Home again at New Homes workshop with Mar'Sue Haffner

HOME AGAIN WITH MAR'SUE HAFFNER | THE GHOUSE DIARY.COM
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Dallas, May 20-21 - My former boss Mar'Sue Haffner called me up to give a talk on dealing with New Home buyers from different cultural backgrounds.

It was a two day workshop for updating and equipping the new homes sales people and Realtors with the latest in technology, diversity of the consumers and their needs.  The home buying public deserves to have well trained people in the market to help families achieve their dream of home ownership. 

The work shop was conducted by Mar'Sue and Ralph Williams; two of the best sales trainers in the home building industry. I was in the Home building business for nearly 25 years, and it was like being home with this group, and what a joy it was to be a part of their team.  

Beverely Biehl and Von Truong talked about Feng Shui, and Ram Konara talked about Vastu Shastra. They gave amazing presentations and shared their expertise in their field, it was impressive!  You know what? When a black cat runs in front of you, as Beverly pointed out, you become cautious and take the steps to prevent any mishaps. Unlike that superstition, Feng Shui, and Vastu Shastra are real sciences that help you live a better life from enhancing the positive energy from sun, wind, water, trees and other elements of nature in applying to the layout and arrangement of the house. Indeed, all of this training is to help families improve the quality of their lives.

I have always considered Mar'Sue to be one of the top trainers in the home building industry; she has a big hand in the meteoric success of Grand Homes, she kept the organization together. Indeed, she is one of my favorite mentors along with Mike Davis (Drees) and Bob Hafer (Ryland). I also owe my extensive-intensive training to Gemcraft Homes from the early 80's.

Ralph Williams is an incredible trainer - he was quick on his feet and connected with the people, and there is none like him when it comes to interpreting numbers for the detailed oriented organized customers and making it easy for them.

We had a good combination of seasoned professionals as well as the newbies in the business, the exchange of experiences among them was awesome. I am glad to see them express it so well.

Thanks to the sponsors David Reas and Peter Klamkin of Reverse Mortgage and the super Realtor Leonard McManaman of Keller Williams, who made this workshop possible.

My talk was centered on 'personal commitment’, and what it can do for you in whatever you choose to do in life, and what does it take to excel in what you do. I concluded the talk by urging everyone to tie the loose ends of their lives and business as frequently as they can. This includes but not limited to following up with the customers, they deserve to be called back, practicing the critical path of guiding them through the process of home buying, having the information on the finger tips, and finally  sticking to the systems in place on the business side.

 On the personal side, complete the little incomplete transactions with family members, friends and other people including customers you deal with, boldly seek forgiveness for any shortcoming on your part. Tying the loose ends of life is one of the best things you can do for yourselves, it empowers you to have a sense of completion with every transaction of life and every day. Indeed, it releases you from all the negativity that rests with incomplete transactions of life.  Make yourselves a free person, unencumbered by the previous negative transaction to march on to the next with your full heart, mind and the soul.

I shared a few pointers on sales – listening and connecting with people. Not putting them on spot but understanding the permission they have given to go ahead and take the next step. Learning to negotiate and make it easy for the first time home buyers, particularly the Asian buyers, and understand their motivations.  Be just and fair to all, you cannot go wrong with that, you'd sleep well and each one of them will sleep well know that you were just to each one of them, and fair within your limitations.

Special thanks to Brittney Myers for organizing this efficiently, everything went flawlessly. Thanks also the management of Pirch facility, nice!  Of course it was a delight to see a few people, whom I have not seen in a while.

The home buying public deserves to have well trained people in the market to help families achieve the American dream of home ownership.

Mike Ghouse is motivational speaker and a trainer committed to building cohesive work places and societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.  Mike has been on Fox TV with Sean Hannity for over 100 shows, and equally on nationally syndicated radio talk shows. He has authored over 2500 articles and has two books on the horizon, as well as a film and a documentary in the making. His work is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at TheGhouseDiary.com.