TOP 5 IN REAL ESTATE, March 2010 –
John Riggins
John Riggins Real Estate
Years in real estate: 33
Region Served: Honolulu concentrating on the Leeward side of Oahu, Hawaii
Median sales price in your market: $590,000
Average number of days a home spends on the market: 30
Why is it important to play the role of guide and consultant with today’s consumers?
We are exposed to all kinds of rapid information today. Things are much more complex for buyers and sellers. My role is to gather the data, break it down and simplify it to meet the needs of buyers and sellers. This is very important because of the many, many blogs that are out there. There is some great information on blogs for consumers. There is also some information that cannot be trusted and may even be misleading. So if you work for the buyer, you want to represent the entire picture and let them know what they can expect.
These days, we also have a lot of people making predictions—when the market is going to recover, etc. So you have to give them unbiased information and provide both sides. Our state has moved from 43rd to 11th in the number of foreclosures. I have helped 3,000 plus buyers and not one has been foreclosed on.
How are you using technology to facilitate educating clients?
We are very heavy into technology. I had my first website in 1994. One of my clients in 1994 was using a hand-held device. He was entering information into his device as we were looking at properties and that made a big impression on me. I now have 20 different websites and we always feature homes on Realtor.com. As a result of all our Internet activity, we are now getting over 500,000 page views on some of our listings.
What’s your best idea for time management?
Make a list, prioritize, then figure out what I can do and what I can delegate.
What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Education. I have been like a sponge over the years. Life would be very difficult for me without education. I attend at least one educational event a month. Every day I learn. Today, it is very exciting.
How are you/will you utilize the Top 5 program to help build your business?
I like the information. I knew that RISMedia was the information center and I have to simplify everything for buyers and sellers. So RISMedia helps me stay abreast of all the news and implement things I can use in my business.
What is the key to a successful life in real estate?
Education. Implementing what you are learning and changing. #
