During a crisis, my go-to strategy is digging for details. The more I ask questions and dive in, the better the chances of finding a resolution for all parties involved.

It's about reaching a middle ground, not a perfect solution where everyone feels like a winner. Conflict requires compromise.

So, how do I dig for details? Let me share five or six strategies for engaging in productive conversations.

1. I encourage people to open up to me.

I ask them to elaborate on what's happening and why they feel the way they do. I want to draw out their thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, my goal is to help them release their emotional tension. By talking it out, they become more amenable to reaching a resolution.

2. I clarify by asking for more context.

When things are unclear, I dig deeper. I rephrase questions if necessary. Lawyers excel at this skill.

3. The third approach is normalizing.

I let them know they're not alone, that others have faced similar situations. This b...

In a study of 10,000 sales calls, two different scripts were tested to set appointments with sales professionals.

I'll share those scripts with you, and I want you to think about which one you believe was more effective.

Script one: "I'd love to talk to you about a game-changing idea I just came across."

Script two: "I'd love to get your opinion on something."

Now, which script do you think had a higher success rate? Well, script two, where we asked for their opinion, outperformed the other script by a staggering 700%.

People love giving their opinion. It's irresistible. We see it on social media all the time. So when we use this language in our sales approach, it engages and opens up the conversation.

Try incorporating it when selling homes, talking to buyers, or engaging with sellers.

For example, ask Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, "I've found a few homes that could be a good fit. Can you tell me your opinion? Which one should we look at first?"

With sellers, say, "I've ...

If you want a fun (and impactful) message to put on through your marketing channels, try something like this:

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Hey guys, want a surprising real estate market statistic?

Here it is:

35.2% of sellers are receiving over full price when they close on a transaction.

Despite the talk of a real estate recession, it's a different kind of market. Low inventory due to sellers holding onto their homes with great interest rates has created strong demand. When a house hits the market, sellers are getting incredible activity and many are selling for over asking price.

So, if you or someone you know is thinking about selling, now is the time.

It's actually a great time to sell a home, contrary to what the news media may say. The market is unique and unlike anything we've seen before. Don't let the headlines mislead you.

I'm here to help you navigate this market and discuss any real estate questions or concerns you may have. Let's have a conversation about real estate or any...

Did you know that one in seven US home investors lost money on their investment in March?

While I don't feel too bad for them, it's worth noting that profits are down for flippers and investors in the marketplace. And the reason for this is simple: holding costs are higher, interest rates have increased, and there's less inventory to choose from. So when a property that meets their criteria does come on the market, there's higher competition for it.

But as a REALTOR, you can help investors and be the person they turn to.

Let me share my personal experience:

Twice this week, I had different agents representing buyers call me. Their approach was interesting. They said, "Hey Jim, I noticed you recently purchased some real estate investment property. I have an investor myself who's looking to buy something. Do you have anything that you're holding that you'd be willing to sell now that you've bought some other things?"

I thought this was a great strategy - they just id...

Hey guys, I want to share two real estate opportunities that many agents are overlooking:

The first opportunity is targeting the most likely seller in America - baby boomers aged 45 to 55 who are downsizing or right-sizing their homes.

According to a recent study, 10.4% of all listings will fall under this category.

Now, when these baby boomers downsize, their current homes may need some repairs or upgrades. Many of them may not have the money or the desire to fix them up, and that's where you can come in.

Reach out to these homeowners and ask if they would consider selling their homes without having to do any repairs or upgrades. Let them know that you are working with buyers who are willing to put some sweat equity into the property. This messaging will resonate with many of these sellers who are looking for convenience.

The second opportunity is to capitalize on the decline of iBuyers in the market.

Many iBuyers have gone out of business or significantly reduced th...

As a real estate professional, I often get asked about the biggest demographic group that's currently buying homes.

Well, the answer might surprise you:

It's millennials!

In fact, they make up the vast majority of buyers on the market. So, if I want to get these potential buyers off the fence and into homeownership, I need to focus on their motivations, not just on getting more business.

Here are the top three reasons why millennials are buying homes.

1. Millennials want to build equity in their own home instead of building someone else's equity through rent payments.

This is a powerful message that needs to be a part of our marketing campaigns. Have you ever stopped to think that every time you make a rent payment, you're helping someone else build their wealth? What if you could start building wealth for yourself and your family by owning your own home? Homeownership is within everyone's capability, and I can help you get there. Even if you can't do it today, let...

I want to discuss how to follow up with a seller effectively. Having a reliable follow-up process is essential to getting the seller to sell their house for the highest possible price.

Many agents don't have a set follow-up plan, so I encourage you to adopt a consistent and rigid one. This means that you are consistent in delivering your follow-up to the seller. It all starts with a conversation where you set the seller's expectations when you first take the listing. You say, "Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Seller, I'm super excited to be your listing agent and start working with you. We're going to get your home sold."

One of the things I like to do is to have a weekly follow-up call, and I will provide a complete update on what's happening. This includes virtual showings, physical showings, feedback from agents, the seller's peer group, and any new listings that hit the market. I will also send you a physical report every week.

I usually email it on Monday mornings or afternoons,...

I have a really powerful way to have an honest conversation about commissions with a seller.

This is a great script from one of my top producers.

Here's what he says: "Hey, listen, here's my listing fee. My listing fee is [X, which could be 2.5%, 2%, 3%, or whatever number you choose.] I'm not trying to price-fix here. But what we really need to talk about is what we're going to pay the buyer's agent. We need to look at this as a marketing incentive to get buyer's agents to show the property.

To help you make a decision on what to offer the buyer's agent, I recommend doing a commission map survey. Put a pin on a map and look at every listing that sold within a certain radius, such as a mile, five miles, or half a mile. Of the listings that sold in the area in the last six months, you can see what commission they offered to the buyer's agent.

Based on that, you can decide where you want to be. You can be where most people are offering to buyers, or you can be an ou...

I have a quick question for you:

Are you marketing your marketing?

You might be wondering what I mean by that, right? Well, let me explain: As real estate agents, we do an amazing job for our clients. We use drone photography, staging, postcards, social media marketing, and more to showcase their properties. We go all out to sell their homes in record time and get them top dollar.

But who actually experiences all of this marketing? Sure, the buyers who purchase the property may see it, as well as a small group of people in our closest network. However, not everyone is seeing all of our marketing efforts. In fact, on social media, only about 4-6% of our audience is actually seeing our posts.

So, how do we market our marketing?

One approach is to create a success portfolio. Whenever you have a beautiful, photogenic listing, go all out and create a home book, do exclusive videography, Matterport, and everything else. Treat it like an interview for your next listing. Th...

Did you know that more people in America have pets than children? It's true!

20 years ago, 48% of American families had kids at home. Today, that number is down to 40%.

On the other hand, the number of Americans with pets has increased dramatically, from 56% in 1988 to 70% today.

As REALTORS, this information is valuable to us because it affects our conversations with buyers. When talking to potential buyers, we should ask if they have pets and if their pet will impact their home buying decision. Many people will engage in conversation about their pet's needs and how important they are to the family.

But what if we took it a step further and specialized in working with families that have pets or selling homes with pet-friendly features?

This could be a complete differentiator in the market, as it's not a common focus for REALTORS. Sometimes we need to think outside the box to stand out.

If you want more ideas like this that help you differentiate yourself in the marke...