits, or incentives the federal government gives. If purchasing a home doesn’t FEEL right, people aren’t going to do it. And lets be honest things haven’t FELT right for a while around Southern Louisiana. Maybe all that talk about Normalcy that politicians and pundits were talking about isn’t what we needed at all. Maybe what we all needed is a good ‘ol shot of feel good Saints the whole time. I can give no guarantees that the real estate business will go into hyper drive, or even that in 6 months we all won’t be eating dog food out of unmarked cans, driving cars with chicken wire across the windshield, and running from Mohawk clad renegades (really go rent the movie). But driving around town today, no one was complaining about the New HUD-1, or the Chaotic nature of the new Good Faith Estimate, everyone was just happy to be living in area blessed to be part of the “Who Dat Nation”.
Oh and getting back to the original question, how will this all change my life…well I DO work on commission. “BLESS YOU BOYS”
Welcome to the Choice Title Blog
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Welcome to the new Choice Title website. We created this website based on what our clients wanted and ideas given to us from sites outside the industry. Our aim is to have this Blog not only give you a place to learn what is going on in the world of real estate but also an insight into Choice Title. With new HUD-1 changes going into effect this month, we wanted to ease the turmoil and concerns of clients. With the use of our GFE calculator, lenders can develop our fees for their Good Faith Estimate without having to pick up a phone, or even a calculator. Realtors can contact our processors through live chat without having to navigate phone systems, or download potential harmful software. Consumers can ask for help or information packages 24/7.
Our new software is in place, we have taken all the classes (and even given some) and we are ready to help you get through the process of a home transaction, no matter if you are the consumer, the realtor, or the lender, our goal is to help you through the new process.
So browse the website, follow us on twitter and add this blog to you RSS feeds. Check back often, because this is just the beginning for www.CHOICETITLE.com.
