Continuous Improvement---

I spent a couple of days in December sitting in front of my computer, listening to 12 hours of lecture from a professional from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since so many of the homes I've sold have historic roots (and my 1907 home is the "youngest" of those I've lived in over the years), I thought it made sense to get their special training for real estate agents.

We walked through architectural styles, of course, but also federal and state/local preservation ordinances and approaches.

Over the years, I've taken over 600 hours of training--everything from classes to earn my broker's license (most agents are licensed "salespeople" rather than brokers), to EcoBroker certification to Institute for Luxury Home Marketing training to training in staging from the doyenne of staging, Barbara Schwartz (though I know enough to suggest that clients rely on the fabulous stagers we have here in the East Bay).

And I can't tell you how many times I've come back from these trainings with ideas I'm able to put to work for clients immediately. From a words/few photos marketing campaign (as with 26 Slater Lane, thanks to Austin-based Stan Barron), to developing an offer from the seller and handing it to a wavering buyer, hoping to get him/her to come off the fence (thanks to Florida-based Frank McKinney) to organizing a cocktail or renovation party to sell the house (as with 25 Mesa Ave. and 421 Wildwood Avenue in Piedmont, thanks to Dallas-based Laurie Moore-Moore), the benefits all come home.

Continuous improvement