Sotuh Florida Real Estate - it depends on how you decide to see things

I had the pleasure of reading some wonderful lessons from a business coach and there was one lesson that resonated deeply with me. It was not phrased as a question but as a statement:

“Success depends on your mind-set”

Never have I heard a more truthful statement. The economy is telling us that we are suffering, that we cannot be successful because the economy is so bad. This self-limiting belief can prevent us all from achieving.

The coach went on to explain, as a child you are already programmed with self-limiting beliefs such as, “don’t talk to strangers” or “don’t be too forward” etc. These beliefs can actually hinder you in the future as they put negative and limiting beliefs.

Think of it like this: if you become excited and enthused about something no matter who you speak to about it they too will “catch your enthusiasm” and feed off your positive energy. Unfortunately the opposite also holds true.

As an active Realtor in today’s market, I am always hearing about how negative the market is. The fact is what can be negative to one person can also be an opportunity in disguise. Today’s Real Estate market has plenty of these opportunities to find. Prices are lower. Banks are more willing to negotiate and more and more Sellers have become realistic. Remember as a Seller you cannot think of what you need to sell for the price will only be set by what Buyers will be willing to pay for it.

As a Realtor I am having these conversations daily with my Sellers. I explain that there are ways to capitalize on this market but that you must also be willing to invest. For instance, did you know that staging a property can help not only sell a property faster but also for a higher dollar amount. De-cluttering is also another useful tool. I explain to Sellers that the moment you decide to list a property for sale is the moment that your property goes from being your “home” to an “investment”. Working with an experienced Realtor will benefit you tremendously.

To find out the current market value of your property send us an email at info@golanteam.com.

Keller Williams Family Reunion - Lessons for All

Last week was a real wake up call. The whole Golan Team attended the Keller Williams Family Reunion in Orlando, Florida. For most when you think of a “Family Reunion” you think of fun in the sun, maybe a cruise, but most likely a big party and a lot of good memories.

For Keller Williams Agents, Family Reunion definitely does include the spirit of fun but it is more about work, goals, ethics and taking your business to a new level of achievement. For the Golan Team, that was exactly what we went to Family Reunion to achieve.

Almost 7000 Keller Williams Agents thought the same thing. Gary Keller, who founded the company in 1983 talked about all the opportunities we have as Agents in this “Shifted” market. There were approximately 100 seminars to attend over the three day period and there many lessons to learn whether you were a Realtor, a Buyer, a Seller or an Investor. Below I thought I would share a few thoughts that I think we can all learn lessons from:




These were my top 5 lessons that have changed my outlook not only on the Real Estate market but also in my personal life…


1) FOCUS ON WHAT YOU GET FROM AN EXPENSE: This is universal.. if you are subscribing to a service are you getting the most for it? Cut your expenses to a minimum…ask yourself do you really need this? Is it producing more than it is costing you? Are you bringing in more than you are spending? This principle can be applied not only to Real Estate but to every expense in our everyday lives.

2) If you want to sell your house then, “BE IN THE MARKET NOT ON THE MARKET”. Listing a property today is not the hard part – selling it is. The truth is that if a property is priced right (defined as being in the bottom 10%-20% of the lowest property price point for your property) it will sell…These are the properties that are attracting Buyers and know THERE ARE BUYERS OUT THERE. So remember in order to achieve your goal of selling a property = PRICE IT RIGHT.


3) Know that the price given to you at a Listing Presentation has an expiration date just like the milk in your refrigerator!!! Again thinking about the principle above, you must always be aggressive in your pricing and watch what is selling around you and why it is selling and yours is not. Be diligent in reducing your price of your property to attract the most Buyers. This is called, “the worry price” the price at which Buyers will worry that if they don’t jump on it, they will miss the opportunity.

4) Be consistent, Be Persistent and think like a Warrior. We all need to understand that we are fighting for our survival (just look at the economy) so think like a Warrior and keep that mentality to achieve your goals in this marketplace.


5) “Qualify your expectations” Be realistic about your goals. If you are listing a property then be realistic about the selling price. This market is based on the principle of timing and opportunity. Opportunity is a result of attracting the Buyer who will pay the best price in this market for your property and it is up to you to capitalize on this.

If you would like to discuss any of this further, please feel free to comment or contact me via email : debra@golanteam.com or phone 786-333-6200. If you also want to know how to sell your property and attract multiple offers, again please contact us to discuss strategies.

Golan Team Guide to Selling Your Home

Selling your home is definitely your Realtor’s job but there are certainly things you can do to help your property look its best.

Here are our top 12 tips for a perfect showing:

1) Clean up your house – make sure the Buyer sees the property – not your stuff!!! Make sure your beds are all made, wash the floors, sweep the carpets and remove all extra clutter from the house.

2) Have your house lit up – open those blinds and curtains and open the lights in every room

3) Light candles & Play music – Try those lightly scented candles– do not use overpowering scents or incense – they may actually deter a Buyer. Also playing light instrumental music in the living area to help coax the Buyer into spending a few more minutes looking around.

4) Stage the Property for a sale move furniture around (or even remove furniture) to give a room its best look. Add decorative items on the kitchen counters, perfumed bathroom soaps etc.

5) If you have a pet – make sure you use a air freshener or carpet odor spray to remove any pet smells from a room – Lighting candles can also help

6) Remove any pets from the premises while showing. If you have an aquarium, make sure it is clean as it will give a great impression to the Buyer that you care about the property.

7) Clean up the exterior areas – remove dead leaves and fallen branches, sweep the walkways and keep a clean pool area.

8) Repaint walls with peeling paint & pay attention to caulking near baseboards.

9) Secure all your valuables – don’t leave any jewelry or valuables lying around – this includes credit card statements.

10) Organize your documents – have your title insurance policy, your last mortgage statement, your Homeowner/Condo documents, your proof of opening and closing of building permits, construction plans or contracts for repairs, appliance warranties, manuals etc., all together in a file so you don’t have to panic and look for them when the contract comes in.

11) Fill out your Sellers Disclosure – be honest up front if there are issues in the house, this way the Buyer trusts you – Remember it will all be revealed during an inspection anyway.

12) Leave the Realtor to sell your home. Sometimes when a homeowner stays home during a showing it can intimidate a Buyer and rush them through the property as they do not want the Owner to think they are so interested in the property.