"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked."

“Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” This quote by Warren Buffet says it all. Over the past several years, everybody and their brother claimed to be a real estate expert as the market itself enabled many people in my industry to claim competence and success. I watched plenty make promises that no way in hell could they fulfill – but they spouted off their jargon and as a result obtained the customers who believed the hype.Now, with a marketplace shift, everyday it is becoming more obvious “who has been swimming naked”. Development projects sitting without sales (despite the agent/broker’s bold promises), agents dropping from the business like flies and houses sitting on the market overpriced with days on market accumulating (refer to my previous blog ‘Are you still living in a bubble’).At the GoodLife Team — during the boom — we quietly continued to hold our ethic of “taking care of our customers above all else”. That means we didn’t make promises we couldn’t fulfill on. We didn’t organize our operation around exponential growth at the expense of customer service. We even turned down business when we assessed we didn’t have the capacity to handle it according to our high standards. In 2008 – during the bust — when Austin real estate agents deserted their real estate licenses (22% of the agents left the business), when brokers were fired by developers because they couldn’t sell when the market didn’t sell for them, and when brokerages were downsizing – we at the GoodLife Team did just the opposite.Unlike many of our competitors, we didn’t get fired by any clients in 2008– instead we built an even stronger identity with our developers and other faithful clients. In fact, we successfully sold and closed out two development projects in ’08 – the Boulevard and 2nd Street District. We didn’t experience a reduction in force but instead we are growing in a ‘down’ market. Three new extraordinary people have joined the GoodLife Team and bring with them decades of knowledge, experience and professionalism. Todd Bailey, Cara Keenan and Joe Keenan make the GoodLife Team even better. I must admit – I have the best team of agents and staff in Austin – I don’t know of another brokerage who can claim to have a more competent group of professionals under one roof.At the GoodLife, we are passionate about 2009. When others were just living off the market – we were innovating. This year, you will begin to notice the new technologies that we have implemented and are using to serve you better. We are working to stay even better connected with you without having to show up in your email inbox. We are taking a quantum leap forward with our online presence. In 2009 we will completely embody the web 3.0 world of real estate (most agents are still trying to figure out 2.0!) — all for the sole purpose of being able to take care of our customers even better! Once again, we are raising the bar.So, be part of the GoodLife in 2009! Connect with us! Join us! Share with us! Post your real estate questions on our BLOG. Stay up to date on the stats by reading our articles. If you are a twitterlite or twitterholic, follow the GoodLife. All of those on Facebook, be our ‘friend’ and become a ‘FAN’ of the GoodLife team. Skype us! And, be watching for future newsletters to be in video! how much fun will it be to all “live the GoodLife” together.I can’t end this without once again saying thank you. We are only great because of you. Thank you for your continued trust and for the lifelong opportunity to serve you and those you love who buy, sell, and/or invest in Austin real estate.And you don’t have to worry – we are wearing swimsuits!It’s a good life,KrisstinaP.S. I wish to thank Scotty Wiley, Brett Murry, Grant Gold, Aida Villalpando, Cara Keenan, Joe Keenan, Todd Bailey, Garry Wise, Tammy Lorraine, Stacey Rhodes, Jack Miller and Kelly White. My dream is only possible because of you.