We are halfway through the year and it is time to complete your Semi-Annual Business Review. 2006 has provided a change in the market for most areas of the country. What does this mean for you? Just because the market is slower, it doesn't mean you have to give up on your goals or settle for less.

When there is a hot Real Estate Market, many more Realtors are willing to cut their commission to get listings. I have worked with my clients extensively over the past few years on competing with agents that were willing to cut their commissions. We have practiced scripts and worked on presenting the numbers to them in a way that shows the number to look at is not the commission amount, but rather to concentrate on what the bottom line number is.

With the changes of the past months and with days on the market increasing for many listings, this commission fight has turned. Many of the Realtors I am working with are charging 1-2 percent more than they were just a year ago. Sellers are realizing that it is taking longer to get their houses sold and they are willing to pay a little more to get their homes sold in the time frame they are looking at.

It is easy to motivate a buyer in a hot market when homes are selling within days of being listed, but how do you get a buyer to write an offer when the inventory has increased to today's levels? Those agents that have polished their sales skills and know how to effectively close a buyer are showing buyers the benefits of buying in today's market.

How many expired listings did you take in 2005? How many have you taken in 2006? If you do not have an effective expired listing plan in place where you are making repeated contacts with expired listings, you are missing an important opportunity in today's market.

Has the market changed? Yes. We are all facing dealing with the negative publicity the real estate market is getting in almost all areas of the country. Does this affect your business plan and how you are going to get sales this year? Yes. It better. Does this affect your goals? It doesn't have to. Are you going to settle for less, or are you going to do what top agents are already doing; evaluate, adjust, and work the new plan.