As Christian real estate agents our guiding principles of faith and family are deeply rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We use many biblical examples to run our businesses and that is what led the two of us to start a podcast that would encourage other real estate agents. We know we are not the only agents who feel this way and we want it to become commonplace to allow your spiritual strength to be openly and honestly communicated.

That is why we are starting 2025 with a mini-series on Faith in Real Estate and this is the first episode. We hope, yes pray, that this mini-series sets the stage not only for this new year but beyond.

Stacy mentions a book she is reading on faith based business by Larry Burkett, Business by the Book.

For more verses to help with your spiritual goals for your business you can check out this link to WealthBuilders.

In a conversation with a godly women and author, Devi Titus, I heard the phrase, "Home is where the heart is formed" and that has impacted my decisions regarding family and business.

As always you can message on our Facebook page.

Thank you for listening and we would ask that you pray for us as we take our podcast to a deeper level and seek to honor the Lord with it.

Most Podcasts don’t wait until episode 17 to introduce themselves, but that is what we are doing in this episode of self discovery. We think that as one year closes and one begins, it is a good time to take a break and get to know yourself.

We will be using the VARK model of learning styles to determine how we absorb information best and then we will expand that knowledge into how it can make us better real estate agents.

The acronym VARK stands for the four VARK modalities – Visual, Auditory, Read/write, and Kinesthetic – sensory modalities that are used for learning information.

According to the VARK website: VARK tells you something about yourself that you may or may not know. It can be used to understand your boss, your colleagues, your parents, your workmates, your partner, your customers, your teacher, your relatives, your clients, and yourself. It is a short, simple inventory that has been well-received because its dimensions are intuitively understood and its applications are practical.

You can take the VARK questionnaire here.

As you begin to make your goals for 2025, we hope this exercise in self discovery will help you set more realistic goals and to document them in a way that will encourage and motivate you to have a great year!

Please share your results with us on our FaceBook Page.

Stacy mentioned the GrowthDay App and you can find it here.

Brenden Burchard is a best-selling motivational coach.

Our prayer is that this episode will encourage you to get to know yourself and learn how you can become an even better real estate agent. You will also learn how to communicate with your clients according to their sensory modality.

Be Blessed in Real Estate!

Our prayer for you this Christmas season is that you find blessing in the break from the normal flow of business. We recorded this brief episode to share the blessing of Christmas and to encourage you to take a breath to enjoy the Bliss of the busyness.

A few of the encouraging tips will include subtle changes like changing your voicemail greeting to be a blessing but to also set a boundary for you to be free from the phone on Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas from Stacy and Danielle!

Let us know how you change your boundaries to make time for Christmas cheer with a comment on our Facebook Page.

Having an excellent partner in the real estate business who can tackle the closing issues of title is paramount to every successful transaction. In today's episode, we have invited Sherri Johnson of Legacy Land and Title to help us untangle the many aspects of title and title insurance.

Not only is it important to understand the title portion of the transaction; it is also important to have a relationship with the title company. We recommend finding a title company you can build a relationship of mutual benefit and then make it stronger with repeat business.

We discuss several personal stories around the title portion of the transaction and help bring clarity to many of the issues that can sidetrack our transactions as real estate agents.

We do not have to be the experts on title but we do need to know who to turn to for expert work. Find the title company in your market who holds the same guiding principles you hold dear.

Let us know how this episode blessed you by reaching out through our FaceBook page.

Until next time, Be Blessed in Real Estate.

In this episode we discuss the importance of the time for the buyer to investigate the property they are preparing to purchase. Whether you call it the Due Diligence Period, Inspection Period, Option Period, Termination Option, or Amendment Period, this span of time from 5 days to three weeks can be the most emotionally charged time of the entire transaction and the most vulnerable. We will dive into the details and help bring professionalism and calm to this part of the real estate transaction.

The key elements of Due Diligence are property inspections, title searches, reviewing neighborhood trends and zoning, understanding HOA rules and restrictions, ad financing considerations.

You, as the real estate agent, do not need to be an expert at any of these components, but you need to know the experts and be able to refer to your resources for the benefit of your clients and the transaction.

We hope this episode smooths out the roller coaster of this time period. Share this with other agents in your sphere and let us know how it helped you.

Message us on our Facebook Page.

Home Ownership is the American Dream:

Unlocking Your Best Move!

There are so many factors to take into account before making this most important financial decision. Today is full of so much data. We are simply going to list the data with their sources for you to use.

Home Ownership has always been a sacred American right of passage.

1. FRED data (Federal Reserve Economic Data)

2. 1. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS

   2. 89% increase since Q42009

   3. Almost double in 15 years

   4. It had taken 20 years to double before

3. Interest rates have not been as big a factor as you might think

4. 1. In 1988 they were about 10%

   2. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US

   3. 6% now for a 30 year mortgage

• Rental Rates have stayed relatively steady for the same period with a few spikes.

  
  

• Topic Introduction - There are more than just financial elements to the decision

• • Home owners have 40 times the Net Worth of people who do not own a home!

  
  

  
  

  Reasons to Invest in your own home

  • Because you build equity, you build wealth….over time.

    Stability - home ownership

    1. Ownership lays the foundation for a community.

    2. Families who move less often have a better opportunity for long standing relationships.

    3. One exception is military families who develop strong bonds within their deployments and may not settle down for many years

    Emotional Benefits

    1. The ability to control your environment leads to an inner sense of security

    2. Sense of accomplishment

       You can work on your home and improve it, or just give it your personality.

• Tax deductions and comparative data regarding home ownership offers several tax advantages in the U.S., which can help offset costs and make it financially attractive. Here are some key benefits, supported by data and current regulations:

  
  

  1. Mortgage Interest Deduction

  2. Property Tax Deduction

  • How It Works: Property taxes on a primary residence can be deducted from federal taxable income, within limits.

  3. Capital Gains Exclusion

  4. Potential for Wealth Building

  5. Tax-Free Use of Home Equity Loans

  
  

• Reasons to rents

• 1. 1. Renting makes sense if you will not be staying for more that 4 years

     2. Know the type of renter you are.

     3. 1. If you can prioritize your budget, overtime you will be better off buying.

        2. If you prefer the flexibility to move often, renting is a better option.

        3. If you are new to the area, and cannot find a good realtor to help you understand the neighborhoods, rent until you can figure it out.

        4. If the idea of maintenance and home repairs is repulsive, stay in that rental and let the landlord handle it.

  
  

  The graphic from our social media regarding this episode can be found on our FB page.

  
  

  As always you can contact us on our FB page, or you can visit our newly launched website!

  
  

  We continually strive to improve our podcast and become a better resource for you. Send us a message at questions@beblessedinrealestate.com

  
  

  #beblessedinrealestate

Welcome to "Real Estate Negotiation Unlocked," in this episode we explore the strategies, insights, and stories behind successful real estate negotiations. Whether you're a seasoned investor, an aspiring homeowner, or a real estate professional looking to sharpen your skills, you belong here.

We want to credit the most famous negotiator, Donald Trump, who wrote the book, "Trump: The Art of the Deal".

• Negotiation isn't just a skill—it's an art, and in the dynamic world of real estate, mastering it can be the key to your next big win. So, get ready to take notes and elevate your real estate game. Let's get started!"

  Key negotiation skills essential for real estate professionals include:

  1. Active Listening: Understanding clients' and counterparts’ needs, concerns, and motivations to craft solutions that benefit all parties. We discuss the skill of mirroring the language of your counterpart in the negotiation and give credit to Chris Voss' training at the eXpCon2024.
  2. Effective Communication: Clearly conveying information, proposals, and expectations, both verbally and in writing, to build trust and avoid misunderstandings.
  3. Right Tone of Voice: Your tone could affect how your client or counterpart feels about your timeline or the deal itself.
  4. Emotional Intelligence: Reading emotions and managing EVERYone's responses during negotiations to maintain composure and empathy.
  5. Problem-Solving: Thinking creatively to find win-win solutions and overcome potential obstacles during transactions.
  6. Dynamic Silence™ means using silence as a tool to give your counterpart time to think and the opportunity to respond.
  7. Preparation: Conducting thorough research on market conditions, property values, and client preferences to negotiate from a position of strength.
  8. Adaptability: Being able to pivot strategies as negotiations unfold or circumstances change
  9. Persuasiveness: Effectively presenting the value of an offer or counteroffer to align with the interests of all parties
  10. The Ability to Ask Proof of Life™ Questions: Ask questions that will affirm your relationship with the counterpart in your negotiation.
  11. Confidence: Presenting offers assertively without appearing aggressive, showcasing knowledge and competence.
  12. Building Rapport: Establishing positive relationships that foster trust and make negotiations smoother and more collaborative.
  13. The Ability to Ask No-Oriented Questions™.
  14. Detail Orientation: Keeping track of all aspects of the deal, ensuring all agreements and contingencies are addressed and documented.
  15. Integrity: Upholding honesty and ethical practices to maintain credibility and long-term relationships.

  
  

  As always, we would love to hear from you. Follow our Facebook Page and leave us a comment or question.

  
  

  We want to thank Shaunna Lee for her help in making this podcast come to fruition.

Turning Pet Peeves into Best Practices:

How to Be the Agent Everyone Wants

Comment on our ⁠FaceBook⁠ page.

In this episode we discuss some of our pet peeves in the real estate industry. But, instead of just venting and complaining, we have decided to turn these pet peeves into best practices. We are going to improve our communication skills, response times, and other ways we conduct business by becoming the agents we would like to work with.

As we discovered a more excellent way to conduct businesses and cultivate relationships, we realized that we were striving to exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit from ⁠Galations 5: 22-23⁠.

Here is what we decided to do:

1. Practice Empathy and Patience: Try to view things from the other agent’s perspective. Maybe they’re overwhelmed or new to the field. Empathy can help reduce frustration, and patience can keep the process on track.

2. Use Clear and Proactive Communication: If an agent has poor communication skills, set the standard yourself. Be clear and direct, reiterate expectations, and ask questions that guide them toward the outcome you want. Proactively sharing updates can also model good communication.

3. Set Boundaries Respectfully: If an agent is aggressive or inflexible, stand firm on your boundaries while remaining polite. For example, if they’re pushing for unrealistic pricing, provide data or examples to back up your stance.

4. Offer Guidance Rather Than Criticism: If another agent’s lack of preparedness or mistakes are causing issues, gently offer helpful advice. For instance, you could say, “I noticed we missed this detail in the contract. I found a quick solution if that’s helpful!”

5. Shift the Focus to Solutions: Rather than dwelling on the problem, aim to discuss how to move forward. A simple, “Let’s focus on what we can do next to make this work,” can redirect the conversation and keep things positive.

6. Give Constructive Feedback After the Transaction: Sometimes agents aren’t aware of their shortcomings, especially if they’re newer. Consider offering feedback after the transaction is complete—focus on what would improve future transactions rather than rehashing past issues.

7. Celebrate Small Wins and Progress: When a tough deal makes progress, acknowledge it—even if it’s just in your own mindset. Recognizing small steps can make challenging interactions feel more manageable.

8. Use Learning as a Tool for Growth: Reflect on what the experience has taught you or what you’d do differently next time. For example, if an agent was disorganized, maybe it motivates you to refine your own processes or document expectations more clearly.

9. Create a “Next Time” Strategy: If an agent continually misses details, decide how you’ll handle similar cases in the future. This could mean revising your checklist to prevent missed steps or deciding on phrases you’ll use to address issues diplomatically next time.

10. Keep Perspective and Remember the Big Picture: Real estate transactions involve a lot of moving parts. Sometimes focusing on the ultimate goal—helping clients achieve their dreams or getting deals closed—helps keep frustrations in check.

Approaching difficult situations this way can often help you feel more in control, and you might even end up building positive relationships with agents you initially found challenging. In the end, this is how you are "blessed in real estate".

As always, you can send us an email to ⁠Questions@beblessedinrealestate.com