Training

Keller Williams, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, was recognized by Training magazine, the leading business publication for learning and development professionals, as the No.1 training organization across all industries worldwide.
For the fourth consecutive year, Keller Williams placed in the Top 5 on the Training 125, which ranks companies’ excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs.


“We are incredibly honored by this recognition because of what it means for our people,” said John Davis, president, Keller Williams. “All of our training is focused on helping our agents grow their businesses and help their clients.”
“World-class training is the foundation of providing our agents with the resources and tools they need to fund their lives and create opportunities for their families,” said Davis.”
On January 30, Keller Williams received the No. 1 ranking at Training magazine’s annual awards gala in San Diego, California. With the honor, Keller Williams becomes eligible for induction into the Training Top 10 Hall of Fame for 2018.
“The 2017 Training Top 125 winners don’t just set the bar for employee training and development, they vault over it,” said Lorri Freifeld, editor-in-chief, Training magazine. “They are champions of learning and ensure their employees have the skills to succeed in this competitive, ever-changing world. They insist on training tied to corporate strategic goals, and they have the results to show for it.”

The Training Top 125 ranking is based on a myriad of benchmarking statistics such as total training budget; percentage of payroll; number of training hours per employee program; goals, evaluation, measurement, and workplace surveys; hours of training per employee annually; and detailed formal programs.
"At Keller Williams, we’re not only an open-books company, we’re an open-learning company," said Dianna Kokoszka, CEO, KW MAPS Coaching. "The leaders of our company have fostered a culture of collaboration because we know that together everyone achieves more."

The Training Top 125 ranking is also determined by assessing a range of qualitative and quantitative factors, including financial investment in employee development, the scope of development programs, and how closely such development efforts are linked to business goals and objectives.

“This is an exciting time in training and technology,” said Chris Heller, CEO, Keller Williams. “A decade from now, the way consumers search for and buy homes will be almost unrecognizable from the process today.”

“Our success at keeping our agents at the forefront of this evolution, helping them differentiate themselves in their local markets, and providing an extraordinary customer experience will be determined by how well we train our people, said Heller.”
 In-depth profiles of each of the top five companies will appear in the January/February 2017 issue of Training magazine. For more information on the Training Top 125, visit www.trainingmag.com.

Karen Pelkey
REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest                   
612-414-2888
www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

Holiday Stress

Wellness

The holidays are here! For many people, this is a time for family gatherings and festivity. It is a joyous and beautiful time of year. But it is also a period when people tend to overeat, stress about budgets, worry about lack of time, and neglect taking care of themselves. Therefore, we have a few tips to help you keep the cheer up and the stress down.

Make the holidays your own. They don’t have to be perfect to be great. Be realistic about your expectations and focus on what makes you happy.

Set a budget for gifts and entertainment. Before you get knee-deep in holiday debt, sort out what you can realistically afford and stick to it. A few alternatives could be to make homemade gifts or donate to a charity in a friend or relative’s name. As for holiday gatherings, consider a potluck or BYOB for your party to help alleviate some of the expense.

Respect your time. If you can’t make it to a party or activity, politely decline and move on with it – don’t feel guilty about not going. There is only so much a person can do, and learning to say “no” is important. This will help you preserve your resources when you are too tired or busy to participate and keep you chipper for the events you are able to attend.

Don’t completely abandon your good eating habits, but also, don’t stress about a few extra calories either. Eat some healthy snacks on the way to a party so you are not grasping at food on an empty stomach. And be sure to stick to your exercise routine this time of year. 

Take some time to escape. You are not the only person who is stressed during the holidays – your friends and family may also be a bit pressured. Recognize that everyone may be a little more taxed than usual and allow yourself time to escape for a few moments. Taking a few deep breaths and reflecting on the joys of the holiday will help you stay calm when you return to the crowds.

If you are currently sad or grief-stricken, you don’t have to pretend to be cheerful. Acknowledge your feelings and accept them. You can tell your friends and family how you are feeling and ask them for a little space when you need it.

Remind yourself what you are thankful for. There is no better time of year to check your gratitude perspective. While this may be a time of extra stress, it is also a time to celebrate all the goodness in your life and share smiles with the people you love. 

Happy holidays from all of us at Keller Williams Realty NW!

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest                    

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

Home Inspections

How Listing Agents Help Sellers Prepare for the Home Inspection

Most sellers understand that there are at least a few things that need to be done to prepare their home to go on the market. Staging and cosmetic improvements may be some of the issues that come to mind first, but in order for the selling process to go smoothly, sellers should also consider preparing their homes for the inspection.

The inspection can play a pivotal role, with buyers taking the opportunity to use issues that arise as leverage to negotiate for a lower price. In some cases, the deal may fall apart because of the results of the home inspection.

As the listing agent, you can help mitigate the need for these negotiations by helping your seller properly prepare for the home inspection. One way to make this easier for your client is to provide guidance for preparing the home for inspection as well as a list of repairs that must or should be completed prior to the inspection.

Preparation

-Ensure inspector has easy access to all areas of the home, including attics, basements and crawlspaces.

-Create a clear path to mechanical items, such as the furnace, electrical panel and water heater.

-Move furniture away from exterior walls so they can be assessed for cracks.

-Clear closet clutter so all walls inside a closet can be seen and examined.

Must-Fix

-Remove all ceiling stains. Regardless of origin, ceiling stains make people think of water damage, whether or not the source of the issue has been taken care of.

-Check the attic for mold. Improper venting for bath or exhaust fans can create a breeding ground in the attic if not properly vented to the outside.

Should-Fix

-If the seller has done any electrical work on their own, hire an electrician to ensure all electrical work is up to code and includes the appropriate GFI outlets in the kitchen and bathrooms while eliminating hazards such as double-tapped electrical breakers.

-Repair leaky faucets, slow drains and running toilets.

-Locate, repair and paint any rotting exterior wood. Even if it isn’t a structural defect, it may give the appearance of one.

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest                    

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

24437 Superior Drive, Rogers, MN Presented by Karen Pelkey.

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest                    

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

Yoga at Work

Be more productive and healthier in just 20 minutes a day. No gym required.

Even though yoga has been around for 5,000 years, it has grown in recent popularity. And for very good reason. It used to be that scientific studies proving the benefits of yoga were scarce and unaccepted. That isn’t the case anymore. Research is more prevalent, proving that yoga is an effective way to improve both physical and mental health.Workout fads come and go, but no other exercise program is as enduring as yoga. What makes it even more popular is that anyone of any age can do it. Dogs are even known to do “doga.”

Yoga is a total mind and body workout. While strengthening muscles, it helps to relax the mind. There are many styles of yoga ranging from fast paced and intense to gentle and relaxing.

Here are some of the more popular styles:

Hatha. The form most often associated with yoga, it combines a series of basic movements with breathing.

Vinyasa. A series of poses that flow smoothly into one another.

Power. A faster, higher-intensity practice that builds muscle.

Ashtanga. A series of poses, combined with a special breathing technique.

Bikram. Also known as “hot yoga,” it’s a series of 26 challenging poses performed in a room heated to a high temperature.

Iyengar. A type of yoga that uses props like blocks, straps, and chairs to help you move your body into the proper alignment.

Tip: If you are new to yoga, try a few different studios, teachers and styles. This way you’ll find a style and teacher that resonate with you!

Most people begin with hatha yoga – it’s the most popular, and it’s good for beginners because of its slow pace.

Another benefit of yoga is that it can be practiced almost anywhere. Its only equipment requirement is a mat, and even that is not mandatory. Just 20 minutes of yoga practice is enough to reap exercise benefits. This fact alone makes yoga a popular option for workplace exercise.

At Keller Williams Realty, our associates are family. And to us, that means fulfilling our mission to help build careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living. We realize a life worth living has to be a healthy one, which is why we developed our all-encompassing wellness plan. Learn more about KW Wellness.

20 Minutes of Yoga at Work

Studies have shown that just 20 minutes of yoga followed by conscious breathing and meditation can improve concentration and memory.

By taking time out of your day to practice yoga, you can return to your tasks with a fresh mind and even be able to focus better and process information more quickly.

Some of the many health benefits of yoga include:

• Increased flexibility
• Increased muscle strength and tone
• Improved posture
• Improved respiration, energy and vitality
• Balanced metabolism
• Weight reduction
• Cardio and circulatory health
• Improved athletic performance
• Protection from injury
• Increased immunity
• More focused
• More relaxed

Yoga can be done at home, in a studio, at work, at the beach, at a park or just about anywhere. There are even yoga apps that can be downloaded to your phone! The key to yoga is practice – it is not about what you do but how you do it. Find a quiet place at the office and give yourself 20 minutes to sync in with your body and mind.

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest                    

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

1110 Flintwood Street Southwest, Isanti, MN Presented by Karen Pelkey.

APRIL SELLERS BRING FULL PRICE OFFERS

New Listings showed a second year-over-year decline in 2016 while pending purchase activity rose for the 17th straight month. Buyers signed 6,373 new purchase agreements, a small but important 1.6 percent gain compared to a record-setting April 2015. Due to the well-known supply shortages in our market, would-be sellers are concerned about their ability to secure their next property in the current environment. Inventory levels fell 19.4 percent to 12,849 active properties. Because of record demand, weak supply and a more expensive mix of homes selling, the April median sales price rose 7.7 percent to $231,500. Median list price, by contrast, has already reached and exceeded its previous record, perhaps an indication that the median sales price could do the same this year.

As was the case in March, serious buyers came out swinging in April. In fact, sellers had the same chance of getting offers above their current list price as they did below. Those odds were exactly fifty-fifty—as they were in 2005. That’s not the case for original list price, which indicates that once a home is properly priced, serious buyers are willing to write full-price offers. Unsurprisingly, homes tended to sell in less time, with cumulative days on market declining 14.1 percent to 73 days. That’s the lowest April figure since 2007. Months supply of inventory fell 27.8 percent to 2.6 months—the lowest April figure on record going back to 2003. Generally, five to six months of supply is considered a balanced market. While our region as a whole is favoring sellers, not all areas, segments or price points necessarily reflect that.

“This is an important milestone that speaks to the health of our market,” said Judy Shields, Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) President. “Sellers should not interpret this to mean they are guaranteed offers above their list price. Every price range, area and segment is still unique. It’s more important now than ever to properly price your home. This means buyers–particularly those in multiple offers–should be ready to make full price offers on the properties that best fits their needs.”

The last time absorption rates, consumer demand and home prices were where they are today, the median percent of current list price received at sale was also 100.0 percent, so this isn’t entirely unfamiliar territory. There was also significantly more inventory in 2004 and 2005. The marketplace is finally closing the gap from the recession before advancing—sustained by smarter lending policy, job and wage increases, population growth, the risk of higher interest rates and relentlessly rising rents. It’s worth noting that traditional sales tend to fetch a higher ratio of sales price to list price. For the first April since 2007, traditional sales made up over 90.0 percent of overall sales, which boosts the percentage of current list price received.

The national unemployment rate for April was unchanged at 5.0 percent. With a local unemployment rate of 4.0 percent, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area was among the top ten large metros with the lowest unemployment rate. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate continued to hover just above 3.6 percent compared to a long-term average of about 8.0 percent. Rates took a surprising dive after the Federal Reserve announced the first hike last year. Marginally higher rates were widely expected in 2016, even though a June rate hike seems unlikely.

“The economy is still strengthening and the market is very competitive,” said Cotty Lowry, MAAR President-Elect. “Serious buyers must be prepared to make strong offers right away or risk not having their offer accepted.

By Aubray Erhardt on Tuesday, May 17th, 2016

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest                    

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!