|
2009 |
|
|
Mike continued to fill orders for his 4 CD finance product,
Attack the Market: Finance!,
which he created in 2008; teach finance and investment courses in
New York and Pennsylvania; continue to build his new financial
planning business (please see
Clients First!). He
taught his last courses to real estate agents in Rochester,
Plattsburgh, and Staten Island. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
Triple Play 08 |
 |
Mike was excited to speak at the Triple Play Convention in December.
One of the largest annual gatherings for U.S. REALTORS®, this
Atlantic City event serves the needs of agents from New Jersey, New
York, and Pennsylvania. Both his presentations went well with the
second one offered to a standing-room-only crowd.
- Attack the Market -- with Finance!
- Attack the Market -- with Your Eyes Open!
(a risk reduction seminar with recent court cases)
In closing Attack the Market – with Your Eyes Open, Mike shared
with the crowd that it was his last convention presentation. Having
spoken at the first Triple Play event and several since then, it was
a bittersweet moment for him and for students he has come to know
over the years. He expects to complete the required courses and
begin work as a certified financial planner (CFP®).
|
- Back to Top -
|
|
CRS Certified |
 |
Mike’s is thrilled to announce that his second book, Attack the
Market: Invest!®, has been
certified by the Council of Residential Specialists (CRS) as a
quality-tested product. This certification is only granted after
multiple CRS agents who are actively involved with buyers, sellers,
and investors review and recommend it to the appropriate CRS
Committee. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
4 Day Investment Course |
|
|
Mike was pleased to write a 4 day course for agents working with
investors. Based on his second book, Attack the Market: Invest!®,
and other investment materials he has written and taught, Real
Estate Investment provides an in-depth investment experience for
agents. The HP 10bII calculator will be used extensively. The course
earns an agent a brokerage credit toward their broker’s license. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
Revised GRI Course(s) |
 |
Mike worked with PAR and NYSAR staff to
revise both state’s GRI investment courses (PAR GRI 502; NYSAR RI
404). It was a task he enjoyed, including providing new content,
PowerPoint presentations, exam questions and answers, and
suggestions for course instructors.
Mike also worked with PAR staff to
re-write the Pennsylvania GRI course (404) which covers Taxation,
Professional Standards, Finance and serving people from other
cultures and countries (Expand Your Market). What was most exciting
about this project was bringing calculators back to the course!
Agents now leave not only with more knowledge about each topic, but
with the skills necessary to use their calculators to pre-qualify
the next buyers they meet. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
Saratoga Springs Seminar |
|
|
Mike was thrilled to teach a successful
CE Seminar, Negotiating Tools: Serving Buyers and Sellers during
Multiple Offers, during the New York State Association of REALTORS®
business meetings in Saratoga Springs, New York. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
National Speakers Association |
|
|
With stringent criteria ensuring that only successful, professional
speakers join, the National Speakers Association approved Mike’s
application in 2006. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
Mike's Second Book! |
 |
Sales of Mike’s new book on investing in
real estate have exceeded expectations! Agents and brokers in over a
dozen states and several countries have purchased Attack the
Market: Invest!® In it, the author identifies
the nine steps agents can take to invest successfully. Several
brokers have taken advantage of quantity discounts to purchase the
book for their agents. Click on the icon to the left to learn about
the second book Mike has written, Attack the Market: Invest!® |
- Back to Top -
|
|
U.S. Agency Review Complete |
 |
Mike has just completed his assessment of
the agency laws, rules or regulations of all 50 states and the District
of Columbia: “Although I have
spent over a year reviewing these provisions it has been an exciting
time of learning how different states have decided to handle the
problems dual agency pose for agents, brokers, buyers, and sellers.
Several states now prohibit all dual agency relationships.” |
- Back to Top -
|
|
Convention Seminars |
 |
Mike was pleased to speak at Triple Play
2003 in Atlantic City. Triple Play 2003 is the annual NJ, NY, PA
convention. On December 2, 2003, he presented two seminars: (1) Attack
The Market! Specialize in Negotiating, Finance, Pricing or Technology®,
and (2) Serve Your Clients With Real Estate Finance.
"Based on more than 800 agents' surveys
comparing over 25 Triple Play 2003 presenters, you were rated SECOND! I
can't tell you how many strangers came up to me at the convention
center that week to say thanks for bringing Mike in!!! Hugs and all! Of
the over 40 seminars presented, your Real Estate Finance seminar was
ranked third and Attack the Market! Specialize in Negotiating, Finance,
Pricing or Technology(R) fourth! Everyone I spoke with who attended one
of your sessions raved about it."
Priscilla Toth
Director of Professional Development
New York State Association of REALTORS
Albany, New York |
- Back to Top -
|
|
Negotiating E-Newsletter |
 |
Attack The Market … Together (sm). In August, Mike responded to agents’
requests and created a newsletter focused on improving agents’
negotiating skills. Attack The Market … Together! is a forum for
agents from around the country to share their ideas and questions
about how to negotiate most effectively for their clients. |
- Back to Top -
|
|
CRS Certified |
|
|
Mike’s Book, Attack The
Market!, was certified by the Council of Residential Specialists (CRS)
as a quality-tested product. This certification is only granted after
multiple CRS agents who are actively involved with buyers and sellers
review and recommend it to the appropriate CRS Committee.
|
- Back to Top -
|
|
Dearborn Financial Publishing |
 |
Dearborn Financial
Publishing has hired Mike to revise and complete the Instructor’s
Manual for Modern Real Estate Practice in Pennsylvania, 9th Edition.
|
- Back to Top -
|
|
Realty Times |
 |
In early 2002, Mike
joined Realty Times as an e-Columnist on their Agent News service. His
articles are based on the effective practices described in his recent
book. Click on the icon to read an article.
|
- Back to Top -
|
|
Conventions |
I.
Triple Play 2000
 |
II.
"The Beat Goes On". October 2000
 |
Mike taught two
seminars at each Convention: one on how to unleash your negotiating
skills; a second on how to assess a potential client's motivation with
the latest financing techniques. Agents wrote Mike with the following
comments on these seminars:
"You were filled with
energy and animated. I like that you bring the stock market, Alan
Greenspan, and articles about economics into your negotiating seminar.
Hope to see you again at another seminar."
"The topic (finance)
is great. I recommend that every agent take this class. Presentation
was fantastic and the course content a great help."
"... presented with
strong conviction/enthusiasm ... clear hand-outs."
"Class was super!
Negotiating tips were very understandable and useable ... money-making
tips valuable."
|
- Back to Top -
|
|
Awards |
 |
At the 1999 NAR Convention in Orlando, Mike Merin was
presented with the Quill Pen Award. His article "Unleash Your Negotiating
Power," published in the January 1999 edition of Real Estate Business,
"was judged to be the best member-authored work published in 1998/1999."
Recognized nationally, this
award was given to Mike as the "one author whose work has contributed significantly
to the overall quality and value of either Management Issues and Trends
(the CRB newsletter) or Real Estate Business (the CRS
magazine)...."
|
|
- Back to Top - |
