reallessonsandlaughs.com

Here’s what people are saying on Amazon about THE REAL DEAL…

bobbim — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:56:30 +0000

15 minutes makes all the difference in the World!, September 10, 2009
By Susan Garcia (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) -

Enjoyed reading ” The Real Deal” and implementing the “15 minute increment rule”, creating a Vision Board for department goals and staging my desk for success!

Quick easy read!, September 6, 2009
By R. Tayenaka (california) -

Ordered the book through Amazon- read it – great easy read. Makes you remember the basics of real estate- thanks for writing the enjoyable book.

Insightful, September 24, 2009
By M. Genest

Real Pros, Real Lessons, Real Fun. If you are considering going into Real Estate(or sales of any kind) this book is for you. It’s a fast read with lots of insightful stories and suggestions.

The Real Deal, September 5, 2009
By Karen Stuart (Sanford, Fl USA) -

This was a great read that was motivational, fun and filled with great suggestions for improving your business practices. I enjoyed the fact that although it dealt with their experience in the real estate industry, the lessons were easily transferrable to my promotional sales business. I would highly recommend this to anyone in sales.

Bobbi’s Anecdotes, Laughs and Business Tips are Priceless, September 3, 2009
By William Koelzer “willywilly” (san clemente, CA)

My hubby and author, Bill Koelzer, and I just read Bobbi Mezger’s terrific book at The Real Deal: Two real estate pros share Lessons and Laughs on Business and Life and we love both the whimsy and the no-nonsense advice.

Those Sally Huss drawings help drive home the points the book makes, too. This book should be in the library of every real estate office in america for reading in down time or while on the “up-desk.”

Bobbi’s co-authored book makes a wonderful gift for new and old Realtors, or ANYONE.

33-year Realtor Debbie Ferrari and Bill Koelzer.

Motivational and Inspiring!, September 2, 2009
By Wendy L. Fund (Laguna Beach, CA) -

I read and loved the book, “The Real Deal”! It was so inspiring and motivational. My favorite words are: “Remember, you are not the principal, but the agent for the principal, to help them with THEIR problems.” I forget that sometimes as I tend to take my client’s problems on as my own (as a Realtor and Real Estate Lawyer), which can take it’s toll on a 33 year professional in the business of serving the needs of my clients. But, from now on I will refer back to the authors’ words, and many other insights which were obviously written from the heart, to help me keep my life and career in clearer perspective, with the goal of attaining a better balance. Wendy L. Fund, Esq.

A great read and applicable to any business!, August 29, 2009
By Michelle Capotosto (Kingman, AZ) -

This is a fun and witty book written by two dynamic women who have proven that you really can “have it all”! Bobbi and Martha are tops in their industry and very well respected. This book has a lot of fantastic insight regardless of the type of business you are in… highly recommended!

2 Real Deals, August 28, 2009
By Carol Josepher (Laguna Beach, CA)

This book is fantastic for motivating one to success, whatever the vocation.

Candid and charming, Martha and Bobbi have succeeded in conveying exactly what it is like to be a successful Realtor – and how to mentor others.

Kudos to them for being competitors yet still remaining dear friends and writing a book, of all things! Truly a shot in the arm.

Also, Martha really does loan out her “for sale” signs.

Uplifting!, August 27, 2009
By Evelyn L. Brady (Vancouver, WA)

This book is fun, uplifting, and practical. I love lists but never had a daily list. Good suggestion!

The Real Deal, August 25, 2009
By T. Franceschi (Victor, NY) -

“The Real Deal” truly is just that. It is a great read that entertains, educates and motivates the reader.

In full disclosure, we have had the privilege and pleasure of collaborating with Bobbi as she sold 2 houses for us.

Reading this book added more context to the positive character of the lady that we’ve always thought of as The Real Deal”.

Bobbi & Martha, congratulations your labor of love turned out GREAT !

What an Inspiration!, August 22, 2009
By Kim Olson -

These women reveal success doesn’t just happen–you have to make it happen. They have a light hearted way of signifying it’s a daily decision to work towards your goal and to accomplish what’s needed. (Checklist included) It’s a true testimony to not lose your focus or to give up on dreams!!

You can have it all., August 16, 2009
By Stephanie Walling (Dove Canyon, CA) -

Clever, witty and fun, this book is a great read even if you’re not in the real estate business.

Be Inspired!, August 13, 2009
By Kimberly Alvarez (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA United States) -

An inspiring read, a book you can turn to time and again when you need a good dose of motivation and heart-warming humanity. It also provides tremendous guidance and insight into the dynamic world of real estate, along with countless and excellent time management ideas.

Goes Beyond Real Estate, August 13, 2009
By Arlene Kraft

While not in real estate, I found this book both amusing and insightful, and applicable to working women in any industry.

Review: From the Skirts’ Bookshelf

bobbim — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:07:36 +0000

Editorial commentary provided by Valerie Mercurio – Skirts In Dirt

The Real Deal is not a ‘how to’ about real estate, but rather a ‘how to’ about life.

Penned by two real estate pros who share a 20-year friendship – Martha Burgoon-Karelius and Bobbi Mezger – The Real Deal is chock full of great tips on how to live a rewarding life and be incredibly successful in real estate at the same time. One gets the feeling that these two ladies believe that settling for a life that’s simply ‘ok’ or ‘good enough’, is NOT enough. Don’t let that scare you. This book is about being passionate, not about being perfect.

The Real Deal is a quick, easy read with lots of wit and wisdom throughout. The advice found on these pages will not only help you improve your business, but help you improve your life as well. Martha and Bobbi discuss relevant topics such as how to have a successful career AND a family at the same time, how to be an interesting person, how to not lose sight of who you are, and how to be productive instead of just busy.

With over fifty combined years of workplace experience, Martha and Bobbi have successfully ‘walked the walk’ and now share their wealth of experience with other real estate professionals. You will find yourself nodding in agreement as you read the lessons – and yes, the laughs – shared in this book. While Martha and Bobbi may never say this is a book for women, by women. It is! And by the end of the book, it becomes obvious what makes both of these women great leaders – leaders at work, leaders in their community, and leaders around their kitchen tables.

There are more than 40 powerful tips and tricks in The Real Deal’s 180 pages. The lessons are short (only about 2-3 pages each), yet powerful.

Communication tips & the importance of good communication skills
The power of exercise
Having a ‘no excuses’ mindset
Why we have trouble delegating and how to do it well
The role emotion plays in our daily lives
What is burnout and how burnout differs from stress
How to manage and execute against your business goals
… and the list goes on and on.

The lessons and tips shared in The Real Deal are not new. We’ve heard them before, but for one reason or another, we never put them all into practice. You could read dozens of books on salesmanship, self awareness, and motivation, but when you hear the suggestions and recommendations from these two women… women who have ‘been there/done that’, you can’t help but believe this is the real deal.

Don’t simply take my word for it. Visit RealLessonsAndLaughs.com. Read a few chapters for *free*, and see for yourself why The Real Deal is a must read for all women in real estate. You’ll find yourself popping over to amazon.com to get yourself a copy of your very own.

Review by Valerie Mercurio – Skirts In Dirt – www.realestateskirts.com

Yes, there really is a “science” to happiness…

bobbim — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:07:59 +0000

Did you know that scientists have conducted serious studies over the past 20 years to try to put a finger on what actually makes people happy? Have you ever wondered why the same people are consistently happy regardless of the market, the economic climate, or even the weather? Well, apparently scientists wondered too and this is the general consensus that emerged as a result of the new “science of happiness.”
First and foremost people are happier when they are communicating with other people. Not necessarily lots of people, but a few close friends who are in the inner circle. Having many people around doesn’t seem to make a difference. College students seem to have dozens of acquaintances and yet many of them suffer extreme loneliness or homesickness. Having one or two confidantes is the key. People are happiest when they have a friend or relative to confide in and least happy when they are alone.
People who volunteer or reach out and help others tend to be happy. “Caring” people feel better about themselves and experience a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. Let’s face it. We all want to fit in. What better way than to fill a need for someone else? In other words it feels good to be good.
Exercising has a significant effect on our mood. We feel the difference the very first time we release those wonderful endorphins into our system. Regular exercise just keeps improving our mood. Workout at least three times a week and reap the rewards of your efforts. A minimum of 30 minutes per day simply makes every day better. Scientist even link exercise to relief of mild to moderate depression.
Scientists found that one may find happiness working toward long-term, meaningful goals. Find the activity (goal) that is so suited to your skills that you “get in the flow” and lose all sense of time. We all have something that completely absorbs us and engages our attention . Find that thing and you will find the joy of the “flow.” If you are at a loss close your eyes and think back to your childhood. Maybe it was music or sports, building model airplanes, making doll clothes. Whatever it was, there is an adult version of that activity that brought you such joy. Re-invent it as an adult.
Spiritual engagement is another area that brings people happiness. Beyond the obvious reasons of faith and prayer people find support, community service, tradition, and friendship with like-minded people. Spiritual engagement offers social engagement which fills your soul with joy. Try it on for happiness.
Scientists also discovered that people are happiest when they have identified their person; strengths and virtues and are at peace with who they are. “I am logical and pragmatic.” “I am patient and kind.” These people can put their unique gifts to work in ways that are so natural to them that they might not realize they are special gifts. Think about the times in your life when you were operating from a position of strength. What qualities helped you to perform at that level? Polish these qualities up and you will find more happiness.
Last, but not least, scientists found that thinking happy thoughts will make you happy. I know it sounds too darn simple. It is simple, but it works. Optimistic people are generally more persevering and committed to their goals because they have a higher level of confidence and motivation to overcome obstacles. Optimists generally possess higher self-esteem and have more faith in their capabilities. So count your blessings every morning. Starting the day from a position of gratitude makes an amazing difference. Smile even when you don’t feel like it. It works every time. Don’t worry, be happy.

MyAgentToolbox Webinar Audio

trdadmin — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:03:17 +0000

I hosted a webinar on Wednesday, September 16th. for a an agent/lender group called, MyAgentToolbox. It’s host is Geoff Zimpfer of Bank of America. He asked me to be this month’s featured speaker for an ongoing topic of, Ask the Billion Dollar Agent. Below is the audio from the session (30 minutes).

- Bobbi

To start the audio, click the play button (to the right of the speaker icon).

Webinar – 09.16.09

Getting Started – Lessons and Laughs

trdadmin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:07:27 +0000

When Martha and I finished writing our book, The Real Deal, we had no idea that the real work would begin. Writing the book was effortless for us, the process afterward has been an enormous learning curve! I’m very familiar with real estate-I’ve been an active Realtor for 21 years. I knew nothing about publishing, nada about Facebook, Linkedin, Blogging. I dove in. Lucky for me, my son Brian is a website genius. He took on the project of building our website from scratch and spent hours teaching me the basic elements about “must have” internet tools. I’m sure he has been and continues to be frustrated with me but he is as patient as he is talented. Thank you, Brian Mezger!

Let’s talk Facebook: That site alone can eat up your entire day. The FB needle gets in your arm and you’re hooked! The weird side effect (why didn’t I see this coming?) is that people from your past, your deep dark past, creep in. People I went to grade school with back in the Stone Age. It is fun to reconnect but I don’t need to know about every nanosecond of their lives complete with photos of what they made for dinner last night.

Linkedin is a little more reserved and I like that. I have been joining groups relevant to my profession and interests and have been gathering good information from these sources. I can pop in and out of the site and move on with my day.

Blogging: Well you can see I’m a novice. But I enjoy writing. Please let me know how I’m doing and please share your thoughts. Thank you.

Have you ever had a vision?

trdadmin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:01:57 +0000

Have you ever had a vision? And then it happens? Did you know that you can create your personal vision of your life and make it happen? For many years I have been encouraging real estate agents in the offices I manage to create vision boards depicting all the things they want in their lives. If they are hoping for a new car they need to be clear on what make and color, and what accessories the car will have. Find a picture of it, cut it out, and post it where it can be seen daily. If you do this exercise with every area of your life you create of vision board and it is magic.

Now understand that all the years I was having others create their vision I never made a vision board of my own. I was too shy, too reserved, maybe even too unclear about what my vision was. I used the excuse I was too busy to spend time on an exercise like that. Regardless, I’m sure I wasted many years floating through life when I could have been firmly at the helm.

This past year Bobbi Mezger and I decided to write a book. During the early days of meeting and finding a direction the idea of a vision board came up and, call it strength in numbers or (misery loves company), we both decided to make one. What I learned in the process is that it isn’t a one day job. It grows with you and takes on a life of its own.

I went to Staples and purchased a poster board with a blue background and puffy white clouds. I went home and pulled out my back issues of “O” Magazine and starting leafing through until the creative juices flowed. I hung the board in my closet so that I would review it first thing every morning and the last thing at night. I also hung it there so that no one else could see how silly I was. I still didn’t quite get it.

The first pictures I cut out were of beautiful flowers – hydrangeas, periwinkles, and I glued them around the edges of the board. During this time my son and his lady were considering a wedding in my backyard and in anticipation of this I engaged a landscaper to freshen up the flower beds. One morning not long after I did this I looked out my bedroom window to the yard below and realized that the garden was filled with these same flowers…and in the same colors. Coincidence? Maybe, but read on.

I cut out the word LOVE and lots of candles. I found stacks of eternity rings and cut and pasted those. I cut out a bracelet for no apparent reason and pasted that up as well. I guess I on was on a roll. Within a month I met and fell in LOVE with the man of my dreams. He proposed to me with a gorgeous ring and said he would love me “for all eternity”. We were married in the backyard surrounded by, you guessed it, candles and loads of flowers. By the way, he gave me a Cartier bracelet for my birthday. It wasn’t until a friend was looking at the vision board and commented “oh, and there’s your Cartier bracelet” that I realized even though they were different designs they were by the same designer.

If that’s not enough here’s another coincidence for you. Bobbi and I both made a mock-up version of our book to keep us on track and we pasted them in the center of each of our boards. We both made them yellow and I went so far as to have the working title in big red script letters. Down the road we hired Sally Huss to design our book cover and you guessed it – without prompting -it came back yellow with a red script title. I love these coincidences!!

I could go on and on, but I think the message is clear. Live by design. I now keep scissors and a glue stick in the closet so that when the whim hits I can direct and control my life path. Go wild. I have cut out pictures of exotic locales and airplanes to take me there. I have printed and pasted declarations and affirmations. The possibilities are endless but you have to take the first step. What do you want in your life? Just ask and you shall receive.

Linda Wise Speaks with Martha Burgoon-Karelius

trdadmin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:11:03 +0000

Linda Wise and Martha Burgoon Karelius talk about Martha’s new book: The Real Deal Two Real Estate Pros Share Lessons and Laughs on Business and Life.

Intro From Bobbi

trdadmin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:39:10 +0000

I have always been an “over achiever.” I graduated from college in 3 1/2 years, started teaching school at barely 22 and have had a job of one type or another since I was 14. I love to be busy and productive. When I began my real estate career 21 years ago, I was awarded “Rookie of the Year” my first year in the profession. I am passionate about real estate. Yes, it’s challenging, but it is so much darn fun. Every day is different, I never stop learning, and I meet the most interesting people. And it’s true, assisting a family buying or selling a home is a huge responsibility and extremely gratifying.

The combination of a teaching credential coupled with years of real estate experience (and I’m proud to say success), created a good fit for me to participate in many “expert” panels for my company and for the Board of Realtors. I began to accumulate “lesson plans” from presenting topics to my colleagues and harbored a dream of writing a book about real estate from my perspective. I love to share what I have learned about creating success as well as bare my painful mistakes in hopes you will avoid them. In real estate, I have found myself in thorny, serious, complicated, and truly funny situations. Many of these stories are told in embarrassing detail in The Real Deal.

My co-author and I had a ball writing this book—we felt like it wrote itself. Not only are we friends (and friendly competitors), we approach business in much the same way; so much so that we had trouble remembering who had written what. While the book is based upon our real estate experience, it really is about reaching goals, juggling life, living ethically, raising good kids, finding joy, and giving back. We hope you will find something interesting and useful among its pages.

If you have comments for us, we would love to hear them.

Thank you for your time.

- Bobbi