By John N. Frank
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage took a dramatic step last Thursday to pump up the spirits of 12,000 real estate professionals while also reminding them that Wells want to stay a major force in mortgage lending.
It beamed a live telecast featuring three real estate coaches and the co-president of Wells Home Mortgage, Cara Heiden, to 50 theaters in 29 markets where it had invited real estate pros to watch and listen.
The message – when the going gets tough, the tough have to inspire others to get going. Real estate pros need to not only tell clients that real estate remains a good investment, they have to lead by example and by their own demeanor, the panelists agreed. “People have to feel our commitment to real estate,” said Brian Buffini, founder of real estate training company Buffini & Co.
“If you believe in real estate, they will believe,” said Terry Watson, a real estate pro himself and founder and president of Watson World, Inc., a consulting firm. “Real estate people should be investing in real estate now,” he said. David Bach, an author who has written about real estate, agreed. He sees the U.S. housing market as being in a down cycle that presents investment opportunities. Real estate people should be telling their best clients now is the time to buy, Bach said.
Watson recommended using YouTube to post video real estate seminars and testimonials from past clients that will attract new business. Buffini advocated writing what he calls a “confession letter” to past customers – confessing you’re sorry you haven’t been in touch but that you wanted to write them now about the opportunities the market is presenting.
Wells’ Heiden said the lender will co-host buyer education seminars with interested real estate professionals. Potential buyers need to know that some of the myths floating around today’s market – such as that it’s impossible to get low down payment loans or to get a mortgage with anything less than a perfect credit score --- simply aren’t true, Heiden said.
A lot of the tips mentioned have been discussed in other venues but what was most interesting about the session was that a major lender like Wells would sponsor it. It worked with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and the Asian Real Estate Association of America to pull the event off. Planning for it started last November.
Wells’ commitment to mortgage lending at a time when other financial giants are hurting has to be reassuring to the real estate world.
It beamed a live telecast featuring three real estate coaches and the co-president of Wells Home Mortgage, Cara Heiden, to 50 theaters in 29 markets where it had invited real estate pros to watch and listen.
The message – when the going gets tough, the tough have to inspire others to get going. Real estate pros need to not only tell clients that real estate remains a good investment, they have to lead by example and by their own demeanor, the panelists agreed. “People have to feel our commitment to real estate,” said Brian Buffini, founder of real estate training company Buffini & Co.
“If you believe in real estate, they will believe,” said Terry Watson, a real estate pro himself and founder and president of Watson World, Inc., a consulting firm. “Real estate people should be investing in real estate now,” he said. David Bach, an author who has written about real estate, agreed. He sees the U.S. housing market as being in a down cycle that presents investment opportunities. Real estate people should be telling their best clients now is the time to buy, Bach said.
Watson recommended using YouTube to post video real estate seminars and testimonials from past clients that will attract new business. Buffini advocated writing what he calls a “confession letter” to past customers – confessing you’re sorry you haven’t been in touch but that you wanted to write them now about the opportunities the market is presenting.
Wells’ Heiden said the lender will co-host buyer education seminars with interested real estate professionals. Potential buyers need to know that some of the myths floating around today’s market – such as that it’s impossible to get low down payment loans or to get a mortgage with anything less than a perfect credit score --- simply aren’t true, Heiden said.
A lot of the tips mentioned have been discussed in other venues but what was most interesting about the session was that a major lender like Wells would sponsor it. It worked with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and the Asian Real Estate Association of America to pull the event off. Planning for it started last November.
Wells’ commitment to mortgage lending at a time when other financial giants are hurting has to be reassuring to the real estate world.
Thanks for the positive info.
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