Try as I might to closely edit this information, not a week goes by that I don’t find errors even after publication. I’m the first to admit to taking editorial liberties but even so, my schedule doesn’t always permit me to proof as completely as I’d like. The busy life of a REALTOR® can be rather like running in a hamster’s wheel. Sounds tiring but it’s actually a good thing. Here’s why. In simplest terms, our job is to sell property. This means insuring a meeting of the mind between buyer and seller. It all starts with a contract. Trouble is, once a contract is accepted, it’s tempting for an agent to stop everything and baby-sit the escrow. BAD, VERY BAD! Unless we constantly generate business, once that sale closes, the real estate "office" closes as well. The activities that keep a REALTOR’S® life –line going can be very different than other occupations. Few customers actually walk thru the door these days. Sitting in the office waiting for a phone to ring just doesn’t cut it either. A huge part of what we do involves prospecting; looking for people who want to buy and sell property. Prospecting should be the most important part of our day. Most of us are quite thankful that "do not call" ended pressure to participate in pesky telephone solicitations. Thankfully, today’s methods are more dignified and efficient. The Internet, for instance, has empowered buyers and sellers to find us when they are ready. Statistically, over 80% of buyers now begin their search on line. Of those, 3/4ths will work with the agent who responds to them first. This means that agents without a viable on-line presence must fight for leftovers. Past clients are a huge component of the lead generation equation. We should be spending a portion of each day fostering past relationships but, truth is, most of us do a poor job of staying in touch. Closing a transaction involves taking care of numerous tedious tasks involving mounds of paperwork. I could easily become buried in it. Instead, my beautiful, efficient assistant (and daughter), Mealoha along with Breezy and our great office staff, shoulder much of the administrative burden. Their careful assistance allows me to spend time on essential tasks such as negotiating contracts, meeting with buyers and sellers and of course, prospecting. In today’s buyer’s market, prospecting means an increased focus on "capturing" buyers who are actively in the market. There’s an old adage that speaks to an "agent working their way out of business". It’s so true. Truth is, as the market slowed, some agents talked themselves out of even trying. An agent who is more comfortable dealing with paperwork than prospecting won’t be around very long. Their wheel’s gonna stop and once it does, they’ll have no choice but to jump off! To them, a warm "A *** hou!"