Move

By Linda Day Harrison, theBrokerList, Chicago, IL

If you like to read great business books and gobble up terms that help managers get the job done, there is one I want you to never forget, MBWA! Not only is it effective and powerful, but it is also good for your health! Here are variations on its commonly known names:

The Acronym: MBWA
Management by Walking Around
Management by Wandering Around
Management by Walking About
Manage by Walking Around

By Carla Toebe, New Century Realty, Kennewick, WA

They say that abandonment is a landlord’s or property manager's worst nightmare when dealing with a tenant. How do you know it is really abandonment? Sometimes it’s obvious when everything is gone, the place seems perfectly empty, and the tenant's keys are lying on the counter. But what if the place is full of furniture, the food is still in the cupboard, and you can't get a hold of them? They haven't paid their rent, they haven't returned your phone calls, no one has seen them, and you can't get a hold of anyone on the emergency contact form you had them complete when they moved in. Surely this means they must have abandoned the place. So you change the locks, and uh-oh! There they are coming back claiming you have now burglarized their place. Oh no! This can't be, they clearly abandoned the place and you took all the steps you had to take that were required by law.

By Jo-Anne Oliveri, ireviloution intelligence, Brisbane, Australia

Recently, I have been involved in the sale and purchase of a rent roll. I had the rare opportunity of consulting for both the buyer and purchaser. Let me say, this was the smoothest and least stressful rent roll transfer I have ever witnessed!

Now some might say there is a conflict of interest by consulting to both the seller and the purchaser, and yes, I would agree! I definitely had my reservations about consulting and advising to both of them, but I discussed my dilemma with both parties. They both agreed they would retain me as the consultant and adviser through the negotiation, transfer, settlement, transition and retention period. In fact, I even conducted the inspection and overview on the selling rent-roll, and prepared the due diligence report.

The leasing agent smiles warmly at the nice-looking woman dressed in jeans, a tee shirt with her hair pulled back in a pony tail. She could swear she's seen this person before.

"Yes! Yes!" The woman wants to scream. "I was the one you called every other day for the past 2 weeks so I would sign a lease. I finally said yes! So here I am. Moving van outside. Am I in the twilight zone?"



According to the current SatisFacts Move-In Index, 5% of all new move-ins say their keys or lease agreement is not ready when they arrive on Move-In Day. What a missed opportunity! Our leasing and sales teams spend a lot of time and energy getting prospects excited about the idea of moving in to this community. Once that prospect agrees to move-in, the excitement needs to continue. There is nothing worse than showing up to your new home, expecting the welcoming committee to be waiting for you, only to discover that not only were they not prepared for your arrival, they don't seem to even recognize you. How disappointing! The lease renewal decision begins in the first weeks, days, even hours of moving in. If the stage is not fully set for a new resident's arrival, there is a significant chance that new resident may begin regretting their rental choice almost immediately. You don't want their first thoughts at move-in to be those of moving out!

Before close of business each day, ensure everything is prepared for any move-ins expected the following day. What are the names of all the new residents (including any children)? Are the lease documents ready and printed? Are the keys, gate remotes, access cards ready to be handed over?  Who has conducted the final walk through of the home to ensure it is spiffed, and all appliances and fixtures are in good working order?

Start off on the right foot by welcoming the new residents warmly. Help them feel great about their decision to make this their home. Move-In Day can have enough challenges and surprises. Anything the office or maintenance team can do to minimize surprises for the new residents will pay dividends in the months to come.

We are all looking to save time when it comes to advertising our listings online. I am often asked what the best sites are that generate client leads. 

Here is a list of the websites I have used and received the best results:

i. Postlets.com

Through my years as a marketing major, our classes often focused on how small variables can completely alter the a course we set for ourselves and others. Engaging our senses has proven to be a highly effective closing tool and one that numerous industries use on a daily basis we may not be that aware of.

Through the senses of scent, sound and taste we can explore other options on how to make our closings a more pleasant and rewarding one.

Scent

Certain scents can be utilized as a major marketing tool to help guide you and your client to a successful closing or purchase. Grocery stores have been known to bake fresh breads during busier times of the day, allowing the smells to linger through the store and entice hungry shoppers to buy more.

Apple pie smells have been proven to close sales more quickly. Jasmine and vanilla (not together, but separate) help the buyer feel more relaxed and calm. Cinnamon can also be used to help close a deal more quickly.

Take into consideration that many people find cinnamon, including myself, to be a very overpowering and lingering smell. Not everyone will respond the same to specific smells, so make sure you use candles, burners, bakery items, etc. in moderation to avoid your buyer from running out the door!

A pleasing scent can create a warm and welcoming environment to what would normally be a hectic and stressful life decision. Model homes, designated closing tables, greeting rooms, etc. are all great places to place scents to help ease some of the stress and worry from your clients.

Sound

Tasteful music will also add to the sales environment your client has entered into. Music can provide a pleasant and welcome sound to the background.

Music should not overpower the sales presentation or become a major focal point. Appealing sounds such as soft music, nature tracks, classical or easy listening are often used as a "safe" selection.

Sounds obviously dictate a tremendous amount of how we feel or react to situations. Loud, heavy and ear-piercing music causes a lot of irritation and at times anger, to a lot of people. No one wants to be involved in a stressful situation such as signing a contract or reading the fine print of a listing agreement when 70's punk metal rock playing.

Taste

Appealing to your clients sense of taste can also enhance the sales experience. While we are not in the food and beverage industry, having small snacks and drinks is never a bad option.

Offering refreshments has become very common in the sales environment. Clients who are more "actively involved" in the sales experience by stimulating all of their senses often leave with a positive outlook. The more positive your client is, the more likely they are to buy from you.

“A fool is someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.” -Oscar Wilde

We live in a world that seems to focus on price— not value. Price is only one factor in a buying decision. What we often don’t realize is that we make value-based buying decisions every day. We buy our clothes, cars and food based on the perceived value that we get from what we purchase.