December 2021 by Featured Agent

December 2021

Get SMART

about goal setting

Cold snap — Tips for winter home listings

Pashuan A. Reed

contents

professionals 6

Get SMART about goal setting

Top 10 Ways to give back

Do you delegate? It’s the best way to buy back time

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t featured cover agent

Pashuan Reed

buyers &sellers 4

Cold snap — Tips for winter home listings A warm welcome — Prepare your home for holiday guests

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Cold snap —

Tips for winter home listings You’ve probably heard that the winter months are a terrible time of year to sell a home. Early in the season, people are focused on the holidays and out-of-town visitors. Later in the season the weather is dreary and properties, particularly the exteriors, don’t look their best. While all of this may be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad time to list a home. People still need to sell and move during the winter and savvy REALTORS® are more than happy to help them do it. The following strategies will help you make the most of selling a home during the winter.

refreshments such as hot chocolate or hot apple cider to help guests warm up. As a bonus, they’ll make the house smell amazing!

Make the house feel welcoming, warm & cozy — Curb appeal can take a hit during the winter, so it’s important that the home’s interior takes center stage. Let in as much natural light as possible and supplement it by turning on lamps to brighten up any dark corners. Keep the house at a comfortable temperature — between 65 and 70 is ideal — and consider offering

Highlight winter-perfect features — If the home has a working fireplace, woodstove, mud room or any other features that offer cold-weather comfort and convenience, be sure to highlight them in the marketing materials and give them special attention during the showing.

Give the entry extra attention — Just because curb appeal isn’t at its peak, doesn’t mean you get to ignore the entry. Keep the front sidewalk and walkway free of snow, slush, twigs and other debris. Make sure there’s a sturdy doormat at the front door to catch mud and water before it gets tracked inside. And on extragloomy days, keep the porchlight on around-the-clock to cast a warm glow.

Show photos from other seasons — Find a way to include photos of the home’s exterior during the spring and summer when the leaves are on the trees and flowers are in bloom. Add photos to the online listing and all marketing materials. Additionally, a few framed pictures of the home placed around the interior are a subtle nod to its seasonal beauty.

Have fun with the holidays — If the home is on the market during the holiday season, don’t hesitate to decorate for it. Just be sure to keep holiday decorations traditional and tasteful. You want to add to the ambiance and overall look of the home, but too many decorations can be distracting and obstruct key features you’re looking to emphasize.

Turn up the heat — Prospective buyers will have heating on their minds. Arm yourself with useful information to share with them such as the home’s average Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

heating costs, how much and what type of insulation it has, and the dates of the last HVAC service, along with any upgrades that have been made.

Make the market work for you — There’s usually less inventory this time of year, so take advantage of that fact by highlighting everything the property has going for it, both inside and outside. Don’t forget to include information on the neighborhood, as well as services including schools, shopping, dining and entertainment. If a quick sale is your goal, be sure to price the property appropriately.

Although it can be more challenging to sell a home during the winter, these tips will help make it easier. With some planning and creativity, there’s no reason homes listed during the winter will spend any more time on the market than they would any other time of year. 5

Get SMART about goal setting

As the year quickly comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about what you’d like to accomplish in the next year. Setting goals to reach both professional and personal milestones will help you formulate your strategy, stay motivated and achieve success. Take a look at these effective goal-setting tips:

Get SMART — How many times have you set a goal (New Year’s resolutions come to mind) only to give up on it, or forget about it altogether, within a few weeks. Setting goals is more than just committing to doing something, you have to make a plan to get there. That’s why SMART goals make so much sense. SMART goals are:

• Specific • Measurable 6

• Attainable • Relevant • Time-bound

Using these metrics as a guide will help you set and track your goals so you can make meaningful, lasting changes.

Keep it Professional — Conducting your real estate business without setting goals is like taking a road trip without a map. You will end up somewhere, but it probably won’t be where you planned. Professional goals can include the obvious, such as sales goals and prospecting targets, along with things like hiring an assistant, improving your website’s SEO or establishing a team. Because it’s impossible to do everything at once, try breaking up your goals by Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

SMART Goals Ask yourself these questions to determine if your goal is SMART. • Specific — Is the goal precise, clear and concise? • Measurable — Can you track the progress and measure the results? • Attainable — Can the goal be accomplished using current resources? • Relevant — Is the goal meaningful, worthwhile and consistent with your values and other goals? • Time-Bound — Can you give your goal a clear “accomplish by” date?

quarter. Focus on one large goal and several smaller goals. Anything you don’t accomplish will roll over into the next quarter. If you’re not sure where to start or what to focus on, talk with your managing broker or a more seasoned agent in your office to find out how they approach goal-setting.

Make it Personal — As you’re pursuing your professional goals during the coming year, it’s also important to focus on personal development. Personal goals can include working toward health and fitness milestones, seeking continuing education, networking to expand your sphere of influence and doing volunteer work or donating to a cause that’s important to you. In some instances, such as pursuing specialty designations, your personal and professional goals will overlap, and that’s great. Your goals should be complementary and positively affect the different facets of your life. Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Focus on the Family — While working toward your professional and personal goals, it’s important not to let family take a backseat. Your family goals will differ whether you’re married or single, with kids or child-free, but the important thing is that they help you strengthen the bond with those closest to you. They can be things like eating dinner together a set number of nights per week, attending school events, or getting away for the weekend once a month. If you’re single, make it your goal to reach out to your parents or a sibling on the same day every week, plan a family reunion or preserve old family photos or home movies.

Setting goals for different areas of your life, rather than just your real estate career, will help you maintain balance and not lose sight of what’s truly important to you. Remember that goal setting isn’t a one-time activity; it’s an active process that should change and grow as your career and priorities continue to evolve. 7

Top 10

Ways to give back Giving back to the communities you serve is important throughout the year, and even more so during the holidays. Clients and potential clients take note of your charitable and service activities and like to contribute and get involved if they can. Hosting a special holiday activity will help spread good cheer and positive feelings in the community. Here are the Top 10 ways to give back this holiday season. Adopt a Family — Work with a local school or nonprofit to identify area families in need, then choose one or more and donate all the trappings of a great holiday, including decorations, gifts, and all the ingredients to cook a special meal.

Put Up a Giving Tree — Partner with a local nonprofit or social services agency to find out what they need, then set up a tree in the office and decorate it with ornaments that list those items. Ask anyone who comes in to choose an ornament and donate the amount of money needed to purchase that item.

Host a Food Drive — Demand at local food banks rises during the holiday season and many rely on the increased giving at the holidays to make up for shortfalls other times of the year. You can help by hosting a month-long non-perishable food drive focused on collecting high-protein foods such as nut butters, canned tuna and chicken, and canned beans.

Decorate Senior Citizens’ Homes — Get the whole team together and spend a Saturday putting up holiday decorations at the homes of senior citizens who wouldn’t otherwise get to enjoy the sights of the holidays.

Have a Toy & Gift Drive — Foster kids often get placed in homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. Collect new, unwrapped toys, as well as gifts for teens such as cosmetic or toiletry kits, and donate them to a social service agency responsible for foster care placements.

Visit a Children’s Hospital — Spend an afternoon visiting with kids and their families at a local children’s hospital or Ronald McDonald House. Pass out small gifts such as seasonal story books and tabletop Christmas trees.

Collect Backpacks and School Supplies — Underserved students need supplies year ‘round to do their best in school. Plus, plenty of new students will be starting after the winter break, making this a perfect time to collect backpacks and supplies.

Collect Coats and Warm Clothing — Collect new or gently used coats, sweaters, scarves, hats and gloves in kids’ and adults’ sizes to donate to local schools or homeless shelters.

Host a Santa Open House — Have the jolliest agent in the office play Santa for an afternoon and invite kids from the neighborhood as well as clients’ families. Serve hot chocolate, cider and cookies and have someone in charge of taking digital or instant photos.

Give Out Care Packages for the Homeless — Ask agents and clients to donate travel size toiletries, boxes of protein bars, and cases of bottled water. Make up care packages in resealable bags and give every agent several to keep in their cars to hand out to any homeless people they see while they’re out and about in the community. 8

Pashuan A. Reed

Pashuan Reed has always had the desire to help people, and this passion has been the underlying theme in her work. After a 21-year tenure in finance and management, which utilized her MBA concentration, Pashuan set her sights on a career in real estate. Her long-time friend and agent encouraged her to explore the field and she made the transition complete, blending her talents. “I’ve always been inspired by helping people achieve their dreams and goals. Real estate allows me to marry my desire to help others with my belief in creating a legacy of wealth for families,” she explains. “The biggest building block of that equation is homeownership.”

This desire lead Pashuan to establish Pashuan4Homes Realty Group, under the banner of Keller Williams. She currently serves clients across the state of North Carolina, with a focus on the areas spanning from Forysth County to Eastern North Carolina and in-between. With 80% of her business driven by repeat and referral 10

clientele, Pashuan counts her educational, serviceoriented approach as a hallmark of her business platform and focuses on trust, communication and unparalleled customer service. Likewise, she is a versatile agent with experience in residential and commercial properties, land development, rentals, and investor clientele.

Feedback from past clients showcases Pashuan’s knowledge of the region, consistent communication, and genuine heart of service. “We’re really big on education and making sure clients are aware of and understand the process. That’s key,” she explains. “I want my clients’ homebuying and selling experience to be memorable and positive, and our results speak for themselves. Our average sales time is less than five days, and our list to sales price is over 100%. We’re really focused on putting clients first and going the extra mile.”

Relationships are central to Pashuan’s work, and she parlays her financial wisdom and management Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

experience to cultivate a buying and selling process that’s low-stress, informative, and transparent. “We treat people with the same level of respect and care we’d expect. That’s how we stay focused on building long-lasting relationships,” she says. “When clients work with me, they not only get a great agent, but they also get a friend that they can look to and call on as a resource, even when the process is complete.” In fact, Pashuan hosts regular master classes in homebuying and wealth-building, providing clients with tools to stage their purchase or sale, and plan for future real estate investments. “As a North Carolina real estate instructor, I am not only able to educate my clients, but also pay it forward by educating others in the field of real estate,” Pashuan explains. Through Keller Williams’ affiliation, she’s also able to assist clients relocating throughout the United States.

marketing plan that blends social media exposure with broad visibility across the leading online listing platforms. She also makes use of mobile apps to mine new inventory, and stages open houses that draw local buzz. “We really utilize the cutting-edge technology that Keller Williams offers, and I’m able to pass along those tools to clients,” she says.

Pashuan considers her clients to be lifelong family and shows her appreciation with client events throughout

When it comes to listing properties, Pashuan leverages Keller Williams’ global platform to reach a wide audience in short order. She outlines a 14-step Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

the year. Beyond the office, she gives back to her community through her work at her local church, participating in Red Day with Keller Williams annually, as well as taking part in food and blood drives. In her free hours, she most enjoys time spent with her daughter, as well as traveling, cooking and reading a good book.

As for the future, Pashuan the Managing Broker, intends to continue growing her business by helping families transform their lives through real estate, and teaching more classes about homebuying, investing and financial education. Already in the top percentage of agents in Keller Williams Cary, her goal is to expand into other areas and become one of the leading real estate firms in the state.

Now, with a stellar record under her belt, Pashuan A. Reed considers what she enjoys most about her chosen field. “I really enjoy the people I meet,” she says. “There’s so much excitement at a closing, especially when clients are able to overcome the fear of the process and enjoy the milestone. I also love that real estate allows me to expand my passion to share wealth-building. I want to educate people on the opportunities out there, so they can build a base of wealth to pass on to the generations to come.”

Pashuan A. Reed, MBA, REALTOR /Broker ®

Keller Williams Cary | 107 Windel Drive Ste. 201, Raleigh, NC 27609 919.703.0620 | pashuan.reed@kw.com | www.pashuan4homes.com 12

Do you delegate?

It’s the best way to buy back time Many real estate agents love the idea of having an assistant, but once they hire someone, they’re not quite sure how to proceed. If you’ve been doing everything on your own up to this point, handing over control of even the smallest tasks to someone else can make you feel like you’re losing control of your business. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Delegating tasks shouldn’t be stressful. It should free more of your time to spend working directly with clients, and planning for the future. If you are thinking about hiring an assistant, or utilizing the services of a shared assistant in your office, here are several tasks you can hand off to them: Licensed assistants

Show Properties & Run Open Houses As much as you’d love to be at every showing, at some point it’s just not feasible. Allowing your licensed assistant to show properties and host open houses almost gives you the power of being in two places at one time.

Help with Listings — Updating the MLS and preparing packets and listing presentations are all timeconsuming tasks that are perfect learning opportunities for licensed assistants. Facilitate Appraisals and Inspections Assign your assistant the many tasks involved with coordinating inspections and appraisals including scheduling appointments, preparing paperwork, meeting with appraisers and inspectors and following up when needed. Coordinate Closings — Keep all the moving parts of a closing working smoothly by allowing your Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

assistant to handle them. Working with the broker and trafficking all necessary documents are important skills any assistant will be happy to learn. Unlicensed assistants

Help with Marketing — From coordinating mailings to setting up email blasts, work with your assistant to set up a marketing calendar, then let them manage it and keep it on task.

Maintain Your Database — A messy database is a like a cluttered mind; it makes everything more difficult. Give your assistant the project of cleaning up, and then maintaining a clutter-free database. Manage Day-to-Day Tasks — Ordering supplies, filing, and keeping the work space neat and organized can all be left up to your assistant.

Help You Prioritize — Who called? Who are you supposed to call? What time is that showing? Even if you let your phone keep track of your schedule, it’s still nice to have another person help keep you on track with gentle reminders.

With a little time, patience and trial-and-error, you and your assistant will determine the arrangement that works best for both of you. Training your assistant on how you want things done will be more effective than just asking them to complete a task with no direction. Offer feedback, both praise and constructive criticism, to keep your assistant motivated and engaged. Now that you have an idea of the types of tasks you can delegate, go out and make the most of all your extra time! 13

A warm welcome —

Prepare your home for holiday guests ‘Tis the season to open your home to out-of-town guests. Whether they are just passing through for the night or plan to stay several days, you’ll want to treat your guests like the VIPs they are. Here’s how to make every room in your home feel warm and welcoming:

Guest Room — The guest room should be a cozy retreat that allows your guests to recharge.

• Make up the bed with high-thread-count linens and provide extra pillows and blankets so they can customize to their liking.

• Set up a tray with a few bottles of water, a fresh box of tissues, lip balm, hand sanitizer and lotion so they can immediately freshen up after a long trip without digging into their bags for the essentials.

• Clear out at least one drawer and make space in the closet; provide empty hangers, a hand-held garment steamer and a lint roller.

• Surprise them with a small gift, such as a bottle of wine from a local winery or fresh cookies from a favorite bakery. A vase of fresh flowers is always an elegant touch. 14

Bathroom — Create a spa-like space to leave guests feeling rejuvenated.

• Provide stacks of thick, fluffy towels, the more the better.

• Offer all basic toiletries including body wash, lotion, shampoo/conditioner, deodorant and dental care items.

• Fill a small basket with over-the-counter medications and first-aid items such as pain reliever, antacids, cough drops, Benadryl, Neosporin and Band-Aids. • Add luxurious hand soap and a scented candle, fragrance diffuser or room spray. Kitchen — Make sure guests feel welcome in the heart of the home.

• Find out if your guests have any food allergies or dietary restrictions and plan meals accordingly.

• Make sure to provide everything they need for their favorite morning beverage, whether that’s coffee, tea, or smoothies. Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

• Fill a basket or bowl with snacks like small bags of nuts, protein bars, crackers and fresh fruit so they can grab something without having to ask you each time. • Keep the fridge stocked with pitchers of filtered water and be sure there’s plenty of fresh ice.

Living Areas — Whether watching a movie or chatting about old times, it’s all about making guests feel comfortable.

• Add some extra pillows and throw blankets to chairs and couches so guests can snuggle up.

• Provide written instructions for how to use remote controls and access streaming services. • Have a stack of magazines, books and board games ready to beat boredom.

Outdoor Areas — Extend hospitality outside the home, too.

• In cold climates, keep walkways clear of snow and ice to avoid slips and falls. Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Welcoming guests into your home is one of the most special aspects of the holiday season.

• In warmer climates, make sure outdoor seating areas are clean and inviting.

Little Details — Your guests will appreciate these thoughtful extras.

• Make sure the wi-fi signal is strong in all areas of the house; install extenders to boost weak spots.

• If it’s a rainy season in your area, have extra umbrellas ready by the front door.

• Put fresh batteries in all remote controls – don’t forget the garage door opener. • If you have a lot of activities planned, provide a written itinerary so guests know what to expect.

Welcoming guests into your home is one of the most special aspects of the holiday season. With a little thought and careful planning, you can turn your home into an oasis that your guests will never want to leave. 15

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