February 2017 West Coast

February 2017

6 Unexpected things that affect

home values

Master these DIY

home skills

Christine Robertson also featured: Elizabeth Wojtaszek

The right match —

How to choose a brokerage

contents

professionals 4

The right match — How to choose a brokerage

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Top 10 Reasons to love your clients

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Use your words — 5 Tips for better business writing

Featured Agent Magazine Phone 888.437.5707 Fax 888.849.3663 contact@featuredagentmagazine.com www.featuredagentmagazine.com 2

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t featured cover agent

Christine Robertson q featured agent

Elizabeth Wojtaszek

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buyers&sellers 7

Master these DIY home skills

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Who’s who in a real estate transaction

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6 Unexpected things that affect home values

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Materials and content included in Featured Agent Magazine and on featuredagentmagazine.com are subject to copyright and may not be copied or reproduced in any part without prior written consent.

Featured Agent Magazine is published by Times 3 Publishing Group, LLC. Publisher shall not be liable for any inaccuracy, error, or omission and makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the information, content, or materials included.

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The right match —

How to choose a brokerage As a real estate agent, one of the most important decisions you can make is choosing the brokerage where you will hang your license. It’s a decision that will play a major role in your success as an agent. And unlike a traditional employer/employee dynamic, you will actually be interviewing brokers to decide which one is the right fit for you. Whether you are a newly licensed real estate agent, or a mid-career professional who is ready to make a change, here are the topics you’ll want ask questions about when choosing a brokerage.

Education, Training and Development — Studying for your real estate license is just the beginning of your education as a real estate agent. Ongoing education, training and development will help you grow into a confident, successful real estate professional.

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Find out about the types of education and training the brokerage offers. Are there in-house training opportunities? Will they pay for you to attend outside classes, seminars and events? Is there an annual continuing education requirement? The answers to all these questions will show you how much stock the brokerage places in ongoing education. If you find the training and education opportunities lacking, keep looking for a brokerage that offers a more robust program.

Commission, Leads and Benefits — Don’t hesitate to ask about the commission split, how and who generates leads and what additional benefits the brokerage offers. Find out if you will be considered an employee or an independent contractor, and whether that classification affects how you are compensated and what benefits you receive.

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work area? Is the noise level manageable or distracting?

Do the agents and other employees seem positive and motivated, or are they withdrawn and disengaged?

Your own observations will tell you a lot about the culture and how you will potentially fit into it.

Advertising and Marketing — Part of what will determine your success as a real estate agent is how well you are able to market yourself and your properties, and the brokerage you choose will have a hand in that. Be sure to devote time to reviewing your potential brokerages’ marketing materials, including their websites, printed materials, radio and television ads and signage.

Are they up-to-date and attractive? Well-written and free of typos and grammatical errors? Are they interesting and attention-grabbing without being over-the-top?

Honors and Awards — If you’re someone who enjoys friendly competition and is motivated by shooting for well-defined sales goals, you’ll want to choose a brokerage that has a structured awards system in place. In addition to a feeling of personal accomplishment (and bragging rights), being able to include honors and awards in your personal marketing materials shows potential clients you’re a high achiever.

Reputation and Reviews — Sites such as Zillow, Trulia and Yelp make it easier than ever to assess whether or not the brokerage you’re considering is well thought of in the community. In addition to doing online research, see if there’s an opportunity to speak with other agents in the brokerage. That’s going to be the most accurate way to determine if the brokerage lives up to its promises.

Culture and Environment — If you’ve ever had a job you hated — regardless of what industry it was in — you know how miserable that can be. One of the many perks of a career in real estate is not spending eight hours a day behind a desk. But there will still be times when you’re spending a good chunk of time in the office, so it will be important to find one that feels right to you. Will you have your own desk space or Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Community Involvement — One of the lesserdiscussed benefits of a career in real estate is how much you can make a difference in the communities you serve. Most national brokerages have established community service initiatives in place that provide a number of opportunities for agents to give back. Many smaller, boutique brokerages, which often have extremely strong community ties, also offer their agents the chance to help causes they care about. Becoming involved in the community is a wonderful way to network and spread the word about your business, while doing something positive for others.

When choosing a brokerage, don’t be afraid to ask questions and talk to current agents. The more information you gather, the better chance you have of choosing a brokerage that matches your personality and values to help you reach your real estate goals.

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featuredagent Elizabeth Wojtaszek magazine

bad. “I don’t sugarcoat anything. I can sympathize with clients and have that heart-to-heart moment, while at the same time giving them the reality of the situation,” she explains. “A lot of agents are scared that if they are completely honest with their clients they’re going to lose them, but that’s never been the way I think.”

Approaching her business with an open mind and an open heart allows Elizabeth to be 100% authentic, which echoes advice her mom has given her throughout her life. “She has always told me to be myself. Be open.

And to be proud of who I am,” Elizabeth explains. “Most people aren’t looking for agents who wear expensive suits or drive the fanciest cars. They want to know that they can actually speak to me and know we’re on the same level,” she continues. “I have to be professional, yet a shoulder to cry on when dealing with clients who are in difficult situations.”

Real estate has been the chosen business

in Elizabeth Wojtaszek’s family for three generations.

Initially, however, she didn’t plan to walk that path.

Elizabeth was preparing to attend college and study child psychology and political science when her mom persuaded her to give real estate a try. Still not quite convinced, she started her career as loan processor, while maintaining a retail job on the side. Seeing her potential, her boss encouraged her to go all-in and drop the side job. Once she did, success came quickly.

After spending years on the loan side of the business as a top-producing loan officer, Elizabeth finally became a licensed REALTOR® in 2014. “My goal was not to be the REALTOR® I had when I bought my first home. I wanted to be the REALTOR® who is always disclosing, being upfront and honest,” Elizabeth explains. “I have nothing to lose by doing that and it’s how my clients know I can be trusted to list and sell their homes.” That strategy certainly seems to be paying off, considering she was ranked among the top for sales volume in her office during her first year as an agent.

Clients throughout the Inland Empire know they can count on Elizabeth to be truthful, whether the news is good or

But don’t let Elizabeth’s heart for her clients distract from the fact that she’s also a skilled negotiator. “I love negotiating! I always say everything is negotiable. Even the front license plate on my car says “NEGOTIATOR,” Elizabeth laughs. “It’s that part of the business that gets me going. I love the challenge.”

Her style of doing business has won Elizabeth extremely loyal clients who are more than happy to refer others to her for help. “After every close, I tell my clients that the way I took care of them is the way I’m going to take care of anyone they refer to me,” she says. In less than three years, that has allowed Elizabeth to develop a client base that’s almost entirely referral-based.

When she’s not busy helping clients, Elizabeth loves to take her two dogs — one of them is named Remax — pick up her mom, and head to their favorite dog park for a fun day of relaxation.

As she looks toward the future, it’s not at all surprising to learn Elizabeth has set some major goals. “After being in the real estate business for 16 years and being the owner of The Short Sale Department, my next goal is to get my broker’s license; that will be a big accomplishment. And eventually, I’d like to branch out and start my own real estate office.”

Elizabeth Wojtaszek

Excellence RE TheVegaTeam | Southern California 310.498.7781 | LizWRealty@gmail.com | www.LizWRealEstate.com Hablo Español 6

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Master these DIYhome skills

Among the many responsibilities of owning a home is basic upkeep and maintenance. When caught and taken care of in the early stages, many home repairs are fairly easy fixes. You’ll save yourself plenty of time, money and hassle if you learn to take care of them yourself.

Of course, if a problem seems too big to handle on your own, it’s always best to be on the safe side and call a professional. But for those little day-to-day glitches, a few tools and some basic knowledge (plus a quick Google search) are probably all you will need. Here are several basic DIY home repairs and upgrades it makes sense to master:

Those Darn Doors — Whether they’re squeaking, sticking or slamming, chances are there’s at least one door in your home doing one of those things even as you read this. Fortunately, door issues are some of the fastest and easiest to fix on your own. If the door is:

• Squeaking — Squeaky door hinges are a nuisance. To quiet them down, spray WD-40 or rub petroleum jelly into the squeaky joint, opening and closing the door as you do so to work the lubricant in. If that doesn’t do the trick, lift the hinge pins halfway and spray some more WD-40, then slide the pins back in place.

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• Sticking — Wooden doors are affected by changes in temperature and humidity. They contract in cold, dry winter weather and expand when the heat and humidity rise. Generally, a sticking door will eventually resolve itself when the weather changes. If, however, you have a stubborn door sticking year ‘round, it may be just slightly too large for the jamb. In that case, it will need to be shaved down slightly to fit. Unless you have some basic carpentry skills, that job is best left to a pro.

• Slamming — A slamming door can really put a damper on a relaxing evening or a lazy morning sleeping in. To lessen the impact, use peel-and-stick weather stripping on the door stop to absorb the impact.

Water, Water, Everywhere — Did you know the average household wastes approximately 10,000 gallons of water a year due to drips and leaks? And 10% of homes have leaks that waste more than 90 gallons per day? Letting those leaks go is not only wasteful, it increases your water bill. Plus, many major household problems, such as mold growth, start as the result of water going where it doesn’t belong.

Here’s how to address some of the most common causes of water leaks: 7

• Faucets — The most common cause of a leaky faucet is a worn-out seat washer. It’s an easy and inexpensive fix just about anyone can master with a little patience.

It does vary a bit depending on the type, age and brand of your faucet, so it’s best to search for your faucet’s model number online to find specific instructions.

• Toilets — A constantly running toilet can keep you up at night from the sound alone (not to mention calculating how much higher your water will bill be).

The cause is most likely a worn or displaced flapper, float or chain — or some combination of those three — there are countless YouTube videos that run down the fixes step-by-step. Usually, they’ll only require a few bucks for parts and less than a half-hour of labor.

• Hose Bib — If you notice your water bill is higher than usual and you’ve checked all the usual suspects inside for leaks, there’s a good chance you have a leaky hose bib outside. It’s usually just a washer that needs replacing, which requires just a few steps and a screwdriver (there are plenty of YouTube videos for this fix, too).

One important thing to note about all these water-related repairs is that you’ll need to know where and how to turn off the water supply to each of these areas before you begin your work.

Pro Paint Prep — Painting is exciting because it can change the look and feel of any room for a relatively small investment. It’s so tempting to just grab 8

the roller, crack open the can and go town. But, if you do, you’re not going to get the results you want. Paint will look better and last longer if you properly prep the surfaces first.

• Clean — It’s not always visible, but walls collect dirt, dust and grime just like any other surfaces in your home. At a minimum, wipe them down with a soft, dry cloth. If you’re feeling really ambitious, (or the walls are visibly dirty), wash them with a solution of laundry detergent and water — about three teaspoons of detergent to one gallon of water. Make sure they dry completely before applying primer.

• Prime — Using primer before painting helps to hide minor imperfections in wall texture, helps paint glide on smoothly and helps ensure you get the true color you’re hoping for. Talk to a paint expert at the home store about which primer works best for the paint you choose.

• Odds & Ends — If possible, remove all furniture from the room to give you open space to work and avoid splashing or spilling paint on it. If you can’t move furniture out, cover it with drop cloths. Remove switch plates and cover any sconces, fixtures or decorative trim with painter’s tape.

Learning to do some basic home repairs and upgrades isn’t just a matter of practicality — although saving money and time is great. It’s also a way to deepen the pride you take in your home and fully participate in the experience of being a homeowner.

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Who’s who in a real estate transaction If it’s your first time buying a home, or even if you’re experienced but haven’t bought or sold in a while, you might not be familiar with (or remember) all the people who are involved in a real estate transaction.

There are more than you might think! Remember the classic Sesame Street segment “These Are the People in Your Neighborhood?” It’s kind of like that! With that tune in mind, these are the people in your real estate transaction:

REALTOR® or Real Estate Agent — These terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. A licensed real estate agent is a professional licensed by the state to represent parties in the transfer of property. A REALTOR® is a licensed real estate agent who has taken the extra step of becoming a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), and also belongs to their state and local associations. Just remember that not all real estate agents are REALTORS.® Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Listing Agent — If you’re selling your home, you may work with a listing agent. A listing agent is a REALTOR® (or real estate agent) who specializes in selling property, and does so under a contractual agreement known as a listing agreement.

Home Stager — Your listing agent may choose to use a professional home stager to get your home market-ready. A stager is someone with a background in design who is skilled at making the inside of the home look its best to encourage a quick sale.

Buyer’s Agent — If you’re purchasing a home, you will probably work with a buyer’s agent. A buyer’s agent is a real estate agent who specializes in helping house hunters find the right property and negotiating the terms of purchase.

Transaction Coordinator — If you’re working with a high-volume agent, they may have a transaction 9

The terms REALTOR® and Real Estate Agent are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. coordinator as part of their team. A transaction coordinator’s job is to process listings and transactions under contract.

Loan Officer — Loan officers work for banks, credit unions, or other financial institutions. They help home buyers figure out the types of mortgages available to them and are responsible for educating consumers on the terms of their loan.

Appraiser — An appraiser works on behalf of the lender to determine how much a property is worth.

The decision is based on the condition of the property as well as data regarding other similar sold properties in the same neighborhood. The appraiser’s findings are subjective; two appraisers may come up with two different values on the same property.

Real Estate Attorney — Depending on where you live, you may or may not require the services of a real estate attorney. In some states, an attorney is required to conduct real estate closings. But even if it’s not a requirement in your state, you may want to retain a real estate attorney’s services for difficult or complex transactions. It’s always helpful to have another set of expert eyes to draw up and review contracts.

Insurance Agent — Homeowner’s insurance is a requirement of homeownership. The insurance agent 10

will help you determine the coverage you need and help you find a policy to fit those needs.

Escrow or Closing Officer — It’s a good day when you get to meet the escrow or closing offer, because that means your transaction is almost complete! This non-biased third party works with all sides to facilitate the successful closing of a real estate transaction. The closing officer collects the purchase money funds from the buyer and lender, along with the settlement costs from each party. They then disburse the funds according to the HUD-1 Settlement Statement and record all necessary documents to transfer ownership of the property.

Title Agent — The title agent paves the way for a title insurance policy to be issued by conducting a title search on a given property to ensure it has a clean title. In some states title agents are also able to manage the transfer of real estate.

Now that you know who all the players in a real estate transaction are, you’ll encounter fewer surprises as you go through the home buying or selling process. You may not encounter every one of these people, but it’s good to know who they are. Remember, they are all in business to help you. So if you have questions or concerns at any time while you’re buying or selling your home, be sure to speak up. These real estate professionals want to help you have a smooth, pleasant and worry-free transaction.

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Christine Robertson

Christine Robertson

It’s often the unexpected twists and turns in life that lead us to where we are meant to be. Such is the case for Seattle Broker and Founder of Christine & Company, Christine Robertson. Her real estate career spans two decades, but it was an unconventional trajectory that brought her to where she is today.

Initially licensed in Salt Lake City in 1996, she didn’t start selling homes until after the housing crash in 2008. Instead, she was helping other agents get their businesses up and running as a real estate keynote speaker, ‘The Speaker Chick.’ So just how did that come to be? Christine explains, “I met Verl Workman, who was leading real estate seminars and teaching agents how to launch their businesses,” she recalls.

“But instead of launching my business, he encouraged me to start leading those courses.”

Always up for a challenge, Christine started facilitating workshops, and found she had a knack for it. “I started 12

little by little, leading courses for people all over the world. The more I traveled the more I learned and the better I got,” she explains.

She ended up working for some of the biggest names in the business. At the height of her speaking career, Christine was in high demand, speaking for Top Producer, Homes.com, Coaching Institute and more and was traveling five days a week, four weeks a month. Then, as it so often does, life intervened and in 2007 Christine got life-altering news. Her Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.

Christine was devastated. She cut back her schedule and slowed down her work so she could spend more time with her Mom. She flew back and forth to Florida repeatedly over the next 18 months.

After losing her mom in the summer of 2008, and the housing crash engulfed the industry, one more brutal

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blow came Christine’s way — the company she was working for closed its doors. “After losing my mom, and all of my security, savings and income, I really had to look at what I wanted to do with my life, and being away from home that much wasn’t it,” Christine explains. “I remember sitting there on our bed with my boyfriend (now husband), Brad, and two dogs. I told him I wanted to take a big gamble and get into real estate sales and we may lose everything. He said, ‘Everything that matters to me is in this bed. Everything else is a bonus. Go for it.’ That was it. I started full time in January of 2009. The rest is history.”

There’s no denying Christine made the right move.

“People thought I was crazy to start selling in a down market, but I had been telling agents for years how to launch their businesses, and decided to put my money where my mouth is,” she says. After initially resisting the idea of forming a team, she is now CEO and Broker of Christine & Company, leading a team of nine who provide services to clients throughout Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

“Clients will often say I make them feel like they’re the only one I’m working with. That’s the level of service I always strive to provide.” western Washington. “I have agents who live all over the area, which allows us to cover everywhere from Gig Harbor to Everett, and the islands all the way to Issaquah,” she explains.

Christine and her team compare what they do to the way an orchestra creates beautiful music. “In real estate, there are so many moving pieces but what matters is the end result — the performance. Our whole business model is based on outperforming anyone else by offering the best service and getting the best results,” she says. “It’s not a job for us. I eat, sleep and breathe real estate. If a client texts me at 11 at night, and I am up, I will text them back.

Clients will often say I make them feel like they’re 13

the only one I’m working with. That’s the level of service I always strive to provide.”

Every member of the team is committed to offering that same level of red carpet customer service. “We operate with a high level of integrity and keep our eyes on the outcome for our clients,” Christine says.

“Our job is to provide better service, take all the right actions, and provide better results.” For Christine, that includes never treating real estate like a job. “I tell new agents that you almost have to be obsessed with real estate to be successful and always be willing to go the extra mile for your client.”

Christine’s willingness to go above and beyond hasn’t gone unnoticed. The team has been voted Best of Seattle by Seattle magazine for the past five years. “We’re super-proud of that honor because it’s determined by a client vote, not an industry vote,” she says. Christine was also just awarded Top 100 Most Influential Agents in Washington by

Real Estate Executive Magazine. The team is proud of the fact that their listings generally sell for 11% above list. “I always tell clients we pay for ourselves with our results and we have the statistics to prove it,” Christine adds.

Christine and her team credit much of their success to Landmark Worldwide. Her whole team participates in Landmarks Courses. Christine says, “I give credit where credit is due and my life and business being extraordinary is largely due to the tools I received at Landmark. Any agent who wants to take it to the next level should do the Landmark Forum.”

With the level of success she has achieved, it’s easy to imagine Christine pursuing even higher heights, but that’s not necessarily part of her plan. “I’ve seen agents in that mindset of more, bigger, let’s expand,” she says. “But my plan is to keep doing what we know works, improve our service and master our game.”

Christine Robertson

Christine & Company | Seattle, WA 206.353.8787 | christine@christine-and-company.com | www.christine-and-company.com 14

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Top 10 Reasons to love your clients Nearly every real estate professional we talk to tells us the same thing: they love their clients. And why not? Helping people buy or sell homes and invest in their future is one of the most rewarding careers there is. You’ve told us your clients:

Make Every Day Interesting — One of the best things about being a real estate agent is that every day is different.

You clients are the main reason for that. Whether you’re meeting someone new, closing a deal or just catching up with past clients, they make your day fly by.

Expand Your Horizons — Your clients are bound to each have different tastes in music, movies, TV, food, travel and all those things that make life interesting. They can clue you in to the best indie movie, a great new song or that under-the-radar restaurant that’s about to be huge.

Help Grow Your Business — Word of mouth is powerful. Your current clients are your best source of referrals. Remember to ask every client to share your name with friends, family and coworkers. You’ll see your business grow!

Haven’t Heard Your Stories Yet — Your friends and family are probably getting tired of hearing those stories about that summer you were a camp counselor or the big-game winning play you were part of. But clients won’t be! Every new client gives you a chance to share your life story one more time.

Make You More Compassionate — Not only do you get to share your life story, you get to hear your clients’ stories, too. Learning about other people’s lives and backgrounds is bound to make you a more compassionate person.

Become Your Friends — Very few careers offer the opportunity to create life-long friendships with a diverse range of people. We hear from many agents how their clients become their friends — or even ‘like family.’

Help You Be a Better Agent — Just when you think you’ve seen it all in a transaction, a client throws you a curve ball. But that’s OK. If every transaction was smooth sailing, you wouldn’t have the opportunity to improve.

(Might) Let You Steal Their Jokes — Need some new material? Your clients are sure to have some good one liners and funny stories they’ll be happy to share.

Help You Learn Patience — Real estate is a fast-paced business. But every now and then you get those clients who just can’t make up their minds. Don’t rush them. You’ll both benefit if you can let go and slow down a little.

Are the Reason You Stay in Business — If it wasn’t for your clients you couldn’t be successful in the career you love. And we can’t think of any better reason to love your clients than that.

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6 Unexpected things

that affect home values Preparing your home to go on the market is a major undertaking. But despite your good efforts and best intentions, there are things that could be decreasing your home’s value that are all too easy to overlook.

Use this rundown as a guide when you’re preparing your home for sale to help ensure all your preparation efforts pay off. Here are six unexpected things that could decrease your home’s value: Neglected Flooring — It’s only natural to be more concerned about what’s at eye level than what’s underfoot. But worn, stained, or damaged flooring can be a red flag to prospective buyers. They worry that if that’s neglected, other parts of the home may be suffering neglect, too. At a minimum, make sure 16

carpets are newly cleaned, repair or replace chipped tile and buff and polish wood or laminate flooring. If there is extensive staining, damage or wear, it will be worth it to have the flooring replaced before listing your home.

Lingering Odors — There’s a series of commercials for a popular air freshener that talks about being ‘nose blind,’ meaning, it’s all too easy to become accustomed to your home’s unique aroma. Others, however, will notice if your home has any lingering odors from pets, cooking or, in older homes, that ‘old house’ smell.

While not a deal breaker, it can be a turn-off to potential buyers and distract them from the many wonderful qualities your home possesses. To be sure your home Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

here and there will still give the home personality without feeling overwhelming.

Forgettable Curb Appeal — Even if your home looks like a million bucks online, buyers will be instantly attracted or repelled when they see your home in person for the first time. Forgettable — or memorable-for-thewrong-reasons — curb appeal can knock down the value of your home. You don’t want curb appeal to scream, but it shouldn’t whisper either. Choose a feature to highlight, whether it’s a boldly painted front door color, a walkway lined with seasonal flowers or a cluster of potted plants in colorful containers by the front door.

Remember, your buyers are looking at a lot of houses.

One memorable, first-impression feature can really make your home stand out in a buyer’s memory.

Outdated Appliances — Make no mistake, buyers will take note of the brand and condition of kitchen appliances. They don’t necessarily have to be brand-new and chef-approved. But they do have to be spotlessly clean and in good working order. That means all stove burners are working, the oven is clean and properly calibrated and the refrigerator and freezer run efficiently and are clean as a whistle, inside and out. If your appliances need frequent repair or never look quite clean enough, it will be worth the investment to replace them before listing the home.

smells fresh and clean, ask a trusted friend who doesn’t visit often to come over and give it the sniff test. Ask them to be honest (and hopefully tactful) about any odor issues you need to address.

Trendy Décor — You’re super-proud of that DIY Mason jar chandelier hanging in the kitchen (and you should be!), but its appeal might not translate to buyers. Overly trendy décor can be distracting, and cause some buyers to have a hard time envisioning the space decorated to their taste. If you’re one who stays on top of all the latest home design trends, evaluate each room with a critical eye. Remove and pack away anything extremely taste-specific and save it to decorate your new home. A few accents Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Overlooked Details — You’ve probably gotten used to your home’s little quirks, like that one light switch that never seems to work quite right or having to jiggle the handle after flushing the toilet. However, these minor inconveniences can stand out as major red flags to potential buyers. Not because they’re a big deal in and of themselves, but because they may assume that if you’re willing to overlook those details, there may be other, more important things you haven’t wanted to spend the time or money to fix. Thoroughly audit every room in your home to ensure everything is in its proper place and functions as intended.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s certainly true when potential buyers view your home. Don’t leave anything to chance.

Give potential buyers every reason to fall in love with your home and make a top-dollar offer.

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Use your words —

5 Tips for better business writing

It may not seem like it, but as a real estate professional, you spend a good chunk of time writing for your business every week. From texts, tweets and Facebook posts to letters, emails, listing descriptions and presentations, much of how you communicate with clients and prospects relies on the written word. While you don’t have to be the most skilled wordsmith to be an effective communicator, it will serve you well to follow these basic rules for better business writing.

Relearn the Basics — Spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure all matter in business writing. Not everyone will catch mistakes, but there will always be someone who will find an error, and 18

it could cost you. Sloppy spelling, incorrect word usage or glaring grammar mistakes can make it look like you’re willing to overlook the small stuff and let important details slide. That’s definitely not the impression you want to make on clients and prospects.

Luckily, there are a number of online resources that can help when you’re stuck. The website Grammarist is a terrific resource for everything from basic grammar rules to more complex questions, such as correct word usage and tricky punctuation.

Know Your Audience — The first, and most important, rule to consider when writing anything is to know your audience. Broadly, you can assume you’re Copyright Featured Agent Magazine

Taking the time and care to construct and review your written communications will pay off.

Much of what makes humor work in conversation: tone of voice, inflection, facial expressions and body language, is missing when someone is reading just the words you use. It’s probably best to save your jokes and witty observations for face-to-face meetings. If you just can’t resist trying humor in your writing, be sure to run it by a quick ‘focus group’ of several different people in the office to see how it’s perceived.

Be Picky About Proofreading — Running a spellcheck on your document is a good start, but it isn’t enough. Spellcheck catches the basics, but it won’t alert you to things like misused words or run-on sentences. Start with spellcheck, but don’t stop there.

Go over your document at least twice; ideally, read it out loud. It will feel a little awkward at first, but it’s a good way to catch words or phrases that will trip up your reader in the same way. For longer documents, you can also try reading from the bottom up. Reading out of sequence is a good way to find mistakes because your brain isn’t anticipating what comes next. If you have an assistant or someone else in the office willing to help, a set of fresh eyes will catch things that you miss. Even if it’s a short piece of writing, like a social media post, it’s important to put it through the same proofreading process.

writing to reach your clients and prospects, but beyond that, it’s helpful to take some additional details into consideration. Knowing some demographic data can help you craft your message more precisely. For example, if you’re writing something to target Baby Boomers, you would choose your words differently than if you were trying to connect with a Millennial audience.

Take Care with Humor — Trying to inject humor into business writing can be tricky. When done well, it can cause your reader to smile and feel a connection with you. Done poorly, however, it can come off as amateurish, flippant and in the worst cases: disrespectful.

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Go Beyond Buzzwords, Slang & Acronyms Just as you should take care using humor in your writing, the same goes for popular slang, industry buzzwords and acronyms. Slang can be misinterpreted or come across as careless and too informal. Too much industry insider language and reliance on acronyms can be confusing and make people stop reading. Try to strike a balance by using friendly, easily understandable words that convey a conversational, yet professional tone.

Taking the time and care to construct and review your written communications will pay off. You will reach clients and prospects more effectively and present yourself as an articulate, competent real estate professional who is ready for anything.

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