We lost a One of a Kind Gem this Week

My heart sank this morning when I heard the news that we had lost Bob Hewes.  Bob was one of my absolute favorites in the industry – could be because he kind of reminded me of my dad who I miss desperately too. Bob had that rare dry sense of humor – you always had to pay attention or you would miss his subtle nuances and quips.  He was a born negotiator. He wasn’t happy unless he was getting a big deal for his beloved Association. the Naples Area Board of REALTORS®.   He got the best of me pretty much [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:50-07:00February 9th, 2015|Main category|0 Comments

Bad Customer Service can WIPE OUT a LOT of goodwill away in minutes!

Every company SAYS they have good customer service, but we all know the truth – many companies believe they are customer-centric, but when it comes right down to it, they don't always live up to the promise. I am going to use my brand relationship with my most frequently travelled airline to illustrate this point. With this unnamed airline I have had a really good year. I travelled almost exclusively with them, helping to raise my status level to the point where I travelled more in free upgraded first class seats than not. I was privy to the attention of [...]

News Corp Announces New Leadership At Move, Inc.

Ryan O’Hara Named CEO New York, NY (December 17, 2014) – News Corp announced today that Ryan O’Hara will become Chief Executive Officer of Move, Inc. (“Move”), effective January 5, 2015. Mr. O’Hara will replace CEO Steven Berkowitz, who has led the company since January 2009. News Corp acquired Move, a leading provider of online real estate services, including realtor.com®, last month. “We are excited to have secured Ryan O’Hara to take the helm at Move, given his record of transforming businesses in the digital age and his clear determination to accelerate the growth of the company. We are also [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:52-07:00December 18th, 2014|Press Releases|0 Comments

What’s Your Big Idea?

Our lives become intense at this time of year. As the door closes on 2014, we are consumed with things undone, like holiday shopping. We also consider the goals that we expected to reach, and the number of days to reach them. If you are thinking about your next big idea for 2015, it is a good time to build some lists and to get rid of clutter. It took me a few years, but I finally learned to leverage the Notes feature on my Apple devices. Unlike paper, I have them with me most of the time and can [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:52-07:00December 18th, 2014|Main category, Strategic Planning|0 Comments

Time for WAV Group’s MLS Technology Survey

WAV Group would like to invite you and your MLS to participate in the fourth annual WAV Group MLS Technology Survey. This is a free, non-sponsored survey we provide for the benefit of the industry.  The more participation we have, the more accurate and valuable the findings will be for everyone. In 2013 we had over 75 MLSs participating with over 15,000 agents completing surveys. With your help, we will surpass that number this year. We are modifying the approach to the survey process. This year we will be fielding the survey in two stages for the purpose of saving [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:52-07:00December 18th, 2014|Main category, MLS Insights|0 Comments

Keep your organization ahead of the WAVes of Change happening in 2015!

As we end 2014 now is a great time to sit back and reflect on the best ways to help prepare your organization for the inevitable evolutions and revolutions we may experience next year. Do you sometimes feel like your Board of Directors and key staff are out of touch with what’s really happening in the real estate industry today? Do you sometimes feel a bit isolated and would like to know if other organizations are facing the same challenges you are? Is your organization suffering from stifled and cumbersome decision-making? Here’s what can happen when an organization is out [...]

Building an Online Brand – The “Sparkles” Example

For any of you that follow either Victor Lund or I on social media you know that we are very proud parents. We share the latest news from our 11 year old daughter Alexandra, who has been named “Sparkles” by her fellow dancers because of her sparkling personality and propensity to wear glittery clothes regularly! As a proud parent, I have to share the great news that “Sparkles” will be appearing on the finale of Dancing with the Stars on Monday, November 24th in an opening number promoting the upcoming re-release of the classic story Annie coming to theaters around the [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:54-07:00November 19th, 2014|Main category, Marketing|0 Comments

There IS hope for the real estate industry!

I had one of the best days I’ve ever had since I’ve been a part of this industry at the NAR conference this year!   I witnessed what I believe to be a historic moment in the real estate industry where MLSs, Associations, Brokers, Franchises and Technology companies ALL came together for the greater good of the industry.   No drama, no conflict, just unity! Hallelujah! Kudo’s to the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World for bringing forth a set of balanced recommendations to the Emerging Issues committee on behalf of large and small brokers around the nation. I am proud [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:54-07:00November 19th, 2014|Main category|1 Comment

REALTOR(R) Productivity is stronger than expected

The world is looking up in real estate.  Cautious optimism abounds.  So now the real question is…how many REALTORS® are back in the game for real?  How many have captured the hearts of sellers?  How many have sold properties in the past 6 months?   We believe the information that we have just gathered is encouraging. It looks like the wealth is being spread around to more REALTORS® than expected. We thought the numbers would reflect the 80/20 rule – In reality, it looks like the 60/40 rule is running the day. Just under 60% of REALTORS have had a transaction [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:55-07:00November 19th, 2014|Main category|1 Comment

Waves of Change Are Coming…Are you Ready?

We all know that the floor is shifting in the real estate industry. There’s a general discomfort among brokers and Associations that the world as we know it could go away soon. So what can you do to prepare?   Are you staying close to the new players entering the real estate space? Are you listening closely to what today’s real estate customers are demanding and many times NOT getting from their agent?  Are you proactively talking about the ways that the industry is changing and how it is affecting your local real estate marketplace? Here’s what can happen when an [...]

30 Days and Counting

“How do you like your new gig,?” asked Lew Sichelman, perhaps America’s most ardent and prolific consumer real estate columnist and my dear friend of nearly 30 years, by phone the other day. “Unbelievable!,” I answered, wanting to forget that I learned that automatic response from a Tommy Hopkins sales training class I took a dozen years ago. But it’s an accurate description of how it’s been to join a team that is clearly among the most revered and respected professionals in real estate. On September 23, Victor Lund and Marilyn Wilson told the world that I was joining their [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:56-07:00October 29th, 2014|Main category, Our Services|1 Comment

Is your Board out of touch?

Do you sometimes feel like your Board of Directors and key staff are out of touch with what’s really happening in the real estate industry today?  Do you sometimes feel a bit isolated and would like to know if other organizations are facing the same challenges you are?  Is your organization suffering from stifled and cumbersome decision-making? Here’s what can happen when an organization is out of touch.  They can delay decisions because they seem difficult or controversial causing the organization to fall behind or lose its competitive advantage. Boards that do not stay close to trends can enforce outdated [...]