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Cosmic Cow Pie Blogtalkradio Starts New Real Estate Series

February 6, 2012 By 2 Comments

"Connecting Real Estate Dots Around the World" is a theme for the Cosmic Cow Pie Blogtalkradio show for the next few months. Buyers and sellers around the world have questions that we are going to address on the current market and what they should be doing to connect with the right real estate agent lender or inspector.

The host, Carra Riley is a 30+ year veteran working and teaching in the real estate industry helping people in a consulting format for both small business and real estate. Currently, she is a certified CRB (Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers) instructor for the National Association of Realtors organization, writer and public speaker.

Sellers will want to listen to this series because they can hear questions that any agent should be asked durning an interview process to determine which agent they will want to hire to sell their real estate. They will learn how an appraisal and inspection can be a major Cosmic Cow Pie in a transaction if they are not prepared for what happens during this process.

Buyers will want to listen to this series as they can learn about the loan and inspection process that is all a part of buying the home.  They will hear about neighborhoods and resale information so they can be informed as they work with an agent to make a buying decision.

The series of blogtalkradio interviews will help connect the dots in the Cosmic Cow Pie of real estate.  For immediate answers to specific real estate or small business questions feel free to contact Carra Riley for a FREE 30 minute consutation to determine a direction to move forward.

The first intervew for 2012 was with Rich Cederberg from Albuquerque, New Mexico.  He shared the current state of the real estate market and how a buyer should get started and what a seller can expect in todays economy.   The series on blogtalkradio will include many more agents from around the country sharing up to date information for both buyers and sellers

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time the Cosmic Cow Pie blogtalkradio show will feature Gene Mundt, Senior Vice President with Chicago Bancorp. Connecting The Mortgage Dots In Today's Real Estate Market  Call in at (347) 994-1903 or set a reminder to listen on your computer and join the chat room.

Gene has 30+ years in the mortgage industry plus he has people skills that will make you feel so comfortable in the transaction you will think you have been friends forever. 

Gene Mundt Cosmic Cow Pie Blogtalkradio Starts New Real Estate Series

Gene Mundt's experience includes:

  • Appraiser
  • Savings and loan branch manager
  • Licensed Mortgage Originator/Banker
  • Certified financial planner
  • Trustee on the Village of Mokena, IL Board
  • Mokena, IL Chamber of Commerce President for 3 terms
  • Little league coach and middle school basketball coach
  • Avid golfer
  • Married 35 years and father of 2 sons in Chicago and he is a new grandparent

Questions we will be addressing a home buyer or seller would like to know about:

  • What are the lowest down payment loans available?
  • What are the qualifying ration and FICO score requirements?
  • How does an appraisal fit into the loan process?
  • What if the house does not appraise?
  • How can I know what I can qualify for if I do not have a property selected?
  • When will I know how much down and how much a month for payments?
  • When will I know how much I need to bring to closing?
  • What about inspections and who pays for problems on the house?
  • What if I have bad credit?
  • What if I have let a home go back to the bank?
  • Can I get a co-signor?
  • How long does the loan process take?

Connect with Gene Mundt, Senior VP Chicago Bancorp
Direct:  815.277.4036     Cell/Text:  708.921.6331
Email:   gene@chicagobancorp.com
Website:   www.genemundt.com
Skype:  630.219.1316

Linkedin

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

Thinking about buying or selling a house?

Please listen to the show with Gene Mundt and start asking questions about the process so you can navigate all the cow pies that will come up during the process.

Sellers learn the loan process because it will help when they get feedback from agents and the response has to do with financing, inspections or appraisals. 

Buyers learn about the loan process as the journey will be much easier when they know what to expect along the way. 

Please don't forget each area will have unique market traits so knowing the questions to ask to make a confident decision is an important part of the process of buying or selling a home.

Hope to see you in the chat room or online for the Cosmic Cow Pie Blogtalkradio show. Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time. Call in to (347) 994-1903 or set a reminder to listen on your computer.

 

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Filed Under: Blogtalkradio, consulting, Lenders, Real Estate Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Who Is On Your HOT List?

January 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Do you have a HOT list?

2012 is going to boil with business and a HOT list will fuel the steam engine that needs to get to 212 to move. It's all a function of having the right tools to run the machine.

                                                                           Who Is On Your HOT List?

This is the 4th Tip in a 30 day program of sharing ideas to help develop new strategies and habits to stay on track.

Each day there will be a post with one idea that might help with creating balance and reducing stress!

Creating your HOT list.

Do you have a sphere of influence list which should include:

  • name
  • address
  • cell phone
  • home phone
  • e-mail
  • social media links
  • website

The sphere of influence list should be a list of everyone that you know including teachers, club members, doctors, dentists, house keepers, lenders, service providers etc. Someone you know and could call if you needed something.

This list is beyond your holiday card list and should include anyone you would recognize and could talk to at the grocery store. This IS your sphere of influence list NOT your HOT list.

If you don't have one of these lists you NEED to create one. Make some forms that you can have with you in your purse or computer case. When you are talking with someone, ask yourself "Do I have all their current contact information?" If you do not, then have them fill out the form or take out your smart phone and add them to your contact management program.

Every day you should be adding at least 2 to 5 new people that you meet personally to the list. Yes, that should be an HVA (High Value Activity) daily if you have a business product or service you have to sell.

Don't forget about meeting new people in social media… another Cow Tip on adding new contacts to Google+, facebook, twitter, foursquare and linkedin.

Have a value added subscription program like a newsletter, video blog or tips on your business, product or service as a door opener to be able to get the new information from the contact. This concept will be discussed in another future Cow Tip.

The HOT List!

The HOT list is a sub category from your sphere of influence. These are people you have lunch with or do things socially. These are people that love you, support you, will help you unconditionally and you would do the same for them.

Go through your sphere of influence and select the people that should be on your HOT list. Create a letter that, you will hand address specifically to them letting them know they are on your HOT list and that you want to know what you can do to SUPPORT THEM. You might want to have a form in the letter for them to update social media connection links, websites and e-mail. Make it fun.

Send the letter in a colored envelope with a fun stamp. The post office has Love stamps, Celebrate Stamps and Who Is On Your HOT List? all kinds of causes. Pick a stamp the friend will look at and think they are special. Maybe a cartoon stamp would work better for you. Decide what stamp works from you and your personality.

Use your home address as the return and again, HAND address this letter.

Think about the impact of getting a letter in a colored envelope with an interesting stamp hand addressed. What about including a $2.00 certificate to Dairy Queen or Mc Donalds for an ice cream…. they will laugh and should think you are a fun person. Be creative and be yourself. Come back and let us know if you think of something else to add.

In the letter encourage your HOT list friend, to call you and set a time for you to get together to have coffee or lunch to talk about supporting each other in 2012.

Personal referrals are the key to success in any business so to make 2012 the year that boils at 212 degrees you need to do something different. Creating your HOT list is going to work. Create your own specific dialog in print and think about what you will talk about when you get together. Each business, product or service is unique just like your networking style so develop conversation that you feel comfortable with.

Fishing in the pond of people who know you, love you and will refer you is the place you want to be. Your HOT list can be the source of new people to connect with and the job is much easier if someone has given a referral as an introduction.

Think about this concept. Take it and work it.  I would be honored to give you individual ideas to help 2012 BOIL with your HOT list! 

Follow the 30 Cow Tips on facebook or Google+

Please Sign up for our weekly VIDEO cow tips which cover a vast array of unique topics.

Take the ideas then make them into something that sounds like you! I believe that copying is the highest form of flattery and I encourage you to copy any of my ideas to help you achieve success.

Get immediate access to the past 52 weeks of videos in the archive barn for many different ideas.

If you have something that will help others, please let us know and we might be able to feature you, what you do and your idea on a weekly video Cow Tip.

Take advantage of talking to Carra Riley for a 30 minute FREE consultation on any type of planning,

Also check out Carra's Cliff Notes (Social Media 101) Connecting the very BASIC Dots for those wanting to learn and integrate twitter, skype, linkedin, facebook, and google+ into their business.

Cow Tip #1

Cow Tip #2

Cow Tip #3

Cow Tip #4

Cow Tip #5

Cow Tip #6

Hope to hear from you soon!

Filed Under: Business Planning, Cow Tips, How to reduce stress, Stress Reduction

It Was The Best of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times – 2011

January 3, 2012 By 2 Comments

2011 was the best of times and was the worst of times for the Riley family.

Sharing some of my deepest thoughts, I am letting you know, dear reader, I was so happy to go to bed in 2011 and wake up to a new day and a new year and a new way of thinking! I have seen many posts on facebook and google+ with similar feelings and I am excited to try and get to a higher altitude with you in 2012.

Controlling  thoughts and emotions can be a challenge throughout life and this is the year…. 2012  where things are going to boil (212 degrees). 

Pondering the concept of turning up the heat made me think of separating the silver and gold from the dross.  Things have to get heated up to purify and refine the silver and gold to get to the pure substance. The dross or the imperfect materials have to be purged to get to the gold.  Another thought about heat comes from running a steam engine.  The heat has to be up to the 212 to make it run!  So turning up the heat in 2012 to refine the gold and run the engine is going to be exciting. 

As members of the human race we are all connected in one way or another. It is my humble opinion we are all one, through the creator.   We are in charge of our thoughts and have complete control of where they go.  Life is about demonstrating the skill in exercising what we will and won't think and accept in our thoughts.  We can dwell on the positive or we can submerse ourselves in the negative.  We do manifest what we believe. 

Our cup can be half empty or it can be half full.  When you think about it… whether the cup is half full or half empty with liquid, it is ALWAYS overflowing with air.  You see your cup runs over no matter what, you just have to decide to accept that fact or not.  You are in charge!  Self talk helps us be victorious over those disturbing thoughts that take our peace away.   This year I am going to try each day to only listen to positive messages and know that my cup is running over being grateful for what I have and my ability to read, think and reason through any cow pie out there.  I look forward to sharing with you on our 2012 journey. 

ccp graphic 2012.b png 800x800 It Was The Best of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times 2011

A journey around the world was on our "Goddard List"  (aka bucket list) and we saw the world for the best of times.  We started to think global and act local. 

A near death experience with a young family member made it the worst of times. I won't go into the details at this point  but we all learned from it and continue to appreciate new sides of all situations and gratitude for everything.  

Learning from the past, our family has been through financial difficulties where we even sold our furniture to eat so I know the pain of having no money and not knowing where the next meal was coming from.  We were basically on numb getting through each day one moment at a time.  Getting over the embarrassment and humiliation of this difficult financial life experience in 1992 helped me relate to others in similar situations. I can look anyone in the eye and say "I KNOW how you feel and this is what we did." I am happy to report we worked through the financial meltdown one step at a time never declaring bankruptcy and paying back every dime we owed through Consumer Credit Counseling.  Experiences are trials that help us grow and make us stronger and gives us the ability to help others through similar situations.  

On the voyage around the world I took lessons from the universe and completely listened as we embarked on foreign ground.  A new book from the Cosmic Cow Pie series is emerging with the global lessons which should be launched in 2012 "Connecting The Dots Around The World."  It will inculcate lessons from major land marks we visited.  The book will have pictures from sites like India and Brazil that have been photographed by thousands and I will share a message to help trigger a change of thought when experiencing a stress situation.  The book will take global icons and the message should help the reader think about new "coping skills" to navigate the cow pies of life that continue to be in the way no matter what year it is.  Life really is about how we put our boots on and get through those piles.  SSDD  Same Stuff Different Day applies as nothing is constant but change. 

One of my favorite quotes applies to everything happening today in a most timely manner,  "You can't change the wind you can only adjust your sails."

As the winds of change blow they bring new challenges and new ways of thinking.  When trying to modify thoughts to stay with the positive, build a bridge, walk on over it and never look back. 

ccp ch5 bridge cow final color It Was The Best of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times 2011Taking control of your thoughts requires forgiveness. If you are trying to think only positive and good thoughts in 2012 so you can get that steam engine running you can't have negative energy coming in taking away from your ability to go forward.  Whatever was in the past needs to be in the past and you need to forget it.  Throw it over that bridge and don't think about it again.  Forgiveness means that you forget it ever happened.  If you keep bringing up the past you can't live in the present. 

The present is here and now and will reflect the way you think. 

Don't be thinking about old issues.  If you can resolve a conflict just DO IT.  If you can't, simply build that bridge and walk on over it. 

Let's make 2012 the best of times together. 

Join us on Google+ or facebook for our 30 days of VALUABLE Cow Tips to reduce stress and create balance.

Filed Under: Carra's Thoughts, How to reduce stress Tagged With: , , , , ,

Who Were You Nice To Today?

December 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Paying It Forward To Seniors.

This time of year is the perfect time to start new behavior and pay it forward in some small way every single day! flowers and cookies 112x150 Who Were You Nice To Today?

This time of year we hear a lot about children and how we can help which is a wonderful and very important activity. 

Let's add our seniors to that list of people who would really appreciate some special treatment.

A holiday or New Years dinner, some cookies, a bouquet of flowers… something sweet to tell them they are important and valued.

It is my understanding from a long time ago, Tony Robbins tape that Shaquel O'Neil and his dad asked 3 questions every day which my family and I have enjoyed subscribing to.

The three questions they asked daily, are:

1.  Who were you nice to today?

2.  What did I learn today?

3.  How was I better to day than yesterday?

A great way to keep track of progress is to actually keep a journal on each daily question.

When reviewing your week there is no better inspiration for the next week than reading about the good you have done, what you have learned and how you have improved. 

This holiday season we took a turkey dinner to senior friends in Flagstaff, Arizona along with cookies and a floral arrangement.  We made a Christmas dinner for some senior friends in Aurora, Colorado at their home with everything from the ham to cherry pie.  The icing on the cake for us was making the pea soup from the ham bone which was their favorite soup and putting all the left overs in bags they could freeze.  The slide show below shows you just how easy it is to make someone's day special and make them feel important and valued. 

There is still time to go to your favorite grocery store… get a roasted chicken, turkey breast, ham and the fixin's with a little sizzle to start the New Year out right! 

As we roll into 2012 think about a daily good deed.

Consider the idea of sharing the three question program in your home, your school, your faith organization or philantropic group.

By paying it forward, we all make the world a better place. 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

How Does Your Customer Service Feel?

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How Does Your Customer Service Feel?

It has been said: "people remember how you make them feel and not what you say."

No matter what sales or service industry you are in, lessons can be learned from the way Lexus treats it's clients. Leading by example the Stevinson Lexus group of Frederick, Colorado is setting the bar in customer satisfaction.

The opening of the new store in Frederick made me sit up and take notice of how important every single detail is creating the feeling that lasts and generates raving fans!

Making a long story short, our car ownership evolved from the Mercedes family to Lincolns, to the Lexus group over 32 years in real estate and small business consulting. The Lexus story begins with a friend of mine from my life guard days in Thornton, Colorado when I was 16 years old. My friend sold cars for Lexus and kept me on his contact list. His service went as far as ordering our latest SUV over the phone in Colorado and having it delivered to Lake Havasu City, Arizona at the Home Depot parking lot. He took care of every detail including the call for us to meet the driver to take delivery of our new car.

We now live in Williams, Arizona so the closest Lexus dealership is Las Vegas or Phoenix both are about a 3 hour drive from our home. It never bothers us to go to Vegas to have our car serviced as we can meet friends and have fun at the same time. What is consistent about the Lexus dealerships all over the country is the way the team treats the consumer. We can always make an appointment and have a loaner car to be able to do what we need to do while in the big city.

This past October we were in Colorado and I called my friend at Lexus to make a service appointment at the new store in Frederick. Again, as a Lexus owner I am never concerned about the quality of the service as I know it is going to be top quality no matter where I am. Our original sales friend made a move but my new best friend in the service end, Andy Anderson, took over and got us all set up with the loaner car and an orientation of the new store.

The new store in Frederick is amazing. There is a new Mac in the waiting room for customers to use sitting around the big screen or enjoying a roaring fireplace which makes you feel like you are in a 5 star resort. One of the very favorite unique branding tools I found at Stevinson Lexus in their west store was the waterfall faucets in the magnificent bathrooms. The labeled towels and mouthwash are icing on the cake in a Lexus restroom. Many stores have nail boutiques, hair booths and shoe shine stands for the consumer waiting for their car. The coffee bar with fresh pastry, fruit and juice again, make you feel appreciated as a customer.

I created a simple foursquare check in talking about the new store after getting the tour. Within 15 minutes of leaving the store we received a call from our service consultant, Andy Anderson, letting us know that the post on foursquare had been noticed by Lexus corporate and they appreciated our "shout out." Now, think about how I felt as a customer receiving a call about my post on twitter and facebook about the great new store in Frederick, Colorado. I felt like a valued client who meant something to the Lexus organization and I feel like supporting the Lexus team in every way possible.

Do you think we have a mutual admiration society? I think so and am looking forward to going to Stevinson Lexus of Frederick tomorrow for the 5,000 mile service again.

Let's discuss how social media fits into every business today. It' fun and it works!

I can't say enough good things about Lexus and the team at Stevinson in Frederick, Colorado. I hope you will think about a Lexus, go into a showroom, talk to the professionals and create your own team of supporters.

More great Lexus news.  As I posted this to twitter and checked out the @Lexus tweets I see they are giving $5.00 for each tweet with #LexusBigRedBow or sharing on facebook to Toys for Tots so check it out and share the #LexusLove

Thank you Lexus, for showing us the way to exceptional customer service and how to create raving fans.

Lexus sale How Does Your Customer Service Feel?

 

 

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