ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Welcome to Real Producers! Some of you may be wondering what this publication is all about, which is why we have created this FAQ page. Here, we will answer the most commonly asked questions from around the country regarding our program. My door is always open to discuss anything regarding this community — this publication is 100% designed to be your voice!

Q: WHO RECEIVES THIS MAGAZINE?

A: The top 300 agents in the Mobile Bay Area. We pulled the MLS numbers (by volume) from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2021, in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. We cut the list off at number 300, and the distribution was born. For this year’s list, the minimum production level for our group is $7 million in 2021. The list will reset at the end of 2022 for next year and will continue to update annually.

Q: WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR BEING FEATURED IN THIS MAGAZINE?

A: The process is simple. Every feature you see has first been nominated. You can nominate REALTORS®, agents, affiliates, brokers, owners, or even yourself. Office leaders can also nominate real estate agents. We will consider anyone you bring to our attention because we don’t know everyone’s story, and we need your help to learn more.

A nomination currently looks like this: Email us at robert.orso@realproducersmag.com with the subject line “Nomination: (Name of Nominee)” and explain why you are nominating the individual. Maybe the person has an amazing story that we need to tell, or perhaps someone overcame extreme obstacles, is an exceptional leader, has the best customer service, or gives back to the community in a big way. The next step is an interview with us to ensure a good fit, and then we put the wheels in motion for our writer to conduct an interview and for our photographer to schedule a photo shoot.

Q: WHAT IS THE COST TO FEATURE A REALTOR®, AGENT, OR TEAM?

A: Zero, zilch, zippo, nada, nil. The feature costs nothing, my friends, so nominate away! We are not a pay-to-play model. We share real stories of Real Producers.

Q: WHO ARE THE PREFERRED PARTNERS?

A: Anyone listed as a preferred partner in the front of the magazine is a part of this community and will have an ad in every issue of the magazine, attend our quarterly events, and be a part of our online community. We don’t just find these businesses off the street, nor do we work with all businesses that approach us. One or many of you have recommended every preferred partner you see in this publication. We won’t even meet with a business that you have not vetted and stamped for approval, in a sense. Our goal is to create a powerhouse network for the REALTORS® and agents in the area and for the best affiliates so we can grow stronger together.

Q: HOW CAN I RECOMMEND A PREFERRED PARTNER?

A: If you have a recommendation for a local business that works with top real estate agents, please let us know. Send an email to robert.orso@realproducersmag.com.

Brokers In Charge

By Jill Clair Gentry

Jimmy & Sue Lyon say constant innovation and forward-thinking are the keys to a successful brokerage

It takes a special couple to successfully work together managing a business every day. Jimmy and Sue Lyon, brokers at EXIT Realty Lyon in Mobile and Baldwin counties, say working together in real estate for over 20 years has been a blast.

“We always knew we wanted to work together,” Jimmy says. “We live together, work together and play together. We’ve been married for 33 years, and I like to say every day is a honeymoon.”

Jimmy is a big-picture thinker, always planning and creating opportunities. Sue is the day-to-day manager of their company, paying attention to details and ensuring the business runs smoothly.

“Something we do really well together is taking problems in the real estate industry and figuring out ways to work through them creatively,” she says. “We are very inventive and don’t mind taking calculated risks to work through issues that can pop up. We really think outside the box, and we rock the boat by doing that sometimes. But we both believe if you’re not moving forward, you’re backing up.”

That drive to innovate and solve problems is a perfect match for EXIT Realty.

The Lyons purchased the first EXIT franchise in Alabama in 2002 after hearing a presentation about EXIT’s unique business model.

“It was intriguing that you could leverage your time by simply inviting an agent to join EXIT Realty anywhere in the U.S. or Canada and earn residual income (in addition to your own commissions) plus there are retirement and death benefits,” Jimmy says. “That’s what sold me on EXIT.”

Sue, was impressed with EXIT’s understanding that agents are the assets of the company as well as everyone being so positive and helpful — right up the leadership ladder to Founder Steve Morris.

The EXIT real estate philosophy, known as the Five Pillars of Success, sums up the heart of EXIT. Those five pillars are training, branding, technology, culture, and financial security.

“With training, we show agents the whole gamut of the real estate industry,” Sue says. “Everyone owns their own business inside this business, but we are here to coach and mentor. We teach agents how to sell real estate, of course, but also how to treat their business as a business. We are also big on personality assessments (DISC) so we can learn how to sell to all personalities in a way that is comfortable to every customer. We have online training 24/7, lunch and learns, sales meetings, training, and classes almost every day through our local offices.”

Branding is typically done at the brokerage level, but Sue says at EXIT, each agent also learns how to brand themselves. This goes hand-in-hand with technology, which is essential in today’s real estate industry. EXIT’s technology is designed for the human behind the device, not the device itself. EXIT associates have access to Smart Sign TM Technology so that no buyer lead is left behind.

“Consumers want instant access to photos, pricing, etc., but don’t always want to talk with an agent, so with our text codes they get instant information, and we get their number to follow up,” Sue says. “It’s a great lead generator too. Another of EXIT’s tools (all free to our agents) are buyer guides and seller guides, automated listing presentations, agent websites, and the secure electronic signing platform, Dotloop.”

Culture is what brings and keeps agents at EXIT.

“We are an empathy-oriented company where leadership is accessible and available and everyone has a vested interest in each other’s success, much like a family,” Jimmy says. “This is also evident with our hardworking staff who are there to assist the agents in every way. EXIT gives back, too!

To date, the Spirit of EXIT’s dollar-for-dollar matching program has pledged $6M to charity. EXIT really is a company with a heart.”

The final pillar, financial security, is what really sets EXIT apart, Sue says.

EXIT’s unique 10/7/5 business model creates opportunities for real estate agents that Sue says do not exist anywhere else in the industry.

“With EXIT, agents don’t pay any desk fees, and they can earn residual income through sponsoring,” she says. “Residual income can be life-changing for agents.”

Jimmy and Sue have been in their current roles for almost 20 years, but they’ve been involved with real estate for much longer. Both Sue and Jimmy come from real estate families and are second-generation realtors:

Jimmy’s father, Billy Lyon, owned a real estate and building company, and Sue’s mother, Ethel Carter, was a 40-year veteran of real estate who served as the first female president of the Board of Realtors and brought Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR) to the area. But the apples don’t fall far from the tree—Jimmy got a degree in architecture and business from Auburn before becoming a home builder and subdivision developer for over 25 years, and Sue has served as WCR President and on various committees.

After purchasing their EXIT franchises, the Lyons have built their business to include over 70 agents in their Mobile and Fairhope offices.

EXIT Realty Lyon with the leadership of Jimmy and Sue Lyon and the hard work of their agents has continued to grow each year.

“Our goal is to teach, coach, and mentor as many agents as possible, grow our company, and serve the community in the best way possible,” they say.