Nationwide December 2022

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The right match —

How to choose a brokerage

As a real estate agent, one of the most important de cisions 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 profes sional 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 begin ning of your education as a real estate agent. Ongoing education, training and development will help you grow into a confident, successful real estate professional.

Find out about the types of education and training the brokerage offers Are there in house training opportu nities? 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.

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

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 broker ages’ 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 accomplish ment (and bragging rights), being able to include honors and awards in your personal marketing materials shows potential clients you’re a high achiever.

Community Involvement One of the lesser discussed 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 ex tremely strong community ties, also offer their agents the chance to help causes they care about Becoming in volved 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 ques tions 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.

Top 10 Ways to give back

Giving back to the communities you serve is impor tant 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 & 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 chil dren’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.

Maggie Antillon-Mathews

Maggie Antillon-Mathews

Magda Antillon Mathews, better known as Maggie, is a highly acclaimed business leader and educator in Chicago real estate. Maggie has been serving Chicagoland for more than 20 years; in that time her skills have only become sharper and her compassion greater. She has kept her focus on residential and distressed properties, and main tains her personal values of honesty, integrity, and a love of service.

Her passion for helping others, cultivated through a back ground in social work, still shines in her practice as a REALTOR ® Over the past several years, Maggie has taken on multiple leadership and mentoring roles at her brokerage, and has contributed to the growth of some of the top producing brokers in the industry Maggie ex presses how grateful she is for the opportunity to provide

new brokers with the tools, resources and mentorship that she did not have access to early in her career, and she goes to work every day armed with a strong belief that “when you love what you do and do it with purpose, you can accomplish anything.”

Maggie is a certified Pricing Strategy Advisor, Accredited Buyer’s Representative, Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource, and a Maxwell certified coach, trainer and speaker She is a top producing Managing Broker and is consis tently ranked in the top 250 with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) With an impressive 70% rate of repeat and referral business, Maggie’s clients understand just how qualified she is, and know she truly cares for them and their interests She tells us that the best piece of advice she has received, late

in her career, was to keep track of every client and make them part of her database forever It’s clear that this service oriented approach works remarkably well for her, and the positive influence of her work on the community is lost on no one. After so many years in real estate, Maggie still emphasizes her role as an educator and pub lic servant: “I am here to be a resource of information for the community, whether real estate or not.”

Maggie has now been with Realty of Chicago for almost a decade, and her time there has generated a highly

productive and rewarding stage for both herself and the agency She was a critical force in its recent North Side expansion as well as its 30% broker headcount increase over the past few years. As a result, the Chicago Asso ciation of REALTORS® named her Managing Broker of the Year for 2021 2022, an impressive award and her proudest business accomplishment to date.

But accolades are not Maggie’s top priority; she cares most about making a difference. Her involvement with every local organization possible is, in her words, “the

“When you love what you do and do it with purpose, you can accomplish anything.”

basis of my business.” For her, the most rewarding aspect of her work is making a difference. She shares, “I strive to educate and inspire my clients, agents, and family,” and she does this not only through her work as a REALTOR,® Maggie is an active writer as well. She has collaborated on three books and written two best sellers, and her lat est best selling book Latinas in Real Estate: Stories of Passion, Resilience, and Breaking Barriers of Latinas in the Real Estate Industry, now available on Amazon The book is an anthology of stories from Latina women, like Maggie, who have found success in the industry. Clearly, her assertion that she feels more like an advo cate than a REALTOR® is no less true than it was years ago

In the same way, Maggie shows great care and love for her family, with whom she spends as much time as she possibly can outside of work She also loves to exercise, particularly through swimming, and highly values physical health as a counterpart to staying sharp and studious as a businesswoman and educator Maggie, obviously a great teacher to so many, is also constantly learning. There’s never a day when she doesn’t learn something new in her work and personal life, and her primary goal for the future is to scale her two decades worth of knowledge, share it with her colleagues and clients, and continue to serve all those around her in the most vigorous and compassionate way possible

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 suf fering neglect, too At a minimum, make sure 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 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 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 in stantly attracted or repelled when they see your home in person for the first time Forgettable or memorable for the wrong 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

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 How ever, 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 im pression. 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.

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.

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 sup plement 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

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

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 extra gloomy days, keep the porchlight on around the clock to cast a warm glow.

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.

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 hesi tate 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 infor mation to share with them such as the home’s average

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.

4 Must-ask questions when buying a home

Buying a home is the investment of a lifetime. To safeguard this investment, you’ll need to do your homework and go beyond the standard, surface level questions that only get you so far. To understand a home’s true viability, you’ll need to arm yourself with all the facts, history, and records available That way, you’ll be able to uncover any hidden costs or possible pitfalls that await. So, where do you begin? For starters, consider the four questions below, in spiring you to think slightly outside the box when it comes to researching and assessing your future home’s potential.

What’s the cost of the average monthly utility bill? As you make your list of must have home

features, you’re probably crunching numbers for your budget planning. This is a wise move, but don’t overlook the smaller details. A properly insulated home w i t h weather proofed windows and doors can make all the difference in your bottom line during a harsh winter The same is true for steamy summers that will test the durability and efficiency of your cooling unit. Pay particular attention to these features and inquire with the current owners about what they pay in monthly utility bills. While you may have a budget in mind for your mortgage, a drafty home with old insulation can rack up your monthly pay out. Get a clear idea of what the power rates are in the area and compare them to your potential home’s energy tallies. Also, consider how much any standard maintenance

would cost you another forgettable annual fee that can add up over time. Before you buy, get the real lowdown on utility costs, from electric or gas heat to monthly HOA fees and trash collection.

What will you pay in property taxes? This helpful information is usually outlined on a listed home’s info sheet, but be sure to account for this detail. An offhand estimate shouldn’t suffice either. While your purchase price impacts the home’s ongoing tax rate, it’s wise to get a picture of the property tax history. Buying a home is enough of an undertaking without the added stress of unexpected or miscalculated annual costs that can break your budget. As an added bonus, understanding a home’s tax history and

If you put in the legwork now, you’ll land a home that satisfies your budget, matches your vision, and will be the place you make memories to last a lifetime.

projected value is a smart figure to account for when making a savvy purchase offer.

Have there been any prior pipe or sewer problems? The Insurance Information Institute re ports that broken pipes make up nearly 22% of all home insurance losses. This means that pipe and sewer issues are not only common, but they’re ex pensive. Be sure to ask sellers for a history of any pipe or sewer back up problems, but you shouldn’t stop there Hire a trusted home inspector who can verify a seller ’s report and you can save yourself the headache if the pipes in question aren’t in the best shape. Likewise, you’ll be made aware of pipes that may need replacing shortly down the line. This re search can help you adjust your offer accordingly to offset any future replacement costs.

H a s t h e h o m e u n d e r g o n e a n y m a j o r r e n ovations? Sometimes, sellers and their agents are forthcoming with this essential information but it doesn’t hurt to double check Request detailed records and documentation regarding any renovated bathrooms, additional wings or floors added, a basement that’s been finished and the like. Firstly, this will help you assess the true cost of a renovation and help you craft a conscientious offer Secondly, gath ering information on prior home projects allows you to keep tabs on contractors used. It can also help you plan and budget for when the next round of renovations will likely be needed in the future. If you do this re search, you could save yourself a hefty sum and earn an excellent bargaining chip along the way

While some of these considerations may seem straightforward, you’d be surprised at the impact these finer points can make in terms of affordability, safety, and long term planning Buying a property of your own re quires due diligence, but if you put in the legwork now, you’ll land a home that satisfies your budget, matches your vision, and will be the place you make memories to last a lifetime.