Custom: The REAL Definition

One of the words that is overused to the point of confusing the public is "Custom."

The word Custom is often used in higher end Real Estate or other "perceived" high end products. The word is used by marketers to make consumers feel as though they are going to receive a unique and high quality product.

The problem is that most products including homes are not really custom.

For 99% of people that have ever built a home from a New home building company they had about 6-12 different floor plans they could build, with each home having various other "limited" options to add or enhance. Then, there is a specific amount of lots that person can select from to build the home on in a specific location.

That's not custom. It's ordinary.

• Custom is different


• Custom is unique


• Custom is one-of-a-kind


• Custom is both a product and an experience

Custom is NOT...

Providing the exact same service to ALL your customers. People are ALL different. They learn different, understand different, have different expectations, and feel different.

Saying "no" to your customers more often then saying "yes." Finding a way to say "yes" more often then not is what custom is all about. Custom is about them, not you

Telling your customers "when" they can call you or be able to get in touch with you. If you have a voice message that says when you return phone calls each day or your available hours totally coincide with the normal work hours of your customers, you are NOT custom.

Modeling your business plan after any other company. Most similar type business are copycats. Many home builders use the same philosophies, procedures, rating systems, etc. If you are not original, don't start business.

There is a Custom Home Builder that has been taking the North Texas area by storm. They have figured it out. They are unique. They are On-of-a kind. They are TRUECustom™.

Diamond R Homes does not design your home, pick your lot, or tell you how you will be communicated with.

They will change, tweak, create, or whatever it takes to design the home that you really want. You don't have to settle for a home being 70% of what you want. Diamond R Homes allows you to be 100% exhilarated with YOUR home.

Diamond R Homes does NOT own a slew of lots in any given location. They build on your lot, help you find a lot, and negotiate the acquisition of a lot on your behalf.

The Hallmark behind any great company or product is the manner in which you feel before, during, and after the experience. This, more than anything is the real value behind a TRUECustom™ home. At Diamond R Homes, it is ALL about the Individual customer.

Custom is about experience. It's about caring more about something or someone else before you care about yourself. Diamond R Homes believes that by providing selfless service first, the rest will take care of itself.

It's easy to be ordinary. Choose something Extraordinary.

Curt Fletcher aka The Likeability Guy, is a Real Estate Professional, Business Development Strategist, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

How to Set an Appointment!

One of the quickest ways to increase your sales and income is learning to set an appointment correctly.

Are you one of the sales professionals that delivers a good presentation, and at the conclusion asks the prospect when they will be back in? Maybe you get a reply of “later in the week,” and you respond with “okay, I’ll see you then.”

Does that seem like a good method?

You probably do not get very many returning prospects with that approach. Recent studies show that 70% of prospects do not return for a second visit without a firm appointment. However, those prospects with a set appointment return and purchase 50% of the time.

Wow! You spend all that time with a prospect and 70% of the time, you will never see them again. Are you interested in learning the correct technique?

Rule # 1: Know when your prospects are coming back.

You do not want to have them show up randomly on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. This is your prime fishing time for new future buyers. Spending this time with an unannounced prospect return eats into your future sales.

How to do this:

Have a reason for a return visit. You do not have to show off all your knowledge on the first visit. If you cannot close a buyer on the first visit, be smart with the information that you provide. Hold back a few key details that they have questions about.

If there are no questions at the conclusion of their visit and they don’t buy, you are not doing a good enough job at discovering their buying objections.

The two best ways to ensure a return appointment are Urgency and Benefits. Provide Value and people will return.

Reasons for an appointment:

• Unable to show a particular home


• Unable to show a certain homesite


• Unable to get certain pricing on luxury features


• Come back for financing details


• Price Increase


• Incentives Expiring

I will repeat this line. If you are unable to close the sale, hold back some of the above information for a follow-up.

When you call them, say something to the effect of, “In order to give you the time and attention that you deserve….”

Remember, you need to create urgency and benefits, beginning your statement like I have written above; you make the prospect feel important by the value you will provide them at the appointment.

How To Set The Appointment

Use the Alternate Choice Close.

Say something like this, “Since I know you love the home and that beautiful homesite, I would hate for you to be upset with me if I didn’t inform you that our prices are increasing on Monday. With that in mind, when is a better time for you to come back and review this great opportunity? Is Tuesday at 6:00 PM good, or would Wednesday at 11:00 AM be better?”

Don’t talk again, until they respond.

Try this for one month and watch your sales grow!

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

Leadership is in what you DO, not what you say.

We are living in a an era where it seems change and guarded optimism is abundant.

In this time, many obstacles stand between us and the fruitful gains of a nation.

It seems, we as a people are looking to others for answers. We want someone to wave a magic wand of change that will transform the negativity and replace it with Prosperity overnight.

That is "the herd" mentality. People are hoping to embrace the ideals, convictions, and beliefs of others just for the slight chance that their lives can and will improve.

The ONLY way to effectively change anything is to Lead.

Leaders don't wait. They seize the moment.

Leaders don't follow. They are two steps ahead...always.

Leaders don't talk. They act.

Leaders turn a Vision into Reality.

For any Real change to ever take place, it will take the actions of many NEW leaders to stand up, clear the path, and guide the way.

In the housing market, negative stories rule the day.

We need ALL Real Estate Professionals, Home Builders, Mortgage Companies, Construction Workers, and Home Owners to STAND UP!

It's time for everyone to UNITE and push back the false negative stories and replace them with positive stories. Every single day all across the country, new home owners are handed the keys to their beautiful new home.

Where are those stories?

It's time to tell your story.

It's time to let your voice be known.

It's time to stand up and Lead.

Let me hear your stories.

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

The TRUTH about the Housing Market!

It seems day after day, I read story after story that promotes the downfall of the housing market. I see where homes are losing value and mortgages are more difficult to obtain.

There is only one problem with stories like these. They are NOT an actual representation of the housing market!!

For some reason it has become acceptable and almost expected to tell false blanket stories that project a very negative and false picture of the housing economy.

Is it true that housing has lost value in parts of California?....YES!
Is it true that home values have decreased over parts of the East and West Coast?....YES!
Is it true that the Economic conditions for job growth in Detroit are difficult?....YES!

As a Real Estate Expert in Texas I can tell you that these issues that are being faced in other parts of the country have little to no effect in the Texas market.

These are the FACTS!

• 262,000 NEW Jobs created from April of 07' to April of 08'!
• 11,000 NEW People move to the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex EVERY Month!
• Homes are NOT Losing Value on a wide scale.

So then why is it acceptable to issue Negative Blanket Statements for the Housing Industry to the Public?

In any other aspect of life, accepting blanket statements and stereotypes is considered the lowest form of journalism, is unethical, and is for the most part ignorant.

If Housing is down in Miami, does that mean it is also down in Dallas?.....NO! That makes NO sense!

If crime is high in Washington DC, does that mean crime is also high in Trophy Club, TX?....NO! That makes NO Sense!

The Media Needs to stop trying to Localize a National Issue. It is both inaccurate and Dangerous. The negative news flow is hindering the housing market across the nation by fear mongering and scaring the public.

THE TRUTH ABOUT what the media is doing is this:
In Texas and other very solid markets around the country, people are waiting to purchase homes because they HEAR the market is bad. They are waiting to purchase because the NEWS tells them prices will keep falling.

Only one problem....IT'S WRONG!

The TRUTH in TEXAS

• Prices WILL begin to rise very soon. With higher gas prices come higher building costs--just like anything else you purchase.
• Interest Rates will be going back UP to their normal range. 5% and 6% Mortgage Rates are NOT the norm.
• The LONGER you are told to wait...the HIGHER the cost to you.

The TRUTH about Interest Rates

• 20-Year Average is 7.3%
• 30-Year Average is 8.8%
• Pre 9/11 Average back to 1990 is 7.67%
• POST 9/11 Average is 6.23%
• *9/11 Shocked the world. Rates were lowered to stimulate buying to spur the economy and lower consumer fear.

The time has come to end the False Stories and the Negative Information Exchange. It is doing nothing except promote a poor economy, costing Americans more of their future money (the cost of waiting), and perpetuate a growing feeling of insecurity.