Well we’re off and running…the Summertime Surge has begun and I know you guys had a great first day. The Blitzmaster, Joe Niego, and I have poured ourselves into this Blitz. It’s a critical time in the market. I believe the people that hang tough during the next few months will be the survivors who will greatly prosper in the years to come.

This new Blitz has significant upgrades to the previous as we’ve included an in-depth video training resource on Blitz Central. We’ve also included cutting-edge downloadable Items of Value, the content of which will illustrate the current trends toward inflation and ultimately the prospect of higher interest rates in the future. This will help create a sense of urgency to get those buyers off the fence and some of those stubborn sellers see the light to reduce their prices.

The daily activities laid out in this eight-week program will keep you on track and help you avoid a seasonal slump. So the Summertime Surge, it has begun, it’s time to get busy and have fun in the sun!

It’s a good life!

Brian

A recent survey of customers who didn’t stay connected to their salesperson found:
 
Why customers stop doing business with you:
 
•   1% Death
•   3% Move Away
•   5% Buy from a friend
•   9% Sold by a Competitor
•   14% Product Price
•   68% Perceived Indifference
 
That’s why we’re Blitzing. We want to make sure that during this Summertime Surge your customers know you’re fired up and enthusiastic about the business, you’re passionate about serving them, and you’re anything but indifferent to their needs. This is why we work by referral - to build long-term relationships with our customers so they not only do business with us again, but also are excited to refer us to their friends and family.
 
Make sure you’re signed up for our Blitz – the Summertime Surge - because we want to make sure all our customers know that we do care.
 
It’s a good life!

Brian

• Week 1 – Popping-by with a Dose of “Sunshine”
• Week 2 – “Cutting the Cord” on Calls
• Week 3 - Beach Blanket your Database
• Week 4 – Iced Coffee and Calls
• Week 5 – Making Lemonade
• Week 6 – Defeating the Dog Days of Summer
• Week 7 – Morning Time Mixer
• Week 8 – Blitzing the night away

When Buffini & Company launched The Blitz we obviously thought it was a good idea and truly believed it would work. But if we made one mistake it was that we underestimated the level of tenacity, drive and determination that you, our Members, would display.

Less than two weeks into the Blitz over 250,000 Pop-Bys have been completed, more than 200,000 personal notes have been sent and 200,000+ phone calls collectively have been made to your databases.

So far, you folks have generated over 20,000 referrals for your businesses in less than two weeks. Apparently you guys have decided not to participate in this recession, are ignoring the doomsday brigade and have embraced the concept that a “recession is a terrible thing to waste.”

Each day Joe “The Blitzmaster” Niego and myself go over your emails, comments and stories. In the 13 years of Buffini & Company, I can honestly say: this is the most fun I’ve ever had; this is the most rewarding the work has ever been, and I’ll never again underestimate you guys.

Now don’t forget…it is a 90-day Blitz, not a ten day one. Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. So keep up the good work. Let’s break records together. It looks like you guys are going to be just fine in 09.

It’s a good life!

Brian

Have you been living vicariously through the candidates, checking the polls, and watching the early returns? Well it’s time for us to get back to work. Just think...if we can apply ourselves and do just 2% of the Pop-Bys, handshakes and mailings these candidates did trying to get people to vote for them, we’d have such a big business we'd need help taking care of all the leads.

Reality is, the election is over and whether your team won or not, America is an eagle: it needs its left wing and its right wing in order to fly. We all need get down to work. Whether we’re euphoric or we’re down in dumps, let’s go flap our wings by doing our calls, writing our notes and getting out to see our best clients.

Working by referral is a trailing effect, so store up for the winter and get ready for a blitz in the New Year. Our goal is to help your business fly in ‘09.

It’s a good life!

Brian

I just returned home from a week in the fabulous city of Toronto. I’ve said this many times, but I truly believe it’s vital to get out of our environment on a regular basis. Visiting another country helps expand your thinking and broadens your horizons. It invigorates you by introducing you to a variety of new experiences…from different foods, different phrases to a different way of looking at the world. Getting out of the country also gives you a great appreciation for the things you enjoy most about your own city, town or neighborhood. And in that leveling of our perspective grow the seeds of contentment.

Right now, with so many people worried about their finances, the market etc. it’s very easy to forget all that we have and all there is to be thankful for.

So, my encouragement to all of you is sometime in the next 12 months, get out and about - as the Canadians say - and go visit a foreign shore. It’ll expand your horizons and be good for what ails you.

It’s a good life!

Brian

Oh, by the way…people have been requesting the fun facts and figures I’ve been talking about recently so they can respond to this market. Feel free to utilize these numbers and maybe together, one client at a time, we can educate the market!

Some facts to know:

• More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 – only 14 U.S. banks have been taken over in 2008
• There are 76 million households in the U.S. that own their home - 24 million of these homes are free and clear
• There are 52 million homes with mortgages - 97.2% of these are not in foreclosure, 93.8% of these homes are current on their payments
  

On a sobering note:

• Over 20% of homeowners with a mortgage owe more than their home is worth
• 40% of all foreclosures are non-owner occupied

How did we get here?

Decade    Homes Sold High    Homes Sold Average

1970’s      3.9 million               3 million
1980’s      4 million                  3.3 million
1990’s      4.9 million               3.9 million
2000’s      7.1 million               5.6 million
Resale numbers – the above does not include new home sales.

Sources: Wall Street Journal / Moody’s Economy.com / RealtyTrac / NAR / Forbes

For some compelling stats on the Canadian market, visit the Economics Publications section on http://www.scotiabank.com

Lately people have been sending me a lot of emails and notes asking me if I think there’s another Great Depression coming, whether or not real estate will lose another huge portion of its value and where do I think all of this is going to stop.

Well I’ve never shied away from giving my perspective on such matters and I think something we should all note is the attitude of the man who is considered the greatest investor of all time – Warren Buffet. As I mentioned before he has purchased $8B in preferred stock. Even more dramatic is that $5B of it went to a financial company (Goldman Sachs).

Not only is he not running scared, he’s running strong with this market – taking ground and improving his position. We all know there are some tough times ahead, and so does Warren. But he demonstrated his ultimate faith in the economy, in the markets and in the fact that now is the time to gain ground and not pull back.

Well done, Mr. Buffet, you’re a good role model for all of us.

It’s a good life!

Brian

If you’ve been following the national news recently regarding the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the stock market getting hit and Fannie and Freddie being taken over by the government, these are all the classics signs of the bottom of a market correction.

Right now, we don’t have so much of a real estate problem as we do a banking one. Prices have mostly stabilized across the country and in the short sale and foreclosure market we’re seeing multiple offers. Although I do believe there are a couple more banks in trouble and there’s not yet a full complement of mortgage products to satisfy all the buyers in the market, trust me that will get sorted out. For thousands of years lending money has been one of the most profitable businesses in the world. Banks make money by lending; not by deposits. So they will figure out ways to package loans and get cash into the hands of consumers. I believe this is the final cleansing process and in the next six months we’ll start to come out on the other side of this.

Make sure your clients don’t get caught in the “cudda shudda wudda” of taking advantage of this market. Make sure all your investor clients are fully aware of all the deals that exist and if there’s any way possible, see if you can pick up one of these real estate deals as part of your own investment strategy. We won’t know what the bottom is until after but I believe it’s pretty close. Keep your head down working hard.

It’s a good life!

Brian