“People always say that real estate is a great investment because the value of homes is always going up. To some extent, there’s truth in that. But it’s also a fact that the real estate market fluctuates. Sometimes it’s a buyer’s market and sometimes it’s a seller’s market. And there are actually other times when the real estate market is in transition. A transitional real estate market poses certain issues for people who are buying and selling homes and you should be aware of them. This is especially true for anyone involved in real estate right now because the real estate market in many areas is either in transition or could be in transition shortly.A transitional real estate market happens during the interim between a buyer’s market and a seller’s market. There’s this funny period of time in which the market isn’t particularly good for either party. In a way, this gives each party some leverage in the real estate transaction. And yet it also puts them on solid ground. If you are buying or selling a home in a transitional real estate market, there are some things that you can do to help give you a leg up in the interaction.Here are some tips for buying or selling a home in a transitional real estate market:1) You should know whether it’s going from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market or the reverse. Being aware of this helps you to position yourself and sell yourself appropriately. For example, if you are a buyer and real estate is transitioning to a buyer’s market, you can point out to the seller that he’s going to have a harder time selling in two months and therefore should make the sale to you at a good price. Likewise, if you realize that it’s a transitional real estate market that will soon be in your favor, you might make the decision to hold off on the transaction all together.2) Understand “fair market value”. When you are buying or selling a home during a buyer’s market or seller’s market, the value of the home is based significantly on the supply and demand issue. When you are buying or selling a home in the transitional real estate market, the home’s sale price will be based more closely on the fair market value of the home. You should learn this concept inside and out and work with appraisers in your area to determine the FMV of the home you’re buying or selling.3) Be aware that terms are more solid in a transitional real estate market. There’s going to be less negotiating during this time so you shouldn’t make false offers on either end hoping to manipulate the other party. Be more direct in your dealings during a transitional period.4) Work with a professional who understands the transitional market. You’ll want realtors (and lenders if you’re buying) who understand the transitional real estate market which means that you’ll need to look for people who have been in the industry for a long time.It’s possible to get a good deal on either buying or selling a home during the transitional real estate market period. But to do that, you need to know what a good deal is and you need to be able to position yourself in the interaction based on that knowledge. Working with professionals who know the transitional real estate market is a good start to getting that good deal.”

Volume real estate transactions often baffle the average agent. In fact, the average agent is lucky to close 20 transactions in a year, which equals only 1.5 transactions per month. And yet, it would be highly unlikely that there is a need to spend 160 hours on any transaction. This stems from a lack of processes, no boundaries when it comes to time with a client and a lack of common sense about what it takes to work with too many clients at one time.It is a fact that in the traditional world of real estate, many agents believe that you should make client calls until you can not reach the person that you are calling. That could be midnight and sometimes later if you are negotiating a deal. Why?This misunderstanding of the profession leaves the agent using their time inefficiently, with no boundaries and often you hear that the agent is burned out. They need a vacation. But oh no, the agent can not take a vacation, they have a client that needs them. And this is the agent that is lucky to do 20 transactions per year. Yes, it yielded them into the Million-Dollar Club, but it has not yielded them an income that is sustainable or a life that is balanced.What is Volume Real Estate?In a nutshell, volume real estate is working with so many clients that if one flakes out on you and does not sell or buy a house; it does not effect your performance or income. Simply they are not needed. Volume real estate is a conscious decision to accept as many clients as you can and that you will figure out if you need help with them later, while you are in the game, not just thinking about the game.Volume real estate recognizes that you must be marketing all the time, not just when you decide that you need more clients because you have just closed your pipeline or it has dried up. A volume real estate person overbooks himself or herself knowing that they have team members that can help out if needed. Volume real estate is where you make money that you didn’t even know was possible because you have a process that is smooth and has very little or no flaws.Volume real estate has boundaries that say when you close for business, when you re-open for business and ultimately this will allow you to go on vacation. Volume real estate is the wave of the future if the wave is not already on us. The question is, will you go under with the wave or will you ride the wave?How Do You Do Volume Real Estate
Learn from someone who has perfected volume real estate. Someone who carries hundreds of listings at a time, not tens of listings or less.
Stay away from naysayers and others who don’t want anyone to succeed, including themselves.
Understand that you can never service someone in real estate, you can only support them to make a decision that is best for them. You have no power.
Stop feeling worried for people who have gotten themselves into financial messes.
Stop feeling guilty for charging people too much money and charge less – the real fee that it costs you to do business. In other words, instead of clubbing 20 people to death for your annual revenue, just pinprick 2,000. You’ll make more money and your clients will save more individually, allowing them to accept more offers, quicker.
Make yourself referable so that your clients can actually refer you to others.
Build processes that keep everyone on the same page including the clients.
Stop over servicing people to feel good about yourself.
Stop underestimating that people can’t do things for themselves like fill their own flyer box.
Stop overcharging clients because you don’t have enough clients – get more.
Stop over-promising clients and delivering less results than promised.
Stop over-promising clients and resent your over-promise.
Set boundaries for your personal life that you are willing to enforce and let those spread into your business life.
Recognize that real estate needs for sellers and buyers have changed and get on the band wagon of people who are making millions while you are making less than you imagined or feel you deserve. Don’t just make enough to pay your bills, make real money.

With many Americans now realizing they can’t depend on the government to take care of them in old age, investors are now turning commercial real estate investing because they know it’s time to face the hard reality that it’s time to take care of their own financial futures. While some may aspire to be “rich,” others see financial independence as a necessity when it comes to surviving and enjoying their retirement years. Savings accounts grow too slowly, as do bonds, in order to create the growth and income most investors seek for their retirement portfolios. Smart investors tolerate risk and volatility in search of the higher returns that will help their nest eggs hatch and grow into cash cows.One asset class that has traditionally met these goals is the stock market. Low-fee, high-growth mutual funds have an excellent track record when it comes to long-term returns. However, many investors feel frustrated by the sense that there’s nothing they can do to improve the performance of their stock and mutual fund portfolio.That’s why investing in real estate makes so much sense.Many investors dip their toes in the water with a few rental homes or a small apartment building. That’s a great place to start building wealth and learning the commercial real estate industry. However, for investors looking for serious retirement income that can be relied upon to grow in a hands-off portfolio, commercial real estate certainly has its place.Commercial real estate for beginners is not something to be entered into lightly. It’s hard to read a book or talk to a broker and really understand everything that’s involved in making and financing a good real estate deal, and then managing your property once you have it in place.I think the two best ways for beginners to get involved in commercial real estate are to a) Work their way up through the ranks of owning smaller properties or b) Work with a mentor of some kind – ideally another property owner in your marketplace – to find out what they do, how they do it, and why they do it. You can find a lot of salesmen trying to get you started in commercial real estate by buying their magical business-in-a-box but their claims of simplicity from just following a simple system are often over-stated. You can get yourself into a lot of hot water in commercial real estate as a beginner unfamiliar with the business, so if you can’t afford to make a mistake, it’s best to grow slowly and pay your dues. When you do dip your toe in the water, let the voices of experience guide you and check with your attorney, CPA, and other investors in your area to help you confirm you are on the right track.