Tag: #100DaysOfSuccess

Why Your Fatigue is Irrelevant and the Market Demands Flawless Execution

I recently heard two quotes from an elite competitor—a closing pitcher, Will Klein of the LA Dodgers, who mastered the high-stakes environment of extra innings. His words strike me as the perfect distillation of the winning mindset we need to scale and dominate in real estate.

The Commitment: Anything Less Than Victory is Unacceptable

The first quote defines the required standard of effort—a refusal to quit until the job is flawlessly done:

“We weren’t losing that game, and so I had to keep going back out there… I was going to keep doing that and doing all I could to put up a zero.”

Think about that level of commitment. In real estate, this translates to relentless focus and flawless execution that prevents any loss of ground, any misstep, or any failure to serve your client at the highest level.

• For the Broker/CEO: It’s refusing to lose the culture war, the recruiting battle, or the market share fight. It’s the constant decision to step back out there and dominate the competition.
• For the High-Performer: It’s refusing to let a single lead slip, a negotiation crumble, or a closing get derailed due to lack of preparation. You maintain that level of intensity until the signature is on the final line.

High Performance is a Selfish Act of Discipline

The second quote drives the point home by stripping away all emotion and embracing absolute ownership:

“No one else is going to care that my legs are tired right now. The hitter doesn’t care, so why should I?”

High Performance is a Selfish Act of Discipline.

The market doesn’t care about your feelings. The competitor doesn’t care about your fatigue. The client doesn’t care about your busy schedule. They only care about the result.

• If you’re a broker owner letting your foot off the gas in recruiting because you had a tough month—the market doesn’t care.
• If you’re a top agent skipping lead generation because you’re “too busy” with existing business—the competitor doesn’t care.

The standard is yours to set. The responsibility for the outcome is yours alone. Stop outsourcing your motivation and start owning the relentless pursuit. That’s how we win the day and the game.

The headline from Altos Research for the week ending October 26 is a National Market Action Index (MAI) of 34, signaling a “Slight Seller’s Advantage.” This metric, which compares the rate of sales to inventory, is stable from the prior week. Note – the links included below update in real time, so at the time you review a link provided they will likely differ from this one snapshot in time.

However, a closer look at the data for the nation’s key markets reveals that this “advantage” is anything but uniform, especially when you factor in price. The National Median List Price is $439,900, yet a 42% of all listings have seen a price reduction. This is the clearest indication that buyers are actively resisting inflated prices, forcing sellers to adjust their expectations.

Here’s a concise breakdown of four major states and how their metrics are shaping the U.S. market:

Location	Market Action Index (MAI)	Median List Price	Inventory Units	% of Listings with Price Reductions
National, USA	34 (Slight Seller’s)	$439,900	859,419	42%
California, CA	38 (Slight Seller’s)	$775,000	55,849	36%
New York, NY	38 (Slight Seller’s)	$599,000	22,400	32%
Florida, FL	31 (Balanced)	$484,500	96,623	44%
Texas, TX	30 (Balanced)	$375,000	137,384	44%

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1. The High-Pressure Seller’s Fortress: NY and CA

Markets with the strongest seller leverage (MAI 38) are those with the tightest inventory.

• New York is the most extreme example. With the smallest available inventory (22,400 units) and the lowest percentage of price cuts (32%), competition is still intense. The sheer lack of supply means sellers have a dominant position, despite a $599,000 median list price.
• California is similar, with a high MAI of 38 and an even steeper median price of $775,000. Listings are moving fast, with a Median Days on Market of just 70 days, well below the national average of 113 days.

2. The Buyer’s Opening: Texas and Florida

Texas and Florida are the best representations of the market softening, with MAIs indicating a balanced market with no significant advantage to buyer or seller.

• Texas (MAI 30) offers the most affordability in this group, with a median list price of $375,000. More importantly, it shares the highest price reduction percentage at 44%. This is the market where overpricing is being punished the fastest.
• Florida (MAI 31) also sees 44% of its listings cutting price. Its high Average Days on Market (139 days) is the highest of all regions profiled and signals a much slower pace of sales, putting pressure on sellers.

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Market Insights for Real Estate Professionals and Investors

Real Estate Agent Insight

Your Focus: Accurate Pricing and Inventory Generation

• For Seller Clients: The national 42% price reduction rate is your essential presentation slide. In Texas and Florida (44% reductions), this is a non-negotiable conversation. Do not overprice. Your goal is to price at the market’s leading edge to avoid the longer days on market (DOM) and the inevitable price cut that follows. Focus on the Median Price of New Listings as the most relevant comparable for new-to-market properties.
• For Buyer Clients: The high DOM in Florida (139 days) and Texas (126 days) represents a strategic opportunity. Target homes with price reductions and higher DOM for increased negotiating power. In high-MAI markets like NY and CA, your buyers need to be pre-approved, ready for competition, and focused on homes that have already passed their Median DOM (70 days in CA, 63 days in NY).

Team Leader and Broker Owner Insight

Your Strategy: Recruitment, Retention, and Training

• Training Focus: Shift your training away from “bidding wars” to “pricing consultations.” Your agents need to master the data, specifically the MAI, Price Reductions, and DOM, to win listings. The 44% reduction rate in Texas and Florida is a liability for ill-prepared agents.
• Recruitment/Retention: The fragmentation of the market (NY vs. TX) means a hyper-localized skill set is crucial. Agents succeeding in Texas (selling affordability) will need different training than those in New York (managing scarcity). Provide data-driven tools, like the full Altos reports, to help your agents prove their local expertise against the national narrative.

Investor Insight

Your Target: Cash Flow vs. Appreciation

• Cash Flow (TX & FL): These markets are rapidly normalizing, with inventory and price cuts giving investors a chance to enter at better values. With high price reduction rates (44%) and lower list prices $375,000 in Texas), look for opportunities to negotiate aggressively for properties that have been on the market for over 100 days.
• Appreciation (CA & NY): These markets are too expensive for most new investors, but they remain high-barrier-to-entry, high-appreciation zones due to chronic under-supply. The extremely high Median Rent in New York ($4,700) indicates strong rental demand and potential for premium rental income for those who can afford the initial purchase price.

In a world full of noise, fear, and fast-talking sales pitches, what is the single greatest asset you can possess? It’s not your database size. It’s not your market share. It is unwavering, undeniable integrity.

For nearly a century, the Rotary Four-Way Test has been the standard of ethical conduct. It was originally created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor to save a company facing bankruptcy by resetting its moral compass. It worked. It can work for you.

The Test is simple – just 24 words – but its depth will force you to examine every thought, word, and action. If you want to achieve success that lasts, you must measure yourself against these four questions.

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1. Is it the TRUTH?

In a business where information is currency, truth is the bedrock of trust. This isn’t about avoiding a lie; it’s about eliminating even the slightest exaggeration or omission.

• Are you presenting market data accurately, or are you cherry-picking stats to make a sale?
• Are you fully disclosing a property’s known defects, even if it complicates the transaction?
• Are your advertisements truthful, or are they relying on hype and vague superlatives?

If you have to pause for longer than a second to answer, you’re not operating with the integrity required for long-term survival. Trust is built with truthful actions; it is destroyed with a single deceit.

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2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

This is where many professionals trip up. Fairness is not about winning the negotiation; it’s about achieving an outcome that respects the interests of every party at the table—your client, the co-op agent, the buyer, the seller, and the vendors.

• Are you pushing a client toward a decision that benefits your commission more than their bottom line?
• In a multiple-offer scenario, are you managing the process with transparency, even when under pressure?
• Are you respecting the time and effort of your competition, or trying to gain an unfair advantage?

Fairness is the difference between a one-time transaction and a lifelong referral. When you act fairly, you turn competitors into collaborators and clients into advocates.

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3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Professional life is relational. This question forces you to check the intent and tone behind your actions. A sharp business mind is valuable, but a mind that operates with malice, arrogance, or cynicism is an anchor.

• Are you communicating with colleagues and clients in a way that fosters respect, even when delivering bad news?
• Are you making a public comment that tears down a competitor, or one that elevates the industry standard?
• Does your overall business presence create a feeling of respect and trust in the community?

Goodwill is your brand’s equity. It’s the invisible asset that brings repeat business and attracts the kind of high-quality people you want to work with. If your win comes at the cost of another person’s respect, you didn’t really win.

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4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The final question elevates your thinking beyond self-interest and immediate profit. It asks you to consider the long-term positive impact on the client, the community, and the industry as a whole.

• Is the advice you’re giving sustainable for the client’s financial future, or just expedient for a quick close?
• Does your success contribute positively to the perception of your entire profession?
• Are you just solving today’s problem, or are you helping set up a long-term solution that benefits everyone involved?

The most successful people don’t chase money; they pursue value that creates a tidal wave of benefit for others. When your focus is on the benefit of all concerned, you align your personal success with universal good.

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The 4-Way Test is not a feel-good mantra for Sunday morning; it is a practical checklist for Monday morning. Every time you open your mouth, send an email, or make a decision, run it through the test.

If you can’t answer “Yes” to all four, don’t think it, don’t say it, and definitely don’t do it. Your reputation is all you have. Protect it fiercely.