Rising Fuel Costs Push Buyers to Go Green

A few weeks ago, I shared about how how high fuel prices and economic downturn are affecting the real estate market. (Click here to be directed to the post.)

My most recent nationally distributed press release gives further insight into how real estate brokers need to be prepared to meet the demands of a changing market. The Realtor’s mantra has always been “Location, location, location.” I’d emphasize the first four letters of location. It’s all about local.

From the vegetables and fruits we buy at the grocery store, to the company’s we support, local is the buzzword. And my release describes how local applies to real estate as well. Click on this link to read my release as it appeared on Yahoo Finance.
Share your thoughts by telling me what you think.

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You Win Some, You Lose Some, But Always Plan to Win More

I love my job. Next to my family, it’s the best part of my life. But let’s be realistic. Work isn’t always easy. And that’s an important matter to address.

I described in my previous post the need to be positive. That doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter difficulties, situations that get you frustrated and even angry, and matters that will turn a good day into stressful one.

That’s the reality principal. And it’s a tough balance. You’ve always got to remain positive, but you can never bury your head in the sand and deny adversity when it arises. Set backs are always there. It’s your job to address them with a positive attitude.

During difficult times, here are some tips to get you through the rough patches:

Surround Yourself with Beautiful Things

After an exhausting meeting, where the outcome was far from favorable, maybe I lost a major listing or dealt with a difficult client, I’ll return to my office. Sitting on my desk is an exquisite floral arrangement and a soothing aromatic candle.

Surround yourself with things that give you pleasure: family photos, artwork that lifts your spirits, or a saying or phrase that inspires you.

Like I described in my book, an empty listing has no soul. Similarly an office or desk without your favorite things is far from motivating.

When you relax and calm down you bring yourself into a more peaceful place. From there, you're able to refocus. Time after time, I've found solutions to get around my disappointment or frustration.

Breathe Deeply

Science has proven the benefits behind what humans have been practicing for centuries. You don’t need to be a long time meditator to feel the revitalizing effects of deep breathing. When thoughts and stress are building up in your mind, sit tall, plant your feet on the ground, and inhale deeply. Imagine the life-giving oxygen filling all parts of your body. You’ll feel so much better as a result.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Go Shopping (or Take a Walk)

You’re all stressed out. You don’t know what to do. It’s time to clear your head. Remove yourself from what’s giving you stress by leaving your desk or office.

Now go shopping! Buy something fun. Totally indulge yourself. It'll give you the motivation to go forward.

If your budget doesn't allow it, or shopping isn't your thing, step outside and observe your surroundings: the weather, the sky, and the people around you. Appreciate your life.

Whether you return with new Jimmy Choo's or just your clear minded self, you’ll see things from a different perspective than when you first walked out the door.

My Unscientifically Based Belief of the Curative Effects of Cappuccino and Chocolate

When I return to my office after a stressful meeting, I’ll sit at my desk and sip on a smooth drink and nibble on some chocolate. It doesn’t have to be a lot, in fact, it shouldn’t.

But a small snack (make sure it's fabulously indulging) is definitely worth the few extra minutes you'll spend at the gym working it off.

Learn from Others

My Dad is an inspiration. My mom passed away recently, and I know it’s been difficult for him. But as a Holocaust survivor, he knows how to take charge of his life.

He’s 88 years old now and loves classical music. So what did he do? He hopped on the bus and paid the $10 fare from Marina Del Rey to the Hollywood Bowl and bought a $10 concert ticket (Senior Citizen's discounts are wonderful, aren't they?).

Once at the Bowl, he took a seat, closed his eyes, and opened his ears to the music that surrounded him. Amazing!

He could have sat at home and sulked. He could have felt sorry for himself. Instead he embraced life and filled it with the music that brings him joy.

You can be a couch potato and watch life from the comfort of a sofa. Or you can dive into it, actively participate in it, and take it for its ups and downs. There’s no doubt that there will be difficult moments. But when you love life, you’ll have the skills to embrace it all: good and bad.

When you're at peace with yourself, the situations that brought about disappointment, frustration or anger will subside, and you'll find solutions.

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What’s My Secret to Success?

So many people ask me, “Myra, how do you do it?” They see what I’ve accomplished, and they desire the same for themselves.

My answer?

First, I encourage them to follow their dreams. If I can do it, so can you! is my attitude. Finding something you love to do and making money doing it is one of the most fulfilling experiences you can ever have.

In my case, I love my job. That doesn’t mean that it’s easy. In fact, it’s often enormously challenging and stressful. Which also means that it’s not always pleasant. But it’s something that I look forward to everyday.

Second, you’ve got to have a positive attitude. An outlook that says, “Yes I can!...And if I can’t I’m going to work hard to figure out how I can.”

If you don’t have this upbeat perspective, there’s still hope for you. If you don’t and refuse to change, then you’re pretty much doomed for failure. My advice to you if you only see doom and gloom is to be honest with yourself and acknowledge it. After all, the first step to change is to admit that you’ve got a problem in the first place.

Whether you’re a positive person or trying harder to be one, my advice for you is the same. Surround yourself with upbeat people. Their attitudes are infectious. Just like the sun, they keep themselves above all the storm clouds and fog.

To continue with the weather analogy, there will always be people who want to stay in the low places where the fog keeps them from seeing things clearly. Avoid these people. You’ve got nothing to learn from them. If fact, when you surround yourself with negative people you risk going down with them. And this often occurs without you even knowing it.

The opposite will happen as well. Surround yourself with positive people, and they’ll take you up with them.

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My Series on Success

During the book signings I’ve had over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet new people and catch up with familiar faces. The people who have braved L.A. mid-week traffic, Beverly Hills parking, and all the other challenges posed by commuter life so that they can buy my book and meet me point to my motivation to write my book.

From Homemaker to Breadwinner has provided me the opportunity to give back, share my knowledge, and reach people in the way only a book can. People who are successful don’t keep their success a secret. They spread what they’ve learned to as many people as possible. Think Oprah, Warren Buffet, Donald Trump, and Suze Orman among countless others. As an aside, these people have also made a pretty good living at spreading their knowledge.

Over the past two weeks, I've covered some of the qualities that I believe are must-haves for success. I started with hard work, and I provided an example of what that looks like in my business.

Throughout the next few weeks, I'll continue to expand on some of the themes I’ve covered in my book. My goal is to give you some additional insight into my life: the habits I’ve created, the skills I’ve honed, and the lesson I’ve learned. By doing this, I hope you’ll reach your goals faster than you thought otherwise possible.

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What Does Hard Work Look Like?

In my previous post titled "You've Got to Work Hard, Even on July 3rd" I shared that hard work is key to career advancement and high achievement. Now, I'll provide an example of how this looks in my industry.

Right now I’m fighting a tough battle of public opinion. On one side, we have the talking heads of the online, TV, and print worlds. Global conglomerates who fill our airwaves with news about the sorry state of real estate.

Then there’s Beverly Hills reality. So far, I’ve had a benchmark year. In fact, I closed 7 multi-million dollar escrows in April and May. One of my listings in L.A.’s Hancock Park fetched one of the highest purchase prices in the prestigious enclave. From a sales standpoint, my 2008 numbers will be 20% higher (if not more, it's only July after all) than last year. Where’s the doom and gloom? Where’s the subprime fall out? Non-existent here.

Both realities are legitimate. Unfortunately, one is thought of as fact, while the other gets negligible coverage.

So that means that I’ve got to work harder. I’ve got to tell buyers who follow the news that in Beverly Hills there are no bargains. That in many of the most prestigious L.A. zip codes demand exceeds supply. And the market is still very competitive.

To thrive in this business takes working tirelessly to stay ahead. You've got to do more than your competition. And as I’ll describe in my next post, you've got to maintain a positive attitude.

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You’ve Got to Work Hard…Even on July 3rd

The rewards of career success are priceless. I wake up every morning thankful for all I have.

The following is my partial list:

My three amazing children Nicole, Howard, and Michael, my husband, Saeed, my grandchildren and additional family members, the beautiful Beverly Hills residence that Saeed and I call home, my five minute commute to my office on Beverly Boulevard, my two assistants, Victoria and Wilma--I could go on and on.

Oh yes, let me add one more. Right in front of my office I have some of the most famous shopping in the world. It’s Rodeo Drive where I had a terrible fall a few months ago. For more details see my October 31, 2007 blog entry titled, “Rodeo’s Rough Side.”

Now that I’ve painted the picture of a lifestyle beyond the wildest dreams of many, I’m going to tell you the plain, hard truth.

What it took to get there didn’t happen by chance. The life may appear magical, but no amount of pixie dust or wand waving would have brought Saeed and me to this place in our lives.

The bottom line? You’ve got to pay the piper, continue to push the envelope, and never, ever, get lazy, content, and complacent. Once you think you’ve made it and get you too comfortable, your competition will have passed you up. 

Case in point? Yesterday was July 3rd—the day before Independence Day, and our office closed early at 4:00 p.m. The vast space was empty where nearly everyone had gone home to start the holiday early. I say nearly everyone because my workday continued. I had a 5:30 p.m. appointment with a major client to put an offer on a listing followed by another meeting afterwards. My work day ended at 8:30 p.m.

Across the country, many people started their 3-day weekends on Thursday by leaving the office early in order to have fun. They’ll make up any number of excuses: I’m tired, I deserve the time off, I have errands to run, I need a break! And ___ (you fill in the blank).

That’s the choice that these people made. Unfortunately, taking the fun road filled with immediate gratification means that they’re also taking the low road in terms of professional success.

All of us must decide what’s important to us. If your idea of career success is to make lots of money, then you’ve got to cut out the activities that will distract you from your goals. (And I’m not suggesting that you neglect your spouse and family.) Everything needs to be in moderation, which means that too much fun won't earn you a high income.

Many people wish they had the lives of successful people. They look at them and think, "They're so lucky!" 

Let me tell you, luck only plays a small part, if any at all.

Success is possible for nearly everyone. What it takes is hard work and perseverance.

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