Real Estate Coaching and Training
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Technology Resources for Keller Williams Offices
What are the advantages of having a Technology Coordinator?
Tech Alliance Calls – A conference call with focused instruction on technology issues and notification of new releases from EagentC. Held every the 2nd Tuesday of every month @ 2:00-3:00pm (CST). The next call will be September 8.
Web-based Agent Training – Online conference calls that introduce the Tech Coordinators to the tools available to them to better instruct other associates. Held the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month @ 10:00-11:30am
Technology Coordinator Web Office – Exclusive access to a role-based intranet with current documentation, discussions and events calendar for Tech Coordinators. The content of all past calls and recordings of the web conferences are available through the web office. All announcements, MC Tech calendar events and meeting notifications are maintained and sent via the web office.
MC Tech Intranet Profile – Increased privileges and extended use of system utilities. (office website editing, listing sharing, etc)
How do I designate an individual as Technology Coordinator?
Once the market center has chosen the deserving individual that will maintain the role of Technology Coordinator, the MCA must:
1) Assign the ‘MC Tech Coordinator’ role in the KW Intranet.
2) Submit a ticket to support@kw.com requesting access to the MC Tech Web Office.
What is the ideal Technology Coordinator profile?
1. People Oriented - Technology can be difficult for many people, and having a technology person that gets along with realtors and your staff will make it much easier for everyone. They should be able to build relationships with people in the office and be part of the team.
2. Accommodating - The technology coordinator is playing a supporting role in your office, and should achieve success by helping and empowering other people.
3. Technically Knowledgeable - The technology coordinator must have a solid base in technology, and have training and/or extensive prior experience with computer networks, phone systems, software, and office technology.
4. Detail Oriented and Thorough - A good technology person will manage detail well, administer preventative measures and take care of existing problems completely and efficiently. They should also be able to plan their activities and follow through.
5. Task Orientated - Your technology coordinator must know how to get the job done and stay on track. Since they will most likely be working on projects while handling requests for support and assistance, they will need to be task focused in order to complete their work.
6. High integrity - Your technology coordinator will have access to sensitive files and information about associates, customers, and finances. You will need to be able to trust them with that information.
7. Intelligence and Problem Solving Skills - Your technology coordinator will break down problems to their smallest degree to identify the nature of the issue, the factors and variables involved. They will determine the logical steps required to solve the problems. They will resolve problems systematically and effectively.
It's all about choices #fb
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Keller Williams Realty Mega Camp in Austin Tx. This is an event where top real estate agents from around the country come for training and inspiration. I only got to stay for two days because I had to leave home for a family emergency, but what I learned will stay with me for a lifetime.
Lesson 1 : When you resolve to put your family first, it means that you are saying NO to some other things. And that's okay. You can't do everything so just do the things that are most important for your family. - Gary Keller
Lesson 2 : Much of our unhappiness comes from choosing not to be where we actually are. - Coach Michael Bastian
Case in point: Our youngest son is a worship leader at a church youth group. The church is 40 minutes from my house during traffic and he can't drive yet. So what does that mean? That someone has to take him there and bring him home, usually two nights a week. Since it's so far away, it really doesn't make sense to take him there, come back home, and turn around and go back an hour later. That means a lot of waiting!
As a parent of a child who has committed himself to ministry, I feel a huge responsibility to get him places that he needs to be so that he can grow into what God is growing him into. The conflict has been this: I really don't want to have to spend about 6 hours a week driving him and waiting for him. Even though I take him, my subconsciuos choice has actually been to be at home. So, I'm choosing to be at home. I'm not at home. Hence the irritation.
My aha came when I realized that #1: By putting him first, I am saying no to some other things, namely being at home 2 nights a week. #2 When I make a conscious choice to take him there, choosing to be there instead of being at home, my conflict is resolved.
So, last night I made a choice to be where I was...killing 2 hours on Nolensville Road in Nashville. And you know what? I had a quiet dinner, did some shopping and caught up on sending some thank you notes. Instead of resenting the time that I was spending, I embraced it and worked with it. Choosing to be where I WAS instead of where I WASN'T.
What I learned at Mega Camp had something to do with real estate and coaching somewhere in there, but every thing to do with life. That's one of the things I really love about our company...its about life first and business second.
So if you live anywhere near the Nolensville Road/Old Hickory Blvd area and you aren't busy on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, give me a call! I'll be around.
Beth
Williamson County, TN Home Sale Statistics for July 2009
There were 303 residential and condominium closings reported for the month, according to figures provided by RealTracs Solutions, the multiple listing service used by REALTORS® in the Middle-Tennessee area.
Compared to July of 2008, the residential home closings decreased 8 percent and the median price for residential homes decreased by 9 percent. Days on the market (DOM) for residential homes increased by 18 as compared to July 2008. Condominium closings decreased by 50 percent. The median prices for condominiums increased by 15 percent and days on the market increased by 63 days compared to July 2008.
Social Media Etiquette and Passive Marketing
This morning I got into a dialogue with one of my Facebook friends about passive marketing thru Facebook. The discussion was prompted when I was checking out the wall of one of the top executives at my company. Someone had gone to her wall and posted a link to an internet marketing program. I work for a company that is very generous about the sharing of ideas, and perhaps this person just wanted to help a co-worker. But, I had to ask myself if this top executive would really want to be seen as promoting something that wasn't officially sanctioned by the company.
One of the goals of social media is to remind people from time to time of what you do. The issue I mentioned has to do with someone posting their sales related stuff on your wall, so that YOUR friends will see it and using YOU as a passive marketer for their product, especially if it's done without your permission.
I've had this happen on two business fan pages that I administer. The person posted links to their services and one of them was even a competitor! I politely messaged them and asked them to stop. What if someone had seen that post on my wall, assumed I endorsed the program, and was then disappointed in the program? Would that be a bad reflection on me?
Marketing yourself thru your friends is ok because they've given you permission. If they get tired of you, they'll just Hide you from their stream....marketing thru others without their permission...not so good (in my humble opinion)
What are your thoughts??
Beth
Forrest Crossing Market Update - Franklin, TN
Current home sale statistics for Forrest Crossing golf course community in Franklin TN.
Search for Homes in Forrest Crossing
Thank Marine mom Eva Savage for freedom that endures
Wishing you all a meaningful 4th of July. Freedom is priceless, but it isn't free.If you would like to email Eva, please send it to me and I will forward to her.
Thank Marine mom Eva Savage for freedom that endures
BY TIM CHAVEZ
To honor this country and celebrate its freedoms today, don't just watch fireworks or make vacation plans to visit a national monument.
Send an e-mail to Eva Savage.
No matter how many times we've read the Declaration of Independence or have pledged allegiance to the flag and its ideals, the freedom this country embodies is merely a concept to most of us. Freedom is like the air we breathe - it is what we've always known; it's what we've always had.
Eva Savage, however, lives it. She knows it. She bears its burden and cherishes its value each and every day.
And on this Fourth of July, Eva Savage is one of freedom's newest mothers - another in a long line of heroic Americans who endure the continuing sacrifice that our liberty demands.
"Freedom isn't free, and unfortunately most people don't understand that," the Livingston, Tenn., woman says.
"My family and I have paid the ultimate price for freedom. My son died for what he believed in. He died with honor. The only thing I can say is red, white and blue, those are colors worth fighting for. Stand up and be counted."
Lance Cpl. Jeremiah E. Savage, 21, was killed in May in Iraq. And last Fourth of July was the final time Eva Savage held her son, during his 21-day leave.
Some people would dispute Eva Savage's contentions or her place in this nation's history. They believe her son died for nothing. They argue that the Iraq war is not about freedom and honor at all, or anything good for that matter.
They're wrong - by the most basic measure of what it means to be an American and to live in America. And today is the proper time to reiterate the lesson.
Here is how Ellen Garrison explains it. She is an associate professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University. She also is the mother of Army Capt. John Neal, who leads an artillery unit in Iraq.
"When we were going through the 2000 election controversy, I asked one of my classes, 'How many of you guys are asking what is the Army going to do?'"
Her point: Americans didn't have to worry. Just like the freedom we take for granted, the belief in the people of this nation remaining in control came naturally despite the controversy. Everything was going to be all right.
"There are very few countries where you can say that our Army is not a factor in our country," Garrison said. "So when people ask 'Do you support the war?', I say that's an irrelevant question. My son is there because civilian control of our military is the cornerstone of our country."
The Declaration of Independence echoes Garrison's interpretation: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government ... ."
The Army didn't make the decision to go to Iraq. Our elected leaders did - from the White House to Congress, from George Bush to John Kerry. The war in Iraq is emblematic of our way of governance, that power or force can only be exerted through our consent. And that principle preserves our freedom - as long as there are Eva Savages willing to live with the ultimate sacrifice often required.
Read her story about freedom's cost, then send her an e-mail at eva@twlakes.net.
"Hi, my name is Eva Savage.
"My Marine, my hero was Lance Cpl. Jeremiah Savage. He was my oldest child, my best friend. As a child, all he ever wanted to be was a Marine. He grew up playing G.I. Joe with tanks, guns. That was who he was. At age 11, he knew what he wanted to be. The last three things on a school paper telling about himself were:
"8. I like the B-2 Bomber
"9. I like to blow things up (he was mortar man in the Marines)
"10. I wanna be a MARINE!
"My son lived his dream. He joined the Marines his junior year on the delayed entry program. Graduated high school in May and three days later was on his way to Parris Island for boot camp. For three months he questioned his decision, as I am sure all Marines do. But graduation at Parris Island on Aug. 19, 2001, changed our lives forever.
"Then Sept. 11 happened. Once again our country was changed. The red, white and blue was proudly displayed. In November 2001, Jeremiah was sent to his duty station 2,000 miles from home - Camp Pendleton, Calif.
"He received his first tour orders for Japan and would be leaving in July 2002. In June 2002, I flew out to spend a week with him in California. Japan was supposed to be a six-month duty, which turned into 11 and a half months.
"His daughter Madison was born in October while he was in Japan.
"Jer and I talked often while he was overseas. Sharing many stories, concerns, fears, thoughts. In June 2003, he returned home to Camp Pendleton. Then came home to Tennessee for 21 days. We went as a family back home to Illinois for the Fourth and celebrated being together. This year on the Fourth will be very hard for me as I remember the last time we were together, with joy and love and watching him hug his dad bye and with tears in his eyes as he left.
"Who knew that was the last time we would see him, hold him?
"In November it was announced that Marines from CampP were going to Iraq. I cannot explain the feelings at that time. I remembered Jer and my conversations:
" 'Mom, they are my brothers. I need to be there with them, not sitting here.'
"I asked Jer if he was one of the Marine units going.
" 'No, Mom. We are going to Japan.'
"No matter what he told me, I knew he would be going to Iraq. The week before Christmas when he called, he was talking about night-vision goggles and a different type of gun than what he normally carried. It was then that I asked him why he had that gear?
"He says: 'I'm going to Iraq, Mom. Don't worry, just going to rebuild. My skills in welding will come in handy.'
"In January(2004), I wanted to go see him before he left. This, too, I can't explain, the need. But it was not to be. February, he went to Iraq. Many calls from the airport in Jersey. E-mails.
"He was having some problems that only Mom was able to help him with. We talked as often as possible. It seems every time something would happen, I would be sitting at the computer searching for information and the phone would ring.
" 'Hey mom, what's up?'
"Then my world was right once again.
"He would call us when he had the chance on Friday nights and Saturdays, and everyone would have to talk to him. Then along came Internet. Yeah! We were able to talk to him via Yahoo Messenger, and I even turned on the Web cam, and he was able to see us.
"On a Monday, I talked to him for two hours, went to practice with the Praise Band at church, came home and talked to him for two more hours. Those were the last conversations we had, filled with joking and lots of laughter.
"Now I try to fill my days spending time with his brother Jonathan, who is 19 and was married on April 3, the same day as Jer's son, Wyatt, was born. Jonathan, before the trip to Arlington (National Cemetery), went and had an eagle, globe and anchor tattoo put on his back in loving memory of his brother.
"Chelsea is 15 and going on 35. Her faith is such a blessing to me as she has professed that until God tells her otherwise, she is going to be a minister.
"Me, I am a Marine Mom learning to live without my Marine. Between the immense pride and the pain, my love is unfailing."
May our gratitude to this mother of our freedom also be unfailing. Please send an e-mail today - the Fourth of July - to Eva Savage.
Memorial Day - "Taking Chance", the original transcript
In February, HBO released its most successful original movie to date titled "Taking Chance". In this film, Kevin Bacon plays the role of LtCol. Mike Strobl, who is assigned to be the military escort for a fallen soldier. It chronicles Strobl's journey with the remains from Dover Air Force base to the hometown of Chance Phelps. If you haven't seen the movie, I would encourage you to rent it.
This Memorial Day, as you enjoy the freedoms of this country, take a moment to remember those whose blood was shed in order for you to have those freedoms. I'm including the original article written by LtCol Strobl. If you choose to pass it on, he only requests that you do no editing and always use the article in its entirety.
23 Apr 04 ? The enclosed article was written by LtCol M.R. Strobl USMC who is assigned to MCCDC Quantico, VA and served as the officer who escorted the remains of PFC C. Phelps USMC from Dover AFB, DE to his home. PFC Phelps was assigned to 3d Bn, 11th Marines ? an artillery unit functioning as a provisional infantry battalion during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 2. PFC Phelps was killed in action from a gunshot wound received on 9 Apr 04 during combat operations west of Baghdad. He was buried in Dubois, WY on 17 Apr 04.
TAKING CHANCEChance Phelps was wearing his Saint Christopher medal when he was killed on Good Friday. Eight days later, I handed the medallion to his mother. I didn?t know Chance before he died. Today, I miss him.
Over a year ago, I volunteered to escort the remains of Marines killed in Iraq should the need arise. The military provides a uniformed escort for all casualties to ensure they are delivered safely to the next of kin and are treated with dignity and respect along the way.
Thankfully, I hadn?t been called on to be an escort since Operation Iraqi Freedom began. The first few weeks of April, however, had been a tough month for the Marines. On the Monday after Easter I was reviewing Department of Defense press releases when I saw that a Private First Class Chance Phelps was killed in action outside of Baghdad. The press release listed his hometown?the same town I?m from. I notified our Battalion adjutant and told him that, should the duty to escort PFC Phelps fall to our Battalion, I would take him.
I didn?t hear back the rest of Monday and all day Tuesday until 1800. The Battalion duty NCO called my cell phone and said I needed to be ready to leave for Dover Air Force Base at 1900 in order to escort the remains of PFC Phelps.
Before leaving for Dover I called the major who had the task of informing Phelps?s parents of his death. The major said the funeral was going to be in Dubois, Wyoming. (It turned out that PFC Phelps only lived in my hometown for his senior year of high school.) I had never been to Wyoming and had never heard of Dubois.
With two other escorts from Quantico, I got to Dover AFB at 2330 on Tuesday night. First thing on Wednesday we reported to the mortuary at the base. In the escort lounge there were about half a dozen Army soldiers and about an equal number of Marines waiting to meet up with ?their? remains for departure. PFC Phelps was not ready, however, and I was told to come back on Thursday. Now, at Dover with nothing to do and a solemn mission ahead, I began to get depressed.
I was wondering about Chance Phelps. I didn?t know anything about him; not even what he looked like. I wondered about his family and what it would be like to meet them. I did pushups in my room until I couldn?t do any more.
On Thursday morning I reported back to the mortuary. This time there was a new group of Army escorts and a couple of the Marines who had been there Wednesday. There was also an Air Force captain there to escort his brother home to San Diego.
We received a brief covering our duties, the proper handling of the remains, the procedures for draping a flag over a casket, and of course, the paperwork attendant to our task. We were shown pictures of the shipping container and told that each one contained, in addition to the casket, a flag. I was given an extra flag since Phelps?s parents were divorced. This way they would each get one. I didn?t like the idea of stuffing the flag into my luggage but I couldn?t see carrying a large flag, folded for presentation to the next of kin, through an airport while in my Alpha uniform. It barely fit into my suitcase.
It turned out that I was the last escort to leave on Thursday. This meant that I repeatedly got to participate in the small ceremonies that mark all departures from the Dover AFB mortuary.
Most of the remains are taken from Dover AFB by hearse to the airport in Philadelphia for air transport to their final destination. When the remains of a service member are loaded onto a hearse and ready to leave the Dover mortuary, there is an announcement made over the building?s intercom system. With the announcement, all service members working at the mortuary, regardless of service branch, stop work and form up along the driveway to render a slow ceremonial salute as the hearse departs. Escorts also participated in each formation until it was their time to leave.
On this day there were some civilian workers doing construction on the mortuary grounds. As each hearse passed, they would stop working and place their hard hats over their hearts. This was my first sign that my mission with PFC Phelps was larger than the Marine Corps and that his family and friends were not grieving alone.
Eventually I was the last escort remaining in the lounge. The Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant in charge of the Marine liaison there came to see me. He had Chance Phelps?s personal effects. He removed each item; a large watch, a wooden cross with a lanyard, two loose dog tags, two dog tags on a chain, and a Saint Christopher medal on a silver chain. Although we had been briefed that we might be carrying some personal effects of the deceased, this set me aback. Holding his personal effects, I was starting to get to know Chance Phelps.Finally we were ready. I grabbed my bags and went outside. I was somewhat startled when I saw the shipping container, loaded three-quarters of the way in to the back of a black Chevy Suburban that had been modified to carry such cargo. This was the first time I saw my ?cargo? and I was surprised at how large the shipping container was. The Master Gunnery Sergeant and I verified that the name on the container was Phelps?s then they pushed him the rest of the way in and we left. Now it was PFC Chance Phelps?s turn to receive the military?and construction workers??honors. He was finally moving towards home.
As I chatted with the driver on the hour-long trip to Philadelphia, it became clear that he considered it an honor to be able to contribute in getting Chance home. He offered his sympathy to the family. I was glad to finally be moving yet apprehensive about what things would be like at the airport. I didn?t want this package to be treated like ordinary cargo, but I knew that the simple logistics of moving around a box this large would have to overrule my preferences.
When we got to the Northwest Airlines cargo terminal at the Philadelphia airport, the cargo handler and hearse driver pulled the shipping container onto a loading bay while I stood to the side and executed a slow salute. Once Chance was safely in the cargo area, and I was satisfied that he would be treated with due care and respect, the hearse driver drove me over to the passenger terminal and dropped me off.
As I walked up to the ticketing counter in my uniform, a Northwest employee started to ask me if I knew how to use the automated boarding pass dispenser. Before she could finish another ticketing agent interrupted her. He told me to go straight to the counter then explained to the woman that I was a military escort. She seemed embarrassed. The woman behind the counter already had tears in her eyes as I was pulling out my government travel voucher. She struggled to find words but managed to express her sympathy for the family and thank me for my service. She upgraded my ticket to first class.
After clearing security, I was met by another Northwest Airline employee at the gate. She told me a representative from cargo would be up to take me down to the tarmac to observe the movement and loading of PFC Phelps. I hadn?t really told any of them what my mission was but they all knew.
When the man from the cargo crew met me, he, too, struggled for words. On the tarmac, he told me stories of his childhood as a military brat and repeatedly told me that he was sorry for my loss. I was starting to understand that, even here in Philadelphia, far away from Chance?s hometown, people were mourning with his family.
On the tarmac, the cargo crew was silent except for occasional instructions to each other. I stood to the side and saluted as the conveyor moved Chance to the aircraft. I was relieved when he was finally settled into place. The rest of the bags were loaded and I watched them shut the cargo bay door before heading back up to board the aircraft.
One of the pilots had taken my carry-on bag himself and had it stored next to the cockpit door so he could watch it while I was on the tarmac. As I boarded the plane, I could tell immediately that the flight attendants had already been informed of my mission. They seemed a little choked up as they led me to my seat.About 45 minutes into our flight I still hadn?t spoken to anyone except to tell the first class flight attendant that I would prefer water. I was surprised when the flight attendant from the back of the plane suddenly appeared and leaned down to grab my hands. She said, ?I want you to have this? as she pushed a small gold crucifix, with a relief of Jesus, into my hand. It was her lapel pin and it looked somewhat worn. I suspected it had been hers for quite some time. That was the only thing she said to me the entire flight.
When we landed in Minneapolis, I was the first one off the plane. The pilot himself escorted me straight down the side stairs of the exit tunnel to the tarmac. The cargo crew there already knew what was on this plane. They were unloading some of the luggage when an Army sergeant, a fellow escort who had left Dover earlier that day, appeared next to me. His ?cargo? was going to be loaded onto my plane for its continuing leg. We stood side by side in the dark and executed a slow salute as Chance was removed from the plane. The cargo crew at Minneapolis kept Phelps?s shipping case separate from all the other luggage as they waited to take us to the cargo area. I waited with the soldier and we saluted together as his fallen comrade was loaded onto the plane.
My trip with Chance was going to be somewhat unusual in that we were going to have an overnight stopover. We had a late start out of Dover and there was just too much traveling ahead of us to continue on that day. (We still had a flight from Minneapolis to Billings, Montana, then a five-hour drive to the funeral home. That was to be followed by a 90-minute drive to Chance?s hometown.)
I was concerned about leaving him overnight in the Minneapolis cargo area. My ten-minute ride from the tarmac to the cargo holding area eased my apprehension. Just as in Philadelphia, the cargo guys in Minneapolis were extremely respectful and seemed honored to do their part. While talking with them, I learned that the cargo supervisor for Northwest Airlines at the Minneapolis airport is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves. They called him for me and let me talk to him.
Once I was satisfied that all would be okay for the night, I asked one of the cargo crew if he would take me back to the terminal so that I could catch my hotel?s shuttle. Instead, he drove me straight to the hotel himself. At the hotel, the Lieutenant Colonel called me and said he would personally pick me up in the morning and bring me back to the cargo area.
Before leaving the airport, I had told the cargo crew that I wanted to come back to the cargo area in the morning rather than go straight to the passenger terminal. I felt bad for leaving Chance overnight and wanted to see the shipping container where I had left it for the night. It was fine.
The Lieutenant Colonel made a few phone calls then drove me around to the passenger terminal. I was met again by a man from the cargo crew and escorted down to the tarmac. The pilot of the plane joined me as I waited for them to bring Chance from the cargo area. The pilot and I talked of his service in the Air Force and how he missed it.
I saluted as Chance was moved up the conveyor and onto the plane. It was to be a while before the luggage was to be loaded so the pilot took me up to the board the plane where I could watch the tarmac from a window. With no other passengers yet on board, I talked with the flight attendants and one of the cargo guys. He had been in the Navy and one of the attendants had been in the Air Force. Everywhere I went, people were continuing to tell me their relationship to the military. After all the baggage was aboard, I went back down to the tarmac, inspected the cargo bay, and watched them secure the door.
When we arrived at Billings, I was again the first off the plane. This time Chance?s shipping container was the first item out of the cargo hold. The funeral director had driven five hours up from Riverton, Wyoming to meet us. He shook my hand as if I had personally lost a brother.We moved Chance to a secluded cargo area. Now it was time for me to remove the shipping container and drape the flag over the casket. I had predicted that this would choke me up but I found I was more concerned with proper flag etiquette than the solemnity of the moment. Once the flag was in place, I stood by and saluted as Chance was loaded onto the van from the funeral home. I was thankful that we were in a small airport and the event seemed to go mostly unnoticed. I picked up my rental car and followed Chance for five hours until we reached Riverton. During the long trip I imagined how my meeting with Chance?s parents would go. I was very nervous about that.
When we finally arrived at the funeral home, I had my first face to face meeting with the Casualty Assistance Call Officer. It had been his duty to inform the family of Chance?s death. He was on the Inspector/Instructor staff of an infantry company in Salt Lake City, Utah and I knew he had had a difficult week.
Inside I gave the funeral director some of the paperwork from Dover and discussed the plan for the next day. The service was to be at 1400 in the high school gymnasium up in Dubois, population about 900, some 90 miles away. Eventually, we had covered everything. The CACO had some items that the family wanted to be inserted into the casket and I felt I needed to inspect Chance?s uniform to ensure everything was proper. Although it was going to be a closed casket funeral, I still wanted to ensure his uniform was squared away.
Earlier in the day I wasn?t sure how I?d handle this moment. Suddenly, the casket was open and I got my first look at Chance Phelps. His uniform was immaculate?a tribute to the professionalism of the Marines at Dover. I noticed that he wore six ribbons over his marksmanship badge; the senior one was his Purple Heart. I had been in the Corps for over 17 years, including a combat tour, and was wearing eight ribbons. This Private First Class, with less than a year in the Corps, had already earned six.
The next morning, I wore my dress blues and followed the hearse for the trip up to Dubois. This was the most difficult leg of our trip for me. I was bracing for the moment when I would meet his parents and hoping I would find the right words as I presented them with Chance?s personal effects.
We got to the high school gym about four hours before the service was to begin. The gym floor was covered with folding chairs neatly lined in rows. There were a few townspeople making final preparations when I stood next to the hearse and saluted as Chance was moved out of the hearse. The sight of a flag-draped coffin was overwhelming to some of the ladies.
We moved Chance into the gym to the place of honor. A Marine sergeant, the command representative from Chance?s battalion, met me at the gym. His eyes were watery as he relieved me of watching Chance so that I could go eat lunch and find my hotel.
At the restaurant, the table had a flier announcing Chance?s service. Dubois High School gym; two o? clock. It also said that the family would be accepting donations so that they could buy flak vests to send to troops in Iraq.I drove back to the gym at a quarter after one. I could?ve walked?you could walk to just about anywhere in Dubois in ten minutes. I had planned to find a quiet room where I could take his things out of their pouch and untangle the chain of the Saint Christopher medal from the dog tag chains and arrange everything before his parents came in. I had twice before removed the items from the pouch to ensure they were all there?even though there was no chance anything could?ve fallen out. Each time, the two chains had been quite tangled. I didn?t want to be fumbling around trying to untangle them in front of his parents. Our meeting, however, didn?t go as expected.
I practically bumped into Chance?s step-mom accidentally and our introductions began in the noisy hallway outside the gym. In short order I had met Chance?s step-mom and father followed by his step-dad and, at last, his mom. I didn?t know how to express to these people my sympathy for their loss and my gratitude for their sacrifice. Now, however, they were repeatedly thanking me for bringing their son home and for my service. I was humbled beyond words.
I told them that I had some of Chance?s things and asked if we could try to find a quiet place. The five of us ended up in what appeared to be a computer lab?not what I had envisioned for this occasion.
After we had arranged five chairs around a small table, I told them about our trip. I told them how, at every step, Chance was treated with respect, dignity, and honor. I told them about the staff at Dover and all the folks at Northwest Airlines. I tried to convey how the entire Nation, from Dover to Philadelphia, to Minneapolis, to Billings, and Riverton expressed grief and sympathy over their loss.
Finally, it was time to open the pouch. The first item I happened to pull out was Chance?s large watch. It was still set to Baghdad time. Next were the lanyard and the wooden cross. Then the dog tags and the Saint Christopher medal. This time the chains were not tangled. Once all of his items were laid out on the table, I told his mom that I had one other item to give them. I retrieved the flight attendant?s crucifix from my pocket and told its story. I set that on the table and excused myself. When I next saw Chance?s mom, she was wearing the crucifix on her lapel.
By 1400 most of the seats on the gym floor were filled and people were finding seats in the fixed bleachers high above the gym floor. There were a surprising number of people in military uniform. Many Marines had come up from Salt Lake City. Men from various VFW posts and the Marine Corps League occupied multiple rows of folding chairs. We all stood as Chance?s family took their seats in the front.
It turned out that Chance?s sister, a Petty Officer in the Navy, worked for a Rear Admiral?the Chief of Naval Intelligence?at the Pentagon. The Admiral had brought many of the sailors on his staff with him to Dubois pay respects to Chance and support his sister. After a few songs and some words from a Navy Chaplain, the Admiral took the microphone and told us how Chance had died.
Chance was an artillery cannoneer and his unit was acting as provisional military police outside of Baghdad. Chance had volunteered to man a .50 caliber machine gun in the turret of the leading vehicle in a convoy. The convoy came under intense fire but Chance stayed true to his post and returned fire with the big gun, covering the rest of the convoy, until he was fatally wounded.
Then the commander of the local VFW post read some of the letters Chance had written home. In letters to his mom he talked of the mosquitoes and the heat. In letters to his stepfather he told of the dangers of convoy operations and of receiving fire.
The service was a fitting tribute to this hero. When it was over, we stood as the casket was wheeled out with the family following. The casket was placed onto a horse-drawn carriage for the mile-long trip from the gym, down the main street, then up the steep hill to the cemetery. I stood alone and saluted as the carriage departed the high school. I found my car and joined Chance?s convoy.
The town seemingly went from the gym to the street. All along the route, the people had lined the street and were waving small American flags. The flags that were otherwise posted were all at half-staff. For the last quarter mile up the hill, local boy scouts, spaced about 20 feet apart, all in uniform, held large flags. At the foot of the hill, I could look up and back and see the enormity of our procession. I wondered how many people would be at this funeral if it were in, say, Detroit or Los Angeles?probably not as many as were here in little Dubois, Wyoming.
The carriage stopped about 15 yards from the grave and the military pall bearers and the family waited until the men of the VFW and Marine Corps league were formed up and school busses had arrived carrying many of the people from the procession route. Once the entire crowd was in place, the pallbearers came to attention and began to remove the casket from the caisson. As I had done all week, I came to attention and executed a slow ceremonial salute as Chance was being transferred from one mode of transport to another.
From Dover to Philadelphia; Philadelphia to Minneapolis; Minneapolis to Billings; Billings to Riverton; and Riverton to Dubois we had been together. Now, as I watched them carry him the final 15 yards, I was choking up. I felt that, as long as he was still moving, he was somehow still alive.
Then they put him down above his grave. He had stopped moving.
Although my mission had been officially complete once I turned him over to the funeral director at the Billings airport, it was his placement at his grave that really concluded it in my mind. Now, he was home to stay and I suddenly felt at once sad, relieved, and useless.
The chaplain said some words that I couldn?t hear and two Marines removed the flag from the casket and slowly folded it for presentation to his mother. When the ceremony was over, Chance?s father placed a ribbon from his service in Vietnam on Chance?s casket. His mother approached the casket and took something from her blouse and put it on the casket. I later saw that it was the flight attendant?s crucifix. Eventually friends of Chance?s moved closer to the grave. A young man put a can of Copenhagen on the casket and many others left flowers.
Finally, we all went back to the gym for a reception. There was enough food to feed the entire population for a few days. In one corner of the gym there was a table set up with lots of pictures of Chance and some of his sports awards. People were continually approaching me and the other Marines to thank us for our service. Almost all of them had some story to tell about their connection to the military. About an hour into the reception, I had the impression that every man in Wyoming had, at one time or another, been in the service.
It seemed like every time I saw Chance?s mom she was hugging a different well wisher. As time passed, I began to hear people laughing. We were starting to heal.
After a few hours at the gym, I went back to the hotel to change out of my dress blues. The local VFW post had invited everyone over to ?celebrate Chance?s life.? The Post was on the other end of town from my hotel and the drive took less than two minutes. The crowd was somewhat smaller than what had been at the gym but the Post was packed.
Marines were playing pool at the two tables near the entrance and most of the VFW members were at the bar or around the tables in the bar area. The largest room in the Post was a banquet/dinning/dancing area and it was now called ?The Chance Phelps Room.? Above the entry were two items: a large portrait of Chance in his dress blues and the Eagle, Globe, & Anchor. In one corner of the room there was another memorial to Chance. There were candles burning around another picture of him in his blues. On the table surrounding his photo were his Purple Heart citation and his Purple Heart medal. There was also a framed copy of an excerpt from the Congressional Record. This was an elegant tribute to Chance Phelps delivered on the floor of the United States House of Representatives by Congressman Scott McInnis of Colorado. Above it all was a television that was playing a photo montage of Chance?s life from small boy to proud Marine.
I did not buy a drink that night. As had been happening all day, indeed all week, people were thanking me for my service and for bringing Chance home. Now, in addition to words and handshakes, they were thanking me with beer. I fell in with the men who had handled the horses and horse-drawn carriage. I learned that they had worked through the night to groom and prepare the horses for Chance?s last ride. They were all very grateful that they were able to contribute.
After a while we all gathered in the Chance Phelps room for the formal dedication. The Post commander told us of how Chance had been so looking forward to becoming a Life Member of the VFW. Now, in the Chance Phelps Room of the Dubois, Wyoming post, he would be an eternal member. We all raised our beers and the Chance Phelps room was christened.
Later, as I was walking toward the pool tables, a Staff Sergeant from the Reserve unit in Salt Lake grabbed me and said, ?Sir, you gotta hear this.? There were two other Marines with him and he told the younger one, a Lance Corporal, to tell me his story. The Staff Sergeant said the Lance Corporal was normally too shy and modest to tell it but now he?d had enough beer to overcome his usual tendencies.
As the Lance Corporal started to talk, an older man joined our circle. He wore a baseball cap that indicated he had been with the 1st Marine Division in Korea. Earlier in the evening he had told me about one of his former commanding officers; a Colonel Puller.
So, there I was, standing in a circle with three Marines recently returned from fighting with the 1st Marine Division in Iraq and one not so recently returned from fighting with the 1st Marine Division in Korea. I, who had fought with the 1st Marine Division in Kuwait, was about to gain a new insight into our Corps.
The young Lance Corporal began to tell us his story. At that moment, in this circle of current and former Marines, the differences in our ages and ranks dissipated?we were all simply Marines.
His squad had been on a patrol through a city street. They had taken small arms fire and had literally dodged an RPG round that sailed between two Marines. At one point they received fire from behind a wall and had neutralized the sniper with a SMAW round. The back blast of the SMAW, however, kicked up a substantial rock that hammered the Lance Corporal in the thigh; only missing his groin because he had reflexively turned his body sideways at the shot.
Their squad had suffered some wounded and was receiving more sniper fire when suddenly he was hit in the head by an AK-47 round. I was stunned as he told us how he felt like a baseball bat had been slammed into his head. He had spun around and fell unconscious. When he came to, he had a severe scalp wound but his Kevlar helmet had saved his life. He continued with his unit for a few days before realizing he was suffering the effects of a severe concussion.
As I stood there in the circle with the old man and the other Marines, the Staff Sergeant finished the story. He told of how this Lance Corporal had begged and pleaded with the Battalion surgeon to let him stay with his unit. In the end, the doctor said there was just no way?he had suffered a severe and traumatic head wound and would have to be med?evaced.
The Marine Corps is a special fraternity. There are moments when we are reminded of this. Interestingly, those moments don?t always happen at awards ceremonies or in dress blues at Birthday Balls. I have found, rather, that they occur at unexpected times and places: next to a loaded moving van at Camp Lejeune?s base housing, in a dirty CP tent in northern Saudi Arabia, and in a smoky VFW post in western Wyoming.
After the story was done, the Lance Corporal stepped over to the old man, put his arm over the man?s shoulder and told him that he, the Korean War vet, was his hero. The two of them stood there with their arms over each other?s shoulders and we were all silent for a moment. When they let go, I told the Lance Corporal that there were recruits down on the yellow footprints tonight that would soon be learning his story.
I was finished drinking beer and telling stories. I found Chance?s father and shook his hand one more time. Chance?s mom had already left and I deeply regretted not being able to tell her goodbye.
I left Dubois in the morning before sunrise for my long drive back to Billings. It had been my honor to take Chance Phelps to his final post. Now he was on the high ground overlooking his town.
I miss him.
Regards,
LtCol Strobl
Red Day and the Williamson County Child Advocacy center
If you have not already heard, RED (Renew, Energize and Donate) Day is the new Keller Williams service initiative dedicated to improving our local communities. All Keller Williams Realty associates in the U.S. and Canada are encouraged to donate their time on RED Day to renewing and energizing aspects of their local communities (i.e. rehabbing a house, cleaning up a local trail, providing food for the homeless, or any other service-related activity needed in our community). This day has been dedicated in honor of our Vice Chairman, Mo Anderson, because of her constant commitment to the culture of our company and tireless support of her community. Please join us in participating in the first ever Nationwide Keller Williams Realty RED Day on Thursday May 14, 2009. On that day, our entire office is spending the day giving back to our community by collecting items for the Williamson County Child Advocacy Group. You may drop items off at our office or call us and we will arrange for pickup! Here are their needs: copy paper postage stamps toilet paper "NEW" stuffed animals paper towels Walmart or Target gift cards Staples or Office Depot Gift Cards children's shampoo children's soap or body wash children's toothpaste children's toothbrushes juice boxes individually packaged snacks new or used diaper disposal diaper disposal refill bags If you are out and about and shopping, buy a few extra items and drop them in our collection boxes. If you prefer, you can make cash donations and KW Franklin will purchase the items directly! Thank you for your support! Join us as we GIVE WHERE WE LIVE! Yours in Culture, Beth
Williamson County TN Statistics....Median prices for single family homes are UP!
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Gary Keller Live in Nashville, TN!
SHIFT into Overdrive 2 with Gary KellerGary Keller, author of "Shift" brings you the tactics and action steps you need to succeed NOW.
DescriptionAsk Yourself ...* Are you holding your money accountable? * Is every one of your listings priced in the market? * Are your lead generation efforts producing the RIGHT leads? * Do you know exactly what activities are growing your profit? * Do you know the right scripts for buyers who want to wait? * Are you armed with the skills to generate REO and short sale business? * Do you know exactly how many listing appointments you need to meet your goals? If you can't answer "YES" to every one of these questions, you need to be there! Gary Keller, Best Selling author of "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" and Shift will be LIVE in Franklin, TN. You won't want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT. TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE! http://www.millionairesystems.com/msys/shifttour.html#TourDates |
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How to always have the current issue of "This Month in Real Estate" on your website
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Step by Step to add the Agent This Month (regenerating) video to your website.
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How to add your Top Producer contacts as Facebook Friends
Did you know you can import your contacts from Top Producer into Facebook? The short video below will show you how.
This month in real estate
April 2009
This month in Real Estate April 2009
Notes from the opening session of the RETS
RETS conference Notes Q is the downturn in the mkt good for our industry? * Yes, changes are taking place that need to take place. it hurts right now but changes in 12-18 mos will be significant for our insdustry. 18-34 year olds will dirve our market. We are regrouping. *We are anticipating a recovery but it won't be anywhere near the mid 2000. next 12-18 mos we will experience a new normal. less agents in business = more business for those who stay in. * Many people who were in our industry might not should have been. The strongest will survive and that will be good for us. * Agens professional ranks will be thinned and so will vendors. Web 2.0 bubble coincided w/ RE bubble. Vendors must show value to their clients. * This also happened in Korea and Thailand in 1998. Their currency crashed. They refocused on being the leading tech country in the world. Profound economic gains. EX. people who can't use PC's are being replaced by people who can. There is a replacement of a group of people. In the short term the short term actions of the fed have opened a window for RE. Will stimulat the housing markets. Long term, will inflation kill the economy? Balancing act over next 2 years. * Innovation is required in this market Q Why is it hard to define what makes a good broker? Why do we not have standards for measuring how good a RE agent is? * In the old world the measure was how profitable they were. Now we are on a different playing field. How quick are they to change and adapt to the changes? Bigger isn't necessarily better. Smarter is better. * Example: man chose listing agent who asked him questions...how will you measure whether we have had a successful transaction? agent asked a lot of questions instead of bragging on herself. At the end of day we have to respond to consumer and what THEY want. Q Realtor and Internet have 81% usefulness rating. What is your take on this? * buyers use the internet but want the knowledge of an agent to get the deal done * People go to the internet to choose the agent at the last stages. the way social media is working, the agent will be found thru a referral on social media. * RE is a relationship based business and that will continue. Technology gives so much information to the consumer. The agent of the future will have to provide a higher level of service. Combo of tech and relationship/service * ran a consumer focus group : sat people in front of computer to do a home search. People want to get to a certain level of info and then want to hand it off. From the agent they want service. They want someone to inform them so they do't have to spend a lot of time. * Consumer wants the agent for what the agent knows about the market. Esp for RElo . they want to know what the internet can't tell them. * agents compartmentalize internet vs. personal leads and residential vs. commercial. W internet leads, more people are engaging this way. We treat them as someone who lives in our computer as opposed to a real person Q 90% of buyers surveyed say they would use their agent again but only 26% of sellers and 18% of buyers use the same agent. Why? * agents have been running from one transaction to another so they didn't set up databases and follow up. Natyure of the business to move from one to the other and this will have to change. People are not following up! W The Tech available today there is no reason not to be in touch. * The agents who reach and communicate will get the "orphaned" clients. Agents who manage their database well will stay successful. those that didn't are paralyzed. * Touch points for referrals are easily achieved thru tech. FB, linked in, and twitter. takes 15 seconds to make a touch. Makes Social Media very powerful. Avg of 7 years between transactions. Number of agens that have been in business 7 years or longer. How many agents under 40 have repeat business. Whose responsibility is it to do CRM? In other industries it is the company. In ours, it is the agent. * many salespeople feel they are buggin the customer but the customer has given them permission to contact them. Bottom line, the agent must do this. * When we think about agents as independent contractors, agents would not allow the brand to set up the CRM program for their clients because agents feel that broker might steal their clients. Is this silly? (note from BETH: I do NOT agree with this!) The agents who don't allow this won't stay in the business. (NOT) ( comment from Beth: You MUST manage your own database!)
Are you "Just" a ________?
Last Sunday morning at church during our “meet and greet" time, I met a young woman who had recently moved to TN from Las Vegas. When I asked her about her job, she replied, “Oh, I just talk on the phone all day long.” After a bit of general chitchat I asked exactly what it was that she did on the phone. Turns out, she worked in medical precertification. Her job is to approve medical testing for insured patients. She works at the same company as a friend of mine who is in management there and I am fairly certain that in saying she “just”, she was referring to her position in relation to that of my friend, but it sure got me thinking about the things that we “just” do in our lives.
Last fall I went thru a major back surgery that required X rays, an MRI and a (very painful) Discogram. The pre certification process went without a hitch. After I pondered this concept of “just”, my thoughts then turned to my friend, Billie Jo, who fell down a flight of stairs a year ago, needs the same surgery, and is still fighting with Workman's Comp to get her pre certifications completed. She has been in excruciating pain for months and is now faced with the prospect of permanent nerve damage…all because someone “just” couldn’t approve her procedure.
After the service, I spoke to the young woman again. I asked, “Don’t you understand? To the patient who needs medical treatment, YOU are the most important person that they will talk to today.” She seemed almost surprised to think that what she did was important. In her mind, she “just” talked on the phone all day.
How many times do we think that we are “just” a ______?
Consider the following:
You may think that you are “just” the receptionist…But you set the tone for the entire office. Your gifts keep it running smoothly.
You may think that you are “just” a mechanic…But your skills mean the difference between someone getting to work and providing for their family, or not.
You may think that you are “just” a waitress…But your service means the difference between a harried mom enjoying dinner with her family or hassling with cooking and dishes.
You may think that you are “just” a musician…But your gift has the ability to stir emotions or lead people into worship.
You may think that you are “just” a Customer Service Representative…But you solve the problem of the person on the other end of the line, allowing them to get back to their work and family.
You may think that you are “just” a Mom…But your influence is beyond measure.
And for my friends at Keller Williams Realty:
You may think that you are “just” a real estate agent…But you make the difference between someone having a home that they love, or just a house. You make the difference between a family that can sell their home and all be together in a new city, or Dad having to leave the family behind while he starts a new job.
You may think that you are “just” the Market Center Administrator…But to the agent who has a mortgage payment due tomorrow, you cut their checks quickly and make it possible for them to keep their home. To the investors in your company, you make the difference between profitability and loss…and the ability to care for their families.
You may think that you are “just” a Team Leader…But to the people in your world, you have the potential to change their businesses, their careers, and the lives of their family for generations to come. All of this whether they are already with Keller Williams, or you are picking up the phone to invite them to join you.
You may think that you are “just” a trainer or a coach…But the wisdom and you impart and the mindset that you ingrain have the potential to jump start the career of someone who needs a source of income for their family.
I challenge you to think about the following:
Who are you serving in your job?
What value do you bring to them?
How does what you do change the lives of people around you?
If we believe that God has a purpose and plan for our lives, then shouldn’t it also be reasonable to assume that He has a purpose for having us right where He wants us? If that is true, then how can we be “just” a _______? What we do always matters to SOMEONE.
Do YOU make a difference….or are you… “Just” ?
