Real Estate Magazine - DPR Realty - Jan. 2015

www.rismedia.com

Matt Deuitch Designated Broker DPR Realty

Fueling the Future of Real Estate DPR Realty

Page 64

We tripled our service providers in our Vendor Network for faster service to you and your clients.

Why...because service matters.

SM

Service is what sets us apart. See why so many real estate professionals place their trust in HSA Home Warranty. Visit www.onlinehsa.com.

HOME WARRANTY

Because Service Matters

“HIGHEST OVERALL SATISFACTION FOR FIRST-TIME AND REPEAT HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS”

The CENTURY 21® brand received the highest numerical score among full service real estate firms for first-time and repeat home buyers and sellers in the proprietary J.D. Power 2014 Home Buyer/Seller StudySM. Study based on 4,800 total evaluations measuring 5 firms and measures opinions of individuals who sold a home in the past 12 months. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed March 2014 – May 2014. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com © 2015 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21®, the CENTURY 21 Logo and SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER.® are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

RADON WHY IT MATTERS WHAT IS RADON? • Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless radioactive gas formed by the breakdown of uranium, a natural radioactive material found in soil, rock and groundwater.

• Radon released from the ground can build up to hazardous levels inside a home.

WHY TEST FOR RADON? • Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, putting your clients’ health at risk.

• Nearly 1 in 15 homes in the United States and Canada has an elevated radon level, even in areas with fairly low environmental radon.

Ask about our

Home Inspection Packages!

• Any home may have a radon problem – old or new homes, well-sealed or drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors can test your client’s home for radon.* For more detailed information, visit the website below.

800-294-5591 *Services vary by location.

pillartopost.com/radon

{Contents} January 2015/Vol. 31, No. 1 • www.rismedia.com

{On the Cover} 64 Fueling the Future of Real Estate

46

DPR Realty The technology explosion has changed forever the way we work and play. Sources estimate there are more cellphones than people in the world today—and some might argue that social media has taken over our lives. But for DPR Realty Owner Dale Milton, and Designated Broker Matt Deuitch, the tech phenomenon fueled new ideas about the future of the real estate industry. Their tech-focused outlook and agent-centered business model have served as unerring drivers, vaulting the independent, Phoenix-based company into an Arizona powerhouse. In this month’s cover story, Milton and Deuitch share the strategies they employ to ensure their firm remains poised for incremental growth.

{Highlights} 25 New Regulations Affect Homeowners in 2015 Increasing energy efficiency has long been the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and in 2015, two new regulations involving air conditioning equipment and water heaters will take effect to support this goal.

{Headliners}

18 R EBAC Report: GRI

15 P olicy Matters:

21 News Briefs

Dos and Don’ts for Marketing Agreements

16 N AR Power Broker Roundtable: Easing the Financing Crunch: New Year, New Ways to Get People into the Market

Gets an Update

22 The RREIN Reporter 38 I ndustry Insight: Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Introduces Friendliest Search in Real Estate

40 15 Time-Saving Hacks for 2015

80 R esearch Shows Many U.S. Renters Still Dream of Homeownership

85 I dea Exchange Council Comes Together with Common Goal of Raising the Caliber of the Real Estate Industry

42 More Success, Less Stress While the importance of mobile technology may be widely accepted these days, determining which apps will help you most is a mounting challenge. Here, we take a closer look at RPR Mobile™.

54 When Family and Real Estate Collide In this month’s feature, learn how some of the most well-known familyowned firms work together to find continued success.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 3

{Features} 28 6 Ways to Rock Your Real Estate Speaking Event

30 Marketing and Sales - Video Messaging: 3 Ways to Connect with Your Clients 48 Strategies: American Home Shield; HSA Home Warranty; Realtors Property Resource®; RentalRoost 60 Power Teams: The Estridge Group Leads by the Golden Rule 63 3 Ways to Help Millennials Enter the Housing Market 64 Fueling the Future of Real Estate 68 Living Life as a Contribution 72 A Company Built on Coaching and Culture 83 RISMedia’s Great Spaces 88 Ask the Experts: Tips to Dominate Your Local Market; Radon Testing

{Interviews} 76 R oxann Taylor, Engel & Völkers Dallas Southlake

76 I sabel Gonzalez, CENTURY 21 Providence

77 S cott Nelson, Comey & Shepherd REALTORS®

78 Rob Wachter, Coldwell Banker Bain

{Experts} 33 Vinnie Tracey - Business Building: One of the Best Things You Can Do for Yourself 34 Terri Murphy - Basic Training: Refresh, Relaunch and Reignite Your 2015 37 Seth Kaplan - Life in Mobile: 2015 Outlook: Constant Connectivity 90 J ohn Wendorff - Is 2015 the Year You Decide to Plan?

4 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

{Every Issue} 9 Publisher’s Desk 12 REtrends 93 Service Profiles 104 Referrals 112 RE: Real Estate—Continuing the Dialogue on REALTOR® Safety

We’re Better because of Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate.

For the last 26 years, I was an independent broker.

I never had anybody who could help me develop my business, service my agents, strengthen my recruiting efforts, or help me analyze new business opportunities. But now, as part of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate franchise network, there is somebody there for me.

The reason I chose Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate was simple: this was the only brand that made me feel like I was home. It offered the most to my agents and Better Homes and Gardens was already a relevant part of our clients’ lives.

I’m really good at what I do, but with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate…

I’m even better.

To find out how you can be better:

BHGREFRANCHISE.COM MIGUEL BERGER | PRESIDENT Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Tech Valley

trusted brand

innovative tools

training & support

quality leads

©2015 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. A Realogy Company. 1 Campus Drive, Parsippany, NJ 07054. All Rights Reserved. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Better Homes and Gardens® is a trademark owned by Meredith Corporation and licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. This is not intended, and shall not be deemed to constitute, an offer to sell a franchise. Franchise offerings made only by a Franchise Disclosure Document.

THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. The Minnesota registration number for this franchise system is F-5883.

{Online} Trending on From mortgage info and housing trends to updates on which celebrity’s bathroom is equipped with a Vitamin-C infused shower, Housecall covers the entire moving-andshaking gamut of the industry.

Here are some of the top viewed and most popular blogs from the last month. For more real estate news (and fun!), visit Housecall at blog.rismedia.com or follow @HousecallBlog on Twitter!

Getting Organized in the New Year

The New Year compels all of us to relinquish the past and change our circumstances for the better. Hoping to literally wipe the slate clean? Look no further than your household. http://bit.ly/1GMgApy

Should I Sell My Home Now or Wait Until the Spring?

There are many questions homeowners ask themselves during the selling process. “How much will my home sell for?” “How much should I list my home for?” “Who should I select as a real estate agent to sell my home?” And last but not least, “Is this a good time to be selling a home?” http://bit.ly/1uBOdJN

Webinar Recap: ‘Play to Win: Developing,

Managing and Recruiting Today’s Agent Teams’ In the first of our Power Broker Webinar Series, “Play to Win: Developing, Managing and Recruiting Today’s Agent Teams,” four leading brokers shared their substantiated methods for team building.

http://bit.ly/1zjYM4I

6 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Real Estate and Reality TV: Talking Shop with Big Brother’s Amanda Zuckerman While chatting with Amanda Zuckerman, lead broker for MV Realty in Delray Beach, Fla., it quickly becomes obvious that she’s not the villain reality TV made her out to be. Zuckerman, best known for her stint on the controversial 15th season of “Big Brother,” is extremely down to earth and personable—the kind of person you’d want to throw back a beer or two with after your next closing. http://bit.ly/1s525w1

Your Personality Can Predict Your Real Estate Decisions

Anyone could figure that your personality affects your decisionmaking. Type As will be likely to meticulously plan, while the more whimsical of us will be likely to make choices on the fly. However, did you know your personality makes your home-buying decisions predictable? http://bit.ly/1z0ho8J

Re-Purposed Shipping Containers Take on Unique Life As the McMansion era continues to fade into the abyss, the green building movement is picking up speed with each passing day. In fact, many of today’s buyers are trading square footage for spaces that are not only smaller, but eco-friendly to boot.

There’s also much more attention being paid to unique building materials such as re-purposed shipping containers. http://bit.ly/1vFDIok

Shared by our followers this month Have a Happy Holiday with Damage-Free Decor Stephen Foster Realtor

too much for my taste...but.. hey...

The World’s Most Expensive Gingerbread House Julie Carpenter Surely

for that price the entire house should be covered with pearls! lol

I’m Better because of Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate.

Working in an area as diverse as Houston, no two clients and no two transactions are ever the same. To offer the highest quality service in every circumstance, I have to be ready for anything, at any time. Thankfully, with the brand’s content, training and tools, I have everything I need to do just that.

Whether it’s a young couple buying their first house in the suburbs, or a single pro athlete who is selling his party pad in the city, the brand offers me tools and training to best approach each transaction.

This allows me to get the most out of every situation for my clients, and for me.

I love to sell real estate and I’m really good at what I do, but with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate...

I’m even better.

To find out how you can be better:

BHGRECAREERS.COM MICHELLE POSEY | REALTOR® Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene

trusted brand

innovative tools

training & support

quality leads

©2015 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated.

5 WAYS YOU CAN SHARE

THE MESSAGE OF SAFETY

WITH YOUR AGENTS IN 2015: 1 2 3

Watch NAR’s Window to the Law video for legal tips and best practices to consider when implementing safety programs and policies in your office.

Discuss safety at every office meeting. From your office protocols to sharing articles, safety should always be on the agenda.

Host a safety seminar. Invite local safety experts to share their knowledge on how agents can stay safe or refer to the growing list of safety presenters available under Resources for REALTORS®.

4 5

Post a safety widget and banner on your website. The NAR Safety Widget and website banners are easy ways to remind your agents to stay safe.

Embrace technology. Is a safety app right for you? Find out which smart phone app is best for your business under Resources for REALTORS®.

Visit www.realtor.org/Safety to view all the safety resources and tools available through the REALTOR® Safety Program.

{Publisher’s Desk} New Year, All Year

T

he fresh, positive attitude we start the new year with is something I wish we could bottle and open again a couple of months down the road—and maybe a few more times after that! But a more realistic way of recreating the motivation we bring to the start of the year is to commit to trying something new throughout the year. After all, why relegate the “new start” to January 1?

In our Power Broker Webinar held last month, “Finish the Year Strong, Start the New Year Even Stronger,” (watch for RISMedia’s Webinar Series to take place monthly this year), Jeff Sposito, president and founder of J. Rockcliff REALTORS® made great sense when he said, “About six years ago, I realized that we needed to change our focus—we decided to start creating 15-month business plans. Most typical agents do their business plans between Christmas and New Year’s and then they wouldn’t really kick in until spring. We decided to have them start doing business planning in October. We had to change the mindset of the agent.”

One way to consistently insert new ideas and strategies into your business throughout the year is by keeping your mind open to the ideas of your team—especially the younger generation.

As James Weichert, son of Weichert Realtors Founder Jim Weichert says, “The younger generation brings a fresh perspective and helps the older generation see things in new ways.”

Find out more about the influence of the younger generation in real estate in this month’s cover story (page 54), which takes an inside look at the family factor in many of today’s top brokerage firms.

You’ll also find a rich collection of business-generating ideas throughout this issue—ideas you can put into action today, or plan to implement down the road when you need to infuse some “newness” back into the year. For example, on page 42, find out how RPR mobile is enabling REALTORS® to connect with clients and close deals in real-time. Or, on page 46, take a look at our interview with top producer and social media phenom, Bill Gassett. Find out how Bill is using social media to a whole new advantage and try out some of his strategies for yourself.

Let your new year’s resolution be to keep the “new” alive all year. This industry moves fast, and its consumers even faster.

Stay open-minded and flexible throughout 2015 and you’ll find yourselves reaping the benefits come fourth quarter.

John E. Featherston CEO & Publisher

WHERE LEADERS

LIVE.

What distinguishes Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is strong leadership at each of its brokerage companies, large and small – leaders like Diane M. Ramirez, CEO of Halstead Property, one of the largest and most visible residential brokerage firms in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Diane helped found Halstead Property in 1984, together with Clark Halstead – with the vision of a high-end firm that utilized advanced technology combined with old fashioned elegance. As a dedicated and widely respected industry veteran, Diane has been presented with top accolades, including the Kenneth Gerrety Humanitarian Award from REBNY. In 2014, she received Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s prestigious Leadership Award, which honors one member broker for outstanding achievements.

Leaders like Diane are at the helm of the network’s 500+ market-leading firms around the world, coming together under the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® banner to create a powerhouse that collectively sells more homes than any other network. At LeadingRE, it’s all about “Making the Best Brokerages Better,” with a robust menu of industry-leading brokerage services in technology, marketing, education and lead generation.

LeadingRE.com | 800.621.6510

See what happens when people talk

WORD-OF-MOUTH IMPACT. More buyers and sellers would recommend RE/MAX than any other real estate brand.* That’s not surprising, considering the quality of RE/MAX agents. What do people

say about your company? Does it help your career? Shouldn’t it?

*Source: MMR Strategy Group study of buyers and sellers, asked if there is one real estate brand they would

be most likely to recommend to a friend or relative, and if so which one. ©2014 RE/MAX, LLC. Each RE/MAX®

office is independently owned and operated. 141194

RREIN

RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network®

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®

CEO & Publisher John E. Featherston Executive Vice President Darryl D. MacPherson

Editorial Executive Editor Maria Patterson Managing Editor Paige Tepping Senior Editor Nick Caruso Associate Editor Zoe Eisenberg Contributing Editors Lesley Grand; John Voket; Barbara Pronin

Online Managing Editor/Online Beth McGuire Director of Web Technologies David Spelts Web Designer Kevin Kirwan Information Technology Manager James Jones Online Associate Editor Suzanne De Vita

design Art Director Christy LaSalle Production Manager Susanne Dwyer Senior Designer Kelli McKenna

sales Senior Vice President Kara T. Stripay Senior Vice President Anne Kraft Client Relations Manager Patty Sinisko Business Development Advisor Brett Johnson Guidebook Sales Gus Olsen

Administrative Circulation Manager Alice Heffron RISMedia member networks Network Manager, RREIN Randi Vannucchi Director of Member Relations, RREIN Peter Di Salvo RIS consulting group Vice President, Managing Director John Sculley, CRP Projects Director Peg Guinta, CRP Email: consulting@rismedia.com

headquarters 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 RISMedia: (203) 855-1234 • FAX (203) 852-7208 Top 5 in Real Estate Network®: (203) 853-2167 FAX (203) 852-7208 RIS Consulting Group: (203) 852-4304 • FAX (203) 852-4309 www.rismedia.com • www.top5inrealestate.com

Publications & Services Real Estate magazine Annual Power Broker Report & Survey REsource Pop-a-Note www.rismedia.com (Daily e-News) RISMedia’s Real Estate CEO Exchange Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner at NAR Annual Power Broker Forum & Reception at NAR Midyear RISMedia’s Social Media Marketing Course & Certification Copyright® 2015 by The Relocation Information Service, Incorporated-RISMedia, Norwalk, Connecticut. All rights reserved. Editorial and executive offices at 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. Telephone: (203) 855-1234. Magazine subscription rate $83.40 per year, including postage ($166.80 for two years); Canadian subscription rate $200.00 (U.S.) per year, including shipping and handling ($400.00 for two years).

All subscription and advertising correspondence call 1-800-724-6000. Material in this publication may not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be directed to Managing Editor, RISMedia, Inc., 69 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of specific authors and columnists and are not intended to or do not necessarily represent the opinion or views of the publisher, his staff, other authors, advertisers, or subscribers.

WHERE LEADERS

LIVE.

What distinguishes Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is strong leadership at each of its brokerage companies, large and small – leaders like Ron Shuffield, president & CEO of EWM Realty International (EWM), a 50 year-old brokerage firm with 10 offices in South Florida. In addition to being responsible for the day-to-day operations of EWM, Ron is actively involved in the South Florida civic community. He is a member of the Executive Board of Governors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and an Executive Board member of the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade’s economic development agency. A past recipient of the Robert B. Knight Outstanding Citizen Award for his involvement in the Coral Gables Community, he was also inducted into the South Florida Business Hall of Fame and selected as one of Miami’s “Ultimate CEOs.” Leaders like Ron are at the helm of the network’s 500+ market-leading firms around the world, coming together under the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® banner to create a powerhouse that collectively sells more homes than any other network. At LeadingRE, it’s all about “Making the Best Brokerages Better,” with a robust menu of industry-leading brokerage services in technology, marketing, education and lead generation.

LeadingRE.com | 800.621.6510

{REtrends} Youth of the Nation Young adults today are more likely to be foreign born and speak a language other than English at home, compared with young adults in 1980, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest statistics from the recently released American Community Survey.

The 73 million young adults currently 18 to 34 years old, often referred to as millennials, comprised the largest such population in the last three decades. Nonetheless, their share of the population is actually smaller today than in 1980. The percentage of young adults today who are foreign born has more than doubled since 1980 (15 percent versus 6 percent, and one-in-four young adults, or 17.9 million, speaks a language other than English at home).

Twenty-two percent of young adults have a college degree, up from 16 percent in 1980, and only about three in 10 young adults have ever been married,

down from six in 10 in 1980.

Fort Myers, Fla. Greenville, S.C. Orlando, Fla. Phoenix, Ariz.

Raleigh, N.C. Sarasota, Fla. Tucson, Ariz.

Other markets with strong potential for attracting babyboomer homebuyers include:

Baby boomers represented

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dallas, Texas McAllen, Texas Riverside, Calif.

Tampa, Fla.

30% of all buyers.

According to a NAR generational study of homebuyers and sellers released earlier this year, baby boomers represented 30 percent of all buyers, had a median household income of $92,400 and bought a home that cost $210,000. www.realtor.org/millennials

The Boomers are Coming Metro areas with a lower cost of living and sunnier weather are poised to see an increased number of baby boomers moving in and buying a home as some delay retirement and remain participants in the labor market, according to recent research by the National Association of REALTORS®.

The top markets positioned to see an influx of baby boomer homebuyers are (listed alphabetically):

Albuquerque, N.M. Boise, Idaho Denver, Colo.

12 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

New FHA Loan Limits Take Effect this Month The Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) new schedule of loan limits are now effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2015, and will remain in effect through the end of the year.

FHA’s calculation for maximum loan limits in highcost metropolitan areas of the country will remain the same as the 2014 level of $625,500. The current standard loan limit for areas where housing costs are relatively low will also remain unchanged at $271,050.

For information on current loan limits, visit www.hud.gov.

“Engel & Völkers offers a fresh look with a modern approach at a time when clients need real estate service that is new and compelling.”

Paul Benson, Engel & Völkers Park City

Only the best in the business join our brand.

Paul Benson has been the number one broker in the state of Utah in volume and transactions for four

consecutive years. He sold over 600 homes and surpassed a billion dollars in sales in 10 years. His clients are heads of major corporations, film and television producers and actors, and individuals seeking to live in a town with world-class ski resorts, championship golf courses and five-star

restaurants just minutes from a major international airport. Paul joined Engel & Völkers because

of the lifestyle positioning and international reputation as a luxury brand. As a license partner, he is now connected to a worldwide network of Engel & Völkers shops and advisors, representing the very best of Park City to the world.

Engel & Völkers USA 430 Park Avenue · 11 Floor · New York · NY 10022 · USA · Phone +1-212-234-3100 info@evusa.com · evusa.com th

©2015 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

We’re here to guide you through the challenges of a new regulatory environment.

Another reason why we’re the right title company for you.

At Stewart Title Company we’re doing all we can to have everything in order for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau® (CFPB) rules and regulations well ahead of time. We’re working hard to get you ready too. Stewart has been actively involved in the rule review process with the CFPB, American Land Title Association® and other leaders in the market. We’re working every day to ensure our offices, our technology, our partners and our customers will be ready to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the coming changes. So the first step to getting prepared for the CFPB is easy – choose us as your trusted provider for title insurance.

Get ready for the CFPB with Stewart.

Find your local Stewart Title office at stewart.com and drop in for a visit.

© 2014 Stewart. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. STCG1-1417-187-33

{Policy Matters} Dos and Don’ts for

Marketing Agreements This column is brought to you by the NAR Real Estate Services group.

by Phillip Schulman Esq.

R

eal estate brokers must comply with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, or RESPA, which prohibits brokers from receiving anything of value in return for the referral of settlement service business.

RESPA, however, permits brokers to receive reasonable payments in return for goods provided or services performed by brokers. Marketing Service Agreements (MSAs), therefore, may be lawful under RESPA if carefully structured to comply with the Act. MSAs also have come under increased scrutiny after the CFPB issued a consent order related to MSAs. Thus, when contemplating an MSA, careful consideration must be given to structuring the agreement under RESPA. Below are some of those considerations.

Dos 8Be aware that RESPA permits payments for services performed by a broker only if actual services are performed and the fee is fair market value for the services performed.

8Memorialize an MSA in a written agreement that states in detail the marketing and advertising services to be performed and the fee to be paid in return for such services.

8Ensure that marketing and advertising services identified in a written MSA are, in fact, performed.

8Consider including a reporting and/or audit obligation in a written MSA that requires the service provider to provide evidence that services were performed.

8Provide a disclosure to consumers notifying them of the MSA relationship.

8Document how the parties arrived at the marketing fee and the determination of fair market value.

8Consider engaging an independent third party to establish the fair market value of the marketing and advertising services.

8Modify the amount of the marketing fee under an MSA only when objective changes are made to the services performed and/or other terms of the agreement.

Don’ts 8Do not include “services” in the MSA that require a broker to market a lender or title company directly to a consumer, like a sales pitch to a consumer or distributing lender or title company brochures or other materials directly to a consumer.

8Do not designate a settlement service provider as the broker’s “preferred” company as part of the MSA. 8Do not enter into exclusive MSAs such that the broker agrees to per-

form marketing and advertising services for only one lender or title company.

8Do not accept fees that are in excess of the fair market value of the marketing services performed.

8Do not base the amount of marketing fees on the volume of referrals or the success of the referrals.

8Do not accept fees under an MSA for allowing access to sales meetings, conducting customer surveys, or creating monthly reports.

8Do not make frequent changes to the fees paid under an MSA based on the volume or success of referrals or any other non-objective criteria.

8Do not enter into an MSA with a company that is an affiliate of the broker.

8Do not enter into an MSA with a month-to-month term. RE Disclaimer: The DOs and DON’Ts listed above are not all-inclusive, and small variations in the facts can lead to different outcomes. They also do not take into consideration any additional regulations that may have been imposed in your state, which may prohibit activities that are permissible under RESPA. Speak with a RESPA attorney to make sure you comply with all applicable laws.

Phillip Schulman Esq. is a partner with Holly Bunting Esq., and partner, K&L Gates.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 15

{The NAR Power Broker Roundtable} Easing the Financing Crunch: New Year, New Ways to Get People into the Market Moderator:

Jim Imhoff Chairman/CEO, First Weber Group, Madison, Wis., & Liaison for Large Residential Firms Relations, NAR Participants:

Dan Elsea President, Real Estate One, Southfield, Mich.

Mike Pappas President/CEO, The Keyes Co., Miami, Fla.

Sheryl Chinowth CEO/Co-Founder, Chinowth & Cohen REALTORS®, Tulsa, Okla.

Bill Soffel CEO, ERA Team VP Real Estate, Chautauqua, N.Y.

The Power Broker Roundtable is brought to you by the National Association of Realtors® and Jim Imhoff, NAR’s Liaison for Large Residential Firms Relations. Watch for this column each month, where we address broker issues, concerns and milestones.

Jim Imhoff: This past October, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) unveiled a plan that would allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to once again back mortgage loans with down payments as low as 3 percent. While critics see it as a step back, the new plan is hailed by brokers—and many lenders—as a step toward getting more qualified purchasers into the market. Dan, what are you telling your agents now in an effort to start the new year off right?

16 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Dan Elsea: I’m telling my agents the

good news now is that the market is moving in this direction on its own.

Lenders are becoming more aggressive as the refi market dries up and as supply and demand becomes more balanced and confidence grows in jobs and the economy. I think 3 percent down will help a lot of people who have good jobs and decent credit but not a lot in their savings accounts.

JI: As Steve Harney points out in his Keeping Current Matters blog, “You’re paying for housing whether you own or rent—and there are substantial tax benefits to owning.”

Mike Pappas: I agree that the market

DE: It’s certainly the message we project in-house. Buyers may need higher credit scores and more documentation, but even conventional lenders are lending more aggressively today. We’re starting the year with full confidence that things are moving in a positive direction.

Sheryl Chinowth: It’s critical, espe-

SC: We’ve remained on a fairly even keel, so financing has been less of an issue. Having a reasonable debt ratio is more important than ever, but loans are readily available. We’re seeing more investors from all over the world buying moderately priced rental properties, so the market environment is more encouraging all the time.

is correcting itself, and normal, creditworthy people have a plethora of options for getting loans. Prices have leveled out and interest rates are still low, so there’s no frantic intensity.

Now is the time to buy, while those windows are still open. People need to be reminded of that, so reaching out to consumers is key.

cially to the millennial generation, who make up a quarter of the adult population in this country and who’ve been sitting back content to rent.

They’re a different kind of buyer, but they’re now getting the jobs they weren’t able to get right after graduation. That gives them stability, and we need to do a better job of reaching out to them.

Bill Soffel: This is where the “rentversus-buy” analysis is crucial. These are smart, young people. They understand the economics, and it’s time to make the extra push to get them into the market.

MP: In many cases, they have the resources as well, as a lot of boomer parents are beginning to transfer wealth to their kids.

BS: It would seem the worst of the financing crunch is behind us. This is the time to reach out and connect, and to reconnect and build relationships with every person in your database.

JI: So the consensus is we have all the components to make a compelling case.

If we get out there and tell it to a wide cross-section of buyers, we should all be able to look forward to a rewarding 2015.

To that end, NAR’s Consumer Advertising Campaign’s national advertising efforts educate the public about the value of property ownership and the REALTOR® brand. RE 8For an expanded version of this article and other NAR Power Broker Roundtable topics, please visit www.rismedia.com.

HOMES.COM IS YOUR PLACE

TO GROW WITH QUALITY LEADS!

Research confirmed that Homes.com is the “clear front runner in quality” for generating serious leads above all major real estate sites!

FIND OUT HOW YOUR BRAND AND LISTINGS CAN CONNECT WITH SERIOUS CONSUMERS AND FLOURISH WITH HOMES.COM! CALL 866.697.3308 TO SETUP AN IN-PERSON MEETING.

Source: REAL Trends 2013 Online Performance Study

{REBAC Report}

GRI Gets an Update

by Marc Gould

N

AR’s Annual Conference—with its accompanying Governance Meetings—always concludes with some great, new ideas. This past November’s meeting in New Orleans was no exception. Among the many interesting developments this year was the announcement of some major changes to the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation.

Launched nationally in 1966, GRI was designed as a 90-hour program to get new sales associates up and running in the business, covering topics from general market knowledge to business skills, systems and tools, as well as liability issues.

As much of the coursework is statespecific, it’s one of the few national programs directly managed at the state level.

The GRI was and is one of NAR’s most successful designations, with over 90,000 designees. However, times change and so too must every program. These days, other training opportunities and certifications compete for the attention of new agents.

While several state programs remained vital, on the whole, members wanted to see a change so that the designation remained in step with today’s quickening business pace.

NAR’s membership, and specifically the professional development committee, addressed the need to modernize the GRI designation.

Starting last summer, an NAR workgroup looked at the state of the program and made recommendations to the Board of Directors, changes which were approved in November in New Orleans. In cooperation with the State Education Directors, the designation was tightened in several ways. “We rewrote the learning objectives and core com18 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

petencies of the course to reflect up-to-date content that today’s real estate professional needs to begin their career,” says Amy Chorew, workgroup leader and incoming chair of the Professional Development Committee. “We do know that there is still a great need for education and training for the newer sales associate entering the business.”

Some other changes announced include: 8Shortening the timeline for completion to “no more than five years” to make sure the coursework remains relevant to technology and trends.

8Giving states the option to adopt the set of required curriculum topics developed in consultation with state education directors or, if they choose, to develop a customized program that meets the needs of their particular market.

8Permitting the coursework and products of existing designation and certification programs to count toward earning the GRI designation, subject to the discretion of each state association.

8Granting course credit through examination or real-world experience, as long as it makes up no more than half of the state’s requirements.

8Mandating that each state’s ac-

creditation cycle change from five years to three years to keep up with today’s rapidly changing real estate landscape.

8Allowing local associations to take over the GRI program only if the state association agrees in writing to abdicate all GRI responsibilities.

States that do not have a GRI program must provide options for members to take courses in neighboring states or through co-sponsoring with another state or local association.

These and many more suggestions aim at making GRI programs timely, valuable and relevant to today’s REALTORS®. More work is planned, including examining trends in education delivery methods as well as how to reach today’s diverse REALTOR® populations. As each state’s GRI program is accredited by the National Association of REALTORS® and must align with the new curriculum standards, look for some significant changes by the end of 2016. RE Marc Gould is vice president, Business Specialties, for the National Association of REALTORS® and executive director of REBAC. A whollyowned subsidiary of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer.

With more than 30,000 active members, REBAC awards the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation to REALTORS® who work directly with buyerclients. To learn more, visit REBAC.net.

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Strengthen your team and your bottom line.

Visit rebac.net/abr/benefits-broker to learn more. *Based on the 2013 NAR Member Profile survey data, the median income of REALTORS® with no designation was $33,500, and the median income of those with at least one designation was $61,100. The difference between the two is $27,600.

This information is accurate as of May 2013.

{News Briefs} Walt McDonald,

chairman of the zipLogix board of directors, announced that the company has partnered with OrganizeMeForms™ to market and distribute organizational forms for all real estate professionals. Each form has been crafted specifically to assist real estate professionals in organizing all aspects of their business. OrganizeMeForms™ is for every real estate professional looking to improve their transaction process, enhance marketing initiatives and help customers understand each step in the buying or selling process. www.zipform.com

Luxury Portfolio International®, the luxury marketing program of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, has introduced a new version of its website, www.Luxury-

Portfolio.com. Originally launched in 2005, the site is the cornerstone of Luxury Portfolio’s comprehensive marketing program. The new site has been introduced to significantly improve its accessibility to the mobile consumer, with features that make it easier for on-the-go visitors to search for significant properties, find out more about the most exclusive homes in the world and access a curated collection of content specifically for high net-worth individuals. www.LuxuryPortfolio.com

Moneycorp, a currency and international payments specialist, has opened a new office in Miami. High levels of overseas buyers are targeting Miami as the ideal destination for second and retirement properties.

The new office will enable Moneycorp

to work more closely with key partners in the region, where the need for experts within the international payments arena is growing. www.moneycorp.com/usa The Local Media Consortium, a nationwide alliance of leading local media outlets, announced a new partnership with HomeFinder.com. The agreement will provide consumers with local access to more than four million real estate listings on HomeFinder.com. The Local Media Consortium (LMC) represents more than 55 local media companies in top markets across the United States and Puerto Rico, covering more than 1,200 individual publications. www.homefinder.com For more news briefs, please visit www.rismedia.com.

Resources that can help build your business If you’re looking for information that can help you stay on top of today’s real estate market, visit the Bank of America® Agent Resource Center. It’s a quick and easy way to find resources that can help you manage and grow your business.

At the Agent Resource Center, you’ll find: • Market updates and newsletters • Information about upcoming events • Instructional videos, tip sheets and step-by-step guides • Bank of America mortgage product and service overviews • Training and resources for the short sale and REO process • Information about affordable housing assistance programs • An overview of strategic alliances and how they generate new business opportunities The site is updated frequently, so you can easily get the most current industry information to help both buyers and sellers move successfully to their closing date.

The Agent Resource center is your one-stop source for helpful information.

Visit today at bankofamerica.com/agentresources

THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED OR AUTHORIZED FOR CONSUMER DISTRIBUTION. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2013 Bank of America Corporation. 07-2013 AD-06-13-0982.B AR7FF6E6

{RREIN Reporter} News and information for and about RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN) Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners Connie Ray Founder and CEO Number of Offices: 7 Number of Agents: 135

The Community Connection

by Barbara Pronin Barbara Pronin: Connie, let’s begin with a brief recap of your career.

Connie Ray: I got my start working in my family’s real estate company, but around 1995, I began looking into the branding and other benefits the franchise model could provide—and that’s when I founded Coldwell Banker Greater Savannah Realty with 15 sales associates.

Happily, we flourished from the outset, and we were able to acquire a few other businesses along the way. Before long, we were the largest and most recognized firm in a region spanning both Georgia and South Carolina. As we developed, we began doing business as Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners.

BP: How would you describe your company’s positioning in this very diverse marketplace?

CR: I would say we are the most recognized brokerage in our marketplace—No. 1 or 2 in every area we serve.

Our agents rank as top national and regional sales associates within the Coldwell Banker network, and we have been ranked by the brand as a top-20 office nationally.

BP: What would you point to as your competitive difference in the marketplace?

CR: We are a full-service agency with a fully staffed relocation department and a new-construction site sales presence, as well as property management and commercial divisions, so our services are as diverse as our customers. We are known for being innovative—for being first on the block to recognize and respond to industry trends and changing local markets. Personalized customer service is important to us. It’s the reason we instituted our Mentor-to-Mentor program, and we are so proud to be seeing such great results.

BP: What can you tell us about your Mentor-to-Mentor program?

CR: We know that our agents, particularly our younger agents who were born into the high-tech era, excel in 22 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

using it to their advantage. At the same time, we understand the value of what we call “high-touch”—the nuts and bolts, face-to-face people skills that so many customers want and appreciate—and we know that many of our most experienced agents excel in those basic skills. So, with some great planning by Tom Woiwode, our Central Region broker-in-charge, we began a mentoring program that has quickly become the nucleus of our company culture—teaming older and newer agents to mentor one another in ways that nurture and maximize each other’s skills.

BP: How does it work in actual practice, and how does it benefit your customers?

CR: There’s no such thing as a stupid question. That’s where it starts, basically. An older agent who isn’t using Twitter can feel free to ask how to start from someone who uses it every day. And a new agent can learn better negotiating skills, or how to prepare great, traditional listing presentations from someone who’s expert in those areas. The fact is, transactions come together most efficiently and easily when the best of technology and the best in people skills combine for a win-win result—and that’s what our mentor program is all about.

BP: What do you see as the biggest opportunity?

CR: The market is stabilizing, the high-end market is moving again, and while the McMansion mentality is fading in the urban centers, there are a lot of young, savvy buyers coming into the market who know what they want and are ready to buy when they find it.

BP: In your opinion, what is most critical to your firm’s success path going forward?

CR: Maintaining our edge in technology, revising our website to best meet the changing needs of customers, and making strategic investments in tools that benefit everyone and that our agents can work together to maximize. As the company’s leader, it’s my responsibility to look ahead and make the right financial and operational decisions. But for the day-to-day, I rely on the expertise of our managers and executive staff and the commitment of our wonderful agents—and on the reputation for excellence we’ve worked so hard to establish. As long as we stay true to the concepts we believe in, I have every confidence in our future. RE

For more information, please visit www.MyCbpp.com.

RREIN Network News Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty is offering a fully virtual home-buying and -selling experience using FaceTime™. FaceTime™, Apple’s video chat service for iPhone 4 and 5, as well as many iPads, has proven successful in connecting friends and families around the world. The company is now making the most of FaceTime™ and other technology applications for the benefit of its customers. REALTORS®Sarah Leuthold and Linda Maxwell of the company’s Avondale/San Marco office recently used FaceTime™ to show a home to a couple relocating to Northeast Florida from Arizona. Even though the couple had never visited Jacksonville, they put a contract on the home following the FaceTime™ showing.

For the sixth year in a row, Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate was named one of Delaware’s top workplaces based on a survey conducted by WorkplaceDynamics LLC. In August 2014, the company ranked second in the category for large companies and organizations with more than 400 employees in the region. Survey participants cited the company’s local ties, collaborative culture and leadership as pivotal reasons Patterson-Schwartz is a top workplace. Each of the seven offices celebrated the award with a visit from an area ice cream and water ice vendor.

www.BerkshireHathawayHSFNR.com

www.pattersonschwartz.com

Members of the Long & Foster team from its Old Town/Historic District office gather with Long & Foster Founder Wes Foster, Emily McMahan, executive director of the Alexandria Veterans Business Enterprise Center, and Val P. Hawkins, president & CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, to celebrate the start of the company’s new veterans training program with AVBEC.

Long & Foster Real Estate will establish a training pro-

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS® recently launched a New Jersey Shore rental website, allowing users to search and reserve approximately 2,000 rental properties, all in one place. Users can search by community, street, type of property and preferred dates. The website also provides users with important visitor information for major shore communities, including Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor, Margate City and Brigantine. www.foxroach.com

gram to recruit and train military veterans for a career in residential real estate through a partnership with the Alexandria Veterans Business Enterprise Center (AVBEC).

The Long & Foster program with AVBEC will supplement traditional residential real estate licensing classes with a mentoring program and additional training sessions focused on principles of business, customer service and finance led by veteran entrepreneurs and area business leaders.

Long & Foster is a veteran-owned business and the AVBEC veteran recruitment and training program will begin in 2015. P. Wesley (Wes) Foster, Jr., founder and CEO of Long & Foster, and a veteran U.S. Army field artillery officer, led the company’s drive toward the partnership with AVBEC. www.longandfoster.com RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 23

Real Events.

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Looking for the best speaker in the business? There’s only one.

For nearly 20 years, Verl Workman has been delivering life-changing programs that engage, enlighten and empower your agents in ways no one else can. Because Verl does more than just help sales professionals maximize their resources, dominate their “Oh, wow, was it ever good! I had nothing but awesome comments. The only regret is that we didn’t have more time – people didn’t want his classes to end! He is such a phenomenal speaker, teacher, coach... honestly the only coach I would ever consider having.”

markets and build their business.

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“The Chapter has been sponsoring these events for years and we have never had this many attend. Comments from attendees were equally positive: ‘This is the best technology speaker and session I have ever attended.’ ‘So much info that will make me money, I don’t know where to start.’ You are truly an excellent speaker with fresh, new information.”

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“I cannot remember when I’ve learned more in such a short period of time. Verl was dynamic, knowledgeable and an effective communicator with a sense of humor. I owe HAR a debt of gratitude for allowing me to spend 3½ hours with a man who will be responsible for accelerating my real estate career. I should be on my knees thanking you. Bravo!”

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look at some of our client comments.

Then take a minute to pick up the “I was completely energized by your enthusiasm, encouragement and ideas. After 20 years, I needed the joy that you bring to the ‘business’ of Real Estate. It is contagious and uplifting. Thank you for making a difference in this agent’s life!”

– Johanna Molloy

“You have such great insight into market trends, customer needs, etc. I found your seminar extremely captivating and walked away with more confidence in my career, knowing that with a few paradigm shifts, I can achieve great success.

Thank you again.”

phone and schedule your own Verl Workman event.

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Engage. Enlighten. Entertain. Empower.

New Regulations Affect Homeowners in 2015

by Keith Loria

I

ncreasing energy efficiency has long been the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and in 2015, two new regulations involving air conditioning equipment and water heaters will take effect to support this goal. REALTORSÂŽ need to be familiar with the new regulations because the regulations will likely force homeowners, contractors and manufacturers to make difficult and costly decisions.

New Regulations to Trigger Air Conditioning Equipment Replacements The first change involves raising efficiency standards for air conditioning equipment. Beginning January 1, 2015, new Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) standards will increase from 13 to 14. For those not familiar with the term, SEER is calculated by dividing how much a unit cools by how much energy it uses during a typical cooling season. Therefore, the higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient a unit is.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 25

“SEER 14 is different from past energy mandates be- unknown whether the existing inventory will last through cause unlike past mandates, in almost all cases, a full the grace period. The south and southwest states insystem replacement (both the indoor and outdoor unit) clude Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, will be necessary to make the system compatible,” says Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Jeff Powell, president of First American Home Buyers Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, OklaProtection Corporation. “It can get really costly when homa, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. a new indoor coil unit doesn’t fit in the existing space Barry Miles, First American’s vice president of operaand structural modifications to the house or building tions, notes that if a homeowner’s unit has to be reare needed to accommodate the larger unit.” placed, their contractor must replace the unit according Some manufacturers estimate the to the new standards for your state. average price increase associated “Contractors have to understand According to the DOE, with going from a SEER 13 to a SEER what’s going on, especially for those in these new mandatory 14 condenser will range from 55 - 66 the bordering states,” Miles says, “they standards will save percent and total energy savings will need to understand where the lines are differ based on geography, how often from that standpoint. For instance, in approximately 3.3 a unit runs, and what SEER rating the north of Arizona, SEER 13 split quads of energy and states existing condenser has. system air conditioning units will still “Once the unit is installed, energy result in approximately be acceptable. The same is true in cost savings will vary,” Powell says $63 billion in energy- states north of California.” (see sidebar). “As far as what we On the positive side, those that bill savings for recommend, these changes are manmake the change will have a more efproducts shipped datory, so unfortunately, the reality ficient unit. However, Miles believes is homeowners don’t really have a that in some cases, the cost of the from 2015 - 2044. choice in the matter.” replacement unit could be double for The increase in the efficiency stanthe homeowner. dards will significantly affect air conditioning replace“From our perspective, replacements are going to be ments in southwest and southeast states. In the north- more costly,” Miles says. “Homeowners will be faced ern states, SEER 13 split system air conditioners are with tough choices pertaining to modifications. Contracstill acceptable, however heat pumps, packaged air tors will be looking at cost increases for the transportaconditioning units and gas packs will need to be SEER tion, warehousing and installation of the larger equip14 or higher. ment footprint.”

According to the new requirements, SEER 13 air conditioners manufactured before January 1, 2015, may Water Heater Replacements be installed in south and southwest regions during an The second big change involves water heater replace18-month grace period ending July 1, 2016—but it’s ments—an amendment to the National Appliance En-

Annual Operating Costs*

Average Annual Savings**

City and State

SEER 10

SEER 13

SEER 14

SEER 10 to SEER 14

SEER 13 to SEER 14

San Francisco, Calif.

$76

$58

$45

$31

$13

Los Angeles, Calif.

$518

$398

$311

$207

$87

Birmingham, Ala.

$527

$405

$316

$211

$89

Phoenix, Ariz.

$725

$557

$435

$290

$122

Houston, Texas

$748

$575

$449

$299

$126

Orlando, Fla.

$986

$759

$592

$394

$167

* Based on $0.113/kWh electric rate. Annual costs exclude the initial purchase price. All costs, except initial cost, are discounted over the products' lifetime using a real discount rate of 4 percent. ** Information based on data by U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE and is provided for estimating purposes only. Actual energy savings may vary based on use and other factors.

26 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ergy Conservation Act known as the “2015 DOE Final Rule.” When the amendment takes effect on April 16, 2015, the DOE will require higher energy factor ratings on virtually all residential gas, electric, oil and tankless gas water heaters. This will impact how water heaters are designed, manufactured, tested, distributed and installed, affecting manufacturers, wholesalers, installers and homeowners alike.

“The 2015 DOE Final Rule will affect homeowners needing a water heater replacement differently, depending on the fuel source and size of the existing water heater,” Powell says. “These changes may be relatively minor in some cases, and more significant with largervolume products. Similar to the change to more efficient and larger air conditioning units, there may not be the appropriate space to house a potentially taller, wider and heavier water heater. This may trigger higher costs due to structural modifications to the residence, as well as the higher equipment cost.”

The Role of the REALTOR® Tracy Berger, First American’s senior vice president of real estate sales, notes regulations involving home sysNAR-1208_MVP_RIS_HalfPageAd_2014_7.5x5.25_r8.pdf 1 2/21/14 tems are something REALTORS® need to understand.

REALTORS® may need to answer questions from homebuyers and sellers on these new regulations, so it’s an opportunity to explain and deliver value to their clients.

“Our sales team provides brokers a tremendous resource to educate their agents and set them apart among their clients,” says Berger. “Having this type of awareness reinforces their value at a much deeper level.”

All REALTORS® should talk to their home warranty providers to find out more about how these new regulations could potentially affect their clients.

While these changes may be costly and cause headaches for homeowners, contractors, manufacturers, etc., they will help our country become more energy efficient and decrease the impact on our environment.

According to the DOE, these new mandatory standards will save approximately 3.3 quads of energy and result in approximately $63 billion in energy-bill savings for products shipped from 2015 - 2044. The standard will avoid about 172.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of about 33.8 million automobiles. RE 11:41 AM

For more information, please visit www.firstamrealestate.com.

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{Blog Spot} fling their peas at you.

4. Don’t forget body language. No one will ever want to buy your listing or take your advice if you don’t seem confident, at ease, and trustworthy.

What your body is saying is just as important as what your mouth is saying, so be sure your body language reads well. Don’t cross your arms in front of your chest, which can make you seem guarded. Don’t stare at the ground when speaking, which can make you seem disengaged and insecure. Instead, bounce your gaze around the audience, keep your arms relaxed at your sides (no fidgeting!) and don’t forget to breathe.

6 Ways to Rock Your Real Estate Speaking Event

by Zoe Eisenberg

W

hether you’re simply speaking at an open house, addressing your entire company or taking over a panel, below are six ways to really rock your public speaking.

1. Create a speech map. Instead of (or in addition to) writing everything down on note cards, try associating certain topics you want to address with objects in a room of your house. Then, once you’re ready to address your audience, take a mental tour of the room and stop on every object to pick up the topic you dropped there. This is also known as a Roman Room map, because it was a technique used by the Romans, since they couldn’t exactly make a quick slideshow on their iPad...

2. Focus on smiling faces. This tip comes from Rick Conley, president and instructor at Real Estate Education Services, Inc. By staring at 28 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

those who look downright joyful to be in your presence, you will feel less pressure and more confident. “Every audience is different depending on location, time of day, the weather, and a lot of things going on in their lives,” says Conley. While it may take a moment for you to get on the same page as your audience, focusing on those big ol’ grins will help you breathe easier.

3. Practice. We all know practice makes perfect, so don’t just write out your talk, actually practice it.

Do it in front of the mirror. Repeat it on the drive to work. Say it in the shower. Say it ad nauseam to your spouse over dinner until they want to

5. Keep it simple. There is no need to get poetic. This is especially true if you’re speaking to a room full of potential clients. “REALTORS® tend to forget how important a decision and purchase are because we do it every day,” says Gordon Miles, president and COO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties.

“For the majority of the public, this only happens a few times in a lifetime, so be sure your communication is on their level.”

6. Humanize the audience. Speak to your audience—be it a room full of people or one client—like you’re on the same level. “Humanizing allows the audience to relax and feel you are one of them, not above them or some alien,” says Conley. “I am one-on-one with them, and I tell them that. I am no better than they are; I just happen to have some information to share.” RE Zoe Eisenberg is RISMedia’s Associate Editor. Email her your blog topic ideas: zoe@rismedia.com.

This article originally appeared on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall. Visit us at blog.rismedia.com.

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more than emailing—and so will they. It’s a great way to establish rapport, answer their questions without ambiguity and conduct a little show and tell. They can meet your assistants, see your office environment, and more. You can also visually walk them through the buying and selling process.

To schedule personalized Video Messaging: 3 Ways 2. virtual tours If you have buyers with tricky schedto Connect with Your Clients ules or those who just want to see

D

o you Skype, FaceTime or schedule Hangouts with your buyers and sellers? If you’re not using these free, Webbased video chat services in your real estate business, you should be.

We’re going to discuss three ways you can use these chat services to improve communications and boost your marketing in just a minute, but first, here’s a rundown of a few of the most popular video conferencing services: Skype – By now, almost everyone has heard of Skype. It’s the free way to video call anyone in the world, no matter which desktop or mobile device they use. You can also use Skype to send photos and files.

FaceTime – Make video calls from your Mac device. If both you and your client have an iPhone, iPad or Mac computer (or some combination of these Apple products), this video calling service is built right in.

Google Hangouts – Initially only available as part of Google+, Hangouts now has standalone iOS and Android

30 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

apps. Hangouts is ideal for group chats involving people in multiple locations. In addition to video chatting, you can share your desktop, making it great for office meetings as well.

If learning how to use these services seems like too much of a hassle for you or your clients, you can still record video footage using the camera function on your smartphone. You can then text or email that video to your clients so they have the full-service experience of seeing and hearing from their agent, instead of just reading a copy-only message.

3 Ways Real Estate Agents Can Use Video Chat

1.

To meet with remote clients Working with clients in another county...or country? We promise that you’ll enjoy video chatting with them

a certain part of a particular home again, use a video chat service or record footage on your phone as you walk through a listing. It’s the perfect personalized virtual tour.

You can zoom in on the features they care about and address their specific concerns.

3.

To collect (and share) testimonials Video recording features on your smartphone or tablet are an easy way to capture client testimonials.

With this on-the-go capability, you don’t have to coordinate a complicated live action shoot or put too much pressure on your buyers or sellers.

Just press record, ask them what they liked about buying or selling a house with you, and you’re on your way. Sharing these little snippets on your agent website and social media channels is a breeze.

How do you use video chatting services in your real estate business? RE To learn more about online marketing tools and lead capture solutions for real estate agents, visit Point2.com or contact feedback@point2.com.

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RREIN RREIN RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network®

NIERR

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Empowering NIERR

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Brokers

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Sales Associates Consumers

{Business Building}

One of the Best Things You Can Do for Yourself

by Vinnie Tracey

give yourself the chance, you can find a million reasons not to go. But fight that urge.

Consider that at your very first convention, you could: 8Meet an agent (or several of them) with whom you exchange referrals for many years.

8Hear an idea that opens the door to entirely new avenues of business.

8Take a class that prepares you for a challenge you didn’t anticipate and wouldn’t have been ready for.

8Realize that an aspect of real estate that seemed incomprehensible is actually understandable when you look at it a certain way.

A

t this time of year, we’re all focused to some degree on resolutions, goals and moving forward with a clean slate.

Invigorated by the fresh start, many people make real, meaningful changes in their lives or careers. They hold on to the clean slate, uncover a newfound sense of commitment and develop better habits, producing better results.

If that’s your inclination, I’d like to suggest a goal to add to your list: Attend a professional convention in 2015.

Why? Because it’s absolutely one of the best things you can do for your career.

Just Do It If you’ve never been to a multi-day conference or convention, you probably don’t realize what an impact it can have on you.

Obviously, the agenda is the foundation of any event—whether it’s a regional coaching seminar, your brand’s national convention or a massive industry gathering (the No-

vember REALTOR® Conference being the granddaddy of them all). The schedule of classes, panels and educational sessions is your starting point in gauging whether the event will be relevant to you.

But here’s a secret they don’t tell you in the brochure: The magic really happens in the margins. It’s the conversation you have with the person sitting next to you while you’re waiting for a session to begin. It’s the dinner you have with six people you didn’t know a day earlier. It’s the amazing generosity of successful people who are willing to share their ideas with you during a cocktail reception.

It’s the connections you build. The friends you make. The relationships you develop.

Add those elements to the formal education, the incredible coaching and the motivational recharge built into these events, and what do you have? You have a 2015 resolution you really should keep.

It’s an Investment Conventions aren’t free. They cost money. They cost time. And if you

8Get introduced to someone who becomes your lifelong friend.

8Rediscover why you got into this business in the first place.

8Leave the convention with more skills, more confidence, more contacts and more resolve to be better than ever.

Make Your Move So, register for the convention you’ve been considering, especially if it’s something you’ve wanted to do but have been putting off. And if you don’t have one in mind, find something that would suit your needs.

Remember, time goes by quickly.

February will be here before you know it, and your good intentions for the new year can start to fade. Don’t let that happen.

Get yourself to a convention this year. You’ll be glad you did. And a year from now, when you’re planning for 2016, attending your next one will be automatic. RE Vinnie Tracey is president of RE/MAX, LLC. For more information, visit www.remax.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 33

{Basic Training} peek at new inventory. This will build engagement and prove that you’re working on their behalf. In addition, use your smartphone or iPad for onthe-spot clips to stay connected.

4.

Refresh, Relaunch and Reignite Your 2015

by Terri Murphy Want to really hit the profit zone you’ve dreamed of by this time next year?

If you’ve been in a slump or simply not motivated to gear up and crank out another 12 months of listing, selling, negotiating and prospecting, maybe you need a fresh focus to take you from mediocre to meteoric.

How about reigniting how you go to market to get more sales that sell fast?

Whether you’re new to the business or a veteran of several years, there’s never been a better time to refresh and relaunch your service strategies with real differentiation and new engagement solutions.

To get you fired up so that your production explodes in 2015, here are a few tips:

1.

Have a plan or plan to fail.

It’s not a new concept, but it’s more powerful than ever. Follow a plan to keep you focused and on track to only do highly profitable activities that increase your income ev34 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

ery day. Plug in daily activities that include consistent prospecting and execution of great ideas and you’ll be on the right track.

2.

Need listings? Shoot short, engaging videos that sell the neighborhood or area in which you’re looking to dominate. Interview homeowners or the president of the homeowners association about why they love living there. Also, shoot highlights of the area’s best features. Be sure to post these videos on your YouTube channel and include a link in your newsletters or direct mail to promote engagement and branding.

3.

Guarantee buyer loyalty.

Use your local weekly caravan or properties tour as part of your prospecting strategy. Start sending short videos of new inventory to prospective buyer leads. Then, invite the buyer to join you on a tour to get a

Offer differentiation at the listing appointment. If you want to really impress a seller, offer them their own featured property website. Engage your seller in your strategy of higher-profile marketing to specific buyers by creating a single property website just for their property, using their address as the URL when possible.

5.

Empty rooms? No need to rent furniture if you offer virtual staging options. Jump from ho-hum, music-only tours to a tour service that offers interaction by incorporating tools such as virtual staging, or options to select different colors for walls, cabinetry and flooring. (Check out www.OBEO.com).

6.

Sell a lifestyle. Agents who engage the seller by mapping out the lifestyle of where they live helps attract buyers who are looking for the same type of living. Check out www.Skitch.com as a great tool.

It’s all about engaging buyers and sellers. Use new, exciting and engaging systems to position yourself as the professional to make more sales. RE

Terri Murphy is a communication consultant, speaker, and a published author of five books, including her latest with Donald Trump. She is the founder and president of WomensWisdomNetwork.com and serves as CIO of U.S. Learning in Memphis. For more information, visit www.TerriMurphy.com, www.USLearning.com or email Terri@TerriMurphy.com.

We’ve got you covered.

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Sellers, buyers and current homeowners can benefit from First American home warranty protection. We offer coverage for single family homes, townhomes, mobile homes, vacation homes, multi-units, and more. Additionally, we’ve designed a unique Portfolio product for property managers with 10 or more properties.

WE PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMERS’ HOMES and YOUR REPUTATION When you put a First American home warranty on your listings, your clients can be protected from the expense and hassle of home system and appliance breakdowns.

Whether you need to order a warranty, request service, or add coverage, your local Area Manager is ready to assist.

firstam.com/warranty phone orders 800.444.9030 First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation makes no express or implied warranty respecting the information presented and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. First American, the eagle logo, firstam.com, and First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation are registered trademarks or trademarks of First American Financial Corporation and/or its affiliates. ©2014 First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation. All rights reserved.

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If you’re a top producing agent, the truth is you could still be getting more. As a member of RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network, you enjoy exclusive access to an array of personal branding, professional networking, multi-media marketing and technological resources few others could ever match.

In other words, you get everything you need to get the listing, get the deal and get ahead. All for less than most agents spend on smartphone service. Find out how top producers stay on top – and how you can join them there. Visit us at Top5inRealEstate.com today.

Top Training & Coaching | Top Tools & Technology | Top Resources & Services

{Life in Mobile} 2015 Outlook:

Constant Connectivity

by Seth Kaplan

P

erhaps it’s just me, but I would be willing to bet that many of us within the real estate industry are having a hard time getting over the fact that it’s really 2015. The past seven years have been a very long road traveled for many, but yet, they’ve gone by in a flash. Mobile, largely regarded as the future seven years ago, is now the reality in which we all live. Feature phones are all but a thing of the past, not only because my mother has now adopted an iPhone, but smartphone penetration (over 72 percent as of March 2014) within developed markets is nearing maturity. So now that we all agree we’re living in a mobile world, where do we in the real estate industry go from here?

Now that almost all of us have converted to a smartphone, it’ll probably come as no surprise that all related sectors are booming: apps, mobile advertising, mobile commerce, social and music. Mobile-first media companies have even proven to be more valuable than some traditional media companies. For example, traditional media companies such as The New York Times, Gannett, Viacom and Comcast have a com-

bined market value of only $180 billion compared to that of mobile-first companies such as Millennial Media, Pandora, Twitter and Facebook, which have a combined market value of over $239 billion. The use of mobile solutions is also disrupting many other large industries such as payments, banking and health and fitness—all of which are increasing rapidly and expected to continue to grow over the next three years.

Impacting all of this is the interconnectivity of additional devices that are now available to consumers, including wearables (watches and bands), smart TV’s and cars.

With multiple screens, all of which keep us connected constantly, we’re becoming a new breed of consumer unlike anything any business has ever seen. Our expectation of what’s available to us—and when—is increasing dramatically. In addition, we’re coming to rely on this constant connectivity to shape how we make decisions. This can be seen in the daily increase in the use of health and fitness apps (up 62 percent from December 2013 - June 2014), which are helping to shape the eating and exercise decisions we make on a daily basis.

Consequently, the more connected we become—and the more we rely on this connectivity—the more information about us that’s captured and recorded. I certainly recognize why this is a scary proposition for many, but it could also prove advantageous for those who use it for good. Ultimately, constant connectivity combined with the information we can access is shaping the decisions we make, and the same can hold true for real estate purchases. 2015 will see a change in the traditional real estate search, one that combines constant connectivity with the vast amount of data available to help better shape the home-buying decision of today’s consumer. While mobile will certainly be a huge part of it, it will ultimately be driven by the demand of the consumer to have us help them shape their decision. RE

Seth Kaplan is president of MRE. For more information, visit www.mobilerealestateid.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 37

{Industry Insight}

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

Introduces Friendliest Search in Real Estate

B

etter Homes and Gardens® Real Estate has revolutionized real estate search by delivering the most comprehensive lifestyle and community data-based search and sort experience fully integrated within the property search of a national website. Additionally, it has transformed the way its network will be able to compete on the Internet by providing all Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate brokers with customizable, IDX-based brokerage websites featuring new search capabilities at no cost. A roll-out of individual agent websites featuring these same benefits will occur in the first quarter of 2015. The Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate custom website environment, BHGRE.com, is built upon a fully responsive platform designed for mobile-first usage.

“This exciting milestone reflects Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s dedication to the consumer and the needs of our affiliated brokers,” says Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. “Consumers are buying homes based on lifestyle requirements, but the way real estate search is done online had not yet evolved to meet that reality.

There are many sites out there, but fundamentally they all behave the same way. We have created a site that will forever change the search paradigm. Additionally, many brokers have voiced that they are unable to keep up with the exponential technology requirements necessary to stay competitive on the Web. Our new Web environment is the next, exciting evolution of our brand’s value proposition. We have delivered company websites that are unmatched in terms of functionality and flexibility, at no additional cost.

We look forward to the continued enhancement of our broker websites as we work toward integrating 38 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

with the ZipRealty platform.”

“This is the ultimate representation of a national brand delivering significant business value to its brokers,” says Chris Masiello, president and CEO, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group. “This new website environment will not only bring us direct brand contribution as a lead source, it is also saving us significant time and money by serving as a highly functional website option.

The launch of the brand’s equally innovative agent websites in 2015 will be a significant advantage in our talent attraction, productivity and retention strategies.”

The New Personalization 8Search Designed for the Way You Live: Consumers are able to begin their property search using lifestyle triggers such as drive time, school zone, or neighborhood/address.

These integrated search criteria set the stage for the highly personalized experience they will enjoy with their agents.

8Innovative drive-time based property search is powered by INRIX, a leading provider of drive-time insight in the connected car and smart cities worldwide. Consumers begin their personalized property search by selecting a drive time maximum along with a time of day requirement suited to their lifestyle.

“Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has successfully transformed big data into personalized insights,” says Kevin Foreman, general manager of GeoAnalytics at INRIX. “People no longer measure distance by miles. We measure it in minutes.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has achieved the ultimate execution of INRIX’s intelligent technology by making dynamic drive time a search criteria right at the top, within the actual property search. Along with other unique functionalities, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is demonstrating their service commitment to the consumer and to the efficiency and productivity of the agent.”

8On the Map: Consumers can refine the results of their search based on pinpoints on a map, free-hand drawing, and viewing homes against typical traffic distances. This design represents the most comprehensive approach to property search on maps in the industry.

8A Refined Sort: Once the initial property search returns, the BHGRE.com site presents the consumer with property cards featuring photos of each home, property information and indicators grading how the home performs against the consumer’s top three selected lifestyle criteria.

“The lifestyle brand of real estate has made lifestyle search a reality on the Web,” says Jonathan Bednarsh, president and COO of Onboard Informatics. “Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is the first to leverage community, lifestyle and school data within the property search experience to more closely emulate the home search process people undertake in the offline world.

BHGRE.com is positioned to be a category breaker in its delivery of the industry’s most personalized, integrated and complete search experience in a single destination.”

Innovation Beyond Search 8Unmatched Content: BHGRE.com has been designed to put content at the center of the real estate experience. In addition to lifestyle and community data, Yelp, National Weather Service, dining and entertainment data mingles with video, photography, DIY, real estate and local content.

8Transforming Visits into Leads: All brand-generated leads will flow directly into the company’s specific lead routing process to seamlessly integrate with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s CRM system.

8Multi-Lingual Capabilities: The site supports the addition of Spanish language property, informational and affiliated agent content.

8Built for a Mobile-First World: The custom platform is built for mobile-first. It supports multiple photos in a swipe-and-click format. Property pages can be accessed in-line, eliminating the need to open a new browser window. With its mobile-first platform, BHGRE.com preserves all functionality and presents the site true to the mobile channel experience when users interact via a phone or tablet.

8Agent Benefits: Affiliated agents are able to customize their profile pages with awards, testimonials, biography and social media feed information. To increase the visibility of listings during property searches, all listings will have auto-generated single property pages fully optimized for search. Each listing will also be featured in an auto-generated virtual tour, powered by Onvedeo.

The technology leverages the site’s IDX data and supplements it with school, mortgage, walk score and neighborhood information to create an engaging two-minute product that gives consumers a true picture of the home in the broader context of the community. RE For more information, visit www.BHGRE.com.

15 Time-Saving Hacks for 2015

by Wendy Forsythe

T

ime is one thing we can’t get back. Once a minute has passed, it’s gone forever.

Spending our minutes wisely will not only result in being more productive, it’ll also give us more freedom to focus on the broader spectrum of activities that bring us happiness and fulfillment.

Here are 15 time-saving hacks for the year ahead (in no particular order): Upgrade your mobile device to the latest and greatest version. You carry it everywhere with you. You sleep with it. Invest in the latest device.

Use apps instead of websites. Apps are usually faster, provide a better user experience and are always available via that handy new smartphone you upgraded to.

Stop multitasking. Do and complete one thing at a time.

Use time blocking in your calendar. Block time not only for appointments and meetings, but prospecting and other business-critical activities. And don’t forget time for yourself. Exercise and emotional well-being need time as well.

Send shorter emails. If emails had character limits, we would all save enormous amounts of time.

Text more. It’s faster than email, and usually results in a faster reply.

Avoid voicemail tag by answering your phone.

I know you can’t answer it every time it rings, but commit to answering it as often as possible.

Call people. It often takes less time than emailing them and then waiting for their reply.

Do the most important thing on your to-do list first every day. This time hack is an enormous energy saver. Once you’ve done the most important thing, the rest of your day will flow much more smoothly.

Have a to-do list and actually commit to doing the items on the list.

Check in on your social media accounts while you’re standing in line to pay for the groceries, get coffee, or buy lunch. Just a quick check-in a few times a day is all you need.

If you have to hold or attend meetings, limit them to 30 minutes. Most meetings don’t require the default 60 minutes typically allotted.

Set up filters on your email inbox. Use a filter to reduce the noise by sending newsletters, promotions and other noncritical emails that you can deal with later to a separate folder.

Wait in line less by doing more of your shopping online.

Learn more keyboard shortcuts.

Today we have to be equipped to work anywhere and everywhere. These time-saving hacks will help you stay focused on your overall goals.

Commit to making every minute count. Do you have any time-saving hacks? RE Wendy Forsythe is the executive vice president and head of global operations at Carrington Real Estate Services, where she is responsible for the operations and growth of the national brokerage, with 2,000 agents in 22 states. You can email her at wendy.forsythe@carringtonres.com. To learn more about taking your career to the next level with Carrington Real Estate Services, visit www.carringtonrealestate.com/join.

40 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

More Success, Less Stress

by Maria Patterson

RPR Mobile Keeps Business Close at Hand

W

hile the importance of mobile technology may be widely accepted

these days, determining which apps will help you most is a mounting challenge for real estate professionals. As developers hit the market almost daily with new mobile offerings that promise a multitude of benefits, brokers and agents are, understandably, confused.

42 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

But what if there was a mobile program developed by REALTORS® for REALTORS®? Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®) has done just that.

With the launch of RPR Mobile™ this past September, RPR believes it has cut through the current clatter of mobile technology with an app that offers tangible benefits expressly designed for real estate professionals—all at no cost to NAR members.

By the REALTOR®, for the REALTOR® “There is certainly an excitement

among REALTORS® with mobile technology, and there’s a basic understanding that mobile does something well and usually easier, and people like that,” explains RPR® Vice President of Marketing and Social Media, Reggie Nicolay.

“However, most real estate apps currently on the market put their focus on the consumer and the direct-to-consumer experience. RPR Mobile has been built for the REALTOR®, which makes it different than most. RPR is their backoffice tool to ready themselves for

conversations with consumers and prepare for activities like a listing presentation or buyers’ tour.”

According to Nicolay, the process began by making REALTORS®a part of it. “As a free member benefit of the National Association of REALTORS®, the first thing we did was create a task force of REALTORS® to understand what they wanted from their mobile applications,” he explains.

“We wanted to make sure our mobile offering extended the current power of RPR by taking advantage of the features in today’s smartphone that aren’t available on our website, such as the camera, GPS, microphone, and other sensors. We went to the drawing board and figured out how to combine those features with the power of RPR’s database.”

For Sean Moore, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Boone Realty in Columbia, Mo., the fact that RPR Mobile was developed by REALTORS® for REALTORS® immediately set the product apart.

“This is our own product, not a vendor product,” says Moore. “It is something we were doing for our own industry and for ourselves, and to me, that’s always important.

I believe in providing products and services that members will use, so that was my initial attraction. When you put more money and expertise behind a project, you end up getting a better product.”

Seizing the Power of ‘Now’ At the heart of RPR Mobile is its location functionality, an essential feature for on-the-go real estate professionals.

“The app is all about location,” says Nicolay. “It’s really easy for agents to understand that what they care most about, the property, is at the focus of the mobile technology— that they can be standing in front of a property with a client and get all

the information they need right on their mobile device. That’s where we really tried to go. We wanted to make it intuitive and easy.”

For Kevin Tomlinson (left), a REALTOR® with One Sotheby’s International Realty in Miami Beach, Fla., being a real-time real estate professional is essential to operating successfully in today’s market.

“I’m a big believer in windows of opportunity—from what I know, they open and close before most people know they are even open,” explains Tomlinson. “With RPR Mobile, I can get property specifics and information now—and as most people would say in the real estate industry, ‘now’ is the most important time. If I’m driving by a house, whether I’m with a client or not, I want to know what’s going on with that house now.

Instead of jotting it down, I can use

“This is our own product, not a vendor product. It is something we were doing for our own industry and for ourselves, and to me, that’s always important. I believe in providing products and services that members will use, so that was my initial attraction.”

- Sean Moore, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Boone Realty, Columbia, Mo.

RPR Mobile and get the information right away. With a tool like RPR Mobile that’s up and running and ready to go, I don’t have to wait for my assistant back at the office, I can just get the info I need and go from

RPR Mobile places the power of information in the hands of on-the-go real estate professionals.

there.”

Moore concurs. “When I’m out with buyers in the field or in the car, I can get the data I need off of RPR® Mobile quicker than from any other resource,” he explains. “I’m always logged in and it knows my location.

The geo-location feature is huge. I don’t have to search. I can take two seconds and tell people exactly how much houses are.”

Nicole Nicolay, a REALTOR® Associate with the Engel Group at J. Rockcliff REALTORS® in Pleasanton, Calif., was part of the beta test group for RPR Mobile and began actively using it this summer. She echoes Tomlinson’s emphasis on being able to seize opportunities whenever and wherever they occur.

“Being able to have access to the information I need no matter where I am is critical,” she explains. “RPR Mobile gives me the ease of knowing that if I’m out and don’t have my laptop, I can still pull over and easily access the information that’s available on my MLS directly from the app.

This is the way we do business now.”

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 43

Power in the Palm of Your Hand One of RPR’s most acclaimed features is its reporting capabilities, all of which are tied directly into RPR Mobile. “The reporting is professional and full of data to answer the questions clients are often asking,” Nicolay explains. “You have a tremendous amount of information, all in your pocket—wherever you are, you now have answers to those questions. From a neighborhood report to property activity, all of RPR’s reports are available in mobile. Getting an inquiry on a property and being able to immediately get back to that person with a branded report right from your phone is a really powerful part of the app.”

Moore works with several lead generation systems in an effort to gather as many seller leads as possible. With RPR’s Realtor Valuation Model® (RVM®) now available through the mobile app, he can get back to potential sellers with lightning-fast speed in order to turn more of those leads into clients.

“We all know you have to respond to leads quickly,” explains Moore.

“When that lead comes in, no matter where I am, I can now generate and send the RVMs from the app on my phone. To be able to send a branded, thorough, analytical report is huge.

The worst email you can send is one stating, ‘I’ll get back to you.’ I’ll pull over to the side of the road, fire off a report in a minute, and check it off the to-do list. We spend a lot of time adding appointments and to-dos to our calendars, but if we could just knock things off our calendars, we’d be better off.”

The quantity and accuracy of the data available through RPR is also second to none, adds Moore. “The conglomeration of all the data sources in one spot saves me time and money. It prevents me from having to go to the MLS, to public tax records, to the recorder’s website to look up loan information. REALTORS® owe

44 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

it to themselves to calculate what they’re worth an hour. Before you make those decisions of what to do with your time—look to leverage it.

Time is irreplaceable.”

“RPR gives me a tool and resource to help educate my clients. I can showcase my knowledge of the area, and back it up with a great tool and resource; I don’t have to sell myself.”

- Nicole Nicolay, REALTOR® Associate, Engel Group at J. Rockcliff REALTORS®, Pleasanton, Calif.

Building Business while Gaining Balance “Think about how people use their phones today,” says Reggie Nicolay. “Sometimes your phone is the only thing you have with you. Deals aren’t made in the office anymore.

They’re made on the sidewalk or in a restaurant.” By allowing real estate professionals to quickly connect with clients on the go, RPR Mobile not only helps better serve today’s consumers, it helps REALTORS® live their lives.

“The app has helped me maintain a balanced life,” says Nicole Nicolay. “I can be out with the kids, and if someone calls about a listing, I can use RPR Mobile to bring up the property and call the agent. There’s a big difference between being able to handle it right then and putting off that client and saving that type of work for the end of the day.”

By taking full advantage of using the RPR Web application in tandem with RPR Mobile, Nicole Nicolay has been able to work more effectively to build business while in the field.

“Not only do the website and mobile versions have the same info, it’s es-

sentially a smart app, storing all the info from recent activity and searches,” she explains. “When preparing for an open house, I’ll run a neighborhood report and property report on my desktop before heading out and set out a copy of each with my listing flyer. The app is one of my go-to resources when I’m meeting people at open houses. It gives me a way to easily collect someone’s info when talking to them and then email them or text them a report from the app.

RPR gives me a tool and resource to help educate my clients. I can showcase my knowledge of the area, and back it up with a great tool and resource; I don’t have to sell myself.”

“I can’t impress upon you enough how important time is,” says Tomlinson. “If a client needs something on the fly, a tax roll or a picture, I can get it off to them. Having the ability to get the information immediately is huge, because, in reality, five minutes later may be too late.”

Quality Updates to Enhance Business RPR has already added many new features to RPR Mobile since its debut, including drawing custom search areas, searching based on school attendance zones, and viewing school information.

“The user interface is excellent,” says Tomlinson. “I’m the biggest fan of RPR and I just mentioned it at a big company get together we had. If you aren’t using RPR, you should be.

It’s the tool that you can really impress with.”

According to Moore, “I just taught a class for my office last week and I told the room of about 40 - 50 agents, ‘If you’re not using the RPR Mobile app, you’re crazy. You’re working too hard.’” RE For more information, please visit www.blog.narrpr.com/mobile.

Paige Tepping and Nick Caruso contributed to this article.

Š 2014 ERA Franchise Systems LLC. A Realogy Company. All Rights Reserved. ERA Franchise Systems LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. ERA and the ERA logo are registered service marks licensed to ERA Franchise Systems LLC.

{Trending}

Agent Spotlight:

Bill Gassett’s Tips for Successfully Mastering Social Media by Nick Caruso

R

E/MAX Executive Realty agent Bill Gassett is clearly doing something right. With 27 years in the business, and over 31,000 followers on Google+ and approaching 20,000 on Twitter, it’s safe to say that Gassett is hitting it out of the park when it comes to social media. For many agents, mastering social media and social networking is a difficult task when faced with the many time constraints that come with working in such a fast-paced industry. However, for agents like Gassett who spend the time making connections and sharing dynamic content, social media can quickly become a valuable and profitable tool.

“The best way to make social media work is to be social. At the top of the list is to share other people’s content first.”

- bill gassett

Nick Caruso: What regions do you

serve, Bill?

Bill Gassett: I work in the Metrowest Massachusetts area, which is 25 - 30 miles west of Boston. My coverage area includes three counties, including Middlesex, Worcester and Norfolk.

NC: How many transactions do you

close on average, per year?

BG: 95

to $550,000, depending on the town.

NC: What types of properties do you

typically list?

BG: I list everything from lower-end condos to million-dollar-plus homes.

The majority of the homes I sell end up being between $300,000 and $700,000.

NC: What is the average sales price in your market?

NC: What kinds of clients do you pri-

BG: This varies from town to town. A good estimate would be $350,000

BG: My business is structured to work mostly with sellers. The buyers

46 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

marily work with?

I do work with tend to be seller clients who are staying in the area and are purchasing another property. I will also work with buyers who have been referred to me.

NC: You have some very impressive numbers across your social media pages! What advice or tips can you give to agents who aren’t so wellversed in social media?

BG: One of the biggest blunders I see with real estate agents is thinking that social media is all about selling—it is not. Social media is about

building relationships with people who can potentially help your business grow. A perfect example is the relationship I have established with you guys at RISMedia. This would never have happened without three things: decent content on my part, visibility on social media channels, and the outreach made to see if you would be interested in hearing my voice within your community.

The best way to make social media work is to be social. At the top of the list is to share other people’s content first. We all love to be put in the spotlight. Every person who has a blog loves to see other people sharing, commenting and linking to his or her articles. The way to get recognized is to be a giver first. Things usually come full circle when you are willing to give generously. One of the better ways to have that happen is to help your peers. On numerous occasions, I have written content to help my fellow real estate agents, whether it is how to use Google+, Pinterest, or even some way to make their individual websites better.

NC: Can you give our readers some

tips on how agents can properly network on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.?

BG: Google+, Twitter and Pinterest are three of my favorite social channels. On Google+, I tend to share a bit more of my own content, as I have found it is a great medium for spreading your voice. If you are in the real estate industry, I would highly recommend joining some of the more visible Google+ real estate communities. This allows your voice to be heard in a much larger social setting, especially if you have not obtained a significant number of followers on your personal profile yet.

It is also important to know who to connect with when joining Google+.

Twitter is all about establishing your voice with others who like your

content enough to share it daily and reciprocating the favor for them.

There are a number of people who have become regular readers of my blog that re-tweet what is shared on Twitter. The key here again is to be social. Unless you are one of the most recognized brands or are recognized as an SEO or social media guru, sharing others’ content is how you attain followers. The little guy is not going to succeed if all he or she does is broadcast and not reciprocate with others who have taken the time to share their content.

Believe it or not, Pinterest is the No. 1 source of social media traffic to my website. The key to success with Pinterest is to have really good graphics. People are more likely to pin your content when you have done an outstanding job with a captivating visual. Taller pins tend to work better on Pinterest because of their size. Like anything else, the content within your pin needs to be excellent so people will begin to recognize who you are the more you pin.

One of the best ways real estate agents can kick up their Pinterest visibility is to join a top real estate group board. A Pinterest group features multiple members and tends to attract more followers, which can ramp up your visibility in a shorter period of time. The beauty with Pinterest is your articles have an endless shelf life. People continuously share great pins, whereas in other social sharing platforms, the initial sharing of your content may only last a few days.

NC: Do you have any dos or don’ts in terms of what agents should/should not share on social media?

BG: The first instinct with most real estate agents on social media is to share their listings. Unless you are in the REALTOR®’s geographic locale and are interested in buying a home, you are probably not going to have

any interest in a real estate agent pushing listings in your face. So many REALTORS®just don’t seem to get this and fail miserably at social.

People don’t go on social networks to find real estate listings.

Consumers, however, are more likely to work with an agent who is knowledgeable. This can be accomplished by having a visible blog.

Sharing your expertise via a blog is a great way to be seen and heard online by people who potentially may want to do business with you. The cornerstone of my business is my Massachusetts Real Estate Blog.

This is where I share my best advice to buyers and sellers who search on the Internet to get their questions answered. One of the best things a real estate agent can do for business is have a blog that is filled with exceptional content.

Personally, I am also not a fan of people constantly sharing their political views. There is always one side of the fence you may turn off, which is never a good thing in real estate.

NC: Where do you get all of your real

estate news and how do you choose what to share with your network?

BG: Most of the real estate news I get comes from social sites, including Twitter and Google+. I also get emails from some of the more wellknown real estate news channels, such as RISMedia. I like to share things that can help a buyer or seller, as well as content my peers may find appealing. RE

Bill Gassett is a nationally recognized real estate leader who has been helping people move in and out of the Metrowest Massachusetts area for the past 27-plus years. He has been one of the top RE/MAX REALTORS® in New England for the past decade. In 2013, he was the No. 1 RE/MAX agent in Massachusetts. Connect with him on Google+. This post was originally published on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall, blog.rismedia.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 47

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Realtors Property Resource® Provides Synergy and Solutions Saving time and energy, Realtors Property Resource® helps real estate professionals work smarter and faster

by Zoe Eisenberg

F

or a successful real estate professional, time management is a constant challenge. From returning calls and emails to following up with leads and connecting with potential, past and present clients, a REALTOR®’s to-do list is often never ending. However, the right tool can help synergize your efforts to save both time and energy.

For thousands of real estate professionals, the goto time-saving industry tool is Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®), the largest comprehensive database of parcel-centric property information available. With an extensive reach, RPR aggregates hundreds of datasets on more than 160 million properties, acting as an online real estate library. And the best part? The program is an exclusive benefit to NAR REALTOR® members, meaning it comes at no additional cost, with exclusive data that is inaccessible to the general public.

Dale Chumbley, 2014 President of Clark County Association of REALTORS® in Vancouver, Wash., has been using RPR for several years now and loves the program for its MLS integration capabilities.

“The fact that RPR is deeply integrated into my MLS makes it so incredibly easy to use,” says Chumbley, a second generation REALTOR® who has been selling real estate since 1994. “It’s linked directly in RMLS, which makes it always top of mind.”

Recently, RPR unveiled a new app, RPR mobile™, which allows users to create fast, customizable, company-branded reports for any property right from their smartphone. By synching favorites, reports, recent searches and notes between RPR’s mobile app and website, the app helps bolster agent organization and productivity. Once a property report has been generated, RPR mobile users can add their own notes and photos and send the package directly to their clients,

48 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“RPR saves time and provides great value to myself and my consumers. It’s a very efficient way to reach out immediately to make that initial connection.”

- Dale Chumbley 2014 President of Clark County Association of REALTORS®

a feature that Chumbley has found invaluable in his day-to-day real estate routine.

“When I get any form of online lead, I immediately open the app and go to the property,” comments Chumbley, who will then use the app to generate a mini report and send that to the inquiring person.

“RPR saves time and provides great value to myself and my consumers. It’s a very efficient way to reach out immediately to make that initial connection,” notes Chumbley, continuing on about the app’s ease of use, which enables him to be more productive and successful.

Chumbley’s success, it should be mentioned, is inarguable. In 2014, he was named the Clark County Association of REALTORS®’ REALTOR® of the Year, a title proving that, with RPR in his corner, he is a step ahead of the competition.

“Most people who aren’t using [RPR] aren’t able to send such data-rich information in such a quick fashion,” says Chumbley.

The information that RPR provides users with is boundless: demographics, tax assessments, public

Simplifying Searchability Finding the best home (and neighborhood) with RentalRoost

by Nick Caruso

W

records, default, REO, foreclosure and pre-foreclosure data, as well as MLS/CIE-provided information, zoning, school info and flood plain maps, all free of charge.

Another way RPR helps agents? With training. Typically, teaching green agents to understand different markets is a timely process. However, by condensing data in a one-stop shop, fledgling agents using RPR are able to digest massive amounts of information with ease, learning their markets faster and more efficiently. To help, RPR offers live, in-person training, a multitude of webinars, on-demand video lesson plans and a collection of easy-to-access resources.

“RPR has been a great tool for teaching and training,” says Chumbley, who is impressed with the RPR trainers available in his region who provide in-person benefits to local REALTORS®.

From making that initial client connection to learning your market and training new agents, Realtors Property Resource® provides technology, analytics and innovation to help you succeed in your business, this year and beyond.

For more information, please visit www.narrpr.com.

ith most renters and homeowners starting their searches on the Web, it’s no surprise that making the process of searching for a home online more appealing and accessible has been one of the biggest topics of conversation in the real estate industry recently.

Additionally, renters and homeowners want the most comprehensive data available in an easy-to-digest format. With all the competition in the marketplace, renters and prospective buyers are narrowing down their searches by using sites with the most attuned search criteria for the job at hand. Is walkability important to you? Does a home or rental need to be kid- or pet-friendly? How about proximity to public transportation, good schools, restaurants, bars and other entertainment? If these are some of the factors that will make or break your decision, let RentalRoost lead your way.

With RentalRoost’s personalized searches and easyto-navigate interface, users can explore new aspects of their favorite neighborhoods and properties, all while discovering new areas they might want to seek out or live in. Customized searches can be saved in one convenient portal, making it easier than ever to navigate the house hunting process. RentalRoost’s big data analytics also allows them to accurately predict home values and rent estimates to help users make the smartest decisions on where to live.

For Cheryl Hirschi, a renter living in Redondo Beach, Calif., who also owns rental property out of state, RentalRoost has been one of her top go-to sites for property information. Six months ago, she and her husband decided to move from Santa Monica to the Manhattan Beach/Redondo area. The couple used RentalRoost to aid in their search efforts and narrow down their list of priorities.

“I liked their interface. The layout of RentalRoost seemed easier to navigate than some of the other sites,” says Hirschi. “I like how it has a very clean

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 49

“I don’t like to look at a bunch of clutter on the screen, and with RentalRoost, I can clearly see what I’m looking at and not have too much information all at once.”

- Cheryl Hirschi Renter, Redondo Beach, Calif.

look to it. I don’t like to look at a bunch of clutter on the screen, and with RentalRoost, I can clearly see what I’m looking at and not have too much information all at once.”

The RentalRoost website also allows users to connect via Facebook. Once logged in, RentalRoost builds a taste matrix for that user, using data from their Facebook profile to find homes that match that particular user’s lifestyle, another invaluable tool for renters and prospective buyers to have in their arsenal. Because social media activity is a reflection of one’s lifestyle and activities, RentalRoost’s automated extraction of this data into users’ searches is a practical way to ensure that users find the exact properties that match the way they live.

Hirschi also points to the company’s commuting options as being one unique feature that sets RentalRoost apart from its competitors. “When you search a property and click on it, it brings up a box that lists all the commuting options,” she says. “Living in a city, that’s a big deal. ‘How long will it take for my husband to get to his office in Brentwood from Manhattan Beach?’ You can add different locations and see both the time and distance it would take to get there.”

With a focus on livability and properties, RentalRoost’s proprietary algorithms aim to match users up with the homes and rentals that best suit their lifestyles.

For more information, please visit www.rentalroost.com.

Home Warranties a Beneficial Asset among New Homeowners American Home Shield® provides more than just peace of mind to the homebuying process

by John Voket

R

eal estate professionals Chad Matlick and Saundra Pogrelis are among Coldwell Banker Gundaker’s 1,500 member team serving the greater St. Louis region, although their VIP Group is comprised of a tight unit of four REALTORS®—Chad, Saundra, Chad’s wife, Deanna, and their team member, Kellie.

With 60+ years of combined experience under their belt, VIP Group is committed to ensuring their buyer and seller clients are best protected—and ultimately satisfied—long after the transaction has been completed. That type of client focus helped earn Matlick the 2013 St. Louis NRT award for the most Coldwell Banker Home Protection Plans sold.

Not only do they see the value associated with home warranties, they also heavily promote those offered through American Home Shield (AHS®) to their buyer and seller clients, something Matlick has been doing since the beginning.

“I’ve been marketing home warranties ever since I joined the business,” says Matlick. “Over the years, I’ve seen how much these plans have improved in terms of becoming less cumbersome for the consumer, eliminating loopholes that ultimately ended up denying coverage.”

But when it comes to the coverage offered through American Home Shield today, Matlick notes that the company’s home warranty packages are better for the consumer because they’re ultimately getting a better product and more complete protection.

“Our typical claims include furnaces and AC units,” says Matlick. “I’ve had quite a few past clients get in touch with me after the fact to let me know just how happy they were to have coverage, especially during that first year when they have all those post-purchase expenses to contend with.”

In fact, Matlick has so much faith in American Home Shield that he has even offered to purchase the company’s warranty programs for buyers who have previously bought homes from him.

“In most cases, with young, first-time buyers, it’s especially important that they see the logic in obtaining an AHS home warranty, especially to cover them during that first year of ownership.”

- Chad matlick Coldwell Banker Gundaker

“In most cases, with young, first-time buyers, it’s especially important that they see the logic in obtaining an AHS home warranty,” says Matlick, “especially to cover them during that first year of ownership.”

While you can’t put a price on the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re covered should a system in your home fail due to normal wear and tear, Matlick goes on to say that both American Home Shield—and the products they offer—have changed a lot over the years…for the better.

“In some cases, AHS is narrowing down programs and covering key, large ticket items,” concludes Matlick, “and those are the biggest assets to a new homeowner.”

For more information, please visit www.ahs.com/realestate.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 51

Maintaining a True Competitive Edge with HSA Home Warranty

by Paige Tepping

H

aving been exposed to various home warranty companies over the years, Frank Wehrstein, president of Dickerson & Nieman REALTORS® in Rockford, Ill., explains that choosing to work with HSA Home Warranty was a no brainer. “After gathering feedback from our agents regarding their experience with different companies, HSA’s name kept coming to the top of the list,” says Wehrstein.

And it’s easy to see why.

52 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

“Today more than ever, home warranties provide added peace of mind to the transaction, assuring buyers that if something does go wrong, they’re covered.”

- frank wehrstein President, Dickerson & Nieman REALTORS®

Not only does the company offer comprehensive home warranty plans, adding valuable protection and convenience to homes across the country, HSA’s home warranties go a long way toward safeguarding buyers and sellers from the expense of mechanical and appliance failures.

“Today more than ever, home warranties provide added peace of mind to the transaction, assuring buyers that if something does go wrong, they’re covered,” says Wehrstein, who goes on to say that the folks at HSA go above and beyond when it comes to taking care of today’s buyers and sellers.

For Wehrstein, one of the biggest benefits associated with offering his clients an HSA home warranty is his confidence in knowing that the company takes care of issues, should they arise. “They aren’t looking for ways out of a situation,” says Wehrstein. “Not only are they looking for ways to solve the situation, they’re doing so while making us look good.”

As the real estate market continues steadily along the road to recovery, it’s more important than ever for real estate professionals to find a competitive edge.

And thanks to HSA Home Warranty, Wehrstein has found a trusted home warranty provider who not only stands by his firm’s side, but makes them feel like part of the team as well.

“Even though we’re a small company, and HSA is a very large company, they make us feel like we’re part of the team, like we have a voice,” says Wehrstein, who explains that every one of the company’s listings includes a home warranty as part of the listing package. “We’re so sold on HSA’s home warranties that we promote them on every listing. In fact, our capture rate has increased every year as agents get more comfortable with the product, making it easier to pass their knowledge onto sellers,” says Wehrstein.

“We try to align with good, solid companies similar to ourselves, and that’s our edge.” Whether it’s providing financing or post-closing services, HSA Home Warranty is one piece of the puzzle in the firm’s quest to provide clients with a good experience from start to finish.

“HSA stands behind their products, and that’s what makes the relationship a success,” concludes Wehrstein. RE For more information, please visit www.onlinehsa.com.

When

and

Family

Real Estate

Collide

by Reva Nelson and Barbara Pronin

Setting the stage for success in a family real estate firm

54 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

I

f you think getting along with colleagues is hard, or that getting along with family is a challenge, imagine if your co-workers were your brothers and sisters, and your boss was your mom. Or your dad. Or even your grandmother. While for some this sounds harrowing, for many multigenerational real estate businesses, working with immediate family can be the source of enduring success.

“I knew full well I didn’t come with a long real estate resume. I felt pressure to make sure I was performing consistent with the opportunity I’d been given.”

– Drayton Saunders, President, Michael Saunders & Company

At Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, arguably the largest family-operated real estate firm in the nation, three generations—and no less than 10 family members—oversee nearly every aspect of the real estate business founded by patriarch Howard Hanna, Sr.—who, at 95, still attends most major company events.

Now operating successfully in eight states stretching from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, the company is a daily source of celebration, conflict and pride.

“Reporting to other family members is not always easy,” observes Helen Hanna Casey, president of the firm. “But the trade-off is a shared history, common goals and values, and the pleasure that comes from building something together.”

For the offspring of real estate family businesses, real estate is the business they grew up hearing about around the dinner table. It was their first summer job or the afterschool job they had in high school, whether that was photocopying flyers at the office or painting rental properties.

“I learned how to tie my shoes in the building I work in today,” says Danny Joyner, president and CEO of South Carolina-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner REALTORS®, a second-generation leader of the family real estate business.

LP Finn and his sister, Whitney Finn LaCosta, also grew up in the business—in their case at Coach REALTORS®, the busy, independent Long Island, N.Y.-based company

“The best education Drayton could have had was building his own business, as I built this—brick by brick, stick by stick.”

– Michael Saunders, Founder & CEO, Michael Saunders & Company

“They like to send emails and text messages.

I prefer face-toface or to pick up the phone.”

– Glenn Gardner, President, GARDNER, REALTORS

established by their parents, Georgianna and Larry Finn.

“Whitney and I started out as kids, emptying the trash and answering phones,” LP Finn says. “It was a natural progression to learning hands-on real estate procedures and management skills.”

Today, while their parents remain involved in the business, LP serves as chief operating officer and Whitney as assistant general manager. And Whitney’s husband, Robert LaCosta, oversees the company’s ancillary businesses, including mortgage and title.

Proving their Mettle Of course, adult children entering a family business aren’t simply handed the keys to the kingdom. They have to learn the fundamentals of the business and prove their capabilities just like any outsider.

Drayton Saunders joined Michael Saunders & Company in 2003, which was founded by his mother Michael Saunders in 1976 and currently serves Florida’s Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties.

“Drayton was given no slack,” says Michael Saunders. “The rungs were no closer together for him.”

Even though Drayton had significant experience as a successful entrepreneur, he says it was a struggle the first year to get his bearings—“I knew full well I didn’t come with a long real estate resume. I felt pressure to make sure I was performing consistent with the opportunity I’d been given.” He started out in mortgage and title, then transitioned to branch management and additional roles, culminating in his current role as president.

Danny Joyner joined his family real estate firm in 1990. Other family members in the business include his RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 55

“It wasn’t until my mother (Linda Sherrer) challenged me to use my experience to help turn around a lowproducing office that I decided to come into the company. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

– Christy Budnick, Executive Vice President, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty brother-in-law, David Crigler, executive vice president and chief operations officer, and his sister Beth Crigler, the company’s top sales agent.

In addition, Danny has two nieces who work in sales, and a nephew in property management at the firm.

“When my brother-in-law and I joined the business, we spent time in each separate division learning how the business worked. I worked several years in residential sales, property management, appraisals, and commercial brokerage. No one questions your ability if you’ve earned your way there,” he says.

James Weichert, Jr. joined his father, Jim Weichert, in the family business, Weichert Realtors, as a sales associate. James worked alongside his father, who founded the New Jersey-based national firm in 1969, taking on a number of increasingly important and strategic positions throughout the organization. Earlier, James worked with the CFO to learn the financial operations, led the company’s efforts in identifying and developing future sales managers,

56 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and oversaw several longstanding Weichert sales offices as a regional vice president. Father and son currently share the role of co-president for the company-owned residential sales offices, mortgage banking company, and title and insurance agencies.

Outside Experience Helps Not everyone has a prior career before joining the family real estate firm, but those who have pursued other careers before entering the business say it helps.

“The best education Drayton could have had was building his own business, as I built this—brick by brick, stick by stick,” says Michael Saunders. “He was much more able to step into a role in the company because he had experienced his own entrepreneurship.”

When Glenn “Chip” Gardner and Crystal Gardner got out of college, their father Glenn Gardner, president of GARDNER REALTORS®, a fourthgeneration family real estate business, encouraged them to stretch their wings and fly. Crystal got a job in New York City with Gucci, then later represented a line of different designers to help market their clothing lines. Chip earned his MBA and went to work for Duff & Phelps for five years in Houston, appraising

real estate holdings for Fortune 500 companies.

Founded by Gertrude Gardner, a “Grande Dame of Real Estate,” in 1943, GARDNER REALTORS® now serves Louisiana’s metro New Orleans and greater Baton Rouge areas, as well as southern Mississippi.

Glenn joined the firm in 1979. Earlier, Glenn’s father was president of the company until his untimely death in 1963. Chip joined the family business in 2011, and Crystal the following year. Chip joined as the director of special initiatives, and later was promoted to vice president of special initiatives. Crystal began handling social media marketing for the firm, and later became the marketing director, and has revamped the company’s marketing strategies in the digital and social media space.

Jason Waugh was licensed and selling real estate in his father, Bert Waugh’s company, then Prudential Northwest Properties in Portland, Ore., while he was still in college. But he went on to law school and pursued a career in sports management before deciding the time was right to put his experience to work for the family firm in 2005. Today, as president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Properties, he is responsible for the company’s continued success.

“The younger generation brings a fresh perspective and helps the older generation see things in new ways.”

– James Weichert, Co-President, Weichert Realtors

“No one questions your ability if you’ve earned your way there.”

– Danny Joyner, President, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®

“I respect my father enormously and I count on his wisdom and business savvy,” says Waugh. “But the hard decisions now rest with me, and one of my first acts as president was to sell the company to BHHS when Prudential was divesting its real estate interests.”

Christy Budnick, now executive vice president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, began her career in the banking and mortgage industries, where she specialized in sales and leadership training.

“For most of my life, I’d watched

Glenn Gardner notes that even as the new generation has come into the business, they’ve stayed true to his mother Gertrude’s success principles. “The main one was follow the golden rule. Treat other people with kindness and respect and courtesy and friendship the way you’d like to be treated.”

He notes that the way young people like to communicate is very different than his generation, which has taken some getting used to. “They like to send emails and text messages. I prefer face-to-face or to pick up the phone.”

Coach’s LP Finn concurs. “Since our desks are all within 15 feet of each other, we confer informally all the time, and to an extent, our roles can be somewhat interchangeable.

If one of us can’t get to an office or a meeting, there’s always someone to cover. And there’s not much need for extensive follow-up because we know we’re all working with common goals and strategies.”

That common outlook is especially meaningful, agrees Linda Sherrer.

“Christy and I make decisions together daily based on our own perspectives,” she says. “But there’s

“I respect my father enormously and I count on his wisdom and business savvy. But the hard decisions now rest with me.”

– Jason Waugh, President & CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Properties

my mother, Linda Sherrer, build Florida Network Realty into a premier Northeast Florida provider,” Budnick says. “But it wasn’t until she challenged me to use my experience to help turn around a low-producing office that I decided to come into the company. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Different Styles, Same Values For Danny Joyner, the key to success for his family’s firm has been staying true to the company’s values. “You never want to change the culture.

Our firm has a strong, family-oriented atmosphere, based on honesty, integrity, good faith and the golden rule.”

Drayton Saunders says that his tactics and his mother’s differ widely, but their end results almost always align. “Should we open a new office?

Invest in a new technology platform?

Deciding how we might proceed tactically is where we have our most vigorous debates,” he says.

“We all know that we

care equally about the business. But it’s not just a business. It’s part of us.”

– Crystal Gardner, Marketing & Public Relations Director, GARDNER REALTORS

James Weichert adds, “The younger generation brings a fresh perspective and helps the older generation see things in new ways. We are always mutually respectful of one another and mindful of how our actions can affect the other due to the personal nature of our relationship.”

The Ups and Downs of Togetherness Crystal Gardner notes that the family-run business is both rewarding and challenging. “We all know that we care equally about the business,” she says. “But it’s not just a business. It’s part of us.”

a special fulfillment in sharing your passion with someone you know and love—and special joy in realizing that your child has earned in her own right the respect and admiration of others.”

If there are downsides, they seem to center on the fact that family businesses often follow you home.

“It’s hard to find the on-off switch,” LP Finn admits. “Too often, even at the dinner table, business is the topic of conversation.”

At the same time, says Helen Hanna Casey, it’s important to make a mutual effort to find that on-off switch.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 57

“There’s a special fulfillment in sharing your passion with someone you know and love.”

“It isn’t always easy to stop being colleagues and just be a family,” she says, “especially if it’s been only hours since you had a disagreement at work. But we all know how important it is to leave stress and conflict at the office. We really make the effort to turn it off and just enjoy being together.”

Knowing When to Look Outside for Perspective Drayton Saunders acknowledges that finding a balance in a family business can be extremely tricky.

“It took us a few years to toggle between when we were talking as mother-son, when we were talking as partners, and when we were talking as employee-boss. It’s a constant process.”

The closeness and sometimes blurry lines are one reason why it’s critical to know when to look to experts and outside advisors for perspective, says Michael Saunders.

“We weren’t afraid to reach out to executive leadership coaches. We have worked with a company that has developed leadership with our entire team. In a family business, knowing when to look outside for some perspective and assistance is really valuable,” she explains.

– Linda Sherrer, President and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty

It can also be important, notes Jason Waugh, when it comes to succession planning.

“My father,” he says, “would be the first to tell you that I didn’t get anything on a silver platter—that I’ve worked hard for many years to earn this position of trust. The one true thing about my taking the reins is that our hearts are in total alignment.

We view each other with admiration and respect, and we place the same high value on our company culture, and how well we treat our agents and employees. But for all that we agree on, we did feel it was necessary to get outside legal advice on how the succession would take place.”

Planning For Future Generations Retirement planning can be bittersweet, especially when you love what you’re doing. But there is comfort,

“It isn’t always easy to stop being colleagues and just be a family, especially if it’s been only hours since you had a disagreement at work.”

- Helen Hanna Casey, Howard Hanna Real Estate

“What’s important is that you trust in one another and in your mutual, company-first approach.”

– LP Finn, Coach Realtors® 58 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

and even pleasure, in knowing that the company you’ve built will stay in family hands.

“When Christy came to work for me 13 years ago, retirement was the farthest thing from my mind,” says Linda Sherrer. “I was far more focused on watching her in action to see if—and how—she would progress. But in the five or six years since she moved up to corporate, I have witnessed the most incredible thing. My daughter is level-headed, compassionate, capable and decisive, qualities I admire so completely. And while I don’t see myself retiring anytime soon, I know that I would be honored—and everyone here would love it—if I put her in my chair when I do.”

For the Finn family, as in many real estate families, succession is an evolving process, beginning with informal family discussions and progressing to a written plan overseen by outside consultants.

“What’s important,” says LP Finn, “is that you trust in one another and in your mutual, company-first approach. We take pride in what we’re building together, and we hope one day our own kids will care enough to carry on the traditions our parents worked hard to establish.”

For the Hanna family, the future is now, with a fourth generation of sons and daughters, nieces and nephews already standing in the wings.

“We served Christmas dinner on my Grandmother’s china,” says Helen Hanna Casey. “Four generations with shared values passed down to us along with the china. We know we have a lot to be grateful for—and so much more to look forward to.” RE

The Estridge Group Leads by the Golden Rule

by Katie O’Donnell Glaser

Melinda Estridge

Owner, The Estridge Group Long & Foster Real Estate Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Md. and Washington, D.C., areas

Years as a team: 20+ Team members: 8, plus Estridge How do you negotiate with your broker to achieve a mutually beneficial business arrangement?

Our interaction is pretty limited as we know they’re there if we need them. When it comes to policies and ethics, our broker is the liaison in case there’s a problem like a referral fee or something with another brokerage or agent.

What type of support do you look for most from your broker?

W

ith 37 years of real estate prowess under her belt, Melinda Estridge believes success is predicated on providing outstanding service that builds solid relationships. By forging these solid alliances, the referrals and business come naturally, so you’re not spending as much time looking for the next transaction. “The money will never be the gratitude,” says Estridge, owner of The Estridge Group of Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc. “Be nice, respectful and do the right thing. That will be my legacy.” Here, Estridge provides her philosophy on leading a top group of real estate experts who thrive on providing personal service to their clients.

60 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

I have always had a strong sense of drive, therefore, we typically handle most things like technology and training on our own. We provide and train our group on new software and attend webinars regularly, in addition to giving our buyer agents a budget to attend one event each year. We network with others and are active in Google groups and other online forums. I am on the CRM board and have been a member of the Washington Power Players, a network group comprised of the top agents in the D.C. metropolitan area. We meet monthly to network and improve, share success stories and challenges.

How do you divide responsibilities among team members to maximize efforts?

We have very dedicated job descriptions. Buyer agents become experienced and want to take listings as well, while listings require more experience, so I try to attend appointments with my agents to get the listings.

Our office manager, Joyce Brown,

is my right arm and is the last line of defense to make sure everyone is accountable. Not only is she our problem solver, she puts fires out and has been licensed for a long period of time as well.

But it’s so much more than that.

You have to have a positive attitude in the office because this is a very high pressure environment and your demeanor can affect everyone.

Real estate is 24/7 and there are so many moving parts. I like to pull the strings when it comes to negotiating, pricing and preparing the house. I’m a big proponent of geofarming to build our business and encourage our team to specialize in certain neighborhoods that they’re familiar with. I like to think in terms of abundance instead of scarcity.

How do you retain team members?

I want to set my associates up well and give them this business one day, so I make careful hiring decisions. I don’t hire people with big egos who thrive on being No. 1 and being in the spotlight all the time.

I like to empower my staff to come up with three solutions when they are presented with a problem. This really helps them to think it through and grow from their challenges. We really care about our clients and staff and have their best interests at heart. We treat each other as though we’re family.

How do you promote the advantages of working with a team to prospects and clients?

It is all about job descriptions and the power of many versus one. A single agent does not have the level of support that a group does—they are trying to be all things to all people. Larger groups may or may not be effective; it really depends on how they are run and their internal management. I’m involved with all transactions, and at the first hint of a problem, we have a line of defense at the ready. The best compliment is when one of our team members saves the day. You have to manage your expectations and you can’t be constantly unreachable. You do not want the appearance of being too busy or successful to not have time for your clients or other agents. Other agents in our community need to feel your respect.

What do you consider most critical to maintaining a profitable team?

make sure we’re not spending more than we bring in. We evaluate where our leads are coming from to determine what is more profitable and if we’re marketing enough in that area. I hold our agents accountable and ask them things like “how many face-to-face meetings have you had this week?” You can’t sit back and wait for leads.

How do you market/brand your team?

Real estate has always been social and you need to give personal attention. We ask clients if they have any concerns about working with a group and stress that our team thrives on providing outstanding service to them at all times. Our mantra is to “be nice and do the right thing. Be respectful.” We want our customers to say that we’re great people to work with. RE For more information, please visit www.theestridgegroup.com.

I look at numbers all the time to

What are the main advantages of having a team?

No one can run a business on their own. If you’re on your own, you’re on an island. It’s nice to have people to help and encourage you. I’m available to my team at all times for advice and take pride in keeping them accountable, energized and emotionally focused. We’re in this together and will take care of each other’s business even when someone’s out on vacation.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 61

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Three Ways to Help Millennials Enter the Housing Market

by Andrew Strauch

T

here have been many reports in recent months about both the importance of millennials in contributing to the housing recovery and the uphill battle they face when trying to buy a home. This has become a main topic of conversation whenever I talk with agents and brokers in the MLS I manage.

I’ve picked up some tips from all these conversations, a few of which I want to share here. The millennial generation is an even larger population than the baby boomers, and their potential impact is huge. We in the industry can tweak some of our methods to help them overcome the barriers to finding the right home.

First, we need to address the question of money. There’s no getting around the fact that many millennials have the double burden of a small amount of savings combined with sizable student loan payments.

As much of an obstacle as this is, the situation is only going to get more difficult for them as interest rates increase and home prices rise.

A study of 35 metro areas around the country suggests that for every 1-percent increase in a mortgage interest rate, affordability decreases by 10 percent. A common misconception among first-time buyers is that they will have more saved up for a down payment in a year or two, putting them in a better position to buy when that time comes. But they haven’t accounted for how much more they will need just to buy the same house when the next year rolls around.

This is a point of entry for real estate agents, as a few graphs demonstrating the savings between an interest rate under 4 percent versus one closer to 6 percent is enough of a teachable moment that first-time homebuyers will pay attention.

Once millennials realize they should try to buy sooner rather than later, the daunting task of trying to find a home they like is the next obstacle. From all the conversations I’ve had with younger buyers, I’ve taken to summarizing their desires as wishing they could live in college 2.0.

They want all the socializing opportunities and convenient amenities of communal housing, but with more privacy, their own kitchen, outdoor entertaining spaces, and the option to own a dog. This means we as an industry need to shed more light on the features of a home that might seem too ordinary to mention, but are seen as a great perk for younger buyers.

For example, agents tell me they have started including more information about neighborhood options that would equate to places on a college campus where you can casually run into people who live in the neighborhood. Agents still point out the hot restaurant or nearby public transportation, but it can be just as important to mention the no-name coffee shops where serendipitous socializing takes place. Remember, this is a demographic that did everything from science fair projects to their senior prom in groups, so a lifestyle built around socializing is one of their biggest priorities.

Getting the word out about a listing that would meet the needs of a first-time buyer can be an agent’s biggest challenge. Millennials are so

wedded to receiving their news and information via their social feeds that traditional advertising rarely enters onto their radar. But I’m hearing from agents that the power of word of mouth hasn’t died out yet, it just might take a few extra steps to convert it into a true lead.

Today’s agents are finding success in hosting open houses that feel like a social event—with the most popular version being Yappy Hours that let prospective buyers bring their dogs to an event in the lobby or outdoor dog yard (something that often gets shared on social networks).

Also, this is an age group that is very accustomed to content-based marketing, and agents are finding that newsletters with personality, as well as informative statistics, catch their attention more than just a list of properties (it is also something they are more likely to forward to friends).

The obstacles for first-time homebuyers exist, but they aren’t insurmountable. Nor do we have to completely overhaul the way we do our job to bring them onto the first rung of the property ladder. Shifting our focus just slightly could bring about tremendous results, and in turn, lay the groundwork for overall stability in the housing market. RE Andrew Strauch, vice president of Product Innovation and Marketing with MRIS, has more than 20 years experience in product management, product marketing and engineering. For more information, visit www.mris.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 63

{Broker Spotlight}

Fueling the Future of Real Estate DPR Realty

by Barbara Pronin

“We are well-known for our ethics, creativity and commitment in the local market, but we also have a clear understanding of the global marketplace.”

- Dale Milton Owner, DPR Realty

64 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

T

he technology explosion has changed forever the way we work and play. Sources estimate there are more cellphones than people in the world today—and some

might argue that social media has taken over our lives. But for

Barbara Pronin: Let’s begin with a brief synopsis of your career paths and how you came to lead DPR Realty.

Dale Milton: I spent some 25 years

and agent-centered business model have served as unerring

in corporate America before moving into real estate 13 years ago. I started on the sales side and joined DPR Realty as an agent. I became a partner in the firm in 2003 and sole owner in early 2014.

drivers, vaulting the independent, Phoenix-based company into

Matt Deuitch: I’ve been practicing

DPR Realty Owner Dale Milton, and Designated Broker Matt Deuitch, the tech phenomenon fueled new ideas about the future of the real estate industry. Their tech-focused outlook

an Arizona powerhouse. In this exclusive interview, Milton and Deuitch share their vision of the ideal working environment for agents, and the strategies they employ to ensure their firm remains poised for incremental growth.

Matt Deuitch,

Arizona

Designated Broker DPR Realty

Dale Milton,

BP: How many offices and agents do you currently have and what regions does your firm serve?

MD: We have about 1,200 agents,

Owner DPR Realty

1,200

“Consumers are adjusting to this

balanced market,

Agents

residential real estate for 20 years.

In 2003, I was on the Scottsdale Area Board of Directors, where I served a year as president, and I appointed DPR’s then-designated broker to the board. We served on several committees together, and had a great working relationship and many good, professional discussions about the state and direction of the industry.

At one point, he handed my resume to Dale and told him I was the next guy to hire as designated broker if it was ever needed. Sadly, we lost him to illness not long afterward, but I’ve been proud and very fortunate to be able to serve as DB for the company since then.

so neither sellers nor buyers believe they have an advantage.”

- Matt Deuitch Designated Broker, DPR Realty

predominantly in the Phoenix Metro Area. We also belong to surrounding local associations in Arizona, which allows our agents to readily do business around the state. We have multiple offices in many urban and suburban cities, although our specialty as a company is in Phoenix and surrounding communities.

BP: How would you describe your firm’s positioning in the marketRISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 65

place? What sets DPR Realty apart from the competition?

DM: We are proud to be an organically grown company with local ownership and a trusted history in our region. We are well-known for our ethics, creativity and commitment in the local market, but we also have a clear understanding of the global marketplace so we can make the best of new opportunities. Because we are independent, we can make the decisions that best serve our agents and clients and focus on providing them with service that exceeds expectations.

MD: Also, we are consumer-friendly, with live receptionists, easy broker accessibility, great agent Web pages, and a cutting-edge suite of nextgeneration tools and technology that serves us all well. There was a time, you may recall, when some brokers

and agents were apprehensive of the technology avalanche—fearful they would become irrelevant to buyers and sellers who were doing their searching online. But we embraced the tech opportunity to become more relevant to consumers, delivering content and managing transactions in ways that exceed expectations. We have a Facebook forum, streaming video, green-screen video editing, mobile business apps, email solutions, and a dynamic agent-centered online resource center. Social media, digital platforms and the technology space are where the next generation dwells; texting, tweeting and posting fosters their relationships and enhances client outreach.

The traditional set still favors the personal, high-touch approach with just enough tech to enable them.

As older business models transition

to the new, we’ll offer tool sets for both, like in-classroom training and streaming video classes. We are proud to be on the forefront of the agent business, driving down costs and enhancing the agent-client experience.

BP: How would you describe current market conditions in your area?

MD: We’re in a balanced market right now, with four to five months of inventory. Distressed sales are nominal and continue to decline, and pricing is no longer feeling a considerable downward pressure. Consumers are adjusting to this balanced market, so neither sellers nor buyers believe they have an advantage.

BP: What has been your approach to growth in recent years, and how has that changed now that the market

“We are proud to be in the forefront of the agent business, driving down costs and enhancing the agent-client experience.”

- Matt Deuitch Designated Broker, DPR Realty

66 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

is rebounding?

DM: DPR Realty was built from the ground up as a value-driven, agentcentered business. We have not purchased other firms and then promoted ourselves as one of the fastest-growing companies. We’ve built ourselves up one agent at a time.

When the downturn drove agents into other industries, we created a referral-only program so that qualified agents could park their licenses here with no fees. Many of those agents have now come back into real estate and are doing very well. They appreciated that program, which helped them make it through a tough environment unburdened by big overhead and fees. That, plus other innovations and benefits, including our low agent fees, is what has helped us to grow so successfully.

MD: The shift in focus has essentially been from helping agents maintain their business in a distressed market back to ensuring the agents get the support and tools they need to thrive as the market improves. Our training content, for example, has adjusted from short sales management when the market demanded it to mortgage and seller financing issues as credit-damaged buyers began looking to purchase.

BP: How are you attracting and retaining top agents today?

MD: We offer great value—including a plan where the annual cap is under $4,000. Most top agents are able to brand themselves—especially in the age of social media. They don’t need a broker to do that for them—and why should they overpay the broker for anything they don’t need? We offer an attractive team plan. We offer systems and platforms that serve them very well—and excellent training at every level, including best practices for maximizing the social media opportunity. We even offer agents no-fee incentives to absorb

the cost of joining DPR Realty.

DM: And we love to recognize top performers. Our agents work hard and smart, which is why we are successful, and we love to acknowledge what they do.

BP: What’s the newest tool in your tech arsenal, and how is it helping you better serve tech-savvy customers?

MD: We now have a full green-screen studio in our Scottsdale office.

Agents can creatively market themselves and their listings with customizable software editing that can benefit themselves and their clients.

Imagine an agent shooting a listing presentation video enhanced with a golf course as the background, or where the image behind the agent scrolls through prior listings.

BP: What are the biggest challenges facing your firm and its agents?

MD: We have to continue to stay one step ahead, or more. We have to be ready for another market shift when subsidized financing rates rise to normal supply and demand levels. We need to optimize the social media mix that will best serve our agents and clients going forward, and stay on top of new innovations that we can integrate into our business. We now have drones. How will 3D printing, fiber optic data, and more mobile tech affect our industry? How about self-driving cars? We need to know how data sharing and syndication will be affected by key industry players, and how legislation may impact the industry. That kind of strategic planning is what helps to drive the success of our agents, which, in turn, enables them to better serve their clients and ultimately close more transactions.

BP: Where do you see your greatest opportunities for increased business?

DM: It’s always in the unrelenting fo-

cus on our customer, the agent—in building tools and adding resources that enable their greater success.

We recently revitalized our agent resource website, packing it with content so that our agents can do more business and so that prospective agents can clearly see what they can expect with DPR Realty.

MD: In the macro space, we’ll track shifting demographics and support the ever-changing mix of agents as younger, tech-savvy agents enter the real estate industry. We know our opportunity comes from helping our agents start, grow and jumpstart their business—from knowing they need a menu of possibilities from which to choose and providing the right mix of resources.

BP: In your opinion, what is most critical to your firm’s success path forward?

MD: We must keep looking forward, with a proven business model that inspires and maintains our cuttingedge position in our market. We must continue to anticipate and fulfill the needs of our agents, to build new resources that help them succeed, and to provide the kind of customer service that combines the best in high-tech with the kind of high-touch that builds relationships and spurs referrals. We are committed to keeping a careful watch on where the real estate market is going, and we expect to be there as a voice in the industry for our agents and our clients.

BP: What’s in store for the future of DPR Realty?

DM: Dynamic, exciting growth and a continuing passion for excellence.

DPR Realty is what’s next in this industry, and we believe we are already there. RE

For more information, please visit www.dprrealty.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 67

{Broker Spotlight}

Living Life as a

Contribution

John L. Scott Real Estate

by Barbara Pronin

J. Lennox Scott addresses over 1,000 attendees at the John L. Scott convention 2014.

68 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

A

t 10 years old, J. Lennox Scott was painting signs for John L. Scott Real Estate, the Seattle-based company established by his grandfather back in 1931. Today, Lennox serves as Chairman & CEO of the venerable firm, an acknowledged leader in the Seattle marketplace with more than $9 billion in sales volume last year. Like his grandfather, Scott credits the firm’s service excellence and deep commitment to enhancing the customer experience as two key pieces that have contributed to the firm’s success over the years. Scott has also been a pioneer when it comes to integrating today’s technological advantage into his business model, as well as establishing a meaningful rapport with his broker associates and the communities they serve. “Our business is real estate,” observes Scott. “But our philosophy is living life as a contribution. That is the core value of who we are.” In this exclusive interview, Scott shares his passion for the firm his grandfather and father built, and his strategies for ensuring that the family-owned business is poised for the next wave of growth.

Barbara Pronin: Clearly, you grew up with real estate in your blood, Lennox. How did you prepare for and take on the leadership role?

J. Lennox Scott: I had great examples set by my parents and grandparents, and I was determined to live up to their standards. I not only painted signs as a kid, I even did yard work to spiff up the lawns of transferees who were selling their homes. Later, I studied business at the University of Washington and did my term papers on real estate.

I realized the importance of the principles my dad and grandfather lived by—transactional excellence, putting your hand out in friendship and building trusted relationships.

It meant a lot to me to get a real grounding in every aspect of the

business. In 1980, I became CEO and then transitioned into the role of chairman and CEO in 2002.

BP: How many agents do you currently have and what regions do you serve?

JLS: We have more than 2,700 bro-

“Our business is real estate. But our philosophy is living life as a contribution. That is the core value of who we are.”

– J. Lennox Scott, Chairman & CEO, John L. Scott Real Estate

regional independent with a long and proven history of excellence in the markets we serve. I think what really sets us apart, though, is our approach to success. It starts with one of our core values: It’s about possibilities in our clients’ lives.

We focus on one client at a time in order to help them reach their real estate goals. Our broker associates also go beyond the sales aspect of real estate. They educate and inform their clients about the market to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead. By acting as a consultant instead of a salesperson, our broker associates become a trusted resource for their clients and the community.

ker associates who closed more than 30,000 transactions last year.

At this time, we have 110 offices located in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but we’re looking into expanding our footprint through franchising our brand in other areas.

BP: How would you describe current market conditions in your area?

JLS: We’ve experienced 36 straight

BP: How would you describe your firm’s positioning in your marketplace? What sets you apart from the competition?

JLS: We are well positioned as a

months of robust housing recovery.

It started in the major metro market areas of Seattle and Portland and continued to spread throughout the Northwest market areas. This past year, some 90 percent of our sales

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 69

activity has been in price ranges where there’s a shortage of inventory. In all, we’re looking forward to more of the same as we continue through 2015.

BP: What has been your approach to growth in recent years, and is that changing now that the market is recovering?

JLS: Our approach to growth is always the same—a strategic focus on organic growth. Our goal is to help each individual broker associate go from good to great and then from great to greatness. Greatness comes from walking in excellence and from always feeding yourself positive energy. This approach is both an attractor for new team members and a way of life for our current associates.

BP: How has your company evolved over the years?

JLS: It’s been such an exciting time to be in real estate. We have so enjoyed integrating technology into our business model. Not only were we one of the first large companies in the nation to have our entire inven-

70 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

tory with photos on the Internet, we more recently introduced our GPS Home Search App 3.0, which gives each broker associate their own branded mobile app. This provides a great way to increase value and enhance our services. In addition, we’ve developed and trademarked our exclusive John L. Scott marketing tools and systems to truly put our brokers in position to succeed.

ally registered trademark for our advanced concept in dealing with our client base, the Ultimate Client Relationship®. It involves going way beyond traditional CRM and focuses on building trusted relationships with each individual client, one client at a time, on a more frequent basis—the kind of trusted relationship that earns respect and client loyalty.

BP: What are the biggest challenges facing your firm and your broker associates today?

JLS: We never look at things as chal-

BP: You talked about integrating technology into your business.

How are you serving today’s more informed, more tech-savvy consumers?

JSL: Bill Gates said, “It’s not about

lenges. We address situations by looking proactively for the solutions that will take us to a positive outcome. Our major focus at this time is helping our top broker associates grow their business through a combination of technology, advanced concepts in client consultation, seller marketing, enhancements to our luxury home program, and building relationships with their client base.

BP: Where do you see the greatest opportunity for increased business?

JLS: We recently received a feder-

search. It’s about answers from a trusted source.” Each of our broker associates is the trusted source for each individual in their client base.

And we ensure that they have the cutting-edge tools they need to help them provide Ultimate Client Service. Additionally, we’re continually working toward the fulfillment of our mantra—real time is the only time—through the best combination of human interface and technology.

BP: How are you attracting and retaining top agents?

JLS: Positive energy combined with our proven marketing tools is what attracts and keeps the best people with us. Not only have we created a culture of individual broker success, but professional achievement as well. Our leadership team works collaboratively to promote our initiatives. We also created our Broker Care team, the first of its kind, to provide business and technical support to our broker associates. Our office leaders and support staff also play an integral role in helping everyone thrive in a team-oriented, family-like environment. We provide 100 percent support to everyone, from our most experienced top producers to those who are just starting their careers. In addition to support, as I also mentioned earlier, our broker associates use exclusive John L. Scott marketing tools to engage with their clients. These systems are one of a kind within our industry, and we have the evidence to prove that they work. In fact, we’re seeing rookie broker associates win listings when they’re in competition with others who have decades of experience. And our most experienced broker associates are seeing positive results as well.

BP: Lennox, you shared a wonderful film clip with us showing how you went the extra mile to make your ‘Ultimate Game Plan’ the star of your recent company convention.

Why did you decide to bring back the convention, and why is it important enough for you to go to such great lengths to make it special?

JLS: We had a lot of fun with that convention-opening video, which anyone can see by going to http://johnlscottconvention.com.

We brought the convention back to address the growing trend in real estate: the use of mobile applications. Millennials aren’t the only

ones relying heavily on technology these days. Generation X and baby boomers are included as well. It’s important that our broker associates be prepared so they can adapt to the changing landscape. That’s why we devoted an entire day to the convention. We had broker associates come in from 500 miles away for the event. There’s something empowering about bringing the en-

“All of us at John L. Scott Real Estate are looking forward to our 100th anniversary in 2031 as a time to honor the legacy of my father and grandfather, to celebrate all that we’ve achieved as a company, and embark on a second century of the kind of service and individual success that contributes to the world around us.”

– J. Lennox Scott, Chairman & CEO, John L. Scott Real Estate tire team together for one amazing rally. It was a day to network, celebrate our successes and learn from one another. The entire day centered on the concept of ‘ultimate,’ which means being your very best in every aspect of service, achievement, family, personal growth and community service. It turned out to be a powerful and inspirational day.

BP: You have spoken a lot about how your approach to success has evolved as the market and consumers have changed. Is there anything that has not changed at John L. Scott?

JLS: One thing that hasn’t changed is our focus on maintaining our

fundamental value of living life as a contribution. Our John L. Scott Foundation, which supports children’s health care, is an important part of who we are, both as a company and as individuals.

It’s about helping kids get healthy and thriving at home. Virtually every broker associate and support team member donates to the foundation, and we sponsor a number of events throughout the year to raise additional funds to support programs in 19 children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses throughout our market areas. But giving back is more than just about money. Our broker associates and support people are out there in the community volunteering in so many ways, from serving dinner at a Ronald McDonald House to manning the phones for local charitable fundraisers that benefit the children of our communities.

BP: What’s in store for the future of your company?

JLS: We’re fortunate to have a collaborative, proactive, innovative approach to success, and an environment that has proven to inspire growth. I’m so proud of the ways we’ve been able to help our teammates, our clients and our communities. And I believe that if we continue to focus on the core values that brought us here, we have a bright future ahead. All of us at John L. Scott Real Estate are looking forward to our 100th anniversary in 2031 as a time to honor the legacy of my father and grandfather, to celebrate all that we’ve achieved as a company, and embark on a second century of the kind of service and individual success that contributes to the world around us. RE

For more information, please visit www.johnlscott.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 71

{Broker Spotlight}

A Company Built on Coaching and Culture Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate Continues to Thrive

by Zoe Eisenberg

“We believe if we create a culture where people actually want to work, we will continue to attract younger agents and top producers.”

- Vince Leisey President, BHHS Ambassador Real Estate

72 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Vince Leisey,

Nebraska

Omaha

President, BHHS Real Estate

ness. My mother was in real estate, and she started Ambassador Real Estate when I was in college. After college, I started working as a salesperson; in the ’90s, I began buying into the company and we moved forward from there. My mother passed away in 2001 and I took over the company, and then began growing it.

We went from 100 agents to today’s count of over 400 agents. In 2003, we had 8.5 percent marketshare, and as of October 2014, we had 23 percent in the Omaha office.

Marketshare

8.5 % 23% 2014

“I want a positive, energetic culture where people are walking around with a positive attitude.”

Zoe Eisenberg: How did you come to lead BHHS Ambassador Real Estate?

Vince Leisey: I was born into this busi-

2003

F

rom catering to millennial culture to building a mega office that people actually want to spend time in, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate is on the cutting edge of a shifting real estate industry. With a focus on coaching and culture, the Nebraska-based company is embracing change across the board. In the following interview, company President Vince Leisey talks about the importance of fostering innovation while still remaining true to your roots.

Lincoln

Agent Growth 100

30%

400

100%

2001

2014

Organic

of units being bought were by

millennials

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 73

ZE: That’s an impressive jump. To what would you credit that growth?

VL: We do everything 100 percent through organic growth. We have no mergers or acquisitions—it’s one agent at a time coming over. Coaching and culture are the two primary things we focus on. We believe that if we can coach and train and teach our agents, they’re going to grow their business and be successful.

We also believe if we create a culture where people actually want to work, we will continue to attract younger agents and top producers. Activity breeds activity. That’s the core of who we are—a company built on coaching and culture.

ZE: How many offices and agents do you currently have and what regions does your firm serve?

VL: We have over 400 agents in two offices, located in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska. Omaha is our large office that houses almost all of our agents, and we have 25-30 agents at our Lincoln location.

ZE: What made you decide to affiliate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices?

VL: We made the decision to switch to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices about one-and-a-half years ago. The name recognition the brand provides is incredible, and when you marry their name with our company benefits, you can’t lose.

We believe long term, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is committed to growing this network. We see the additional exposure nationally to be good for us locally.

ZE: How would you describe your firm’s positioning in the marketplace? What sets your firm apart from the competition?

VL: We service the entire metro area, but do a lot of business in the suburbs and upper end. We have a lot of momentum with our constant growth. We embrace change more than our competition. We are team oriented and cutting edge. I want a positive, energetic culture where

people are walking around with a positive attitude, which is why we focus on the mega office. It really allows us to create the culture that we want in our organization. We focus the majority of our energy on helping to develop our agents.

ZE: Tell me more about this mega office. How is it helping you create a unique culture?

VL: We’re unique because of our Omaha office building, which I built a little less than nine years ago.

Our general concept is mega office over multi office. Of course, one of the flaws of this idea is that there are some areas where we can’t get agents because we don’t have an office in that location, but we’re strategically placed in the city, and this concept allows us to control our finances better—and it allows us to control our culture better.

We’re also building a new office, a few miles west. The new space is in a 79,000-square-foot building.

The piece of land it’s on backs up

photo caption

The future BHHS Ambassador Real Estate office is in a 79,000-square-foot building and features balconies that look out onto the tree line.

74 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

to a treeline, and there will be a bar area and kitchen area with balconies overlooking that treeline. These areas are being built with the idea that people will use them to collaborate and mastermind. It will stimulate creative growth.

There will also be underground parking and a fitness facility, and we’re in collaboration with the restaurant next door to the building, Pitch. They are creating an outdoor area and rooftop bar between our buildings where they will be serving food and drink. This will help to stimulate our young, fun culture.

ZE: How would you describe current market conditions in your area?

VL: The last couple years have been good years in Omaha. There has been some pent-up demand over the last few years, but over the next 12-18 months, I think prices will become stable. I see unit sales down 10 percent over the next 1218 months. Plus, this decrease is coming off of two great years. We’re never gonna be sexy sexy here, but we’re not nose-diving either. I’m okay with stable.

ZE: What has been your approach to growth in recent years, and how has that changed now that the market is stabilizing?

VL: We don’t actively recruit. Our approach is to develop and retain the agents that we have, help build their business and create an environment people are excited about. I want to add 100-150 agents, but we don’t think that’s going to be hard. Soon we will have the coolest location and building in the marketplace. We believe momentum builds on itself.

ZE: How has your company evolved over the years and survived the challenges of the downturn?

VL: I think when the market is soft,

“We want to be an organization that continues to embrace change as the world changes, but we also want to stay true to our roots: relationship building.”

- Vince Leisey President, BHHS Ambassador Real Estate

that’s when the client really looks at who the best company is, because they want to be represented by the best. We’ve actually grown through the downturn. I don’t look at what we’re doing compared to what we did last year. The benchmark is “are we out-performing the market?” Because I can’t control the housing market, but I can control what we do.

With this mindset, we will get a bigger piece of the pie in up and down markets.

ZE: How are you serving the needs of today’s more informed, more techsavvy consumer?

VL: One of the disconnects that we have in the real estate industry as we continue to move forward is that 7 percent of the industry is 35 years old or younger, according to NAR, yet approximately 30 percent of units being bought were by millennials. So we focus a lot on recruiting younger agents to rethink what the industry will look like moving forward.

To combat this, in conjunction with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, we put together a group called the Rethink Counsel. It’s a group of 10 agents across the country, aged 35 or younger, who are top producers.

This mastermind group helps us think about how we can communicate with these younger clients. By

2017, 50 percent of units sold in the marketplace will be to millennials. Our future client is the millennial, and we need to understand them. Millennials are changing the world; the level of customer service we have to give is greater than ever before. The expectation for customer service is higher than ever before, because this generation grew up with innovation and they don’t have patience. They live in a NOW society.

They don’t want to wait around. So our real focus is: Who is the consumer of tomorrow? How do we meet their expectations and how do we serve them? How can we best communicate with them?

ZE: In your opinion, what is most critical to your firm’s success path forward?

VL: We’re living in a world constantly changing; millennials grew up in change and expect change. We want to be an organization that continues to embrace change as the world changes, but we also want to stay true to our roots: relationship building. Social media and tech and innovation, they’re important, but they’re nothing more than a vehicle for building relationships. We will continue to focus on culture and coaching. If we help our agents grow, we will continue to grow. But we have to continue to embrace change.

ZE: What’s in store for the future of BHHS Ambassador Real Estate?

VL: More of the same. We don’t want to get crazy, we just want to continue to be open minded, to embrace things that are working for others, and keep an environment and culture people are excited to come to.

Our agents are our clients. We need to provide them with superior customer service. RE For more information, visit www.bhhsamb.com.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 75

{Broker Best Practices} Laying the Foundation for Future Success

by John Voket

Roxann Taylor Broker/Owner Engel & Völkers Dallas Southlake Southlake, Texas

Region served: The Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex Years in real estate: 40+ Number of offices: 1, plus one opening in January Number of agents: 20 Best tip for a successful meeting: I always bring someone in to share something of interest. I also share local news and charity information with my advisors (agents).

Key to staying profitable: Put every penny you make back into the business. Also, be active in the community by working with charities that are close to your heart.

Best recruiting technique: My problem is having too many people who want to work with us.

Therefore, I look to recruit advisors with a high level of experience, whether in local real estate or another field.

Of all the real estate companies out there, what immediately resonated with you when you first learned about Engel & Völkers?

I had been looking for a new business model for about four years. Since my business is set up as a team, I needed to be sure that if something ever happened to me, my current team could be somewhat independent. Engel & Völkers emulates the same core values that I have, from their support of charities to the way they handle their people. In addition, when I saw the IT support, technology and tools they had to offer—as well as the great people I would be working with at the corporate level—that made a big first impression.

What ultimately convinced you to affiliate with Engel & Völkers?

Every person within the organization has a real

76 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

estate background, which isn’t the case with many of the larger brands. Not only is Engel & Völkers willing to support me in reaching my own personal goals, they also granted me exclusivity in the Dallas Metroplex market. There was no hesitation in signing with them since the exclusivity agreement was contingent on me following through with my commitments.

Were there any issues you had to anticipate when you announced you were bringing Engel & Völkers to Dallas Southlake?

Because their practices and philosophies are so consistent with what I was already doing, it was a no brainer for me. Now that the partnership has been established, my team members are excited about being their own brand while continuing to receive my mentoring and Engel & Völkers technical support.

In what ways are you creatively promoting your new Engel & Völkers brand?

Having always been involved with the local schools in the area, I recently partnered with four local companies to buy an electronic scoreboard for our Carroll Dragons of Southlake High School. I also worked with a local TV station to get the away championship games broadcast so folks here at home could watch. All my commercials touting the new Engel & Völkers brand aired on those broadcasts.

Going the Extra Mile

by Paige Tepping

Isabel Gonzalez Broker/Owner CENTURY 21 Providence Charlotte, N.C.

Region served: Union County, South Mecklenburg, N.C.; Indian Land, S.C. Years in real estate: 20+ Number of offices: 1 Number of agents: 17 Key to staying profitable: Keep costs down while still promoting yourself. Review your advertising avenues every year and cut back on what

doesn’t work and promote more of what does.

Favorite part of your job: Getting to know new people. I’m fascinated by the richness of different cultures and the history that my clients share.

Best tip for finding success in today’s market: I’m old school in that I believe your sphere of influence is your best source of business, past clients included. These are relationships you’ve nurtured, and if you’re genuine, helpful and honest, they’ll want to use you again or refer you to someone else.

What are some of the current trends you see in your market right now?

In the beginning of 2014, we saw a shortage of homes. As we pushed into summer though, buyers were getting a bit savvy. If sellers price the home to sell, it’s possible for it to sell within a week. Homes that are overpriced are sitting much longer.

What strategies do your agents utilize to stand out and achieve customer loyalty?

I’m fortunate to have a wonderful group of agents who value our customers and believe that giving a little goes a long way. Sometimes funds are limited, so we may pay for a home warranty or shave a bit off a commission to help. If issues arise, we try our hardest to get them resolved, which goes a long way toward showing our clients that we’re looking out for their best interests.

In this ever-changing market, how does your company stay flexible?

We pride ourselves on truly listening to our customers. Real estate agents are a dime a dozen, so we go above and beyond. That includes everything from showcasing a client’s home on the cover of The Real Estate Book, hiring a professional photographer when working with upscale homes, offering discounts through the Century 21 business benefits program and even scheduling inspections. Agents have often adjusted their commissions in order to facilitate a sale.

How are you preparing your agents for the future of real estate?

I encourage my agents to take as many online classes and watch as many how-to videos as pos-

“I believe your sphere of influence is your best source of business, past clients included. These are relationships you’ve nurtured, and if you’re genuine, helpful and honest, they’ll want to use you again or refer you to someone else.”

- isabel gonzaleZ Broker/Owner, CENTURY 21 Providence

sible. I also arrange for different vendors and builders to come speak at our monthly office meetings.

I’ve noticed that you advertise in The Real Estate Book and on RealEstateBook.com. Can you tell me more about how those work into your overall marketing strategy?

It’s more than just advertising in a publication. In fact, our representative, Scott, comes in and lets us know what’s going on in the market, what we should focus on and how agents can promote themselves. In addition to being a great tool to use when on listing presentations, our sellers are happy that we go the extra mile to get their home featured through as many avenues as possible.

Improving Efficiency and Service

by Nick Caruso

Scott Nelson CEO Comey & Shepherd REALTORS®, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Cincinnati, Ohio

Region served: Cincinnati, Ohio Years in real estate: 30+ Number of offices: 12 Number of agents: 500 Favorite part of your job: Doing new things or finding new and creative ways to do old things better.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 77

Best advice for new agents: Follow some very specific systems to build your book of business.

Success comes from disciplining yourself to perform the right basics over and over again.

mental issues. Starting out at the right brokerage, one that will thoroughly train and continually coach, has never been more important.

How do you use technology to better your business?

Opportunity Exists as Real Estate Model Shifts

Communication has really been enhanced by technology. At both the consumer and agent levels, the Internet has allowed us to do things that we have long wanted to do when it comes to improving efficiency and service.

How are you helping your agents traverse the mobile aspect of your business?

We have implemented effective mobile versions of back office tools for agents and consumer-facing tools for their clients.

What are your best strategies when it comes to coaching, mentoring and training agents?

When it comes to coaching, mentoring and training agents, we’ve begun looking at these areas as separate entities. Therefore, we’ve started to separate coaching, which comes from branch managers, and field training, which comes from agent mentors.

What current trends are you seeing in your market right now?

The biggest trend in our market right now revolves around “Coming Soon” listings. While these “Coming Soon” tactics are fraught with liability, they still seem to have a following among some listing agents.

What demographics are driving your business these days?

At the moment, we’re seeing a lot of younger people (those 30 years and younger) who entertain the idea of a real estate career. But they’ve been conditioned to see a career in real estate as a cross between HGTV and Facebook. They aren’t prepared for the discipline that it takes to build a business.

What is one challenge your market currently faces and what are you doing to overcome it?

Our biggest challenge today is combatting the “all about commission” attitude that new agents have.

Many fail to see the much more important environ-

78 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

by Paige Tepping

Rob Wachter Inbound Marketing Manager Coldwell Banker Bain Bellevue, Wash.

Rob, I understand that you come from outside of the real estate industry. Could you walk us through some of your experience that may give a fresh perspective to a traditional industry?

My previous experience includes owning a small creative services firm where we did all types of digital marketing, as well as Web and social strategies for a variety of industries. This experience opened my eyes to the fact that what’s taking place in regard to consumer behavior—and how to effectively market to them—is a common thread across all industries. I also spent time working in the technology industry, which has given me a glimpse into how different organizations are not only operating, but marketing to today’s consumer.

Coldwell Banker Bain is affiliated with one of the biggest franchises in the country. What are your objectives for 2015, and how will the franchise affiliation help you reach these goals?

The biggest and most obvious benefit associated with the Coldwell Banker franchise is the brand recognition and global reach it has. We attract a lot of talent to the area since we’re located in one of the biggest technology epicenters/ecosystems in the world, so the Coldwell Banker name is very powerful for us. From my perspective, 2015 will be the year where we ramp up our online lead generation so that we can not only attract leads, but provide high quality and better leads to our brokers. We spent much of 2014 making sure we had the right infrastructure in place to ensure we see results this year.

The National Association of REALTORS® informs us that almost half of all homes are found by consumers online, even though they then work with a real estate agent. How have you made this work for you?

Our goal is to meet these prospective buyers at the inception of the shopping experience. In order to facilitate their online needs better, we’ve created a platform to engage with consumers when they’re at the point of dreaming about a new home. We’ve also rolled out a sophisticated lead incubation program so that we can more effectively connect with prospective buyers through inbound content marketing. If someone responds to a digital asset we provide, there’s a huge opportunity to stay top of mind and incubate that lead.

Describe your perceptions regarding online lead cultivation and distribution in real estate.

Because consumers are spending a lot of time searching online, there’s an upside potential and opportunity, and the real estate industry is beginning to catch on and adopt sophisticated strategies to take advantage of these opportunities. Our goal is to track, convert and close, with an emphasis on attracting the right consumers by creating content that appeals to them no matter where they are in the process. We then continue to incubate leads by creating content and databases depending on where they are in the journey, and who they are as a buyer or seller.

What were some of the solutions you looked at when discussing lead management?

Lead distribution/management is a huge piece of the funnel, and if you don’t get it right, all the work leading up to that point will fall through. We were looking for something that was very easy for brokers to use, in terms of both the technology involved and the process, and we found exactly that with FiveStreet, which allows brokers to quickly and easily accept leads via text or email. FiveStreet also eliminates the time gap that can exist in handing off a lead so that when the consumer is ready to speak with someone, it happens as quickly as possible. FiveStreet also provides visibility and accountability, making it easy to create transparency throughout the process.

“Our goal is to track, convert and close, with an emphasis on attracting the right consumers by creating content that appeals to them no matter where they are in the process.”

- Rob Wachter Inbound Marketing Manager, Coldwell Banker Bain

How does the FiveStreet platform plug into the other technology being adopted by the firm?

FiveStreet is on top of the program in terms of making it easy to integrate various real estate tools such as HubSpot, Zillow and even the Coldwell Banker national brand itself. We’re also in the process of rolling out a CRM platform for our salespeople, and FiveStreet will integrate seamlessly with the platform.

What problems does the platform solve for you, and where do you see the greatest benefit as far as recruiting, retention and increased marketshare?

FiveStreet will help with retention because we can ultimately provide brokers with more business by producing more higher quality leads. It’s also important to understand that we’re talking about leads that aren’t only high quality, but those that are engaging with our brand already. If we can demonstrate our ability to produce more higher quality and better leads than our competition, that’s huge.

Where do you want to be in a year from now?

There’s a huge opportunity for real estate companies that have the means to put toward this type of marketing, and we’re trying to capture a larger percentage of the opportunity that exists. Because this is a relatively new piece of the puzzle for us, we’ll more than likely see a refining process as we work to increase our results. But I don’t see us going away from this model. In the end, it always comes back to the quality, expertise and knowledge of our brokers. If we can funnel more people into the hands of quality brokers, we’ve done our job. RE

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 79

Research Shows Many U.S. Renters Still Dream of Homeownership

T

he majority of U.S. renters are struggling financially and plan to remain renters for the next three years, according to recent Freddie Mac survey data. However, the recent financial crisis did not tarnish renters’ dreams of homeownership, with 91 percent of them viewing homeownership as something of which to be proud.

It’s no secret that for the last several years, consumers have felt more strapped financially, particularly renters,” says David Brickman, executive vice president of Freddie Mac Multifamily. “Many renters are not buying homes because of a perceived lack of ability to afford the down payment or mortgage and poor credit history. But there is also a segment of renters who simply do not want the responsibilities of owning a home.”

Freddie Mac commissioned Harris Poll to survey more than 2,000 U.S. adults online in August 2014 to get their perceptions about renting in the post-financial-crisis marketplace.

The majority of renters say they tend to live paycheck to paycheck.

Forty-five percent of renters say

they have just enough money to get by, and 17 percent say they do not have enough money for basics, like food and housing until the next payday. In comparison, only 38 percent of homeowners indicate a similar financial hardship.

Results show that 61 percent of renters believe they will continue to rent in the next three years, despite 91 percent of them viewing homeownership as something of which to be proud. While 39 percent of all renters say they expect to purchase a home in the next three years, the remainder plan to continue to rent.

Those most likely to buy a home in the next three years are individuals aged 25 - 44.

Younger adults are more inclined toward buying a home than older ones. For example, 47 percent of

renters aged 25 - 34 and 58 percent of renters aged 35 - 44 responded that they will purchase a home in three years, compared to 27 percent of people aged 45 - 64.

In addition, if a renter hasn’t owned a home by age 45, chances are they will continue to rent throughout their lifetime.

Freddie Mac intends to do this type of research quarterly to learn about renters’ preferences toward the housing choices available to them, the constraints preventing them from obtaining housing that they think would better suit their needs, and the drivers for their decisions. RE For more information, visit www.freddiemac.com.

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{RISMedia’s Great Spaces} Moby helped bring electronic dance music to the mainstream in the ’90s, so he’s kind of a big deal.

The DJ will keep dancing in Hollywood Hills.

by Nick Caruso & Zoe Eisenberg

Moby Makes Major Profit on Hollywood Hills Manse Singer-songwriter Moby recently made a killing with the $12.4 million sale of his Los Angeles estate purchased four years ago for just shy of $4 million.

The Hollywood Hills estate, cryptically called Wolf’s Lair, sits on 3.3 acres above Lake Hollywood, with views of the Hollywood sign, downtown Los Angeles and the ocean.

The home was built in 1927 by

Hollywoodland developer L. Milton Wolf, and although Moby sunk about $2 million into restorations, the space retains historic details, including coffered ceilings, carved and stenciled beams, turrets and gable windows.

So where is Moby going? Not far. The Wolf’s Lair sale coincides with the music man’s purchase of a smaller Hollywood Hills home for $2.9 million.

Sold for: $12.4 million

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 83

another television/fireplace combo, along with a private wrought-iron balcony that overlooks the backyard, a two-level bathroom, and a “storesized closet.”

French doors lead outside to a resort-style yard with stone tile terraces, a BBQ station near a dining gazebo, and a dark-bottomed pool and spa.

Purchased in April 2013 for $2.25 million, Anthony invested $300,000 into renovations, and has currently set his asking price at $2.75 million.

So, you want his house? Cuz he needs to know!

See Marc Anthony’s mockMed over at our blog, Housecall: http://bit.ly/1wbQ5XK

Jason Derulo Purchases $3 Million Castle

Marc Anthony Needs to Know: Do You Want His House?

Did you know that Marc Anthony is one of the top selling tropical salsa artists of all time? I don’t know what that has to do with him selling his Encino, Calif., home, but I just thought you should know. Unrelated: I now have his fiery hit single, “I Need to Know” stuck in my head.

You know the one I’m talking about... not that one. That was Enrique Iglesias! The one with the violin!

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, Anthony, the 12th ex-husband (third) of JLo and Grammy Awardwinning singer, is selling his home that contains 6,263 square feet, five bedrooms and six bathrooms. It’s a late 80s-era, mock-Mediterranean that stands a little too close to the 101 Freeway. With a double-height foyer and wrought iron-railed, its new owners can blast musica and cantar over the sounds of tractor trailers 84 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

bustling on their way! (Sounds like a dream!) Guests can make their way through the entryway and onward to a roomy formal living room and dining room abound with dark wood floors and two large flat-screen televisions.

A fully carpeted and paneled home theater room contains a built-in wet bar (yes, please!) and a large screen that drops down from the ceiling in front of a fireplace.

Upstairs in the master suite is

How do you know you’ve made it in the R&B industry? When you can buy your own castle. Because who needs a Grammy when you have a castle?

That must be the mindset of 25-yearold R&B star Jason Derulo, who recently purchased a $3 million private castle compound on an acre of land nestled in San Fernando Valley.

With a 75-foot pool and bridge, the castle includes five bedrooms, five bathrooms and an attached two-bedroom, one-bathroom guest unit. There’s also a separate fourbedroom, 3,600-square-foot guest home.

The star (creator of hits “Wiggle” and “Talk Dirty”) is now able to park his many rides in his new eight-car garage, and if he needs more space, he can park even more cars in the additional eight-car garage located beside his guesthouse. Yep, that’s a totally reasonable count of 16-car capability.

Listed for: $3 million RE

Idea Exchange Council Comes Together with Common Goal of Raising the Caliber of the Real Estate Industry

so that they generate income before they come on full time, creating a positive culture—one full of loyalty—is crucial. Other popular ideas included:

by Paige Tepping

8 Offering $500 on their first three deals if they bring another agent in

T

wo times per year, at NAR’s major meetings, the idea exchange council for brokers comes together to share broker challenges, ideas and solutions. And the goal is always the same: to raise the caliber of the industry by sharing good ideas. This past November, during the REALTORS® Conference & Expo in New Orleans, La., brokers from companies of all sizes and geographic locations took advantage of the think tank to bounce ideas off one another. Topics covered included agent retention, risk management, multiple offer situations, liability in a digital world and assistants/teams.

Agent Retention When it comes to retaining agents, it’s clear to see that there’s no onesize-fits-all approach. In fact, broker attendees pointed to a wide range of best practices that have been instrumental in keeping productive agents on board, noting that a lot

can be accomplished when brokers don’t have to spend time replacing agents. Whether it’s paying attention to small details (birthdays, names of children, etc.) and letting your agents know you value them as people to bringing in Gen X/Gen Y to do administrative work for successful agents

8 Talking about culture (to those on staff, and those you want to bring on) 8 Teaching brokers how to recruit agents 8 Having fun with your agents, rather than being so driven by your bottom line (offering an assignment to help them learn a new skill) 8 Hiring business-minded people rather than salespeople (business-minded people create ways to make things happen) 8 Partnering with military retirees/ veterans who are not only disciplined, but looking for new ways to serve 8 Creating a company soundtrack with songs that match the brokerage’s values RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 85

Risk Management Carrying on from suggestions that came up from the idea exchange council’s last meeting, brokers and consumers alike are concerned about medical marijuana issues and how they relate to property sales.

A broker attendee from Steamboat Springs, Colo., noted that the pot market has not only brought in additional revenue, it’s also increased the size of the commercial brokerage in the area. While the medical marijuana business has been a boon in bringing people into the resort community, it’s also led to the substance being illegally grown, leading to the presence of mold within a home’s walls as properties aren’t properly ventilated. To further complicate the issue, banks won’t take money from these pot shops.

While this is a brand new issue, one committee member noted that there are certain things we know to be true, such as the fact that marijuana use is still prohibited under federal law. Therefore, from a real estate perspective, there’s no reason why it should be permitted if it’s adverse to the interest of the property or adjacent tenants, just because it’s legal under state law. In addition, medical marijuana users aren’t a protected class under the Fair Housing Act, so real estate professionals aren’t required to accommodate their desire to use these things—at least not yet. However, the law is still evolving, but reasonable safeguards can be taken to protect the property, other tenants and yourself.

Multiple Offer Situations A hot topic at November’s gathering, broker attendees all agreed on one key point: when it comes to multiple offer situations, the important thing is to make sure the seller knows what’s going on. While there’s a fun86 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

damental difference between coming soon and pocket listings, one broker attendee noted that it’s the job of the real estate professional to create the wave for the property. By counseling clients on how to get them the best offer and explaining the pros and cons of marketing their property in that fashion, in the end, the client needs to make the decision.

Another broker attendee explained the importance of knowing about any multiple offer situations that are going on within the office. By reviewing each offer, real estate brokers can make sure they are in the right spot with agency and on the right track with the agent. And speaking to the seller provides the opportunity to fully understand where they want to go with multiple offers. If they don’t want an offer, they simply write rejected and sign it so it’s not on the broker or his agents. This way everyone is on the same page, but it’s the seller’s action.

Another idea that was brought to light had to do with giving listing agents the right to expose that there are multiple offers. Not only does this create a level of transparency as to how the process works, it also keeps sellers from being able to come back later and say they were adversely affected because they didn’t know what was going to happen.

Liability in a Digital World When it comes to conducting business in today’s digital world, it was noted that electronic signatures are legal, and one good idea that was shared had to do with adding a line in the listing contract that says that digital signatures will be accepted.

While this practice will help with transparency throughout the transaction, it’s also important to check the document and make sure it is

what it says it is (the digital signature matches the name printed on the document).

As far as background checks, one broker attendee noted that it’s a law in Florida for background check documents to be locked up. In fact, offices that deal with background checks undergo inspections once every few years to make sure documents are being handled properly.

Sites like smartmove.com and landlordstation.com were touted as good alternatives as they send the applicant an invitation to apply for their own background and credit checks, negating the need to house any personally identifiable information on the premises. As a real estate professional, it’s important to keep in mind that you have an obligation to dispose of personally identifiable information in a particular way. Therefore, brokers must know their state’s requirements when it comes to keeping this information safe.

Assistants and Teams As we continue to see a rise in assistants and teams—both licensed and unlicensed—one broker attendee noted that if you have an assistant (and they are licensed), they need to sign an agency agreement with the client. And the same holds true for teams. Taking this one step further, it’s best to have a written agreement in place when it comes to the terms of a team affiliation so that the team leader isn’t treating their assistants like employees. It’s also important for brokers to have detailed discussions with team leaders about how to treat buyer’s agents. Also brought to the table was the idea of NAR putting together team agreements that can be made available to those looking to form a team—or for anyone who is already part of a team. RE

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are the best ways to Q:What dominate my local market? digital age, the Web A:Inis today’s an ever-present hub where

consumers have instant access to information and can be influenced by what they find online. In turn, real estate marketers now have access to consumer demographics like location, age, income, employer, interests and other data to more precisely target their core audience.

While brokers and agents define their customers, they should also hone in on that one specific area or niche that they excel in, focus their branding and messaging around that and explore the following six tactics to connect with consumers and dominate their local market.

Facebook’s ‘Boost Posts’ - This option allows advertisers to promote a post or message to potential buyers and sellers. Connect with your target audience by selecting demographic criteria like location and age, and then specify your budget

and time frame. Take advantage of this option to promote a new blog post, a customer testimonial or each event in the listing cycle. For instance, once you’ve taken on a new listing, create a “coming soon” message about the property to drum up interest. Promote it again once the listing is on the market and when you’ve sold that home.

Finally, showcase it again with the message, “Interested in selling your home? Call me!”

Upload Email Database to Facebook Stay top of mind with your contacts by uploading your email database to your Facebook profile. While you may not have personal connections with every one of your email contacts, Facebook finds their profiles so you can advertise to them even though you’re not connected as friends. This is a great way to put your brand in front of people who like and trust you, and even those you’ve only encountered once. It reminds them that you still exist and plants the seed that they should call you when the time is right.

Retargeting - With this intuitive approach to advertising, you can increase your exposure and conversion rates with ads that target previous site visitors. If you’ve vis-

While producing videos can be intimidating, advertisers can instead target buyers and sellers by purchasing display ads.

ited sites like Zappos or Amazon, you know all too well that the products you’ve researched there can crop up later as ads on Facebook, the site where you check the local weather and even national news sites. Using this tactic, buyers and sellers who have recently visited your real estate site to shop for homes can then be tracked so you can drive your ads to that person across social media and other sites they subsequently visit. By being everywhere they are online, you’ll not only increase your exposure, but the consumer is apt to think that you’re trustworthy and successful.

YouTube - As the second largest search engine, it’s imperative that real estate brokers and agents have a presence on YouTube (Social Media Today). While producing videos can be intimidating, advertisers can instead target buyers and sellers by purchasing display ads such as pre-roll ads that are viewed before a video plays, or alongside the videos and within the search results. Plus, YouTube provides data and analytics about who you’re reaching and who’s actually watching your video ads. Your YouTube channel is also a fantastic forum to upload your listing videos and property tours.

LinkedIn - This site is often perceived as the “dark horse” of social sites because it’s a professional networking site. Business professionals are buyers and sellers too, and this ad platform similarly allows agents and brokers to use text or post promotions to target their core audience based on profession, job title, employer and other demographic and geographic criteria.

Twitter - Running an ad on Twitter yields solid conversion rates. Similar to the other platforms, you can 88 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

target your campaigns according to several demographic measures. If the consumer is interested in your ad, they simply take one step to click a button, and their contact information is then distributed to the advertiser without having to complete multiple form fields.

For more local advertising best practices, download Homes.com’s “Rise to the Top: Be the Local Expert!,” a guide for growing your business with a strong local presence by visiting bit.ly/realestateexpert.

Charles Furlough Vice President of Field Operations Pillar To Post Home Inspectors www.pillartopost.com

we make our way through Q:As National Radon Action

Month, why is it so important for homeowners to take a proactive approach to radon testing?

United States A:The mental Protection

EnvironAgency (EPA) has declared January National Radon Action Month. Occurring when we’re likely to spend most of our time indoors, January is the perfect time to consider the importance of a proactive approach to radon testing.

Like carbon monoxide, radon is tasteless, odorless, invisible and deadly. The radioactive gas that results from the breakdown of uranium in rock, soil or water, radon can enter the home in countless ways. Flaws in a home’s foundation, floor drains, construction joints and support posts are just a few of the many parts of a home through which radon gas can enter. Typically mea-

According to the EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers in the United States, claiming about 21,000 lives a year.

sured in Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) in the U.S. and Becquerel’s per cubic meter (Bq/m3) in Canada—(1 pCi/L = 37 Bq/m3)—radon is quite common at low levels in most environments, with an average outdoor level of 0.27 pCi/L (10 Bq/m3) and indoor level of 1.21 pCi/L (45 Bq/ m3). The difference between the typical outdoor/indoor levels is explained by the buildup of radon that confined spaces allow.

Experts differ somewhat on the threshold limits of radon. The World Health Organization (WHO) determines 2.7 pCi/L (100 Bq/m3) to be the maximum level of radon allowed before action needs to be taken.

The EPA, on the other hand, set its limit to 4.0 pCi/L (150 Bq/m3). And Health Canada says that 5.4 pCi/L (200 Bq/m3) is the level which, when breached, homeowners need to take corrective action.

Regardless of the specific level of radon exposure defined as acceptable, experts are of one mind on the adverse effects exposure to radon can have on the body. Radon can cause lung cancer, particularly if the individual also happens to be a smoker. In fact, according to the EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers in the United States, claiming about 21,000 lives a year. Health Canada affirms this view, and in a 2009

study, found that around 7 percent of Canadian homes have levels of radon considered to be unsafe.

The EPA, the U.S. Surgeon General and Health Canada all recommend that homeowners carry out frequent radon tests in their homes, generally about once every two years, as radon levels can increase over time.

Because of the detrimental health effects of exposure to heavy levels of radon, officials recommend that homeowners have their house tested prior to move-in. Moreover, those selling a home can benefit from having a radon test done before the property is sold. It’s also important to provide the results to the buyer in order to put their mind at ease.

Radon tests such as those administered by inspectors at Pillar To Post take about two to three days.

Upon the conclusion of a radon test, results are provided to clients and interpreted. If a test indicates an unsafe level of radon in the home, homeowners are advised to consult a professional radon mitigation service, which can provide recommendations for how to best deal with the situation.

A little vigilance is all that’s needed to keep you and your family safe. RE

To learn more about radon, visit www.pillartopost.com/radon.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 89

Is 2015 the Year You Decide to Plan?

2014 is in the books… the good, the bad, the ugly.

by John Wendorff

Have you taken time (yet) to review last year?

If not, chances are that 2015 will end up looking like 2014 did.

So, if you’re satisfied with last year, skip the rest of this article.

However, if you ended 2014 with more dreams than dollars, take four minutes and read to the end of this article. It could change your life—business and personal.

Ask yourself a few questions about 2014:

8 Did I start the year with a written plan?

8 Did it have specific action steps to take each day?

8 Did I do the action steps at least 80 percent of the time each week?

8Did I review my plan at least once per quarter?

8 Did I measure my results when I reviewed my plan?

8 Did I modify my plan based upon my results?

After you answer these yes or no questions honestly, can you see where you fell short last year?

If you’re like most of the agents I know, you never actually wrote a plan for the year.

You had some dreams, maybe even some goals (which are nothing more than dreams with deadlines), but you never decided to take the hard step of planning to really change your life. Or, if you did write a plan, it fell apart after the first deal fell through, with the “client from hell.”

Welcome to reality—and congratulations on your honesty.

So, now is the time to decide to plan for 2015.

When I say decide, I mean just that. Make the decision to set aside two hours to plan your year.

90 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

That’s right. A good plan will only take you about two hours to do—less if you have your financial data at your fingertips. Even if you don’t have the data available, you can still do your plan in two hours.

Consider the following: 8 How many sides did I do last year and how much income did I have, per side? (If you don’t know your own numbers, use averages for your area.)

8 How many new prospects did I add to my pipeline last year, bringing the total contacts in my pipeline to ___?

8Where did the majority of my new contacts come from?

8 How many of the prospects in my pipeline have I contacted this year?

1. Personally?

2. Mail only?

3. Email only?

4. Combination of personal, mail and email?

8What is my 2015 income goal?

8 How many sides do I need to meet my 2015 income goal?

8 Do I have enough prospects in my pipeline to reach my goal?

Congratulations! You’re on your way to a terrific 2015 if you decide to finish your plan, which should include your contact schedule, method of contact and marketing materials needed. If you leave your contact schedule to “whatever time is available,” you’re doomed. There are far too many day-to-day interruptions.

If you’d like to finish your plan for 2015, and want to accomplish it, then contact me at John.Wendorff@PersonalMarketingCo.com. I’ll send you a marketing planner as well as some valuable coupons to automate your marketing efforts.

Taking the time to plan your 2015 business goals will move you closer to the reality that exists for all of us: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell

John Wendorff is chief encouragement officer, The Personal Marketing Company. For more information, please visit www.tpmco.com or call 800-458-8245.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 91

Index of Preferred Providers The leading companies providing services to the real estate and relocation industries ABR®....................................................................................... 94 American Home Shield............................................................. 94 Bank of America Home Loans................................................... 94 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices........................................... 94 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC.............................. 94 Carrington Real Estate Services................................................ 94 Centralized Showing Service..................................................... 94 Century 21 Real Estate LLC...................................................... 94 Certified New Home Specialist.................................................. 94 DocuSign................................................................................. 94 ERA Franchise Systems, LLC..................................................... 94 FeedbackCentral...................................................................... 95 First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation.................. 95 HomeFinder.com...................................................................... 95 Homes.com............................................................................. 95 HomeSmart International......................................................... 95 HSA Home Warranty................................................................. 95 Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.......................... 96 Lumentus Social...................................................................... 96 Mobile Real Estate................................................................... 96 National Association of REALTORS®.......................................... 96 Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc.................................................... 96 On The Move, Inc...................................................................... 96 The Personal Marketing Company............................................. 96 Pillar To Post Home Inspectors.................................................. 96 Pinnacle Quest Consulting........................................................ 96 Point2...................................................................................... 97 Prudential Real Estate ............................................................. 97 The Real Estate Book............................................................... 97 Realogy Holdings Corp............................................................. 97 realtor.com®............................................................................ 97 Realtors Property Resource®.................................................... 97 Realty Executives International, Inc........................................... 97 Realty ONE Group.................................................................... 97 RE/MAX, LLC............................................................................ 97 RentalRoost, Inc....................................................................... 97 RIS Consulting Services........................................................... 97 SharperAgent........................................................................... 97 Showing Beacon...................................................................... 98 Stewart Title............................................................................. 98 Top 5 in Real Estate................................................................. 98 Top Producer® CRM.................................................................. 98 Workman Success Systems...................................................... 98 zipLogix.................................................................................... 98

RREIN Service Providers Ascent Real Estate, Inc............................................................. 99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate..... 99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS®......99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Florida Network Realty....... 99

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty..................... 99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors®.......99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties.............. 99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties.............. 99 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties.................100 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty............100 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie........ 100 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty............... 100 Calcagni Associates Real Estate............................................. 100 CENTURY 21 Affiliated............................................................ 100 CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty.................................................. 100 CENTURY 21 Award................................................................ 100 Century 21 New Millennium................................................. 100 CENTURY 21 Scheetz............................................................. 100 Coach Realtors®................................................................. 100 Coldwell Banker Advantage..................................................... 101 Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS®............................. 101 Coldwell Banker First Realty.................................................... 101 Coldwell Banker High Country Realty...................................... 101 Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty................................................ 101 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty.................................. 101 Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners......................................... 101 Coldwell Banker Prime Properties........................................... 101 Diane Turton, Realtors®....................................................... 101 Fillmore Real Estate............................................................... 101 First Team® Real Estate.......................................................... 101 Five Star Real Estate.............................................................. 102 GARDNER, REALTORS®........................................................... 102 Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate.............................................. 102 Harry Norman, REALTORS®..................................................... 102 J. Rockcliff Realtors®........................................................... 102 Jordan Baris, Inc., Realtors®................................................ 102 Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living....................................... 102 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc................................................ 102 Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty.................... 102 McCOLLY Real Estate.............................................................. 102 Page Taft Real Living............................................................... 102 Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate.............................................. 103 Prudential Towne Realty.................................................................103 Randall, Realtors® Real Living...................................................103 Real Estate Teams, LLC..................................................................103 Real Living Lifestyles Real Estate...................................................103 RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central......................................... 103 RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc.......................................................... 103 RE/MAX Crossroads............................................................... 103 RE/MAX Gateway................................................................... 103 RE/MAX Professionals............................................................ 103 RE/MAX Suburban................................................................. 103 RLS, REALTORS®.................................................................... 103

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 93

ABR® (800) 648-6224 • www.rebac.net • Chicago, Ill. • Marc Gould Brokers are busy with many competing priorities. They should feel comfortable with their salespeople who have earned the ABR® designation when working with buyer-clients. Real estate professionals can hone their skills in representing the needs of homebuyers in real estate transactions and earn the coveted Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation, giving agents knowledge and confidence to navigate the market.

American Home Shield (800) 735-4663 • www.ahs.com/realestate American Home Shield, a subsidiary of The ServiceMaster Company, founded the home warranty industry in 1971 and remains the industry leader. Servicing more than 1.3 million customers across 49 states, the company also issues and administers preventive maintenance contracts on major home systems and appliances in 48 states. The Memphis-based company operates three customer service centers, employs approximately 1,600 people and has a national contractor network made up of more than 10,000 independent home-service contractors.

Bank of America Home Loans www.bankofamerica.com/agentresources At Bank of America, we’re focused on creating real, meaningful connections with individuals, businesses and communities to help them connect with what matters most. Everyday, we’re proud to partner with our customers, bringing them our skills and expertise, in order to help make their financial lives better. AR4ACD29.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (800) 666-6634 • www.berkshirehathawayhs.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a brand-new real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate.

The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. The brand, grounded in the financial strength, efficiency and tradition of its HomeServices of America parent company, will change the face of residential real estate.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE LLC (866) 616-4224 • Madison, N.J. • Sherry Chris, President & CEO Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC launched its international franchise system in the residential real estate marketplace in July 2008. In October 2007, Realogy, a global franchising with company-owned real estate brokerage operations doing business under its franchise systems as well as relocation and title services, entered into a 50-year agreement to license the Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate brand from Meredith Corporation, one of the nation’s leading media and marketing companies. For more information, visit www.realogy.com/media, or participate on the company blog at www.bhgrealestateblog.com.

Carrington Real Estate Services (877) 330-2773 • Carringtonrealestate.com/Join Carrington Real Estate Services is one of the 18 companies under the Carrington Holding Company, LLC. Together, these businesses cover virtually every aspect of the single-family residential real estate transaction, including investment in U.S. real estate and mortgage markets, loan origination and service, asset management and property preservation, rentals, title and escrow services. By leveraging our family ties, we have grown to be one of the largest residential real estate brokerages in the country in just five short years.

94 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Join our network of more than 1,200 sales professionals serving 26 states.

Centralized Showing Service (877) 688-SHOW (7469) • www.showings.com • Overland Park, Kan. Established in 1994, Centralized Showing Service is one of the nation’s premier home-showing, appointment-setting services, with six call centers that service 70+ markets across the country. Each year, more than 15 million showings are scheduled for their more than 139,000 agent members. Agents can compile detailed showing reports and enter feedback into reports that can be given to sellers to keep them informed.

CENTURY 21 REAL ESTATE LLC (877) 221-2765 • www.century21.com • Madison, N.J. • Rick Davidson, President & CEO Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a leading global residential franchise real estate sales organization, with approximately 6,800 independently owned and operated franchised brokerages and more than 100,000 real estate professionals in 78 countries and territories worldwide. The Century 21® System capitalizes on brand marketing, promotions and sponsorships, and fundraising efforts with Easter Seals to build brand awareness and preference. Technology initiatives include both English and Spanish-language consumer Web sites, www.century21.com and www.century21.com/espanol, a recently redesigned intranet site, www.21Online.com, and the Century 21 Learning System®, a web-based learning platform. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp.

Certified New Home Specialist (800) 428-1122 • www.sellnewhomes.com SellNewHomes.com is the online headquarters for Certified New Home Specialist™ and Residential Construction Certified™ training, sales systems and marketing tools, created by Dennis Walsh & Associates, Inc. Based in Newport Beach, Calif., the company is owned and operated by nationally recognized new home, real estate, and construction experts, Dennis and Teresa Walsh. The Walsh’s have established Certified New Home Specialist™ as the #1 brand of training and support products for new home sales success. To learn more contactus@sellnewhomes.com.

Docusign (866) 219-4318 • www.docusign.com/nar • Seattle, Wash.

• Suzanne Alberti, Marketing Campaigns Program Manager - Web DocuSign is part of the National Association of REALTORS®’ Second Century Ventures investment portfolio and is the official and exclusive provider of ESIGN services for NAR members, under the REALTOR Benefits® program. Offering the exclusive REALTOR® Edition, DocuSign is the safe, secure way to electronically send, sign and store real estate documents. DocuSigned documents are legally binding and backed with an audit trail.

ERA FRANCHISE SYSTEMS, LLC (800) 869-1260 • www.era.com • Madison, N.J. • Charlie Young, President & CEO Since 1971, ERA Franchise Systems, Inc., a global residential real estate leader, has set new standards in customer service, technology and training for the real estate industry. Top-notch offerings from ERA Real Estate include the Sellers Security® Plan, a comprehensive home protection plan, and ERA.com, its award-winning consumer website. The ERA network includes approximately 2,300 independently owned and operated offices with more than 32,000 brokers and sales associates throughout the United States and 34 other countries and territories. ERA Franchise Systems, Inc. is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp.

FeedbackCentral (366) 369-3215 • www.feedbackcentral.com • Bedford, Texas FeedbackCentral.com contacts showing agents on behalf of sellers or listing agents to collect the feedback necessary to more effectively communicate buyer reaction to their homes. This service is available in two plans. FeedbackCentral.com Online is an automated email system in which showing agents are contacted to provide online feedback. FeedbackCentral.com Voice utilizes FBC representatives to contact showing agents via telephone to gather information on showings.

First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation (800) 444-9030 • https://homewarranty.firstam.com/realtor.aspx First American Home Buyers Protection is a leading provider of home warranties. We offer homeowners, home buyers, and home sellers protection against costly repairs and replacements on their home’s essential systems and appliances. Our services are supported by a national network of independent pre-screened and qualified contractors. Founded in California in 1984, the company operates two call centers in California and one in Arizona, and is a member of the First American Financial Corporation family of companies.

HomeFinder.com (866) 920-9493 • www.homefinder.com/agents-and-brokers • Chicago, Ill. • Kelly Faso HomeFinder.com is a leading online real estate search site and provider of strategic digital marketing solutions. The 20,000 real estate agents that comprise the HomeFinder.com advertising network utilize a unique suite of product offerings, including a patent pending Single Property Website. Through a national affiliate network of 375 online newspaper partners, HomeFinder.com is the only real

estate search site to also provide relevant listing content to homebuyers through local online newspaper portals.

Homes.com (866) 697-3308 • http://connect.homes.com/ Homes.com offers brand advertising, lead generation, online reputation and marketing solutions to connect you with over 12.5 million consumers monthly! With a high average visit time, consumers visiting Homes.com are more engaged and more likely to buy when compared to visitors of other national real estate websites.

Connect with these motivated homebuyers and sellers with the most powerful suite of tools for your real estate business—and convert more leads to closed transactions.

HomeSmart International (800) 865-9025 • www.homesmartfranchise.com Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International is one of the fastest growing real estate companies in the nation with 66 offices in 14 different states, two countries and more than 7,500 agents.

HomeSmart International strives on the fundamental principles of efficiency and innovation by offering the systems and technologies necessary to stay on the leading edge of success.

HSA HOME WARRANTY (800) 367-1448 • www.onlinehsa.com • Madison, Wis. • Mike Clear, President HSA Home Warranty provides home warranty coverage in 48 states and E&O insurance in all 50 states. The HSA Home Warranty repairs or replaces mechanical systems and appliances that fail due to normal wear and tear during the coverage period. With HSA Home Warranty, real estate professionals minimize their risk by lowering their exposure to liability. They avoid post-sale dis-

putes about who should pay for the repair, and they can get the problem fixed quickly and conveniently by making just one call to HSA.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® 312-424-0400 • www.LeadingRE.com Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a global network of over 500 premier real estate firms with 4,000 offices and 120,000 sales associates in over 40 countries around the world.

The company’s luxury marketing program, Luxury Portfolio International®, markets over 25,000 of the world’s most remarkable homes annually and attracts over three million high-net-worth visitors a year to its award-winning website, LuxuryPortfolio.com.

Its corporate relocation company, RELO Direct®, Inc., provides global employee mobility services to corporations worldwide.

Lumentus Social contact@lumentussocial.com • www.lumentussocial.com Lumentus Social for Real Estate is an easy to use online solution that helps agents and brokers make their social media assets more effective. By posting from our blend of relevant stories, real estate professionals can remain top-of-mind. Our simple solution ensures that your network receives the kind of news and information they want to read and share within their own social networks, and this helps drive leads.

Mobile Real Estate (877) 720-0988 • www.MobileRealEstateID.com · Seth Kaplan, National Sales Director Mobile Real Estate is a mobile marketing and technology company that helps real estate agents, brokers and real estate-related firms power their mobile initiatives. Our suite of products for real estate professionals allows them to incorporate complex mobile technology throughout their existing marketing mix to reach consumers on all mobile devices. Mobile Real Estate will ensure real estate professionals are positioned to promote their brand and listings to buyers and sellers across all mobile devices.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (800) 874-6500 • www.REALTOR.org • Chicago, Ill. • Dale Stinton, Chief Executive Officer •B ob Goldberg, Sr. VP, Sales & Marketing, Business Development & Strategic Investments, Professional Development, Conventions • K enneth Burlington, VP, Strategic Alliances, Business Development, Product & Sales Management • Karen Bebart, VP, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Marketing Research • Matt Lombardi, VP, Conventions •M arc Gould, VP, Business Specialties, Dean, Student Services, REALTOR® University • Constance Freedman, VP Strategic Investments, Second Century Ventures The term REALTOR® identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. NAR members have access to the REALTOR Benefits® Program, the official member benefits resource for discounts and special offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. Program partners are industry leaders who understand the unique needs of real estate professionals and are committed to your success. Visit www.REALTOR.org/RealtorBenefits. NAR is also proud to make the .REALTOR domain available, exclusively to members, to help them stand out in the marketplace as the trusted source for real estate for consumers. Visit http://about.

REALTOR. And, for a lifetime of learning, REALTOR® University can take your career to the next level, with continuing education courses, earning a designation or certification, or a Master in Real Estate degree. Visit www.REALTORU.com. The REALTOR® Store features 96 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

print and ePublications including top-selling “Social Media for REALTORS®,” and the “2014 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers.” Visit www.REALTOR.org/Store. Additionally, NAR’s venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, has invested in companies that push forward innovation in the real estate industry and can benefit NAR’s members. Visit www.secondcenturyventures.com.

Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc. (800) 477-9192 x.6001 • www.norman-spencer.com/toptier Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc. is recognized as a nationally acclaimed provider of property and casualty insurance services.

Our Top Tier Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Program is designed to address the specific needs of the largest real estate firms in the industry. We’ll work with your existing insurance agent or refer one to you who is familiar with our Top Tier Program. Please call us at 800.477.9192 x.6001 or visit www.norman-spencer.com/toptier.

On The Move, Inc. (800) 645-9949 • www.onthemovetrucks.com • Boerne, Texas • Susan Nash: President/CEO • Sylvain Mallaise: Director of Sales • CJ Steen: Marketing Director On The Move’s trucks are moving billboards personalized with your company’s graphics and can be used for free by your clients. This moving billboard can be driven around town by drivers you do not have to pay, using gas you do not have to provide, while making thousands of visual impressions daily. A billboard can cost more than $1,000 per month. For less money you can obtain a rental truck for your clients to use and to even donate its use for community goodwill.

THE PERSONAL MARKETING COmpany (800) 458-8245 • www.tpmco.com • Lenexa, Kan. The Personal Marketing Company creates marketing systems for agents to become known in their market and attract clients for long-term success. Our marketing development team brings proven marketing expertise, cutting-edge technology and personal service to develop customized marketing solutions which can include: direct mail, email marketing, contact management, prospecting and farming, newsletter programs, FSBO and expired campaigns, client follow-up systems and marketing planning services.

PILLAR TO POST home inspectors (800) 294-5591 • www.pillartopost.com • Tampa, Fla. · Jay Gregg, Marketing Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is now the largest home inspection company in North America with over 400 franchisees, located in 47 states and 8 Canadian provinces. The Pillar To Post difference includes printing a computer generated report on-site at the time of the inspection, all inspectors must carry $1 million in E+O insurance that covers both the agent and the broker and we offer three unique home inspection packages designed to better suit the individual needs of our clients.

Pinnacle Quest Consulting (801) 410-0466 • www.PinnacleQuest.com • Salt Lake City, Utah · Brent Gray, President & CEO/Founder · Verl Workman, VP of Sales/Founder · Scott Schreyer, Vice President of Business Development Pinnacle Quest Consulting assists companies in setting up and streamlining their processes, systems and sales strategies, thereby helping them achieve greater adoption of their products and services into specific vertical markets. Specializing in operations, sales force building, compensation and project management, Pinnacle Quest’s executive-level talents are utilized by both major companies and emerging start-ups.

Point2 (888) 955-7900 • www.Point2Agent.com • Saskatoon, Canada • Linda Moola (lmoola@point2.com) Point2 (www.point2.com) provides real estate marketing and lead management software to brokers and agents in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, as well as listing data aggregation and syndication solutions to real estate MLSs, Boards and Associations across the U.S. and Canada. Point2’s solutions also include the consumer real estate listings portal, Point2 Homes, as well as end-to-end property management software for small to medium size organizations, managing up to 1,000 units.

Point2 is a Yardi Systems Inc. (www.yardi.com) brand.

PRUDENTIAL REAL ESTATE (800) 999-1120 • www.prudentialrealestate.com • Irvine, Calif.

• Lou Gonzalez, Senior Vice President, Franchise Sales Prudential Real Estate, with more than 1,400 offices and 47,000 agents, represents one of America’s largest real estate brokerage franchise networks. In July 2013, Prudential Real Estate was ranked highest for customer satisfaction in three of the four segments included in J.D. Power and Associates’ annual Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study.

THE REAL ESTATE BOOK (770) 962-7220 • www.realestatebook.com • Lawrenceville, Ga. The Real Estate Book’s multi-media marketing packages combine print with mobile and digital tools to create the most effective personal branding and lead generation tools and the most complete integrated media buy available. Included are interactive and locally distributed print ads; SMS text lead generation; personally branded web, tablet and mobile sites; GPS-enabled yard signs and more. Go to Store.RealEstateBook.com to find your local Real Estate Book representative.

REALOGY HOLDINGS CORP. (973) 407-7215 • www.realogy.com • Madison, N.J. • Mark Panus, SVP, Corporate Communications Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is a global leader in real estate franchising with company-owned real estate brokerage operations doing business under its franchise systems, as well as relocation and title services. Realogy’s brands and business units include: Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, The Corcoran Group®, ERA®, Sotheby’s International Realty®, ZipRealty®, NRT LLC, Cartus and Title Resource Group. Collectively, Realogy’s franchise system members operate approximately 13,400 offices with more than 250,000 independent sales associates doing business in 105 countries and territories worldwide.

Engage with realtor.com® (800) 878-4166 Realtor.com® is real estate’s most accurate site, with listings pulled directly from over 850 MLSs, and most listings updated every 15 minutes. Homes for sale on realtor.com® only display the real listing price established between seller and broker, not inaccurate machine generated estimates. Visit realtor.com®.

Realtors Property Resource® (888) 914-7771 • http://blog.narrpr.com • Chicago, Ill. • Dale Ross, CEO • Marty Frame, President • Jeff Young, Senior Vice President of Operations/Industry Relations Realtors Property Resource® (RPR) is a national, parcel-centric database which is a free, exclusive benefit for REALTOR® members of the National Association of REALTORS®. The database provides REALTORS® with all available information about every parcel of residential and commercial property in the United States, giving bro-

kers and agents valuable tools and features to make them better informed in order to increase their efficiency in the marketplace.

Realty executives international, inc.

(800) 252-3366 • www.RealtyExecutives.com Realty Executives International, Inc., one of the fastest growing real estate franchises in the United States, boasts nearly 10,000 sales associates and more than 500 franchises worldwide in 26 countries. Since 1965, Realty Executives International has built a culture of top producers by offering an environment that is truly agent-centric and designed to best support the professional real estate practitioner. Publications like Entrepreneur, Success and Inc. magazines have ranked Realty Executives Intl. as a leader based on growth, management stability and financial soundness.

Realty ONE Group www.RealtyONEGroup.com • (888) 461-0101 Realty ONE Group is a full-service real estate brokerage with more than 4,000 associates. It focuses on providing ethical, professional and results-oriented services to property owners and prospective real estate buyers. Since its inception in 2005, the company has grown to become the No. 1 real estate brokerage in Nevada and the fastest-growing real estate company in Arizona and California.

For more information, visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com.

RE/MAX, LLC (303) 770-5531 • www.remax.com • Denver, Colo.

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, who still manage the company today. From a single office in Denver, Colo., RE/MAX has grown to be a global real estate franchise network with nearly 90,000 Sales Associates working in over 80 countries.

The consumer website, remax.com, is consistently ranked among the most visited real estate websites, and LeadStreet provides referrals to RE/MAX Sales Associates with no fees from RE/MAX. To learn how RE/MAX can take your career to the next level, visit www.joinremax.com.

RentalRoost, Inc. (925) 357-3783 • www.rentalroost.com • Pleasanton, Calif.

• Nitin Shingate, CEO & Co-founder • Vikram Raghavan, President & Co-founder • Harini Venkatesan, COO & Co-founder • Gabriel Balanag, Director of Business Development • Silvia Englert , Marketing Manager RentalRoost, Inc. is a technology-based rental search and recommendation engine that utilizes social media data and proprietary algorithms to help match users with rental properties. RentalRoost focuses on the users’ livability in each property they search, including how kid-friendly, pet-friendly, and commute-friendly a property is. RentalRoost was founded in 2012. In November 2013, RentalRoost launched nationally.

RIS CONSULTING SERVICES (203) 852-4304 • Norwalk, Conn.

• John Sculley, Managing Dir. • Peg Guinta, Projects Dir. RIS Consulting Services is an independent relocation consulting firm dedicated to designing and implementing comprehensive solutions to mobility issues. We deliver a full range of consulting services to our diverse corporate and relocation service company clients. The executives of RIS Consulting utilize their industry and specialty knowledge to analyze your situation, develop strategic options and implement designed solutions.

SHARPERAGENT (866) 614-9372 • www.SharperAgent.com • Denver, Colo.

• Brian Wildermuth, President SharperAgent delivers the industry’s most powerful contact marketing system that combines direct mail and email marketing

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 97

into one easy-to-use system. SharperAgent subscribers can distribute personalized newsletters, greeting cards, local marketing cards, sports schedules, flyers and much more via traditional mail, HTML email (no attachments or links), or post to their personal website. One of the more powerful features allows the subscriber to run complete promotional and follow-up drip email campaigns through a proprietary online Customer Management System.

ing real estate professionals who wish to “raise the bar.” Top 5 in Real Estate is a network of select real estate professionals from throughout the U.S. and Canada who have met the Top 5 in Real Estate’s stringent series of various career qualifications and who are committed to the future development of their professional skills and services to the consumers and the communities they serve.

Showing Beacon

(800) 821-3657 Top Producer® CRM is the super-fast, super-easy real estate marketing system that makes it a breeze to build your loyal client base. Keep your sales pipeline running smoothly, follow-up automatically, and manage your business in minutes with Top Producer® CRM. Visit TopProducer.com

(877) 277-6622 • www.showingbeacon.com • Lenexa, Kan. The Showing BeaconTM is a revolutionary showing notification system that alerts sellers when they can return to their residence after a showing. This patent pending, wireless device can be placed on a counter or tabletop, or hung on the inside of the front door.

At the conclusion of the showing appointment, the agent simply pushes the red button as they leave the residence and a text or voice message is immediately sent to the seller’s mobile device.

Stewart title Stewart is a customer-focused, global title insurance and real estate services company offering products and services through our direct operations, network of approved agencies and other companies within the Stewart family. Stewart offers personalized service, industry expertise and customized solutions for virtually any type of real estate transaction. Real estate services include title insurance; mobile applications; eco-friendly closings; SureClose® document management system; specialty insurance services; commercial and global expertise and more. For more information, visit www.stewart.com.

Top 5 in Real Estate (203) 853-2167 • www.Top5inRealEstate.com RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate® is a membership network of lead-

Top Producer® CRM

Workman success systems (801) 987-0085 • www.VerlWorkman.com • Salt Lake City, Utah · Rusty Keys, Events Manager For more than a decade, Verl Workman has been one of the real estate industry’s most popular speakers. Verl delivers the necessary performance skills, the latest and most effective tools, practical lead-generating methods, proven dialogues and systems that work, in order to achieve top performance and industry excellence.

zipLogix (866) 693-6767 • www.zipLogix.com With more than 20 years of experience developing real estate-focused software solutions and used by more real estate professionals than any other program, zipLogix has been established as the industry standard. This experience delivers a completely integrated real estate solution system that is led by zipForm® Plus, the exclusive and official forms software of the National Association of REALTORS®.

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RREIN Member Profiles Ascent Real Estate, Inc. (619) 325-4100 • www.ascentrealestate.net Owned and operated in San Diego since 2005, Ascent Real Estate embodies an enviable combination of entrepreneurial energy, comprehensive industry experience, and local market knowledge.

This mix lets Ascent “out national” its local competition, thanks to its exceptional professional team and world-class infrastructure, and “out local” the national competition, thanks to its laser-like focus on the specific markets in which it operates. Our highly productive sales team of approximately 140 agents has elevated Ascent as a leader in marketshare in the Metro San Diego areas that we service. Our agents receive ongoing training and education, and they go above and beyond to deliver the diligent and ethical standard of care we are committed to providing. And, as the exclusive San Diego affiliate of Leverage Global Partners, Ascent Real Estate is a hyper-local brokerage with a global reach.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate (402) 493-4663 or (800) 477-7653 agents@BHHSamb.com • www.BHHSamb.com Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate is dedicated to providing progressive, quality real estate services in Nebraska’s metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln surrounding areas. We service all types of markets: single-family residential, new construction, condos, corporate relocation, third-party relocation, acreages and commercial real estate. With approximately 400 licensed agents, we have an agent to meet your needs regardless of the style, price or age of the property you are looking for. We look forward to helping you sell your home or find that dream home you are looking for. We believe in each other and ourselves. We understand that trust is earned and that good, professional service is an essential part of that.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. DAN JOYNER, REALTORS® (800) 476-6650 · www.cdanjoyner.com Locally owned and operated, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® has been serving communities in Upstate, South Carolina since 1964. With more than 275 agents on board and nine offices serving the Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson area, we are ready to assist with any commercial and residential real estate need. In addition to residential and commercial sales, we also offer corporate services, relocation and property management. With a passion for fostering long-term relationships with our customers and clients, while upholding the highest level of professionalism, it’s easy to see why we’ve been the No. 1 real estate company in the Upstate for more than 20 years.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Florida Network Realty (904) 296-1906 • www.FloridaNetworkRealty.com or www.BHHSFloridaNetworkRealty.com Since 1988, Founder, President and CEO Linda H. Sherrer has led a team of more than 300 real estate professionals in eight branch offices in the buying and selling of residential property throughout Northeast Florida. The company also operates a corporate REO and relocation division, a builder sales and marketing division, a title company, a referral company and is in a mortgage partnership with EverBank. During the past decade, the company has sold

more than 31,000 homes valued at more than $8.5 billion. This year, the company is celebrating its 25th anniversary and is giving back to the Northeast Florida community in a big way. For every listing and home sold, the company is making a donation to Dreams Come True, a nonprofit organization that makes dreams come true for children battling life-threatening illnesses in Northeast Florida. In honor of its 25th anniversary, BHHS Florida Network Realty has a goal of contributing $25,000 in the next year.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty (954) 693-0100 • (800) 386-1554 www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com • Sunrise, Fla. • Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President & CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty (formerly Prudential Florida Realty) is a full-service brokerage servicing 17 counties throughout Florida and is a wholly owned subsidiary of WCI Communities, Inc. It is a franchise member of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The company is the 5th largest brokerage in the nation among the affiliate Network brokers and offers residential and commercial services, seasonal rentals, property management, REO & Foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans, and personal concierge services. BHHS Florida Realty is the No. 1 Fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids, having raised over $2.3 million since 2001. For more information, visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices FOX & ROACH, REALTORS® (610) 889-7705 • www.foxroach.com Now the nation’s second largest provider of total home services, the company has 4,000 Sales Associates in 65 sales offices throughout the Tri-State area. These two legendary companies have joined forces to begin a new era in real estate. Through its affiliate, the Trident Group, the company provides one-stop shopping and facilitated services to its clients including mortgage financing and title, property and casualty insurance. For more information on Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, go to www.foxroachfuture.com. Visit our website at www.foxroach.com.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties (770) 992-4100 • www.BHHSGeorgia.com BHHS Georgia Properties has 22 locations and 1,100 agents, and is an independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Under the leadership of CEO Dan Forsman, the company is known for innovation and delivering exceptional value to associates and their clients. BHHS Georgia Properties is ranked No. 1 in homes sold, buyers represented and overall transactions for 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 for the Greater Metro Atlanta area.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices nevada Properties (800) 735-4488 • www.BHHSNV.com With more than 260,000 homes sold and 35 years in the industry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is the leader in Las Vegas real estate. Consistently rated among the top brokers in the nation, our agents successfully help families find their dream homes. With six area offices, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties is a full-service brokerage focused on quality service and the development of its agents. Call today to see how we can help increase your business.

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices select properties (314) 835-6000 • www.bhhsselectstl.com Since 2002, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties has helped keep the St. Louis real estate market local. With 11 offices in the metro area, BHHS Select ranks as the No. 1 locallyowned real estate firm in St. Louis. BHHS Select prides itself on providing the highest quality real estate brokerage services to its clients and customers and takes pride in being recognized in the community for high standards and ethics.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices the Preferred Realty As one of southwestern Pennsylvania’s largest real estate companies, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty provides quality service, care and expertise. No matter what your real estate needs, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty’s team of expert and experienced real estate professionals can help. As a full-service real estate company, BHHS The Preferred Realty provides real estate buying and selling services, mortgage and financing, title and settlement, property management, insurance, relocation services and more.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Mason-McDuffie (888) 971-4636 • www.bhghome.com Founded in 1887 as Mason-McDuffie Real Estate and transitioning to the Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate name in 2010, we are the 17th largest real estate services firm in the nation (RISMedia), No. 1 in the San Francisco East Bay (SF Business Times), and a leading innovator of real estate technology solutions to our agents and clients. With 29 offices and 1,700 agents, we bring a fresh approach to the business through the universal awareness of the Better Homes and Gardens brand.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty info@randrealty.com • www.randrealty.com Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty, founded in 1984, is the No. 1 real estate brokerage serving the northern suburbs of New York City, covering the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Putnam in New York and Bergen and Passaic in New Jersey. Rand has more than 850 sales associates, a commercial real estate company (Rand Commercial Services) along with title, mortgage, and insurance services (Hudson United).

The companies can be found online at RandRealty.com, RandCommercial.com and HudsonUnited.com.

Calcagni Associates Real Estate (203) 272-1821 • www.calcagni.com • www.land-consulting.com Calcagni Associates is the premier independently owned and operated real estate company servicing central Connecticut for over four decades. We understand the benefits of providing service that goes beyond what is expected and pride ourselves on establishing lifelong relationships with our clients. In addition to residential real estate, we also specialize in land consulting and new construction, and have divisions that handle bank-owned properties and commercial real estate.

CENTURY 21 Affiliated (800) 238-4646 • www.Century21Affiliated.com • Dan Kruse, President, dankruse@c21affiliated.com Founded by Bill Kessler in 1977, CENTURY 21 Affiliated quickly emerged as a leader within the CENTURY 21 system. The business philosophy states to treat the public fairly, treat the agents as customers, be assertive and proactive, be positive, be professional, and be state-of-the-art. With this philosophy, CENTURY 21 Affiliated has grown into Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin 100 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

with more than 56 locations and 1,200 top professionals. We are ranked as one of the top 50 real estate companies in the world and No. 1 within the CENTURY 21 system!

CENTURY 21 Allpoints realty (800) 525-7793 • www.C21AllPointsRealty.com CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty is an award-winning, full-service real estate company with six offices serving Connecticut. We work with buyers and sellers in our own communities and throughout the country, establishing life-long relationships by delivering outstanding service when it comes to any of their real estate needs.

CENTURY 21 Award (800) 293-1657 • www.century21award.com Century 21 Award is the premier southern California-based, full service real estate company serving San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties from 15 distinctive office locations. Our 1,000 professional agents and staff are fully equipped to assist you with all of your real estate needs. Our services include residential, commercial, relocation, property management and bank owned properties.

CENTURY 21 New Millennium (800) 727-6888 • www.c21nm.com CENTURY 21 New Millennium is a full service real estate brokerage company specializing in residential and luxury properties.

In addition to its newest Washington D.C. location, the Virginia locations are in Alexandria, Centreville, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Gainesville, McLean, Stafford, and Woodbridge. The Maryland offices are located in Annapolis, Columbia, Dunkirk, La Plata, Lexington Park, Lusby and Waldorf. Its core services include: mortgage financing, investing, settlement services, property management, property insurance, global relocation assistance, and commercial real estate.

CENTURY 21 Scheetz (317) 844-5111 • www.c21scheetz.com CENTURY 21 Scheetz has serviced the Metropolitan Indianapolis Market since 1976 and is the No. 1 CENTURY 21 office in the Indiana/Ohio region as well as one of the top 10 companies in the CENTURY 21 System. CENTURY 21 Scheetz Company was awarded the 2011 CENTURY 21 Art Bartlett 2100 Cup, the most coveted company award in the CENTURY 21® System. The CENTURY 21 system continues to evolve and change and is not afraid of new ideas and innovative ways of doing business, excels in customer service and professionalism, as well as embraces all of the CENTURY 21 tools and systems.

Coach Realtors® (800) 321-7356 x139 • www.coachrealtors.com · LP Finn, Operating Officer, LP@coachrealtors.com Coach Realtors® is a Long Island-based, full-service real estate company with 18 office locations and over 600 sales associates serving Nassau and Suffolk counties, N.Y. Coach Realtors® is an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates, a division of the famed auction house, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and has been recognized by Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate for over 14 years.

Coldwell Banker Advantage

Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty

(800) 274-5345 • info@AdvantageCB.com Coldwell Banker Advantage is a leading real estate company in the Fayetteville/Triangle area of North Carolina and is a nationally ranked Coldwell Banker office serving the communities of Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Cary, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Creedmoor, Clayton, Durham, Benson, Southern Pines, Pinehurst and Lake Gaston. Coldwell Banker Advantage represents the highest levels of experience, knowledge and customer service. Our full-service office can assist with mortgage financing, insurance, title insurance and in-house Concierge Service.

(800) 426-0898 • www.KappelGateway.com Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty was created through the merger of Kappel & Kappel Realty, Inc. and Solano Gateway Realty, Inc. Both firms, founded in 1972, are the market leaders in Solano County, combining for more than $600 million in sales dollar volume in 2012. Welcoming more than 240 agents in seven offices serving Solano County with branch offices in Vacaville, Fairfield, Dixon and Green Valley. Eighty-five percent of our business is derived from returning and referred clients, a true testament to our clients’ high level of satisfaction with our services and our trusted real estate professionals. Call (800) 426-0898 or log on to our website at www.KappelGateway.com.

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® (210) 483-7002 • www.cbharper.com Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® is the largest full-service real estate company servicing the metropolitan San Antonio, Texas, market. Since opening in 1986 and specializing in corporate relocation, the company has become a trusted name in the real estate industry. With almost 350 sales associates and 7 offices, the company’s extensively trained representatives have the knowledge and expertise to service all aspects of the real estate business. Its core services include global relocation, property management and rentals, commercial sales and leasing and mortgage financing. The company has earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker Chairman Circle award continuously since 1990.

COLDWELL BANKER FIRST REALTY (800) 676-3626 • www.fmrealestate.com • Fargo, N.D. • Mark D. Vanyo, President/CEO • Barbara Grande, Secretary/Managing Broker Residential Sales Coldwell Banker First Realty is the largest full-service real estate company in the Upper Midwest. Carrying on the same tradition of quality, integrity and the highest standards of business ethics that Colbert Coldwell and Benjamin Banker started in 1906, Coldwell Banker First Realty is locally owned and operated and offers a complete network of real estate services to their clients.

With a team of 65 educated and experienced sales associates and a skilled support staff, their dedication and teamwork led them to achieve the 2011 Number One Office in North Dakota within The Coldwell Banker® System.

COLDWELL BANKER HIGH COUNTRY REALTY (800) 307-0777 • www.cbHighCountry.com • email: juneslusser@tds.net Coldwell Banker High Country Realty is the leading regional real estate firm serving the Blue Ridge Mountain resort markets in North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Tennessee. Our specialties include second- and vacation-home lifestyles, retirement living, investment property, land, commercial real estate, reo and asset management and relocation services.

Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty www.cbhunter.com With 16 sales offices throughout Northeast Ohio’s 11-county area, Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty has emerged as one of the Midwest’s largest, nationally linked real estate firms and among the region’s top producing real estate companies. Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty distinguishes itself by offering unparallel service by its extensively trained sales associates, specializing in residential and commercial real estate sales and leasing, relocation services, new construction, land sales and one-stop service for mortgage, title, escrow and home warranty. Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty has been presented the highly acclaimed Coldwell Banker Chairman Circle award yearly since 1991. Visit us online at www.cbhunter.com.

Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners (800) 505-8111 • www.mycbpp.com Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners is a full-service real estate firm spanning from Beaufort, S.C., through Savannah to St. Simons Island, Ga. Contact us today if you or someone you know is interested in listing or selling residential real estate. Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners also provides services in commercial real estate, property management, relocation, specialty markets, real estate education and mortgage lending. Please call (800) 5058111 or visit us online at www.mycbpp.com.

Coldwell Banker Prime Properties (866) 323-2277 • www.ColdwellBankerPrime.com With 15 sales offices and 500+ full-time real estate professionals, Coldwell Banker Prime Properties is the No. 1 Coldwell Banker affiliate in New York State. Coldwell Banker Prime Properties is a full-service brokerage dedicated to meeting and exceeding the needs of their clients, customers and sales associates. If you want a successful career in real estate, call us today.

DIANE TURTON, REALTORS® (877) DTURTON • www.dianeturton.com Founded in 1986, Diane Turton, Realtors® is a full-service real estate company with 16 offices throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or rent in New Jersey, you’ll receive service that will surpass your expectations. Diane Turton, Realtors® consistently ranks in the top of the markets it serves. The firm also provides a full range of financial services through Turton Signature Services, including home mortgages, property and casualty insurance and title insurance.

Fillmore Real Estate (800) 528-6673 • www.fillmore.com Fillmore Real Estate is the New York Metro area’s largest independently owned real estate broker. Specializing in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and parts of Westchester, Fillmore has residential, commercial and rental divisions. For more information, visit us at www.fillmore.com or call us at (800) 528-6673.

First Team® Real Estate (888) 236-1943 • www.FirstTeam.com First Team® Real Estate is the No. 1 privately held real estate company in Southern California with 2,000 agents and employees across 60 locations. First Team wins marketshare in any economic climate through innovation and proprietary marketing tools, and by successfully targeting the luxury market with First Team Estates®. Contact First Team today to find out how we have helped thousands of families realize their dream of homeownership—and how we can help you find yours.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 101

Five Star Real Estate

Jordan Baris, Inc., Realtors®

(616) 791-1500 • www.fivestarmichigan.com Five Star Real Estate is leading the way in the real estate industry by surrounding ourselves with professionals that strive each day to provide excellent customer service. Contact us today to discover for yourselves why we are preferred by the public as their trusted advisor for a smooth real estate transaction. Five Star...building relationships for a lifetime. Call us today or visit us at www.fivestarmichigan.com.

(800) 4-JBARIS • (973) 736-1600 • www.JordanBaris.com info@jordanbaris.com Founded in 1952, Jordan Baris Inc., Realtors® is among the most respected full-service real estate brokerages in Northern New Jersey.

With a team of close to 150 associates, the firm operates offices in West Orange and South Orange, with teams focused on Essex, Morris, Union and Hudson counties. Jordan Baris, Inc. offers real estate brokerage to buyers and sellers of residential and commercial properties, developers, tenants and landlords; title services through JB Title Agency, LLC; and global relocation services through its membership with The Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

GARDNER, REALTORS® (800) 566-7801 • www.GardnerRealtors.com Since 1943, GARDNER REALTORS® continues our tradition of excellence as the leading full-service real estate company in the Southeast Louisiana and Southern Mississippi Region. The GARDNER Real Estate Family includes over 800 real estate professionals in 24 neighborhood offices that serve over 100 communities. Our professional services include residential and commercial sales & leasing, relocation and corporate services, asset management/REO, and property management; plus, the convenience and added value of one-stop shopping for mortgage, title, and home warranty services. We are proud to be home grown, locally owned and internationally known. Also, we love to give back to the communities we serve through GARDNER LOVE, which is the philanthropic arm of GARDNER REALTORS® and The Gertrude Gardner Foundation.

Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate (732) 450-2300 • www.glorianilson.com Founded over 30 years ago, we are one of the leading real estate brokerages in central New Jersey with 15 offices servicing Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties. Headquartered in Red Bank, N.J., we’re owned by SCS Realty Investment Group LLC and led by 40-year real estate veteran, Dick Schlott. We are a full-service brokerage offering real estate, title and mortgage services. Our success is built on a commitment to redefining personal service.

HARRY NORMAN, REALTORS® (404) 504-7300 • www.harrynorman.com Founded in 1930, Harry Norman, REALTORS® is Atlanta’s oldest and largest residential real estate firm with 12 sales offices, various franchise and satellite offices, and more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Harry Norman, REALTORS® is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Harry Norman, REALTORS® is the exclusive Atlanta affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate and achieves additional international exposure through membership in such exclusive real estate networks as Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, the largest network of independent residential real estate firms, with 600 members representing 5,000 offices and 150,000 associates across the U.S. and in more than 35 countries.

J. Rockcliff Realtors® (925) 251-2501 • www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com J. Rockcliff Realtors®, located east of San Francisco, is the East Bay’s premier real estate company. Recently named No. 1 in residential sales (in the East Bay) by the San Francisco Business Times, J. Rockcliff specializes in service. With leading-edge technology, state-of-the-art marketing across multiple mediums, the most experienced management team in the Bay Area and dedicated, ethical and professional agents, our goal is to provide a client experience that is second to none. With almost 600 agents and nine offices, J. Rockcliff Realtors® is the fastest growing real estate company in the East Bay. 102 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living (508) 420-1130 • www.kinlingrover.com Kinlin Grover has 16 real estate offices covering Cape Cod from the bridges to Provincetown, specializing in the marketing and sale of waterfront, village, commercial properties and fine homes. From the very beginning, the Kinlin Grover mission has remained constant: “To help our clients make the best real estate decisions and to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.” In addition, Kinlin Grover Vacation Rentals is the largest real estate firm on Cape Cod with over 600 privately owned Cape Cod Vacation Rental Homes. We value every client and pledge to deliver unsurpassed service as trusted advisors, expert facilitators and skilled negotiators.

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. (866) 677-6937 ∙ www.LongandFoster.com Long & Foster Real Estate, the largest independent residential real estate company in the country, is part of The Long & Foster Companies, which includes Prosperity Home Mortgage, Long & Foster Insurance and Long & Foster Settlement Services. It is the exclusive affiliate for Christie’s International Real Estate throughout select parts of the Mid-Atlantic, and a founding affiliate of LeadingRE, a prestigious global network that includes Luxury Portfolio International. Long & Foster represents over 10,000 agents in seven states, plus Washington, D.C.

Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty (717) 291-9101 • www.LuskandAssociates.com When you work with Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty, you can count on specialists who can answer your questions, apply in-depth knowledge of current market conditions, and access extensive resources that can expedite the sale of your home. Call us today for your real estate needs.

McCOLLY Real Estate (800) 348-2100 x206 • www.mccolly.com Since 1974, thousands of families in Northwest Indiana, Chicago Southland and Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., have trusted their home-buying, selling and relocation needs to the more than 500 sales professionals at McCOLLY Real Estate. We’ve created a onestop shopping environment to save you time and money with our inhouse mortgage, title and rental services.

Page Taft Real Living (203) 453-6511 • www.pagetaft.com Since opening its Guilford office in 1980, Page Taft has expanded its presence with offices in the historic towns of Madison and Essex, Conn. Page Taft agents foster long-term relationships with clients, based on a strong foundation of trust and an unsurpassed commitment to excellence. These unique strengths set us apart from our competitors and make us your most valuable resource in fulfilling your real estate needs.

Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate (877) 456-4663 • www.pattersonschwartz.com • pattersonschwartz@psre.com Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® with 50 years of service to the Delaware real estate market and surrounding communities in nearby Pennsylvania and Maryland. With seven offices and 350 sales associates, we are committed to excellence, integrity and quality service. We offer a full range of services, including residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services and property management.

Prudential Towne Realty (888) 737-9246 • www.prudentialtownerealty.com Prudential Towne Realty is a dynamic and progressive real estate company that is dedicated to excellence, integrity and professional service. All of our agents are full time REALTORS® that are trained and committed to staying ever aware of our local market conditions and trends. Prudential Towne Realty offers an extensive line of services throughout Hampton Roads and Southeast Virginia including resale, new homes, relocation, property management, commercial and luxury home divisions.

Randall, Realtors® Real Living (401) 364-3388 • www.randallrealtors.com Randall, Realtors® Real Living has been a consistent leader in the marketing of Southern New England properties for more than 28 years. Specializing in waterfront properties and second homes, our agents boast a 98.5 percent client satisfaction rating and are among the most highly trained anywhere in New England. Through our extensive marketing network, we offer tremendous exposure for our property listings and continue to deliver successful sales and representation for our clients. In addition, Randall, Realtors®’ Vacation Rental Department offers a large selection of vacation rental properties serving the Southern Rhode Island shoreline and Eastern Connecticut.

Real Estate Teams, LLC (301) 695-3020 · www.realestateteams.com • info@realestateteams.com Real Estate Teams, LLC provides professional real estate services to clients in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. We specialize in residential, new construction, land, commercial, relocation and rental properties. Our agents have sold more properties than any other real estate office in Frederick County since 2004. Professionally trained agents take advantage of today’s technology to help their clients realize a bright tomorrow. Contact us today for more information about our real estate services. Free online property searches are available at www.realestateteams.com.

Real Living Lifestyles Real Estate (877) 433-9469 • www.RLLifestyles.com Real Living Lifestyles offers clients a suite of Integrated Real Estate Services. Our sales associates are supported by an expert staff of professionals who specialize in a variety of fields, including: real estate marketing, home financing, contracts & negotiations, home insurance, and new construction. Through our collaborative business model, clients enjoy smoother transactions and better communication. Stop by one of our eight San Diego offices.

RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central (215) 453-7653 • www.pahomesforsale.com • Tom Skiffington, Broker/Owner, tskiffington@remax.net RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central is a first-class, professional real estate company. Our goal is to provide the most prompt, courteous and professional services to all our customers and clients. We are the leading RE/MAX in Pennsylvania and Delaware with the

highest sales volume and transactions. RE/MAX 440/Central has 10 different offices in Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties.

RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc. (800) 825-7000 • www.BoulderCO.com Established in 1977, RE/MAX of Boulder was one of the first RE/MAX franchises in the country and has been a model of success. RE/MAX of Boulder offers one-stop shopping for the benefit of its clients and customers with a mortgage broker, an independent insurance agent and a title company all under one roof. A recognized leader in real estate sales for over 30 years, RE/MAX of Boulder prides itself on its involvement in the community. RE/MAX of Boulder specializes in relocation.

RE/MAX Crossroads (800) 887-7444 • www.remaxneo.com • Dennis Steed, ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI, e-Pro, Broker/Owner, dsteed@remax.net RE/MAX Crossroads is locally owned and operated with 7 locations in the greater Cleveland and Akron/Canton area. Serving our communities with over 150 sales partners and support staff, RE/MAX Crossroads is the largest RE/MAX Company in Ohio.

One-hundred percent of our sales partners choose to contribute a portion of each transaction to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN). Since the company’s inception in 1993, RE/MAX Crossroads has contributed over $600,000 to CMN. Crossroads’ outstanding partners closed nearly 3,700 transactions in 2013, making us one of the top 25 Real Estate Companies in the U.S. ranked by per agent productivity.

RE/MAX Gateway (703) 652-5760 • www.gateway2realestate.com The real estate market is ever changing. It takes constant evaluation, review of recent trends to forecast a potential future and education of agents through mastermind groups and real estate information exchanges. These are areas in which we excel at RE/MAX Gateway. Contact us today if you are looking to advance your career in real estate through a multitude of educational experiences and resources, or if you need real estate advice in order to make informed decisions when buying and selling houses.

RE/MAX PROFESSIONALS (303) 455-3300 • www.homesbythepro.com RE/MAX Professionals boasts the finest Realtors® in the Denver metro area. For more than 30 years we have led the industry in sales, technology and professionalism. Recently RE/MAX Professionals was recognized as the fastest growing RE/MAX in the world with nearly 400 licensed agents.

RE/MAX SUBURBAN (847) 577-9888 • www.remaxsuburban.com RE/MAX Suburban is the leader in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs of Illinois market. The company has seven offices and over 180 sales associates.

RLS, REALTORS® (908) 221-1244 • (973) 543-1000 • www.rlsrealtors.com Opened in March 2010, and sister company to Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate, RLS, Realtors® services the needs of homebuyers and sellers in Somerset and Morris counties in New Jersey.

RLS is owned by SCS Realty Investment Group LLC and led by 40-year real estate veteran Dick Schlott. We are a full-service brokerage offering real estate, title and mortgage services.

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 103

Your Broker-to-broker source for Referrals from Real Estate’s Leading Residential Brokerage Companies california

Ascent Real Estate Inc. 410 Kalmia Street, San Diego , CA 92101 Contact: Client Services • Tel: (619) 325-4140 Email: info@ascentrealestate.net • URL: www.ascentrealestate.net Coverage areas: San Diego Offices: 7 • Associates: 140

Real Living Lifestyles Real Estate 16236 San Dieguito Road, Bldg. 4, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 Contact: Dee Emerson • Tel: (888) 557-2289 Email: Dee.Emerson@realliving.com • URL: www.RLLifestyles.com/Relo Coverage areas: North San Diego County Offices: 8 • Associates: 400

Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate 2260 Douglas Blvd., Ste. 140, Roseville, CA 95661 Contact: Linda Howard, President, Network Services Tel: (916) 488-1787 (Direct) • (800) 451-3131 (Toll Free) • (Fax) 916-488-3749 Email: linda.howard@bhghome.com • URL: www.bhghome.com Coverage areas: Northern California, Northern Nevada Offices: 29 • Associates: 1,700

COLORADO

CENTURY 21 Award - Orange County 22342 Avenida Empresa, Suite 110, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Contact: Kathy Paddock, CRP, Vice President Relocation Services Toll Free: (800) 821-1411 • Fax: (949) 480-5345 Email: kpaddock@century21award.com Coverage areas: Orange County Offices: 15 • Associates: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Award - San Diego, Riverside 7676 Hazard Center Drive, Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92108 Contact: Kathy Paddock, CRP, Vice President Relocation Services Toll Free: (800) 821-1411 • Fax: (949) 480-5345 Email: kpaddock@century21award.com Coverage areas: San Diego, Southern Riverside Offices: 15 • Associates: 1200 Coldwell Banker Kappel Gateway Realty 750 Mason Street, Ste. 101, Vacaville, CA 95688 Phone: (707) 427-5344 or (800) 426-0898 • Fax: (707) 446-9830 Contact: Loretta Neubert E-mail: relo@kappelgateway.com • URL: www.KappelGateway.com Coverage Areas: Vacaville, Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City Vallejo and Winters, Calif.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 240 First Team® Real Estate 108 Pacifica Avenue, Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92618 Toll Free Phone: (855) 858-8028 Contact: Gayle D. Glew CRP, CRB, Director, Relocation and Corporate Services URL: www.firstteam.com • E-mail: gayleglew@firstteam.com Coverage areas: Southern California counties of Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego Offices: 36 • Associates: 1865 J. Rockcliff Realtors® Headquarters Office: 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 201, Danville, CA, 94506 Contact: Robin Dickson, CRS, GRI, Executive Vice President Tel: (O) 925.251.2501, (C) 925.324.1323, (TF) 877-JRCKCLF (572-2523) Email: rdickson@rockcliff.com URL(s): www.rockcliff.com • www.rockliffcares.com Coverage Areas: Alameda County: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Dublin Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol, Union City; Contra Costa County: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek; San Joaquin County: Country Club, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Mountain House, Stockton, Tracy, Silicon Valley/San Jose area

104 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc. 2425 Canyon Blvd. #110, Boulder, CO 80302 Contact: D.B. Wilson, CDPE, SFR, CRS, GRI Broker Assoc./Mgr., Relo. Svcs.

Tel: (303) 449-7000 • Toll Free: (800) 825-7000 • Fax: (303) 449-8554 • Email: dbwilson@BoulderCO.com • URL: www.BoulderCO.com Coverage areas: Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, Niwot, Nederland, Lyons, Superior, Westminster, Erie, Firestone, Frederick, Jamestown, close in mountains and the entire Boulder Valley. Covering much of Adams, Larimer, Weld, Denver, Jefferson, Gilpin and all of Boulder and Broomfield counties Offices: 1 • Associates: 85 RE/MAX Professionals 390 Union Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80228 Contact: Brad Whitehouse, Broker/Owner Tel: (303) 268-4236 (office) • (303) 887-5159 (mobile) Email: bradwhitehouse@remax.net • URL: www.homesbythepros.com Coverage areas: Denver and surrounding areas Offices: 8 • Associates: 380

CONNECTICUT

Calcagni Associates Real Estate 330 South Main Street, Cheshire, CT 06410 Contact: Steven Calcagni, President Director of Relocation: Camille Urbano • Tel: (203) 272-1821 ext. 368 Email: Camille_Urbano@calcagni.com • URL: www.calcagni.com Coverage areas: New Haven County, Central Connecticut Offices: 3 • Associates: 100 CENTURY 21 AllPoints Realty 117 North Main Street, Southington, CT 06489 Contact: Kelly Peterson, COO • Tel: (800) 525-7793 Email: C21KellyPeterson@gmail.com • URL: www.c21allpointsrealty.com Coverage area: Southington, Cheshire, Plainville, Bristol, Farmington, Newington, Berlin, New Britain, Waterbury, Watertown, West Hartford, Enfield, Somers, Suffield, Manchester, Windsor, South Windsor, East Hartford, Vernon, Tolland, Granby, New Haven, Branford, Northford, Meriden, Wallingford, North Haven, East Haven, Guilford, Old Saybrook, Orange, Naugatuck, Milford Office: 6 • Associates: 214 Page Taft Real Living 89 Whitfield Street, Guilford, CT 06437 Contact: Karen Stephens, Executive VP • Tel: (203) 453-6511 Email: kstephens@pagetaft.com • URL: www.pagetaft.com Coverage areas: Connecticut Offices: 3 • Associates: 60 Randall, Realtors® Real Living 4009 Old Post Road, Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

Delaware

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors® 1 International Plaza, Suite 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate 7234 Lancaster Pike, Suite 220B, Hockessin, DE 19707 Contact: Marjorie Murray, RCC, Relocation Manager Office: (302) 234-3600 • Direct: (302) 234-3605 • Toll free: (800) 443-2295 Email: mmurray@psre.com • URL: pattersonschwartz.com Service area: Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties), Pennsylvania (Chester and Delaware counties), Maryland (Cecil, Kent and Harford counties) Offices: 8 • Associates: 350

FLORIDA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Florida Network Realty 4190 Belfort Road, Suite 475, Jacksonville, FL 32216 Contact: Linda Lindenmoyer, Dir. Relocation, Referral Services and Bus. Dev. Tel: (800) 456-8036 • Direct: (904) 296-6400 ext. 313 Email: Linda.Lindenmoyer@Prunet.com URL: www.prudentialnetworkrealty.com or www.BHHSFloridaNetworkRealty.com Coverage Areas: Northeast Florida including: Jacksonville, Avondale, Ortega, San Marco, Riverside, Neptune Beach, Arlington, Southside, Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Mandarin, St. Johns, World Golf Village, St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg. Serving Clay, St. Johns, Duval, Flagler counties Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 1580 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy, Suite 400, Sunrise, FL 33323 Tel: (954) 693-0100 or (800) 386-1554 • Fax: (954) 236-6962 Contact: Rei Mesa, CRS, CRB, President, CEO Email: ReiMesa@BHHSFloridaRealty.com • URL: www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com Relocation Contact: Sharon Sapp, Vice President, Relocation, Referrals & REOs sharonsapp@BHHSFloridaRealty.com Serving 17 counties throughout Florida, including Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida and Orlando area Offering mortgage, title, insurance, home service plans, 1031 exchange services!

Offices: 39 • Associates: 1,350 McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Drive, Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage areas: Daytona, Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Flagler, Holly Hill, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange, South Daytona Offices: 15 • Associates: 550

georgia

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties 863 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, GA 30076 Contact: Kathy Connelly, SVP Corporate Services • Tel: (678) 352-3321 Email: Kathy.Connelly@BHHSGeorgia.com • URL: www.BHHSGeorgia.com

Coverage areas: Metro Atlanta and North Georgia Offices: 22 • Associates: 1,100 Coldwell Banker High Country Realty 274 W. Main Street., Blue Ridge, GA 30513 Contact: Barbara Phillips, Director of Referral and Relocation Services Tel: (706) 632 7311 X227 Email: brphillips_cb@tds.net • URL: www.cbHighCountry.com Coverage areas: The Blue Ridge Mountain Areas of: Murphy, Robbinsville, Hayesville, (N.C.), Hiawassee, Young Harris, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, and Ellijay, (Ga.), and Polk County (Tenn.)

Offices: 4 Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners 6349 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31405 Contact: Christy Woiwode, COO, Vice President of Relocation Tel: (800) 505-8111 Email: Christy@cbplatinumpartners.com • URL: www.MyCbpp.com Coverage areas: Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head (S.C.), Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, St. Simons Island, Brunswick, St. Marys (Ga.) and all areas in between Offices: 7 • Associates: 150 Harry Norman, REALTORS® 532 East Paces Ferry Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 Contact: Patsy Alston, patsy.alston@harrynorman.com Tel: (404) 504-7950 Email: patsy.alston@harrynorman.com • URL: www.harrynorman.com Coverage Areas: Atlanta, Ga. Offices: 12 • Associates: 1,000

illinois

CENTURY 21 Affiliated 221 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53713 Contact: Bonnie Kunstman, Relocation Director Tel: (815) 207-6813 • Cell: (815) 922-3246 Email: bkunstman@C21Affiliated.com • URL: www.Century21Affiliated.com Coverage Areas: South Central Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Greater Chicagoland area, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Minnesota, Southern Michigan.

Offices: 56 • Agents: 1,200 McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Drive, Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage areas: Alsip, Beecher, Blue Island, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Burbank, Burnham, Calumet City, Channahon, Chicago, Chicago Heights, Chicago Ridge, Clearing, Coal City, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Crete, Dolton, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Glenwood, Grant Park, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Hegewisch, Hickory Hills, Homer Glen, Homewood, Joliet, Kankakee, Lansing, Lemont, Lockport, Lynwood, Manhattan, Manteno, Markham, Matteson, Midlothian, Mokena, Momence, Monee, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Park Forest, Peotone, Plainfield, Posen, Richton Park, Riverdale, Romeoville, Roseland, Sauk Village, Shorewood, South Holland, St. Anne, Steger, Tinley Park, University Park, Worth Offices: 15 • Associates: 550 RE/MAX SUBURBAN 330 East Northwest Highway, Mount Prospect, IL 60056 Contact: Layla El Said, layla@laylaelsaid.com Email: layla@laylaelsaid.com • URL: remaxsuburban.com Coverage areas: Northwest suburbs of Chicagoland Offices: 7 • Associates: 180

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 105

indiana

CENTURY 21 Affiliated 221 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53713 Contact: Bonnie Kunstman, Relocation Director Tel: (815) 207-6813 • Cell: (815) 922-3246 Email: bkunstman@C21Affiliated.com • URL: www.Century21Affiliated.com Coverage Areas: South Central Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Greater Chicagoland area, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Minnesota, Southern Michigan.

Offices: 56 • Agents: 1,200 CENTURY 21 Scheetz Scheetz Relocation: (800) 634-6099 – Award-winning, CARTUS Principle Broker, USAA, Brookfield, Lexicon, SIRVA, Weichert, NEI, Altair, Parago, The MI Group, Crown, Prudential, Graebel Contact: Annie Hamilton, Vice President of Relocation Email: ahamilton@c21scheetz.com • url: www.c21scheetz.com Coverage Areas: Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, Greenwood, Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Cicero, Fortville, McCordsville, Franklin, Greenfield, Sheridan, Trafalgar, Lebanon McCOLLY Real Estate 800 Deer Creek Drive, Schererville, IN 46375 Contact: Deborah Horton, CRP, RCC, Director of Referral/Relocation Services Tel: (800) 348-2100 ext 206 Email: dhorton@mccolly.com • URL: www.mccolly.com Coverage areas: Beverly Shores, Burns Harbor, Cedar Lake, Chesterton, Crown Point, DeMotte, Dyer, East Chicago, Fair Oaks, Gary, Griffith, Hammond, Hebron, Hessville, Highland, Hobart, Kentland, Kouts, La Crosse, La Porte, Lake Station, Lake Village, Lakes of Four Seasons, Lowell, Merrillville, Michigan City, Morocco, Munster, Ogden Dunes, Portage, Porter, Rensselaer, Roselawn, Schererville, Schneider, Shelby, St. John, Sumava Resorts, Thayer, Valparaiso, Wanatah, Westville, Wheatfield, Wheeler, Whiting, Winfield Offices: 15 • Associates: 550

louisiana

GARDNER, REALTORS® 3332 N. Woodlawn Avenue, Metairie, LA 70006 Contact: Nancy Harmann, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: (504) 200-5080 • Cell: (504) 402-9567 • Toll Free: (800) 256-5677 Email: NHarmann@GardnerRealtors.com • URL: www.GardnerRealtors.com Coverage Areas: Southeast Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi, including the MS Gulf Coast Offering a full range of services including Residential, Commercial, Leasing, New Homes, REO, and Loss Mitigation; plus individual and corporate Relocation, Property Management and National/International Referral Network services.

Offices: 24 • Associates: 800

Maryland

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Director, NM Relocation • URL: move@c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

106 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Suite 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director • Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

Massachusetts

Kinlin Grover Real Estate Real Living 4 Wianno Ave., Osterville, MA 02655 Contact: Lucy Cundiff, Director of Agent Services Tel: (508) 420-1130 Email: lcundiff@kinlingrover.com • URL: www.kinlingrover.com Coverage areas: Southeastern Massachusetts Offices: 16 • Associates: 275

Michigan

CENTURY 21 Affiliated 221 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53713 Contact: Bonnie Kunstman, Relocation Director Tel: (815) 207-6813 • Cell: (815) 922-3246 Email: bkunstman@C21Affiliated.com • URL: www.Century21Affiliated.com Coverage Areas: South Central Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Greater Chicagoland area, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Minnesota, Southern Michigan.

Offices: 56 • Agents: 1,200 Five Star Real Estate 4601 Lake Michigan Dr., Grand Rapids, MI 49534 Real Estate/Relocation Services Contact: June Bergsma, Director of Relocation Toll Free: (888) 791-2526 • Direct: (616) 988-1428 URL: www.fivestarmichigan.com Coverage Area: West Michigan – Ottawa, Kent, Allegan counties Offices: 6 • Associates: 200

Minnesota

CENTURY 21 Affiliated 221 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53713 Contact: Jennifer Wagner, Relocation Director Tel: (608) 223-2797 • Cell: (608) 751-2576 Email: Jennifer.Wagner@C21Affiliated.com • URL: www.Century21Affiliated.com Coverage Areas: South Central Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Greater Chicagoland area, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Minnesota, Southern Michigan.

Offices: 56 • Agents: 1,200

mississippi

GARDNER, REALTORS® 3332 N. Woodlawn Avenue, Metairie, LA 70006 Contact: Nancy Harmann, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Tel: (504) 200-5080 • Cell: (504) 402-9567 • Toll Free: (800) 256-5677 Email: NHarmann@GardnerRealtors.com • URL: www.GardnerRealtors.com Coverage Areas: Southeast Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge, and Southern Mississippi, including the MS Gulf Coast Offering a full range of services including Residential, Commercial, Leasing, New Homes, REO, and Loss Mitigation; plus individual and corporate Relocation, Property Management and National/International Referral Network services.

Offices: 24 • Associates: 800

Missouri

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties 1650 Des Peres Road Suite 205, Saint Louis, MO 63131 Contact: Angie Ignatowski, Relocation Director Tel: (314) 835-6000 Direct (314) 835-6050 Email: aignatowski@bhhsselectstl.com • URL: www.bhhsselectstl.com Coverage Areas: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County Offices: 11 • Associates: Over 500

NEbraska

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate 13340 California St., Omaha, NE 68154 Contact: Katie Adams, CRP, GMS, VP Corp. Relocation and Business Development Tel: (800) 477-7653 or (402) 547-5137 Email: Katie.adams@BHHSamb.com • URL: www.BHHSamb.com Coverage Areas: Omaha and Lincoln Metropolitan Area, including; Omaha, Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista, Papillion, Gretna, Elkhorn, Fremont, Lincoln, Council Bluffs and surrounding communities.

NEvada

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties 3185 St. Rose Pkwy., Suite 100, Henderson, NV 89052 Contact: Eileen Mitchell, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (800) 735-4488 Email: relo@BHHSNV.com • URL: www.BHHSNV.com Coverage areas: Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin and Pahrump Offices: 6 • Associates: 1,050 Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate 2260 Douglas Blvd., Ste. 140, Roseville, CA 95661 Contact: Linda Howard, President, Network Services Tel: (916) 488-1787 • (800) 451-3131 • Fax: (916) 488-3749 Email: linda.howard@bhghome.com • URL: www.bhghome.com Coverage areas: Northern California, Northern Nevada Offices: 35 • Associates: 2,000

NEW JERSEY

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors® 1 International Plaza, Suite 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000 Diane Turton, Realtors® 511 Forman Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742 Contact: Dawn Fetherston, Director of Relocation & Corporate Services Diane Turton, Realtors Relocation Services • Tel: 1-877-DTURTON Email: dturton@dianeturton.com • URL: www.dianeturton.com Coverage areas: Monmouth County and Ocean County (N.J.) Member Organizations: Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, Luxury Portfolio, Luxury Real Estate Offices: 16 · Associates: 350 Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate and RLS, REALTORS® 826 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 Contact: Pat Renner, Director of Business Development Relocation Line: (888) 467-MOVE • Direct: (609) 750-7605 Email: prenner@glorianilson.com • URL: www.glorianilson.com Coverage areas: Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean and Somerset counties Offices: 17 • Associates: 600+ Jordan Baris, Inc., Realtors® 50 Mt. Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 Contact: Carol Abdo, Relocation Director Office: (973) 736-1600 • Toll Free: (800) 4-JBARIS • Fax: (973) 736-5159 Email: relocation@jordanbaris.com • URL: www.jordanbaris.com Coverage area: Essex, Union, Hudson and Morris counties. Specifically West Orange, South Orange, Maplewood, Livingston, East Hanover, Roseland, Short Hills, Montclair, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, East Orange, Orange, Irvington, Jersey City, North Bergen, Union, Vauxhall, Parsippany-Troy Hills Offices: 2 • Associates: 150

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

NEW YORK

Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty 10 Schriever Lane, New City, NY 10956 Contact: Janet Farsetta, Vice President, Relocation Tel: (845) 825-8071 Email: janet.farsetta@randrealty.com • URL: www.randrealty.com Coverage areas: The major New York suburbs, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties in New York Offices: 25 • Associates: More than 800 Coach Realtors® 66 Gilbert Street, Northport, NY 11768 Contact: Elaine Elish, Inbound Referral Coordinator, (800) 321-7356 x138, Email: elaine@coachrealtors.com URL: www.coachrealtors.com/buying-and-selling/relocation.cfm The Coach Realtors Relocation Department understands the complexities and challenges of employee transfers and is very responsive to the many needs of relocating families. Coach’s relocation division is supported by three full-time referral coordinators; Elaine Elish, Kathy Brandofino and Roseanne Tourto. These 3 professionals draw upon more than 50 years of combined relocation experience in order to make client transition a comfortable one.

Offices: 18 • Associates 618 Coldwell Banker Prime Properties 10 Osgood Avenue, Green Island, NY 12183 Contact: R. James Long, Broker/Owner Tel: (518) 640-4008 • Fax (518) 456-8980 Email: jim.long@ColdwellBankerPrime.com Coverage Areas: New York State, primarily Capital Region and Central New York Offices: 16 • Sales Associates: 500 Fillmore Real Estate 2990 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11229 Contact: John Reinhardt, President/CEO • Tel: (800) 528-6673 Email: JohnReinhardt@Fillmore.com • URL: www.fillmore.com Coverage areas: Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx and parts of Westchester Offices: 16 • Associates: 400

NORTH CAROLINA

Coldwell Banker Advantage 7610 Six Forks Rd. Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27615 Contact: Benina Drake, CRP, SVP Relocation and Referral Services Tel: (800) 274-5345 • Direct (919) 846-3330 Email: BDrake@AdvantageCB.com • URL: AdvantageCB.com Coverage Areas: Apex, Cary, Clayton, Creedmoor, Chapel Hill, Durham, Falls Lake, Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg area, Henderson, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Lake Gaston, Lillington, McGee’s Crossroads, Pinehurst, Pittsboro, Pope Air Force Base area, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Wake Forest and Zebulon Offices: 17 • Associates: 325 Coldwell Banker High Country Realty 274 W. Main Street., Blue Ridge, GA 30513 Contact: Barbara Phillips, Director of Referral and Relocation Services Tel: (706) 632 7311 X227 Email: brphillips_cb@tds.net • URL: www.cbHighCountry.com Coverage areas: The Blue Ridge Mountain Areas of: Murphy, Robbinsville, Hayesville, (N.C.), Hiawassee, Young Harris, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, and Ellijay, (Ga.), and Polk County (Tenn.)

Offices: 4 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 107

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+

NORTH DAKOTA

Coldwell Banker First Realty Number 1 Coldwell Banker Company in North Dakota 2731 12th Avenue S, Fargo, ND 58103 Contact: Amber Olsen, Relocation Director Tel: (800) 676-3626 • Office: (701) 293-3423 Email: aolsen@fmrealestate.com • URL: www.fmrealestate.com Coverage Areas: North Dakota cities - Casselton, Fargo, Grand Forks, Harwood, Horace, Kindred, Larimore, Mapleton, Mayville, Northwood, Reynolds, Thompson, and West Fargo. Minnesota cities – Barnesville, Crookston, Dilworth, East Grand Forks, Glyndon, Hallock, Hawley, Moorhead, and Oslo. Covering all of Cass and Clay counties. Offering mortgage, title, commercial real estate, and property management services.

Offices: 1 • Associates: 65

ohio

CENTURY 21 Scheetz Scheetz Relocation: (800) 634-6099 – Award-winning, CARTUS Principle Broker, USAA, Brookfield, Lexicon, SIRVA, Weichert, NEI, Altair, Parago, The MI Group, Crown, Prudential, Graebel Contact: Annie Hamilton, Vice President of Relocation Email: ahamilton@c21scheetz.com • url: www.c21scheetz.com Coverage Areas: Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville, Greenwood, Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Cicero, Fortville, McCordsville, Franklin, Greenfield, Sheridan, Trafalgar, Lebanon Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty 24600 Detroit Road, Suite 265, Westlake, OH 44145 Contact: Jean Strelou, Relocation Director Office: (216) 899-2544 • (800) 777-0793 Email: cbhunter@coldwellbanker.com • URL: www.cbhunter.com Coverage Areas: Northeast Ohio including the following counties and cities: Ashtabula, Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Erie (Sandusky), Geauga, Lake (Mentor), Lorain, Medina, Portage, Summit (Akron), Stark (Canton) and Wayne (Wooster) Offices: 16 • Associates: 320 RE/MAX Crossroads 17149 SouthPark Center, Strongsville, OH 44136, Northeast Ohio Contact: Dennis Steed, Broker/Owner, Tel: (800) 887-7444 Email: dsteed@remax.net • URL: www.remaxneo.com Coverage areas: Northeast Ohio, Akron, Canton, Medina, New Philadelphia, Rocky River, Stow, Fairlawn, Strongsville, including Carroll, Cuyahoga, Medina, Lorain, Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas counties.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 150

PENNSYLVANIA

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors® 1 International Plaza, Suite 100, Philadelphia, PA 19113 Contact: Linda Zanzinger, Vice President, Relocation/REO Services, (610) 595-3149 Email: Linda.Zanzinger@foxroach.com • URL: www.foxroach.com Coverage areas: Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Allentown and Easton Region, SE Pa., Southern and Central N.J., Northern Del. Offices: 65 • Associates: 4,000 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty 9401 McKnight Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Contact: Elaine DeBildt • Tel: (412) 261-4800 Email: edebildt@thepreferredrealty.com • URL: www.ThePreferredRealty.com 108 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Coverage areas: Southwestern Penn., including the following counties, Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Westmoreland, Washington, Lawrence, Fayette and Somerset Offices: 18 • Associates: 650 Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Lusk & Associates Sotheby’s International Realty 100 Foxshire Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601 Tel: (717) 291-9101 • Fax: (717) 393-2336 Contact: Sandy Zercher Email: sandra.zercher@sothebysrealty.com • URL: www.LuskandAssociates.com Coverage Areas: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania; South Central Pennsylvania Offices: 1 • Associates: 40 Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Suite 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates RE/MAX 440 and RE/MAX Central 701 West Market Street, Perkasie, PA 18944 Contact: Tom Skiffington: Broker/Owner, Email: tskiffington@remax.net Tel: (215) 453-7653 • (215) 643-3200 URLs: www.pahomesforsale.com and www.lehighvalleyrealestate.com Coverage areas: Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Berks, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Lehigh, North Hampton, and New Jersey Offices: 10 • Associates: 170

rhode island

Randall, Realtors® Real Living 4009 Old Post Road, Charleston, RI 02813 Contact: Jean Fournier, Dir. of Relocation & Referral Services Tel: (401) 486-9677 Email: jfournier@randallrealtors.com • URL: www.randallrealtors.com Coverage areas: Connecticut and Rhode Island Offices: 9 • Associates: 175

south carolina

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS® 745 N. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC 29607 Contacts: Karen Taylor, Director of Relocation, ktaylor@cdanjoyner.com, (864) 678-5244 Jo Anne Conner, Network Mgr., jconner@cdanjoyner.com, (864) 678-5227 URL: www.cdanjoyner.com Brookfield GRS, SIRVA, AIReS Relocation, Graebel, MI Group Coverage Areas: Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Duncan, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, Easley, Piedmont, Anderson Offices: 9 • Associates: 275+ Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners 6349 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31405 Contact: Christy Woiwode, COO, VP of Relocation, Tel: (800) 505-8111 Email: Christy@cbplatinumpartners.com • URL: www.MyCbpp.com Coverage Areas: Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head (S.C.), Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, St. Simons Island, Brunswick, St. Marys (Ga.) and all

areas in between Offices: 7 • Associates: 150

tennessee

Coldwell Banker High Country Realty 274 W. Main Street., Blue Ridge, GA 30513 Contact: Barbara Phillips, Director of Referral and Relocation Services Tel: (706) 632 7311 X227 Email: brphillips_cb@tds.net • URL: www.cbHighCountry.com Coverage areas: The Blue Ridge Mountain Areas of: Murphy, Robbinsville, Hayesville, (N.C.), Hiawassee, Young Harris, Blairsville, Blue Ridge, and Ellijay, (Ga.), and Polk County (Tenn.)

Offices: 4

Texas

Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® 18756 Stone Oak Parkway, Ste. 301, San Antonio, Texas 78258 Contact: Pam Poitevent, Sr. VP Relocation Services Toll Free: (800) 521-1408 • Direct: (210) 483-7035 Email: ppoitevent@cbharper.com • URL: www.cbharper.com Coverage areas: San Antonio metropolitan area including New Braunfels, San Marcos, Seguin, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Schertz, Universal City, Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville and surrounding areas. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 7 • Associates: 350

Virginia

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Dir., NM Relocation, Email: move@c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Prudential Towne Realty 600 22nd Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 Contact: Darlene Lamb, Director of Corporate Relocation Services Toll Free: (757) 296-0003 • Direct: (757) 709-2947 Email: relocation@prudentialtownerealty.com • URL: www.prudentialtownerealty.com Coverage areas: Southeast Virginia/Hampton Roads: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Smithfield, Newport News, Hampton, York County, Williamsburg and Gloucester.

Offices: 18 • Associates: 400 Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Suite 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia & Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

RE/MAX Gateway 4090B Lafayette Center Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Scott MacDonald, President Tel: (703) 652-5776 • Cell: (703) 727-6900 Email: scottmacdonald@remax.net • URL: www.gateway2realestate.com Coverage areas: Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia Offices: 4 • Associates: 108

washington, D.C.

CENTURY 21 New Millennium 5990 Kingstowne Towne Center, Alexandria, VA 22315 Contact: Todd Hetherington, CEO • Tel: (800) 382-1101 • Fax: (703) 822-0136 Email: move@c21nm.com • URL: www.c21nm.com Relocation Contact: Scott Becker, Dir., NM Relocation, Email: move@c21nm.com Providers of world class real estate services in the Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Southern Maryland markets. Our areas of expertise range from Fortune 500 executives to specialized training in military and government relocation.

Offices: 16 • Associates: 700+ Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Suite 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

west virginia

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Headquarters Office: 14501 George Carter Way, Chantilly, VA 20151 Contact: Pandra Richie, President of Corporate Real Estate Services Phone: (800) 336-0356 Email: Pandra.Richie@Longandfoster.com • URL: www.LongandFoster.com Coverage areas: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia Offices: 170+ • Associates: 10,000+ Real Estate Teams, LLC 50 Citizens Way, Suite 400, Frederick, MD 21701 Contact: Kim Koval, Relocation Director Main Office: (301) 695-3020 Email: relo@realestateteams.com • URL: www.realestateteams.com Coverage Areas: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Offices: 4 • Over 150 REALTOR® Associates

wisconsin

CENTURY 21 Affiliated 221 West Beltline Highway, Madison, WI 53713 Contact: Jennifer Wagner, Relocation Director Tel: (608) 223-2797 • Cell: (608) 751-2576 Email: Jennifer.Wagner@C21Affiliated.com • URL: www.Century21Affiliated.com Coverage Areas: South Central Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Greater Chicagoland area, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Minnesota, Southern Michigan Offices: 56 • Agents: 1,200

RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE January 2015 109

Don’t Just

Sharks. .

e n O e B with the

It’s time toGet

YourUnfair

Share.

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Technology that provides real solutions.

Insights, ideas, strategies and systems that make a difference and make your competitors nervous. They’re all part of our Elite Agent program – but they’re not for the faint of heart.

“I was completely energized by your enthusiasm, encouragement and ideas. After 20 years, I needed the joy that you bring to the ‘business’ of Real Estate. It is contagious and uplifting. Thank you for making a difference in this agent’s life!”

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Sound aggressive? Good.

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It’s time to get Verl.

Ask your event planner to book him. Now.

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Engage. Enlighten. Entertain. Empower.

Verl Workman Success Systems 385.282.7112 events@VerlWorkman.com

index of service providers ABR®...................................................................................20

Mobile Real Estate....................................... 39, 50, 80, IBC

American Home Shield...................................................19

National Association of REALTORS®............................8, 27

Bank of America Home Loans........................................21

National Association of REALTORS® Global.................111

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC..............5, 7

On The Move, Inc. ...........................................................95

Carrington Real Estate Services.....................................41

The Personal Marketing Company..........................81, 92

Centralized Showing Service..........................................98

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors...........................................2

Century 21 Real Estate LLC...............................................1

Point2.................................................................................62

DPR Realty........................................................................BC

The Real Estate Book.......................................................87

Engel & Völkers.................................................................13

Realtors Property Resource®...........................................29

ERA Franchise Systems, LLC............................................45

Realty ONE Group............................................................31

First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation......35

RE/MAX, LLC.....................................................................10

Homes.com......................................................................17 HSA Home Warranty...................................................... IFC

RISMedia’s Real Estate Information Network® (RREIN)...............................................................................32

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®............9, 11

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network®...............36, 82

Lumentus Social...............................................................53

Stewart Title.......................................................................14

Market Leader..................................................................59

Verl Workman Success Systems..............................24, 110

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{re: Real Estate} Continuing the Dialogue on REALTOR® Safety

T

his past fall, REALTOR® safety became a national topic of interest with the disappearance and murder of Beverly Carter, a REALTOR® from Arkansas. Unfortunately, Carter is not the first real estate agent to be harmed while simply doing her job. As her story became a national headline, REALTORS® around the country started sharing their own experiences with danger. While REALTOR® safety may be a complex topic to discuss, it’s an important and ongoing conversation the real estate industry needs to have with its agents, from the national to the local level. The National Association of REALTORS®’ comprehensive REALTOR® Safety Program provides guidelines, resources and tools to help you start that conversation, and also outlines how REALTORS® can recognize and avoid potentially harmful situations.

The safety of REALTORS® has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority for NAR. As the real estate industry evolves, so do the resources REALTORS®need to stay safe, be smart and protect themselves. The REALTOR® Safety Program was established more than a decade ago and continues to expand, offering more resources for brokers and REALTORS®. Utilizing the tools offered through the REALTOR® Safety Program, here’s how you can continue the dialogue on REALTOR® safety with your agents by integrating traditional learning mechanisms with 21st century technology: 8Update your office’s safety protocols. This may seem old-school, but your office’s safety protocols are your agent’s first line of defense. What is your office’s procedure for meeting with a new client? What information does the office need to have on record before an agent goes on a showing? Does the office have a code word agents can use to discreetly ask for help? And like any protocol, are there consequences for not adhering to them? Remind your agents and staff about the office’s safety protocol often, and reevaluate it annually.

8Download a safety app. Today, we are more connected than ever thanks to smartphones, tablets and social media. Take advantage of this technology by downloading a safety app to your smartphone. With features like GPS tracking and silent alarms, these apps can call for help, even if you can’t.

112 January 2015 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE

Today, we are more connected than ever thanks to smartphones, tablets and social media. Take advantage of this technology by downloading a safety app to your smartphone. With features like GPS tracking and silent alarms, these apps can call for help, even if you can’t.

8Purchase a safety product. From personal alarms to jewelry with GPS tracking discreetly tucked inside, there are a variety of safety products available that can ward off attackers or silently contact the authorities. Encourage your agents to choose a product they are comfortable with, can quickly access, and easily fits into their personal and professional lives.

8Educate your agents. E-learning is a popular form of educating students today, but sometimes, hosting a good, old-fashioned safety seminar in the office may be a powerful reminder for your agents to take safety seriously. Invite experts with various forms of safety knowledge, such as a law enforcement officer, a self-defense teacher, a fraud specialist or a cybercrime expert. Help your agents understand all the dangers that can occur when working in real estate. The more they know, the more they can do to protect themselves if the situation arises.

Before you implement office safety protocols or host a training seminar, NAR’s legal department has created a video that provides legal tips and best practices for brokerages to consider. Check out “Implementing Office Safety Measures: Legal Considerations,” available at www.realtor.org/Safety.

NAR’s REALTOR® Safety Program provides a list of smartphone safety apps, safety products and safety experts available for safety training presentations in the Resources for REALTORS® section of www.REALTOR.org/Safety. Through this program, you’ll also find articles, webinars, videos, office forms and more; everything you need to talk to your REALTORS® about safety is available in one convenient location.

Remember, safety starts with you. Let’s continue to work together in 2015 to keep our industry and those who work in it as safe as possible. RE