JULY 2017 INLAND EMPIRE

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Henry Tran Executive Agent of the Month

PROFESSIONAL PROFILES Claudia M. Contreras Mary Van Dorn

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Executive Agent of the Month

Henry Tran RE/MAX TIME Realty

19 17 Professional Profiles

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Claudia M. Contreras

Mary Van Dorn

Elite Escrow Group, Inc.

Kinecta Federal Credit Union ExecutiveAgent Magazine

July, 2017 - Inland Empire

Editorials 8

Keep It Simple -Awareness Institute

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The Power Of Choice -John Boe

E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 366-3349 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Fred@eamag.net www.EAMag.net

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX City of Hope..........................................................26

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loanDepot®..............................................................2

Quality Deals -Steve Cook

iPhotography Studio...............................................23 Kinecta Federal Credit Union...............................36 PWAOR...................................................................34

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A Good Life Contains These 6 Essentials -Jim Rohn

SBAOR...................................................................27 The Termite Guy......................................................3

The Complete Guide To True Wealth -Mohammad Shafi’e

Photography: i Photography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Haley Freeman, Shannon Hartsoe Editorial Writers: Linda Brakeall, Bill Brooks, Patti Brotherton, Tamara Dorris, T Scott Gross, Rich Levin, Chris Widener, Dirk Zeller, Zig Ziglar

Why Do They Do It...

-DirkZeller

© Copyright 2017 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Executive Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

It’s Healthy To Be Happy -Zig Ziglar

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Written by Haley Freeman

Claudia M. Contreras

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uring the complex and often unpredictable process of buying or selling a home, Realtors® need to know that their professional affiliates are equally committed to getting everyone across the finish

line. Claudia Contreras, escrow officer at Elite Escrow Group in Rancho Cucamonga, promises to “Exceed your Expectations - Experience the Elite.”

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Crossing the Finish Line Together Claudia grew up with her three siblings in East Los Angeles, where their single mom struggled to provide for them while always stressing the value of education and hard work. Eventually, Claudia’s stepfather entered the picture and treated the family as his own. Claudia went on to graduate from UC Santa Barbara, the only one of her siblings to earn a four-year degree. This tenacious young lady began her career in broadcast news, but eventually returned to LA, where she adjusted her focus to real estate. She started out as a receptionist for Century 21, where her smart and savvy talents got her noticed, and she was soon promoted to real estate recruiter. She excelled at the job until she was introduced to escrow and discovered her true calling.

At boutique Elite Escrow Group, Claudia says she enjoys the freedom to run her business “like a company within a company. I can truly brand myself while also promoting the company. The level of customer service we provide is unmatched in the industry. We come in on weekends and stay late, and lunch is never a priority over funding. I know my files from beginning to end, so if I get a call on the weekend, I always know what’s happening.

When a Realtor® or client calls, they just want to talk to someone and get answers. We make sure we’re here to talk to everybody in the transaction and get them on the same page.”

A professional with 15-plus years of experience, Claudia’s longevity comes from creating results by thinking outside the box and never giving up. “Where people see problems, I see solutions. Challenging files are the best because I have learned so much. That experience has helped me close many difficult files.”

Claudia’s business philosophy is summed up in her favorite quote by internationally recognized entrepreneur and speaker, Gary Vee: “Give value. Give value. Give value. And then ask for business.”

Claudia does give value. In addition to her comprehensive experience and solutions-driven approach, Claudia provides leadership and education that guides industry professionals toward success. For the past four years, she has served on the board of directors for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Montebello Southeast LA Chapter. She also hosts monthly lunch-and-learns and seminars for Realtors® designed to help them perfect the skills necessary to grow their businesses. “The more knowledgeable

they are, the more productive they become. It benefits everyone to have educated real estate professionals in the real estate transaction.”

In addition, Claudia is known for her collaborative relationship with the other professionals and her diplomacy in negotiating emotionally charged situations. “I’ve had transactions where the agents got mad at each other and stopped all communication. In a situation like that, the parties still need to close, and the contracts still have to be honored. I’m committed to making sure needs are met on both sides and remaining neutral.”

Claudia’s industry colleagues have the highest praise for her. Salvador Avalos, Lender at Alterra Home Loans, stated: “She’s a hard worker, she knows her stuff, and she’s fun to work with. She’s worth every bit of your business.”

Tigran Momdjian, a loan officer at New American Funding, said: “Claudia is amazing at what she does.

Twenty-four/seven, she will bend over backwards in servicing my clients’ escrow needs.”

In her free time, Claudia loves to cook, and now that her daughter is heading to culinary school, food is often the topic of conversation and the focus of family time. That is good for everyone, since Claudia’s 17-year-old son is a football lineman and has a big appetite!

A real estate transaction is a high-stakes proposition for everyone involved. Claudia has a proven track record of getting everyone across the finish line with integrity and efficiency. She says, “I don’t want clients for one transaction. I want clients to come back over and over because I helped them achieve their goals without compromising my neutrality during the transaction, and because I treated then equally and fairly. I want them to know that I possess a clear vision of their goals and see to it that we make it to the finish line together, even when there are obstacles in the road. We will overcome them together as a team.”

Claudia M. Contreras Elite Escrow Group, Inc. 10134 6th St., Ste. E Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Tel: 323-528-2704 – 909-718-4810 Email: Claudia@eliteescrowgroup.com Web: www.eliteescrowgroup.com

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Keeping it Simple O

ver the past few months, the concepts of stripping back the superfluous, simplifying and pulling apart the true meaning of integrity have been strong personal themes. For many people, there’s a drive to again inspect old patterns that continue to run happily in the background despite years of self-examination.

Perhaps under the direction of a new global energy, there’s a sense of being able to lovingly let go of those things that have served us all well on one level, yet have offered excuses to stay small on another.

I came across Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements the other day and it strongly resonated with this desire to pare back; to simplify; to become more real as a participant in this world and begin operating in a more authentic way.

With these 4 simple tenets, we could literally change the way we as humans operate in this world. How do they resonate with you? Please feel free to share your thoughts, we’d love to hear from you.

1. Be Impeccable with your Word: Speak with integrity.

Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak

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against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.

Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret. ~ Don Miguel Ruiz The Awareness Institute in Australia empowers people to transform their world. For more information go to: www.awarenessinstitute.com.au.

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It’s Healthy To Be Happy

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he dictionary says that happiness is the “agreeable sensations which spring from the enjoyment of good.

That state of being in which desires are gratified by the enjoyment of pleasure without pain.” Happiness is “positive pleasure or an excitement of agreeable sensations.”

Mark Twain said that most of us are “about as happy as we make up our minds to be.”

Psychologists and physicians have long known that happy, cheerful people enjoy better health. It goes back several thousand years to Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, who observed that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” There’s no question but that a cheerful spirit does wonders for your health.

The question is, what’s the best way to be happy?

For a long time it’s been my conviction that others can give you pleasure, but the only way you’re going to be happy is to do things for other people. Forest Tennant, M.D., says that serotonin, which is the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, normally hits the system full force at about ten o’clock in the morning. However, we can “jump-start” the flow of serotonin by doing something really nice for someone else.

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It doesn’t have to be “earth-shattering.” A simple, sincere phone call to someone you know will do wonders for you and them. Just let them know you were thinking of them and wanted them to know how much you appreciate who they are and what they do. Tell them how much their friendship means to you, how you admire them and that you just want them to know how you feel.

It’s amazing how good you will feel about yourself when you pay a sincere compliment to encourage someone else.

Think about it and pick up that telephone to encourage someone else with no thought of benefit to yourself and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP. Zig Ziglar is a beloved author and America’s motivator. He is the author of 25 books and offers training and consulting to organizations all across the globe. To learn more about Zig and his business visit his website at www.ziglar.com.

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Written By Zig Ziglar

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Mary Van Dorn Written By Haley Freeman

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oan Consultant at Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Mary Van Dorn says, “I’m very much an entrepreneur at heart. My parents were both extremely successful real estate agents in Orange County.

Growing up, my mom taught me to be courageous.

Anytime I’d say I wanted to try something, she’d say, ‘Why not?’ My dad was always a listing agent, and he taught me tenacity. He would say, ‘There’s no such word as can’t, so get that word out of your vocabulary.’”

Those early lessons, combined with Mary’s enterprising spirit, have made her an unstoppable force in nearly every aspect of mortgage lending. Her first success as a processor and underwriter led to a position in operations management. Then, Mary decided to take a step back to have her first child.

Determined to balance the demands of family with the career she loved, she channeled her inner entrepreneur and began working as a contract processor, while also teaching at the American School of Mortgage Banking. Later, she created and ran her own successful mortgage brokerage. Nearly four years ago, she brought her extraordinary repertoire of business and lending expertise to Kinecta, where she has the freedom to focus on the aspects of her profession she loves most: building relationships with people and moving challenges aside to help them reach their goals.

“At Kinecta, fantastic service begins with a local, dedicated processing team.”

“Everyone here takes a lot of pride in their work,” Mary says. “I have unbelievable access to my underwriting team, which allows me to send files ahead for a quick look to make sure we’re looking at it the same way. There’s a real team spirit here in terms of working together to understand our borrower and provide the best possible loan for them.”

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Your Lender For Life

Mary is a self-proclaimed “numbers nerd” who loves a challenge, and Kinecta provides the resources she needs to assist everyone from first-time buyers to hard-to-qualify, self-employed borrowers. Since it’s easy to become a member of Kinecta Federal Credit Union, virtually any buyer can take advantage of their competitive rates and products.

”I love to take on loans other people can’t get done.

It’s not about smoke and mirrors, it’s just a matter of delving in a little bit more to find solutions.”

“As a credit union, we’re a nice halfway spot, since we’re a direct lender and also have our own portfolio of products. And it’s hard to beat rates at a credit union.”

As an entrepreneur who understands the importance of reliability and professionalism, Mary is an invaluable asset to her real estate partners.

Realtors® can always refer their clients to her with confidence, knowing she and Kinecta will get them a great program at a great price. “I know how critically important every commission is to them, and I know when agents turn their borrowers over to me, their livelihood is sitting in my hands. Their referrals deserve respect, and are never taken for granted. I have some Realtors® I’ve worked with for 20 years, and I appreciate the trust they’re placing in me. I’m going to protect their buyers and transactions.”

A longtime resident of Orange County, Mary is also a regular contributor to the community, whose deep love of children inspires her to serve on the board of directors for Thomas House Family Shelter and Protect the Children Foundation. In her free time, Mary loves dancing and Zumba so much that she built a dance studio in her garage. Wherever she goes, whether she is out for a hike or just about town, her Labradoodle, Trinka, is her constant companion.

“She is named after my daughter’s imaginary friend when she was 5.”

Mary is the undisputed, go-to lending source for generations of families who trust her with their most precious investment. At Kinecta Federal Credit Union, she continues to provide exceptional service while doing the work she loves. “I enjoy helping people find the financing that is perfect for their short and long-term goals. I want to be their mortgage person for life.”

Mary Van Dorn Kinecta Federal Credit Union 4041 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Tel: 949-275-8838 Email: mvandorn@kinecta.org Web: https://www.kinecta.org/mvandorn NMLS ID 1034211

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The Complete Guide To True Wealth hen you hear the word wealth, you’ll probably associate it with having lots of money. But what is money and how does it actually fit into the big picture of wealth?

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In the simplest explanation, money is actually something you use as a form of payment – be it in paper, coins, plastic cards, cheques, bank transfers, et cetera – in exchange for a product or service you require.

It is an updated version of the barter trade that was used ages ago. The major difference is that barter trade involves the exchange of goods, which are perceived to be of similar value without the use of any form of payment.

Money is actually a simple tool but has been complicated by today’s economics. Its value varies in different countries according to the amount, currency and assets it is weighed against.

To be wealthy in monetary terms goes beyond just having lots of money. It means being completely financially stable and not having to work vigorously for a decent meal or paycheck to survive. It also means being in complete control of your money and not allowing your money to control you.

However, wealth is not just about having lots of money. Wealth encompasses many great dimensions such as knowledge, creativity, relationships, love, wisdom, courage, success and all the good intangible values. The worth of a person, although human beings are intrinsically beyond valuation, should not only be defined by one’s material wealth, monetary value, possessions or other physical factors.

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The original draft of the American Declaration of Independence has the phrase, “… and the pursuit of Property” stated as one of those inalienable rights of Man. I am in agreement with the change to its current version, “… and the pursuit of Happiness”, whatever its reason.

A person’s wealth should be defined by one’s intangible, intellectual or aesthetic achievements, one’s use of the freely and abundantly available resources to fashion something better, one’s discoveries of new conceptual or real vistas, one’s selfless service rendered to a fellow human or to life or to a good ideal.

But the greatest wealth any human being can possess is the wealth of freedom. Not just any kind of freedom but the kind where any child, woman and man are freed in the truest sense of the word ‘free’ from every unnecessary or undesirable chain, prison or shackle imaginable. The truly free shall never have to work on something they hate just to put food on the table, but are free to pursue whatever gives them the healthiest , fullest pleasure and passion.

Only when you are able to grasp this fundamental essence of wealth will you be able to command it.

Shafi’e is the Webmaster of StraTeachgic Success, where you can discover secret life-long learning techniques and 2 amazing FREE reports that reveal how you can wipe out all your limiting beliefs, radically alter your life, boost your intelligence, expand your creativity, improve your personal effectiveness, achieve all your goals and your inherent unlimited potential for wealth & happiness fast! Get your free reports NOW at StraTeachgic Success.

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Written By Mohammad Shafi’e ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTORÂŽ to be featured in one of our feature stories; on the cover as Executive Agent of the Month, or as a special feature story. All candidates must be nominated by a real estate professional. The selection process includes a questionnaire, personal interview, reference check and final approval by the Advisory Council. Candidates are evaluated based upon professionalism, length of service and uniqueness of story, as well as industry and community involvement.

I Nominate: Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Address____________________________ _____________________________________ City, State, Zip_____________________ _____________________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________ Submitted By: Fax/Email nomination to: Executive Agent Magazine PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Fax: 949.266.8757 Email: Info@eamag.net Tel: 949.366.3349

Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________

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Cover Story

Henry Tran Executive Agent of the Month

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Henry Tran Broker Associate

Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

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op-producing Realtor® Henry Tran still remembers the wise lessons his father taught him: 1. Education is the well of health and wealth; and 2. Come from the heart first. This is why the slogan on his business card reads: “Not with just experience, I serve you with all my mind and heart.”

Henry grew up in Vietnam and became a successful businessman after he helped to develop one of the first international hotels in his home country. While he provided a good life for his family there, he knew his children would find greater opportunities in the United States. In the first years after he and his wife, Christine, relocated to the U.S. with their two children, Henry struggled with the challenges of being a new immigrant, learning the language and culture, and finding good work. He finally decided to

leverage his master’s degree in management and prior commercial development experience to establish a career in real estate. Christine and their sons supported his courageous move, not only encouraging his decision, but also helping him to market and build his business. Henry said he never forgets the days in his first years in the U.S., the whole family went out to distribute flyers to promote his business.

From those humble beginnings, Henry persevered and refined the skills necessary to become an outstanding real estate professional, and today he is the leader of an outstanding team at RE/MAX TIME Realty in Rancho Cucamonga. His culturally diverse team consists of five more agents of varying experience, and Henry provides the training and leadership to help everyone succeed while serving their clients with their whole mind and heart.

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Henry and his team have earned dozens of five-star reviews from clients who are delighted with the fine service they have received. One stated: “My family and I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for helping us find and purchase our first dream home. From the beginning, Henry made it his goal to help us find our right house. During the escrow process, we had run into some difficulty, and Henry calmed everyone down and, with his brilliant thinking, he was able to save the transaction. Henry always looked out for our best interests. My family and I appreciated his constant calmness, solid good work and dedication to get the job done from start to finish, professionally. Everything Henry does, he has done it from the bottom of his heart.”

According to Henry, taking a long view of client relationships is key to earning the good reputation that keeps clients coming back and referring their friends and family.

During the difficult recession years, Henry led from the heart by helping many families stay in their homes with loan modifications, rather than resorting to short sales.

“It was a lot of work for very little money, while the commissions for short sales were big. I would never do a short sale until I gave up on a loan modification, and a lot of people came to see me. I knew that selling their home could create tragedy for their family. Many people were losing their homes and also their marriages. I believe in Karma and doing for others what you would want them to do for you.”

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“Not just with experience, I serve you with all my mind & my heart.”

A savvy businessman, Henry saw the short sale trend coming to an end and repositioned himself at RE/MAX, where he knew he would have the resources to provide the highest caliber of service in the stabilizing market. “I was lucky to meet our broker, Elvis Ortiz-Wayland, and see he had a vision and values for his company that were not about money.

He says if you are successful, he is successful. I believe that in all things in life, you cannot win when somebody else loses. I knew this was a place where I could grow my business and help more people.”

In keeping with his father’s admonition about education, Henry is an advocate of ongoing coaching, and he continues to seek guidance from numerous industry experts like Tom Ferry, Bruce Norris and David Halpern. “I have worked with several business coaches. I think it’s very important to keep learning if you want to accelerate your business to the next level. I spend a lot of money going to seminars to see where the market is going. One thing you should do is invest in yourself to better serve the client. It takes not only having

a big heart and working hard, but also having the knowledge and experience to know how to do it.”

His team also benefits, as he provides regular training to help them reach their greatest potential as professionals.

One of his teaching methods is sharing how they can learn from his mistakes. “I wish I’d had a coach to tell me things from the beginning, but fortunately I learned for myself. I tell new agents, ‘If you want to be successful in your career, you need to have a coach. You are with me, and I guarantee I will save you from failure. I will show you what to do.’”

Henry credits his wife, Christine, with helping him to succeed. “She is an excellent wife who has always supported me. There are not many like her. She is devoted to the life of our family.” He also appreciates the support from his two sons. Tuan, who works for Wells Fargo and Minh Tuan, who pursues a path to medical school, they have spent hours on the weekends to put 60 to 80 signs whenever Henry does an open house.

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Over the years, once in awhile Henry and his family have traveled back to Vietnam to preserve ties with their cultural heritage and extended family members. “I want our sons to remember their roots in Vietnam,” Henry says.

“I like to go back and enrich them in our culture, and remind them to help our family there. In the U.S., we learn how to work hard. This is the legacy I want to leave -- to be a good example of an immigrant. One thing I learned in business school is you need to do well to do good. When you earn and have opportunity, you need to return a portion to the community you are in. I am inspired to work harder to contribute as much as I can to the community.”

investment in their long term relationship with clients. “A lot of Realtors® don’t want to do leasing and management because it doesn’t pay well. But we do this for our clients because we hope that when they need to buy or sell, they will remember us.”

In his team’s weekly meetings, Henry asks two questions: 1. What are you most proud of that you have done in the last week?; and 2. What could you have done better? “The goal is to always learn something and let everyone share.

Our successes and failures are good lessons to others. It’s one of the ways we learn to help people with our minds and our hearts.”

People call Henry for all kinds of real estate-related advice because they know he is a reliable and honest individual, with both the knowledge and desire to help. His team also provides property management services, another ExecutiveAgent Magazine

HENRY TRAN RE/MAX TIME Realty 10535 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Tel: 909-510-7796 - Email: henry@henryqtran.com Web: www.henryqtran.com - CalBRE # 01418967

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A Good Life Contains These 6 Essentials

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he values that make up the foundation of a life well lived—and, no surprise, money isn’t one of them.

The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The ultimate expression of life is not a Mercedes. The ultimate expression of life is not a million dollars or a bank account or a home. The ultimate expression of life is living a good life.

Here’s what we must ask constantly, What, for me, would be a good life? And you have to keep going over and over the list—a list including areas such as spirituality, economics, health, relationships and recreation.

So, what would constitute a good life? Here is a short list: 1. Productivity You won’t be happy if you don’t produce. The game of life is not rest. Yes, we must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity.

What’s the reason for the seasons and the seeds, the soil and the sunshine, the rain and the miracle of life? It’s to see what you can do with it—to try your hand to see what you can do.

2. Good Friends Friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world, so don’t deny yourself the time to develop it.

Nothing can match it. It’s extraordinary in its benefit.

Friends are those wonderful people who know all about you and still like you. I lost one of my dearest friends when he was 53—heart attack. As one of my very special friends, 24

I used to say that if I was stuck in a foreign jail somewhere accused unduly, and, if they would allow me one phone call, I would call David. Why? He would come and get me. That’s a real friend—somebody who would come and get you.

And we’ve all got casual friends, friends who, if you called them, they would say, “Hey, if you get back, call me and we’ll have a party.”

You’ve got to have both real friends and casual friends.

3. Your Culture Language, music, ceremonies, traditions, dress. All of that is so vitally important that you must keep it alive.

The uniqueness of all of us, when blended together, brings vitality, energy, power, influence, and rightness to the world.

4. Spirituality It helps to form the foundation of the family that builds the nation. And make sure you study, practice and teach— don’t be careless about the spiritual part of your nature because it’s what makes us who we are, different from dogs, cats, birds and mice.

5. Don’t Miss Anything My parents taught me not to miss anything, not the game, the performance, the movie, the dance. Just before my father died at 93, if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11 at night, he wouldn’t be home. He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church—he was somewhere every night.

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Written By Jim Rohn Go to everything you possibly can. Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see everything and experience all you possibly can.

Live a vital life. If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well, it will show in your face; it will show in the texture of your voice. There will be something unique and magical about you if you live well. It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life. And it will give you a vitality nothing else can give.

6. Your Family and the Inner Circle Invest in them, and they’ll invest in you. Inspire them, and they’ll inspire you. Take care of the details with your inner circle.

When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He’d have breakfast most every morning with the farmers at a little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho.

When I was in Israel, I’d have to get up in the middle of the night, but I’d call Papa. I’d say, “Papa, I’m in Israel.”

He’d say, “Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?” He’d talk real loud so everybody could hear. I’d say, “Papa, last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean.” He’d say, “Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean?” Now everybody knew the story. And giving my father that special day only took five or 10 minutes.

a husband walks out of the house and he can still feel the imprint of his wife’s arms around his body, he’s invincible all day. It’s the special stuff with your inner circle that makes you strong and powerful and influential. So don’t miss that opportunity.

The prophet said, “There are many virtues and values, but here’s the greatest: one person caring for another.”

There is no greater value than love.

So make sure in your busy day to remember the true purpose and the reasons you do what you do. May you truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit and rewards that you desire.

Jim Rohn knows the secrets of success - in business and in life. He has devoted his life to a study of the fundamentals of human behavior and personal motivation that affect professional performance. He can awaken the unlimited power of achievement within you! Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine. © 2008 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond. com.

If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel his daughter’s kiss on his face all day, he’s a powerful man. If ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only.

Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for.

If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance.

800-826-HOPE

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WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER. Science saving lives. cityofhope.org/bmt

11/25/13 6:02 PM

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Quality Deals ’ve been meaning to write this article for quite some time on real estate investing advice, and those who have heard me speak in the last couple of years have already gotten an earful of this. This topic isn’t about a neat investing technique or new idea, but about a mindset.

It’s my mindset and one that I believe will make many other people successful.

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What are quality deals? They’re real estate deals that contribute to the advancement of your goals. They get you moving in the direction that you want to go. Many investors start buying homes with no idea of what they really want to accomplish with investing. As a result, they buy anything that looks like a deal and, all too often, get pulled in directions they never intended to go.

Back in 1998 when I took my first step into real estate investing, I was given strong real estate investing advice by others around me who believed you had to be a dominant force in your market to make real money. They stressed doing as many deals as possible and beating out the competition. The world around me was saying that the person who does the most wins. More real estate deals lead to more profits which ultimately leads to greater success – all going hand-in-hand.

Your goals should drive your decision making. For example, a person who needs money today and buys a property to keep it as a rental is contradicting or not fulfilling the original goal. Rental properties will not reap quick, fast cash today. Let’s say your goal is to free up your time so that you can do other things important to you. If you only want to work 20 hours a week and are taking on deals that require 40 hours a week, you’re not doing quality deals. You’re focused on quantity.

As a newbie, I took the advice to heart and did over 100 deals in my first two years. I was proud of my real estate investing accomplishments and knew many around me were impressed with my successes. However, when I stopped to look at the big picture, I was doing a lot of deals and making more money than ever before, but I had little control elsewhere. My time wasn’t my own and the deals truly controlled me. In short, I wasn’t living a life that felt fulfilling.

We need to make sacrifices to achieve the success that we desire, but need to be careful not to sacrifice the important things in life. If you are pursuing investing to achieve a better quality of life, focus on quality deals and not quantity.

I’ve talked with many investors across the country and always ask what draws them to real estate investing. The answers vary, but typically can be summed up in one sentence, “I want a better quality of life.” Over my years of investing, I have come to realize that QUANTITY does not lead to QUALITY. My advice, if you want real estate investing to provide you with a good quality of life, you need to pursue good quality deals, not a good quantity of deals.

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Since 1998 Steve Cook has flipped many hundreds of houses as an active Baltimore-area real estate investor.

Steve’s unique specialty is the “flipping homes 1-2 punch”, a proven system of real estate investing that powerfully combines wholesaling and rehabbing houses.

Also the founder of www.FlippingHomes.com, Steve is dedicated to helping others in this thriving online community succeed through understanding and aggressively applying his time-tested, step-by-step approach to flipping real estate. Get FREE weekly tips from Steve Cook and other house flipping experts at www.flippinghomes. com.

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Written By Steve Cook

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Why Do They Do It....

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here are many things that agents do regularly that puzzle me. In this article, we are going to look at two practices, standard for many agents, that don’t make sense. My hope is that if you recognize yourself, you can change your practices now and improve your business in the process.

Why do agents take listings for less time than six months?

We see agents regularly taking 30, 60 and 90 day listings. They take these listings when the average time on the market in their area is, for example, 107 days. Do these agents truly believe that they can beat the market? Beating the real estate market is like beating the “house” in Las Vegas. What are the odds of beating the house in Vegas?

There is a reason why the casinos are so big and opulent -- the casinos regularly win. Taking a listing for less time than your market average is like going to Las Vegas and thinking that you are going to win big. The odds of even a highly skilled agent regularly beating the market are very low. Don’t let your desire to take the listing interfere with your desire to turn a profit.

Set a standard, based on your market, for length of listings, and stick to it. Tell the seller that a shorter time frame won’t work for you. Walk away from the listing if necessary. It’s better to do it now than 90 days from now, when the listing expires. In 90 days you will have invested time, money and emotion for 90 days. Cut your losses now, at the listing appointment.

Your other option is to have the seller give you a 90-day price. A 90-day price, to me, is a price that would guarantee a sale within 45 days even if swarms of locusts took over your town, or if the region were hit with an earthquake, flood, fire, famine or other Biblical disaster. In other words, the chance is 100% that the home would sell fast, no matter what. My philosophy was always 90-day listing/90-day price. Give the seller the option to choose one. Don’t allow them to have the 6-month price with the 60-day listing.

Why do we spend two hours on a listing presentation?

Think about it: what are we saying in all that time? Do you think the client is really interested in spending two hours listening to us? Shouldn’t we be more prepared and get to the point going in? My belief was always the less said, the better. The longer my presentation went, the weaker it became. I think that most people would rather be spending time with their families than talking with a realtor®.

Here are the four things to focus on in a presentation. Share them; ask for the order; and get out.

Find out the client’s desires and expectations.

Convey the value of the home.

Show the client the value and benefit of working with you.

Ask for the order.

There is truly no reason to be there the amount of time that we are. If we spent even 15 minutes on each section

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which is too long we would be out in an hour. I can’t tell you how often I was thanked by the seller for being in and out in 30 minutes or less. I had people who listed with me because of my respect for their time. A week rarely went by in which I did not hear “The last guy was here for two hours. I appreciate your respect for our time.” Most sellers are not interested in the fluff and hype. Leave that for the other, less skilled agents. Find out their desired and motivation. Tell them the truth on the price of their homes. Tell them what you are going to do. Ask for the business.

It truly is that simple. Condense your presentation, and stay on track.

These are just two practices that have puzzled me for a while. If you see yourself, I urge you to change. For the sake of your clients and your time, commit to changing today. You will get more listings sold if you have a longer listing period. You can take more listings if you spend less time making the presentation for each one.

Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He’s the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. You can get more information by visiting www.RealEstateChampions.com. © 2008, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http:// www.FrogPond.com.

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The Power of Choice

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n aviation, the word “attitude” is a term that refers to the angle that the plane meets the wind, if the wings are level with the horizon and whether the aircraft is climbing or descending. The pilot who fails to take responsibility for the attitude of his or her aircraft is in serious trouble. And likewise, any leader who fails to control their thoughts and take responsibility for their attitude runs a similar risk with their organization.

As a sales manager, you not only set the pace for your sales team, but you’re responsible for setting the tone as well. For better or worse, the leader’s attitude is contagious and permeates throughout their organization.

Positive, upbeat companies are always led by positive, upbeat managers. While we’re not always able to control our circumstances, we can and must control how we respond to life’s difficulties, setbacks and challenges. We have a choice about how our day is going to be.

How often do you talk to yourself and what do you say? Research in the field of psychology indicates that the average person maintains an ongoing mental dialog, or “self-talk,” of between 150 to 300 words per minute.

Unfortunately, not all of these thoughts are positive.

In fact, it has been estimated that of the thousands of thoughts we have each day, approximately 40 percent of them tend to be negative and self-critical in nature. Most of us are generally unaware of this negative background chatter, let alone its sabotaging effect on our emotional state, performance and well-being.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for

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they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny.

-- Anonymous Earl Nightingale, cofounder of the Nightingale-Conant Corp., concluded that life’s “strangest secret” is that you become what you think about all day long. If you want to know where your predominant thoughts lie and what you believe, look at what you are experiencing in your life.

Your thoughts are creative by nature and express themselves through your emotions, which in turn, drive your actions. Everything you say both positive and negative is in fact an affirmation and reflects your belief. Whatever you think, feel or say about your life today is the scaffolding that builds the events you will experience in the future.

Affirmation And Positive Self-Talk William Shakespeare said, “Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” The first step in the process of changing your belief system is to monitor your thoughts and the next step is to control them through the power of choice. Once you become conscious of the critical aspects of your internal dialogue, you can choose to reframe your negative thoughts by substituting affirmative statements.

World-class athletes understand the value of affirmation and recognize the impact of their mental preparation on their physical performance. They use the power of positive affirmation to reduce anxiety and increase their expectation of achievement. To be of maximum benefit an affirmation must be simple, encouraging and stated in the present tense. By repeating an affirmation over and over again it becomes embedded in the subconscious mind.

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Do affirmations really work and can they propel a person to greatness? As a teenager beginning his boxing career in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius Clay would frequently affirm, “I am the greatest of all time!” While many considered him boastful and few took this eightynine pound, twelve year old seriously, Mohammad Ali used the power of affirmation to become the greatest boxer of all time and arguably the most recognizable sports figure in the world.

Henry Ford was right when he said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t - you’re right.” Your belief system, like your computer, doesn’t judge what you input; it simply accepts it as the truth. The key to cultivating and maintaining a positive mental attitude is to use your power of choice and take control of your thinking. It’s a challenging task to develop a calm, focused mind, but well worth the effort.

Action Plan: Here are some suggestions to help you have a good day every day.

1. Establish the habit of getting up early.

• You’ll See It When You Believe It, by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer • The Power Of Positive Thinking, by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale • Think and Grow Rich, by Dr. Napoleon Hill • Psycho-Cybernetics, by Dr. Maxwell Maltz 3. Take a few moments to consider the upcoming activities of your day. Visualize events flowing. See people accept your ideas and your day unfolding in a harmonious and productive way. This is a good time to verbalize your affirmations.

4. Take time for some physical exercise.

5. At noon, take a 10-minute mental break to relax and replenish your energy.

John Boe presents a variety of training and motivational programs for meetings and conventions. John brings over twenty years of experience as an award-winning sales trainer to the platform. Copyright© 2005, John Boe. All rights reserved. For addition information, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com; http://www.frogpond.com.

2. Upon rising, read or listen to something positive and inspirational. Clinical studies indicate that our mind is most receptive to suggestion during the first 15-minutes upon awakening. Here are some books that will help you start your day off on the right foot.

• How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling, by Frank Bettger • The Magic Of Believing, by Claude M. Bristol

Written By John Boe ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Getting just a mortgage is so last year.

That’s why we’re gifting your clients a fabulous perk when they finance their home purchase with Kinecta.

We’ve partnered with Househappy to offer traxplus.

Traxplus is a convenient web app that puts your clients’ home information at their fingertips and makes maintenance easy:

Includes an in-person initial data collection by a home data collection specialist Automated service reminders A dedicated home services concierge & more!

Free traxplus1 for your clients! $99 value

Once they’ve funded their Kinecta mortgage we’ll gift them the traxplus1 service.

Let’s elevate your clients’ home buying experience.

Erik Jenner, NMLS# 38025 Manager Mortgage Loan Sales direct: 949.253.5337 | cell: 949.293.1237 Erik.Jenner@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/ejenner Visit www.kinecta.org/househappy to learn more.

All loans are subject to credit approval. NMLS #407870. Intended for mortgage professionals only and not for consumer use.

Househappytrax and Househappytraxplus home services are made available through a partnership with Househappy. Househappy is not affiliated with Kinecta or its affiliates. All costs and fees associated with the services offered through Househappy are the responsibility of the user. Kinecta reserves the right to modify or cancel these offers at any time.

1 Kinecta will cover the cost of the traxplus service (valued at $99.00) for Kinecta members who finance their home purchase with a Kinecta mortgage in the state of California. Eligible mortgage applications must be submitted on or after 1/1/2017. If eligible and upon consent, qualified borrowers will be enrolled in traxplus upon completion of a home purchase transaction. Additional costs and fees, such as renewal fees, are the responsibility of the user.

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