MARCH 2015 SOUTH BAY

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EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

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Lauren Cotner Executive Agent of the Month

Inside Features: Gina Alderson imortgage Alpine Mortgage Planning Company Profile Tom Nickl Shorewood Realtors


Purchase Financing:

Compare our stats to the industry. At Evergreen, we’ve never lost sight of the fact that serving real estate industry professionals and their clients is the cornerstone of our success, yesterday, today and tomorrow. As evidence of our focus on the home purchase market, we invite you to review our purchase loan percentage compared to the industry: Purchase Business Percentages

2013 YTD

2012

2011

Evergreen

75%

73%

83%

Industry

39%**

29%

**

**

32%

** Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Percentages reflect portion of total volume that were purchase transactions.

That’s why we’ve developed an infrastructure with systems and procedures that allow us to quickly process loans so that we close On Time and as Promised®. In fact, our entire platform is engineered to close purchase transactions in 14 days*.

But stats are only part of the story. It’s the care and compassion of every Evergreen associate that makes a difference and is felt by the customers we serve. As a lender with strong convictions and a proven track record serving the purchase market, we invite you to become a business partner with Evergreen.

Michelle Coolidge-Tondu Sr. Loan Officer & VP / Corporate Relationships NMLS 176580

tel 310-818-1011 fax 855-296-8279 mcoolidge@evergreenhomeloans.com www.michelletondu.com 21250 Hawthorne Blvd Ste 500 Torrance, CA 90503 Branch NMLS 1127143

*The 14-day close does not imply a guarantee of any kind and only references the historical service level provided by Evergreen on standard FHA, VA, and conforming conventional loans. Assumes expeditious and complete cooperation by all parties to the transaction. Not all applications are eligible for a 14-day close, including but not limited to jumbo loans, renovation loans, loans brokered to other lenders, or properties requiring repairs. Not all applicants will qualify; certain restrictions apply. © 2014 Evergreen Home Loans is a registered trade name of Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company® NMLS ID 3182. Trade/service marks are the property of Evergreen Home Loans. All rights reserved. Licensed under: Arizona Mortgage Banker License 0910074; California-DBO Residential Mortgage Lending Act License 4130291; Hawaii Mortgage Loan Originator Company License HI-3182; Idaho Mortgage Broker/Lender License MBL-3134; Nevada Mortgage Banker License 3130; Oregon Mortgage Lending License ML-3213; Washington Consumer Loan Company License CL-3182. 1/14


contents

Southern California’s Publication for the Real Estate Professional

ExecutiveAgent

Magazine

March, 2015

South Bay

Cover Story

Editorials

Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 366-3349 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Info@eamag.net www.EAMag.net

32 - Tony Alessandra: Visualization

08 - Matt De La Cruz:

Work/Life Balance Having It All

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

06 - Jamel Gibbs:

How To Take Your Real Estate Business To The Next Level

Alpine Mortgage Planning...............31 City of Hope.....................................34

14 - Jason Hanson:

How To Determine If A Seller Is Not Motivated

Can You Afford To Take A Break?

Lauren Cotner

Kinecta Federal Credit Union..........36 SBAOR....................................35 The Termite Guy...............................24

10 - Zig Ziglar: Worry

Marketing Director: Frank Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Photography: i Photography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Writers: Lalaena Gonzalez–Figueroa, Shannon Hartsoe, Haley Freeman, Steven McReynolds

Executive Agent of the Month

26 Gina Alderson

imortgage.................................25 i Photography Studio........................23

28 - Dirk Zeller:

17

Evergreen Home Loans......................2

12 Alpine Mortgage Planning

04 Tom Nickl

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

© Copyright 2015 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Executive Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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iding the wave of success in the corporate world had its perks for Tom Nickl. As a regional sales manager for over 13 Western states for a Fortune 500 company, he enjoyed plenty of benefits -- financial, prestige and a sense of achievement, to name a few.

Then there were the aspects of life that matter most, like traveling 100,000 miles a year and being away from his young family. Tired and unsure of what career move would be best, Tom’s wife Tracy suggested he look into real estate. He would have more control over his time, and the earning potential was limitless.

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Tom Nickl

Knows What Matters Most Written by Shannon Hartsoe

“With a young family, a lot of traveling and not having complete control of my destiny, it was an ideal time for a career change,” he recalls. Plus, Tom says he’s always had a passion for real estate -- his parents owned investment buildings and he bought his first condo in Chicago while in his mid-20s. In 2002, he made the change, becoming a real estate agent. And he found success instantly. “I was very fortunate that in my first year in real estate, I generated over $12 million in sales. Communication and negotiating skills are a transferable skill set whether you are selling hardware, software or real estate,” he says. “My past corporate sales/ sales management experience working with diverse backgrounds, training and recruiting allowed me to transition quickly into real estate.” Today Tom uses those highly developed skills as Man­ ager of the Palos Verdes office / Director of Training at Shorewood Realtors®. Specializing in Palos Verdes, the Beach Cities, and the surrounding South Bay area, Tom is a top producer. He cites a number of mentors behind his success, including the late Rick Coleman, who was Tom’s manager in the Shorewood Manhattan Beach office for many years. “He was extremely knowledgeable and instilled the importance of being truthful in your discussions, whether it was with clients or fellow Realtors®,” Tom says. “You have to maintain integrity with whoever you deal with both professionally and personally.”

However, none of these traits are as important as being an expert negotiator,” he says. “I am truthful in my dealings with everyone. I despise losing and I never give up! I make recommendations to my clients as if this was my money and what I would do in any given situation.” Outside of work, Tom stays busy with his three daughters, which includes dance, ballet, track, and equestrian activities. He’ll also watch his oldest daughter graduate from Boston College in May. Professionally, Tom also stays busy with the South Bay Association of Realtors® (SBAOR) and other groups. Tom was elected to be President of SBAOR in 2016. His goal for the near future is to grow the Palos Verdes office both in recruiting more Realtors® and increasing sales volume. “Shorewood is poised for continued growth in the South Bay and in expanding to other markets,” he says. Tom also will continue providing outstanding training, negotiating and sales skills at Shorewood Realtors®. All the while, like he has for years, he will emphasize that the client comes first. “It’s unfortunate that there are some Realtors® that think about their commission first over what is in the client’s best interest,” he states. “My philosophy is if you think in terms of what is in the best interest of your client first, success for you will follow.”

Tom says he also greatly admires Arnold Goldstein, founder of Shorewood Realtors®. “At 80 plus years, he still comes to the office every day. Arnold demonstrates an unbelievable passion for the real estate business and is so gifted in his ability to inspire and motivate agents,” Tom shares. Asked what personal traits have helped him succeed, Tom humbly defers to others rather than singing his own praises. Those who’ve worked with him cite Tom’s ability to listen with focus, his exceptional negotiating skills, his street smarts, sound business acumen and great sense of humor. But the most important skill behind his success as a Realtor® has been his ability to negotiate. “With respect to the real estate market, there are many important attributes to consider in selecting a Realtor®. We offer a variety of skill sets such as being a property expert, construction expert, finance expert and contract expert.

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Tom Nickl Manager / Director of Training Shorewood Realtors® 16 Malaga Cove Plaza Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274 Ph: 310.963.8149 tnicklrealtor@gmail.com www.SoldByTom.com CalBRE # 01330571


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How To Take Your Real Estate Business To The Next Level

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aking your real estate business to the next level is not as hard as it may seem. Actually, it is quite simple. In order to really move your business to new heights there are a couple of things you need to do. In this article I will briefly explain how to take your real estate business into orbit.

Outsourcing: If you ask me, the only way to take your business to the next level is to outsource your business. Outsourcing is hiring people or companies to take care of certain parts of your business for you. A lot of real estate investors are control freaks over their business and that is a big mistake. They think that they can do everything on their own. To be honest, no one can do everything on their own. In order for you to break new barriers in your real estate business you must hire people to help you. Phone Services: One way that you can outsource is to hire call answering services. Most services like these will screen all of your calls and you can even give them a script. Once they have screened your calls they will email you. At that point you can pick and choose who you want to call back. If the deal is good, you can tell the answering company to put urgent in the email subject heading. Direct Mail Services: Another way to outsource your business is to hire a direct mailing company. Make sure you research companies that specialize in the type of leads you need. Most direct mailing companies will automatically advertise for you on a monthly basis according to your budget. This is an easy way to stop procrastination when it comes to spending advertising dollars. This is also a good way to save time with putting labels on post cards and other forms of mail.

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Written By Jamel Gibbs

Other: You don’t always need to hire a company to outsource your business. You can hire people to do certain things for you that you cannot do on your own, or just don’t have enough time in the day for. College students are great for doing paperwork for you. They are also good for running errands and things of that nature. You can hire people and teach them how to do things the way you want it to be done. If they can do it half as good as you and you hire 2 or 3 people to do the same thing, then your doing good. Hiring people and companies is definitely the way to go if you want to hit that next level in your real estate investment business. When your budget is right you should consider doing so. Think about it, if you’re worth $200 an hour, why would you be doing a job worth $10 an hour. Hire someone to do that job for you. When you do this you can focus on what your good at which is bringing in more business. Copyright © 2008 Jamel Gibbs - All Rights Reserved. WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it. Check out Jamel Gibbs at http://www. HowtoFlipforProfits.com.

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Work/Life Balance Having it all

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here are many people that don’t believe that you can have both a successful career and successful life without sacrificing one or the other, this is simply not true. We all have the capabilities and the time to have abundance in our lives. The only way to do that is to plan it. Work/life balance is a concept including proper prioritizing between “work” (career and ambition) and “lifestyle”

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(spiritual/meditation, family, health, social, mental and financial). Related, though broader, terms include “lifestyle calm balance” and “lifestyle choices”. Life is supposed to be in harmony that brings joy, happiness and fulfillment not destruction, destruction is stress, frustration, guilt or regret. If you were to look at each area of your life as a glass ball, except your career; which should be seen as a rubber ball and that you were trying to juggle all 7 at once. If you happen to drop your family, health or even spiritual ball they would break. If you dropped your career/job ball it would bounce back, in other words there are some things that you just cannot afford to drop. I have some ideas that may help remember no one gets more than 24hrs a day! plan and use it wisely.

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5 Keys For Better Work / Life Balance: 1. Build downtime in your day - schedule time for family and friends. Date night with spouse significant other. 2. Drop unnecessary activities that drain your time and energy - time you spend surfing the web, social media sites, personal calls and checking your bank accounts. 3. Rethink your to do list - grocery shopping once a week, dry cleaners have them dropped off and picked up, hire a gardening service to do the yard work. 4. Get moving - get up early and get your workout done

first thing, it will kick start your metabolism and give you the energy to get through the day. 5. Relaxation goes a long way - set a goal to leave the office 1 hour early once a week. plan on some one on one time with your children. Plan a 20-30 minute power nap daily, plan a 3 day weekend get away with your partner or just good old fashion communication. Matt De La Cruz Founder / CEO Winning Minds Tel: 248-249-7350 – 800-781-1118 Email: Matt@winningminds.com Web: www.winningminds.com

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EA

Worry orry has been described as “interest paid on trouble before it comes due.” One of America’s worst enemies is worry. Worry is like a rocking chair; it requires a lot of energy, and it gets you nowhere. Leo Buscaglia said, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”

W

Question: Are you a worrier? Americans take more pills to forget more worries about more things than ever before and more than people in any other nation in history. That’s bad. According to Dr. Charles Mayo, “Worry affects the circulation and the whole nervous system. I’ve never known a man who died from overwork, but I’ve known many who have died from doubt.” Doubt always creates worry, and in most cases, lack of information raises the doubt. Life is much like Christmas. You’re more apt to get what you expect than what you want. Mathematically speaking, it really doesn’t make sense to worry. Psychologists and other researchers tell us that roughly 40 percent of what we worry about will never happen and 30 percent has already happened. Additionally, 12 percent of our worries are over unfounded health concerns. Another 10 percent of our worries involve the daily miscellaneous fretting that accomplishes nothing. That leaves only 8 percent. Plainly speaking, Americans are worrying 92 percent of the time for no good reason, and if Dr. Mayo is right, it’s killing us. One solution that will reduce your worry is this: Don’t worry about what you can’t change. Example: For a number of years I’ve flown in excess of 200,000 miles a year. On occasion, flights are canceled or delayed. As I write this, I’m sitting on the runway waiting for my gate to clear. If I worry or get angry, nothing will change. If I take constructive action and finish this article, I’m ahead of the game. That’s a positive way to use the energy that I would have wasted on anger, frustration, or worrying. The message is clear: If you don’t like your situation in life, don’t fret or worry--do something about it. Worry less, and act more. Zig Ziglar is a beloved author and America’s motivator. He is the author of 25 books and offers training and consulting to organizations all across the globe. To learn more about Zig and his business visit his website at www.ziglar.com.

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Written by Zig Ziglar

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

Alpine Mortgage Planning Opens New Branch in Newport Beach

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o provide the Orange County area with top-producing mortgage advisors and in-branch operations, Alpine Mortgage Planning (AMP) has opened a new retail mortgage banking branch in Newport Beach, CA. The beautiful 7,582-square-foot branch is in the Bayview Corporate Center, overlooking the Back Bay of Newport Beach. The new branch is the result of Alpine Mortgage Planning’s continual growth, propelled by repeat and referral business driven by customers who appreciate the company’s range of products and its commitment to providing responsive client care. AMP offers a variety of home-loan solutions, including first-time homebuyer programs with down-payment assistance, local bond programs, FHA, VA, Conventional and Jumbo products. As a direct lender with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and a Ginnie Mae servicer, AMP is able to control all

aspects of the transaction. With its state-of-the art loan platform and customer contact management (CRM), the company is able to communicate timely to all parties involved in the transaction. John J. Reed (MLO 869516) will lead the new office, along with sales manager Robert Fair (MLO 816387), operations manager Leann Guggenmos and marketing branch contact Sarah Underwood. “John is a seasoned mortgage veteran with ample leadership to his credit. With over 27 years of experience in the business, he has aligned with industry leaders, maximizing his potential and inspiring others to follow suit,” said Jeff Strode, regional vice president of Alpine Mortgage Planning, a Division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage Corp. AMP was founded to educate first-time homebuyers on the benefits of homeownership and how to plan for the future. The company’s mortgage advisors work with each client so that financial goals are made and expectations are exceeded.

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Along with individual client planning, AMP aims to build and maintain strong relationships with its real estate partners, the surrounding community and local businesses through first-time homebuyer seminars, Realtor® partner lunch-and-learns and charitable contributions to several different organizations. “Alpine Mortgage Planning attracts consumers and real estate professionals who seek to work with motivated and knowledgeable mortgage advisors,” Reed said. “AMP is always seeking to hire driven and motivated mortgage professionals who are looking to advance in the industry and assist in educating the public on the most responsible ways to plan for the future.” Headquartered in Roseville, California, with locations throughout the West Coast, all employees of Alpine

Mortgage Planning share one vision and practice AMP’s core values: Teamwork, Empowerment, Positivity and Excellence. John Reed

MLO 869516

Alpine Mortgage Planning 3501 Jamboree Rd., Ste. 200 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Tel: 949.398.3655 Email: JReed@alpinemc.com Web: www.alpinemc.com/jreed NMLS ID 81395 © 2015 A division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage Corp | Equal Housing Lender | NMLS 81395 | WA CL-81395 | AZ BK-910890 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act Regulated by the Division of Real Estate Colorado. .

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How To Determine If A Seller Is Not Motivated

I

recently got off the phone with a seller. The deal involved a property in a neighborhood I really like. There was decent cash flow ($200) and this was the bread and butter type of deal I like to close. I didnt get the deal. One of the funny things about this business is how sellers will appear motivated at first and then when you talk to them the next time their story completely changes. Well, with this particular deal I was trying to buy the property subject-to. I want to show you how I try and close a seller and how I know when its time to give up. When you first talk to a seller you build rapport and ask questions you need regarding the property. (For me, I was talking with this person after my assistant found out the initial information about the property). Once you’ve gotten all of the information you need, you present your offer to the seller. Now, if a seller is truly motivated they will take it immediately. However, on this particular call the guy informed me that he didnt want to be on the hook for the loan and he would try and rent his property himself. I then proceeded to re-explain all of the benefits of working with me such as he would have guaranteed payments for the next 5 years; he wouldnt have to worry about vacancies or any tenant hassles at all. After I explained all of this, he still wasnt interested.

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Do you know how to tell if a person is at least slightly motivated? If they ask questions! You see, every time I explained all of the benefits of working with me, the guy didnt ask any questions or care at all. If he were even a little bit interested he would have at least asked me a few question questions are good and this is when your sales skills and scripts come into play. However, if you’re dealing with an unmotivated seller it doesn’t matter if you’re the best salesperson in the world, because he doesnt want what you’re selling. Anyway, so after I explained to him the benefits of selling to me about three different times and how not once did he bite or ask any questions, I knew there was no deal to be had. But, Im still going to follow up with this guy in 30 days because time always increases motivation. And remember you can’t force a deal. I know we all want deals badly but if they aren’t interested there is nothing we can do. So as soon as you figure out someone is not motivated, get rid of them and move on to the next person. Jason R. Hanson is the founder of National Real Estate Investor Month, author of How to Build a Real Estate Empire and mentor to students all across America. To get a FREE copy of Jason™ Special Report The Insider™ Guide To Buying Your First Investment Property in 83 Days or Less! visit http://www.PrimoCoach.com or call 800-865-1702.

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Written By Jason Hanson ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTOR速 to be featured in one of our feature stories; on the cover as Executive Agent of the Month, or as a special feature story. All candidates must be nominated by a real estate professional. The selection process includes a questionnaire, personal interview, reference check and final approval by the Advisory Council. Candidates are evaluated based upon professionalism, length of service and uniqueness of story, as well as industry and community involvement.

I Nominate: Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Address____________________________ _____________________________________ City, State, Zip_____________________ _____________________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________ Submitted By: Fax/Email nomination to: Executive Agent Magazine PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Fax: 949.266.8757 Email: Info@eamag.net Tel: 949.366.3349

Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________


EA

Cover Story

Lauren Cotner Executive Agent of the Month

ExecutiveAgent Magazine


LaurenCotner By Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

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In July of 1998, Lauren got her license and went to work with Coldwell Banker. By August, she had her first listing. That first client experience was a test of Lauren’s selflessness as a professional.

After buying several homes of her own, Lauren began to ask herself why she was spending so much money on commissions and receiving such poor service. “The people who were representing us were all about them, not about us. I thought, if these people can do real estate, then so can I,” Lauren recalls.

“We called their house the love shack. It was a tiny, one-bedroom house on a narrow lot, and it was like a boat inside. I never sold it, but I learned a lot from that transaction. I suggested to my client that it might be better to build a new house on the lot instead of selling. They followed my advice and built a beautiful much larger home there. That was the best decision for them, rather than for me.”

auren Cotner is a fourth-generation Californian who is a visible member of the South Bay community she loves. During her more than 15 years in the business, she has combined her passion for real estate with her personal creativity and high ethical standards, bringing happy results to her clients and herself.

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Lauren Cotner and Michelle Coolidge-Tondu (Evergreen Home Loans) Lauren went on to work for a boutique brokerage in La Jolla. While living there, she and her husband built a custom home, adding a whole new dimension to Lauren’s professional experience. “I learned all about the city codes and the Coastal Commission and all of the emotions and stresses that people go through when they are building a home. I have been able to draw on that experience to guide and empathize with my clients in many situations.” Lauren eventually came back home to the South Bay, where she is now prospering at Teles Properties, the fastestgrowing luxury real estate company in Southern California. “I feel like I’m where I belong as a professional. Teles is reinventing the way real estate is done, for agents as well as our clients. They are way ahead of the trends, which makes it easier for me to do my job without worrying about the minutia. Typically, a company will provide the basics, at Teles I have so much support, that it leaves me no other choice but to just sell real estate. The support staff here is like I’ve never had. We have an amazing marketing depart-

ment, where I can take my ideas and get help to improve on them and customize my materials.” Lauren’s tagline is, “Your house is my business,” and she has made it her business to become the best professional she can be through regular education and coaching with Tom Ferry. “With so many people coming into the real estate business every day, people want to know that they’re working with someone who really knows what they’re doing. I like it that Teles makes a point of hiring seasoned agents. We all have a unique sphere of influence, and there is always someone here who can support me in developing new ideas and solving problems.” Being a good listener is an important component of Lauren’s service. “When I take a listing, I interview the seller to find out why they bought the house in the first place. By understanding their needs and what attracted them to the property, I can attract the same kinds of buyers who have a similar philosophy and lifestyle.”

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Writing the Book on Real Estate In spite of the many online resources that are available to home buyers today, Lauren maintains that the human touch and a genuine understanding of the local community gives agents like herself singular value. “The computer has not seen your house, and it doesn’t know the neighborhood schools or if the neighbors are friendly. That’s why it is so important for people to know that I’m fourth generation and that I love this area and its history.” Lauren demonstrates her love for her community, not just in the care she takes in her dealings with clients, but in her contributions as a volunteer. She developed a creative way to combine her professional and civic interests when she started the “Fill the Bag” campaign. “I am in a profession where I make a good living. Not everyone is so fortunate, and I feel that everybody should have food. So I started this program, in part, to help new agents overcome their fear of door-knocking and getting in front of people. I began stapling flyers to paper bags and leaving them on people’s doorsteps. The flyers ask for food and toiletry donations for

local food banks and provide a day and time when the bags will be picked up. This helps the community and gives new agents the opportunity to get out into neighborhoods and talk to home owners. One gal even changed the idea and did it for dogs. It is really gratifying on pick up day and see all of those filled bags sitting outside. People all want to be a part of something – they just need a nudge and someone to do it with.” Teles supports Lauren in this effort. “They created a beautiful, professional marketing piece for me, and I print the flyers for each street on a different color of paper. I write down every house number that has made a donation and send a thank you note to each of them.” This is also an opportunity for Lauren to collaborate with her team of supporting professionals, like insurance companies, title and escrow companies and contractors, who sometimes participate in campaigns with her.

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After so many years in the industry and with several professional honors to her credit, including the RE/MAX 100% Club and a nomination for Outstanding Young Business Woman of San Diego, Lauren is literally writing the book on real estate. She and her longtime friend and colleague, Kaarin, are sharing their collective experience in a book that is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2016. Lauren mentored Kaarin in the business, and the two decided together that there is a lot they could teach people about the business by sharing their collective experiences. “We see this as a kind of “the true stories of RE”, a play on a tv series, it will include funny, heartwarming, heart breaking and many other stories. Hopefully it will give a real insight to the real estate business, that’s it’s not just about the money, it’s about so much more. Hopefully REALTORS® and future REALTORS© will enjoy it. There are a lot of funny stories. People think this is a glamorous job, but it takes a lot of hard work and humility!” Lauren’s greatest loves are her two children, Morrison and Lily. Her goal for 2015 is to close 25 transactions in the South Bay. “If I make my goal, we are all going to bring a friend and spend a week at a timeshare in Hawaii for New Year’s. It is my way of saying thank you to my kids for supporting me in my many hours of hard work.” “My contributions to this business are my creativity, my ability to find solutions to problems and being of service to others. It is great to work with a company that shares my philosophy of being in service to the community.”

Lauren Cotner ExecutiveAgent Magazine


Lauren Cotner

Teles Properties 2625 Manhattan Beach Blvd., # 100 Redondo Beach, CA 90278 Tel: (310) 508-5957 Email: Lauren@laurencotner.com Web: www.LaurenCotner.com CalBRE #01242185

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Your career with imortgage? The sky’s the limit! ● If you’re a loan officer or production assistant determined to take control of your high-flying career, now’s the perfect time to target imortgage. ● imortgage and its partner, loanDepot, have combined to become one of the top five* private mortgage lenders in the United States. ● imortgage is not only the perfect place to land. It’s the perfect place to launch the next phase of your exciting career.

Watch your career take flight with us. Call today! (714) 657-1220 John Wellsandt, Branch Manager Direct Mobile

(714) 657-1220 (916) 835-8129

NMLS ID 448583 john.wellsandt@imortgage.com imortgage 7755 Center Ave., Suite 1200, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act CRMLA 4131040. Corporate NMLS ID 174457. All rights reserved. 02012015bp.


E XECUTIVE AGENT

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ou’d think that because Gina Alderson responds to her mortgage clients so quickly, she doesn’t have much to do. But that’s hardly the case. The truth

is this imortgage loan consultant in Huntington Beach is highly skilled at managing her work load and is sensitive to her client’s needs. So when your call is returned faster than you expected, rest assured Gina is just doing what she does best – looking out for her clients’ best interests. “My philosophy is to do everything and anything for my clients,” Gina says. “I want them to have the absolute best experience. This is why I am so quick at answering questions, email or phone. Also, I am quick to deliver good and bad news as they come so that my clients know that I’m working for them.” Gina’s interest in the real estate profession began while she was working toward degrees in finance/real estate/law and international business at California State University, Long Beach. After graduating and getting married, she decided to leave the retail side of banking at Wells Fargo and go into the mortgage side at the bank. She joined Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in September 2010. Gina credits husband and wife Ruben Amaro and Tina Vo with teaching her while at Wells Fargo how to thrive even in the most stressful situations. “I am very organized, and this helps me manage my pipeline more effectively. I am a people-person; I like to make people feel like I’m talking to them as a friend. I know home buying and refinancing can be stressful for people, I do as much as I can to reduce the stress for my clients,” Gina reveals. Today Gina puts these skills to work for her clients in the Orange County area. She is able to offer FNMA, FHA, VA, HUD and USDA loans at imortgage, one of the largest independent mortgage banking institutions in the United States.

Gina Alderson ExecutiveAgent Magazine


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We have a loan for every home... simple as that.® Written by Shannon Hartsoe

Hard work is a gift instilled in her by her mother, she says. “My mom always told me that we need to work hard to achieve anything in life, and because of that she raised me to work hard and strive to be the best,” Gina says. “It stuck with me so in everything I do I aim for the top. This advice has helped me maintain outstanding customer service and product knowledge so I can give my clients the best deal possible to meet their specific needs.” A person can begin a career in real estate with all of these skills and still struggle. The art of perseverance and remaining positive and focused -- even when the economy slides -- can carry a real estate professional far. Gina knows this as well as anyone. It took her about a year to gain traction as a loan consultant. Despite the hours it took to learn regulations and loan products, there was never a moment when Gina thought she’d chosen the wrong career. “When I came over to the mortgage side I was lucky that it was a very busy time. I was working long hours in the beginning which help me better understand the business. As a result, I’m able to provide my clients with the highest level of service.” Gina recalls. “That gave me the time to pay attention to all of my clients and their needs.”

goes for imortgage – we make sure our clients get the best experience in the business when it comes to buying or refinancing their home. I will go over the process step by step so my clients clearly understand everything about their loan.” In her spare time, Gina loves to travel and spend time with family, especially her husband of 5 years and her two young sons Jalen, 2, and Jackson 2 months. For the rest of 2015, Gina’s goals include building a team that she can mentor – the same way her mentors did for her. And, she adds, “In the coming year I also hope to take my career to the next level.” Gina Alderson - Loan Consultant Eliant Certified imortgage 7755 Center Ave., Ste. 1200 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Tel: 714-315-9886 Email: Gina.Alderson@imortgage.com Web: www.imortgage.com/Gina.Alderson NMLS ID 455450

To maintain that success, Gina continues to make herself readily available to her clients, business partners, Realtors® and others. “My selling myself never stops. Everywhere I go, if I’m meeting people I let them know that I do mortgages and if they ever need my help they can call me anytime,” she says. Her clients return to her time and time again because they know she’s a loan officer that will look out for their best interests. “I will provide them with the best customer service and give them my all on their loan. The same

imortgage is licensed by the CA Department of Business Oversight, CRMLA 4131040. NMLS ID 174457. Equal Housing Opportunity. All rights reserved. 2015.

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work.

Can You Afford To Take A Break? s the summer heats up, vacations become more frequent for clients, prospects, and you. It becomes easy to fall into a complacent attitude toward

But when you feel the pull of the beach or the golf course on a day you know you should work, here are a few ways to get back on track. Review your goals for the year. If you’ve noticed that you’ve been making days off too much of a habit lately, you might need to evaluate how in step you’ve been with your sales goals lately. Can you really afford to take the day off today? In other words, have you earned the right by your previous actions up until today through disciplined effort to take the day off? Have you reached your goal for the year? Are you tracking toward your goal? Have you taken the number of listings you need for the year? Do you have the number of transactions pending and closed that you need? When I am coaching a client, I’m most concerned about the number of listings compared to the goal, as well as the quality of the listing in terms of pricing and the pipeline of pendings the client has currently. If the client is a little behind in production but the pending pipeline is strong, as well as the pipeline of inventory, I’m confident they will catch up to their goal. So ask yourself: Where are you at right now? Consider how consistent you’ve been in your prospecting, lead followup, and lead generation calls in the last 30 days. If you’ve been consistent in hitting the phones and making face-to-face appointments in the last 30 days, you won’t be slowed in your momentum or break your established habit with one day away. However, if you’ve been erratic in these efforts, you might want to rethink that day off. One day off may only add to the problem that already exists: inconsistent effort and results. You might think that one more day won’t hurt, but that’s exactly why you are where you are currently. The 28

most important moment is now; the moment to change the outcome is now. You can’t afford to add to the problem so, sorry, you can’t afford the day off. Accept that a day off to recharge is sometimes needed. We all need time off, and we all deserve time off. As real estate pros, we tend to make ourselves available to our clients and prospects 24-7. But we can burn out quickly if we don’t take time off regularly. Sometimes we need to let ourselves take that day off. But make it count. When was the last time you took a whole day off where you shut off your cell phone and didn’t answer it? When were you not “on call” or interrupted when you were with your family? Maybe today needs to be that day. For most real estate professionals, we have too many of what I call “half days.” These are days where we are half in and half out of the game. We are half at work and half at home. I think we kid ourselves when we do this, and actually spend most of the time in the land of neither. The secret to success is to be all in at all times. If you decide to be at work, be all there. If you decide to take the day off, be all there as well. So if the beach is calling and you’ve earned it, go enjoy what you earned without guilt! Dirk Zeller is recognized as the premier coach for the real estate industry. He is one of the most sought after speakers and authors for high volume production while attaining life balance in the real estate industry. Dirk is the President of Real Estate Champions. Real Estate Champions provides exceptional business and developmental training to real estate agents and managers through cutting edge coaching programs and seminars including the “Four Day Work Week System Program™.” Visit their web site at Real Estate Champions. © 2010, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@ FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.

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Written By Dirk Zeller ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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COME JOIN OUR TEAM! ALPINE MORTGAGE PLANNING NEWPORT BEACH

ALPINE MORTGAGE PLANNING CONTINUES TO EXPAND IN ORANGE COUNTY

• Alpine Mortgage Planning is a direct lender • Retail branch of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage Corp • 2013 – Funded $7 billion • Focused on purchase business • Broker and banker • In branch set-up, processing, and docs • In-house marketing support • CRM • Production assistants to allow you to be in the field • Employer paid health benefits • 401K • Multiple sources for jumbo product with excellent pricing and delegated underwriting

We’re proud to announce our new office in Newport Beach at Bayview Corporate Center. Alpine Mortgage Planning is currently in the process of interviewing purchase-focused loan originators, sales managers, and teams to join our world class fulfillment team. If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, you need the right support team behind you. Join us!

VISIT WWW.ALPINEMC.COM/CAREERS FOR MORE INFORMATION! JOHN J. REED Branch Manager MLO-869516

Cell 714.305.2912 Fax 855.688.2743 jreed@alpinemc.com © 2014 A division of Pinnacle Capital Mortgage Corp | Equal Housing Lender | NMLS 81395 | WA CL-81395 | AZ BK-910890 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. Regulated by the Division of Real Estate Colorado.


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Visualization

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isualization is indispensable tools in helping people attain their goals. Musicians and athletes have proven that visualization is an effective substitute for real practice.

Feel. What would your tactile sensations be? You would feel people rubbing up against you in the crowded room. You would feel others shaking your hand. What else?

In visualizing your goals, you will live your accomplishments in your mind’s eye. The more of the five senses that you can involve, the greater your chances are of accomplishment.

Taste. Taste in your mind the champagne you will be drinking.

For example, you may want to be the Salesperson of the Year in your company. You know that each year an awards banquet is given during which a plaque is presented to the year’s sales leader. You may choose to focus on this banquet for your visualization exercise. Here is what you do: Make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes and relax. Slowly and systematically go through all of the five senses. Imagine what you would be experiencing at the banquet. Sight. Imagine what you would see there. You would see other salespeople and their spouses. Imagine what they are wearing. You would see tables decorated and waiters scurrying about. You would see the bar and people standing around talking. Keep expanding what you “see” for several minutes. Sound. What would you hear? You would hear the chatter of people. You would hear laughter, the tinkling of glasses, music from a band, and people talking. You would also continually hear people coming up to congratulate you. Imagine that!

Taste the food you will be eating. Experience the sweet taste of success - in advance! Most importantly, imagine the exhilaration you will feel when your name is called to receive the award! Take your time during this exercise and enjoy it. The more you can “visually” attend this banquet, the more motivated you will become. To aid in your visualization exercise, you might want to start a visualization file. This is a file into which you put pictures, clippings, letters, and other reminders of what it will be like to succeed. Your file should also contain letters or awards that you have received in the past. Anything that makes you feel good about yourself can be included in the file. It can then be used as a source of motivation and inspiration, especially if you begin to feel a little down or de- motivated. We all need to be reminded of our past accomplishments once in a while. Be your own best friend -- remind yourself! Dr. Tony Alessandra, CSP, CPAE has authored 13 books, recorded over 50 audio and video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976. Copyright© 1999, Tony Alessandra. All rights reserved. This article has been adapted from Dr. Alessandra’s book, The Platinum Rule (Warner Books, 1996). Dr. Tony Alessandra is recognized by Meetings and Conventions Magazine as... “one of America’s most electrifying speakers.” For information about Tony’s keynote presentations, please call The Frog Pond Group at 800-704-FROG (3764) or email susie@ frogpondgroup.com; http://www.frogpondgroup.com.

Smell. Imagine all the smells you would experience: women’s perfume, food, alcohol, men’s cologne, and the smell of floral decorations. What else?

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Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only. Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for. If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance. 800-826-HOPE

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WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER. Science saving lives. cityofhope.org/bmt

11/25/13 6:02 PM


South Bay Association of REALTORS where every member matters

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Education and Professional Designations-many at little or no cost to OUR members A wide variety of real estate technology courses and training Extensive commercial education series at no charge to OUR members A vast selection of training courses provided free to OUR members Professional Standards Enforcement and Mediation Services Local Political Advocacy for the direct benefit and protection of OUR members and homeowner rights Tips and guidance with city selling issues SBAOR REALTOR® Store stocked with everything OUR members need Valuable Information sent out to OUR members via email daily Full Service Staff to assist OUR members Courses, panel events and networking for residential, commercial & global real estate Community Involvement - a way for all of OUR members to give back to the community

Why Use California Regional MLS? “Dedicated to making a REAL difference in the day-to-day business of OUR members” • • • •

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A Partnership

Rooted in Success

Kinecta Federal Credit Union’s mortgage professionals are committed to making the financing experience simple and seamless for you and your clients. We support local Realtors by building personal relationships • Join us in presenting free workshops for first-time home buyers • Loan Consultants answer questions about financing options at your Open Houses • Highlight your prime properties on our Facebook House of the Week feature What your clients can expect • Pre-approvals to help save time when shopping for the right property • Fast, priority turn times for all purchases • Our Purchase Guarantee – we close on time or we pay1 • Competitive rates, flexible terms and low fees

With 75 years in the financial services industry, Kinecta understands the dynamic needs of today’s borrowers. We also are committed to building stronger communities through our network of employee volunteers. Partnering for success starts with all of us, and we look forward to partnering with you.

Contact us today! Byron Enriquez, NMLS# 388896 Mgr. Mortgage Loan Sales cell: 818.836.0545 • tel: 310.643.2513 Byron.Enriquez@kinecta.org www.kinecta.org/benriquez Not-for-profit | Member-owned | Est. 1940 All loans are subject to credit approval. Guidelines are available upon request. NMLS # 407870. Intended for mortgage professionals only and not for consumer use. 1) Visit www.kinecta.org/Smart_Move for $500 closing cost and 21-Day loan closing guarantee restrictions. 17047-01/15


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