So earlier tonight, I asked a simple question on Twitter: Question: How many of you Realtors have a business plan? How many years does it cover? The answers I got were somewhat amazing. The replies ranged from “I have a 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year business plans” to “Business plans are too complicated”. What an amazing … Read more
(Part 1, 2, and 3 of the Lessons from Counterinsurgency Series) Final Thoughts from Gen. Petraeus Finally, we always must strive to learn and adapt. The situation in Afghanistan has changed significantly in the past several years and it continues to evolve. This makes it incumbent on us to assess the situation continually and to … Read more
Brian Boero of 1000watt recounts a dinner conversation and throws down some challenging questions and assertions: This particular debate centered on the following question: “Have we reached the end of the real estate story now that FSBOs and discounting have lost their menace?” As Brian puts it, there were two camps, comprised of him in … Read more
Let us talk about land. About buildings. The pure physicality of bricks, wood, steel beams, stairways, elevators, walls and roofs. You know, real estate. Normally, the conversation would be all about homes, condos, and the like — the stuff of the daily business of realtors and consumers. But I have in mind a slightly different … Read more
(Part 1, Part 2) Petraeus on Unity Another major lesson from counterinsurgency is the importance of coordination and synchronization: It is also essential that we achieve unity of effort, that we coordinate and synchronize the actions of all ISAF and Afghan forces — and those of our Pakistani partners across the border — and that … Read more
“Forward, the Light Brigade!” Was there a man dismay’d? Not tho’ the soldier knew Someone had blunder’d: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. – Alfred Lord Tennyson, Charge of the Light Brigade Todd Carpenter (@tcar on … Read more
In part 1 of this series, we discussed Information Operations and the importance of integrity in counterinsurgency strategy. I took lessons from the U.S. Military, and the author of those doctrines Gen. David Petraeus, and applied them to the real estate industry. In this installment, I’d like to take a look at another key principle … Read more
It may be completely inappropriate to compare the life-and-death work of our military in Afghanistan to the buying and selling of real estate ensconced in our safety… but I could not help but read this with interest: We also must strive to be first with the truth. We need to beat the insurgents and extremists … Read more
Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. – Sir Winston Churchill . One of the true pioneers of the new generation of real estate companies, Redfin, has launched a new partner program: Redfin released a sprawling, glorious update … Read more