Lyon Real Estate always puts on a great annual awards ceremony. Even during a time when many real estate brokerages are hurting financially, closing up their doors, Lyon still takes care of its agents. Granted, yesterday's awards ceremony was not on par with the Cirque du Soleil act we enjoyed a few years ago, but it was still enjoyable.
They opened the presentations with a video, based on our theme of Winter Olympics. The Olympic flame was passed from one office to another, and we got to see our office mangers prancing through cubicles and running down sidewalks carrying a flaming torch. I didn't know every manager, but then I believe we have 15 branch offices in the Sacramento area. When the video finished, Lyon Real Estate's CEO Mike Lyon and President Jean Li entered the ballroom of the Radisson, arms held high, each clutching a flaming torch. They ran the perimeter, sprinted up the podium and lit the bowl on fire.
While everybody was laughing and applauding, I was wondering where in the world do you find a flaming torch? I mean, is there a store that sells Olympic torches? Or do you have make your own? What if you accidentally set something on fire? We have a very creative marketing team at Lyon Real Estate.
Then the awards ceremony began. Shortly after he handed out a few awards, Mike Lyon surprised the crap out of me. He said the next award was Best Improved Overall, #1 in Closed Units. It was given to the agent whose closed transactions in 2009 most improved over 2008. Now, 2008 was a tough year for many agents. The number on the screen showed that this agent had closed 19 transactions in 2008. I heard agents gasp. I guess that's a good number when you figure that about 85% of all the agents in Sacramento don't even close one transaction every two months, or 6 a year.
However, when I saw the number on the next screen, my heart skipped a beat. It said this agent had closed 43.5 transactions in 2009. Were they talking about me? I figured that I would rank high in the company, but I had no idea that I would be awarded Best Improved Overall, #1 in Closed Units. They keep this stuff a secret until the awards ceremony. But there was my name on the screen. OK, I am so NOT going to cry. Besides, this isn't the Oscars. (Hey, there's a theme for next year.) Do not cry, do not cry. Somehow, I made it up and back to my seat. No tears.
I also picked up an award for ranking in the Top 10% of all Lyon Real Estate agents. That brings my total awards to three for 2009. Gosh, the way 2010 is going, I imagine I'll rank even higher for this year. I wonder if all of this hoopla matters to the public? Probably not. I think buyers and sellers of homes in Land Park and those short sale sellers throughout Sacramento simply care that their agent is efficient, honest and gets the job done.
So, I grabbed my awards and sneaked out the back door. After all, I had a closing for a home in Land Park in an hour. Better put my nose back to the grindstone. Party over.
Photos: Best Overall Improved, #1 Closed Units in 2009, Lyon Real Estate, Elizabeth Weintraub, by Adam Weintraub.
Top 10% at Lyon Real Estate in 2009, Elizabeth Weintraub, by Adam Weintraub
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Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout Sacramento. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
Congratulations!!
You're going to have to build a trophy room on your house Elizabeth, way to go. You earned it. Hope they gave you a bonus too.
Congratulations, Elizabeth. I've heard a lot of good things about Lyon and his team, I'm glad they are taking care of you.
Way To Go!!! I'm sure you received a bonus for this award. Go and enjoy a dinner for such hard work.
Congratulations, you earned it. Now ask for a bigger split! LOL
Congratulations it is obvious you are working hard for your clients.
Great job Elizabeth!! Going from 19 to 43.5 is an awesome acheivement. Congratulations!!!
2008 was by far my worst year in the business too.
Elizabeth: Way to go! I am so glad that you were honored today with these awards. While so many are lying down and calling it quits, you are out there showing folks that succeeding in declining or, for lack of a better word, ODD markets is very possible.
Yep. You Rock! :-) Congratulations Elizabeth!
Nice job. It is very hard to be Most Improved each year. So don't count on that one next year!
Elizabeth:
Congratulations on your achievements and on receiving those two awards. You clearly deserved them.
Congrats Elizabeth,
Although we haven't met you are an inspiration to me - working in the same Greater Sacramento marketplace with all of it's short sale tribulations it great to see what can be done.
Those are some nice looking awards, and it sounds like you guys have some pretty great parties! Congrats
Ha! Robert! I could very well earn the same award for 2010, LOL. And I am not kidding.
Thanks for stopping by, everybody.
Elizabeth, I have always known you to be a superstar. Congratulations!!
Hi Elizabeth, Congratulations! It's nice to be recognized for your hard work and I'm glad you did not cry :-)