Robin Taylor Roth, PhD, CMQ/OE

• Manage |RSSRecruiting & Retention

Teresa ... Your headlines certainly do get people's attention, and then the content frequently spurs lots of comments. This is great! Although I have not handled any REOs, myself, I have driven by many such listings, and what Teresa says is true - about the impression neglected properties make. I've had very similar visceral reactions as the individual with whom Teresa was speaking. Were I to accept REO listings, I'd get an upfront agreement from the bank to permit me to look after the 'curb appeal' aspects of the property, with an agreement that they would reimburse me within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., 2 weeks). I'd also assemble a stable of reliable service companies who would routinely care for the lawn, weeding, leaf collection, snow, trash pickup, etc., of my properties, as long as I maintained the listing. Their job would be to add these properties to their care-for roster, so that I would not have to do so. Depending on the interior condition, I might also arrange for the house to be thoroughly cleaned and even have some rooms painted - if they're truly awful. REOs should not be neglected, or they will never sell. And, as Teresa said, your own reputation and the reputation of your company will suffer from the same neglect. Robin Taylor Roth Senior Director, eLearning Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership

Kris, in addition to highlighting the pain & aggravation we are all feeling about our e-mail inboxes AND our snail mailboxes, you have provided a positive option that still permits us to keep in regular contact with our prospecting database. Thank you! Robin Taylor Roth Senior Director, eLearning Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership

Wonderful to see someone looking to the future! We see evidence that you may be right in the rising popularity of the "walkability" index. One hopes that additional transit options will become available quickly. Enabling people now "trapped" in creatively constructed suburban developments to access essential services, without using automobiles, will be an ongoing challenge for the next few decades. Will we continue to go to the services? Or will the services come to us? And how about the workplace, in this reduced-automobile society? Many of us have enjoyed telecommuting - at least some of the time - for years. Economic reports indicate that telecommuting and 'remote' employment are, indeed, on the rise. Will other, low-auto-use employment options become more prevalent, too? It will be interesting to see how the trends develop. Senior Director, eLearning Franchise Sales & Service Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership