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Conflict resolution is a major aspect of my job. I want to share some of the top communication strategies I use to get people working together.

Most of the strategies I use are based on the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, a true pioneer who invented the Nonviolent Communication Method. This method has been used successfully for many years to do everything from negotiating peace in the Middle East to negotiating peace between warring couples or children and parents. His method is even used by top hostage negotiators all over the world.

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Using this statement helps you start a really productive conversation.

Of course, I can only go over a few tips with you today, so make sure you check out his book called “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life.”

Dr. Rosenberg’s method is based on the fact that as human beings, we have the same needs and experience the same emotions. The point of nonviolent communication is to get to the heart of the matter, which isn’t easy.

The problem is that most of us don’t have a comprehensive vocabulary for our feelings or our needs. You can visit www.cnvc.org/training/needs-inventory for a free Needs and Feelings Inventory list to get a handle on things. You can even message me and I will email you a copy of each.

Let’s say that you get home from work really late and that your significant other appears to be upset the minute that you walk in the door. You would use this statement: “Honey, are you feeling _____ because you need _____?” Of course, it is up to you to guess what your significant other is feeling and what they need.

It can be challenging to use this statement, especially if your significant other greets you by saying, “You are the most insensitive person I’ve ever met.” Don’t get angry. Simply say, “Are you feeling angry because you need to feel important and loved?”

This is a magic formula. People immediately drop their defenses before they respond. They will either say, “Yes, that is exactly it,” or “No, that’s not it at all.”

Now, you did not agree or disagree with them or rise to the bait; asking them this question helps you strike right to the heart of the matter. What are they feeling and what are they needing? Even if you didn’t accurately guess what they need and feel, you opened up the opportunity to have a really productive conversation.

That is just a tidbit of what nonviolent communication has to offer. Check out this video of a workshop by Dr. Rosenberg for more information. He really shows you how to start using nonviolent communication in your everyday life.

I hope you found this information useful. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you!

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Did you know that—according to a recent study—a whopping 79% of adults are on social media? If you have a business or a service you’re promoting, you should be on there too. Here are my five quick tips for doing social media right:

1. Set a schedule. I’ll admit that I’m the worst at this. It sometimes happens that you log on intending to spend just 15 minutes doing a quick post and checking your messages but end up staying on there for two hours. I’ve gotten into the habit of setting a timer on my phone. Whenever it goes off, that means it’s time for me to log off. I recommend doing something similar.

2. Have a plan. Determine ahead of time which platforms you’re going to post to, how often you’re going to post, and which content you want to put across those platforms. If planning that out for the whole year seems overwhelming, no worries! Just plan it for the first quarter and then stick to it.

3. Set a budget. Pick any amount—whether it’s a $15 Facebook ad campaign or a $1,500 Facebook ad campaign—and set your budget at the exact dollar amount you’re comfortable spending. When the money runs out, the campaign stops. That way there’s no chance of overspending.

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These tips will allow you to take advantage of social media instead of vice versa.

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4. Track your results. Make sure you know if it’s bringing in the results you need. If not, tweak your content or your message.

5. Have fun! Don’t forget to put some fun content out there, maybe about what you’re doing, what you’re seeing, or just a few fun facts about yourself. You don’t want to hammer your client base with nonstop business messages.

Bonus tip: Social media is not a replacement for real communication. It’s a fantastic tool for helping us stay top of mind for our clients, but it’s not a stand-in for making your daily prospecting calls or talking face-to-face with clients. At some point, you still have to engage in a conversation with a real human being if you want them to do business with you.

If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to speak with you!

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Are we looking at a new housing bubble here in Utah?

It’s a question a lot of people are asking because—in case you didn’t know—home values in Utah have risen 48% in the last five years. That is absolutely unprecedented, and it has some people worried.

The good news is that according to renowned economist James Wood, there is no sign of another housing bubble happening in Utah anytime soon. Why? There are a couple special characteristics of a housing bubble that aren’t present in Salt Lake County and Utah County.

That first is a rapid rise in household debt. For example, in the three years preceding the great recession of 2008, household debt rose 35% in our state. That rise was primarily due to the refinancing of existing mortgages, taking out home equity lines of credit, or picking up a second mortgage. There is currently no sign of that happening here. Our debt load is very healthy.

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There are many indicators that prove we’re nowhere near a housing bubble.

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The second characteristic of a housing bubble is a lack of affordability. To determine affordability, we look to the Housing Affordability Index. For a frame of reference, if the index is at 50, that’s considered a nice, healthy market. Right before the market crash, the affordability index in Utah was at 30, which is well below a healthy mark. As of the end of 2016, our affordability index was a whopping 70, which is one of the best in the country.

There are two more indicators specific to Utah that prove there’s no bubble in sight.

The first is the fact that we’re experiencing a housing shortage. We have a larger number of households in Utah than actual housing units. In other words, there are more people who want homes than there are homes available. This is quickly driving up prices for both homes sales and rentals. However, we’re still well within affordability limits.

The other indicator is the condition of our state economy. From 2000 to the middle of 2016, the entire country had a job growth rate of 11%. In Salt Lake County, our job growth rate was 33%. In Utah County, the job growth rate was 35%.

I hope that puts your mind at ease. If you’re looking to buy or sell or you have any more questions about this topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to speak with you!

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Tax season is nearly upon us, so today, I wanted to touch on some of the lesser-known benefits of owning a home.

Let me start by saying that I’m not a CPA, and I recommend that you get your taxes done by a professional. These items are merely things you can bring to their attention to possibly write off on your 2016 taxes.

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If you use a portion of your home for a home-based business, you can get an additional write-off.

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Hopefully this is some good news for you! If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d love to help!

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Today I wanted to give you five cool ideas for things you can do this Christmas in Utah that don't involve spending a ton a money. Here are some alternatives that won't leave you waking up on December 26th with a spending hangover:

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I promise you'll have a great time without breaking the bank.

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If you and your family check out any of these fun things to do in Utah, I promise that you'll have an awesome time this season without breaking the bank. If you have any other questions about these activities or about Utah area real estate, you can always give me a call or message me through my website. I look forward to talking with you soon!

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Why should you list your home right before the holidays here in Utah?

Most people think that they should wait until spring to list their home, but this is a mistake. In Utah, our housing inventory levels will fall by as much 30% starting right now. As we know, supply and demand drive prices. Listing now means you will be competing with far fewer homes.

The other factor most people forget about is that the buyers in Utah from November through February are by far the most motivated buyers you will see all year. If you think about it for a moment, it makes perfect sense: it’s cold, dark, and snowy, and they’re still out there hunting desperately for a house. These are buyers that are ready and willing to write offers.

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We have a great crop of motivated buyers hitting the market.

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The third thing to remember is that many relocation buyers hit the market in December, which means they have to be moved into their new place come January. So, again, we get this great crop of motivated buyers that only come out during this time of year.

As an added bonus, your home will probably look better during the holidays than it will all year. If you don’t like the idea of having to work around all your family plans, you don’t have to. All you have to do is let your Realtor know what dates and times you want blocked out, and they won’t let anyone show the home at those times.

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I hope you have a great day, and I look forward to hearing from you!

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Since I dressed up as a fortune teller for Halloween, I thought it was all too fitting to give you a psychic prediction of what will happen in the Utah real estate market in the fourth quarter and beyond!

So what's in the cards for the Utah market? To me, it looks like Utah still has one of the strongest job economies in the nation. We're currently below 4% for unemployment, which essentially means we're fully employed. If you couple that with our affordability, you can see that housing prices are still well in line with the median income.

This all means that we are in great shape.

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Low unemployment and housing affordability are making our economy strong.

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At the moment, we're experiencing very low inventory levels. If you're a seller at this time, this means you're going to have your pick of the crop when it comes to buyers making offers on your home. We're also experiencing historically low interest rates, meaning that affordability has never been better.

Halloween may be over, but our market is seeing all treats and no tricks. I predict that it's still a great time to be either a buyer or seller in the Utah real estate market. If you have any questions for me or you're thinking about buying or selling a home in this fantastic market, give me a call. I'd love to speak with you!

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There is a funny state law that most folks aren’t aware of. It’s called the Utah Stigmatized State Property Act, and it states that home sellers do not have to disclose whether their house is haunted. What should you do if you think that you’ve accidentally bought a haunted house? Fortunately, Rita Morgan from Crone's Hollow has a few answers.

One thing that Rita encourages home buyers to do in this situation is to try and speak with the spirit of the house to let it know that they are the new owner of the home. Because the spirit may think that the house belongs to them, it’s important to let the spirit know that you are the new owner and that your rules are the ones that apply.

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Claim the home as your own.

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If the spirit is still being destructive or difficult, there are a few things that you can do to help cleanse the house. Though burning sage is a good way to begin the cleanse, it creates a vacuum, and Nature abhors a vacuum. If you’re going to use sage, you’ll need to replace the energy that you’re getting rid of with something else—like incense or Florida Water—so that the spirit doesn’t come back in.  Once you have replaced the energy, Rita suggests following up with some kind of sound, like a bell, in order to create a vibrational energy and ensure that the spirit cannot re-enter.

The most important thing you can do as a homeowner in a haunted house is to claim the home as your own. If you have things going bump in the night in your home and need advice about getting rid of or living with spirits, give Rita a call at (801) 906-0470 or visit her at Crone’s Hollow at 3834 South Main Street in Salt Lake City, just north of the intersection. She’s got the tools necessary to handle your every ghostly need.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about buying or selling a home in the Salt Lake City area, give me a call, shoot me an email or reach out to me via Ouija board. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

When you prepare to sell your house, there are a lot of positive changes you can make without spending a lot of money. Today, I'm going over five things that will improve your home before you sell.

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Today I wanted to give you some really great things you can do to your home to prepare it for the market. By spending as little as $500, you can pick up an extra $5,000 on your sale. That's not a bad return!

In the video above, you can also see some examples of photos that really illustrate these five points.

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Paint is the best dollar-for-dollar investment you can make.

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Again, these are the kinds of fixes that I've seen sellers spend $500 on and get an extra $5,000 for on their bottom line.

Before we go, remember that Halloween season is right around the corner. Stay tuned for my next video that will feature an interview with a spooky and cool little shop here in Salt Lake City. We'll talk about what to do if you honestly think you're living in a haunted house.

Until then, if you have questions or topics you'd like to see me cover, give me a call, send me an email, or contact me through the website. I hope to hear from you soon!

I’m excited to be joined today by Loran Brumley who worked as a SWAT officer and in corrections for more than 20 years. He’s here to give us some tips for keeping your home safe.

For starters, Loran says, criminals aren’t as smart as we think they are! Most burglars don’t have elaborate plans like you see in the movies, but rather knock on doors, and if no one answers, see it as a sign that they can break in. One of the best things you can do to keep people away is getting a dog. Believe it or not, you don't need a giant Rottweiler; small dogs that yap and make lots of noise are actually preferable. A “Beware of Dog” sign is a good option if you don’t have a dog.

After that, you can invest in a security system, which does work. A lot of people simply stick a security system sign on the property, which works well too. Dummy cameras on your house work the same way in keeping people away.

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Small dogs are a better deterrent because they’re noisy.

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Simple things like extra lighting and motion sensor lights are deterrents as well. Lock your doors of course, and if you leave the house, consider leaving a radio on to make people think you’re home. The TV works too, but it’s cheaper to run a radio, and your TV will burn out faster. They both tell people that somebody might be home.

In the end, [name] says, it’s all pretty basic stuff. If you have any more questions about home security, or you’re thinking about buying or selling a Salt Lake City home, give me a call!