Interviewing in Hot Weather

Hello again,

I don't know if any of you folks are or have interviewed for a job during the hot season, but I found this neat little article that has a few tips on keeping cool when you have to do it.

It is following the ad.

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The Barry Freeland Team

of Cottage & Castles Real Estate Inc.

"Your Short Sale and Traditional Sale Community Experts"
Office: (831) 449-4642 Mobile: (408) 602-1779
17551 Vierra Canyon Road
Salinas/Prunedale, CA. 93907
Next to Starbucks

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Summer Interviews - 5 Tips to Help Keep Your Cool
Posted but not written by John " Johnny" Fleet Interviews are stressful no matter what time of year it is, but in the dog days of summer, they can present an even bigger challenge. Just last week, I was in a hurry to get to a job interview and between the heat, the terrible humidity and my nerves, when I finally got there, I could feel the heat radiating off of my body. I was rumpled, tired and the sweat running down my face didn't give me the polished, professional look I was going for. It seems to be a common problem this time of year, but there are some things you can do to keep your cool during summer interviews. Here are some tips: Wear one less item in transit - On the way to the interview, wear one less item than you plan to wear at the actual interview. For example, carry your jacket or blazer. This way, you'll be cooler in transit and your jacket will be crisp. Once you put it one, you don't have to worry as much about the dampness of your shirt becoming too visible. Wear comfortable shoes - It's tempting to wear a pair of heels, but during the summer, it's better to opt for comfortable flats or dress shoes. Dressy sandals can also work well, depending on the dress code of the business. Whatever you do, don't show up wearing flip-flops. Give yourself 15 minutes to cool down - Allow yourself extra time to cool off before your interview time. Depending on where you are going, spend a few minutes in the bathroom or at a nearby business to get refreshed and gather your thoughts. This is the perfect time to put some cold water on your face or neck. It's also a good idea to always carry a nice handkerchief for just this situation. Once you're cooled off, you'll feel more confident about the interview. Select garments that don't show sweat - It's best to wear fabrics that have a little bit of Lycra, to prevent wrinkles and stay away from linens and other fabrics that tend to show sweat or that look rumpled easily. Plan for the hottest day, and anything less will be a pleasant surprise. Bring along some breath strips - To feel fresh, it's a bad idea to put on more cologne or perfume. On hot days, the overwhelming perfume smell can trigger allergies even in those who aren't as sensitive to it. Instead, get a pack of breath strips that dissolve quickly in your mouth. It will give you fresher breath and can even make you smell better overall. By the way, these articles come from www.sanjosegigs.com, these guys are great? http://www.sanjosegigs.com/articles/article.asp?id=11396 I hope you found that article informative. I also am including another article that gives a little heads up on what the writer believes are the things not to say during an interview. I know they could have certainly helped me in the past.-John Fleet   The 5 Worst Things You Can Say During an Interview Going to an interview is a really stressful experience. If you aren't careful, you can drive yourself crazy before you even arrive. Between preparing for commonly asked question to selecting the perfect interview outfit, it's enough to push you over the edge. The key is to take a deep breath and remind yourself over and over that this is just a chance to find out more about the job opening and show the hiring manager what you have to offer. Sure, it's a high stakes game, but nothing worth having comes easily. The most important thing you can do to keep your nerves at bay is to be prepared for the interview. First, you should have an idea of how you will answer some of the most common interview questions. Knowing what to say is important. Also, it's important to know what not to say. Here are 5 things you shouldn't say during an interview: "My last boss was a jerk" - While it's important to be honest about why you left your last job, honesty doesn't equal trash-talking. Even if the reason you left your last job was because you hated your boss, don't say that during an interview. Instead, mention how the job wasn't a good fit for you and what type of job you think would work better. "What does your company do exactly?" - Before your interview, you should research the company and have a general idea of what they do. The only time it's allowable for you to not know very much about a company is if you are going to an interview where the name of the company hasn't been disclosed. However, this is rare and when it happens, it should be a red flag that the job opening may not be a legitimate one. "I'm going to need to take these days off" - We all have lives and obligations and a new employer will understand that. Perhaps you have a family vacation planned or a sister's wedding. It's happened to me that I have been out of work, made plans far in advance and then ended up getting a new job just a couple of weeks before the date. I've had to explain my situation and work out the time off. However, the time to bring this up isn't during the interview. It will only come off as presumptuous. Instead, wait until you are offered the job and are discussing start dates and so on. "Do you attend church regularly?" - Or, do you support Little League or whatever. While it's important to try to establish rapport with an interviewer, it's equally important to not pry into their personal lives. You might think that you are just showing an interest, it can come off as just plain creepy. Avoid asking personal questions about family obligations, religious affiliations or anything that strays too far from the professional realm. "You know what I really hate..." - When answering questions, be careful not to go on a rant, especially a negative one. Even if the interviewer smiles and nods, as if they agree with you, don't take it as a sign of encouragement. It's more likely to be the case that they are just nodding to see how far you will go. When you complain or rant, even if it's justified, you just come off as someone who is negative or bitter. Hopefully, these tips will help you when you go to your next interview. If nothing else, maybe they can make you smile while you're waiting for the interviewer. By the way, these articles come from www.sanjosegigs.com , these guys are great? http://www.sanjosegigs.com/articles/article.asp?id=11322 Have a great day:)

If it Really Feels Like We Care It's Because We Do

The Barry Freeland Team

of Cottage & Castles Real Estate Inc.
"Your Short Sale and Traditional Sale Community Experts"
Office: (831) 449-4642 Mobile: (408) 602-1779
17551 Vierra Canyon Road
Salinas/Prunedale, CA. 93907
On Vierra Canyon Road next to Starbucks

Hello folks,

How are you today?

The other night I was reflecting on my calling of being a salesman and soon began thinking about all the lost opportunities that I created throughout my career; I began to think about why I botched them.
To my recollection, I felt that despite my genuine concern and care for my potential clients, I often failed to 'listen' to them. By showing off and 'tooting my own horn', I failed to realize that the client was not amused. By lacking empathy, I often missed out on getting to know my potential client and getting to know what they actually needed.
How could I provide the genuine service and good that my clients deserved when I would not even bother to know what my client's goals and needs actually where?
I couldn't!
I learned, the hard way, that the perspective client was not there to hear a long winded presentation, and that I was disrespecting them by consuming their time. What the client wanted from me, as their potential consultant, was a confident and trust worthy person that would be respectful and help them meet their goals. What I showed them was an arrogant man trying to force feed them without even knowing if they had allergies.

Don't worry! Those where just part of the perils of  youth and inexperience. I have long since learned from my errors. It seems, however, that many sales people of all ages never learn these lessons. I can't tell you how many times I see sales people with great potential missing out on establishing great relationships because they are caught up in their own affairs and fail to establish a genuine connection.

Our team is designed around a philosophy that helps you actualize your Real Estate dreams and goals by taking 'You' into consideration.
This is why we encourage you to use The Barry Freeland Team for any of your residential Real Estate needs.

Why gamble and use someone who is probably only in it for the sale, when you can use someone who you already know is in it for 'You'?

Following my add, I pasted a cool article that relates to this topic. It will explain what I am talking about a little better.

Hope you like it!

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To sign up for our next presentation or for more information you can email: thebarryfreelandteam@gmail.com

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Ego vs. Empathy: Do you need both?

By Bryan Flanagan

Professional salespeople take pride in themselves and their profession. Professionals are driven to succeed. They work diligently to solve problems and they are focused on results. At the same time, professional salespeople are concerned about the well-being of their prospects. These salespeople develop a deep empathy for prospects and their challenges. A professional salesperson needs to have ego-drive and empathy in equal measure.

Ego-Drive

Ego-drive shouldn’t be confused with conceit. This attribute is a motivation to achieve success in the sales profession. However, it is more than just a determination to win. It is also a determination to prepare, plan, and position yourself to win. Yes, this includes being competitive and driven, but not to the detriment of others. Ego-drive is bringing others with you as you succeed.

Empathy

When you tie empathy to ego-drive there is very little danger that you are going to oversell and/or over-promise. With empathy, the sales professional understands the client’s problems and knows exactly how the prospect feels. But because you don’t feel the same way, you have the perspective of backing away from the problem and offering positive solutions. Many sales professionals develop a way to move comfortably from the seller’s side of the table to the buyer’s side.

Psychologist H.M. Greenberg emphasizes that if you are going to build a successful business career, in addition to ego-drive you must also possess empathy for the prospect. When we separate the word business into its component letters, B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S, we find that the U and the I are both in the word. In fact, if U and I were not in business, it would not be business! If you look a bit closer, you will discover that the U comes before the I in business. On closer observation, you’ll also notice that the I is silent. In other words, it is to be seen, not heard. For you to build your professional sales career, you need both the U — the prospect— and the I — the salesperson.

Sales professionals understand this and act on being ego-driven as well as becoming empathetic toward prospects.

Think about it and then go sell somebody something!

This article is an excerpt from the new So, You’re New to Sales book by Bryan Flanagan.


In Conclusion ------->by John Fleet

I can proudly say that by listening actively and providing our expertise service, The Barry Freeland Team has been able to establish excellent long term relationships with many great people and help them achieve their dreams. We are hard working loyal people with high standards who are readily accessible to all our past and present clients. Our knowledge of the market puts us at the top of our game and our superb care for our clients puts us right where you need us.

Bye and have a great day;)

 

 

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Being Polite is Alright

Hello Everyone,

I was driving back from Bend, Oregon yesterday and as many of us do on long road trips, I began to think about life. The family and I went to visit my parents; we sure did have a good time.
What I began to wonder is why my dad always stressed that I be polite and courteous, especially when most of my friends, as a child, lacked practicing what my father tried to instill in me. At the time, it seemed to give them an edge by 'not caring' about how they made others feel because they always got what they wanted. This confused the heck out of me.
My wife (we have been together over 13 years) has always practised being polite and courteous, still does, and people just love her. She constantly reminds my two year old to say thank you and please; I admit that sometimes I struggle with that because I subconsciously still associate that with my childhood experience's. I am totally wrong to think that.
My father use to tell me courtesy does not take away from being valiant. I had know idea what he meant, but I tried to follow his mantra anyways.
I would like to share with you a cool article from Zig Ziglar that may shed some light on the 'why'. It is posted following the add.

I hope you enjoy it:)




Please and Thank You

by Zig Ziglar,

Of all the things a parent can teach a child, manners rates very close to the top of the "must teach" list. Number one, when a child is taught, from the time he or she can talk, to say "thank you," you are teaching that child thankfulness. The insertion of the word "please" in a request changes the child from a demanding person to one who accepts the fact that when they ask a favor or make a request, the parent has no automatic obligation to respond favorably to that request. Response to "please" is much better than the "get this for me" demand type of approach.

Psychiatrist Smiley Blanton says that roughly 80% of all of the counseling he does is the direct result of parents not having taught their children manners. He emphasizes that he is talking about more than table manners; he's talking about the whole spectrum of deportment and civility. That's significant because the record indicates that most top executives in any field of endeavor are courteous, thoughtful people. Example: One hundred seventy-five of the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies are former Marines and 26 of our presidents served in the military. The military teaches respect and manners. I challenge you, when you encounter a former career military person who moved up in the ranks, you will be impressed with their old-fashioned courtesies, including, "Yes, Sir," "Yes, Ma'am," "Thank you," "Please," and other expressions of good civility and deportment. They are taught to serve before they earn the right to command.

Click Here For Entire Article

Oak Hills and Our Intern, Zig Ziglar, and Diggitty's (Our Local Business of the Week)

Hello Dear Friends,

We Are Serving Oak Hills

The young lady in the photo is my personal intern from Cal State Monterey Bay, Danielle. She is a Business Major and has been a great asset to the team.
Some of you may recognize her from our community meet and greet that we have been doing this summer. Some of you may recognize her from the Vierra Canyon Starbucks where she used to brew a mean cup of coffee.
Danielle has proven to be very intelligent, creative, and a go-getter; which means that she possesses some of the key qualities essential to succeed in any career. I have been very delighted and lucky to have her on the team, and am quite confident that she will achieve any goal she sets for herself.

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The Barry Freeland Team

of Cottage & Castles Real Estate Inc.

"Your Short Sale and Traditional Sale Community Experts"

Office: (831) 449-4642 Mobile: (408) 602-1779

On Vierra Canyon Road next to Starbucks

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Johnny's Mind

I really like and enjoy learning from a fella named Zig Ziglar. He is a mentor and life coach kind of guy that has figured out so many wonderful things in life. I have subscribed to his newsletter and have listened to many hours of his lectures. His catalogue includes anything from raising a healthy child to mastering sales. Today I wanted to include a little story that I happened to come across by him:

The Hitchhiker

By Zig Ziglar

Many years ago when it was reasonably safe to do so, I picked up a hitchhiker just outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. As he sat down he announced that he had just been released from prison. I was shocked and more than a little concerned because the man was also drinking. I asked him why he had been in prison and he said he had been sent up for “bootlegging,” which meant he was making “moonshine” whiskey and selling it. Next I asked him if he had used the time in prison to prepare for a better future. He said yes, he had studied hard the entire time.

Then I asked him what he had learned. With considerable pride he told me that he had memorized the name of every county in every state in the United States and all the parishes in Louisiana. I was stunned and indicated as much, so he challenged me to test him with any state I chose. Since I had lived in South Carolina many years, I chose that state and he proceeded to demonstrate that he knew every county. I was convinced that he could do the same for the other states.

Here was a man who had a very good mind, but a limited education. Had he utilized his mind completely during the three years he had been incarcerated, he could have acquired knowledge that would have equipped him for a better life. Unfortunately, he didn’t and he is not alone. Many people go through life collecting trivia or useless information when they could invest their time more wisely.

Think about it. Study and learn the things that will make a difference in your life and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

Zig Ziglar is known as America’s motivator.

There’s not a lot you can do about the national economy but there is a lot you can do about your personal economy. ~Zig Ziglar

Here is the link to his newsletter: Zig Ziglar

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The Local Business of the Week

Diggitty's Hot Dog and Ice Cream

The Barry Freeland Team

of Cottage & Castles Real Estate Inc.

"Your Short Sale and Traditional Sale Community Experts"

Office: (831) 449-4642 Mobile: (408) 602-1779

On Vierra Canyon Road next to Starbucks

"Bye, Bye Every One and Have A Great Day!"-Barry 

The Salinas Rodeo Parade, and A Solar Energy Perspective,

The Salinas Rodeo
My family and I went to see the beautiful horses and awesome folks at the parade in oldtown Salinas last Sunday, and man O man was it cool.
Here are some photos that I took:

Why Short Sale Now?

·    Debit forgiveness: Short sale proceeds can be payment in full for first and second mortgages. The programs won’t last

·    Tax forgiveness: For a limited time the Federal Government is waving the tax consequence of Short Sales. Tax forgiveness is set to expire soon

·    Stop debit collectors and Escape the unspoken trap of deficiency judgments on renegotiated loans, refinanced loans and second mortgages. They can chase you forever and they do!

·    Purchase a newer or bigger home now: Short Sellers can purchase a new home immediately. Program may end but is now in effect.

·    Receive $3000 to $30,000 short sale moving incentive: HAFA plus bank limited time promotional programs without repayment obligation.

·    Save your credit rating: Short selling can have a minimal credit impact.

Take advantage of these programs which expire soon, the process has exceptions and must be managed correctly. To learn the particulars, call Barry Freeland.

Our team specializes in Short Sales. Call: # 831-449-4642, Mobile # 408-602-1779, email: BFree18469@AOL.Com   Cal DRE Lic #00449759

A Solar Perspective from me, John Fleet
I don't know if any of you know this, but I am a certified Photovoltaic (solar) sales and proposal development specialist for both residential and commercial properties from Foothill College in Los Altos California.
Yes it's true, another one of my many talents.
Although I do believe that solar energy has many advantages and is indeed the future, many of us, including my-self, cannot make it a sound investment because it is less expensive to pay the power company.
Last I heard, the average household uses about 5KW/month, so unless you get into those top tiers of the pay scale, it is just not economically sound. If you have or plan on buying an electric car, then a solar system is definitely a way to go.
Electric car companies should, if they don't already, include a package with a solar system when selling their vehicles. At least some kind of rebate. Those cars tend to consume about 4-5 KW, which is the amount that an average home uses.
There will be a time when the solar energy and the cost of a energy from a power company will be equal and shortly after or around that time the cost to install solar will be expensive. High demand will ensure high cost until the equalization factor sets in, which by then one will have missed out on the huge savings.
Like all good business executions, it is all about timing.



If any one would like a free consultation on whether or not Solar is the right move for your home or business, you can call me: Johnny at (408) 646-7865
What I need you to have available:
1)Last 12 utility bills
2)Location
3)You to be the property-owner, or permission form the property owner
4)Do pay over $125/month for electricity portion of the utility bill?

Here is a cool article that I found about Green energy for the office:.


Moss Landing
We have expanded our territory into Moss Landing. Yesterday, we went around the Moss Landing Community and introduced ourselves to them. What a great bunch of folks. We were greeted with smiles and handshakes.

Oak Hills
We will be doing a meet, re meet, and greet in the Oak Hills area this Tuesday and Wednesday. Our lovely intern Danielle and I will be out introducing ourselves and letting the community know that we have the answers to their Real Estate Questions regarding what ever it is you want to know:
1-Comparable
2-The Market
3-Truth behind Loan Mods
4-Short Sales
5-How to come on top if your house is under water
6-New Houses on the Market
7-_________________________

Prunedale Lions Club, & Expirations for HAFA and Tax Foregiveness-

Hello all,

Today we met with the Prunedale Lions Club.

What a great group of folks!!!!

Barry gave a very informative and appreciated presentation about loan-mods and short sales.

After the meeting, Barry and I ate lunch with the Club President, Bob Graves, and had a great time talking about life.

I posted their latest upcoming event flier in the event section.

Short Sale News

Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Extended - Updated 04/13/10
On April 12, 2010, SB 401, the Conformity Act of 2010 was enacted. It allows taxpayers who had all or part of the loan balance on their principal residence forgiven by their lender to exclude the forgiven debt from California gross income. The new law applies to discharges of qualified principal residence indebtedness on or after January 1, 2009, and before January 1, 2013.

New law - Taxable years 2009 through 2012

California law conforms, with modifications, to federal mortgage forgiveness debt relief for discharges that occurred in tax years 2007 through December 31, 2012. The amount of qualifying indebtedness is less than the federal amount and California imposes a state-only limitation on the total amount of relief excluded from gross income. The following summarizes the differences between the federal and California provisions. Federal provision applies to discharges occurring in 2007 through 2012, and:

• Limits the amount of qualified principal residence indebtedness to $2,000,000 for taxpayers who file as married filing jointly, single, head of household, or widow/widower, and to $1,000,000 for taxpayers who file as married filing separately.
• Does not limit the debt relief amount; it only limits the indebtedness amount used to calculate the debt relief amount.
• See the federal law Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation for more information.

California provision applies to discharges that occurred in 2007 through 2012, and:

Taxable years 2009 through 2012

• Limits the amount of qualified principal residence indebtedness to $800,000 for taxpayers who file as married/registered domestic partners (RDP) filing jointly, single, head of household, or widow/widower, and to $400,000 for taxpayers who file as married/RDP filing separately.
• Limits debt relief to $500,000 for taxpayers who file as married/RDP filing jointly, single, head of household, or widow/widower, and to $250,000 for taxpayers who file as married/RDP filing separately

for access to website of this info and more click here

Awesome Events

The Barry Freeland Team Flier of the Week

Is Your House ‘Under-Water’?

THE SOLUTION: Climbing back to the top with Barry Freeland’s Expertise!

Barry Freeland

Cottage & Castles R.E. Inc.

****FREE CONSULTATION****

PH #(831) 449-4642

“ Habla Espanol?” (408) 646-7865

DRE Broker’s Lic #00449759

How About Horse Property?

Hello,

A Day in the Life of John

This weekend, Watsonville is haveing a 'Cutting' competition. This is when the cowboy or girl uses their horse to break off a calf from the heard. They have to break off 3 calves in 3 minutes. My wife, Lori, is competeing Fri, Sat, and Sun evenings. Good luck my love! XOXOXOXOX

The Flyer of the Week

Cool Tips

Pros of Buying a Property

• Build equity – When you pay rent, you don't own anything. When you pay a mortgage, you increase your degree of ownership in your home with every payment. Also, you can borrow against your ownership (or equity) in the home to pay for major purchases and you can refinance your home at favorable rates to help fund major purchases.
• Submit tax deductions – You can deduct mortgage interest as well as your property taxes. Uncle Sam doesn't give renters this bonus. Not only that, but if you meet certain requirements the IRS won't apply a "capital gains" tax on your profits from the sale of your home. In addition, those who work from home may be eligible to take deductions for their home office and portions of utilities.
• Have creative control – You like dozens of pictures on the wall? Well, hammer away -- they are your walls now. Like the color mango? Go ahead and paint. Wish you had another room? Go ahead and add one.
• Maintenance choices – If you own a home, you can decide how to approach maintenance, either doing it yourself or picking your own contractor. If you live in a rental, you are at the mercy of the landlord when repairs are made and how.
• Pride of ownership – It might not make sense for everyone, but having a home you own is still the ultimate American Dream.

from: click here for entire article

The Wine List
The wine list is the latest addition to The Barry Freeland Blog. Barry is an avid enthusiast of making wine. He has been developing his skill for over 10 years and has praticly perfected the art making a fabulous pinot. He has a few acres of vines that he tends to, and can talk wine for hours. Barry is almost as passionate about his wine as he is about Real Estate.

"My pinot has been known to turn heads, and is usually the one the people goto. John, its taken me years to develope the kind of wine that I can truely been proud of. Knowing what I know now, I may have gone into making pinot profesionally. I really love the whole aspect of it."- Barry Freeland

For SaleI have a '65 Mustang Coupe for sale-it is a project car with tons of potential.
You can see it at: Pictures Of Mustang , BTW, the price is negotiable.
By the way, If anyone wants to sell or advertise anything contact me at: thebarryfreelandteam@gmail.com and I will place it on our blog upon review