Work From Home — Day 65
Chaos & The Outcome
5:30AM PST
Team –
The weekend is approaching. I am feeling this one will be somewhat different.
This is Memorial Day Weekend. It’s our time to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Think about that, the ultimate sacrifice in life!
And for us, the ultimate freedom in life.
Please stop at a point in time on Monday, for a few minutes or more. Experience silence, reflection and freedom. We are surrounded by family members who lost heroes protecting our freedom and by active military and veterans who are contributing to our freedom today.
Some of our families are both Blue and Gold Star families. Remarkable for sure. Sacrifices only the survivors can truly experience and appreciate.
Please pause and treasure our freedom.
Hanging at home yesterday when Brent Thomson came by for a social distancing sunset cocktail. We reflected on the last time we saw each other. It was mid-March for a lunch at The Buckeye. That is way too long for me. Brent is no foreigner to chaos. We talked about our current state and our expected outcome. The ultimate question we discussed was “does the world create our outcome or do we create our outcome?”
We agree it’s the latter. How we engage the world is about us. Outcomes are both self-limited and self-inspired. Which do you choose?
We have been so channeled on our SIP limitations – appropriately so for our health and safety.
It’s so important that we empower our focus and energy from limitations to seizing opportunity.
If you have not already, use this weekend as a pivot accordingly. Will you control your outcome or let the chaos define your future? If I can help, please ring my phone. I may not be at my desk, but I will be at home.
Later today I’ll report the Closing Bell, very encouraging from my preview! I truly believe our future is bright. We are experiencing a SIP starved spring but it’s feeding the summer beast!
My visit with Brent reminded me how much I miss seeing your faces, laughing, sales meetings, celebrations, and everything that comes with this amazing team.
In honor of Memorial Day Weekend, Friday I’ll be dark writing emails until Tuesday AM.
This is Where We Are Now.
Thanks!
Mark
Mark A McLaughlin
Work From Home — Day 65 — Closing Bell
Pendings, Closings and Cancellations
5:55PM PST
Team –
What a week and it’s not over yet!
Two more high profile news postings this week:
- Robert on CNBC yesterday morning. He nailed it! Two for two this week with the GOAT technology demo on Monday and then CNBC.
- Forbes Magazine picked up our recent SIP survey and included commentary from Selma Hepp and me. Love being posted with our friend, the PhD and Chief Economist.
As I said this morning, June is shaping up to be a huge month vs. our SIP forecast. You are all crushing it! We are looking to close 670 in June. Up 34 percent over May.
Last Thursday [May 14], we believed if the system could get to 420 units by May 28, we would have confidence in hitting 620 June. We exceeded 420 yesterday and extended it today vs. next week. In normal times, this would suggest a 1,000+ unit month, but these are not normal times. Here is the ramp up on daily new escrows:
Thursday (5/21) 456, + 27 vs. previous day
Wednesday (5/20) 421, +29 vs. previous day
Tuesday (5/19) 392, +55 vs. previous day
Monday (5/20) 337, +35 vs. previous day
Friday (5/15) 302, +20 vs. previous day
Thursday (5/14) 288
I’m signing up for the momentum in place and a bright summer season. Just as I am finishing this writing, I received a text from Adam Touni, Palo Alto, on two great topics:
- Zoom needs a “button” that acts as a “hook” indicating your time is up!
- Our phones have been “off the hook” in Palo Alto and Whitney Potter in Marin indicates the same.
My next writing is Tuesday 5AM PT. Enjoy this surge in demand. Get some personal time as well!
This is Where We Are Now.
Thanks!
Mark
Mark A McLaughlin